[Liselle]

Hi!
This is a thing i wonder about, and maybe you can help me with it: No matter how unknown an author is, some of you seem to have read his books. Then, there seem to be lots of series everybody except me knows by hard; some of them I have never heard of.
Now, I can see only 2 solutions: all of you are over 70 years old and have passed all your life reading and doing nothing else (starting at the age of about 3, immediately with English books), or you have an incredible reading speed...?
I myself started with fantasy at the age of about 10, with some German books, because it's my native language, and only lately with English ones.
Can you tell me how it works?

[FitzChivalry]

Heh, it isn't that hard... let's say you read 2 books a month... that's 24 books a year, in 3 years you already read 72 books... that should cover most of the more discussed series here.

[Cellandros]

The number of books you read and the authors you have tried out really does start to add up over time.

Plus some people read faster than others. In the end it doesn't matter as long as people enjoy what they read.

Myself, I usually average around 50 books a year--sometimes more, sometimes less. Since I do tend to devour books, I get to experience alot of authors. The only drawback is sometimes its hard to remember things that happen in a series when a new book comes out when you read that much (WoT is a great example of that).

[Rob B]

I have been reading fantasy for some time(on and off for about 10-15 years since I was about 12, pretty much ever since I started to read for pleasure), and I average 1-2 books a week, about 70/year.

I also scan the internet alot, so I see alot of authors names and books.

[Lady Fox]

It's fairly simple - I LOVE TO READ! I've been reading scifi/fantasy since I was 10 years old, so that makes 20 years of opportunity to explore the genre. Except for books that were required reading in school, I only read books in this genre, with maybe 5 or 6 exceptions. Since I have been out of college and gainfully employed I have enjoyed the luxury of having money to spend on books that I like, and I'm fortunate to have a husband who does not begrudge me the expense of indulging my habit. :-) I also read pretty fast - if I am reading a good book that keeps my attention I usually finish it within 2 to 3 days. I love to discover new authors and give their material a try.



[This message has been edited by Lady Fox (edited December 10, 2000).]

[Pluvious]

I'm 70 and read 2-3 books per day...

One thing I do recommend in fantasy fiction, though, is to not read everything! This is my own personal opinion only of course. I really love the genre but much of it is a waste of time you could be using doing something else. Unfortunately, until you learn that it is not a waste of time.

This doesn't mean just read the big names or the best, but it does mean reading the types you prefer and those which offer something that other books don't. Many are very similiar, so be careful. I think that what I'm trying to say is, if you are just reading fantasy you may be shorting yourself. Mix in some historical text and some literature also. Or whatever else interests you. I got in the rut of reading too much fantasy and got bored with it for awhile. But when new ideas and quality authors come onto the scene, I try to be there.

[Rupert Avery]

I guess I was a bit of a late bloomer when it cames to reading for plesure.I read my first Fantasy book when I was 19 and it was Lord Of The Rings.since then I have never stopped.Im 23 now and I am reading about 1 or 2 books a week pending how much the book grabs me,I have often called in sick for work because the book im reading is so unputdownable that i have got the sack twice.I thank Raymond E Feist for that. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by Rupert Avery (edited December 11, 2000).]

[Pluvious]

I really liked Feist's first two book in Riftwar: Apprentice and Master.

You don't find that he become repititous after awhile? And what about his love stories? Not too realistic in my opinion.

[Macros]

The love stories, I guess are for romantics. I mean, I like them the way they are but I guess people would prefer something more real.

Also Pluvious, could you please explain that repetitious statement. To me, the books seemed like a natural progression in the story.

[FitzChivalry]

Well, about love there is nothing to talk about realistic love.... every kind of love story already happened in reality really... reality is more fantastic than any story (except for magic and dragons..)

About Feist being repititous, what he is writing is actually the history of Midkemia.
Midkemia was created as a world for a RPG, the RPG is played 500 years in the future from the books, and in the RPG it is mentioned that were 5 riftwars, Feist is just writing books about what happened before... till now he covered 2 riftwars, The Riftwar and The Serpentwar, 3 more to go.