Please, I need help with a good series to start

[jefferson james]

Hello all,

 

I have been reading WOT for 15 years.  It was the first fantasy series and the only that I have read.  I am in desperate need to get myself involved in another series but have no clue what i should start.  I spent 3 hours today in the book store just staring at the vast options.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Im just nervous about starting something new and not have it be as good as WOT.  Something with great character developement would be wonderful.............Thanks!

[Mr Ares]

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. The books are A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows. With a bit of luck, A Dance With Dragons will be released later this year as well. It is good, some might even say it was better than Wheel of Time (BLASPHEMY!). It certainly has great character development. One of the best fantasy series there is. It's pretty much the default recommendation....why are you still reading this post and not going out to buy it?

 

I would also recommend: Prince of Nothing by R. Scott Bakker;

First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie;

The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan;

Second Sons trilogy by Jennifer Fallon;

and, if you have time, Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.

[Werthead]

Seconded for A Song of Ice and Fire.

 

If waiting for another series to finish (and ASoIaF has another three books to go and Martin takes 3-4 years between each book, although Book 5 will hopefully be out later this year) is too much stress then I would recommend Joe Abercrombie's FIRST LAW TRILOGY (starts with The Blade Itself), which is complete but with another book in the same world due out later this year.

 

Both series are very good, but they're also a bit more adult than Jordan and don't pull as many punches. For something a bit closer in tone to Jordan, I'd say that Kate Elliott's CROWN OF STARS series (seven books, starts with King's Dragon, is already finished) or Tad Williams' MEMORY, SORROW AND THORN series (four books, starts with The Dragonbone Chair, is already finished) may be worth a look as well.

[Kadere]

There are lots of threads on this already, and there are tons of options to choose from.

 

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams

Otherland by Tad Williams

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams

The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelzney

The Chronicles of Dune by Frank Herbert

The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss

The Gentleman Bastard Sequence by Scott Lynch

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (if you haven't read this for some reason yet, start here)

 

Besides that, I absolutely agree with Mr Ares, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin is the place to start.

[jefferson james]

Thanks,

 

I went out and got the first book by George Martin and read a few chapters.  I think I will like it a lot.

[42Bonzo88]

    The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Seven Books, 4 setting the stage and 3 bringing it all together.

[Kivam]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Pat Rothfuss' Name of the Wind or Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard sequence (The Lies of Locke Lamorra and Red Sea Under Red Skies)

[Kadere]

I named both. The Kingkiller Chronicles and The Gentlemen Bastard Sequence.

[Kivam]

I named both. The Kingkiller Chronicles and The Gentlemen Bastard Sequence.

 

fine, be that way  ;D

[Kaznen]

The Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

 

I am not a big fan of GRRM.  aSoIaF has been so frustrating for me.

[Vambram]

With my highest recommendations, let me say that Steven Erickson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series is my SECOND favorite fantasy series. To me, it is far and above better than anything that George R.R. Martin has EVER done.

[mnwhiterose]

One of my favorite series has to be The Black Jewels Trilogy, however it is more adult-themed.  The author is Anne Bishop and I think she does a fantastic job with creating her world.  Another good series is the Heralds of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey.  Most of her series is divided into trilogies focusing on different times in her world's history and centers around 1 or 2 main characters.

[Dark Justice]

There is also "Sword of Truth" by Goodkind....  ;D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just joking. Seriously. Stay away from it. Do not waste any time at all even considering it....  ;)

[Graendals favourite]

It is has been a long time since I read these, but of things not mention here:

I did read C.J. Cherryh's Fortress in the Eye of Time, which I quite liked, though I forgot it and only now remembered since there wasn't any sequals to the series at the time.

I also found L.E Modesitt's Jr.'s order and chaos series quite interesting, though it wasn't the most exciting.

 

*I don't know how Werthead would consider these.

