The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

The Sword of Shannara is the first book in the Shannara chronicles. It tells the story of Shea who is the last of a long line of Elvish warriors and the only one able to wield the magical elf stones. He is recruited by a mysterious druid to find the Sword of Shannara and end the power of darkness over the land. The book is quite good, but you can defiantly see the influence of Lord of the Rings. We even have our wizard like figure “die” while falling off a bridge fighting a shadow monster! But where Lord of the Rings takes place in a mythical past, Shannara takes place in a post-apocalyptic landscape. A land where the apocalypse was so long ago that no one remembers what the world was like before the break down of society;  it is not even written down in the history books. Magic has crept back into the world and we have returned to a dark mythic world view. It is an interesting concept, and Brooks does a good job of exploring it.

Planet of Peril by Otis Adelbert Kilne

Planet of Peril, like John Carter on Mars, lies somewhere between science fiction and fantasy. Our main character, Robert Grandon, volunteers to be part of an experiment in which he will swap bodies with a Prince of Venus. He must battle horrible monsters and win the heart of the local princess. This is where the fantastical comes in because this world seems more like a fantasy world than a science fiction one. The story is fun and engaging and is part of a series of books. Some take place after Planet of Peril and others before with a different character who swapped bodies with a prince of Mars.

You Wish (1997-1998)

You Wish (1997-1998)

This show was part of the TGIF line up along with the original Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Boy Meets World. It starred Harley Jane Kozak as a single mother who releases a Genie trapped in a Persian carpet. This genie becomes her own personal servant, much to her dismay. I remember loving this show as a child. It was fun family entertainment and one of my favorite actors, John Rhys Davies, made an appearance as well. One of my favorite episodes was the one where Salem from Sabrina swallowed a time ball and sets off a chain reaction through all the shows on TGIF. It’s also the only time I liked the last show in the TGIF lineup, Teen Angel.

Voyage of the Basset/Unicorn

The Voyage of the Basset by James C. Christiansen

In this original story, Professor Aisling and his two daughters Miranda and Cassandra travel in a magical ship captained by dwarves to the mysterious land of Imagination. They meet such legendary characters as Oberon and Titania, Medusa, and the Minotaur. Throughout all their adventures, they learn to rely on each other and that By Believing One Sees. The ship is loosely based on the HMS Beagle on which Darwin sailed in his trip to the Gallipolis Islands.

The Voyage of the Unicorn (2001)

Because not many people would understand the reference to the Basset, the name of the ship was changed to the Unicorn since that sounded more fantastical. The movie stayed pretty close to the book, adding only a prophecy to give a reason for the trip to Imagination. That the travelers will be known by a ship, a sword, and a banner thus: Credendo Vidas by believing one sees!