I think that this genre is very "love it or hate it." Readers who like fantasy can't get enough of it, will try practically any kind, and sometimes even write their own. Those who don't can't stay far enough away. There's a small, small subgroup in the middle, consisting of those who dip a toe in very cautiously and seldom: that's where I fit in. I'm not talking about juvenile fantasy a la Harry Potter -- adult fantasy and sci-fi is a completely different kettle of fish. Being asked as a rational grown-up to suspend your disbelief and bear with the author for a while is a lot more difficult than whiling away a couple of hours with what is essentially a fairy tale.
I'm going to single out Mistwood, by Leah Cypess, not simply because it's a good read, but because I've known Leah practically forever and it tickles me to know a published author. This is actually a Young Adult book; I enjoyed it and I'm waiting to buy the next book, Nightspell. The books deal with shape-shifters, and have just the right amount of suspense and creepiness minus the gore you might find in an adult book of this kind.
I'm not sure how Tolkien would feel being relegated to second place here, but here he is: The Lord of The Rings. Somehow, TLOTR doesn't seem like fantasy to me -- it's almost like historical fiction. Tolkien was, in fact, a historian, and he even created languages (with grammar!) for the different races he dreamed up. The writing is absolutely beautiful, though I will admit the length is off-putting -- I would recommend getting it volume by volume rather than in the single book form. I also recommend the movie, which I normally would never do, as movies based on books tend to completely ruin the book for me; this one, however, is terrific.
Isaac Asimov is always an easy choice. He's written the same book about a hundred times, but always quite competently. I prefer the Foundation series; also good is Caves of Steel.
One aspect of sci-fi that makes it a classic (or not) is the degree to which it actually anticipates the future. I think that one element that keeps the classic Star Trek episodes constantly in reruns is the fact that so much of the technology used in the show is actually reality today. On the other hand, books written years ago which failed to anticipate today's way of living tend to disappoint. For example, The Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis, published in 1992, describes a near future in which time travel is possible, but fails to predict the wide usage of cell phones. The first time I read this book I enjoyed it tremendously; one of the protagonists goes back to the Middle Ages and gets stuck at the time of the Black Death (also, sort of historical fiction). I read it again and found it ridiculous -- back at Oxford, where they are desperately trying to retrieve the lost character, the other figures in the story race each other all over town, missing vital phone calls as they chase their tails. The absence of something that is today ubiquitous seemed obvious and totally ruined the book for me. Don't let it hold you back, though, if you want to try it. Willis recently published two companion books which take place during WWII; some of the same characters time-travel back to the Blitz: Blackout and All-Clear. They're poorly edited and full of errors; don't bother.
Any opinions here?
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