I never see John Morressey’s Kedrigern books in these threads. Starting with A Voice for Princess, they follow the adventures of Kedrigern of Silent Thunder Mountain, a semi-retired wizard who specializes in counterspells, and his efforts to disenchant a princess who’s been turned into a frog (which he does promptly, but with unexpected side effects that persist in various permutations through several books).
The series overturns a host of light-fantasy tropes, starting with the way wizards are supposed to look. I LOVE these books, and return to them every couple of years.
I’m missing a copy of Kedrigern in Wanderland; if anyone has a copy, I’ll buy it off you.
There’s another book in the Howl series, House of Many Ways. Howl and his family are not the main focus, but they have strong supporting roles. Jones also wrote the Dalemark quartet. I found the first one, Cart and Cwidder, to be rather boring, but other people liked it very much. The quartet are available as single novels and as two double novels. You don’t have to read them in order, or even read all of them, they are basically stand alone novels set at different times in a common setting. Jones has written a lot of stand alone novels, and most of them are considered YA, but don’t let that stop you from reading them.
I’ll just second most of Lawrence Watt-Evans’ works, especially the Esthar novels, but avoid the books in the Annals of the Chosen series. Most of the Esthar stories can be read in any order. Sometimes he references earlier works, but for the most part there are no spoilers to worry about. Really, pick up The Misenchanted Sword and see if you fall in love with it.
You might like the Dream Park series by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes. While these aren’t really terribly light hearted, they’re good adventure reads, as well as being mysteries in a SF setting. Basically, the world has holo technology to a point where Live Action Roleplaying Games can be acted out in a park, and players will actually appear to be casting spells and performing various heroic acts. Most people will game at home, but a lucky few will play the game first in Dream Park. I especially enjoyed learning about the Cargo Cult in the third book, The California Voodoo Game. You do need to read these in order, though.
Stranger in a Strange Land was really social commentary in SF trappings. Well, most SF is social commentary of one sort or another, but Heinlein was more vocal about it. And our society has moved on from most of what Heinlein was commenting on. I enjoyed it when I first read it, and I still enjoy it, but parts of it make me wince.
I’m reading this right at the moment, and it’s a wonderful fantasy/ historical / alternate history blend; Victorian aesthetics, a comedy of manners, and the perils of time travel.
Tim Powers has already been mentioned for the The Drawing of the Dark, but several of his other works would also fit the OP request:The Anubis Gates, On Stranger Tides, and The Stress of Her Regard in particular.
I finally read “The Pillars of the Earth” and I thought it was one of the best books I’ve ever read and I really didn’t want it to end. I decided to try out “World Without End” not knowing that it was sort of a sequel/prequel to it. I was so excited when it came in and I read the intro! I’m about halfway through it now and I highly recommend any avid reader to try them out. I think that anyone could enjoy either of them.
After this I suppose I’ll try another one of his books…why not right?
Sharon Penman
The Sunne in Splendour about Richard III of England
The Wales trilogy, Here Be Dragons, Falls The Shadow and The Reckoning
The Henry and Eleanor trilogy: Time and Chance, When Christ and His Saints Slept and Devil’s Brood.
Elizabeth Chadwick: The Champion about William Marshal
All Historical fiction based on real people. Chadwick has quite a few more all about the same time period.
Sharon Penman also has a bunch of good mediaeval mystery novels, starting with The Queen’s Man, set in the Crusades era. I actually preferred them to her straight historical novels, which were rather long.
If you’re looking for a light-hearted fantasy fairy tale, I think you would love a book by a new author that I am working with: (S)Mythology by Jeremy Tarr. It’s a modern day fairy tale that is wry and whimsical, and tackles life…death…and the Underworld. The book is fun and super cute with illustrations by artist Katy Small, which really bring the main character Sophie to life. I just finished it and couldn’t put it down!
You can read the first three chapters and check out the illustrations at www.smythology.co.uk or check out the book on Amazon here: Amazon.com.
If you’re looking for a light-hearted fantasy fairy tale, I think you would love a book by a new author that I am working with: (S)Mythology by Jeremy Tarr. It’s a modern day fairy tale that is wry and whimsical, and tackles life…death…and the Underworld. The book is fun and super cute with illustrations by artist Katy Smail, which really bring the main character Sophie to life. I just finished it and couldn’t put it down!
You can read the first three chapters and check out the illustrations at www.smythology.co.uk or check out the book on Amazon here: Amazon.com.
P.C. Doherty has written some truly excellent historical mystery stories, some set in the reign of Henry the Eighth (The Corbett stories), and some set in ancient Egypt.
He has also written some stories set in Rome and medieval England where the main protagonists are female but sad to say I can’t get into them myself.
Bernard Knight and Michael Jecks also write some very good medieval mysteries.
For ancient Rome, Colleen Mc Cullough has written some of the finest and most authentic novels ever written IMO.
Also Robert Graves, I Claudius, and Claudius the god, but I suspect that they’re out of print.
Robert Van Gulik also wrote some excellent mysteries set in Tang dynasty China, but they’re probably out of print as well.
As far as S.F. is concerned read Ian M. Banks , the man is a genius.
Light-hearted fantasy: Patricia C. Wrede - Dealing with Dragons and many sequels.
Topsy-turvy fantasy kingdom has a plucky princess volunteering to be the “captive princess” for a local dragon, because it’s a better deal than getting hitched to any of the princes on offer.
Interesting novelized history (set of mysteries) by Ruth Downie. Gaius Petraus Russo is a doctor in Roman Britain, and he keeps getting embroiled in strange happenings with the local tribes and the various Roman institutions resting uneasily on the borders of Roman civilization. Also, his ex-wife and mother keep pestering him about getting married. Hilarious, and the series remains strong.
First one is Medicus, then Terra Incognita.
Heartily seconding Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell (Susanna Clarke), **Brother Cadfael **series (Ellis Peters), and the Dream Park series (Larry Niven).
For historical novels, I recommend Jean Plaidy’s lengthy series of books about the rulers of England (and a few nobles) starting with William the Conqueror and ending with Victoria. I especially enjoyed The Battle of the Queens, about the widows of King John and, IIRC, Saint Louis (who was a king of France). These stick pretty close to historical fact, but the dialogue is invented.
For historical mysteries, I recommend the Uncle Abner stories by Melville Davisson Post, set around the time of the American Revolution.
For lighthearted fantasy, I recommend M.T. Anderson’s Pals in Peril series, starting with Whales on Stilts. Yes, it’s for kids. It’s still hilarious.
Kythereia, your post was from 2010, …hoping you’re still with us.
Far from Classical Literature, but Historical Fiction it is, I was very impressed with Stephen King’s 11/22/63.
It’s not all blood and guts, as might be expected from King, not at all, and the ending is quite touching.
