[Commonmind]

Ironically my fantasy obsession started with the movie "The Hobbit," a notoriously bad adaptation of the book. As a child, however, I loved the film. I don't know when I realized the movie was based on an actual piece of literature, but I do remember it being one of the first books I picked up read the entire way through. It wasn't long after that when I realized there was an entire genre of entertainment containing these similar elements; swords and sorcery; knights, elves, dwarves, gnomes and fair-maidens; malignant dark lords, etc. I quickly latched on to all things fantasy, and haven't turned back since.

My sci-fi obsession began in a very cliche fashion as well. I had seen the movies 2001 and Star Wars. I had fallen in love with Buck Rodgers, Battlestar Galactica and V at an early age. When one of my aunts found out I loved sci-fi movies and television programs she thrust Ender's Game, Ranma, Starship Troopers (which I shouldn't have been reading in my tender youth) and the 2001 series into my hands. Not long after I had finished them all she gave me two entirely too-large boxes filled to the brim with sci-fi novels; which I utterly devoured.