Year of the Fantasy Classic

Hello, fellow fantasy reading lovers! This here is your handy command central area for Year of the Fantasy Classic, my 2012 reading challenge.

As I stated in my initial idea post, the first rule of Year of the Fantasy Classic is there are no rules. Only guidelines. I’ve come to realize after a few years of blogging that I just don’t like to be constrained – I suppose this could also be called laziness. A stringent set of rules will rub me the wrong way, though, so I say nothing must-ish about this challenge.

I hope to read at least five titles this year that fall in the fantasy classic umbrella. Some examples are:

  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
  • Watership Down by Richard Adams
  • The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
  • The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
  • Dune by Frank Herbert

If anyone knows of any good sources for fantasy classic title ideas, feel free to post them below. Here’s one from a fellow book lover on Twitter, Jen the Ginger Kid, the actual list is at Goodreads.

You do not have to have a blog or website in order to participate. You don’t even have to officially sign up. If you want to, just join in and read away. The challenge for me personally is simply to read since my free time is more and more limited every year, and in sticking to the theme. I plan to finish every book I choose – no DNFs – but that is strictly a personal goal. If you want to let others know about what you’re reading and you don’t have a blog, feel free to post right here in the comments section. If you have a blog and want to share links to your progress, post your links here in comments as well. They don’t have to be reviews, they can be casual observations as well. Format them however is best for you. They can be books you’ve read before.

The only thing I would ask is that if it’s for this challenge, it would be nice if you’re posting on it in 2012, and not pulling from reviews done prior years. Also, if you could label it in some way as having to do with this challenge, whether in your blog post header, or using my official banner, etc. A link back to this page is up to you, but keep in mind that doing so will help others find you and discover what you’re reading.

Below I’ll start posting links to my own Year of the Fantasy Classic reviews when those roll in.

That’s it! Any questions? Feel free to ask away.

33 comments

  1. Pingback: Smugglivus 2011 Guest Blogger: Kenda of Lurv a la Mode | The Book Smugglers

  3. I’m joining too and will blog about it once my new blog is finally up next month. So far I’m planning to read:

    A Wrinkle in Time
    A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea 1)
    The Golden Compass
    The Last Unicorn
    The Neverending Story
    Alanna
    The Blue Sword
    A Heroine of the World
    Arrows of the Queen

    Something with dragons… maybe Anne McCaffrey?

    It’s sort of a mix of classics and books I loved or wanted to read (or re-read) since I was in grade school. We’ll see how far I get… :)

  5. Pingback: What I’ll Be Reading: Year of the Fantasy Classic « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  8. Pingback: What I’m Reading: C. L. Moore – Black God’s Kiss « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  9. I finished my first Fantasy Classics post, on C.L. Moore’s Black God’s Kiss. It grew a bit longer than what I usually write, but it has a quote! and even a picture! You can read it here, if you’re interested.

  12. Pingback: What I’m Reading: Clark Ashton Smith – The Return of the Sorcerer « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  13. Just posted my second post for this challenge – more pulpy goodness, this time with a Best Of collection of stories by Weird Tales mainstay Clark Ashton Smith. To be read” here, if you feel so inclined.

  15. Pingback: Women in SF&F Month: Kenda from Lurv a la Mode | Fantasy Cafe | Reviews of Fantasy and Science Fiction Books

    • Well done, David! I need to finish Dracula and move the heck on. Failing my own challenge – again!

  18. Pingback: What I’m Reading: Fritz Leiber – Swords Against Death « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  21. Pingback: What I’m Reading: Fritz Leiber – Swords Against Wizardry « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  23. Pingback: What I’m Reading: Fritz Leiber – The Swords of Lankhmar « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  25. Pingback: What I’m Reading: Fritz Leiber – Swords and Ice Magic « Heloise Merlin's Weblog

  27. Phew… made it just in time – here is my final post for the challenge on the final volume of Fritz Leiber’s “Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser”: http://heloise2nd.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/what-im-reading-fritz-leiber-knight-and-knave-of-swords/

    Looking back, I have written nine posts for this challenge, but only managed to cover three of the classics I listed at the start – guess that means that I’ve both succeeded in and failed the challenge. :P Next time I’m doing this something like this, I’m either going to stay away from series or just select a representative volume instead of going for the whole thing.

    And last but very much not least, a big thank you to KMont for hosting this! It has been a lot of fun, I enjoyed both reading (or actually re-reading for the most part) the books and writing about them. I might even do another challenge some time!

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