This is the first appendix, a timeline of notable, influential or discussed works in the history of epic fantasy or other subgenres which have had a reasonable degree or profile or impact on what came after. The list is, of course, highly subjective but I think this covers both the expected, major works and a number of lower-profile, interesting books. The list is not based on quality, which is why you may find a few lesser-regarded books on here which were, nevertheless, massive sellers. These are also the books that (mostly) will be discussed in the main body of the text.
With a couple of exceptions, only the first volume of a series is listed because otherwise the list would be fifty times longer than it is right now.
Timeline of Key Books:
c. 760-710 BC: The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer
19 BC: The Aeneid, Virgil
8 AD: The
Metamorphoses, Ovid
1485: Morte
d'Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory
1725: Gulliver's
Travels, Jonathan Swift
1854: The
Rose and the Ring, William Makepeace Thackeray
1858: Phantastes,
George MacDonald
1862: Goblin Market and Other Poems, Christina Rossetti
1896: The Well at the World's End, William Morris
1896: The Well at the World's End, William Morris
1900: The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Frank L. Baum
1922: The
Worm Ouroboros, E.R. Eddison
1924: The
King of Elfland's Daughter, Lord Dunsany
1926: Lud-in-the-Mist, Hope Mirlees
1927: Kull the Conqueror (short story series), Robert E. Howard
1927: Kull the Conqueror (short story series), Robert E. Howard
1932: Conan
the Barbarian (short story and novel series), Robert E. Howard
1934: Jiriel of Joiry (short story series) by C.L. Moore
1937: The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, J.R.R. Tolkien
1937: The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, J.R.R. Tolkien
1938: The
Sword in the Stone (The Once and
Future King), T.H. White
1939: Fafhrd
and the Gray Mouser (short story and novel series), Fritz Leiber
1946: Titus
Groan (Gormenghast Trilogy),
Mervyn Peake
1949: The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles
of Narnia), C.S. Lewis
1950: The
Dying Earth (Dying Earth), Jack
Vance
1954: The
Broken Sword, Poul Anderson
1954-55: The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
1961: The
Dreaming City (Elric), Michael
Moorcock
1962: The Letter for the King, Tonke Dragt
1963: Witch World (Witch World), Andre Norton
1964: The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain), Lloyd Alexander
1963: Witch World (Witch World), Andre Norton
1964: The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain), Lloyd Alexander
1965: Elidor,
Alan Garner
1968: A
Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea),
Ursula K. Le Guin
Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern), Anne McCaffrey
The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle
The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle
1970: Nine
Princes in Amber (Chronicles of
Amber), Roger Zelazny
Deryni Rising (Deryni), Katherine Kurtz
The Crystal Cave, Mary Stewart
The Crystal Cave, Mary Stewart
1974: The
Forgotten Beasts of Eld, Patricia A. McKillip
Dungeons and Dragons (roleplaying
game), Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
1976: The
Riddle-Master of Hed (Riddle-Master),
Patricia A. McKillip
1977: The
Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
Lord Foul's Bane (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant), Stephen Donaldson
The Sword of Shannara (Shannara), Terry Brooks
A Spell for Chameleon (Xanth), Piers Anthony
1978: The
Stand, Stephen King
1979: The Neverending Story, Michael Ende
1979: The Neverending Story, Michael Ende
1980: The Shadow of the Torturer (Book of the New Sun), Gene Wolfe
1982: Magician (Riftwar Saga), Raymond E. Feist
1982: Magician (Riftwar Saga), Raymond E. Feist
Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad), David Eddings
The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower), Stephen King
Suldrun's Garden (Lyonesse), Jack Vance
Daggerspell (Deverry), Katharine Kerr
1983: The
Colour of Magic (Discworld),
Terry Pratchett
The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer
Bradley
Harpy's Flight, Megan Lindholm (Robin
