Please, I need help with a good series to start

[albino_dog]

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.

 

Congratulations, you convinced me. You got those two series a new client (reader).

[Lady Saravhem]

1.The Assassin triology, Liveship triology, and Tawny Man Triology by Robin Hobb. They need to be read in the order listed.

2. The books about Druss the Legend, Waylander, Jon Shanow, and the Reganti series by David Gemmell, or really just any thing by Gemmell he was great.

3. Sara Douglass has some great ones too like The Starman and the Dark Witch Series. Really just read anything by her too.

4. All The Dragon Riders of Pern books by Anne MacCaffery.

5. David Eddings was serval good series.

6. And if you like history (these are not fantasy books mind you) you can read Robert Jordon's  own Fallon Family triology - warning these books contain some what explict sexual content- their not extrmely graphic but he definately lets you you know what was going on in enough detail.

7. Oh yeah I just read book one of the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson, I like it a lot, but I must say I liked his stand alone novel Elantris better. He's very good.

8. There's The series of books about Rhapsody by Elizabeth Haydon (I think thats her name) they were pretty good.

9. Jennifer Fallon's got like 3 or 4 good series out.

10. And if you like the supernatural and paranormal Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles ( the first 3 are the best) and the Mayflower Witches Chronilces are good.

 

Anyway I hope these suggestions help you, and sorry I was so long winded but I love to talk books and recommind good reads to people. Right about know your probably thinking I wish this crazy woman never saw my post. :P Happy reading.

[Master Norry]

Thanks a lot, people. For... what, 2 years... I haven't read any good, new series (of couse i read tWoT a couple of times, but you cant always stick to that :P), and now I bought ASoIaF. I can't believe it: I love it.

 

Thanks

 

 

(I especially like the Daenerys-storyline)

[LedZepMan]

I havent read quite as much as the above posters lol, but phillip pullman has another trilogy besids His Dark Material, that I read six or seven years back, not sure on the series name, but one of the books ( the middle one i believe) is titled Tiger in the Well, based in the late 1800s i believe, was totally riveting. The Dark Tower is always a good choice, if you like life after the apocalypse type stories. The Thorn Sorrow, and the last sword ( cant remember the name, other than it is called Minnyear, or the like) is awesome. Read it in seventh grade and keep re reading it every few years. The first two series from Terry Brooks were good, The Voyage trilogy was alright, and the Tanequil series just sucked to me. But you should go with the first two. What I am suprised to see, (maybe I missed it) was the lack of mention to Salvatores Drizzt. The first three series, I think were awesome. And the Sellswords. It was nice to get away from Drizzt, and move along to Jarlaxle and Entriri. All in all, there are totally kick ass series out there, ( albeit not even close to as awesome as WoT ) that deserve a good read through. Just do what I do, pick one up, and go from there.  ;D

[Mr Ares]

The Thorn Sorrow, and the last sword ( cant remember the name, other than it is called Minnyear, or the like) is awesome.

Would Memory, Sorrow and Thorn be the series you're thinking of? By Tad Williams?

[wite wo1f]

I do seem to be in the minority, but I happened to really enjoy Terry Goodkind's books. (though I do agree that he was graphic for no reason at some parts.) In fact my favorite book was Faith of the Fallen, which was I think the 5th book in the series. Also I am going to disagree with someone else and say that Fallen Angels was a very enjoyable book, though I think that all of L.E. Modesitt books are good.

 

One series that I don't think was mentioned yet was the Dune series. Though it is sci-fi so you may not be into that Dune is absolutely one of the best books written. Some dislike those written after Frank Herbert died I also enjoyed his son Brian Herbert's books in the same universe.

 

Also Terry Brooks is a very good author who wrote Sword of Shannara ( a good book but with too much taken from the LotR trilogy) and also the Wishstones of Shanarra (this was a fairly unique story and also one of my favorite books).

 

Also I would like to reiterate the Kingkiller chronicles as being a good book. Unfortunately there are still books being written in that series but as a fan of the WoT you should be used to waiting.

[Majsju]

Since no one else did it, I have to toss in my usual recommendation, J.V. Jones. Her ongoing series, Sword Of Shadows is one of the better series out there. Book 4 was finished this summer, and could, with a bit of luck, be released later this year. She also has a finished trilogy, Book Of Words, that takes place in the same world as Sword Of Shadows.

 

[Nightstrike]

J V Jones, G R R Martin, Dan Simmons, G G Kay, Tad Williams, Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss are among those that I would recommend.

 

Mervyn Peake (Gormenghast) isn't like the usual kind of fantasy. No real magic. But I would recommend it anyway.

[EramofAmandous]

I do seem to be in the minority, but I happened to really enjoy Terry Goodkind's books. (though I do agree that he was graphic for no reason at some parts.) In fact my favorite book was Faith of the Fallen, which was I think the 5th book in the series

 

I agree. It seems there is alot of hate on here of TG, seems some ppl like to shit on him for the hell of it, but I'm not here to defend him, he's a big boy. Faith of the Fallen was my favorite of the books. I have read them just as much a WoT.

 

Everything by Sanderson that I have read (and I've read all his adult novels) have been really good. Raymond Fiest is....ok. The Chronicles of Amber by Zelzany are really good as well. Dragonlance good also, (Tas is one of my atf characters).

[darminian]

Well, this wont meet your original question but I recommend this book to everyone because of the elements it has.  The Count of Monte Cristo (by Alexandre Dumas)is an excellent book with great character development, detail and intricate plot line.  You may think its short at only one book, but its around 1500 pages so it will take a bit to read at least.  I have read this book over 12 times in the last four years since i enjoy it so much.  Make sure you get an UNABRIGED VERSION and also that it is a good translation.  Some translations are very short because much of the detail is not brought into the translation.  The Modern Library Classics is a good translation.  While not fantasy, its is a very engaging read and i think you would enjoy it.

