recommended fantasy books?

[underground]

hello,

my current obsession is fantasy books and i'm looking for more good fantasy books. i do not exactly worship harry potter, but i do like the series. i also like eragon, wormwood by g. p. taylor, wise child, juniper, colman by monica furlong, his dark materials trilogy by philip pullman, and any books like any of the above would be appreciated.

and just as a side note, unfortunately i wouldn't like books that sounded like the lord of the rings trilogy just because they would be a mouthful. :p

[Nocturnal]

You may be into Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time", then. It's a series of 10 books, if I am not mistaken. Each is over 1000 pages long, so be prepared to read hard. I don't find it very Tolkien-like, although it surely has something Middle-Earthish about it. But if you like Fantasy with a strong human motive you may very well like it.

[Admin]

If you haven't gotten into Wheel of Time Yet, I cannot recommend it. In the last couple books he progresses the stories a week with about 2000 pages. Its gotten ridiculously slow and ponderous. I also find his world completely unoriginal, he just borrows and mishmashes real Earth people and cultures together. Don't get me wrong, it was entertaining for the first few thousand pages, but now its like watching a glacier move. The only interesting and good thing is the magic system.

I'm a big fan of Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, the Dragonlance books are excellent, also their Death Gate Cycle is great (though I wasn't fond of the ending). Anyways, there are probably 50 or 60 dragonlance books now, and while Weis & Hickman didn't write all of them, they wrote the main ones. The overall arching story in the main ones is one of the best I've read. Characters you really fall in love with.

David Duncan's Seventh Sword trilogy is one of the most ingenious and interesting fantasy worlds I've seen. I cannot recommend it enough (its a little adult though, sex and violence and all that). Its somewhat hard to find though due to a legal tiff between the publisher & author. Look for it used on ebay or amazon. Don't be put off by the description, I didn't think I'd like it based on that, (not really a fan of Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court type books) but I was pleasantly suprised. His world is pretty unique in that it lacks a certain something we all take for granted and its interesting to think of what exactly would be different about history had that something never been invented.

I also recommend George R R Martin's A Song of Ice & Fire. Its a refreshing new series, very well written, fast moving, and despite the fact that so many main characters are children its definitely for adults. There is hardly any magic in it, its mostly swords & feudalism.

[Nocturnal]

Yes, I have heard that The Wheel of Time ends up lagging out after a few books. I really did enjoy The Eye of the World, the first book, because it had the potencial of developing the characters into maturity, assisting their different processes of evolution. A good premise, but I do admit that 10 books is a bit too much.

I just remembered a not all that known but entertaining author, Stephen Donaldson. He has these two books about wizards who deal with mirrors that is worth while. I can't quite bring to mind the title, though.

[PeterL]

Perhaps the best in that sub-genre is The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany.

[Jay]

If you like Eragon, do you know that there's already a second volume, Elder? I'll be reading both sometime in the near future.

[Mark F.]

Terry Pratchett is worth reading. But it's all not serious.

[Padan Fain]

Might want to break it down into which types of fantasy you want to start with. For the epic fantasy, such as Wheel of Time, etc. I would start with something that is completed. Martin's song of Ice and Fire is, I think, the best out there, but he is starting to go Jordan on us, taking four years between books. I started Jordan in the early 90's, hope to finish by 2020 at the rate it is going. I fear martin may go that way as well. Still, his work is amazing. Some options I would look at as far as series' are:
Memmory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams
The Celtic Knot by Stephen Lawhead
Fionovar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay
Winter of the World by Michael Scott Rohan
Chronicals of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Doanldson (I still like it).

A couple of decent introductions to this genre would be David Eddings and Raymond Feist. Nothing fancy, but fun reads.

And Mark, I agree, Pratchett is a riot. Espceially the night watch for me.....

For a lighter

[mono]

Many fantasy fans often enjoy Robert Heinlein's Stranger In A Strange Land (which one might also consider science fiction). It has some interesting things to say, in an oddly philosophical manner, and I understand how many can enjoy the novel.
Good luck in your search, underground. :)

[Admin]

Chronicals of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Doanldson (I still like it).


Gag. I just finished it and honestly I thought it was one of the worst trilogies I've read. The first 2/3rds of the 2nd book in particular were punishment. Donaldson is unnecessarily verbose and his characters are mostly one dimensional. Way too archetypical for me. Even the main character who is supposed to be this deep individual is one sided. A momentary lack of restraint that you whine over for the rest of the series does not make you a bad person. In short the book tries way too hard to make some kind of statement on the human condition and it ends up tripping over it's own feet.

For good characters, including good flawed characters, try George R R Martin.
If you prefer a book where the good guys all where white, and the bad guys all where black, and there is no middle ground other than one whiny loser who mopes around the whole time, then read donaldson.

[kren]

mm
i'm a huge fantasy fan myself, while you may not want to read the lord of the rings itself you may want to try THE SILMARILLION, great stuff.
as for others i would highly recommen some books from the DRAGONLANCE series as mentioned above; terry pratchett is also very good, i dont know if you'd categorize him as fantasy but anything by neil gaiman is very good. especially the SANDMAN series. the EARTHSEA trilogy by ursula le guin is a killer, very well written. PAWN OF PROPHECY by david eddings is the only book from the BELGARIAD series that i came across, but it is very very good stuff, characters are very lovable. katherine kerr's DEVERRY series are recomendable, very original. Some of lloyd alexander's books like the HIGH KING might interest you, his writing style is very enjoyable. there are still othes that are enjoyable, but i dont have them in mind right now..

in the note of fantasy novels, i would like to ask if anybody here ever read any of the books written by chris claremont and george lucas titled shadow moon, shadow dawn, and shadow star, if so please comment and say if tis worth reading or not. thx in advance

[Admin]

I tried Shadow Moon, I couldn't get very far into it. It just started out so boring.

Loved Willow the movie though.

[Padan Fain]

Admin, I see where you are coming from, and to be clear, Martin is far, FAR better than Donaldson. I love the way he creates his characters, changes them, kills them, etc. The story is plain realistic. It reads like a history, the politics of Rome with the backdrop of Britain. My point with Donaldson was that, while it's time has passed, it was pivotal in the genre and still merits reading. Since underground asked for some starting points, Donaldson has it's place there.
But.......
Weis and Hickman? Dragonlance? LMAO. Talk about a lack of character development and stereotypical characters. Don't get me wrong, I can recommend the first six books alongside Covenant as a series that opened the door for fantasy into the mainstream. But Tanis, Raistlin and the gang are hardly fleshed out characters. Kept waiting for them to roll their dragon dice to determine their next move.

Anyway, love this thread, get's us talking and all. The great thing about fantasy is there is such a wide range of style, most everyone can find something.

[Admin]

Are weis & hickman's characters stereotypes or have they become stereotypes since their inception?

Also, they too have killed off major characters, and I don't really see how you can call a character not fully fleshed out when you can read basically their entire life from birth to death in the case of someone like Raistlin. One thing you can say about them atleast is that they change, that they have multi-faceted personalities. Sturm from reject knight to hero. Laurana from stupid girl to leader. Raistlin has his moments with Bupu early which show a different side, and eventually his ambition is set aside so as to not punish the world. Caramon learns to live without his brother.

With donaldson everyone is basically the same at the beginning as they are at the end, except like Trell, a very minor character, and Hile Troy, whom IMO is the only good character in the series.

[Nocturnal]

If you come across something called "The Dark Elf Trilogy", by R.A Salvatore, steer clear from it. It's a perfect example of character clichés. In fact, although I grant the Dark Elves (I am not too sure how the author would choose to pluratize the term) are somewhat original in that they live in a great complex of underground caves called "The Underdark" under the aegis of a strangely satanic-like cult that is the pillar of a highly hierarchical society, that is not enough to save it from being over-explanatory. The reader is not left to discern anything, he will be told, word by word, exactly what to think, and which characters are "mean" and which ones are not.

I would only recommend it to those with a serious interest in fighting sequences, as they pretty much over-run the whole plot in a very cumbersome way.

[Padan Fain]

Didn't Salvatore start with the Forgotten Realms area of TSR? I think so, hence the hack and slay aspect you mentioned. Thanks for the tip!

[Nocturnal]

Yes, I believe he did. I read the first book "Homeland" when I was rather young and got the impression that Salvatore truly has very low expectations when it comes to his readers' abilities to figure out things for themselves. Last month I stumbled upon book II, "Sojourn", by mere chance and decided to give it a go. It occured to me that maybe the second book would add something new. Not surprisingly, it doesn't. The reader is still lead by the hand by a writer that clearly wants to rush the action until it is sure to become a numb blur. There are intrvals of pseudo deep soul-searching but they are awkward and almost ashamed to dare invade the battle-driven routine.

[Admin]

I dislike RA Salvatore's works too, I dislike his writing and his characters. The only thing I like is the prevalence of magic and the battles/wars, but, how every character has like 10 amazing magical items is a little annoying. Whats the point if they're so common? Too often his books read like a narrative from a game.

[Nocturnal]

I know what you mean, apparently magic is "out there" and is not all that hard to tap. Also, his "mean" characters gloat in their own evilness. That's seriously annoying, the only thing missing is the villain laughter and a fade out to make it something straight from a cartoon.
Yes, it's an extent version of Dungeons and Dragons.

[Padan Fain]

So Chris,
I share your opinion of Jordan and how the books have sort of trailed off over the last four or five. (I think TFOH is the last great one). Are you going to pick up Knife of Dreams next month? I think I still will. I keep saying I'll give him one more chance. Then I say it again even after the disappointment. I guess that, even though nothing seems to happen of late, I still love the writing style for the most part. I skipped New Spring, however.

Can't wait for Feast for Crows in November. Assuming it actually happens this time, lol.

[Admin]

I'm not. I was really pissed off in book, 9 I think, when they progressed the story about a week through the entire thing. Faile was kidnapped in Book 8 afterall, I figured by the end of 9 she'd be rescued... no. Then when she wasn't even rescued by the end of book 10 I got really pissed off at the slow pace.

So I swore off robert jordan. I will not read another one of his novels until the series is finished (if it is ever finished).

As for my favorite, I think it was either the 4th or 5th one. Still, I don't hold them that highly. Like I said his cultures are just mishmashes (japanese looking people who dress like europeans for example). Also I dislike how he sometimes seems to write himself into a corner and then suddenly a new previously unmentioned means of escape is offered, how convenient!

The sex is pretty annoying too, "I had sex now I'm lecherous and dirty, I'm ashamed. " Grow up.

The magic system is great though.

[Padan Fain]

I hate the *sniff* I'm with you, my entire reading group here is doing the same thing. It depends on what all I have in the queue as to when I will read it. Fires of Heaven was five, I think and that's where it just got slow and cartoonish. I am concerned Martin will too, but haven't seen any signs of that other than the 'Tor' delays.
i also got tired in WoT how plain stupid the characters are. Blind. For all the time I invested, I need to finish it, but I may be dead before it is complete. Hell, he may be dead for all we know.....

[B-Mental]

I grew up anxiously awaiting the Terry Brooks trilogy The Sword of Shannara being the first. Also liked his Magic Kingdom For Sale books but a different level of fantasy. Also after reading the first trilogy I would stay away from the most recent books in the Shannara series.

[Padan Fain]

I've been wondering on those. Sword was one of the first I read back in middle school. Liked it, even with the LOTR similarities. Quit after Elfstones. I didn't care for magic Kingdom and have never gone back and read the newer ones. Picked some up used and was wondering if I would get around to reading them, but had no great desire. Thanks for the tip there!

[Admin]

I have hopes for Martin keeping up his pace just by his style of writing.

Sometimes you only learn things in SOIAF through correspondence. You don't get a full account of a battle or something, you maybe just get a letter from one character to another. So it moves along pretty quickly.

[Nocturnal]

I managed to finish the first WoT book. And I nearly finished the second, too. I got as far as buying the third but never got around to starting it. And some point it became clear I would have to re-read the first two before I got around to understanding the third and that, I'm afraid, would be a bit too much.

It seems to me that the series suffer from the "Things are about to happen" followed by some vision/flashback, add a bit of a foreboding sense, and then forget to actually MAKE things happen.
So the series haven't ended? I was under the impression that the final book had been published earlier this year but it's plausible that I am wrong.

Btw, has anyone read Terry Goodkind's "The Sword of Truth" series? I was considering giving it a go, but it seems like such a massive project that I wanted to make sure it was worth it before plunging head first into what may be complete waste of time

[Padan Fain]

I've read the first four Goodkind books. Had hopes, but after the first one I became bored. Seemed like a rip off of Jordan. Try the Sword of Truth and see what you think. It was decent.....

[Padan Fain]

Oh, and as for WoT. Ended? There are more open plot lines and unexplained whatevers than ever before. Last couple of books only moved it along for a week or so. Seems they just pull on their braids and have headaches and say 'burn it.' Sucker that I am, I'll see it through. As for Martin, I flat out love what you were talking about. Battles fought, but only talked about through letters, conversations. Characters suddenly wind up dead, switching sides. Almost used Roose Bolton as my user name here.

[Nocturnal]

Only a few weeks?! That's insane...
I'm still following the quest to capture the "Great Horn". I know what you mean about having invested too much on it just to drop it out flat, I only read two books and already feel like that, in a way. I simply cannot bring myself to give up and admit I've read all those pages in vain.
On the other hand, if the latest books manage not to cover more than a few weeks (and unless I am quite mistaken, they are still every bit as long as always) I must re-think my options.
Maybe Jordan simply does want to quit writing? Or maybe it's his way of proving that since there are "no beginnings" maybe there are "no endings" as well...
Odds are he is very content throwing off books at Orbit books, and you know how it goes, "The more the merrier"

[Padan Fain]

Well, the other books have really pissed a lot of his fans off, given the delays with WoT. I have a suspicion that Path of Daggers and Crown of Swords were one book, but Tor split them in two. Money. Just a theory. Don't get me wrong, I still love the series, just got very annoyed by the way it has gone of late. Of late, lol, that means, what, the last ten years?

[Nocturnal]

Yes, ten years, give or take. I only have around a hundred pages left of The Great Hunt to read but then again, more than two years have passed since then and I am not sure I remember enough of what happened to carry on reading without re-reading book II first. A nice synopsis of the first two books would be useful...
Delays can be extremely annoying but it wouldn't surprise me if even that wasn't a bit of marketing strategy to raise the fans' expectations. If that is the case, it is a rather risky thing.

[Padan Fain]

There are a lot of websites that have synopsis, discussions, etc. Almost like it's the Bible or something. So many theories and such. Why not read some other series rather than put so much effort into who killed Asmodean. But, when a new one comes out, I don't mind borrowing their work, lol.

[Nocturnal]

Heh. :P so, who DID kill Asmodean?
There is quite a Robert Jordan paranoia going on, zillions of sites and so. If I find a synopsis that can tell what happens in ten words or less, I'll give it a go.

[Padan Fain]

Well, I can help you with the last three installments.....Not much, other than the last few chapters of Winters Heart. And you're on your own there. :p

[underground]

oh, wow. i haven't really read most of the responses, but perhaps i'd check out all the books mentioned, good or bad. :p

by the way, anyone knows more fantasy books that are written for children? i don't mind books for adults, but they usually contain sex and bad words, and while i'm already legal, my mental state still prefers not to read those in print.

[Nocturnal]

Heh, I've been trying to remember just why the "Great Horn" was so important but I must admit I am at a loss here. Something about raising the great army of the dead. Hmm...now where have I read that before :P

There is a cute fantasy book written for children called "The Thief of Always" by Clive Barker. Yes, the same Barker who gave us the Hellraiser series and the Books of Blood (I am somewhat of a horror lit freak), but this time all gore is absent and the story is aimed at children. It features a little boy that is bored out of his wits at school and with his daily routine until one day he finds this amazing house where every child's desire is promptly satisfied and there are no nagging adults bossing the kids around. However, to everything there is a dark side...and I shall not reveal it.
From the same author comes the entertaining "Abaratt", a series of books about this little girl who travels to a fantasy world in which there are twenty four islands. Each island is an hour, so in some it is always noon, in others deep night, dawn, etc.

These books are nice, in a way. Of course they are not "high" fantasy and won't drown the reader with sub-plots within sub-plots or provide a detailed description of how the fantasy cosmos operates, and adult reader might find them over-simplistic and even formulaic.

The obvious choice is "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S Lewis. They need no introduction...I loved them when I first read them and I still find myself going over the pages, from tale to tale, with a silly smile all over my face. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an edition containing the original pictures, which makes it all the more charming.

