Clayton Wood

A Spell For Chameleon

A classic fantasy novel, and one of the first fantasy books I ever read, this is the one that inspired me to write my own fantasy books. The first in the legendary Xanth series, it combines a unique world and system of magic - where everyone is born with a magical talent - with undertones of magical evolution. The sheer amount of creativity is astounding, and showed me what a fantasy novel could be. Not just the same old “chosen ones marching across the land to defeat evil” trope, but something truly magical.

Our hero Bink is cast out of his village for the sin of not having a magical talent, forced to roam the land in search of someone who can help him find one. The characters are smart, the creativity is off-the-charts, and there are a gazillion books in the series to enjoy afterward!

The Eye of the World

Now a much-anticipated television series, the Wheel of Time started with this classic book…one that cemented Robert Jordan as one of the most beloved fantasy writers of his time.

While it clearly takes inspiration from Tolkien, and uses the now well-worn trope of the poor farmer boy chosen by destiny to become a powerful hero (which I just just insulted in my previous entry, as you may recall), the Eye of the World is still an entertaining fantasy adventure. One that even the acclaimed writer Brandon Sanderson loved. So much so that he agreed to finish the series after Robert Jordan passed!

Homeland

The prequel to the famed Icewind Dale Trilogy, this is the original story of the legendary Drizzt Do’Urden. A dark elf warrior who shunned his cruel culture to forge his own way, becoming a master swordsman with his trademark dual-wielded scimitars.

While the writing style leaves a bit to be desired at times, the concepts, culture, and dark realm of the Underworld more than make up for it. And as the first of a massive, sprawling fantasy series by R. A. Salvatore, it’s the doorway to a fantastic world!

Magic's Pawn

The first book of The Last Herald Mage series, and one of Mercedes Lackey’s first books, Magic’s Pawn was a groundbreaking fantasy novel, especially for its time. Shunned by his family for being gay, Vanyel is sent away to his aunt Savil to learn how to control his growing magical powers. But Vanyel’s herald-mage magic proves too powerful for even Savil to control.

Back when fantasy novels that featured male gay characters were almost non-existent, Magic’s Pawn humanized Vanyel’s struggles to come to terms with his identity. It is by no means a perfect book, with a fair helping of teenaged angst that might turn off some readers. But it is still a seminal work by a legendary fantasy author!

The Dragon and the George

A wonderfully strange tale of a man suddenly thrust into the body of a dragon - and a medieval world where magic rules supreme - this is the first book in a highly entertaining series by the late Gordon Dickinson. Our unlikely hero Jim Eckert must now save his wife Angie from an evil dragon. The problem is, he has no idea how to actually be a dragon, much less a hero!

This book was one of the first that I read growing up that turned the typical fantasy tale on its head. It’s a quick read, and the rest of the series is highly entertaining as well.

The Sword of Shannara

As one of the first fantasy books of its size that I read as a kid, this one made me want to create a fantasy world of my own! It’s classic Tolkien-style fantasy epic that manages to stand out from The Lord of the Rings…and has a twist near the end that few will see coming.

There are many more books in the series, and it was popular enough that it even inspired a television series. I got a chance to meet Terry Brooks, the author, and I can tell you he’s a gem of a human being. Support him by checking the series out, if you haven’t already done so!

Runic Awakening

The very first book I ever wrote! What started as a simple tale of adventure for a young audience soon evolved into an epic fantasy series with love, loss, adventure, runic magic, an epic battle of good vs. evil and gods vs. men!

It took 8 rewrites before I was satisfied with the book, and I actually finished the first 3 books in the Runic series before publishing Runic Awakening. I’m busy working on a 5th book at this very moment, and I’m sure I won’t be done with the series when it’s finished!

Hunter of Legends

The second book series I created! Hunter of Legends was written and published in about four months…which holds the record for the fastest I’ve ever written a book! The fact that I’d had the idea in my head for over a year before starting it certainly helped.

With a unique world of transference, where traits can be absorbed and transmitted depending on the power of one’s will, the Fate of Legends series is unlike anything else I’ve written or read. I’ve written four books in the series, and am currently working on the fifth!

The Magic Collector

The first book in the 3rd fantasy series I wrote, The Magic Collector holds a special place in my heart. I wrote it for my unborn daughter Bella, finishing the second book in the series when she was born. It features a world where art is magical…and Painters, Musicians, Writers, Actors, and Sculptors all wield magic unique to their specialization.

This still stands as one of my favorite books to write, and is the most creative of all my works. I love the series dearly, though it is still the least-read series among readers at large. I hope you’ll give it a chance…and I doubt you’ll regret having done so!

Inappropriate Magic

When I first started writing this fantasy comedy/satire, I did so purely on a whim, with no real plan to finish it. But as I wrote it, the story fleshed itself out, begging to be finished! Now I’ve written four books in the series, each more inappropriate than the previous ones. I’m working on a fifth book now - Insanely Inappropriate Magic - and have no plans on stopping anytime soon!

Fun fact: I made two of the main characters in honor of my aunt and uncle, who have a kind of inappropriate magic of their own. Of all the books I write, these are by far the ones I find myself reading and re-reading, just for laughs. Which is pretty sad I suppose, considering I’m really just laughing at my own jokes…