Stand alone fantasy novels...

[Aemon raHal]

Hi,

 

Heading on a few weeks holiday's to the sun soon, and would like to take a few stand alone fantasy (or sci-fi, why not!) novels or short trilogies with me.

 

Don't want to get into a big series or anything yet. I'm re-re-reading WOT at the mo in anticipation of TGS, but I'm hitting the Perrin books and don't want that baggage with me on holidays.

 

So, I'm planning on buying Mistborn 3 but I think I'll have it finished quickly enough (I've read all of Sanderson's books already, otherwise they would have been perfect to bring along)

 

Can anybody recommend any books or 2/3 book series?

Like David Gemmel style stuff (I've only read Legend and don't know any of his other books)

 

 

Thanks!!

 

 

[Barmacral]

Guy Gavriel Kay has a lot of stand-alones that would be good to take along. You might try Tigana or A Song for Arbonne by him.

[Sirayn]

For writers like David Gemmell you might check the entrants in this year's David Gemmell award. Since you asked for a standalone, my tip would be Joe Abercrombie's awe-inspiring Best Served Cold.

[Werthead]

BEST SERVED COLD is good, but I think it does add to the novel to have read the FIRST LAW TRILOGY (starting with THE BLADE ITSELF) first.

 

Other good stand-alones would be pretty much anything by China Mieville, but particularly PERDIDO STREET STATION, THE SCAR or UN LUN DUN.

 

Kay is a good choice, with TIGANA, A SONG FOR ARBONNE, THE LIONS OF AL-RASSAN and THE LAST LIGHT OF THE SUN all being great stand-alone novels.

 

For SF, Iain Banks' CULTURE novels (all stand-alones) are very good. CONSIDER PHLEBAS, PLAYER OF GAMES, USE OF WEAPONS or EXCESSION are all great starting points.

 

Alastair Reynolds is also very reliable. His best book is CHASM CITY, but REVELATION SPACE, THE PREFECT, PUSHING ICE or CENTURY RAIN are all good choices.

[Cadsuane]

If you'd like something light and funny, Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are all set in the same world, with many recurring main and supporting characters, but each novel is a stand alone plot, so you can pretty much start anywhere and stop anywhere.

[Phariah]

Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicle of Thonas Covenant series is 2 x 3 book series ( 6 books total )

Micheal Moorcock's Eternal Champ series is good

and if u want just something differant Graham Hancock's Fingerprint's of the God's is a good read it's a theology book

[Aemon raHal]

Thanks for all of your suggestions! Keep 'em comin'.

Going to look up some synopses now :)

 

 

Is Dune suitable for what I'm looking for? Or is it too detailed? Or will I want to pick up a sequel straight away?

 

 

[Barmacral]

Dune is a fairly long series which I thoroughly enjoyed, not really good for the short series you are looking for, definitely better when you want a big long epic story.

[Aemon raHal]

Thanks for the head's up.

Its going on my list of series for when tGS is done and dusted.

 

On Amazon at the mo, just added Mistborn 3 and The Sword in the Storm by Gemmell.

 

Gonna check all your suggestions now and see which ones I take today.

 

EDIT:

Joe Abercrombie's First Law series looks good.

Is it possible to go on holiday's without all 3 books? Is the 1se installment readable without the mad urge to read the 2nd one?

[Werthead]

Is it possible to go on holiday's without all 3 books? Is the 1se installment readable without the mad urge to read the 2nd one?

 

There isn't a cliffhanger or anything like that, although the storyline obviously continues. When I read it there were a couple of weeks between the two and that seemed fine.

 

DUNE actually works very well as a stand-alone. None of the sequels are as good as the first book anyway, though the second and third books are okay.