[azaz]

I'm 18. I've only been reading books for a year now. And read about 60 books already in Fantasy genre.

I used to hate reading to tell the truth, and you know how its at school, not many people, or if they do read much unless forced to. But when there was all the hype about Harry Potter on the news and all, I thought I'll try it out. I really enjoyed the first book, and ordered the other 3 in the series, which kept getting better.

Then I brought the Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings, as people said that was supposed to be good, and I really liked that. After that I really went into large fantasy series, reading ASoIaF by George R R Martin, Malazan book of the fallen by Steven Erikson, Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy and more. And the Fantasy genre, of the books I read where just getting better.

So not bad to have read some of the top Authors in fantasy in my first year.

[lacorte]

Hi,

My name is Paul (21) and I live in the UK, with what seems to be a future wife. My first Fantasy book was Princes of the Blood, by Fiest, which got me interested then I moved on to Magician and haven't lifted my nose out of books since.

[Lotus]

Hi, I am in my late 30s (still vain enough not to reveal my exact age !) and as some of u may infer from that statement, a woman. I work in the software/tech area, and live in Madras, India, though I do travel a lot, mostly to the Bay Area, California, New York and London, UK.

I started my fantasy reading career with the Narnia chronicles when I was in grade 5 or so, moved to JRRT - and have been spending a fortune on sff (more fantasy than SF though) books since then. Lately I have started haunting second hand bookshops, as much for the opportunity to buy out of print books as for the savings.

I am also an avid reader of historical fiction.

Padma

[Sar]

Hi, my name is Sarah. I am 26, married and live in Enfield, England. I was introduced ot sci-fi and fantasy by my father as a kid and just love it. Luckily so does my husband so buying books is never a problem.

[sueVee]

Boy do I feel like a grandma!!! Hey, I AM a grandma. My name is sueann, never said I was original, and it seems like I am the eldest of this group at 49 years old. There that wasn't too hard. I have been reading science fiction/fantasy since age 12. I really can't remember my first book. I would go by authors - Heinlein, Bradbury, LeGuin, Norton, to name a few. And I loved comic books, particularly the X-men, still do. I did not read LotR until college. Hated it in high school, loved it in college. I re -read it every 10 years or so.

I live in Maryland, USA. I have worked with children for 29 years and love it. I plan to continue until they plant me. I am omnivorous in my reading and really enjoy it when someone else lights up on an author I introduced. It is hard for me to be to critical, maybe that is my age or my upbringing. I am always looking for new books. I have read most of the popular ones and some of the not so popular ones. I am not into Star Trek series, or Forgotten Realms Books, maybe when I am 60. Gotta have something to look forward to. I mostly lurk in this forum, though recently I have found myself replying to a large (for me) number of posts. I tend to be over enthusiastic sometimes and timid othertimes. Why I like children so much. Do you think I'll find a niche here???

[Ntschotschi]

Don't worry, I think there are some older fans around, I'm fortyone myself. It's nothing to do with age but enjoying to read.

[AikenDrum]

Jesse, Adelaide, Australia. 16
first fantasy was hobbit/LOTR which I read when I was 10 , since then I liked fantasy but didnt buy anything myself until I read Wot book 1 about 3 years ago. Now have read and own most good fantasy like fiest, martin, tad williams, jordan, hobb, etc.

[sanclemente99]

Chip, San Clemente, California, 41

Why? The first book I read on my owne was a fantasy book. It was the Tripod Trilogy by John Christopher. I highly recommend it. But when I found Tolkien I knew I found something really good. Since then I've read a ton of fantasy. I go for the upbeat books, and if that means letting the guy have the girl (or vice versa) at the end, then let him have her. If the book has humor it is already halfway there on my "liked" list.

Fantasy books I really liked, which is not to say that they are all "good books", just fun reads:

JRR Tolkien - wow, am I different or what? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif
Roger Zelazny - Amber series (at least through book 5), Night in the Lonesome October
John Myers Myers - Harp and the Blade, Silverlock
Clifford Simak - Fellowship of the Talisman, and many others
Harry Turtledove - Werenight, Prince of the North, King of the North, Case of the Toxic Spell Dump, etc.
Norton Juster - Phantom Tollbooth

There are many others, but I'm not near by bookcases so these will have to do for starters.

Hey, thanks for having me!

[Elzeki]

hi i'm elzeki, 17 and from Perth inWestern Australia)

as i have an atrocious memory (and spelling)
i can't remember what book first drew me to fantasy but it could have been either Magician(Feist) or the gardians of the flame series (rosenberg). I probably read them when i was about 12 when i finaly grew out of secret seven and goosebumps. I have read comparitivly few fantasy books as i find it dificult to stop thinking one world and let in another, wich is why i read alot of books over and over again. I'm going to stop now otherwise i never will
bye

[kaseryn]

Hi I'm Brian 27, London UK. Bit of a late starter reading and didnt really get going till i was 15/16 by way of Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant which I can't praise highly enuff tho i'm aware they divide opinion sharply http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif Since then my reading has had a mainly fantasy/sf bias with other fav's being the Dune series.. pretty much all Donaldson's other stuff, Eddings, Feist, Mcaffrey etc.. the staples i guess, tho since coming to this forum i'm seeing a lot of unfamiliar names which will hopefully give me a good enuff reason not to keep re-reading covenant [8 times] and Dune [4]. Just abt to start the Tad WIlliams Dragonebone Chair stuff now as mates have recommended it.. anyway hi all http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif This seems a pretty friendly and diverse forum with some informed discussion.. good deal http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif