Other Fanasy Series

[animus]

I know this may not seem an appropriate thread for a forum discussing The Wheel of Time, but it was The Wheel of Time series that first got me back into reading fantasy series. I had read The Lord Of The Rings when I was in elementary school, but from then on I read primarily single volume fiction novels. Then I got the Eye of the World, to read in the car on a long trip, and since then my taste has centered almost exclusively on fantasy and science fiction. So I'd like to discuss some of the books that I have read and liked - and that you have read and liked - because Eye of the World inspired us to read more in this vein of writing.

 

 

My current favorite is by Gene Wolfe, a four book series called The Book Of The New Sun. This series is so good in so many ways that when I first try to think of a way to praise it, I am at a loss as for where to start. The world he creates is a blend of lost science and medieval society that is completely unique. The "hero" of the book is equally unique, being a torturer who was cast out from his guild for showing mercy to a client, by letting her kill herself. This might lead you to believe the story is a gruesome one, but in fact it really isn't. There is adventure and unheard of monsters, sword fighting and energy weapons. The style of writing is almost poetic and his imagery is genius. I feel I have done a poor job in conveying just how great this series is, but it is truly a must read.

 

 

I had at first intended to list a number of fantasy series that I like, but after reaching this point I have decided that list could be very long indeed. Instead I will see if anybody would like to add a choice or two of their own, and hopefully comment on the series I listed as well.

[Lacey]

I love R.A. Salvatore's books.  He has several different series and they take place in Forgotten Realms, D & D world.  They are extremely hack and slash.  There is some character development, but nothing like what Jordan wrote.  However, they are enjoyable, quick reads.  I pick up Salvator books as soon as a new one comes out.  The only other author that has gotten me to a bookstore, on a release date, was/is Jordan.

 

Another author I really like is Dennis McKiernan.  The world he writes about is fantasy, but not quite like any other world I have read about.

 

I have started Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind, but I can't seem to keep my nose in that book.

 

I also like sci. fi., but I haven't picked a sci. fi. book up in five years.  I really enjoy Isaac Asimov ... big surprise there.

[Tyrell]

I really like Ursua Le Guin's Earthsea books, although I haven't read them in a while, they keep disapearing from my local library and every time I go to buy one I see another book I aught to buy and end up buying that instead, though now I have all of the main wheel of time books (previously I only owned 5-11, having borrowed the first 4 from the library) along with new spring and the BWB (although mine is little and black) if I don't look at the shelves too much I might manage to walk outta the shops with the earthsea quartet next time I have money to spend on books.

[Kura]

Your gonna have to forgive me here, I hardly pay attention to author's names unless the series blows me away...

 

But the Dark Sword Trilogy was a great read. Set in a land where absolutely everyone (minus the 'hero')can use some form of magic. The magic you can use, its all based on elements and different ability with elements, determines your class. It has a central religious point, and its an empire. Technology is banned, considered a 'forbidden magic'. All in all, its a great read.

 

Dune. Nuff said.  ;)

[Caramoore]

Your gonna have to forgive me here, I hardly pay attention to author's names unless the series blows me away...

 

But the Dark Sword Trilogy was a great read. Set in a land where absolutely everyone (minus the 'hero')can use some form of magic. The magic you can use, its all based on elements and different ability with elements, determines your class. It has a central religious point, and its an empire. Technology is banned, considered a 'forbidden magic'. All in all, its a great read.

 

Dune. Nuff said.  ;)

 

The Dark Sword Trilogy, which is actually 4 books with the 4th one being single-volume sequel, was written by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman.

[Darth_Andrea]

I know I will be ribbed but, J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series. I loved all 7 books the movies are awsome. J.K is one of those authors who you have to watch closely if you havn't read before, she likes to hide things in plain sight. she will make mentions of something off handed in a passage of one book and 2 or 3 books later it comes back to bite you in the rear like a snake hideing in the grass. I love every bit of it.

 

 

 

Darth_Andrea

[animus]

Ursula K Le Guin is great. I love her earthsea novels so far, but I've only read the first three. I intend to pick up tehanu sometime soon though. The Harry Potter series was very enjoyable to read, although part of me thinks of it like junk food. I'll have to check out this Dark Sword trilogy of four. But has nobody read The Book of the New Sun? You are truly missing out if not. Once you start you will not put it down, except maybe to look up some of the archaic words he uses.

[Gentled Ben]

Tyrell wrote:

...if I don't look at the shelves too much I might manage to walk outta the shops with the earthsea quartet next time I have money to spend on books.

Isn't Earthsea a trilogy? Is there a fourth book that I missed? I read A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, and The Farthest Shore.

Also, judging by your username, I'm surprised you didn't mention A Song of Ice and Fire, or that anyone hasn't mentioned it so far. Maybe it's a given, like Lord of the Rings.

 

Darth Andrea, there are lots of Harry Potter fans on this site.

 

Lacy, if you like slash and hack quick reads, you might enjoy Glen Cook's Black Company novels. He tends to write in fragments though, which I find irritating, but it's a good story all the same. Instead of 13 Forsaken, there are the Ten Who Were Taken, mad villainous wizards and sorceresses who backstab and hamstring one another while currying favor with their master (mistress, in this case), enjoy shifting alliances, etc quite similar to the Forsaken, and the Black Company itself is a likable band of sell-swords who have quite an adventure while serving in the employ of one of the Taken...

 

Animus, you have succeeded in interesting me in this series, so perhaps you've done it justice.

 

Edit:

Ursula K Le Guin is great. I love her earthsea novels so far, but I've only read the first three. I intend to pick up tehanu sometime soon though.

Ah, I see...I guess I'll be picking that up soon, too. :)

[animus]

Earthsea was originally a trilogy yes, but she has added three other books within the universe.

 

Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea (1990)

The Other Wind (2001)

Tales from Earthsea (2001) [a series of short stories in the earthsea universe]

 

I actually haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire. I might read that after Simak's Waystation though. A lot of people on this site mention it but I'm not sure I trust their taste quite yet.

[Minnea]

But has nobody read The Book of the New Sun? You are truly missing out if not. Once you start you will not put it down, except maybe to look up some of the archaic words he uses.

 

I think I have read it. At least some of it, since your description of it in the starting post sounded a bit familiar. But it was a long time ago, and ... I'm not sure I ever finished it. And I definetly read it in Swedish, maybe it wasn't translated all the way (then) and I simply didn't continue with the English ones. Now that you've pointed them out to me I will definetly give them another try. They have all four (in Swedish) at my local library, easiest way to get them. Hopefully the translation is good... they've put them in the SF-section, though.

 

Otherwise there are many fantasy series I enjoy. Earthsea is one, I read Harry Potter too. Another one I'd like to mention is Guy Gavriel Kay, I like the Fionavar Tapestry much, but Tigana is even better, in my opinion.

[Mr Ares]

Well, we have had fantasy recommendation threads in the past, and there is one over in General Discussion now, but what the hell.

 

Mr Ares would recommend the following: Steph Swainston is a good new fantasy author, she has a series of standalone works set in the same world starting with the Year of Our War, followed in No Present Like Time, and her most recent is The Modern World.

 

China Mieville's Bas Lag books are well worth reading, start with Perdido Street Station, then The Scar, then Iron Council. He has written other books, and some people will probably recommend them, but I haven't read them yet.

 

Harry Turtledove is an alternate history writer more than a fantasy writer (although his Darkness series is fantasy). I would recommend a series of his that starts with the standalone How Few Remain, which tells of a war between the USA and the CSA following the latters successful secession in what is, in our timeline, called the American Civil War. He follows this with the Great War trilogy (American Fron, Walk in Hell, Breakthroughs) telling the stroy of (what else) the Great War on the North American Front, as these two powers take sides in the conflict erupting in Europe. He follows this with an inter-war years trilogy, American Empire (Blood and Iron, the Centre Cannot Hold, the Victorious Opposition) and finally a WWII tetralogy, Settling Accounts (Return Engagement, Drive to the East, the Grapple, In At the Death). Basically it translates the events of the wars to the US and CS. Theres a lot of good stuff in these books, even if Turtledove isn't the best writer out there (he's better than a lot of people in the spec. fic. field). Bear in mind that he is far more likely to kill POV characters than GRRM - Martin really has nothing on Turtledove's willingness to senselessly slaughter characters. Just like the real wars really. I would say start with American Front or How Few Remain - anywhere else and you may find it hard to pick up, as the characters have a lot of backstory.