[samercury]

Yes, I have heard that The Wheel of Time ends up lagging out after a few books. I really did enjoy The Eye of the World, the first book, because it had the potencial of developing the characters into maturity, assisting their different processes of evolution. A good premise, but I do admit that 10 books is a bit too much.

I agree w/ you 100% :p

(Ah... Fantasy) Tamora Pierce writes really good fantasy books. Most of her series are set up in an imaginary land of Tortall and usually involve people with magical powers. REALLY Cool :cool:

Mercedes Lackey writes really good ones too...

[Taliesin]

I dislike RA Salvatore's works too, I dislike his writing and his characters. The only thing I like is the prevalence of magic and the battles/wars, but, how every character has like 10 amazing magical items is a little annoying. Whats the point if they're so common? Too often his books read like a narrative from a game.

Just a point we would like to mention: DD games do not have terribly bad and just plain hack-and-slash narratives. Quite a few of the gaming groups do play rather emotionally rich, intriguesque, very interesting plots with not much combat.
A number of them would make a quite a good book - but, we would have to mention that it would be changing the medium - from playing to reading. (compare it to making a film adaptation of a book) DD games are not meant for reading - they are meant for playing - much more interesting then.

Oh, and a good fantasy book - "Krabat" by Ottfield Preussler.

[super_maz]

hi

Ive recently gotten into reading fantasy books, and I would totally recommend something by David and Leigh Eddings. Their books are really interesting, and although there are collections of books like the Belgariad and the Mallorean, I would reccomend The Redemption of Althalus as a starting poit, as it is very easy to read, but at the same times weaves intricate imagery in the mind. Although its quite a big book, it does not take long to read, I think i finished it in like 3 days lol. Hope you enjoy reading it if you find the time!

~maria

[Admin]

oh, wow. i haven't really read most of the responses, but perhaps i'd check out all the books mentioned, good or bad. :p

by the way, anyone knows more fantasy books that are written for children? i don't mind books for adults, but they usually contain sex and bad words, and while i'm already legal, my mental state still prefers not to read those in print.


I'm not into that, but obviously the Chronicles of Narnia (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0066238501/everthingshak06) is a good series of books for kids. Also I think the redwall (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&camp=1789&tag=everythingshak06&creative=9325&path=tg/stores/series/-/110/) series is geared toward minors. Dave Duncan, an author whom I've recommended for his adult stuff, is writing a series for minors called the King's Daggers (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?link_code=ur2&camp=1789&tag=everythingshak06&creative=9325&path=tg/listmania/list-browse/-/L982BIRVUP4J)

[Nightshade]

Mercededs LAckey, well they are good just umm avoid definetly Fairy GOdmother (its a romance with fantasty too much sex)
ummm I love the Robin Mckinly books but I have a feeling they are more girl orientated books.
Terry Pratchett is fantatstic
and Piers anthony's Xanthia books are sort of similar in a round about way and again no sex even though this is a major joke point in the books being The Adult Conspiracy :D

[EAP]

Robin McKinley certainly isn't 'girl-oriented'. 'Sunshine' is right there behind 'I am Legend' as the best vampire book I have read.

[Nightshade]

have you ever read Beauty??? that is girl oriented as is Spindles end and I only said I have a feeling, there are no boys in my family so I only have steryotypes to go on....:D The robin hood one cant think what its called somthing SHerwood is good.

The beasts of eld was a good book to umm Patricia A. Mckillip

[EAP]

Since Beauty's a rehashing of the old Grimm's fable, I doubt I'll ever be reading it.

Hasn't she done 'two' takes on that particular legend?

[Pendragon]

I wouldn't say that the Redwall series is entirely geared towards minors, a lot of them would get confused over the many dialects spoken in the books. Sometimes, I can hardly keep them straight! I'll second Piers Anthony's Xanth books, keeping in mind that there's a lot of tounge-in-cheek mention of sex but still no sex. The Arthur ledgends are great, try The Pendragon Chronicles by Mike Ashley and Roger Zelzany's Amber series.

[Satine]

If you're looking for a 'girl-oriented' Fantasy, try Wicked by Gregory Maguire. Not sure whether to classify it as fantasy, but I would say it's more fantasy than pop fiction for sure. I think guys would enjoy it just as much, but I know that I'm fairly new to the whole genre and I WANT to get into the more heavy fantasy series' and such, but this was a good start for me. Baby steps, people...but no, really...I'm glad this thread is going because now I can start a massive new list of stuff I want to read. Thanks, a lot folks. My bank account loves you. :)

[Nightshade]

yep Beauty and Rose daughter. both beauty and the beat but Beauty was the first one 1970's and the one the Disney film is based on.
Hero and the Crown is another good book I think Ill actually go reread that later tonight. The only book I havent read of hers yet is Blue Sword but unfortunatly thats out of print :(

The redwall books are a bit gruesome arent they, I eventually gave up on that series after reading the one about Martin the warrior.

[Nightshade]

humm satine Wicked is a rehahing of somthing else isnt it ?? Actually thats a point I LOVE rehashings of legends/fairy tales etc I love nowing the background and being able tos ee all the twists in the story so if anyone has any idea of anymore of these please id love to kow about them.

Satine if your going for baby steps start with Tamora pierce or Mercedes Lackey easy enugh slide into the genre since Im not sure all of their books fully "qualify " as such. Actually com eto think of it Tamora pierce has begumn to wear thin as Ive got older so depending on your age you may not like them at all. (they are classified as young adult books).
Time travellers wife is Fantasy if you ask me but Its not classified as such in library (ours at least) because it is more about their relationship then the slight time travelling fluke.

What defines a Fantasy/scifi any way??

[underground]

hmm... i've read wicked, but it's not really the kind of fantasy i have in mind. interesting, though, albeit somewhat strange and illogical. but hey, it's based on an equally-strange book.

i was going to get some of the redwall series, but just because there are so many books in that, i was led to believe it might not be so good after all. but maybe i should give it a shot.

as for tamora pierce, i made an attempt at one of her books (the one with the twins), but i couldn't get myself through it. maybe it's too...girly? or the language is too contemporary? or maybe the picture on the cover is too "cheapy"? i don't know.

ooh, yes, i know there's a sequel to eragon, but it's probably not in the library yet, and i'm too cheap to get myself a copy. :p

currently reading peter pan. :D

[Nightshade]

underground twins???
Was one trying to be a knight or was it another one.
Because if its not the first one with alana then the book your talking aboout is somthing like the 9th book in the circle of magic series which just is as good as the tortall series and the second tortall series ( the immortals series has got to be the best , or maybe the new Trickster duo is good.
I didnt like eragon but I d know the sequel came into our libabry lat week (i had to stamp it) :D

[Satine]

humm satine Wicked is a rehahing of somthing else isnt it ?? Actually thats a point I LOVE rehashings of legends/fairy tales etc I love nowing the background and being able tos ee all the twists in the story so if anyone has any idea of anymore of these please id love to kow about them.

Time travellers wife is Fantasy if you ask me but Its not classified as such in library (ours at least) because it is more about their relationship then the slight time travelling fluke.

What defines a Fantasy/scifi any way??

Ok, trying to cover all the great points you made here.

1) Yes, Wicked is a rehashing of sorts, but I found it a fascinating spin on an old story, and I think Gregory Maguire did a FANTASTIC job of it. I didn't find it cheesy at all. Very well thought out, put together, and completed. He IS coming out with the sequel to Wicked called "Son of a Witch" in October, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Picks up after the death of Elphaba and tells the story of what became of Liir, her son...should be good reading.

2) Never thought of Time Traveler's Wife as a fantasy, at least not in the traditional sense. Always saw fantasy's as sword-fighting, battle between good and evil, lots of crazy characters and back-stories going on, some of them finished and some of them hanging when the story is done...that type of thing. TTW seems more like a sci-fi novel to me...takes place in modern day Chicago and basically reads like a traditional fiction novel with the twist of time travel.

3) What classifies Fantasy/Sci-Fi? Well, many say that Fantasy/Sci-Fi shouldn't even be classified together, which is a valid argument and probably very true. I think anymore, with writing styles evolving so much and the bar being set not only higher, but in different directions all-together, it's hard to put a lot of the newer books into categories at ALL. I mean, the bookstores have to do it, so they put a lot of books in places I don't think they should BE, but they don't have much choice.

Both Wicked and Time Traveler's Wife are classified as "Fiction" but they are more fantasy than anything else. I also think that readers that shy away from the Fantasy/Sci Fi section would probably never pick up either book if they had been classified as such, and so they are put into "Fiction" to get more exposure. That's my my two cents, although I realize that I wrote a whole lot more than that in this post!!

[Rosalind]

The first Redwall books are good, but the more recent ones are...not. But the thing is, I think it's a series you have to get hooked on in about the third grade to really appreciate. Yes, I got hooked. But if you do want to give them a shot, go for it. They're great sick day reads.

*winces at Tamora Pierce critique* I agree, the writing in 'Alanna' is very weak, but there's something endearing about the plot and characters, and it was Ms. Pierce's first novel. You can really see the improvement--by the time you get to 'Lioness Rampant,' the fourth one in that quartet, it makes some great reading. Like Nightshade, though, I'm especially fond of the Immortals quartet. On the other hand, I didn't like the Circle books nearly as much, but 'The Will of the Empress' is definately heading in an upward direction. Oh--and yeah, whose idea were those covers, anyway??

I'm not sure if these have been reccomended yet--I'd read all four pages, honest, but it's just all this homework... ;) Anyway, Underground, have you read Jane Yolen and Diana Wynne Jones? Sounds like you'd like 'em. They're both quite prolific, just go to the library and you're sure to find something. Patricia C. Wrede, as well--her Enchanted Forest Chronicles are best known, but I highly, highly reccomend 'Mairelon the Magician.' It's a perfect mix of magic, adventure, history and humour.

I second your recco of Robin McKinley, Nightshade. You know, I really enjoyed 'The Hero and the Crown,' but I was never able to get into 'The Blue Sword.' But good luck finding it!

[erywth]

I'd really reccomend Garth Nix's trilogy that starts with 'Sabriel'. I can't remember whether it has a name though.

[Matilda]

Dunno if you count this as fantasy, but I think the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer are really good. Much funnier than terry pratchett if you ask me. I absolutely love the character holly short

[R.Daneel]

Some must-reads for the Martin fans:

Malazan books, by Steven Erikson
and
Prince of Nothing books, by R. Scott Bakker

Both fairly new, and of the more gritty and intelligent type.

Orions Masterworks releases are also excellent, both sci-fi and fantasy.
Check it out here (http://www.sfsite.com/lists/orion01.htm)

[Charles Darnay]

If you truly want a great fantasy series.... one that has all the fantasy elements, is unbelievably addictive, and extremely funny.... try David Eddings' "The Belgarid" and "Malloreon"

[Panurge]

I'd like to jump in and recommend any of the 'Lankhmar" books written by Fritz Leiber. He invented the term 'Sword and Sorcery', but reading his work you would never guess that he actually predated the largely generic fantasy writing which dominates the market nowadays. He writes in a grand, eloquent style (his parents were members of a Shakespearean troupe...) but simply and beautifully paced. There is enough action to keep even the most bloodthirsty satisfied, but shot through with touches of philosophy and knowing humour. His creativity is startling (particularly considering the time at which he was writing) and the characterisation of his two main leads (Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser) is convincing and deftly handled. I must stop now because I'm slavering onto my keyboard, which I only bought yesterday...

Also, as a fan of fantasy who started out reading Tolkien, TH White, Robert E Howard, Lord Dunsany et al, I would recommend turning to some of the sources of these great authors. Books like 'The Mabinogion' and the various Norse sagas can be just as gripping, with the added advantage that the author generally believed and lived in the world he is describing.

[Xamonas Chegwe]

If you like your fantasy with a little more depth, I can recommend "Little Big" by John Crowley and the Viriconium books by M. John Harrison.

These show just how good 'genre' fiction can be. But if you're just looking for another Tolkein clone, forget them.

Btw. Who said Pratchett isn't serious in an earlier post? He is hilarious, yes, but there are serious issues discussed in all of his books underneath the jokes.

[Theshizznigg]

I found the Dragon Prince books by Melanie rawn to be a good read, also Harry Harrison is a fairly good Sci Fi writer, Most of the time.
I loved Sir Arthur Conan Doyles, Edward Challenger Stories, especially the Poison Belt.
the Tolkien books were bad, but the Chronicles of Narnia were better,
I tend to put books like that under fantasy, and space thrillers under Sci Fi.
Atermis Fowl, was a good book, as were the Harry Potter books, I loved Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott, Dr.Jekyll and Mr, Hyde was also good.
The Myth series by Robert Aspirin was also good.
Can't think of anymore at the moment though.
I prefer reading historical books, so I can't say I have a large selection of just Sci Fi Books.

[Whifflingpin]

Ursula Le Guin's five Earthsea novels deserve a mention in this thread. Written 1968, 1972 & 1973, and then 1990 and 2001, they do show great variety in many ways. The first three were, I think, intended for children - at least they are in the Puffin series - but the fourth, "Tehanu" is much darker and full of pain.
All of them fantasy - all, possibly, "coming of age" stories - all poetic - all demanding thought - all entertaining.

.

[scuicho]

Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth series is definatly a must read for anyone looking for a good fantisy series. There are currently 9 books all of witch are very addicting. They share some similarities with Wheel of time however i thought that the themes were mutch better and easier to get into

[NightTigress]

Oh my, Terry Goodkind is a very good author. Try the first three books of his series, starting with "Wizard's First Rule". I believe that's the title... : S I also highly recommend the Forgotten Realms series. That and Dragon Lance. Both amazing series, both with many, many sub-series. The sub-series I reccoment for Forgotten Realms is War of the Spider Queen and any other books you can find by R. A. Salvatore. When reading Salvatore's series, it doesn't matter which one you start with, if you like them and continue to read them all, it shouldn't matter. The books don't look back on previous events too often, and if they do, they usually explain them enough that you don't have to stop reading, pick up the other book, read it, and then continue to read the former book. Aka... the series' can be read in any order (but once you start a series, read THOSE books in order.) I recommend starting with The Legacy of the Drow, and then moving onto The Icewind Dale Trilogy, or vice versa.

[AimusSage]

I recommend books by robin hobb. She wrote three trilogies set in a world that does not rely on normal magic, but instead has two main forms of 'magic', wits and skill.

Quite an interesting read, find out more here: Robin Hobb books ( =http://www.robinhobb.com/books-main.html)

[EAP]

Fitz can be a bit of a mutt sometimes so if you are looking for slightly more headstrong and less whingeing characters, check out Hobb's newest, Shaman's Crossing, book one of the Soldier Son trilogy.

[AimusSage]

a mutt indeed. :D

[byquist]

Ursula Le Guin

[avidreader24]

I recomend the BARTMAEUS TRILOGY , by johnothan stroud. realy realy goooood :nod:

[simon]

I would recomend to anyone who enjoys descriptions of mazes and dark, dank places with sinister characters that come to life: Gormenghast. It's long, it's dark and shrouded, and if you can wade through it it's well worth it to discover the life of a boy who lives in a huge palace with such interweaving and confusing rooms that the house itself is a main character and influence on his life.

[Gringoire]

oh, wow. i haven't really read most of the responses, but perhaps i'd check out all the books mentioned, good or bad. :p

by the way, anyone knows more fantasy books that are written for children? i don't mind books for adults, but they usually contain sex and bad words, and while i'm already legal, my mental state still prefers not to read those in print.

YES!!!!
I agree with you, it is so hard to come by some good fantasy fiction that doesn't contain blatant explicit scenes. It's as if the authours think that the word "fantasy" automatically means "free license" to write whatever comes to mind. Ahem*
Yes, but you were asking for reccomendations. Cynthia Voight's Jackaroo is excellent. Well written, believable, and a tale in which you easily lose yourself and live and breathe with the character, and remains with you far after you have set the book down. However, this is not a book which contains fantastic creatures, evil sorcerors, or any magic at all. I love this book, though!
Others that I would recommend are
of course, J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy,
C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia,
The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix- Lirael, I thought, was the best book in this series.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman, *swashbuckling comedy
The Once and Future King by T.H. White,
The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White,
The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper,
Brian Jacques' Redwall books,
The Wind Singer by William Nicholson,
Dragon's Blood by Jane Yolen,
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville (for young kids, I still love this one, though)
The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher *Sci-fi

If you liked Eragon and Eldest, you might like Cornelia Funke's Inkheart, and Neverending Story by Michael Ende

I can't think of anymore at the moment.
Right now I'm weeding out 2 boxes of books of sci fi and fantasy paperbacks.
Sadly, the majority is going straight into the trash. I think I'll have to stick to faerie tales awhile yet!

