Listen to music, of course. I enjoy lots of types of music, but these are my favorite fantasy albums:
Honorable Mention: (Shhh. . .I am cheating!) The Hunger Games: Songs of District 12 and BeyondThis compilation by various artists is loud, energetic and inspiring. It makes household chores go faster, and always makes me want to be brave. However, it is too distracting for me to listen to while writing or grading papers, so it falls just short of my Top 3s list.
Three: How to Train Your Dragon by John Powell: This album is full of hope displayed in almost-Celtic sounding strings, and never fails to make me smile. My favorite track is "Forbidden Friendship," which shows the beginning of Hiccup's unlikely friendship with Toothless.
Two: Harry Potter by John Williams: John William's magical music makes frequent use of bells and chimes, which are synonymous with Halloween and magic at my house. Don't worry--we don't cast any spells, or enchant anyone, but we do enjoy planning costumes, treats and fall fun for our friends and neighbors (and we make a great butter beer--non-alcoholic, of course). 
One: The Hobbit by Howard Shore: I love listening to this album when I sit down to work on a scene in my Work In Progress. It captures the wandering spirit of adventurers, and inspires me to take risks in my writing. Although I love the instrumental sounds, and two-CD length, my favorite track is "Song of the Lonely Mountain," by Neil Finn.
"We must awake, our lives to make, and in the darkness a torch we hold."
What are your favorite fantasy songs or albums? Leave a comment and let us know!
Ooh, great idea for a post! I love fantasy soundtracks, too, especially Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. They make you want to go out and have an adventure :)
ReplyDeleteYes. . . Lord of the Rings gives me endurance, too. . . all that walking means I can run on my treadmill!
DeleteWhy is it that fantasy movies have such great soundtracks? Great post and great choices, Erin!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think it must be a result of all that creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking. . . I have no idea how composers make music, but I am glad they do!
DeleteMy favorite speculative soundtracks are for Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Batman Begins. While I haven't actually seen the Harry Potter movies, the music from them is cool, too. Neat post!
ReplyDelete~Brenna
Yes, I grew up listening to Star Wars on records. : ) I am older than you!
DeleteGood ideas! I love anything by John Williams, but I didn't know he wrote the music for Harry Potter! Right now, I'm loving the Robin Hood soundtrack.π
ReplyDeleteI didn't think of Robin Hood! : ) Fun!
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