What book/author brought you into the Fantasy Genre?

[Sethanel]

I have been surfing through the forums of late and have noticed that a lot of people seem to have read RA Salvatore at one point. I have also read Mr. Salvatore's work (Drizzt moreso than the others) but no longer do.

So here is my question: What author or series brought you full heartedly into the Fantasy Genre?

For me it was a mixture of Anne McCaffrey, Terry Brooks and RA Salvatore. Who are yours?

[distract-ED]

Yay, Narnia! :D

[Sophonax]

Yeah, I loved reading Narnia when I was younger, but I tried it recently and... well, the blatant Christian allegory just bugged me.

Still think that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the coolest title ever, though.

[Calvin]

You realise that Narnia is not allegory don't you? Pilgrims Progress was allegory, and whilst there are many parallels between Christian theology and Narnia there are also some disconnects that have the deep south writing them off as the devils work. There tends to be a lot of Christian theology implanted into anything to come out of the west due to our society being almost completely built around the Christian faith, its more prevalent in Lewis' work because of his faith agreed, but to write off a complete set off books for it?

And yes Narnia , The Hobbit and LoTR are what first got me into fantasy hence ^.

[Ashen]

probably narnia as the first ones although this was read to me by a teacheror maybe a librarian at school.. reading on my own I think it was either Wizard of Eathsea Ursula K Le Guin or Sword of Shanara by Terry Brooks.. I borrowed ( see stole them) from my sister. I did return them about 20 yrs later along with other titles I had appropriated. :)

On the off tangent.. I loved 80s japanimation.. Robotech, , starblazers, Starvengers, DanGuard Ace :)

[Rhodry]

I would have to follow suit with some of you fellow readers with the C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R Tolkien (especially The Hobbit) as some of my first Fantasy reads, but I would include Terry Brooks, Raymond E. Feist (Riftwar Saga), and later David Eddings and Katherine Kerr, Robert Jordan, Margaret Weis. There are so many, but I'd say what really got interested in the Fantasy Genre was the old D&D Cartoon of the early 80's that started me off. Of course, having grown up in the 80's, I think we got to see the real growth of the genre.

[Mithy]

Neverending Story. FTW!!!!

[Brynweir]

Only the first movie was any good - the rest were a waste of film....

[elven maiden]

My love affair with fantasy started a lnog time ago. But I too love Salvatore. Drizzt got me into the world of Forgotten Realms, and since then I have been obsessed with it (not jsut Drizzt, but other books).
But, if you wanted to go back further....erm....Harry Potter.

[Eridani]

Michael Moorecock, Robert A. Heinlein are the earlyist I can remember.

[Brynweir]

Elric rocks!

[Kurt]

While I don't remember the author, the earliest fantasy book I can remember reading is "Jeremy Thatcher, the Dragon Catcher". Silly little book that I read when I was about six...... but then, I went from that to "The Dark Crystal," so there you go.

[Sarah]

The fact that "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Catcher (or was it hatcher?)" was someone else's first fantasy book too surprised me to no end and I kind of love it. That book was definitely the catalyst.
Aside from that, from the time I could form words I pretty much begged my mother to read me Beauty and the Beast at bedtime ever night. So I blame Disney for my permanent fairy tale fixation, and Robert Jordan and Piers Anthony for really turning me into an fantasy addict.