Hope this helps you some,
Gringoire

p.s. Recommend me some!

[Gringoire]

underground twins???
Was one trying to be a knight or was it another one.
Because if its not the first one with alana then the book your talking aboout is somthing like the 9th book in the circle of magic series which just is as good as the tortall series and the second tortall series ( the immortals series has got to be the best , or maybe the new Trickster duo is good.
I didnt like eragon but I d know the sequel came into our libabry lat week (i had to stamp it) :D

I didn't care much for Eragon either.... Still, that didn't stop me from picking up Eldest.... I'm rather desperate. That is neat, though, to get a book written and published at the age of fifteen. Although S.E. Hinton was only one year, or was it two years (?) older when she wrote "The Outsiders".

[EAP]

i don't mind books for adults, but they usually contain sex and bad words, and while i'm already legal, my mental state still prefers not to read those in print.

:lol: :lol:


Gringoire,

You might like Tamora Pierce's books. They are supposed to be pretty clean?


I agree with you, it is so hard to come by some good fantasy fiction that doesn't contain blatant explicit scenes. It's as if the authours think that the word "fantasy" automatically means "free license" to write whatever comes to mind.

What genres have you been dabbling in?

[RougeRenard]

Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series is very very good- this coming from someone who doesn't usually read series. Each book enhances the last, and you quickly become addicted to the series. Each book is around a thousand pages, but reads fast. The detailing is magnificent!

[Gringoire]

:lol: :lol:


Gringoire,

You might like Tamora Pierce's books. They are supposed to be pretty clean?



What genres have you been dabbling in?


A whole box of fantasy novels- Argh!!! :brickwall
I am never going to trust a book again simply because it has anything referring to King Arrthur or his knights again! *sigh*
Thanks though :) for the recommendation. I have NOT yet read any of Tamor Peirce. And in return, I would recommend you Jackaroo by Cynthia Voight.
God bless you,
Gringoire

[Charles Darnay]

I'm sorry I haven't read through every post on this thread, but I would just like to throw out a name that may or may not - I have not seen it yet - already been mentioned.

David Eddings.

Without a doubt, my favourite fantasy writer (the Belgariad and Mallorean) - his ohter stuff is a bit weaker. But these two series of five books are so well written (for a fantasy series) are engaging and extremely funny at times.

[SleepyWitch]

Btw. Who said Pratchett isn't serious in an earlier post? He is hilarious, yes, but there are serious issues discussed in all of his books underneath the jokes.
especially in his latest books.. i dunno which i like better the more hilarious earlier ones or the darker ones like Night Watch etc..

why hasn't anyone recommended the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley yet? ... hehe, I admit they can be a bit cheesy now and then but most of the time their a really good read..
they're a series but you can read any of them on its own, don't need to have read the other ones...

[malkatoj]

If you haven't read The Chronicles of Amber (sometimes The Amber Chronicles, my copy says 'The Complete Amber Chronicles' on it but that's because it's 10 books in one) by Roger Zelazny...go read it now. It's a 10 book series which comprises of two 5-book series and it's the most amazing thing I've ever read. Addictive, funny, fantasy, amazing character development, very surprising, everything anyone could ever ask for in a fantasy series. Or a book in general.

They're extremely hard to find, however, and though I'm under the impression that they just reprinted them, before that they had been out of print for a long time. I don't even see the reprint very often--I think whoever told me this was wrong.

Aside from that, I'll agree with Gringoire that you should read The Princess Bride. It's very funny, and if you've seen the movie (and liked it), you'll like the book.

[mycatis]

Oh yeah I have to agree with malkatoj, The Amber series in amazing. I've never read anything quite like it. Very original. Though to be honest the first "set" (the first five books) are probably slightly better than the second five, though I did love them all.

[EAP]

Amber is one headtrip I'll gladly third.

[Loveless]

Another good series is The Old Kingdom, by Garth Nix
you can find out more at the website
http://www.garthnix.co.uk/oldkingdom/default.asp

I also included the discription from the wesite below.

Sabriel is the daughter of the Mage Abhorsen. Ever since she was a tiny child, she has lived outside the Wall of the Old Kingdom - far away from the uncontrolled power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father is missing and Sabriel is called upon to cross back into that world to find him. Leaving the safety of the school she has known as home, Sabriel embarks upon a quest fraught with supernatural dangers, with companions she is unsure of - for nothing is as it seems within the boundary of the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life, and comes face to face with her hidden destiny...

SABRIEL is the first book in a breathtaking new trilogy by Garth Nix.

[IrishCanadian]

Now that we have six pages of ideas I'll add one more trilogy anyway because it anamours me right now. I'm currently briefly obsessed with C. S. Lewis and his space trilogy is outragiously fantastic. I adore his clever syntax and style ... but (I'm on the third) the plot just picked up and I can't let go of the book. The first one is called "Out of the Silent PLanet" second is "Pareladra" third is "That Hideous Strength"

Weeeeeeeee

[underground]

I recomend the BARTMAEUS TRILOGY , by johnothan stroud. realy realy goooood :nod:

ah, yes. i've read it, actually. it's tedious at times, but overall pretty good. the first book is the best. :D

in the period that i was absent from this board, i've also (finally) read the following:
- chronicles of narnia by c. s. lewis -- not too good, imo. the writing style sucks, and the characters are pretty two-dimensional. i'm almost sure it's popular only for the same reason harry potter is popular today.
- the princess bride by william goldman -- it's the kind of story i would write (stupid and all), but it's not well-written. goldman is not a born writer. i like the movie better.

i've been hearing things about george r. r. martin, so i think i'll give him a shot. garth nix, too. (i tend to avoid prolific writers, but hey, it's summer. what the hell.)

[ElizabethBennet]

I am a great fantasy fan and I agree with underground that the Chronicles of Narnia wasn't that well written. But the story behind it is great.
One of my favourite trilogies is The Kingdom of Thorns and Bones (I think that's what it's called) by Greg Keyes. I also love anything by Lloyd Alexander and some of his stories are more for children (but older people can enjoy them too).
Thank you for starting this thread. It has been vey helpful in expanding my reading list for the summer.

[rabid reader]

David Eddings novels

[kathycf]

Mary Stewart wrote several fantasy themed novels. I have read and enjoyed her version of Arthurian legend.

The Merlin Trilogy is Mary Stewart's take on the Arthurian legend in three books: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, and The Last Enchantment. These books have Merlin, Arthur's wizard mentor, as their focal point.
The final book in that series (written several years after the Last Enchantment) was called The Wicked Day, featuring a confrontation between Arthur and his son, Mordred.

I know this thread was started some time ago, but I read through and noticed someone mentioning that they did not wish to read stories containing swearing or sexual situations. I read the trilogy as a kid of 8 or 9 (and re-read them as an adult). They contain no vulgar language and sex is touched on very very briefly and not explicitly at all. Some violence, of course, I mean the story is set in the Middle Ages. :)

[thevintagepiper]

My favorite fantasy books are The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia. I love most of Robin McKinley's books, such as Spindle's End, Beauty, Rose Daughter, and The Blue Sword. Spindle's End is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty; Rose Daughter and Beauty are retellings of Beauty and the Beast.

Malkatoj said:

Aside from that, I'll agree with Gringoire that you should read The Princess Bride. It's very funny, and if you've seen the movie (and liked it), you'll like the book.

I can't echo that enough! The Princess Bride is incredibly witty, humorous, deep, and exciting. I love the movies, but that is a book that, without a doubt, is as purely entertaining as the film! (however it is not without other merits...it is not just mindless entertainment by any means)

IrishCanadian said:

. I'm currently briefly obsessed with C. S. Lewis and his space trilogy is outragiously fantastic.

Ooh, I love those! Extremely well written, as you said, but so creative and allegorical as well. I love metaphors and allegories in fantasy, and Mr. lewis is particularly adept at portraying deeper meaning in his work.

ElizabethBennet said:

I am a great fantasy fan and I agree with underground that the Chronicles of Narnia wasn't that well written. But the story behind it is great.

I'll have to differ on that one...thought at times the Chronicles of Narnia does not seem well written, remember that they were directed toward a young audience. They are delightful for older people to read as well, especially when you see the powerful allegory in it. C.S.Lewis intended the books to be an allegory of the Bible: the death of Jesus and his resurrection, and then finally the end times in The Last Battle. Anyone who has read his other books is aware that he is very capable of a captivating writing style. However, TCON was for a different purpose.

[Mary Sue]

Roger Zelazny's "Amber" is a 10-book series with interesting, quirky characters. And it has a great concept: that there are multiple "shadow" universes (of which our own is one) that emanate in concentric circles from the one, pivotal, "true" universe where magic reigns. In Amber, members of the royal family take part in all sorts of court intrigue. And they travel through the various universes, often meeting alternate versions of themselves. I also recall a magic pack of cards that was used, each one featuring the face of a different prince or princess. Has been years since I read this series, but it left an indelible impression.

If you like classic fantasy you might want to try "She" by H. Rider Haggard. This is a great adventure story about Queen Ayesha, "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed," who lives in seclusion in her secret, "lost" jungle kingdom. There's a sacred flame that keeps her from aging, which apparently works better than botox! And apparently she has been waiting, literally for thousands of years, for the reincarnation and return of her one true love---whom she murdered, aeons ago! Yada, yada, yada. But it's a good read.

And how about Anne Rice's vampire novels? Admittedly some of them are better than others, but they're all entertaining. I would recommend the original trilogy: Interview With the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned. Subsequent sequels, IMO, don't measure up in quality to those earlier ones. But the first trilogy is eerie, strange and (to say the least) thought-provoking. As vampires go, Lestat is an amusing bad boy , the "brat prince" of his species. Somber, introspective Louis may be less dramatic...but even at his worst, Louis will hold your attention too. Between the two of them, these vampire narrators will take you to hell and back!

Mention has been made of Stephen R. Donaldson. I didn't much like his stuff. I tried to get into "Thomas Covcenant" but found these books hard to read. Altogether too dreary. And, as Admin says, the characters are way too one-dimensional.

[S1NN3R]

I'll give a vote for Eddings. The Belgariad and Mallorean aren't the best written books ever, the characters are sometimes a bit one dimensional, but I like them enough to make up for that.

Dragonlance is also good, but I still feel they peaked at the Legends trilogy, with very few real gems after that. They got it back pretty well for the Chaos War series and the War of Souls, I think.

Of this vein of fantasy, my all out, by far favorite is Sara Douglass' Wayfarer Redemption series. It's a little more dark and dirty than most of this style, but I love the push/pull of that. The bad guys do some benevolent things and the good guys do some evil things at times, it really fills in the emotional link with the people in the story in a way that "good over here, evil over here" type characters can't do. I like them so much, I even tell most girls that I date "if we have a daughter, we're naming her Azhure. End of discussion." :D

[smits1787]

You should check out "The Imagicators" by Brad Marshland. It's a great new fantasy that just came out.

Now, I'm a big fan of fantasy, but one thing that bugs me about so much of the genre is that all-too-often you have to be born with magic blood. In The Imagicators, all you need is a good imagination, because the power of magic comes from the power of imagination. In fact, the whole world where most of the story takes place was created years ago by a girl from our world who had nothing to do besides imagine it in such detail that it came into being.

[V.E.Sweets]

I heard Eddings was excellent but I'm about to find out myself. Pawn of prophecy is next on my fantasy to read list. Martin's A Game of Thrones was pretty good. As far as most talented fantasy writer goes I'd have to say Gene Wolfe. Salvatore is the best writer of fantasy action scenes (magic and sword combat and such) in my opinion.

[martialman202]

I've just finished a trilogy by John Marco, and I think it was pretty good. The trilogy doesn't have a name, but it starts off with "The Eyes of God", then continues in "The Devil's Armor", and "The Sword of Angels."

I admit though, it did get kinda slow at some points, but I liked the detail he put into it. The characters have to go through the burden of making choices, and everyone knows how terrible that can be. It makes for a really good read.

[Viking longboat]

I,v finaly become old enough and patient enough to finaly read books and have always been a huge sword and sorcery fan. A friend gave me Magician apprentice by raymond e feist about 2 years ago and i finaly read it about 6 months ago and since then i,v read the whole rift war saga and the 2 follow ups and am craving more,Iv also read Chronicals by Margrete Weiss and enjoyed all 3 of those. Just wondering if any of you fantasy vets can recommend me some good books. There are so many out there and im not sure what to grab next. Any input would be appreciated.Thanx.

[Drummergal42]

You might enjoy the Pendragon Series by DJ Mchale. I am not that big of a fan of fantasy, yet I lover it!

[Shurtugal]

Peter Pan! Peter Pan! Peter PAn!

You must read Peter Pan!

[Viking longboat]

Just wondering if anyone can reccomend somthing dark and gritty,more adult based fantasy. I,v read some reviews and The black company by Glenn Cook sounds good and also Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Can anyone comment on either of these books or recomend somthing?


You might enjoy the Pendragon Series by DJ Mchale. I am not that big of a fan of fantasy, yet I lover it!
Thanx for the input.

[Niamh]

Magician was an amazing novel. If you liked that here are a few recommendations;
Read the Bitterbynde saga by Cecilia Dart Thornton. (ill made mute, Lady of sorrows, battle of evernight)
Then Read Mists of Avalon BY Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Maybe the magicians guild trilogy by Trudi canavan.
If you have patience, give the Shannara books by Terry Brooks a go, but skip the "Sword" too much of a LOTR rip off. Or even read his running with the demon series.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Anything by Pratchett
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy (etc) by Douglas Adams.:)

[clumsy angelle]

Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

[Melmoth]

Italo Calvino's Fantastic Tales, a compilation of stories by such authors as Gogol, Scott, Poe, Dickens, Maupassant, LeFanu, James... when dealing with fantasy for me that's the book.

[Ovid Reader]

Although not many people have heard of him, George MacDonald (not to be confused with the author of the Flashman series) wrote some of the greatest fantasy novels and I say that with some expertise on the subject, being a massive fan of that genre; also, for those of a younger age, I would recommend Diana Wynne Jones and something like The Princess and the Goblin by the formerly mentioned writer.

[JBI]

Italo Calvino's Fantastic Tales, a compilation of stories by such authors as Gogol, Scott, Poe, Dickens, Maupassant, LeFanu, James... when dealing with fantasy for me that's the book.

Or Calvino's own work is excellent, though I think Cosmicomics and T Zero fall under a strange form of sci-fi though, if such genre distinction can be given between the two, as there is no 'real' science in those books, only hypothetical archaic science. Either way, those books are highly recommended by me.

[Loki's Shadow]

I'm fairly suprised that no one has said Kristen Britain yet. Her ongoing series 'Green Rider' is amazing so far. Three books have been published and she's currently working on a fourth, with several more planned.
The Green Rider series is mostly aimed for a female audience, but I know several guys who have read it too. It's a very well-writen mix of swords, mystery, magic, and humor, but no single element is too overpowering. The only downside is that when you finish the book, you put it down and say "OK, where's the next one?"

[electricpenguin]

I started off on Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, fell deeply in love with the first three or four books then gradually lost interest towards the end when it had passed the time for a REAL ending and entered into the time of 'THINGS JUST KEEP HAPPENING TO THESE CHARACTERS'.

Other suggestions:
Raymond E. Fiest's Magician
Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
Neil Gaiman's American Gods (Norsetastic)

Kids/teens:
Garth Nix - Abhorsen
Derek Landy - Skullduggery Pleasent
Diana Wynne Jones - various

I've read a lot of good things about Susan Cooper too, I think the series is called 'The Dark Rising' or something? Any comments?

[Loki's Shadow]

I was just wondering if anone has read a book with the theme of the protagonist saying, "Fine, I'll save the world, but I'm going to do it my way."
I love those genres in fanfiction, but I can't seem to find any books out there like this.
Help?

[Stargazer86]

Of course the obvious would be Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit. Love those...they never get old :)

There's another series that I suppose would fall under the catagory "fantasy", but not in the traditional sense (no elves etc). Its called the Dark Tower series (I think there's like 8 of them) by Stephen King. It gets a bit off the wall at times but is pretty entertaining. As I said, not a traditional kind of fantasy, but still a departure from the norm.

[Wilde woman]

Or Calvino's own work is excellent, though I think Cosmicomics and T Zero fall under a strange form of sci-fi though, if such genre distinction can be given between the two, as there is no 'real' science in those books, only hypothetical archaic science. Either way, those books are highly recommended by me.

I second Calvino's Cosmicomics. That's some great sci-fi.

My favorite fantasy series is Elizabeth Haydon's Symphony of the Ages. If you like Eddings, you might like Haydon.

