I read way too much to remember titles and authors, but there are two experiences that stand out in memory from the last year or so of reading: - A Brontë sisters collection: "Jane Eyre", "Vilette" (both by Charlotte), "Wuthering Heights" (by Emily), "Agnes Grey" (by Anne). First published in 1847 (all except Vilette) and 1853 (Vilette). My circadian rythm needed weeks to regain reasonable normality after that. I read the novels in English for practice, which actually affected my on-line language enough to confuse people born this and the previous century... :-) (favourites: Agnes Grey, and then Jane Eyre) - Anne McCaffrey's books about the planet Pern. If you're into fantasy you'll like love these. They're actually sci-fi and NOT fantasy (the author is kind of touchy on this) but they DO have dragons. Google around for McCaffreys recommended reading order before coming up with something stupid like reading them in chronological (Pern timeline) order. I read them in the order they were published, but I seem to remember about the author having an alternate suggestion (in hindsight) - but reading them according to the Pern timeline ruins a lot of the beautiful surprises! Then I of course second everyone else mentioning Asimov, Clarke et al. Authors ever published in Astounding[^] are always a good bet if you've never read them. Again sci-fi, but I'm sort of hooked on that (and 19th century Brits, obviously). Another almost-like-fantasy-but-not tip would be Lian Hearn's books on the Otori clan ("Across the Nightingale Floor" is the first book). It isn't sci-fi either, just fiction. Set in something presumably very similar to feudal Japan (which the author has done considerable research on, or at least the books give that impression). They're just brilliant!
Peter the small turnip (1) It Has To Work. --RFC 1925[^]
