Fantastic 2000: A Review of the Year in Fantasy

2000 was a pretty good year to be fan of fantasy. A good number of new books were published continuing some of the best series, newer series saw publication (and acclaim) while a good number of classics were re-issued, and the internet was abuzz with the ongoing production of the landmark work of the genre and the newest fantasy sensation.

2000 saw the continuation of two of Fantasy’s most popular and best examples of the genre: George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book #3--A Storm of Swords. Earlier volumes of this vast epic have been nominated for various awards including the Nebula Award, Hugo Award and Locus Poll Award. The third book in the series continued the trend of hitting the New York Times Best Seller list.

In the very next week, at least in the United States, Robert Jordan’s Winter’s Heart was published, the mammoth ninth volume of the landmark fantasy series The Wheel of Time. For the second consecutive volume in the series, Robert Jordan secured the number one spot on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Ricardo Pinto’s The Chosen, the first book in The Stone Dance of the Chameleon Trilogy was published to acclaim in the United States. John Marco published his second volume of Tyrants and Kings, The Grand Design, garnering honors for the second year in a row from Barnes and Noble.com and Elizabeth Haydon continued her magical, musical tale of a heroine named Prophecy which picked up the story begun in Rhapsody, also making bn.com’s best of the year list for the second consecutive year.

Dave Duncan’s Tales of the King’s Blades came to a conclusion with Sky of Swords. Hopefully he will return to that world and tell more tales of the Blades.

Some of the classics that were reissued included the first three volumes of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. While Mr. Pratchett is the best selling author in the United Kingdom, he is just beginning to catch on here in the United States. Mr. Pratchett also published another volume in the Discworld series, The Truth. Earlier in the year Terry Brooks latest Shannara novel, the first of a projected multi-volume series, saw publication Isle Witch: The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara while his original Shannara books were released with new covers. Continuing the "Terry" theme, Terry Goodkind continued his tale of Richard, bearer of the Sword of Truth with Faith of the Fallen.

Jack Vance’s landmark The Dying Earth was published in an omnibus volume, collecting the four volumes of the influential work under only two covers.

Roger Zelazny’s Amber series was published as a 10-in-1 volume The Complete Book of Amber.

Perhaps the most anticipated event for Fantasy fans is the upcoming release of the film version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. The people making this seem to be doing things right, enlisting the some of the best, most respected actors, utilizing the best technology to put forth JRRT’s vision-as director (of the films Peter Jackson) says, "Technology is just NOW catching up to the vision that JRRT had when he created Middle Earth"

The third Edition of the popular role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, introducing a whole new generation to the fantastical game that many of us grew up playing into the wee hours of the night, made a huge buzz. The books remained near or at the top of amazon.com’s Science Fiction and Fantasy bestseller list for the duration of 2000.

While considered books for a younger audience, The Amber Spyglass, the conclusion to Philip Pullman’s critically acclaimed trilogy His Dark Materials was published.

Perhaps the largest impact, not only in fantasy, but in publishing was felt by the publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth volume chronicling the tales of the young wizard in training. Harry Potter has created such a stir that lines were forming and book stores were crowded for Midnight party releases of the much anticipated book. The phenomena is getting kids and adults to read, and that is a great thing. Production on the film version of the first Harry Potter began: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Looking ahead, 2001 is going to be another great year, headlined by the main event at the end of the year that many are anticipating: Harry v. Gandalf. Both pictures will be released around the holidays.