Also, one of my favorite childhood series Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising. And also Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.

[Apocrypha75]

Ursula Le Guin's five Earthsea novels deserve a mention in this thread. Written 1968, 1972 & 1973, and then 1990 and 2001, they do show great variety in many ways. The first three were, I think, intended for children - at least they are in the Puffin series - but the fourth, "Tehanu" is much darker and full of pain.
All of them fantasy - all, possibly, "coming of age" stories - all poetic - all demanding thought - all entertaining.

.

Another in support for Le Guin's Earthsea series. Just finished reading the first (Wizard Of Earthsea). I enjoyed it thoroughly and look forward to parts 2 & 3; my first foray into the Fantasy genre since Tolkien in my formative years. :)

[Katana]

It's not a very well known novel. I found my copy when I was browsing a used bookshop. I don't recommend the second one (The Return of Nightfall), but I highly recommend Legend of Nightfall. It involves swordfighting, a sorcerer, and gypsies, and midevial and fantasy elements.

[dshadowplay]

Well first off let me apologize as i am about to singe some feathers. I don't consider myself a guru of the genre but i have read my fair share of high fantasy novel. So then here are my views.

Authors and Books i recommend:

Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time Series / 1. The Eye of the World 2. The Great Hunt 3. The Dragon Reborn 4. The Shadow Rising 5. The Fires of Heaven 6. Lord of Chaos 7. A Crown of Swords 8. The Path of Daggers 9. Winter's Heart 10. Crossroads of Twilight 11. Knife of Dreams 12. The Gathering Storm 13. Towers of Midnight 14. A Memory of Light
(A- to C-) Sadly Jordan has passed away now and left us with his uncompleted epic fantasy saga. Another Author will be finishing up his work but i understand he will not be trying to mimic Jordan's writing style so it will be a whole different flavor. Despite the series low points in later books i still wholeheartedly recommend it.
Raymond E. Feist - The Riftwar Saga/ 1. Magician: Apprentice 2. Magician: Master 3. Silverthorn 4. A Darkness at Sethanon
(B?) I really was to young when i read these to give an accurate review but i remember them fondly.
Terry Brooks - Shannara Trilogy/ 1. The Sword of Shannara 2. The Elfstones of Shannara 3. The Wishsong of Shannara
(C) These were really not the best but still i enjoyed them.
Robin Hobb - The Farseer Trilogy/ 1. Assassin's Apprentice 2. Royal Assassin 3. Assassin's Quest
(A- For the first two books and the first half of the third book, D for the last half) These books were light but terrific until you come to the last part of the last book, !!!Spoiler!!! Which is the equivalent of your father taking your girlfriend for his wife... And that is basically why i have not read anymore from Hobb.
Roger Zelazny - The Chronicles of Amber/ 1. Nine Princes in Amber 2. The Guns of Avalon 3. Sign of the Unicorn 4. The Hand of Oberon 5. The Courts of Chaos
(B+) These were pretty neat, and if you don't like the writing style that Zelazny uses at first don't worry as he doesn't keep it up for long. It is all in first person though, as i remember from the viewpoint of a single protagonist.
Roger Zelazny - The Merlin Cycle/ 1. Trumps of Doom 2. Blood of Amber 3. Sign of Chaos 4. Knight of Shadows 5. Prince of Chaos
(C+) The books about Merlin don't live up to the original Amber books but were still pretty good.
Anne McCaffrey - Dragonriders of Pern/ 1. Dragonflight 2. Dragonquest 3. The White Dragon ?. The many other Pern books
(B- ) Not the biggest fan of Pern but they were good.
Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow & Thorn/ 1. The Dragonbone Chair 2. Stone of Farewell 3. To Green Angel Tower (2 parts of paperback)
(A) One of my all time favorites :>
Tad Williams - Otherland/ 1. City of Golden Shadow 2. River of Blue Fire 3. Mountain of Black Glass 4. Sea of Silver Light
(B) The first book was outstanding but after that they went downhill until the last book was just meh with a meh ending.
Piers Anthony - Dragon's Gold/ 1. Dragon's Gold 2. Serpent's Silver 3. Chimaera's Copper 4. Orc's Opal 5. Mouvar's Magic
(B+) Don't know if many people know about this series from Piers but i think its the best Ive read from him, xanth does little for me.
Piers Anthony - Incarnations of Immortality/ 1. On a Pale Horse 4. Wielding a Red Sword
(B?) I was but a teen when i read these but i liked them then. There are a total of 7 of these incarnation books i think but they can be read as stand alone. The two listed were the only ones my old man had and i guess i haven't had a burning desire to read the rest...
Louise Cooper - Time Master trilogy/ 1. The Initiate 2. The Outcast 3. The Master
(A?) I remember liking these more than average.
Celia S. Friedman - Coldfire Trilogy/ 1. Black Sun Rising 2. When True Night Falls 3. Crown of Shadows
(C) These were alright. Somewhat dark but only alrihgt...
J. V. Jones - Book of Words 1. The Baker's Boy 2. A Man Betrayed 3. Master and Fool
(B) These books seemed to get some criticism but they were quite enjoyable i found.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle/ 1. Dragon Wing 2. Elven Star 3. Fire Sea 4. Serpent Mage 5. The Hand of Chaos 6. Into the Labyrinth 7. The Seventh Gate
(B+) Weis and Hickman are a good team.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Rose of the Prophet/ 1. The Will of the Wanderer 2. Paladin of the Night 3. The Prophet of Akhran
(A?) Very young but remember them as being great.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Darksword/ 1. Forging the Darksword 2. Doom of the Darksword 3. Triumph of the Darksword
(A-) One of the characters in these books was hilarious.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Chronicles - Dragonlance/ 1. Dragons of Autumn Twilight 2. Dragons of Winter Night 3. Dragons of Spring Dawning
(A?) Was young when read but I'm pretty sure the consensus is if your going to read Dragonlance books, definitely start here.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Legends - Dragonlance/ 1. Time of the Twins 2. War of the Twins 3. Test of the Twins
(A?) If you enjoyed the fist trilogy i assure you Legends is a must.
R A Salvatore - Dark Elf books - Forgotten Realms/ The Dark Elf Trilogy 1. Homeland 2. Exile 3. Sojourn The Icewind Dale Trilogy 1. The Crystal Shard 2. Streams of Silver 3. The Halfling's Gem Legacy of the Drow 1. The Legacy 2. Starless Night 3. Siege of Darkness 4. Passage to Dawn Paths of Darkness 1. The Silent Blade 2. The Spine of the World 3. Servant of the Shard (note that this book is also the first book of the sellswords trilogy) 4. Sea of Swords The Sellswords 1. Servant of the Shard 2. The Promise of the Witch King
3. Road of the Patriarch The Hunter's Blades Trilogy 1. The Thousand Orcs 2. The Lone Drow 3. The Two Swords Transitions 1. The Orc King 2. The Pirate King 3. The Ghost King
(C) I have read about half of these listed here, they are light action, not great but entertaining.
Simon Hawke - Tribe of One - Dark Sun/ 1. The Outcast 2. The Seeker 3. The Nomad
(B?) To young when i read but remember liking them.

Series i am looking forward to reading:

George R R Martin - A Song of Ice & Fire/ 1. A Game of Thrones 2. A Clash of Kings 3. A Storm of Swords 4. A Feast for Crows 5. A Dance with Dragons

Series i am leery of but will give a chance:

The Malazan Book of the Fallen Series/ 1. Gardens of the Moon 2. Deadhouse Gates 3. Memories of Ice 4. House of Chains 5. Midnight Tides 6. The Bonehunters 7. Reaper's Gale 8. Toll the Hounds 9. Dust of Dreams 10. The Crippled God
Terry Goodkind - The Sword of Truth series/ 1. Wizard's First Rule 2. Stone of Tears 3. Blood of the Fold 4. Temple of the Winds 5. Soul of the Fire
6. Faith of the Fallen 7. The Pillars of Creation 8. Naked Empire 9. Chainfire 10. Phantom 11. Confessor

Series i recommend against reading:

David Eddings - The Belgariad series/ 1. Pawn of Prophecy 2. Queen of Sorcery 3. Magician's Gambit 4. Castle of Wizardry 5. Enchanters' End Game
I read every one of the books in the belgariad series and i can confidently say that if you have a fantasy novel prowess around a level to my own there is nothing here for you.
Stephen Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever/ 1. Lord Foul's Bane 2. The Illearth War 3. The Power That Preserves
Overrated fantasy novels, or the most overrated fantasy novels?
Guy Gavriel Kay - The Fionavar Tapestry/ 1. The Summer Tree 2. The Wandering Fire 3. The Darkest Road
Only read the first of these but that was more than enough.
Michael Moorcock - Elric of Melnibone Series/ 1. Elric of Melniboné 2. The Sailor on the Seas of Fate 3. The Weird of the White Wolf 4. The Sleeping Sorceress 5. The Bane of the Black Sword 6. Stormbringer
The best thing about these books is the atmosphere they create but they make for rather archaic reading.
Melanie rawn - Dragon Prince trilogy/ 1. Dragon Prince 2. The Star Scroll 3. Sunrunner's Fire
While certainly not the bottom of the barrel i must admit these don't make my personal cut.
-edit-
Stephen King - The Dark Tower Series/ 1. The Gunslinger 2. The Drawing of the Three 3. The Waste Lands 4. Wizard and Glass 5. Wolves of the Calla 6. Song of Susannah 7. The Dark Tower
Man what a let down, was actually looking forward to this one. Got about half way through before i had to call it quits. I kinda liked the world he painted but the dialog is just absurd. Also let me warn you that this series has serious(and ridiculous) cross-overs to irl earth.
Cecilia Dart-Thornton - The Bitterbynde Trilogy/ 1. The Ill-Made Mute 2. The Lady of the Sorrows 3. The Battle of Evernight
Read the first book, the only thing i enjoyed somewhat were the stories within the story.
Kate Elliott - Crown of Stars Series/ 1. King's Dragon 2. Prince of Dogs 3. The Burning Stone 4. Child of Flame 5. The Gathering Storm 6. In the Ruins 7. Crown of Stars
Read half of the first book. Simply found it uninteresting.

Well thats it. You may have noticed that these lists did not include anything like Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia. I'm sure they are fine books but for me they are what i like to call 'shoe-outs', lulz. Again i apologize for my harsh judgments but i must say how i felt.
-edit-
Hey you reading my post! 0.0 Hi how ya doing, if you agreed with my tastes by all means sign up real quick and make some recommendations for us.

[OrphanPip]

I haven't read much fantasy since high school, but I would recommend avoiding Goodkind. Even in high school I found him preachy, he's pretty much the Ayn Rand of fantasy.

Authors I've liked and would read again on a rainy day:

Robbin Hobb, Gene Wolfe, China Mieville, George R.R. Martin.

I find those four authors do a good job of avoiding most of the tedious tropes that plague fantasy literature. Although, Hobb is clearly the least experimental of them. I remember liking Tad Williams Outland quite a lot, I didn't find that it went down hill, The Wheel of Time does definitely go down hill until Knife of Dreams (book 11) where he starts to pick up pace again.

I'll probably finish the Wheel of Time when it's all published since I've spent like 10 years of my life on it already, it would seem like a waste not to finish it up.

[Elentarri]

Hello

My apologies for the long post, but I've read a lot of fantasy books in the last 20 years and the following is my impression of some of them:

LLoyd Alexander - Prydain Chronicles
Enjoyed these, much better then the Narnia Chronicles. More substance.

Steven Brust - Vlad Taltos Series
These are some of my favourite books, hilarious for the most part. The Jhereg (little dragon type creature) just makes these books special. The main character in the series is an assassin.

Terry Brooks
- Kingdom of Landover Novels
The first few books in the series were good. The idea was original and these were fun reads.
-Word & Void Trilogy
I enjoyed this set immensely - much better than the Shannara stuff.
-Shannara
The Sword of Shannara is a rip-off of The Lord of the Rings, The Elfstones was the best book out of the whole series. Most of the series starts to become repetitive and tedious after a while.

Allan Cole & Chris Bunch - The Far Kingdoms, The Warrior's Tale and Kingdom's of the Night.
Mostly stand-alone novels but in the same world and dealing with the same family. The first book was the best of the set, but they are all pretty good. These are adventure tales with some original ideas.

C.J. Cherryh
- The Chronicles of Morgain
Absolutely beautifully written, with a combination of SF and Fantasy. This is one of my favourite authors and the Chronicles of Morgain stand out as one of her best works.
-Rider at the Gate & Clouds Rider
Stand alone novels set on the same world. Different and original idea and superb writing.
-Faery in Shadow
Somewhat dark, but still beautifully written.
-Galasien Series
Fortress in the Eye of Time and Fortress of Eagles etc (5 books). Some people find these books slow, I enjoyed them... Some interesting characters.
----This author has written a whole lot of other books, mostly in the Science-Fiction genre.

Carole Nelson Douglas
-Sword and Circlet Series, specifically Six of Swords. I believe they are out of print and hard to get? Light fantasy, interesting world, and not as loooong as most of the newer fantasy books (about 200 pages I think?). One of my favourite sets.

Stephen Donaldson -Thomas Covenant
-The first book started out quite well, but Thomas Covenant started to irritate me after a while. Rather dark and depressing books with a whining main character.... very irritating.

Diane Duane
-anything by this author is usually good. The Young Wizards Series is specifically for younger readers, but can be enjoyed by adults as well.

Charles deLint
-Harp of the Grey Rose - typical fantasy book, quite short and rather enjoyable.
---Most of his other stuff in Urban Fantasy, I would recommend Spirits in the Wire, Moonheart, Memory and Dream. Lovely and clear writing style.

David Eddings
I found the Belgariad somewhat similar to the Mallorean (different characters same story line - the author even provides a reason for this in the Mallorean!), but the Elenium (The Diamond Thorone, The Ruby Knight & The Sapphire Rose) and the Tamuli (3 books) are the best of the lot. Sparhawk makes a wonderfully colourful main character, and the thieves government is amusing.

Kate Elliot - The Crown of Stars
Not bad - started off very good, got a bit confusing in the middle and ended off ok.

Esther Friesner - Elf-Defense
Lawyers and elves - a hilarious mix!

Raymond E Feist - Riftwar Saga
I loved Magician and Silverthorn. The rest started to become much of the sameness - the author seems to have found a formula and churned out books on demand.

Terry Goodkind - The Sword of Truth
Wizard's First Rule - Good book, the rest of the series you can skip. He just goes on and on and on without any resolutions and becomes more inclined to preach and insert random graphic torture scenes.

Ed Greenwood - Elminster Series (eg Elminster; The Making of a Mage etc)
I love the Elminster books - rather light, action adventurish with some humour and a lot of strange characters.

Mary Gentle - Golden Witchbreed
Totally different to anything else I have read. Breathtaking original world and descriptions.

F.J. Hale - Ogre Castel and In the Sea Nymph's Lair
Fun, enjoyable, clean, light fantasy. A quick read.

Gary Kilworth - The Navigator Kings Trilogy
Fun reading. The books are set in Polynesia when the Gods took an interest (and sides) in human affairs.

Gail Carson Levine - Ella Enchanted
Enjoyable - mainly for the younger reader though.

Madeleine L'engle - Time Quartet (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door etc).
Also written for younger readers but also enjoyable for adults.

Ursula Le Guin - Earthsea Set - enough has been said about this, but wait until you are 25 to read Tehanu (apparently most people like it if they are 25 or older when they read it??)

Mercedes Lackey
-Mage Wars Trilogy - Delightful gryphons! :-)
- Any of the Valdemar Books - some action, a lot of emotions (most of the main characters start off as adolescents), but you can immerse yourself in this world for days on end.
-The Other World and Chrome Borne - elves in contemporary time and they drive race cars! Amusing, beautifully written and books I've re-read many times.
-Bedlam's Bard Series - I've also re-read these many time. Some interesting ideas here.
-Bardic Voices e.g. The Lark & the Wren, Four & Twenty Blackbirds etc
Very enjoyable and you can read them as stand alone novels.
-Firebird - One of my favourites - a stand-alone novel set in Fairytale Russia. A different take on the old Ivan and the Wolf fairytale.

Michael Moorcock
Too many books to mention. I especially like the Elric of Melnibone series. Interesting character.

Thomas K Martin - A Two Edged Sword
There are 3 books in the set, but the first can be read alone. Rather nice fantasy book with new ideas and quite short.

Peter Moorwood - Tales from Old Russia (Prince Ivan, Firebird and The Golden Horde)
Prince Ivan is my favourite out of the set and each can be read alone. A new take on Russian Fairy Tales and "history". Beautifully written.

