Other good reads while we wait.

[ceknight78]

I'm wondering if anyone has any solid book or author recommendations while we wait for the final book? I have a few of my own suggestions. Also, it doesn't have to be in the fantasy/sci-fi line. A great historical or linguistics or foreign read is also welcome.

 

Here are a couple of my own.

 

Steven Erikson's A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series is amazing. In my own opinion.

Anyways, the first book is titled Gardens of the Moon. If you're an American (like I am), do NOT buy the American version, break down and buy the version that was released in the U.K. In fact, do it for all of the books in that series, since you can buy the first 6 there and only the first 4 here.

 

George R.R. Martin Songs of Fire and Ice. Book 1 - A Game of Thrones

 

Tad Williams - Otherland series

 

Stephen King's Dark Tower series

 

Bill Bryson - The Mother Tongue and Made in America. He has others but I haven't had a chance yet.

 

Brian Lumley - The Necroscope novels. An excellent horror series

 

Stephen Donaldson - The Gap series - book 1 - The Real Story

 

Those are just a few though I could offer more. Anyone else?

 

Best,

 

Chris[/u]

[Kadere]

You should probably take a look at the two "recommended authors" threads in General Discussions.

[Guest cwestervelt]

I wouldn't put Marin's "Song of Ice and Fire" on any recommended reading list I was putting together. I have the books and have read the first 3. Haven't gotten to the 4th yet as I wasn't very impressed by the first 3. The only reason I picked it up was because I had invested the time into reading the others. It took a couple attempts to even get through the first book in the series. By the end of that book, it was hard to determine what his real story was about. Ultimately, the second book felt like filler as the third undid everything that went before. By the end of the 3rd book, he had killed off half of his main characters and apparently decided to go back to a story line that he abandoned after the first 10 or so pages of the first book. There is no cohesion within the series.

 

Tad Williams, Otherland series was an involving and interesting series. You could probably say anything by Tad Williams but I've never read Tailchaser's Song.

[Luckers]

George RR Martins series has to be the next best fantasy series out there, next to the Wheel.

[Guest cwestervelt]

Each to his own.

[the dude]

Hobb. Just, Hobb.

 

Oh, and Conan.

[Illiara]

I don't know if you've ever read it, but the Symphony of Ages series by Elizabeth Haydon is pretty good. First book is title Rhapsody.

[ceknight78]

I've seen the series but have never picked them up. I'll keep them in mind. Thanks. Also, another author I forgot, but highly recommend is Michelle West, the Sacred Hunt duology and the Sun Sword series ( 6 books), and the final part of this epic has yet to be completed, the series will be called House War I believe, or perhaps that will be the title of the first book in the series. She also writes under Michelle Sagara, however, I have not read any books under that name.

[Jinjurluv]

My second most favorite series after the WoT is by Piers Anthony, called The Magic of Xanth. I think the series is actually classified under Young Adult reading, but I thought the books were amusing and very entertaining as they're full of puns. I only recommend reading the first 8 or 9 books of the series, they start drifting from the original storyline too much for me after that. Quick reads but very well worth it in my opinion.

[Kadere]

Tad Williams' date=' Otherland series was an involving and interesting series. You could probably say anything by Tad Williams but I've never read [u']Tailchaser's Song[/u].

 

Tailchaser's Song is pretty fantastic. It's like Dante's Inferno with cats. I would also have to agree whole heartedly that anything by Tad is worth the time. Especially Otherland and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. Caliban's Hour is hard to find, but if you can (or get it online) it's very good, and the same with Child of an Ancient City is really good too. War of Flowers isn't quite as climactic as his other books, but still a good read. And Shadowmarch is like M, S, and Th plus ASoIaF plus your worst nightmares. It's really good, but the second book won't be out till next year.

 

Basically anything by Tad is worth the time. I've read all of it, and he was my favorite fantasy author until I read WoT.

 

Of course I will also HIGHLY recommend A Song of Ice and Fire, C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy, and Brian Jacques Redwall Chronicles.

[Taymist]

I'd highly recommend Katherine Kerr's books and also Patricia Keneally Morrison's Keltiad series (you may have to pick this up through Amazon as its not easy to get in book shops here, dunno about US.

Tay

[vikingdriver]

I finished reading Anne McAffreys "Dragons of Pern" series before I started with WoT. At first I thought that I would not be able to get into it as it had that sense of the proverbial "kids book" but it turned out to be a major WOW! her books, as I read them left me asking questions, many questions in fact, and as I plowed on I noticed what seemed or felt like a timing issue. A hit and miss, and then a oops need to write another to explain book. after reading the whole series as was published I did notice that it had both rhyme and reason in why she chose to unfold her story in such an unorthodox fashion. ther are 15 books to this story and if your into Fantasy then it is a must read. nearly every question that I had was answered and the ones that were not, didn't really matter I'm retired and I highly recommend this story to read.

[loki redfern]

i just got the lies of locke lamora today (another book, it's an illness i know, i'll stop soon i promise) first few pages seem good

[Guest Chaldkydri]

The Faded Sun Trilogy The omnibus edition

by C.J. Cherryh