After getting a long discussion about the books I'm currently reading going in my journal, I thought I'd start a new thread for wider discussion.

I love to read, but I have a very narrow area of interest - I seem to stick with fantasy novels. Reading is a form of escapism for me, and I just love being transported off to a new world. It always bothers me that fantasy is lumped in with science fiction - I generally just can't tolerate science fiction novels!

For me, it all started with Tolkien. I started with The Hobbit, which I've now read so many times I just can't do it any more. I can even quote the first and last sentences of the book... Once I got to high school I moved on to The Lord of the Rings. Again, I've read them so many times I just can't face them any more. I think it was every summer holiday through high school.

From there it extended into Terry Pratchett, and a friend who would keep me supplied with books to read... I chomped through my sister's Eddings novels and her entire collection of Anne McCaffrey (or how ever it's spelled!), but never really bothered to purchase my own copies.

Lately, I've discovered a set of Australian female fantasy authors that are keeping me very entertained. Jennifer Fallon currently, Isobelle Carmody while I was in hospital, Traci Harding and Trudi Canavan before that. I've got Glenda Larke waiting for me (but I haven't checked where she's from).

Other favourites include Jude Fisher, Robin Hobb, Julian May, Katherine Kerr, Melanie Rawn. I wasn't quite so fond of Janny Wurtz. Stephen Lawhead is ok at times (but I'm a little over books based on the legend of Arthur, why do so many people do it?), and I think the only author I've ever come across that I'd ever suggest you don't go near was Cecilia Dart-Thornton. Awful, hideous, boring... yet my completist nature meant that I just had to keep going until I finished the whole trilogy. Robert Jordan was high on the list for a while, but I lost interest through continually having to wait for the next book. I've never read a single Harry Potter book at all!

Any other fantasy addicts like me? Any other suggested authors that myself and others might like?

BW