Robin McKinley - The Hero & the Crown and the Blue Sword
Lovely books.

Patricia McKillip - anything and everything!
My favourite is the Riddlemasters trilogy. It's nice and rich.
I also recommend The tower at Stony Wood, The Forgotten Beasts of Eld and for some short stories, Harrowing the Dragon.
Some of her books are written for younger readers but I know many adult who read them anyway.

Dennis McKiernan
His first few books copy a lot from the Lord of the Rings, so if you want more LOTR give it a try. I enjoyed Dragondoom and The Eye of the Hunter more than the others, though be warned that the endings aren't all smiles and sunshine.

Anne McCaffrey - too many books to list
The Crystal Singer Trilogy is a nice original set. I recommend this to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
The first few Pern books are better than the last lot.
I also recommend the Brain and Brawn Ship (The Ship Who Searched etc) series to younger readers - another interesting idea and nice, clean writing.

Andre Norton - too many books!
I recommend Flight in Yiktor. This is the first book of hers I ever read.

Terry Pratchet - enough said already :-) All hilarious but the first several books are better than the last few. I especially liked the books involving the Night Watch (e.g. Guards! Guards! etc).

Jennifer Roberson - Tiger and Del Series (Sword Dancer etc 6 books).
Beautifully written, thoroughly enjoyable.

Sean Russel
-Asian Duology & Swans War Trilogy
This author has a nice style of writing. A nice combination of character development and action.

Andre Shettle - Flute Song Magic
This book appears to be written for younger readers. Plan quest story. Beautifully written.

Josepha Sherman - The Shining Falcon
Set in Old Russia. Lovely story making use of Russian folktales. It is mainly a love story but it isn't soppy.

Elizabeth Scarborough - Song of Sorcery
Light, funny & short fantasy. You read this type of thing after plowing through Robert Jordan's stuff.

Sherri S. Tepper - many books, but specifically Grass & The Family Tree
- Some very interesting ideas, and a lovely writing style. This author tends to make you think.

J.R.R. Tolkien
-Lord of the Rings - enough said :-)
-The Hobbit - for younger readers and different from LotR.
-The Silmarillion - very different from LotR - basically read it if you want to find out about Middle-Earth and elves - there are no hobbits in this book.
-The Children of Hurin - one of the stories from the Silmarillion, but in more detail. This may be easier to read than the Silmarillion.
-Farmer Giles of Ham - for younger readers
-Roverandom - for younger readers (adventures of a dog)


Sydney J. van Scyoc - Drowntide
Brilliant book. Highly original and short.

Evangeline Walton - The Mabinogi
Welsh (I think) legends etc.

Walter Jon Williams - Knight Moves
Thought provoking, more SF than Fantasy.

Michelle West - The Sacred Hunt (Hunter's Oath and Hunter's Death)
Lovely writing style.

Connie Willis
- Doomsday Book - Brilliant book, may be considered SF, thought provoking.
This author has a great many other books out, all of which I have enjoyed and all have a tendency to make you think. I also recommend her short stories.

Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman
I enjoyed the following (in order of preference):
- Death Gate Cycle
- Rose of the Prophet
- Star of the Guardians (Space Epic)
- Darksword Trilogy

Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow & Thorn
Excellent book, but rather heavy reading. Epic fantasy.

Janny Wurts - all her books are good.
-Sorcerer's Legacy - Stand alone novel
-Master of Whitestorm - Stand alone novel (brilliant)
- To Ride Hell's Chasm (Stand alone novel)
- The Cycle of Fire Trilogy (original - involves demons but with a different twist)
-The Wars of Light and Shadow - 8 books so far, but 11 are planned. I recommend reading the Curse of the Mistwraith.

Kim Wilkins
-The Autumn Castle
-Giants of the Frost (Odin makes an appearance)
both stand alone novels.

I hope this helps somewhat? :-)

Kind regards

Elentarri

[Aragorn Elessar]

Aside from more well-known fantasy books like The Lord of the Rings (which I consider the greatest fantasy books ever written), I recommend Magician, by Raymond E. Feist, The Elven Nations Trilogy, by Paul B. Thompson, Tonya C. Cook, and Douglas Niles, and The Wayfarer Redemption, by Sara Douglass.

[teashi]

Another recommendation for Earthsea, though I've only read the first one, and I didn't like the second. The rest of the series sounds.. moody, and too feminist for me, too unlike the first book.

I want to find other fantasy that's like Earthsea. By that, I mean mythic, beautiful, with a kind of lyrical writing. Other examples may be stuff like the Rings books and The Worm Ouroboros.

[Bastable]

The Wheel of Time does definitely go down hill until Knife of Dreams (book 11) where he starts to pick up pace again.

I'll probably finish the Wheel of Time when it's all published since I've spent like 10 years of my life on it already, it would seem like a waste not to finish it up.

I'm in the same boat as well - I remember I started reading the first book when I was about 11 or so, what a BAD idea that was :frown2:

Have you read any of the books written by Brandon Sanderson - the guy whose taken over since Robert Jordan died?

[MrRegular]

I haven't read much fantasy since high school, but I would recommend avoiding Goodkind. Even in high school I found him preachy, he's pretty much the Ayn Rand of fantasy.

It's nice to have someone who is a general antithesis of myself. Goodkind was the first author I ever read from start to finish. Goodkind (like Rand) portrays ideals, as should be the cause of anyone who seeks to take a public platform. Pandering to people's basest instincts and giving them characters who represent as little ethical and moral obligation as possible is far far far far far far far too common in modern literature (and media in general).
People want protagonists who smoke crack and kill prostitutes because it makes them feel better about themselves ('well if thats the good guy, then I'm fine just the way I am.')
Just as you, OrphanPip, will always be fine just the way you are, however low your standards become.

[Leland Gaunt]

Has anyone mentioned Joe Abercombie? His First Law Trilogy is magnificent, the characters are engaging, and very real.

[brainstrain]

The Wheel of Time is incredible, but it really bogs down in the latter half. It's great if you just can't get enough description...

Le Guin's earthsea series is fantastic, full of psychological depth of fascinating characters acting out their stories against the backdrop of a beautiful and complex world. It's one of my favorites, for sure.

Shannara has continued long past the point of it doing anything new...interesting...or necessary. I'm glad I read far enough to see him tie his apocalyptic realm into his fantasy realm, but past that, eh. He's a master of suspense via random occurrences, which has never impressed me at all. Takes not talent to decide "HEY he should fall off a cliff."

If you go for Tolkien, avoid the Silmarillion and Children of Hurin, at least at first. The first is a very hard read, and the second seriously depressing (to the point that I had to quit reading before I finished). Either would be impossible to appreciate without first being acquainted with the gloriousness of their predecessors.

[teashi]

People want protagonists who smoke crack and kill prostitutes because it makes them feel better about themselves ('well if thats the good guy, then I'm fine just the way I am.') I understand the appeal, but of course not everyone prefers that.

[JasonsMind27]

A new up and coming series. Keep an eye out for Sebastian Harper (a half immortal that is 908 years old that ages slowly and currently looks 20 as he enters college at Princeton University).
Additionally, Sebastian has been hiding from historians who are in search of the Knights Templar treasure but what they dont know is that the Templar was partly formed to keep Sebastian's secret from the world and the treasure is Sebastian himself.

[JasonsMind27]

A new up and coming series. Keep an eye out for Sebastian Harper (a half immortal that is 908 years old that ages slowly and currently looks 20 as he enters college at Princeton University).
Additionally, Sebastian has been hiding from historians who are in search of the Knights Templar treasure but what they dont know is that the Templar was partly formed to keep Sebastian's secret from the world and the treasure is Sebastian himself.

[InquisitorBC]

Hello Everyone
I apologize for the sheer amount of things in my post.
One genre/series i would recommend is Warhammer 40k, I know it is not directly fantasy; it is more of a fantasy set in the future. It is set in a world where humanity was in its golden age with all the worlds conquered and settled but corruption and a civil war leaves the Empire in a state that is basicly the middle ages with the Inquisition, witches (real this time folks :wink5: ), and even Elves and Orcs; The Empire is reduced to huge hive colonies run by the Ecclesiarchy and the Ordo Mechanus, The Mechanus is interesting because the majority of them don't understand their machines they just simply worship it. I know it was originally based on an table top game but so was Eberon and Forgotten Realms.

Also each mini series is written by a different author, With different authors come different styles. This series is not for the feint of heart so there will be character killed off, sometimes very suddenly. There will be moments that will have a real Lovecraft feel. In these books the obvious 'evil' is Chaos, Which is the personification of things evil. These Daemons tend to follow four different 'gods' One for decay, one for pleasure, one for war, and one for magic/change. But also there are many more things to fear, The Eldar (elves), Orcs, and Necrons (a long dead race that sacrificed their souls and bodies to survive).

If you are a fantasy purist who cant stand the idea of any technology avoid this, I also warn you some of these tend to be more based on modern war with Tanks and trench warfare. These are ok in their own right.
Please trust me these are good books and the world it is set in is amazing.
Of the books out i would recommend Blood Angels by James Swallow and the Grey Knights by Ben Counter.

[Big Dante]

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
The Lord of the Rings By Tolkien.
And it depends what appeals to you about fantasy for what else you want to look into. Some authors capture parts better than others so find what is right for you.

[OrphanPip]

It's nice to have someone who is a general antithesis of myself. Goodkind was the first author I ever read from start to finish. Goodkind (like Rand) portrays ideals, as should be the cause of anyone who seeks to take a public platform. Pandering to people's basest instincts and giving them characters who represent as little ethical and moral obligation as possible is far far far far far far far too common in modern literature (and media in general).
People want protagonists who smoke crack and kill prostitutes because it makes them feel better about themselves ('well if thats the good guy, then I'm fine just the way I am.')
Just as you, OrphanPip, will always be fine just the way you are, however low your standards become.

Ha, I can't believe I haven't noticed this until now.

It is not morals or principles I disagree with. I find Goodkind's clear insertion of Neoliberal ideas a little grating at times, especially when you could pretty much hand me one of Richard's speeches from the later novels and I would totally believe you if you told me Kissinger wrote it. The stupid book can't even present a consistent message, at one point it's going on and on about personal responsibility and how stupid pacifism is, then it's justifying doing things for people and controlling how others live.

It's also poorly written and boring.

I'm not exactly sure how my picks represent a low standard of ethics either. I recommended Mieville, who is a very political writer, although unlike Goodkind his politics are a backdrop of the novel instead of the center of it. Likewise, Catholicism plays a major part in the novels of Gene Wolfe, and I'm not a religious person.

Actually, even Hobbs is a pretty political writer at times, her last series was very much an environmentalist and anti-colonial work.

Martin is essentially the only fantasy writer I recommended who could be accused of just creating a work that revels in being amoral. That certainly is part of the fun of Martin though, he's essentially going for a faux medieval realism that overplays the brutality of that period.

Edit: It is simply bewildering that you can conclude I have low moral standards because I don't like Goodkind, geez.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Of course you have low moral standards, OrphanPip. Any that conflict with his are obviously low.

Anyways....

Has anyone read The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham? I've read 2 of the 4 on the series. Very interesting.

P.S. George R. R. Martin is the man. Best fantasy series out there right now. Here's hoping he finishes the damn thing!

[Badman]

It seems that nobody mentioned the great classic -

Dune!

Well I do think the first book in the series is pretty great, I haven't read any of his other books but I've heard they aren't is good.

Also guys I wanted to make a recommendation for a new fantasy series, this dude deserves serious credit, I seriously couldn't put his first two books down.

Scott Lynch - The Lies Of Locke Lamora - Red Seas Under Red Skies

Seriously, read it! Lies of Locke Lamora is easily the best fantasy book I've ever read.

Also, I will admit to being a R. A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms fan. Sure, it might not be the most spectacular story line ever, but the fight scenes are entertaining at least. And I grew up reading this series, so I guess that has something to do with why I appreciate them.

Let's just say, I have 6 collectors books, or 15 books all in all. And I've read the series 3 times... So it isn't that bad, it's good when you just want to relax with a light easy read.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Dune probably hasn't been mentioned because it is more sci-fi than fantasy.

I'll second Lynch's Lies of Lock Lamora which I found to be excellent (though definitely not among the best fantasy I've read--not taking away from what you said, Badman, just personal taste). Haven't read Red Seas Under Red Skies. It's nice that his books, even though they are part of a series, stand on their own.

[londinius]

Hi - I'm a newbie here, so forgive me if I don't get this right.

Love to see the mention of Dune above. One of the things I love about this book is the way Herbert uses quotes from the literature of the Universe he's created at the start of each of the chapters of the book.

I found the same device in an ebook I recently downloaded on Amazon. This is a fantasy novel called "Ermine Stone and The Iron Sipder " , and its fantasy, not SF like Dune. Its not something I'd ever heard of, but I was browsing the forums in Amazon and the author was publicising it here there and everywhere, and I was just intrigued enough to have a look at it.

Its about magic, of course, and its set in an alternative late Tudor england , where the reformation never happened because Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon had a son.

There's quite a bit of texture to the narrative. I'd guess that the guy who wrote it did quite a bit of research, and its a lot better than some of the stuff I've been conned into downloading.

[Chris 73]

Would recommend Martin's Game Of Thrones. Reads like a realist historical fiction although some people feel he overdoes the brutality.
Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood/Lavondys. Beautifully written rural fantasy exploring celtic and english myths.
Daniel Abrahams eastern set The Long Price Quartet.
Mervyn Peakes Gormenghast novels as well.

Avoid anything by Terry Goodkind. Spectacularly awful writer.

[Calidore]

Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood/Lavondys. Beautifully written rural fantasy exploring celtic and english myths.


Very strongly second this. Both the ideas and writing are stunning.

[Freudian Monkey]

Very strongly second this. Both the ideas and writing are stunning.

I completely agree. Holdstock's Ryhope series has a really nice mixture of jungism and celtic mythology.

[victorianfan]

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

[dshadowplay]

Haha! this thread is still in the top 5 google results for 'recommended fantasy books'.

I have been going through databases over the last few months and have compiled a list of fantasy series that look like they might meet my particular tastes.

The criteria i used for the most part to make my selections is as follows:

1. The story takes place in a world that is not earth (high fantasy son!), so no alternate history or high school teens who discover they have magical powers and are warewolves/vampires.
2. No young adult (YA) such as Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia. (actually you should double check this before purchasing as some snuck by me)
3. Series contains at least 2 novels. (duology+)
4. The first novel of the series obtained at least a 4 star rating on amazon. (although this does not necessarily mean $h!te, heh)
5. No cheesy, 'real world peoples get magically teleported to fantasy land' types. (although there are some in this genre that are good like Zelazny's Amber series)
6. If there were only like two or three reviews total I usually skipped the series.

