I absolutely love fantasy as a genre, and am currently aspiring to write a novel set in a weird and wonderful world ;-)
Books, I believe, are one of the most powerful things in this world and act as portals to countless other realms. Reading a good book can eradicate all of your worries and allow you, even if only for a short period of time, to become utterly immersed in someone else's life. A bit like a Polyjuice Potion!

Some authors I really like are J.R.R Tolkien and Terry Pratchett. Oh, and John Milton will always have a special place in my heart ;-D