[Hobbit]

They'll be packed away somewhere, Dennizm! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I was loaned a set of the Gor books as a young teenage lad in the 70's by an old girlfriend. They belonged to her brother. All that I remember about them now is that there was quite a furore about them - they're not exactly politically correct, are they? (Something about feminine subservience and lots of people being 'tied up')?

They are quite hard to find now - at least they are in the UK. Probably second hand bookshops if you really want to read them.

Hobbit

[Kicker]

My name is John. I am 24. I live in Utah (until I graduate). And I am addicted to Fantasy.

I remember my father reading "The Hobbit" to me and my younger brother and sister, but I didn't think it too fantastic. I thought all stories were like that. (I must have watched too many Disney movies).

So then when I spent six months in Hell (read Texas) my freshman year of college, I found a book called "A Spell for Chameleon" and I the 9 (at the time) books in the Xanth series.

That did it for me. I went on later that year to read the DragonLance chronicles (and just last year I met Margret Weiss, very nice woman) and Wizard of Earthsea.

My greatest Fantasy accomplishment: Understanding the "Silmarillion" (on the second reading granted).

[Vroomfondel]

I am a high-school student and aspiring writer. I live in a small, beautiful, but almost completely insignificant town. It's a nice place to retire, but holds little of interest to high-school students/aspiring writers.
As far as science-fiction or fantasy, I have had my fingers in both genres for years. Currently, I'm not reading anything right now, so if you have any suggestions I'll be happy to check them out. Thanks!

---Vroomfondel

[Cadfael]

Hobbit... I have done the front room, and my books are right back were they belong. No sign of the Gor books :P.

But... I am double stacked on the bookshelves, and the space beneath my computer desk... 'she who shops' has commented that I will "have to get rid of some of these books, they are just cluttering the place up"... she is in a load of trouble!!

I found the Corgi Classic's though! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by dennizm (edited August 11, 2001).]

[rune]

HI my real name is Tracey and I am from the UK.

My first fantasy story was Lord of the Rings, nowt like throughing yourself in the deep end. That was only about 4 years ago mind as i had been an avid reader of horror before that.

Now i cant get enough, i have quite a few books and have given away god knows how many. Due to lack of space.

My next big thing is writing my own story. I have made a start, but hopefully will get better.

[Alucard]

My name is Ben Cooper, I'm nineteen years old, and busting my arse to finish editing so that I can try to get published. I live in jacksonville florida, u.s.

First fantasy book I ever read was the hobbit, though that was not the book that got me hooked. I enjoyed it well enough though. I then tried lord of the rings and fell asleep....a lot. Very boring,Never finished it. And it wasn't until I picked the never ending story a few years later that I really got hooked.

Other than reading and writing, I play music and record in a few bands and projects(I play the guitar, the violin, and the drums.) I skatebaord whenever the weather is under a hundred degrees. I work on a lot of short films and sketch comedy projects with my friend(writing, cinematography, editing, etc....). I enjoy drawing and painting, try to finish at least one picture a week. I play way too much videogames (mostly fighting games and rpg's), and am way too busy for my own good. And because of all of my hobbies, my social life has almost completely disappeared.

[Tanith]

Well, since we're all stating our ages, I'll confess that I'm 33 going on 34 (Whoa! A Fossil!). I first got into fantasy when I was thirteen or so and read Richard Adams' Watership Down. I was very proud of this because it was my first "big" book that I'd read. I still read it occasionally for the nostalgia.

Since then I've been a voracious reader, though time is always a factor these days. I've read The Lord of the Rings several times, and I skip around a lot in genres. I'll read a horror, then a fantasy, then a mystery or SF. At the moment I'm reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods and am loving every minute of it.

Why do I love Fantasy/SF so much? I guess because a well-constructed story challenges one's imagination and keeps the mind alert. I was a fan of classic X-Files, but have become very disillusioned with the series and tend to shy away from TV altogether these days. Books are better, dontcha think?

Tanith http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[An8el]

I live above San Francisco along the CA coast. I'm 47, so I have to think back quite a ways....For me it was Hans Christian Andersen, for sure. For some reason Paul Bunyan and his big blue Ox, Babe really came alive for me. My dad used to make up "designer" fantasies, starring me and usually including horses, my childhood passion.
I was a voracious reader from the start. I got into my brother's books: "Tarzan" Edgar Rice Bouroughs. My dad brought home any used fairy-tale books & myths, so Kipling. I remember thinking when I read fantasies from my dad's library that I was being very grown-up. But one in particular was tedious and it was forty pages before something happened. Some castle with a cleaning woman? Can't remember who wrote it, but it blew my mind because it was so descriptive. George MacDonald, Edgar Allen Poe...
What really blew my socks off that Sci/fantasy existed was "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Heinlein when I was 15.
Then many years went by....
Probably it was his sci-fantasy collection that convinced me to get together with that (now) ex who showed me...Zelazny, my fave for description coming to life, (My fave story was "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" by him.)Phillip Jose Farmer for his twisted adventures, (Riverworld & twisted Tarzan) Le Guin for her psychological characters, A.E. Van Vogt for his ideas and mysteries, and for some reason Theodore Sturgeon delightfully wrenched my emotions around. (Wish Theo would have lived longer.)
Sounds like it's worth digging up those ancient stories that people mention here, if you haven't read them.
Franis

[RaymondJohn]

Hello Everyone.
Just became a member here about a week ago and posted once on another subject and found this subject and like everyone else, felt the desire to introduce myself:
My name is Raymond---RaymondJohn being my pen-name.
I am married with 3 children, 4, 6, and 7. I am a welder/machine builder and live just outside Detroit, Michigan.
35 years old.
I was first introduced to fantasy by a friend in the 7th grade. That happened to be a Robert E. Howard, Conan novel, which today is still my favorite readings. I still own quite a few of those first novels that I read back then. Sorry to say that I never got the opportunity to divulge in any other author. Why? Life. My Life.
Robert E. Howard and Conan are my inspiration for creating my own (so far incompleted) Novel that I have been working on since 1985. Why so long to write a fantasy Novel? Life. My Life.
But since finding my wife 2 years ago, its actually been coming along just great. She's an inspiration herself.
I have a dream to not only have my story published, but with my own artistic abilities, turn it also into a graphic novel and lastly..., hopefully a movie.
-RaymondJohn

[Asarhia]

I'm 16 and live in England.
I was introduced to fantasy by Anne McCaffrey's Dragon riderbooks, and was introduced to this site by my sister.
I love Terry Goodkinds books even though they are admitedly rather samey.
On the sci-fi side of things i love John Wyndham.
Ash.