---I stopped listing anything from Dragonlance or Forgotten Realms someway through browsing databases, i'm really not overly interested in reading more from these 'settings'.
---The series listed may in fact be the name of the first book and not the series, possibly not even the first book in the series, also it occasionally may not be the correct name as i have discovered several that were listed by a different name than the official series name.

dump of list: -updated-
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser books by Fritz Leiber
Black Company by Glen Cook
Acacia by David Anthony Durham
Codex Alera by Jim Butcher
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun
A Bad Spell In Yurt by C. Dale Brittain
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
Artifacts of Power by Maggie Furey.
The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V. S. Redick
The Corean Chronicles by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Crimson Shadow series R. A. Salvatore
DemonTech series by David Sherman
Moon Of 3 Rings by Andre Norton
The DemonWars Saga R. A. Salvatore
The Fortress Series C. J. Cherryh
Gandalara Cycle by Randall Garrett and Vicki Ann Heydron
The Halfblood Chronicles by Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey
Khaavren Romances by Steven Brust
The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone by Gregory Keyes
E. R. Eddison, Series: Zimiamvia
Majipoor series by Robert Silverberg
The Sovereign Stone series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Trillium series by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May, and Andre Norton
The Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn
Garrett P.I. by Glen Cook
The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart
A Man of His Word series by Dave Duncan, then- A Handful of Men series
Lens of the World trilogy by R. A. MacAvoy
The Chronicles of Elantra series by Michelle Sagara
Study Series by Maria V. Snyder
The Initiate Brother series by sean russell
War God Series (oath of swords) by David Weber
Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling
The Stormlight Archive series by brandon sanderson
mistborn series by brandon sanderson
Valdemar: Arrows of the Queen series by Mercedes Lackey, then- Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage series, then- Valdemar: Vows and Honor series
Chalion series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rhapsody trilogy by Elizabeth Haydon
Deverrey series by Katharine Kerr, then- The Westland Cycle, then- The Dragon Mage, then- The Silver Wyrm trilogy plus one
Tiger and Del series by Jennifer Roberson
The Warded Man (Demon Cycle #1) by Peter V. Brett
Another Fine Myth (Myth Adventures #1) by Robert Lynn Asprin
Mystic and Rider series by Sharon Shinn
Rai-Kirah series by Carol Berg
The Sharing Knife Books by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lighthouse books by Carol Berg
The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey
Tapestry Chronicles by Jeffrey Pierce
The Bridge of D'Arnath series by Carol Berg
The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
Guardians of Legend books by J.S. Chancellor
Sarantine Mosaic by Guy Gavriel Kay
Sevenwaters series by Juliet Marillier
Tairen Soul books by C.L. Wilson
Lyonesse books by Jack Vance
Resenting the Hero (Hero, #1) by Moira J. Moore
Damar series by Robin McKinley
The Fall of Ile-Rien series by Martha Wells (consider reading other books related to this series first)
Riverside series by Ellen Kushner
The Monarchies of God series by Paul Kearney
The Birthgrave (Birthgrave, #1) by Tanith Lee
Dragon Bones (Hurog, #1) by Patricia Briggs
The Ruins of Ambrai (Exiles, #1) by Melanie Rawn
The Ladies of Mandrigyn (Sun Wolf and Starhawk, #1) by Barbara Hambly
The Phoenix Guards (Khaavren Romances, #1) by Steven Brust
On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington, #1) by David Weber
Through Wolf's Eyes (Firekeeper Saga, #1) by Jane Lindskold
Feast of Souls (The Magister Trilogy, #1) by C.S. Friedman
Wolfwalker (Wolfwalker, #1) by Tara K. Harper
The Silver Branch (The Tales of Aeron, #1) by Patricia Kennealy-Morrison
The Gilded Chain (King's Blades, #1) by Dave Duncan
Medalon (Hythrun Chronicles: Demon Child Trilogy, #1) by Jennifer Fallon
Twilight Falling (Forgotten Realms: Erevis Cale, #1) by Paul S. Kemp
The Anvil of the World by Kage Baker
The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One) by Joe Abercrombie
The Noble Fool (Hungering Saga, by Heath Pfaff
The Broken Crown (The Sun Sword, # 1) by Michelle Sagara West
Wit'ch Fire (The Banned and the Banished, #1) by James Clemens
Cygnet (Cygnet Duology, #1-2) by Patricia A. McKillip
The End of the Game (Jinian #1-3) by Sheri S. Tepper (there are several of these 'the true game' series by Tepper)
Tales of Nevèrÿon (Return to Nevèrÿon, #1) by Samuel R. Delany
The Witches of Eileanan (The Witches of Eileanan, #1) by Kate Forsyth, then- Series: Rhiannon's Ride
Joust (Dragon Jousters, #1) by Mercedes Lackey
Blue Moon Rising (Forest Kingdom, #1) by Simon R. Green
The Sum of All Men (Runelords #1) by David Farland
Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus by William King
Ghost King by David Gemmell
The Sword (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, #1) by Deborah Chester
Master of the Five Magics by Lyndon Hardy
God Stalk by P.C. Hodgell
Heldenhammer by Graham McNeill
The Complete Ivory: Gate of Ivory, Two-Bit Heroes, Guilt Edged Ivory by Doris Egan
WATERSPELL Book 1: The Warlock by Deborah J. Lightfoot
The Steel Queen by Karen Azinger
The Emperor's Edge (The Emperor's Edge #1) by Lindsay Buroker
Carnivores of Light and Darkness (Journeys of the Catechist, #1) by Alan Dean Foster
Raven's Heart: A Tale from Secramore by M.S. Verish
Theft of Swords (The Riyria Revelations, #1-2) by Michael J. Sullivan
The Book of Deacon by Joseph Lallo
The Last Dragonlord by Joanne Bertin
Elfsorrow (Legends of the Raven #1) by James Barclay
The Sword and the Dragon (The Wardstone Trilogy, #1) by M.R. Mathias
The Half-Orcs by David Dalglish
Midnight at the Well of Souls (Saga of the Well World, #1) by Jack L. Chalker
The Royal Dragoneers (The Dragoneers Saga, #1) by M.R. Mathias
The Highwayman (Corona: Saga of the First King, #1) by R.A. Salvatore
Finders-Seekers (Ghatti's Tale, #1) by Gayle Greeno
The Awakeners: Northshore & Southshore by Sheri S. Tepper
The Anvil of Ice (Winter of the World, #1) by Michael Scott Rohan
A Dance of Blades (Shadowdance #2) by David Dalglish
Night of Wolves: The Paladins #1 by David Dalglish
The Changewinds (Changewinds, #1-3) by Jack L. Chalker
Children of Chaos (Dodec, #1) by Dave Duncan
Darkwalker on Moonshae (Forgotten Realms: The Moonshae Trilogy, #1) Douglas Niles
Sir Apropos series by Peter David
Teresa Edgerton (b. 1949) The Green Lion Trilogy, then- Kingdom of Celydonn trilogy
The Goblin Duology by Teresa Edgerton
Cray the Sorcerer trilogy by Phyllis Eisenstein
Jane Fancher (b. 1952) Dance of the Rings Trilogy
The Shadowleague by Maggie Furey
The Rigante series by David Gemmell
Simon Green (b. 1955) Hawk and Fisher series
Daniel Hood (b. 1967) Sorcerer Liam series
The Sea Beggars by Paul Kearney
Marjorie B. Kellogg (b. 1946) The Dragon Quartet
Richard Knaak (b. 1961) The Dragonrealm books
Katherine Kurtz (b. 1944) Deryni Chronicles
The Dragon King Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead
Ki and Vandien series by Megan Lindholm
Holly Lisle (b. 1960) Arhel Novels (Faia)
The Secret Texts by Holly Lisle
The Arcana (with Michael Scott) by Morgan Llywelyn
Eric Van Lustbader (b. 1946) Sunset Warrior series
Imager: The First Book of the Imager Portfolio by L. E. Modesitt Jr.
Peter Morwood (b. 1956) The Book of Years
Mickey Zucker Reichert (b. 1962) The Last of the Renshai, then- The Renshai Chronicles
Karavans series by Jennifer Roberson
D'shai by Joel Rosenberg
Christopher Rowley (b. 1948) Bazil Broketail series
Arna series by Christopher Rowley
The Fey series by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, then- Series: The Black Throne
Moontide and Magic Rise duology by Sean Russell
The Swans' War by Sean Russell
The Sundered by Michelle Sagara
James Silke Deathdealer series
Lawrence Watt-Evans (b. 1954) The Lords of Dus
Ethshar series by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Obsidian Chronicles by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Godwars trilogy by Angus Wells
Michelle West The Sacred Hunt duology
The Cycle of Fire by Janny Wurts
The Books of Great Alta by Jane Yolen (these say they are young adult but apparantly are not)
Paul Edwin Zimmer (1943-1997) Dark Border series
Lynn Abbey, Rifkind Saga
Thieve's World by Lynn Abbey
Series: Dark Sun: Chronicles of Athas by Lynn Abbey
Series: Beklan Empire by Richard Adams
Catherine Asaro, Series: Topaz Cycle
Series: Alchemyst's Legacy, Sarah Ash
M. A. R. Barker, Series: Tékumel: Empire of the Petal Throne
Series: Eberron: The Dragon Below by Don Bassingthwaite
Peter S. Beagle, Series: The Innkeeper's Song
Curt Benjamin, Series: Seven Brothers
Elizabeth H. Boyer, Series: The World of the Alfar
Rebecca Bradley, Series: Lady
Patricia Bray, Series: The Sword of Change
Noel-Anne Brennan, Series: The Song of the Land
Raven's Shadow by Patricia Briggs
Simon Brown, Series: The Keys of Power
Chris Bunch, Series: Dragonmaster
Giles Carwyn & Todd Fahnestock, Series Heir of Autumn
Blake Charlton, Series Spellwright
Deborah Chester, Series: Ruby Throne
David B. Coe, Series: The LonTobyn Chronicle
Series: Winds of the Forelands by David B. Coe, then- Blood of the Southlands
Series: The Timura Trilogy by Allan Cole
Dawn Cook, First Truth
The Decoy Princess by dawn cook
Series: The Exiles of Boq'urain by Ann C. Crispin
Cory Daniells, Series: The Last T'En
Series: The Warhorse of Esdragon by Susan Dexter
Series: The Omar Books by Dave Duncan
Doris Egan, Series: The Ivory Books
Phyllis Eisenstein, Series: Alaric
Series: Cray Ormeru, Phyllis Eisenstein
Series: The Tamír Triad, Lynn Flewelling
Path of Fate by Diana Pharaoh Francis
Cheryl J. Franklin, Series: Tales of the Taormin
Lorna Freeman, Series: Borderlands
Mark Andrew Garland, Series Demon Blade with Charles G. McGraw
stuff by David A. Gemmell, dont remember if i read his drenai books or not
Series: Book of the Painter, Sheila Gilluly
Heather J. Gladney, Series: Song of Naga Teot
Series: The Final Dance, Christie Golden
Stephen Goldin, Series: Parsina Saga
Mitchell Graham, Series The Fifth Ring
Series: Winterlands, Barbara Hambly
Geraldine Harris Pinch, Series: Seven Citadels
M. John Harrison, Series: Viriconium
Lian Hearn, Series: Tales of the Otori
D. J. Heinrich, Series: Dungeons & Dragons: Penhaligon
Mary H. Herbert, Series Dark Horse
Series: Talents, Douglas Hill
Series: Raven, Robert Holdstock & Angus Wells as Richard Kirk
Tanya Huff, Series: Crystal
Series: Quarters, Tanya Huff
Elaine Isaak, Series The Singer's Crown
Fran Jacobs, Series: Ellenessia's Curse
Kate Jacoby, Series: Elita
Anne Kelleher Bush, Series: Through the Shadowlands
J. Gregory Keyes, Series: The Children of the Changeling
White Plume Mountain by Paul Kidd
William King, Series Death's Angels
Rosemary Kirstein, Series: The Steerswoman
Series: Dead Rivers by Naomi Kritzer
Glenda Larke, Series: The Isles of Glory
Stephen Leigh, Series: The Cloudmages
Series: The Firekeeper Saga, Jane Lindskold
Anne Logston, Series: Shadow
Series: Dagger, Anne Logston
Series: Crystal Keep, Anne Logston
Scott Lynch Series, The Lies of Locke Lamora
Dragon's Winter, Elizabeth A. Lynn
Dianna Marcellas, Series Mother Ocean, Daughter Sea
Series: The Magelord, Thomas K. Martin
Terry McGarry, Series Illumination
Juliet E. McKenna, Series: Einarinn
Patricia A. McKillip, Series: Quest of the Riddle Master
Sean McMullen, Series: Moonworlds
Shirley Meier, Series: Fifth Millenium
Sarah Micklem, Series Firethorn
China Miéville, Series Perdido Street Station
K. L. Morgan, Series: Chronicles of Fiarah
Rebecca Neason, Series The Thirteenth Scroll
Douglas Niles, Series: The Watershed
Series: Ultramarine, Jenny Nimmo
Till Noever, Series Keaen
Series The Rover, Mel Odom
Jana G. Oliver, Series: DragonFireThe Circle of the Swan
Joshua Palmatier, Series The Skewed Throne
K. J. Parker, Series: The Fencer Trilogy
Series: The Scavenger Trilogy, K. J. Parker
Mark C. Perry, Series: Morigu
J. Michael Reaves, Series The Shattered World
The Legend of Nightfall, by Mickey Zucker Reichert
Katya Reimann, Series: Tielmaran Chronicles
Laura Resnick, Series In Legend Born
M. L. Rigdon, Series: The Seasons of Time
Series: Silverglass by J. F. Rivkin
Jennifer Roberson, Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli
Mark E. Rogers, Series: Zorachus
Series: Zancharthus, Mark E. Rogers
Jane Routley, Series: Mage Heart
Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Series: Tomoe Gozen
The Unicorn Dancer, Rhondi A. Vilott Salsitz
Melissa Scott, Series Point of Hopes
Michael Shea, Series: Nifft
Suzan Sizemore, Series: Children of the Rock
Julie Dean Smith, Series: Cathian Crusade
Michael A. Stackpole, Series: Realms of Chaos
Michael A. Stackpole, The Dark Glory War, then- Series: DragonCrown War Cycle
Victoria Strauss, Series The Arm of the Stone
Victoria Strauss, Series The Burning Land
Trina Talma, Series Silver and Blood
Judith Tarr, Series: Avaryan Rising
Roger Taylor, Series: Chronicles of Hawklan
Harry Turtledove, Videssos books
Vivian Vande Velde, Series: Weiland
Series: Swords of Raemllyn, Robert E. Vardeman
Series: The Keys to Paradise, by Robert E. Vardeman
Elizabeth Vaughan, Series Warprize
Series: Changeling, Roger Zelazny
Series: Dilvish, Roger Zelazny
Gary Wassner, Series: Gemquest
Series: The Sovereign Stone, Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Angus Wells, Series: The Book of the Kingdoms
Angus Wells, Exile's Children
Elizabeth Willey, Series: Kingdom of Argylle
Chris Wooding, Series: The Braided Path

ps: thanks Elentarri for that list you posted a few years ago, i read several books from it but i think we may enjoy some different styles of authors.

[crusoe]

The Illuminatus-Trilogy by Robert Shea...hope, nobody mentioned it yet.

[Calidore]

My thoughts on your list:



the criteria i used for the most part to make my selections is as follows:

1. The story takes place in a world that is not earth (high fantasy son!), so no alternate history or high school teens who discover they have magical powers and are warewolves/vampires.

Unfortunately, this eliminates books like Robert Holdstock's magnificent Mythago Wood series, which takes place in and around a very strange English forest.


2. No young adult (YA) such as Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia. (actually you should double check this before purchasing as some snuck by me)

Unfortunately, this eliminates books like Garth Nix's excellent Abhorsen trilogy, which doesn't fit any YA or fantasy stereotype I'm aware of.


3. Series contains at least 2 novels. (duology+)

Unfortunately, this eliminates books like E.R. Eddison's hugely eccentric and entertaining The Worm Ouroboros, Guy Gavriel Kay's wonderful Tigana, and Hans Bemmann's sublime The Stone and the Flute.



4. The first novel of the series obtained at least a 4 star rating on amazon. (although this does not necessarily mean $h!te, heh)

Unfortunately, this would include books from authors like Piers Anthony, who (when I was reading him) wrote much better first novels than last ones, while excluding those authors whose work becomes better as it goes along. I'd suggest taking an average rating of those books instead.



5. No cheesy, 'real world peoples get magically teleported to fantasy land' types. (although there are some in this genre that are good like Zelazny's Amber series)

Yup, Amber is indeed good.


Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser books by Fritz Leiber

I've still never read these, but my dad is a big fan.


Codex Alera by Jim Butcher

I've just assembled this series, and it'll probably be the next fantasy I'll read. My dad's also a big fan of Butcher's Dresden Files books.


The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon

I read this a long time ago and found it pretty generic. A too-perfect heroine (even her "flaws" are just right) and too self-serious.


The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart

Yesyesyes. These are tremendous fun, especially the first (Bridge of Birds). The owner of a sadly-now-defunct local sci-fi bookstore loved these books so much that she republished them herself in a limited hardcover edition and brought in Hughart (much to his amazement) to do a signing.


A Man of His Word series by Dave Duncan, then- A Handful of Men series

These are the equivalent of a perfectly made B-movie. Traditional peasant-boy-becomes-great-hero stuff, but very well written (and pretty funny IIRC).


The Initiate Brother series by sean russell

S'okay. Didn't leave much of an impression with me overall, but Shuyun was a good character, and the Japan/China blend world was well drawn.


Feast of Souls (The Magister Trilogy, #1) by C.S. Friedman

Haven't read this, but her Coldfire trilogy was pretty good (especially the second book, which was very, very good).


Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus by William King

Ah, Warhammer. These were decent, pure action-fantasy, with emphasis on dark atmosphere and gory violence.

[Paulclem]

I thought I knew something about fantasy, but now I realise I know nothing.

