Finding a good, interesting fantasy writer is not as easy as it sounds. This genre has been considered "low" for some time now due to the sheer amount of garbage written.
What to advise from traditional fantasy
The best place to start is with the basics. In this regard, the Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien might be the best option. True, to fall in love with the charm of this leisurely epic story, you need to read it at a certain age. Between about fourteen and twenty years old. It is very important to choose a good translation, tune in and read all three volumes in one go. These books are highly recommended for philologists and linguists, for whom they can be a real delight.
The list of Russian-speaking authors working in the fantasy genre is quite large. Andrey Valentinov and Oleg Ladyzhensky with Dmitry Gromov should be singled out among the whole mass. The latter work under the pseudonym Henry Lyon Oldie.
If we talk about less classic books in this genre, one cannot fail to mention the talented Lindholm Megan, who created an unusual world in the novel Sing with the Wind, in which unconditional evil does not collide with unconditional good, but two righteousness howl on the same territory. A very interesting, sharp storyline, devoid of traditional clichés and cliches. This story reads well already in adulthood, for children it will be too painful, unpleasant and incomprehensible.
Touching on the topic of complex and poignant stories, I need to say a few words about George Martin. In recent years, his epic series of novels, which opens with the book "A Song of Ice and Fire", has become virtually a cult. Dark, gloomy Middle Ages with a touch of mysticism and magic. Lack of sentimentality, excessive naturalism - all this arouses great interest among the adult audience. To see if you want to read this book, you can watch the series of the same name. If you have an interest in this reading, feel free to tackle the first novel. The undoubted advantage of the series is that the author is still finishing it, so that the end and edge of the plot is simply not visible.
Humorous and historical fantasy at its best
Speaking of less heavy fantasy, we can mention the wonderful Robert Asprin, who has proved himself in many series of novels. Fans of humorous fantasy will find interesting his series about the magic agency MYTH, headed by the half-educated magician Skiv and his demon mentor Aaz.
It is very important in the case of translated books to choose a good translation. Focus on older editions. It is possible that some of the text will be with “cuts”, but the general level of the old translations is much higher than the current ones.
This is a sparkling, light story that anyone will like. If you want to read something more serious, try to get acquainted with the series "Vokzal Vremya". This is a time travel tetralogy written with great love and attention to the smallest detail.