 

George R. R. Martin's A Son of Ice and Fire is a must read for any fantasy fan worthy of the name. In some ways it surpasses WOT. Martin has a reputation for kiling characters though. If you desperately want people to survive this is not the series for you. The deaths are there for a reason, and they all further the story, it's just you get to like a character and they end up a head shorter, for example.

 

Recommending Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter seems vaguely redundant. Everyone has heard of these, and I suspect most of you have read them already.

 

Michael Moorcock is a very good writer. His Eternal Champion stories basically tell the story of an Champion born many times in many guises, who perpetually fights to protect the Balance and defeat Chaos. These aren't his best works, even if they are his most famous. But bear in mind he wrote some of them in a matter of days (these are short novels, not short stories). He also wrote a Nebula winning novella, Behold the Man, about a man who travels back in time to see if there really was a Jesus. It's brilliant. He has written far too much for me to go into any real detail about his back catalogue, though.

 

Jack Vance was one of the early masters of fantasy, and you should definately check out his Dying Earth quartet (the Dying Earth, Eyes of the Overworld, Cugel's Saga, Rhialto the Marvellous). He has written a hell of a lot besides that though.

 

I think those are enough to get you all started.

[koboldin]

Ender's books...Orson Scott Card

The Diamond Age...Neal Stephenson

 

And what can I say?  I've read and enjoyed the Brain Herbert Dune series.

[Tyrell]

Tyrell wrote:

...if I don't look at the shelves too much I might manage to walk outta the shops with the earthsea quartet next time I have money to spend on books.

Isn't Earthsea a trilogy? Is there a fourth book that I missed? I read A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, and The Farthest Shore.

Also, judging by your username, I'm surprised you didn't mention A Song of Ice and Fire, or that anyone hasn't mentioned it so far. Maybe it's a given, like Lord of the Rings.

 

No I've not read A Song of Ice and Fire yet, is there a Tyrell in that? As far as I was aware I made up the name Tyrell years ago when I first started playing computer games like Diablo and Ultima Online - the RPG style games where you need to name your hero y'know?

 

You really shouldn't have mentioned that, I'm gonna go and pick up book 1 in A Song of Ice and Fire instead of the Earthsea Quartet now >.<

 

Yea I refer to the quartet and include Tehanu with the other three because they were released in one volume as "The Earthsea Quartet" I have read "The Other Wind" too, but I haven't been able to find "Tales from Earthsea" unfortunately.

[Gareth22]

A good series to read is the Deathgate Cycle by Margaret Weis/Tracy Hickman.  I believe it is 7 books long, and it is better (imo) than even their DL books.

 

That being said, the Dragonlance Books written by the above two are really good as well.

 

I also enjoy sci-fi as well, and one of my favorites authors is David Weber, and his Honor Harrington books.  Kinda like a Horatio Hornblower 5,000 years from now.

 

I know alot of people here despise him, but I think Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth series is really good. (However I do think that Terry Goodkind is rather pompous.  I get that opinion from some of the interviews I have read with him and other readers.)  My favorite is book 6, The Faith of the Fallen.  The last book of the series comes out this Tuesday (Nov. 13th) here in the states.

 

GRRM is very good as well.

 

Another trilogy that I really enjoyed is the Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey.  It is no epic, but still very enjoyable.

 

I actually just finished Dune for the fist time about 2 days ago. I enjoyed it as well.

 

Harry Turtledove's Darkness series is good.  Basically war in a fantasy world, but it reminds me alot of what I have read about WWII.

 

Question:  Does anyone know the name of the books/author about the order master/chaos master wizards?  It sounds bad, but I really enjoyed it, but can't remember title or author.  R L modesltr? or something.  

[dyring]

One author I really like is David Gemmel, and then mainly the books about the drenai. Sadly, he to passed away a few years ago, so no more books, but the ones he has written are great.

