Mar 3, 2010

Random Question

I've been throwing around ideas for a novel involving witches. And to be quiet honest, the only book I've ever read with witches is Harry Potter. I need to do some research and by that I mean I need to read some Witch novels. Suggestions? Favorites?

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Harry Potter is amazing!!! I am acutally reading Hex Hall right now, the book was released yesterday and I'm loving it! So here is my list

-Harry Potter
-Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
-The Truth Tellers Tale by Sharon Shinn (its magical)
Witches of Eastwick by John Updike

Hope this helps! Good Luck! I love a good witch book!

Jeff King said...

Potter 1-7

Wheel of time 1-13?

Terry Brooks 1 - 36 basically a long siries...

Dune 1-7

Nicole Settle said...

Hm, the only witch books I can think of at the top of my head are Once a Witch and Beautiful Creatures (except their called casters I think)

Summer Frey said...

Honestly, just like with anything else, I think you can spin witchcraft lore your own unique way. I'd spend my time reading on actual history of witchcraft and pagan ritual--that's probably where you'll find the most interesting information. If you know nothing about it, by sticking only to the "facts," whatever you come up with will certainly be a product of your own mind, you know? :-)

Summer Frey said...

But sorry, I realize that came off as kinda snotty and pretentious, which wasn't my intention. Here are some "witch" books that I've read and enjoyed, plus a few that you may find enlightening:

Magic to the Bone, by Devon Monk

Rachel Morgan/The Hollows series, by Kim Harrison (Dead Witch Walking is the first)

the Jazz Tremaine series by Linda Wisdom (50 Ways to Hex Your Lover is the first)

Witch and Curse, by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

I would second the suggestion for the Wheel of Time books--the magic system in those is really amazing. They are HEFTY reads, though. Just FYI.

Also, Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series is big on the magic, but I think you can read the first one, Wizard's First Rule, as a stand-alone. It is an amazing book, and doesn't suffer the degredation of a series.

I'd check out goodreads for more suggestions.

Crystal Cook said...

I read Jinx by Meg Cabot, I thought it was pretty good. Not way, out there magic. More believable I thought.

Bookish in a Box said...

I just went through my library and other than Sabrina the Teenage Witch, I don't own much about witches. My first thought was not to follow the lore style of Witch and Curse or the rest of the Wicked series. It felt a little cheesy to me (but I own 4 of the 5 books so it wasn't all bad).

I liked the Gemma Doyle series and Gemma is *kind of* a witch. I also own The Witches by Roald Dahl, but that's probably not what you're going for. :-P

Stina said...

Beautiful Creatures is about witches. Kinda.

L.J. Smith also writes about witches. There's even one in her Vampire Diaries series.

Anonymous said...

The first thing I thought of was Rould Dahl's The Witches, though InABox already said that.

This isn't the same thing as witches AT ALL, but i was always entranced by Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. They're all about women who are like witches in that they cast magical spells, etc. But they are much cooler. Might be interesting to read if you want to give the ol witch tale a twist.

Also this just came into my head, how about Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen? It was published before Harry Potter, and i always felt as if J.K. Rowling must have read the book before writing the HP series, since the story arch is very similar. A slim book, too.

Anonymous said...

"Once a Witch" by Carolyn MacCullough is a great book, but also the new one by James Patterson comes to mind. It's called "Witch & Wizard." No doubt there are more. I'd do a google search as well as one at my library and online book stores.

Donna (Bites) said...

In all honesty, I'd start with non-fiction as opposed to fiction. Find out what kind of witch you want to write about. Dig up source files on the Salem witch trials, research into Paganism and Wicca and then branch out from there. If you start off my reading fiction, you're going to get a lot of dramatized stuff that's spun out from reality. You don't want to spin out from someone's spin out. Get the groundwork done and then distort from there if need be.

Swimmer said...

I don't read many books about witchs(exept Harry Potter) but I love books that take the creature and put a twist on it. So you reconize it but it is still new.

Sarah said...

I'd definitely recommend Kim Harrison's Hollows series (Dead Witch Walking is the first one I think). I love this series & am going to be re-reading it soon :o)

There is also Tate Hallaway's Garnet Lacey series (I've done reviews for the first few on my blog). It's a good series but more chick lit / paranormal romance than urban fantasy so it depends on what sort of thing you're looking for.

I can't think of any more off the top of my head but I'll come back if anymore come to me later :o)

Jackee said...

I was going to mention Hex Hall because it just came out, but it looks like it's already listed by others.

Good luck, though, how exciting to have a shiny new idea!

Anonymous said...

From way back in the day:
* The Sand Witch by Steve Senn (1987)
* The Would-be Witch by Ruth Chew (1976)
Those two can both be read within an hour each. They're age group is probably 8-10. Another most fabulous read for adults even is:
* "The Witches" by Roald Dahl.
My daughter absolutely LOVES this book. If you've seen the movie, you will most definitely love this one.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witches_(book)

Good luck!