[dshadowplay]

My thoughts on your list:


yea the list isn't the end all to be all or anything, its just a collection of what i personally was looking for in my fantasy reads. i imagine some can empathize with the limiters i used.

the only reason i was not looking at single novels is there are far too many for me to sift through. to be honest though i prefer longer sagas.

as far as books about earthlings being teleported to magical worlds or discovering that earth has hidden magics, well i am generally apprehensive of these but if the description looks plausible or someone i know recommends it i am willing to give it a chance. i like a setting completely unconnected to irl earth though.

the reason i look at the first book in a series rating on amazon is because i think it should be more accurate than the latter books rating, if someone didn't like the first they may not read/rate the second so the second will get inflated ratings from fans. also there are the most number of ratings for the first book and i think that people rating a series as a whole use the first book too.

pretty firm on not reading YA.

i also didn't include anything that i have already read as i put my recommendations on page 8 of this thread a few years ago.

got a lot on my plate here in any case, god help me when i start reading sci-fi!

[Calidore]

yea the list isn't the end all to be all or anything, its just a collection of what i personally was looking for in my fantasy reads. i imagine some can empathize with the limiters i used.

the only reason i was not looking at single novels is there are far too many for me to sift through. to be honest though i prefer longer sagas.

Me, too, though there's always exceptions, which is why I try not to limit too much except by others' opinions. Robin McKinley's duology The Blue Sword/The Hero and the Crown, for example, are each standalone books that pack the entire plot of a standard fantasy trilogy into a single 200-some-page novel, and very well.



the reason i look at the first book in a series rating on amazon is because i think it should be more accurate than the latter books rating, if someone didn't like the first they may not read/rate the second so the second will get inflated ratings from fans. also there are the most number of ratings for the first book and i think that people rating a series as a whole use the first book too.

That's a good point, and I just saw that in action when I checked Amazon's reviews of Neal Stephenson's Baroque trilogy, where it looks like a few hundred people who found the first novel unreadable simply bailed and left the hardcore fans to review the other two.

Another example of the downside would be Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, which starts out with raves but gets progressively worse reviews the longer he drew it out. I still think it's best to check ratings on everything you'll be reading, because one book, be it first or last, is so often not representative of the whole.


pretty firm on not reading YA.

I just remembered that Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is intended as YA, and it leaves most "adult" fantasies in the dust as far as thematic depth and quality of execution. Ditto Ursula LeGuin's original Earthsea trilogy (heard mixed things about the newer entries, but the first three are deserved classics).

One thing daily reading with my neighbor's kid taught me is that there's lots of YA stuff that an A can enjoy as well, though as always Sturgeon's Law does apply.


got a lot on my plate here in any case, god help me when i start reading sci-fi!

I think everyone on this list shares your lament at having only 24 hours in a day, 365 days a year, <>80 years of living to try to cram everything in. C'est la vie. :cryin:

As far as the other list you posted, which I hadn't seen:

Riftwar series by Feist: I did like the original series, but then in subsequent books he started bumping off long-term major characters right and left for no good reason, so I finally gave up on them.

Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb: The original was terrific, and I'm curious what you didn't like about the end of the third book (spoilers fine as a long as you warn people). I thought the sequel trilogy and her Liveship trilogy were okay but kind of disappointing after this one.

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams: Loved this the first time I read it, then on the second read many years later it didn't work for me at all, and I ended up selling them off.

I agree with you that Otherland was a letdown. The ongoing stories in the worlds the heroine traveled to were more interesting than hers, and it always seemed that Williams left those worlds just as they were getting good.

Thomas Covenant series by Stephen Donaldson: I gave up on this quickly the first time I tried it because Covenant himself was so unpleasant. Then on a recommendation I read Donaldson's Mordant's Need duology, which I liked much more. That also helped me figure out his intent, which is to take a very flawed character and put him in a situation where he has to grow to survive. I tried Covenant again with this in mind and ended up liking it just fine. The second trilogy didn't do much for me, however; I haven't tried the third. I'd also recommend against Donaldson's Gap sci-fi series, which has a main character so vile that I was never able to accept his eventual changes as good enough to make up for his past.

I read all of Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar books, and you didn't miss anything. His Tigana is fantastic, though, and his later stuff (which I haven't yet read) also gets good marks from people.

I've never managed to read Michael Moorcock's Elric books, but I have read and enjoyed all of P. Craig Russell & co.'s comic book adaptations. I did like Moorcock's first Corum trilogy, which I'm told is more accessible than much of his other work. I think he's a case of a completely unique writer with a style that works for you or doesn't. Someday I'd like to pick up a few of his assorted works and see if it's a taste I can acquire. Regardless, I have to say that I don't think anyone anywhere invents better names than Moorcock.

[dshadowplay]

One thing daily reading with my neighbor's kid taught me is that there's lots of YA stuff that an A can enjoy as well, though as always Sturgeon's Law does apply.

i'm not really trying to imply that YA is 'bad' just that i am not going to read it anymore than i would read western or mysteries, to me YA is like a whole different genre because i know that its oriented to be kid friendly and thus kinda scews the way character interactions happens and such. i mean for frick sake The Chronicles of Narnia had Santa Clause in it! i did enjoy the movie though, heh.

ah the Farseer trilogy,
~SPOILER~
that stable master in those books (don't remember his name) was like FitzChivalry's father, he basically raised him and taught him morality. at the end when the stable master and Fitz's girl thought that Fitz was dead they got together. now i know that realistically back in medieval times that may have been regular but the author played upon mostly updated emotions for the majority of the trilogy. it felt pretty weird to me anyway. even with that aside though the last part of the last book was written differently than the rest, from about the time they started following that magic road i would say. the resolution to those raiding ships was kinda just summarized in the end and it felt like that should have been a fourth book. also it ended as if that was the end of FitzChivalries story and i highly doubt that the author had plans to continue writing about him.
:beatdeadhorse5:

similarly the Dragonlance books by Weis and Hickman had a pretty clear end after the Legends trilogy.
:beatdeadhorse5::beatdeadhorse5::beatdeadhorse5: (that Raistlin horse gets beaten alot!)

Thomas Covenant: blargish
~SPOILER~
the whole time the guys like, oh i can't believe this is real, and, oh let me rape young girls even though i'm some writer from America. apparently it was real enough for him to get his bone on! cerealy though, i have confused a dream for reality but i have never confused reality for a dream (except for maybe when i become too intoxicated:ack2:) and this premiss wears thin fast to me. its my understanding that there are supposed to be deeper meanings and themes with this series but i am really only interested in the storytelling and i found it to be pretty lame, and if the story’s not entertaining than what am i spending my leisure time on it for? this is another one of those books where someone from earth has to save fantasy land too, why can't they have their own heroes? (actually it might have been earth being saved too i stopped halfway through)

i actually read all but the last of the Elric books cause a library where i lived at the time had the whole saga. the first Elric book was best, mostly because its where everything is introduced. even the first book i hardly recommend though, unless you have nothing but time on your hands. of course many seem to have a high opinion of the Elric series but i thought it was pretty overrated. this series was when i decided to stop reading sequels simply because i started a series. i realized there are just too many things to do in life to feel like you have to complete something even if your not enjoying it.

[WyattGwyon]

I may have missed something, but I could only find one mention of Mervyn Peake's masterpieces, the first two books of the Gormenghast Trilogy, Titus Groan and Gormenghast. (I always advise against even picking up the third book, Titus Alone.) These are of the same era and stature as Lord of the Rings, but almost no one seems to know them. (The exception in this thread was Chris 73, who made a brief mention.)

Two other masterpieces seem to have escaped detection in this thread: China Miéville's amazing Perdido Street Station and John Crowley's strange and brilliant Little, Big.

All three of these recommendations are like no other fantasy you have read.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

All of those are going in my wish list, Wyatt. I've been meaning to read Perdido Street Station for a while (I've read The City and the City and want to read more by Meiville). I haven't heard of the others you mentioned, but Titua Groan looks especially interesting. Why do you say to not even pick up the third book? I hope they're all self-contained stories, at least to the point where they don't end completely unresolved, like A Song of Ice and Fire.

Also, I'll add something to the list even though I'm only halfway through it, and this one DEFINITELY belongs in the category of "like nothing you've ever read," regardless of genre, and that book is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. It's not fantasy in the classical or regular sense, but I don't know of any other genre that may fit it--maybe horror mixed with black comedy, but there definitely fantasy elements. It's a mind****, to say the least.

[WyattGwyon]

All of those are going in my wish list, Wyatt. I've been meaning to read Perdido Street Station for a while (I've read The City and the City and want to read more by Meiville).

Perdido Street Station is the first and best of several novels set in a particular fictional world. The Scar and Iron Council are sequels exhibiting (IMO, obviously) a drop off in quality—not so drastic a decline as the Dune series, however.


I haven't heard of the others you mentioned, but Titus Groan looks especially interesting. Why do you say to not even pick up the third book? I hope they're all self-contained stories, at least to the point where they don't end completely unresolved, like A Song of Ice and Fire.

The first two books have a beautiful symmetry and the end of the second could have been a perfect ending, though one begging for a sequel. The third book introduces bizarre, futuristic, sci-fi elements that have no reasonable connection to the world of the first two books. To this day I wish I had never laid eyes on it. I believe Peake was well into his terminal illness (Parkinson's?) before he finished it and I can't help but think he lost his judgment along the way. I know it will be impossible for those reading the first two books, which form a completely unified narrative, to restrain themselves from picking up the third, but I had to sound the warning anyway.


Also, I'll add something to the list even though I'm only halfway through it, and this one DEFINITELY belongs in the category of "like nothing you've ever read," regardless of genre, and that book is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. It's not fantasy in the classical or regular sense, but I don't know of any other genre that may fit it--maybe horror mixed with black comedy, but there definitely fantasy elements. It's a mind****, to say the least.

Thanks, I'll look for it.

[Babyguile]

Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb

Apart from that, I also recommend Jonothan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. That book dropped like a bomb here in the UK: a very refreshing and original, charming and wity tale. It's very English and very Dickensian. It's not action-packed mind.

And lastly, His Dark Materials. This book is relatively unknwon in America, which doesn't suprise me in the slightest. It's a smart YA novel, very intelligently put together, absolutely superb plot. It literally gave me my imagination when I read it as a teen; I owe so much to these amazing books.

But on Robin Hobb: she writes books at a very fast rate. There are now multiple books you can read of hers as a first book, without getting lost because of a need to read prequals. Those books are: Assassin's Apprentice, Ship of Magic, Shaman's Crossing. I wouldn't recommed reading any others as a first book as they cut mid-way through series.

[OrphanPip]

There's a fairly good Gormenghast mini-series from the 90s made by the BBC, it's only 4 episodes.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb Robin Hobb

Apart from that, I also recommend Jonothan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. That book dropped like a bomb here in the UK: a very refreshing and original, charming and wity tale. It's very English and very Dickensian. It's not action-packed mind.

And lastly, His Dark Materials. This book is relatively unknwon in America, which doesn't suprise me in the slightest. It's a smart YA novel, very intelligently put together, absolutely superb plot. It literally gave me my imagination when I read it as a teen; I owe so much to these amazing books.

But on Robin Hobb: she writes books at a very fast rate. There are now multiple books you can read of hers as a first book, without getting lost because of a need to read prequals. Those books are: Assassin's Apprentice, Ship of Magic, Shaman's Crossing. I wouldn't recommed reading any others as a first book as they cut mid-way through series.
The His Dark Materials trilogy is actually pretty popular here. I'm not sure why it wouldn't be surprising if they weren't--not sure what you're implying. I read the first and didn't find anything special about it and didn't bother reading the second two.

[WyattGwyon]

There's a fairly good Gormenghast mini-series from the 90s made by the BBC, it's only 4 episodes.

Yes, I've seen that. I wish it had continued through the second book, though I imagine a big budget might have been required to pull off the flooded castle scenes and such. Actually, it could make a great movie series with all of the stunning visual imagery.

[Drkshadow03]

The His Dark Materials trilogy is actually pretty popular here. I'm not sure why it wouldn't be surprising if they weren't--not sure what you're implying. I read the first and didn't find anything special about it and didn't bother reading the second two.



They're so unfamiliar here in the U.S. that they're only the 8th most banned/challenged book (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedbydecade/2000_2009/) of the previous decade.

[chokipokilo]

[
The first two books have a beautiful symmetry and the end of the second could have been a perfect ending, though one begging for a sequel. The third book introduces bizarre, futuristic, sci-fi elements that have no reasonable connection to the world of the first two books. To this day I wish I had never laid eyes on it. I believe Peake was well into his terminal illness (Parkinson's?) before he finished it and I can't help but think he lost his judgment along the way. I know it will be impossible for those reading the first two books, which form a completely unified narrative, to restrain themselves from picking up the third, but I had to sound the warning anyway. .

Thought I'd point out that, while I agree with this assessment, the third book was still very much incomplete and that may be why it doesn't seem to make as much sense.

For those interested in the conclusion to the tale (and you will be after reading the first two books) there's a new work out by his wife based on his work called "Titus Awakes" that, while reportedly not the same quality of writing, does give some degree of closure to the saga, which was originally slated to be 7 novels in length.

[Babyguile]

They're so unfamiliar here in the U.S. that they're only the 8th most banned/challenged book (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedbydecade/2000_2009/) of the previous decade.

How does this show the books are well-known by American readers? Surely the consequence here is the books do not get into the schools and libraries because of Christian groups worrying about the atheist messages of the books.

From my experience, no-one in the US had heard of the books before the movies came out. The books have always been hugely popular in the UK.

[Drkshadow03]

How does this show the books are well-known by American readers? Surely the consequence here is the books do not get into the schools and libraries because of Christian groups worrying about the atheist messages of the books.

From my experience, no-one in the US had heard of the books before the movies came out. The books have always been hugely popular in the UK.

Nope. In order to be tallied as a banned/challenged book it has to be purchased and on the shelves already in libraries. A challenged book is one that has been asked to be removed, while a banned book is one that went through a lengthy process and was removed from the library collection. So in order to be so frequently challenged the books must be fairly prevalent on library book shelves across the country.

Before this forum I used to spend time on a strictly fantasy literature forum. Trust me, most of the American members knew about the Pullman books long before the movie came out.

You also implied in your original post on this topic that the book is STILL obscure in the U.S. Meanwhile, glancing at my public library's catalog, it has a whopping 12 copies in the system.

In 1997, the first book in the series was nominated for the American Booksellers Children's Book Award. So how obscure could it possibly have been?

[Babyguile]

Nope. In order to be tallied as a banned/challenged book it has to be purchased and on the shelves already in libraries. A challenged book is one that has been asked to be removed, while a banned book is one that went through a lengthy process and was removed from the library collection. So in order to be so frequently challenged the books must be fairly prevalent on library book shelves across the country.

Before this forum I used to spend time on a strictly fantasy literature forum. Trust me, most of the American members knew about the Pullman books long before the movie came out.

You also implied in your original post on this topic that the book is STILL obscure in the U.S. Meanwhile, glancing at my public library's catalog, it has a whopping 12 copies in the system.

In 1997, the first book in the series was nominated for the American Booksellers Children's Book Award. So how obscure could it possibly have been?

I don't find your points very convincing at all. Bear in mind I never said the books were obscure in America; I said they were less well-known. I think the point still stands. The books came third in the Nation's Favourite Books in the UK. I don't think America can compete with that!

In fact, I might read those books again...

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I don't think anyone was contesting that they're more popular here or even as popular, just that they are popular, which they are. How would you know, anyways? Are you in America?

[Drkshadow03]

I don't find your points very convincing at all. Bear in mind I never said the books were obscure in America; I said they were less well-known. I think the point still stands. The books came third in the Nation's Favourite Books in the UK. I don't think America can compete with that!

In fact, I might read those books again...

Then you would be wrong if you think your point still stands. All my points speak to its relative popularity in the U.S.

To quote you directly: "And lastly, His Dark Materials. This book is relatively unknwon[sic] in America, which doesn't suprise[sic] me in the slightest."

"Relatively unknown" doesn't translate into "less known"; it translates into "obscure" in the context of the sentence as you wrote it. You could replace that word with your two and not change the meaning of the sentence. If you meant less known in the U.S. than in Britain like you're claiming all of a sudden, then you did an extremely poor job in conveying that.

[dshadowplay]

a few databases to browse through:
http://www.crooty.com/index.php
http://www.sfbooklist.co.uk/
the second one only has books by single authors but it is immense none the less.
:piggy::conehead::troll::alien::troll::piggy: :conehead::troll::alien::piggy::conehead::piggy: :alien::troll::conehead::piggy::troll::alien: :troll::conehead::piggy::troll::piggy::conehead: :alien: :piggy::conehead::troll::alien:

[Kyriakos]

I am not much of a fantasy book reader, but i like a few stories by Lord Dunsany. Search for the short piece titled "Charon", you can find it in the public domain, and it is a great story in my view. :)

[Pierre Menard]

I remember W.B. Yeats and Borges being fans of Dunsany.
I've always been interested in reading him, I think I'll get on that.