 

They are all standalone novels in the same world, and a there are a few charaters that appear in several books, mostly its new heroes in new books thou.

 

Recomended starting books would be Legend or Waylander. Legend is the first book he wrote, while Waylander is the book thats earliest in the worlds timeline.

All in all there is 6 or 7(can´t recall now) books in that world.

 

Then, a rather new author, Trudi Canavan, Her "the black magician trilogy" is good.

 

There is a swedish author, Niklas Krog who I quite enjoy. I´v just red him in swedish thou, and don´t know if its translated to english, but tbh, it should be. Its easily good enough.

 

Many years ago, I read "a man of his word" by Dave Duncan. I know I loved it at the time, but I suspect if I read it now it would feel like a very "simple" fantasy. Its quite standard get the magic item(or word in this case) to beat the big bad nemesis and save the girl. Some interesting twists thou i must say.

 

Lastly, one must mention Terry Pratchet and his special Fantasy comedy books. I just love Rincewind(from The Colour of magic and some others).

 

//dyring

 

 

 

 

[Harmless Bandit]

I am currently reading the first book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson (sp), and it's not bad actually, quite enjoyable.

[Master Ishamael]

The Prince of Nothing series by R. Scott Bakker is pretty good.  It is nice to read a series that is only 3 books long after reading an epic like WOT.  I am going to start reading either Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson or The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny.

[lou]

has noone read stephen donaldson's thomas covenant series? it is an old series, i know. worth the read though.

 

i read the black company series. i agree that glenn cook is a fragmented writer, it is good "hack and slash" lol

 

there are so many. i ran the gambit from A-Z years ago, but there are so many new writers, it becomes difficult to pick through the rabble. we should instead have a thread on authors in which to avoid.....

[Gentled Ben]

Lou, you're the first person I've met who's read Glen Cook, other than people to whom I've loaned the books.  I'm wading through his Instrumentalities of the Night series now. It's okay, I guess, but it's clear that he's read Martin since writing the Black Company. Introducing him to good high fantasy should make him a better author, but alas, he still cannot write a complete sentence unless it is simple.  :P As always, the tale is quick-paced and engaging nevertheless. I read the first four or five chronicles of Thomas Covenant, but I found I could not finish them. I loved the writing style, the world was vivid, the tale was original and imaginative, but Thomas Covenant himself, I could not stomach. The series was like one long horror that only got worse, and I could not stand Lindsay Avery either, so I put the series down back in 1988 or so. I saw at Barnes and Nobles the other day that he has revisited it; there are a few more books out. Maybe I'll try again now that I'm in a different place and time.

 

Mr. Ares, I've read a few of Moorcock's books. I read Elric, of course, but the book I enjoyed the most was about a man who traveled time courting the devil's daughter. I don't recall the title, but I thought it was a terribly fun story. I particularly enjoyed the California Islands...

 

Tyrell, there is a whole family of Tyrells in aSoIaF.  :)

 

[Tyrell]

My very own Dynasty :P

 

Another series I'm fond of is Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, though I've been wondering for a while what's the deal with books being released in the USA getting different covers and titles? Fr'instance the actual title of "the golden compass" is "The Northern Lights" and I recall that the first harry potter got a different title too. I've also seen alot of books I know with totally different covers in their US/North American releases. So yeah, what's going on here?

 

I'll add to Dyring's endorsement of Discworld and Pratchett in general, I do love his writing and satirical themes.

[animus]

Minnea - I've never heard of Guy Gavriel Kay, I'll have to look him up.

 

Mr. Ares - Harry Turtledove sounds like a Tim Powers sort of author. Are you familiar with him? I have his name on my list of books to read, but I haven't gotten to him yet. If you've read both should I put Turtledove first or Powers? And I didn't realize Song of Ice and Fire was an R.R. Martin book. I will definitely read that as I have a few of his books on my to read list. In fact, that might actually be the book. Its a big list. I also have the Moorcock book Gloriana on my list, and the Jack Vance book Lyonesse: Madouc.

 

Have you read Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norrell? It's an excellent book although not a series. Well, it is set up to contain three books in one, so maybe that counts.

