The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy (Hardcover)

by David Pringle (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From Tolkien to Terry Pratchett, this lavishly illustrated reference to the fantasy field has been compiled by the award-winning editor of "Interzone". 158 color photos/illustrations. 31 b&w photos.

About the Author
David Pringle is editor and publisher of the quarterly fiction magazine "Interzone" and librarian at the Brighton College of Technology. He has edited two "Interzone" anthologies and written one previous book, "Science Fiction: The Best 100 Novels."


Terry Pratchett is one of the most popular authors writing today. He lives behind a keyboard in Wiltshire and says he 'doesn't want to get a life, because it feels as though he's trying to lead three already'. He is the author of the phenomenally successful Discworld series. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover; 1st Printing edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879519371
• ISBN-13: 978-0879519377
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,829,031 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, informative, and a visual pleasure, April 20, 2000

By	Sheila L. Beaumont (South Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though "ultimate" is an overstatement, there is much to enjoy here. This book is nowhere near as comprehensive as Clute and Grant's Encyclopedia of Fantasy, but it does have its own virtues. It is lavishly and colorfully illustrated (note especially the stunningly beautiful full-page painting opposite Terry Pratchett's foreword). It has entries for most well-known fantasy authors of the past and present. There are sections on types of fantasy (fairy tales, animal fantasies, Arthuriana, humorous, heroic, etc.), movies, TV, fantasy characters and entities, games, and fantasy worlds (Middle-earth, Narnia, Discworld, Earthsea, etc.). This is an entertaining, informative and visually appealing book for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Overly critical, June 27, 2001

By	Colt Hangen (Santa Cruz, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Though the effort, layout and content are commendable I find one key problem with the book as a whole; it's just *FAR* too negative in it's mini-reviews of fantasy material (particularly film and t.v.). The amount of negative comments is so pervasive that I wondered, at times, if the authors even enjoyed fantasy, period. Virtually every fantasy classic is bashed for being anything from contrived to tawdry to banal. Yes, it's a work of opinion but (and I feel this is obvious) anyone who would pick up an Encyclopedia on any specific genre and to read so very much negative review was extremely off putting to me.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, informative, and a visual pleasure, April 20, 2000

By	Sheila L. Beaumont (South Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though "ultimate" is an overstatement, there is much to enjoy here. This book is nowhere near as comprehensive as Clute and Grant's Encyclopedia of Fantasy, but it does have its own virtues. It is lavishly and colorfully illustrated (note especially the stunningly beautiful full-page painting opposite Terry Pratchett's foreword). It has entries for most well-known fantasy authors of the past and present. There are sections on types of fantasy (fairy tales, animal fantasies, Arthuriana, humorous, heroic, etc.), movies, TV, fantasy characters and entities, games, and fantasy worlds (Middle-earth, Narnia, Discworld, Earthsea, etc.). This is an entertaining, informative and visually appealing book for anyone who enjoys fantasy.