Scan barcode
A review by booksrbrainfood
The Big Book of Classic Fantasy by Jeff VanderMeer, Ann VanderMeer
5.0
This is an incredible collection of fantasy works throughout several periods in literature. This is probably the largest file I have ever received from NetGalley, so when the title says "Big Book" you can believe it.
I was impressed with the scientific approach to determining what to include in this collection. The first thing was to define "fey" which the authors were clear about stating that there is a fluidity in the definition over time. What intrigued me the most about their process was the use of what I envisioned as a mathematical chart or graph where they charted what they called "the rate of fey". This describes a work by the degree in which it involves fantasy or a fantastical element. I thought this was a clever and interesting method of looking at this genre and examining which works to include in a collection.
I also enjoyed the varied authors, many were known to me as a modest fantasy reader rather than solo-fantasy reader. What surprised me, and I appreciate that they did purposefully, was to include works that were either lesser known by well-known fantasy writers as well as surprise me with writers that I knew from other genres who had written some fantasy as well.
Most of these works are from the English originally but I appreciated the inclusion of the newly translated works from around the world as well. I love to have the opportunity to read work from a different cultural perspective. Fantasy will often give an interesting insight into these cultures that differs from other works of literature.
Highly recommend.
#BigBookofClassicFantasy #NetGalley.
I was impressed with the scientific approach to determining what to include in this collection. The first thing was to define "fey" which the authors were clear about stating that there is a fluidity in the definition over time. What intrigued me the most about their process was the use of what I envisioned as a mathematical chart or graph where they charted what they called "the rate of fey". This describes a work by the degree in which it involves fantasy or a fantastical element. I thought this was a clever and interesting method of looking at this genre and examining which works to include in a collection.
I also enjoyed the varied authors, many were known to me as a modest fantasy reader rather than solo-fantasy reader. What surprised me, and I appreciate that they did purposefully, was to include works that were either lesser known by well-known fantasy writers as well as surprise me with writers that I knew from other genres who had written some fantasy as well.
Most of these works are from the English originally but I appreciated the inclusion of the newly translated works from around the world as well. I love to have the opportunity to read work from a different cultural perspective. Fantasy will often give an interesting insight into these cultures that differs from other works of literature.
Highly recommend.
#BigBookofClassicFantasy #NetGalley.