 

Kolboldin - The Diamond Age is on my list, its good to see people with good comments on what I intend to read. The Enders series was pretty good, but parts of it got boring.

 

Gareth - Deathgate cycle is not on my list, I'll check it out. I read a Mercedes Lackey series but it was co-authored with someone else. Let me see...it was Andre Norton. The Halfblood chronicles. I liked it at the time but got tired of them never finishing it. I read it a long time ago and I still think the final book is yet to be released. Annoying.

 

The saga you are thinking of is The Saga Of Recluse by L.E. Modesitt I believe.

 

Dyring - I haven't heard of anything on your list save for the Discworld series. I will look your recommendations up too. And I will place them in my master list accordingly... Discworld is a fun read sometimes but there are a lot of books and I don't really feel like wasting time on them right now. I prefer Douglas Adams anyway. I do love the book Good Omens though, by Gaiman and Pratchett. Ringworld by Niven was good too.

 

Harmless - Erikson is on my list

 

Ishamael - Roger Zelazny - ...And Call Me Conrad and Lord of Light are on my list. Are either of those in The Amber Chronicles?

 

Lou - I will look into this Black Company series. I'm not sure about Thomas Covenant, maybe I will place it at the bottom of my list.

 

Ben - Thanks for the warning on Thomas Covenant. Figure out the title of that book ok? Thanks

 

Tyrell - Pullman sounds familiar. Again, I will look into it.

 

 

[Gentled Ben]

Ben - Thanks for the warning on Thomas Covenant. Figure out the title of that book ok? Thanks

I have not, but looking over a bibliography of his works, the Blood-Red Game rings a bell. Perhaps it was an Eternal Champion novel...

 

I do not mean to warn anyone away from Thomas Covenant; the story is incredible, it's simply that Thomas Covenant himself is an ass--he's an anti-hero, and a good enough one to dissuade me from finishing the tale. The story was not a horror; the story's HERO was. ;)

 

I read the Integral Trees and the Smoke Ring by Niven. I'm assuming that Ringworld is a part of that? Have any of you read David Brin, particularly some of the Uplift books? Those are pretty good, I think. I also like Phillip Jose Farmer, especially Riverworld. I started a series by Julian May that i would like to finish someday. It began with a book called Surveillance, and I read it through Jack the Bodiless, I believe. It was interesting...

 

Read the other things on your list first, before bothering with Glen Cook. The Black company is fun, and in fact, I really loved the tale (read all 9 books plus a stand-alone that wrapped up some loose ends), but it isn't great literature. You seem more geared towards high fantasy than fast-paced sword and sorcery adventure, but if you're up for a light read, go ahead and plow through the first three books (it begins with The Black Company); they can stand alone as a series even though there are 6 more. See if you like those at all first. ;) At any rate, Covenant is better-written than the Black Company, although I didn't want to strangle any of the Black Company characters.  :P

 

I own a copy of Gloriana, but I haven't read it yet. Should I? Darktower is next on my list at the moment.

*Ducks tomatoes thrown by all the Stephen King haters*

 

[animus]

I read the first three uplift novels, but I didn't read the second three yet. It was an incredible series, and I do plan to read the second trilogy sometime, but I wanted to try out some other authors first before I revisit that series. As for Philip Jose Farmer, I have read To Your Scattered Bodies Go, but I don't even know what the rest of the books in that series are, only that they exist. I've bought used copies of Downbelow Station by CJ Cherrah (sp?) and Waystation by Simak, so I should probably read those first...but I was so amazed with this Gene Wolfe series that I am looking for more along the same lines, which neither of those two books are.

[bjclinton]

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams is great- so is his new series. To date, two books have been released.

 

Also, any RA Salvatore book with Drizzt is excellent.

[Master Ishamael]

Animus

 

those two aren't in the amber chronicles.  The Amber chronicles include Nine Princes in Amber, The Guns of Avalon, Sign of the Unicorn, The Hand of Oberon, The Courts of Chaos, Trumps of Doom, Blood of Amber, Sign of Chaos, Knight of Shadows, and Prince of Chaos.