Hobb)
Cloud Warrior (Amtrak Wars), Patrick Tilley
1984: Legend
(Drenai), David Gemmell
The Black Company (Black Company), Glen Cook
Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance),Margaret Weis & Tracy
Hickman
Stormwarden (Cycle of Fire), Janny Wurts
1986: The
Wizards and the Warriors (Chronicles
of an Age of Darkness), Hugh Cook
The Anvil of Ice (Winter of the World), Michael Scott Rohan
1987: Arrows
of the Queen (Valdemar),
Mercedes Lackey
The Eyes of the Dragon, Stephen King
Wolf in Shadow (Sipstrassi), David Gemmell
Godslayer (Renshai), Mickey Zucker Reichert
1988: The
Dragonbone Chair (Memory, Sorrow
& Thorn), Tad Williams
Dragon Prince (Dragon Prince), Melanie Rawn
The Crystal Shard (Icewind Dale), R.A. Salvatore
The Labyrinth Gate, Alis A. Ramussen
(Kate Elliott)
Sheepfarmer's Daughter (Deed of Paksenarrion), Elizabeth Moon
1989: Shadowrun (roleplaying game), Jordan
Weisman
Guards! Guards! (Discworld), Terry Pratchett
Sandman (comic series), Neil Gaiman
Sandman (comic series), Neil Gaiman
1990: The
Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time),
Robert Jordan
Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay
Homeland (Dark Elf), R.A. Salvatore
Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Good Omens, Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
1992: Earthdawn (roleplaying game), Jordan
Weisman
1993: Small
Gods (Discworld), Terry
Pratchett
Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light & Shadow), Janny
Wurts
The Last Wish (The Witcher), Andrzej Sapkowski
1994: The
Ruins of Ambrai (Exiles),
Melanie Rawn
Wizards' First Rule (Sword of Truth), Terry Goodkind
1995: Assassin's
Apprentice (Farseer), Robin Hobb
Hawkwood's Voyage (Monarchies of God), Paul Kearney
The Lions of Al-Rassan, Guy Gavriel Kay
The Baker's Boy (Book of Words), JV Jones
Northern Lights (His Dark Materials), Phillip Pullman
Northern Lights (His Dark Materials), Phillip Pullman
1996: A
Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and
Fire), George R.R. Martin
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, Diana
Wynne Jones
The Roof of Voyaging (Navigator Kings), Garry Kilworth
1997: Harry
Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry
Potter), J.K. Rowling
Dark Lord of Derkholm, Diana Wynne Jones
King's Dragon (Crown of Stars), Kate Elliott
1998: Colours
in the Steel (Fencer), K.J.
Parker
Heroes Die (Acts of Caine), Matt Woodring Stover
Ship of Magic (Liveship Traders), Robin Hobb
1999: Gardens
of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen),
Steven Erikson
A Cavern of Black Ice (Sword of Shadows), J.V. Jones
2000: Ash: A
Secret History, Mary Gentle
Perdido Street Station, China
Miéville
2001: Kushiel's
Dart (Kushiel), Jacqueline Carey
Cities of Saints and Madmen, Jeff
VanderMeer
The Magician's Guild (Black Magician), Trudi Canavan
Across the Nightingale Floor (Otori), Lian Hearn
The Curse of Chalion (War of the Five Gods), Lois McMaster
Bujold
American Gods, Neil Gaiman
American Gods, Neil Gaiman
2002: The
Scar, China
Miéville
Eragon (Inheritance), Christopher Paolini
2003: The
Etched City, K.J. Bishop
The Weavers of Saramyr (Braided Path), Chris Wooding
The Briar King (Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone), Greg Keyes
2004: The
Darkness That Comes Before (Prince
of Nothing), R. Scott Bakker
Night of Knives (Malazan Empire), Ian Cameron Esslemont
The Year of Our War (Castle), Steph Swainston
Banewreaker (Sundering), Jacqueline Carey
2005: Elantris,
Brandon Sanderson
2006: The
Blade Itself (First Law), Joe
Abercrombie
The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentleman Bastard), Scott Lynch
His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire), Naomi Novik
Scar Night (Deepgate Codex), Alan Campbell
A Shadow in Summer (Long Price), Daniel Abraham
The Final Empire (Mistborn), Brandon Sanderson
2007: The
Name of the Wind (Kingkiller
Chronicle), Patrick Rothfuss
The Cardinal's Blades (Cardinal's Blades), Pierre Pevel
Spirit Gate (Crossroads), Kate Elliott
The Summoner (Necromancer), Gail Z. Martin
2008: The
Steel Remains (Land Fit For Heroes),
Richard Morgan
The Ten Thousand (Macht), Paul Kearney
The Crown Conspiracy (Ririya Revelations), Michael J.
