41 - 50 - the Top 100 fantasy books of all time

Legend was David Gemmell's first novel. Published in 1984, it has become a world-wide best-seller and is the beginning of Gemmell's Drenai saga.

Harry is spending another dreadful summer at home with the Dursley's when an unfortunate run in with Aunt Marge ends in her sudden balloon like inflation. Harry runs away and fears expulsion from Hogwarts for his use of magic outside of term time. At the same time Sirius Balck escapes from Azkaban Prison and this adds to Harry's woes as it appears that Black seeks to kill him for his part in foiling Voldemort's plans.

The sequel to Northern Lights, this is the second book in the 'His Dark Materials' Trilogy and introduces the character of Will Parry, a young boy who lives in Oxford (our world) with his ailing and increasingly confused mother and now on the run from a number of 'men in black' who seem to be searching for some letters sent from his missing explorer father, whom Will and his mother has not seen or heard from for years. After a scuffle with these mystery men, when they break into Will's home, one of the agents is accidentally killed and now Will must run for his life and try to find his father in order to help him and his mother. With his mother placed in the care of his old piano teacher Will ventures off and soon stumbles across a window to another world. Cittigazze is the City he stumbles across; but all is not well here, the place is deserted apart from a small, wild band of children who talk of spectres chasing away the adults. It is here he meets Lyra Belacqua, our heroine from the first book, who has traveled through the window from her world through the Northern Lights. Lyra has her Althiometer stolen and must retrieve something call the Subtle Knife in order to get it back. It soon becomes clear her and Will's meeting is not merely coincidence as Will becomes the successor to the previous owner of the Subtle Knife, which was made and resides in the City of Citigazze and is the key to opening an infinite number of windows to an infinite number of other worlds. Now they must find Will's father in order to put things right in Will's world and help his mother, but Mrs Coulter, who Lyra has already learnt is her real but not naturally maternal mother, has other plans for Lyra and is determined to destroy her. With the help of the witches and now also angels, Will and Lyra set off on this new and very dangerous quest.

The Light Fantastic is the second Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett and picks up the story that was begun in The Colour of Magic. A red star has appeared in the sky and the Discworld is heading right towards it. There is only one person who can save the world; but unfortunately this is the rather inept and cowardly wizard called Rincewind who was last seen falling of the edge of the world.

The Blade Itself is the first in a trilogy of books from up and comer Joe Abercrombie. Being new to the fantasy genre I was unsure what to expect, however, I need not have worried as from the first chapter I was intrigued and by the second I was hooked. Abercrombie is a true story teller and allows you to get to know the characters and actually care what happens to them. I think The Blade Itself will have a broad appeal as the fantastical is woven subtly at first, allowing you to be drawn into the beautifully twisting plots that run parallel with the three main characters before switching up a gear as the characters start to come together.

The Illearth War is the second volume of Stephen Donaldson’s First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Lord Foul’s Bane began the story and the conclusion is reached in The Power that Preserves.

The Sum of all Men is the first book in David Farland’s Runelords series. The first of three books, the story continues in Brotherhood of the Wolf and Wizard Born.

The Philosopher’s Stone is the first book in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. These novels have made Rowling the most successful literary author of all time and have sold in excess of 375 million copies world-wide. The books are read by children and adults alike and have been made into hugely popular films. The seventh book in the series, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is due out in June 2007.

J.K. Rowling’s series began with the Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets continues the adventures of the young wizard Harry and his friends at Hogwarts.

Voldemort has returned with his sycophantic sidekick Peter Pettygrew, who escaped in the last book, and are plotting the death of Harry Potter when they are disturbed by elderly caretaker Frank Bryce. Elsewhere, Harry is awoken by his scar burning and the remnants of a dream of Voldermort murdering an old man.