 

For the fantasy, I would recommend

GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire

Sanderson's Mistborn, and his new standalone book Warbreaker

STAY AWAY from goodkind, he is boring, unless you wanna just read the first book and stop there.

I also enjoyed Raymond Fiests Riftwar Series, starting with Magician: Apprentice, but was not as good as the other i mentioned.

 

Hope that helps!

[Mr Ares]

Also Terry Brooks is a very good author

He's not. He's really not. You might enjoy reading him, but he is not a good author.

 

Also I would like to reiterate the Kingkiller chronicles as being a good book.

Name of the Wind? Quite good, but not spectacular. Very much a set-up book, so the plot is a little thin. We'll see if Wise Man's Fear is any good.

[Yorkie]

Raymond E Feist - Love his work, especially his earlier works.

David Gemmell - Has some good books

Bernard Cornwell - Has some good historical settings - The Warlord Chronicles is highly recomended eveb if you dont like history :D

 

[Corki]

Nobody has mentioned the Green Rider series by Kristen Britain?? I absolutely love this series - it has great characters, and has a good pace to it. The only downside is the wait in between books - 3 books in 11 years, and who knows when book 4 is out. The books are, in order:

 

1. Green Rider

2. First Rider's Call

3. High King's Tomb (which I am re-reading after finishing it today!)

[katarina]

"The Quickening"- Fiona McIntosh

"The Trinity"- Fiona McIntosh

"The Axis Trilogy"- Sara Douglass

everything by David Eddings and Jennifer Fallon

[Jameric]

Goodkind is alright, but as people have said above it is best to do one of two things. If you read them, only read the first one and go no farther ever. Treat that book as the beginning and end of the series. It is a great read.

 

If you are the type that has to finish something once they started stay away. The series has its high points and alot of lows, and Goodkind tries to browbeat his own way of life into you, which would be fine if he only hit on it a couple of times in the series but turns later in a very re-occuring theme.

 

Sanderson, I highly recommend Elantris as to me it is probably his best book to date.

 

Martin I am not much of a fan of, and if I had a time machine I would of told myself to stay away from, but that is more of a personal preference.

[Phariah]

Eternal Champion series by Micheal Moorcock

Elric series by M. Moorcock

Dragonlance series is a easy read but fun series

the prequals Soulforge and Brothers in Arms by Margaret Weis are great

Dune series

Thomas Covenant series by Stephen R. Donaldson

[EramofAmandous]

I could never finish the Thomas Covenant Series because I hated that character so much. Although if I had leprosy I would whine alot too.

[Thorum]

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!).

 

Only problem: Martin seems to have lost the hang of this series. I don't believe it will ever get finished by him. Not even Dragons, I fear :'(. A wonderful series, but incomplete.

[Werthead]

Only problem: Martin seems to have lost the hang of this series. I don't believe it will ever get finished by him. Not even Dragons, I fear :'(. A wonderful series, but incomplete.

 

ADWD is, at the moment, hovering somewhere around the 95% completion mark. I anticipate a completion announcement by Christmas at the latest, but it could come sooner.

 

As for the rest, anything is possible. New Mexico could get flattened by an asteroid tomorrow. But otherwise the series will be done. I certainly wouldn't expect the final two books quickly, 3-5 years each (so the same as every single other book in the series bar the third one), but barring unforseen circumstances or the series expanding further (which is doubtful because of the HBO deal), it will be done.

[Thorum]

ADWD is, at the moment, hovering somewhere around the 95% completion mark. I anticipate a completion announcement by Christmas at the latest, but it could come sooner.

Same place it was when I read those books. Which is about 18 months ago.

[Dert]

 

As other poster have said,  The First Law, ASOIAF, Dune <the first 3 books I'd say are a must read>, Gentlmen Bastards are all great series. So as to offer something different

 

Try the

 

"Black company" by Glen Cook, decent trilogy which expands into a series.  The first part is available as an omnibus addition.  However the last time I checked the second sequence of books was out of print.

 

"Orcs" by stan Nicholas was also good fun. Approach it as a fun little triolgy. 

 

I am not keen on Fiest later book series, but the first 3 riftwar books, and the 4 serpent war books were pretty good.  Just stay off the later stuff.

 

If you fancy a bit of sci-fi. 

 

Neal ashers "The Skinner" and it's follow-up "The Voyage of Sable Keech" are entertaining.

 

Richard Morgans "Altered Carbon", "Broken Angels", "Woken Furies" . There sort of post-cyberpunk noir type books. Good reads.

 

 

An a sort of guilty pleasure for me,  Lee Childs, Jake reacher novels. There pretty standard modern crime thrillers, you know the heros going to kill the baddies, and have great sex with any female who says more than 2 words to him. Still good fun though.

[Aeos]

Some people like it, some people don't, but I will always like J.V. Jones "The Baker's Boy" <-- First book, can't remember the name of the second off the top of my head, and "The Master and Fool" <-- Third book.

 

It is deep, very gory in a not so spoken way, and kind of crude in a sexual way. This is not a series for young people, much more adult.

[Nightstrike]

Yeah, that's the first series by J V Jones. The second one is set in the same world, but to the north. The first one (trilogy) is a good read (highly recommended).  The second one is truly splendid, but not a finished series. Very highly recommended. RJ recommended her also. Try her!

 

 

[Murphy3]

Some authors I'd check out are:

Tolkein

Terry Brooks

Morgan Llywelyn

Tad Williams

John R. Erickson (a guitly pleasure from my youth in west Texas)

David Drake (great characterization but sometime struggles with plot)

 

 

[whitetrash]

Eldon Thompson

Terry Brooks

Glen cook (black Company series)