I've got 'Gormenghast' sitting on my shelf as well, and I look forward to starting it. A bit of an underrated classic it seems.

[OrphanPip]

I thought the first book in His Dark Materials trilogy was just alright, but the second won me over, I haven't gotten around to reading the final installment. The variation in style between books reminds me of Moorcock's Elric series.

[Kyriakos]

I remember W.B. Yeats and Borges being fans of Dunsany.
I've always been interested in reading him, I think I'll get on that.

I've got 'Gormenghast' sitting on my shelf as well, and I look forward to starting it. A bit of an underrated classic it seems.

"The workman" is another short you can easily find online :)

[dshadowplay]

welp, no one asked for it so here it is! standalone novels that meet the same criteria as the series i listed a few pages back. a few sci-fi are sprinkled in too.

dump of list:
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison
The tower at Stony Wood by Patricia McKillip
Sydney J. van Scyoc - Drowntide
Janny Wurts - Sorcerer's Legacy
Master of Whitestorm - Janny Wurts
To Ride Hell's Chasm - Janny Wurts
Talion: Revenant by Michael A. Stackpole
Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
The Etched City, by K.J. Bishop
Tuf Voyaging by George R.R. Martin
Warbreaker by Brandson Sanderson
A Song for Arbonne (Paperback)
LIONS OF AL-RASSAN - Guy Gavriel Kay
ILLUSION-PAULA VOLSKY
Song of the Beast by Carol Berg
The Fire's Stone (Daw science fiction) by Tanya Huff
The Face in the Frost by John Bellairs
The Well of the Unicorn by Fletcher Pratt
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Echoes of the Great Song [Mass Market Paperback] David Gemmell
The Book of Atrix Wolfe [Paperback], Patricia A. McKillip
Martha Wells' Wheel of the Infinite
Try Alphabet of Thorn Patricia McKillip
The Tower of Fear, [Mass Market Paperback] Glen Cook
One for the Morning Glory, John Barnes
Dragonworld by Byron Preiss & Michael Reaves
Tanith Lee's Kill the Dead
David Gemmell - Knights of Dark Renown
Roger Zelazny - Jack of Shadows
Micheal Stackpole, Once a Hero
The Cursed by Dave Duncan
Patricia Briggs - The Hob's Bargain
Villains by Necessity, Eve Forward
The Folding Knife by KJ Parker
China Mieville, Embassytown
Patricia McKillip, Bards of Bone Plain
Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti - By Genevieve Valentine
The Fade by Chris Wooding
Against the Dark Background, Iain Banks
The Dispossessed [Mass Market Paperback] Ursula K. Le Guin
Morningstar – David Gemmell
Barbara Hambly - Stranger at The Wedding
Under Heaven, Guy Gavriel Kay
K.J. Parker - The Hammer
Golden Key by Melanie Rawn
Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip
Singer From The Sea by Sheri S. Tepper
Dragons Bane by Barbara Hambly
The Elder Staves" by Steven Oliverez
The Eye of Night [Mass Market Paperback], Pauline J. Alama
Lords of Rainbow - Vera Nazarian
The Languages of Pao by Jack Vance
The Divinity Student - Michael Cisco
Song for the Basilisk [Mass Market Paperback] Patricia A. McKillip
Ombria in Shadow [Paperback] Patricia A. McKillip
Agnus Well's 'Lords of the Sky'
Monument, by Ian Graham
The Sword and the Lion (Daw science fiction) [Mass Market Paperback] Roberta Cray
The Gift by Patrick O'Leary
Shardik [Paperback] Richard Adams
Maia [Paperback] Richard Adams
Hart's Hope by Orson Scott Card
Stardust by Neil Gaimon
Orson Scott Card, treason
Low Town by Daniel Polansky
Pride of Chanur by CJ Cherryh
The Paladin [Mass Market Paperback] C.J. Cherryh
Patricia McKillip's, Od Magic.
Changing Fate by Elizabeth Waters
Emerald House Rising by Peg Kerr
Mirage by Louise Cooper
Soulstring by Midori Snyder
House of Shadows by Rachel Neumeier
Kristin Kathryn Rusch's White Mists of Power
Cherith Baldry with The Roses of Roazon
The Reliquary Ring Cherith Baldry
Princess of Flames [Mass Market Paperback] Ru Emerson
Summers at Castle Auburn [Hardcover] Sharon Shinn
The Bell at Sealey Head by Patricia McKillip
Brother's Price by Wen Spencer
The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry
Dave Duncan's Ill Met in the Arena
The Shape-changer's Wife by Sharon Shinn
The Rose Sea [Paperback] S. M. Stirling
The Wizard's Shadow by Susan Dexter
Martha Wells city of bones
Dark Moon – David Gemmell
The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown
The Ambassador of Progress by Walter Jon Williams
In The Forests Of Serre by Patricia A. McKillip
The Wolf of Winter by Paula Volsky
No One Noticed the Cat by Anne McCaffrey
Samuel Delanney: Nova
Ursula K. LeGuin: Malafrena
Angel Station, Walter Jon Williams

[crusoe]

All Things are Lights - R.Shea

[LitNetIsGreat]

Help! I've gone through this thread about three times and can't see the forest for the forest!

Basically, I'm looking for a decent fantasy series or one off book, that is really well written and devoid of cliche, as much as possible. I've read two of the Game of Thrones series (got the third one here as well) and they are OK but some of the writing is annoying. Don't get me wrong I am enjoying it mostly, and it has been good for a change, but the writing quality is a little repetitive in places so I'm unsure if I am going to continue with it at this stage. It has given me a taste for fantasy style (I think I just really need to escape this damn upcoming winter) so I wondered if there are any recommendations that might immediately spring to mind (please not a list of a thousand books.) I don't mind if it is long - in fact that would be good - something I can bury my head in and when I've finished it might be spring! (Hey I might read Proust instead or as well - thought.) Escapism needed. That and more soup.

[OrphanPip]

Well, I'd recommend a Wizard of Earthsea by LeGuin, The Shadow of the Torturer (it's usually published in omnibus with the second book in the series) by Gene Wolfe, and Perdito Street Station by China Mieville.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I've been touting this book here and there on Litnet, but no other forum is more apt than this: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

[Drkshadow03]

Ditto Orphanpip's suggestions.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Thanks, I'll look those up.

[Calidore]

Help! I've gone through this thread about three times and can't see the forest for the forest!

Basically, I'm looking for a decent fantasy series or one off book, that is really well written and devoid of cliche, as much as possible. I've read two of the Game of Thrones series (got the third one here as well) and they are OK but some of the writing is annoying. Don't get me wrong I am enjoying it mostly, and it has been good for a change, but the writing quality is a little repetitive in places so I'm unsure if I am going to continue with it at this stage. It has given me a taste for fantasy style (I think I just really need to escape this damn upcoming winter) so I wondered if there are any recommendations that might immediately spring to mind (please not a list of a thousand books.) I don't mind if it is long - in fact that would be good - something I can bury my head in and when I've finished it might be spring! (Hey I might read Proust instead or as well - thought.) Escapism needed. That and more soup.

Re. Wizard of Earthsea and Shadow of the Torturer: Both are the first books in a series (the Earthsea trilogy and the Book of the New Sun tetralogy. I haven't read New Sun (though I have it in a single omnibus), but it is very highly regarded. The initial Earthsea trilogy is fantastic, and the volumes are short enough that you may as well get all three.

A few other books that are considered fantasy literature (or should be IMO), and are unlike anything else: The Gormenghast books by Mervyn Peake, The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison, the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox trilogy by Barry Hughart, and the Mythago Wood series by Robert Holdstock.

[Buckthorn]

I quite enjoyed the Osserian Saga by David Forbes, except that the fourth book didn't get written so it didn't end brilliantly

[LitNetIsGreat]

Re. Wizard of Earthsea and Shadow of the Torturer: Both are the first books in a series (the Earthsea trilogy and the Book of the New Sun tetralogy. I haven't read New Sun (though I have it in a single omnibus), but it is very highly regarded. The initial Earthsea trilogy is fantastic, and the volumes are short enough that you may as well get all three.

A few other books that are considered fantasy literature (or should be IMO), and are unlike anything else: The Gormenghast books by Mervyn Peake, The Worm Ouroboros by E.R. Eddison, the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman, The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox trilogy by Barry Hughart, and the Mythago Wood series by Robert Holdstock.

Thanks I've ordered the Mythago Wood book as I came across that one before and was a little intrigued. This could be because I have read the blurb and still haven't much clue! I think I will give the Earthsea trilogy a go after that. I'm still not decided on the Game of Thrones - I'm enjoying parts of it, for example some of the characters like the imp are great, but if another horse 'whickers' or another endless repetition like that, I swear it's going to hit the wall.

[Lokasenna]

For what it's worth, I second (or is it third?) the Earthsea books. They really are excellent.

[LitNetIsGreat]

For what it's worth, I second (or is it third?) the Earthsea books. They really are excellent.

Excellent, that will definitely be the next on order. Thanks.

[ennison]

Just noticed this thread. I am not a fan of "fantasy" but Peake was brilliant. Excellent poet too. T H White who was mentioned above was also very good and would be enjoyed at any age . At The Back of the North Wind is one that might appeal to those who like fantasy. My youngest fellow devoured the Redwall series by the late B Jacques between the ages of nine and twelve. Animals with human characteristics seems to usually be a hit with young children.

[ladderandbucket]

I am currently reading Little, Big by John Crowley. My edition is part of the Fantasy Masterworks series (written across a sword on the front cover) which I think must put a lot of readers off.
The book is strange and beautifully written, a million miles away from George RR Martin..somehow more fantastic and more believable at the same time. I might call it a North American 100 Years of Solitude but that still wouldn't explain its magic. Really impossible to describe, but highly recommended to lovers of unusual books.

[T.C. Seiko]

I skimmed through the thread and couldn't see Michael Ende's work:
-The NeverEnding Story
-Momo

I first read them at the age of ten and fell in love with reading; and now, over two decades later, I'm still in love with these two books.

[Dreamwoven]

Some of the pre-Tolkien works are also very good: The Chronicles of Narnia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia), by C.S. Lewis. Selma Lagerlöf (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_Adventures_of_Nils) is another. Lewis in particular was influential on Tolkien, I believe they were contemporaries at Oxford University.

[Dreamwoven]

And lets not forget Alice in Wonderland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland). Lewis used a similar metaphor, of going into another dimension (a wardrobe, rather than falling into a hole). A study of the various influences on fantasy writers would be fascinating. Astrid Lindgren (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrid_Lindgren) is another, especially Pippi Longstocking as well as the children of Bullerby. There is a whole page on Swedish fantasy writers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Swedish_fantasy_writers) in Wikipedia.

[Clopin]

Literary fantasy, mythology and folktale/legends should probably all fall under the name 'fantasy' right? At any rate I think that this type of thing has been and remains my favourite reading material since I was about eight. Some favourites in no particular order:

The Once and Future King - T.H White
One of the best adaptations ever conceived and pursued, the entire pentalogy is good and while some people dislike the last book (of Merlin) I enjoyed it for the political discourse and completion of the story; most people agree that the final chapters, at least, are very fine.

The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S Lewis
I can see readily enough that these books have flaws which certain people may find very objectionable, however, page for page, nothing has even come close to affording me the same pleasure of reading. All seven of the books are good but the two high points of the series for me are 'The Horse and His Boy' and ' The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'

Watership Down - Richard Adams
The anthropomorphic animal novel and almost universally liked by readers of all ages. I've come across nothing much like it and it's been one of my favourite books since picking it up at sixteen. 'Tales from Watership Down' is disappointing by comparison.

A Wizard of Earthsea (Quartet) - Ursula K. Le Guin
When I was pretty young my grandmother had a quite extensive collection of books. Among those volumes, and suitable for children were: The Earthsea Quartet (though I believe it was only a trilogy back then, or else she was missing the fourth book), The Little Prince, Tales From the 1001 Nights, several volumes of various myths and legends, tales from The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson, and some French story books (In English) with very French illustrations which I am still trying to track down (and the same goes for a bunch of French animated children's shorts from the Greater Victoria Public Library circa 1997). Anyway the Earthsea books had charming cover illustrations of an intriguing island landscape, drawn and coloured in what I suppose was simply the style of the time -echoed in all the older French animation I'm referring to - and which you don't see anymore (you can get the edition i'm referring to on amazon, or just look up the original covers; the modern covers are horrendous) and which really helped transport me to the Earthsea world as a pretty young kid. The covers aren't everything though and Earthsea still has one of the most evocative fantasy settings and rewarding storylines/world building. I'm not surprised that Miyazaki is a fan of Le Guin either as I get very similar feelings from both of their work.

Tales From the 1001 Nights
Probably one of the most readable and entertaining short story collections of all time, widely referenced and continuously adapted to this day, you really should read it.

The Volsung Saga
In my opinion the most readable and directly entertaining of the Norse stuff (The Prose Edda and Beowulf are also good reads), important to modern fantasy and easier to digest than, say, The Icelandic Family Sagas or The Poetic Edda.

(Some) Poems/Mythologies - W.B Yeats
I haven't read the plays so I can't recommend them but quite a large selection of Yeat's poetry and certainly his prose folktales contain elements of what you would consider fantasy. He's also an important writer otherwise so you kill two birds with one stone.

The Metamorphoses - Ovid
My favourite mythologian and preferable (for me) to Homer and Virgil, I think pretty much anyone can enjoy Ovid if they have any interest whatsoever in the Greek myths or fantasy in general. Some of the most physically evocative writing I've ever come across, particularly when battles or skirmishes are recounted through all sort of egregious wounds and heads being "cracked open" or livers punctured, etc.

The Odyssey/The Aeneid/The Iliad
Need no recommendation but I'll include them for obvious reasons.

Aside from that, if you're a young adult (or even if you're not) the first three Harry Potter books are very entertaining (sorry guys) as are the first two books in the Artemis Fowl series and quite a number of Brian Jacques' 'Redwall' books.

I'm also going to be reading The Song of Roland and Parcival and Titurel shortly so maybe I'll amend this list to include those two if they make the grade.

[Ecurb]

Read "Orlando Furioso" instead of "Chanson", Clopin. It's far more fun. "Orlando", of course, is "Roland" in Italian.

One of my favorite pre-Tolkien "swords and sorcery" fantasies is "The Worm Ouroboros" by E.R. Eddison.

I'd also recommend "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" and "The Moon of Gomrath" by Alan Garner. I looked up "best fantasy novels" and it seems the "fantasy" now refers to "swords and sorcery" (on google, at least)-- there's little mention of Alice, Wind in the Willows, Pooh, or Peter Pan on most of the lists I saw.

[Clopin]

Yes, I think all of those are distinct from what I would consider fantasy.

[ennison]

A novel like A Voyage to Arcturus is not "swords and sorcery" but is definitely fantasy. There's well-written fantasy but there's also layers of dross. Still a little nonsense now and then is etc.

[Dreamwoven]

Clopin has raised a point that is important. Fantasy's origins lie in children's' stories, as Ecurb points out. Peter Pan, Wind in the Willows, Pooh, Pinocchio. This was Walt Disney's genius in making cartoon films out of them. Johnny Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet, Bambi, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, Snow White: the Disney cartoons were made fascinating to a whole generation of adults, who were children in the 1930s and 1940s. There is even a Disney Wiki (http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/The_Disney_Wiki). See also Walt Disney (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney).

In Sweden at Christmas the same ones are shown each year and are immensely popular.

[WyattGwyon]

Would China Miéville's Perdido Street Station be considered fantasy? The extensive practice of thaumaturgy (which means magic, more or less), the fact that it takes place in an imaginary world, and the fact that many of the characters are essentially talking animals or insects would suggest that it is. But somehow that seems not quite right to me. What do you think?

Anyway, if it is fantasy, it is excellent fantasy and I highly recommend it.

[Dreamwoven]

Myself, I would have thought so. What is there about it that makes it feel not quite right to you?

[WyattGwyon]

Myself, I would have thought so. What is there about it that makes it feel not quite right to you?

I was thinking it has sci-fi leanings. The main character is a scientist, and perhaps what they call thaumaturgy, particularly the ability to fuse flesh and inanimate matter, reflects a sophisticated knowledge of life sciences and medicine? — the concept is left ambiguous and murky. And the explanation of the slakemoths as interdimensional beings smacks of sci-fi as well. But on further consideration, I guess it better fits the fantasy genre. In any case, I highly recommend it.