Can you recommend some best pre - Tolkien fantasy fictions?

One of the great pre - Tolkien fantasy fictions is 'The Faerie Queene' by Edmund Spenser. It has a rich tapestry of characters, from knights to magical creatures. Another is 'Beowulf', an epic poem filled with battles against monsters. And 'The Kalevala', which is a collection of Finnish folklore and has elements of magic and heroism.

One of the notable pre - Tolkien fantasy novels is 'The Faerie Queene' by Edmund Spenser. It's a complex and rich work filled with allegorical elements and fantastical adventures in a world of knights, dragons, and magic. Another is 'Le Morte d'Arthur' which details the legends of King Arthur and his knights. It has had a huge influence on the fantasy genre, with its tales of chivalry, quests, and the search for the Holy Grail.

Pre - Tolkien fantasy novels provided a rich tapestry of ideas that Tolkien could draw from. For example, the Arthurian legends in 'Le Morte d'Arthur' had a concept of a heroic quest which Tolkien adapted into Frodo's journey to destroy the One Ring. The idea of a magical, otherworldly realm from works like 'The Faerie Queene' also influenced Tolkien's creation of Middle - earth.

Another good one is 'The Children of Húrin'. It tells a self - contained and rather tragic story within Tolkien's legendarium. It's not as complex as some of his larger works and can be a good entry point to get a feel for his writing style and the kind of themes he explores, like fate and the consequences of pride.

Sure. 'Harry Potter' series by J.K. Rowling is extremely popular. It's about a young wizard named Harry and his adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The world - building is amazing and it has a wide range of characters. Another best - selling one is 'The Wheel of Time' by Robert Jordan. It has a vast and detailed world with a complex magic system and a long - running story arc. 'His Dark Materials' by Philip Pullman is also a best - seller. It has a unique concept of daemons and parallel universes.

Another great one is the 'In the Garden' series. It has a touch of the supernatural and fantasy, with a strong female lead and an interesting plot that involves ghosts and family secrets. It's a really immersive read as Nora Roberts is great at creating vivid settings and complex characters.

Sure. 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville is a remarkable pre - 20th century novel. It tells the story of Captain Ahab's obsessive quest to hunt down the white whale, Moby - Dick. It's not just an adventure story but also a deep exploration of human nature, fate, and the power of nature.

Sure. 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien is a great start. It's a shorter and more accessible story compared to 'The Lord of the Rings' but still has all the elements of a great medieval fantasy like dwarves, dragons, and a quest. Another good one is 'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman. It has a fairytale - like quality with a magical world just beyond a wall in a small English town.

I'd recommend 'War and Peace' for its epic scope and 'Anna Karenina' for its exploration of love and society. 'Resurrection' is also a great Tolstoy fiction. It shows the journey of a character towards moral renewal. These works are all examples of Tolstoy's genius in creating deep and meaningful stories.

Sure. 'Lessons in Chemistry' is a great 2023 historical fiction. It's set in the early days of the women's movement in science. It shows the struggles and triumphs of a female chemist in a male - dominated field, and it gives a really interesting look at that time period in history.