[Werthead]

Never read Cherryh. I've only managed to finish one of Modesitt's books, Fallen Angels, which was okay. Everything else of his I've tried I've really struggled with. The SF/Fantasy crossover stuff is interesting, but done better and more elegantly (although wizards hurling fireballs at space marines is kind of cool) by other writers like Scott Bakker.

[Goramier]

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin.

 

I'm gunna check that one out. Sounds good. Should I start with the prequels or the first book in the series as published?

[Kadere]

I'd say just start with AGoT. That's where the real story begins, and it's awesome. Hedge Knight and Sworn Sword are great, but they take place so long before the real story that they're better afterwards. Nothing in HK or SS really affects the main series, so you wouldn't miss anything skipping them.

[mnwhiterose]

Why is it that I didn't know there was a 2nd prequel to ASoIaF?  Dude.....I need to get on board.  Where is Sword Sworn published?

[Kadere]

Legends II. There's also a graphic novel of it.

[Werthead]

Yeah, the LEGENDS situation in the USA is a bit screwed up. LEGENDS, which has The Hedge Knight in it, is printed in three or four separate volumes in the paperback editions (LEGENDS Vol 1, LEGENDS Vol 2 etc). So is LEGENDS II, which has The Sworn Sword in it (LEGENDS II Vol 1, LEGENDS II Vol 2), just to make life unnecessarily complicated.

 

You can also get The Hedge Knight prose story in DREAMSONGS Volume II, a collection of George RR Martin's short fiction. And as mentioned earlier both The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword are now available as collected graphic novel adaptions from the Dabel Brothers.

 

There is also a third story, The Mystery Knight, which will be published in a new anthology called WARRIORS, due out next February from Tor.

[vainebekonnes]

Ahh, Goodkind isn't that bad if you don't mind "epic" low fantasy with an obvious political axe to grind that isn't all that well written and the point the author wanted to make is done halfway through the series so he's on cruise control for the rest of the time trying to milk as much money as he possibly can out of the series by drawing it out.  Oh yeah, and it's graphic for the point of being graphic, rather than being graphic for the point of being realistic like the much superior ASoIaF series.  Basically, if you too pleasure yourself to Atlas Shrugged every night before bed (like Terry Goodkind must), you might find some enjoyment in the Sword of Truth series.

 

Regarding L.E. Modesitt Jr's Recluce series, it's not all a mixture of Sci-Fi and Fantasy.  Only a couple of the books that take place early in the timeline are.  Most of the books aren't that exciting, but can be very interesting.  The books focus more on the development of the characters in situations they aren't used to as they learn about their abilities and the ever growing (from book to book) theory of chaos and order in the world.  Basically, if you are interested in books centered around an abnormal system of magic and the meta-theory of said magic as well as character development (for two books at the most, they jump around in the timeline a lot) then you might enjoy the books.  If you are looking for an adventure, they are not the best books to look towards.

[cfin5256]

I have seen some great recommendations so far. I would second the Tad Williams, especially the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series. I would also recommend the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay, and Terry Brooks Shannara series.

 

Goodkind was ok for the first few books, but eventually lost me. I've had no desire to finish the series at all.

[Alanna]

Just to add my two cents:

 

The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher

The Belgariadseries and The Mallorean series by David Eddings

The Elenium series and The Tamuli series by David Eddings

The Twelve Houses books by Sharon Shinn

The Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz

The Hythrun Chronicles by Jennifer Fallon (and its prequel trilogy)

 

I never read Goodkind, although I think I have one of his book somewhere on a shelf in my room *g*  I could never get past the first few pages for some reason, and now I hear so many conflicting opinions about it I don't know if it's worth the read.

[Graendals favourite]

Hopefullly Werthead will give us his impressions in Cherryh, but for anyone consindering reading Goodkind, I think I can safely recommend reading her, even if she might seem a disappearing author. I think I'll give her second book a go, though I must admit I still have Jones' books before that.

[LZD]

Harry Potter!? F that. If you want easy reading and a great story read Dragonlance. Start with the first 3