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Original poster

Better than Harry Potter! The late great Diana Wynne Jones...

71 replies

hardtostayfocused · 16/08/2013 20:07

I'm still palpitating at the number of DWJ novels which appeared in the fantastic AIBU fictional parents thread. (For those not yet in the know she was one of the best children's fantasy novelists of the last 40 years...)

The first one I read was 8 Days of Luke (showing my age...) and I loved Charmed Life and The Ogre Downstairs as a child, and was thrilled by The Time of the Ghost and Fire and Hemlock as a teen.

Then, in my 20s, realised to my delight that she was still turning out a fine book a year, so collected all those too!

I know there are a few other obsessive fans out there... please come and share. Which is your favourite?

OP posts:
TheYamiOfYawn · 17/08/2013 18:59

My very favourite is Fire and Hemlock, which was part of the reason I studied Eng Lit at university. I also like Hexwood and the more adult ones.

UniS · 17/08/2013 18:49

which is the one with a fantasy convention and " how many miles to babyln"? I read it once and now can;t find it or remember what it was called. def DWJ as it has "nick" who is also in "merlin conspiracy".

UniS · 17/08/2013 18:46

The "Tough Guide to Fantasy Land" is related to "dark lord of derkholm" Not a novel, but rather an amusing guide book for "tour party members".

I think Enchanted glass is my favourite, but I love the chestomanci set. Dale mark quartet is the latest set I've read , I like the last one more than the 1st.

BeerTricksPotter · 17/08/2013 18:45

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pachacuti · 17/08/2013 18:42

Year Of The Griffin is the sequel to The Dark Lord Of Derkholm .

Pachacuti · 17/08/2013 18:37

Cart and Cwidder seems to be like Marmite - every DWJ fan I know loves it beyond reason or really dislikes it.

Spikeinhiscoat · 17/08/2013 17:49

It wasn't Magicians of Caprona I was thinking of, but The Dark Lord of Derholme. I think that was a standalone book as well.

SunnyPath · 17/08/2013 12:00

My favourite is The Ogre Downstairs. Loved it as a kid, and DWJ signed my copy when I was about 9. I hadn't read most of her others so have actually read most of them for the first time over the last six months. They vary hugely, from good fun and entertaining, to having no real idea what's going on. Found Cart and Cwidder incredibly boring, but thought Fire and Hemlock fascinating, even if the ending was 'Er wot?' I enjoyed most of Chrestomanci but, again, they vary.

Woodhead · 17/08/2013 09:46

I don't think you need to have read the other Chrestomanci to enjoy Witch Week, and it's quite a fun one to start with.
Also Dogsbody is a good stand alone one.

The Griffins are in Magicians of Caprona (one of the Chrestomanci ones)

I'm realising how many I still have to read, only really got into them as an adult and have collected them from Charity shops-I really thought I had most of them, but I'm not close to 27!

Also hadn't realised she'd died. I'm kicking myself that I never went to see her at the book fest, she was often there.

JustBecauseICan · 17/08/2013 09:20

I am going to retry, because I feel I would really love them....

Spikeinhiscoat · 17/08/2013 06:34

We had a supply teacher at school who read us one of her books. It may have been Eight Days of Luke, I can't remember, but that one started me off with dwj. My favourites are Charmed Life, and Howl's Moving Castle. I also really like one I can't remember the name of at the moment, but it's the one with then griffins. I remember feeling a bit indignent on her behalf when Harry Potter came out, and such a fuss was made about a book about children and wizardry which had apparently never been done before.

Jux · 17/08/2013 00:36

Thanks, Pachacuti. One piece by Gaiman I actually liked.

Pachacuti · 16/08/2013 23:22

You might appreciate Neil Gaiman's tribute, Jux.

Jux · 16/08/2013 22:18

Oh yes, love the Dalemark quartet.

How on earth did I miss her death? I used to look her up from time to time, but probably last time was about 2010. Am so sad. Hate it when authors die.

womblingalong · 16/08/2013 22:02

The dalemark quartet is fantastic, I have always loved DWJ and my daughter has just devoured Charmed Life, I was very happy that she liked it.

She rushed downstairs shouting that she had finished it, " I'm so excited, I think I am turning into a bookworm Mummy!"

Original poster
hardtostayfocused · 16/08/2013 21:47

Just noticed that there's another posthumous work coming out next year, completed by her sister. The Islands of Chaldea - one to look forward to!

OP posts:
Original poster
hardtostayfocused · 16/08/2013 21:40

x post *parachuti" damn Wiki, someone's got there before me...

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Original poster
hardtostayfocused · 16/08/2013 21:39

wearytiger Archer's Goon is standalone.

I've just counted my collection and I've got 27 titles, but I think I'm missing a few...

Right that's it, I'm going to put a bibliography on this thread.

pointythings may still be at it when you get back....

OP posts:
Sconset · 16/08/2013 21:35

jux she died March 2011- I remember Neil Gaiman tweeting it, and he'd just visited her (as he adores her work too).

Wearytiger · 16/08/2013 21:20

Thank you pachacuti that's brilliant!

Pachacuti · 16/08/2013 21:17

Wearytiger good list here.

ArtemisCake · 16/08/2013 21:16

Wearytiger, every time I have marmalade I remember the sticky brown cliffs too Grin

Wearytiger · 16/08/2013 21:06

I've read Howl and the sequel definitely btw. But the rest are list in the mists of childhood.

Wearytiger · 16/08/2013 21:06

Archers goon! Archers goon! That's it. All I remember is the title. But I do remember the title. Off to amazon now...

I quite fancy treating myself so can anyone give me a list of DWJ to buy? I would like to buy the chrestomanci series, what does that comprise of? And then is there another series as well? Is Archer's Goon standalone? I am very completionist about these things.

tumbletumble · 16/08/2013 21:04

Another DWJ fan here! I think my favourites are Power of Three, Charmed Life, Dogsbody and Fire and Hemlock. Looking forward to my DC being old enough to read them.