Sullivan
The Painted Man (Demon), Peter V. Brett
2009: Pathfinder (roleplaying game), Paizo
Publishing
Nights of Villjamur (Legends of the Red Sun), Mark Charan
Newton
Retribution Falls (Tales of the Ketty Jay), Chris Wooding
2010: God's
War (Bel Dame Apocrypha), Kameron
Hurley
Under Heaven, Guy Gavriel Kay
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Inheritance), N.K. Jemisin
The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive), Brandon Sanderson
The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive), Brandon Sanderson
2011: Prince
of Thorns (Broken Empire), Mark
Lawrence
The Dragon's Path (Dagger and the Coin), Daniel Abraham
Tome of the Undergates (Aeons' Gate), Sam Sykes
2012: The
Killing Moon (Dreamblood), N.K.
Jemisin
Range of Ghosts (Eternal Sky),
Elizabeth Bear
Blood Song (Raven's Shadow), Anthony Ryan
The Heir of Night (Wall of Night), Helen Lowe
2013: Malice
(Faithful and the Fallen), John Gwynne
The Grim Company (Grim Company), Luke Scull
2014: The
Mirror Empire (Worldbreaker),
Kameron Hurley
Prince of Fools (Red Queen's War), Mark Lawrence
The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne), Brian
Staveley
Promise of Blood (Powder Mage), Brian McClellan
2015: The
Fifth Season (Broken Earth),
N.K. Jemisin
The City Stained Red (Bring Down Heaven), Sam Sykes
16 comments:
You can probably throw Beowulf in there too.
Thank you
Don't forget the Icelandic sagas.
Stormlight Archive is missing :)
Do you already have a publisher for it?
My agent is currently submitting it to publishers.
And yes, I added THE WAY OF KINGS to 2010 :)
Ori, the Icelandic sagas were not considered Fantasy in their own time (the fornaldarsögur and the translated riddarasögur - Arthurian epics - were considered that) but 'historical fiction'. I would not consider them Fantasy even according to our standards.
It is the same with the French chansons de geste (Song of Roland etc.) which were considered 'true' compared to the Arthurian stuff by Chretien de Troyes and others which were seen as 'vain et plaisant' (made up and pleasing to read), albeit the heroic feats of the heroes in the chansons de geste are more than a bit on the unrealistic side - one against several hundred. But there are no dragons and magic rings, except for some later hybrids like the Chanson de Flovent (which was the topic of my MA thesis, ages ago).
Good job. Have you thought about doing a history of science fiction?
Glad to see you included the Briar King, ... always thought that series didn't get enough attention.
No nibelungenlied??
Heavily Western based. Gilgamesh?
Still brilliant though
That's like my to read list!
I've only read like 10 of those books.
I wonder how most of the older ones hold up?
The Hobbit and Earthsea were great reads but Dragonflight was a chore and I only finished Lord of the Rings because I had already seen the movies.
How would you define "epic fantasy", though?
I've considered this issue on the chronicles forums before, and the one thing that all the major epic fantasy series have in common is multiple protagonists:
https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/547051/
Many novels marketed as "epic" are simply one character's story - either shown only from their point of view, or from that of other characters who are defined primarily by their relationship to that central character - ie, love interest, best friend, mentor, antagonist, etc.
Once you start to develop a list based on multiple protagonists, the list becomes very small indeed - Tolkien, Martin, Jordan, Sanderson, Erikson all qualify, but very few others do - they are just fantasy with different ways to look at a central character.
So even though I love David Gemmell's "Legend", it's really just Rek's story and about his development into a heroic figure - hence "heroic fantasy". Any other viewpoints in the novel simply serve to show that from different perspectives.
Would be interesting to hear your perspective on this - perhaps better on the chrons forums, as its hard to keep up with discussions on a Blogger blog. :)
2c.
I think you need to add Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain books. It's probably right up there with Narnia for bringing new fantasy readers into the fold. So far as epic goes, I would suggest that the number of PoV characters is less important than that it be high fantasy and be on a scale that involves saving (or destroying) more than just the kingdom.
Garth Nix?
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