Escape From Reality Trivia Quiz

Answer: Lilith

George MacDonald is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of the fantasy genre. The novel takes place in a large empty manor house and centers in the library which is haunted by a dead librarian who appears as a raven. The library has a mirror which transports the new owner, Mr. Vane, to some very dark places.

The story deals with salvation, death, hell, and repentance. A somewhat convoluted plot makes this a harder read than some fantasy novels. The author was also a minister and this is reflected in this novel. Visits into the mirror expose Mr. Vane to fantastical cities, white leopards, and walking skeletons.

This example of early fantasy literature is a must read for those who are interested in the evolution of this genre.

Answer: The Princess Bride

"The Princess Bride" is more than fantasy, or romance; it's also adventure and comedy, with a bit of fairytale thrown in. Buttercup, the princess, is in love with a farm boy named Westley, who one day is captured at sea by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Thinking that her true love is lost, Buttercup agrees to a marriage with Prince Humperdinck of Florin.

Before the wedding, Buttercup is kidnapped by Vizzini (a Sicilian), Inigo Montoya (a Spanish fencer), and Fezzik (a giant Turkish wrestler). Buttercup is rescued by the "man in black", who bested Inigo at fencing, Fezzik at strength, and Vizzini in a battle of wits. The man in back turns out to be none other than Buttercup's Westley. The two escape into the Fire Swamp, but when they come out the other side, Westley is captured and taken to the Pit of Despair where he is tortured. Can true love conquer all and save the day?

"Boys and Girls Together" (1964), "No Way to Treat a Lady" (1968), and "The Thing of It Is..." (1967), are also novels by William Goldman, although "The Princess Bride" is definitely the most well-known. Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the 1987 movie, "The Princess Bride", that was directed by Rob Reiner and closely follows the book.

Answer: The Colour of Magic

The other three titles were written before Pratchett began focusing on his Discworld series, starting with 'The Colour of Magic' in 1983. The Discworld is a disc carried on the backs of four elephants which stand on a giant turtle called the Great A'Tuin as it moves through space.

Here magic infuses existence, but the hero of the first book, an inept wizard named Rincewind, doesn't quite have it under control, to put it mildly. Other books of the series introduce such other memorable characters as Carrot Ironfoundersson, a member of the Ankh-Morpork constabulary who was raised by dwarfs; despite being well over six feet tall, he considers himself a dwarf, and rejects his position as the rightful ruler of Ankh-Morpork in order to pursue his career in the police alongside his girlfriend, the vegetarian werewolf Angua.

Answer: Outlander

The "Outlander" series of novels tells the story of Claire Fraser, a former World War II British combat nurse and botany enthusiast. On a second honeymoon to Scotland after the war, she suffers a fainting spell and is transported back in time to the 1700's amidst a conflict between local clans and the British army. As she tries to return to her husband she encounters his distant relatives; is charged with witchcraft when she uses her modern medical knowledge to help people; and finds another time-traveler. In the process she becomes more enmeshed in tribal conflicts and intrigues; dodges the villainous British; and becomes romantically involved with a dashing Scottish hero.

Diana Gabaldon is a writer from Arizona, USA, who is an environmental science professor with degrees in marine biology, zoology, and ecology. Inspired by watching "Dr. Who," she started the successful "Outlander" series just to see if she could do it.

Answer: A Song of Ice and Fire

"A Song of Ice and Fire" is the name for the greater collective of works written by George R. R. Martin beginning with the famous "A Game of Thrones", which he released in 1996. Since the release, fans of the series have seen the books become international hits, perhaps not for their writing but for their adaptation to the screen; "Game of Thrones" became the most popular show on the U.S. cable station HBO and one of the top cable and fantasy shows ever made. Critically renowned (both the books and the show), it has since become a pop culture touchstone.

The first, second, third, and fifth books in the series all received the Locus Award and, as Kyle has said, he recommends it...despite its length.

Answer: The Final Empire

Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" trilogy consists of "The Final Empire" (2006), "The Well of Ascension" (2007) and "The Hero of Ages" (2008). The first novel introduced the world of Scadriel, a land with ash falling from the sky, nearly ever-present mists, and a society of rich nobles and destitute peasants called skaa.

Readers first learn of the magic system called allomancy, where those who have the inborn ability (exclusively of noble blood) can ingest various metals to give themselves super abilities. Most people with this ability can only use one type of metal, but a very few have the ability to use every metal. These rare individuals are called Mistborn.

Brandon Sanderson has made a name for himself as a fantasy author who takes convention and turns it on its head and has become known for creating comprehensive and believable magic systems.

Answer: Katharine Kerr

The series is roughly split into four sections ("Deverry", "The Westlands", The Dragon Mage" and "The Silver Wyrm") with fifteen novels in all, and covers over a thousand years of the history of the people involved. The main characters live several lifetimes each, reincarnating again and again, until they have played out their "wyrd" or fate to the very end.

Answer: The Dying Earth

"The Dying Earth" was a seminal novel when it was first published. Considered very unusual for its time, it was a collection of interrelated short stories about survival on a futuristic Earth which was trying to survive despite a dying sun. The novel tells of humans struggling to survive among the relics of forgotten civilizations.

The creative and descriptive writing of Jack Vance made this a must read novel that remains fascinating reading to this day. "The Dying Earth" mixed fantasy with science fiction in a groundbreaking manner that mesmerized the public at the time. The mix of magic and science might have been a mirror of the decade in which it was written.

Answer: The Mists of Avalon

The epic novel "The Mists of Avalon", written by Marion Zimmer Bradley in 1983, consists of four books: "Mistress of Magic", "The High Queen", "The King Stag", and "The Prisoner in the Oak". "The Mists of Avalon" is the first novel in a series of seven novels written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana L. Paxson. Bradley took a unique spin in her tale of Arthur, telling the story about the women in Arthur's life, namely Morgaine (his half-sister), Igraine (his mother), Viviane (his aunt), and Gwenhwyfar (his wife). In traditional tales of King Arthur, Morgaine is portrayed as a wicked sorceress, but in Bradley's novel, the reader gets to see a different side of her, a more multi-dimensional view of her life and person.

The other three choices are also novels based on the legend of King Arthur. The "Queen of Camelot" (2002) is an Arthurian novel by Nacny McKenzie, "The Once and Future King" (1958) is a novel written by T.H. White, and "The Seeing Stone" (2000) is an historical children's novel by Kevin Crossley-Holland written as part of his "Arthur" Trilogy.

Answer: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

While Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" deserves an honorable mention as one of the best fantasy novels (in salami's opinion, anyway), it was Frank Beddor's "The Looking Glass Wars" trilogy that brought the story of Alice to an entirely new level of wonderful. In this trilogy, beginning with the 2004 (UK release) novel of the same name, the story of Alice Liddell is told. According to the novels, this is what really happened in Wonderland, which was less fantasized than what Charles Dodgson wrote about Alice's 'stories' (yes, Lewis Carroll appears in the book as a character). Instead of being about a little girl imagining a world, this series tells of a horrible war that takes place in Wonderland, and how Alice gained control of her throne to make peace with her aunt.

Trying to explain the full story arc and how it compares to the original books would take ages of confusion. Instead, I implore you to read these novels yourself. They truly are amazing.