[Runebreaker]

This one is a double question and deserves two answers!!!!

Basically i want to know who everyone think is the best creator of original fantasy creatures . secondly i want to know who is the best at making updated versions of the tried and true creatures (elves, dragons, goblins, etc). now while tolkien can be selected for the first question it wouldnt be fair to compare him to writers who took the fantastical creatures he made famous and made their own stories with them. So this one requires some thought. an example of a good answer would be " I like writers A creatures the big molemen, because not only were they brave to fight fire dragons fot a living they were all blind" .

In a week i will tally up all the votes and declare once and for all ( or at least for one day) who is the the best maker of creatures around.

[This message has been edited by Runebreaker (edited February 22, 2002).]

[Corwwyn]

Are you meaning from fantasy writers only? Or does this include SF/fantasy-horror writers too?

The reason I ask is because people who stick to fantasy-only would likely be unfamiliar with some of the wondrous creatures created by writers who either don't write in this specific sub-genre or don't only write fantasy.

For example, AE Van Vogt's Ezwals from The War Against the Rull, Vernor Vinge's Tines from A Fire Upon the Deep or the many fantastical creatures in HP Lovecraft's Cthulu works.

[Vitriol]

I would definitely second V.Vinge's Tines; an excellent, believeable race.

David Brin also creates a number of good aliens in his Uplift series (except in the first book).

I think sci-fi authors do this better, partly because many fantasy authors fall into the trap of saying 'XXXX is an elf', and assuming that their readers will know what they're talking about while sci-fi authors create their races pretty much from scratch.

If I had to pick a fantasy race, I would say that Andre Norton/Mercedes Lackey's races in The Elvenbane are my favorite; you've got dragons, elves, humans and half-breeds, but they act in ways very different (and more reaslistic) from those normally portrayed.

[This message has been edited by Vitriol (edited February 22, 2002).]

[Warewolf]

My vote for most original creatures would have to go to Terry Goodkind: long- and short-tailed gars, the miswrith (sp?), the hearthounds, and the sylph are all wondrous creatures. Jordan comes in a distant second, purely because of the myrdraal.

As for most different spin on common creatures, I'd have to go with Tad Williams. In his hands, dwarves become druegar and elves become sithi...both highly unusual spins on what are traditional fantasy creatures.

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

Jordan - Gholam, draghar, trollocs, jumara!
And Feist - Valheru and all "common" elves and dwarves and everything!

[This message has been edited by Elan Morin Tedronai (edited April 06, 2002).]

[jbcohen]

Before I answer the question let me understand what is ment by the "best" fantasy species. Is best determined in terms of the species prowess on the battle field or is it determiend in terms of the comedic value or another measure?

[Vitriol]

Before I answer the question let me understand what is ment by the "best" fantasy species

Best realised, perhaps

[saintjon]

Sticking with fantasy, I'm gonna pick C.S. Friedman based on the merits of the Rakh, the Iezu and their "parent".
In terms of doing interesting new things with old species I'm going to pick Kate Elliot. I like her primal, almost savage take on elves, and the Eika are much more interesting than old-school vikings.

[Alucard]

As usual, I can't declare a single favorite, but the Armored Bear Culture in his dark materials was awesome. Love that Iorek.

[milamber_reborn]

Feist's elves, moredhel, glameredhel, dwarves are all good for copies

Myrrdral are awesome and some people think they are copies of Nazgul