I Have High-Standards and I'd Like o Recommend THIS Little-Known Fantasy Series!

[The Fisher King]

EDIT: I wonder if WERT knows about this series lol! ;) ... Anyways...

 

I just wanted to make this recommendation to my fantasy series - loving pals here! :)

 

It was written by Glen Cook who also wrote the unrelated (though also solid) Black Company novels.

 

It was written in the 70s and 80s and is hard to find but CAN be found on ebay, occasionally Amazon and in used bookstores. I recently found some books from years ago at my parents house when I was over there rifling around through old stuff and I came back across the books.

 

Despite its age, and despite the fact that it IS admittedly a difficult find, I still wonder why this series (along with Company) never gets recommended to ASOIAF/WOT Lovers the same way Feist, Erickson, Bakker, Hobb, Rawn, Lynch and others do...maybe its because, due do its age, and it being out before this 'Information-Age', most people (even ardent fantasy lovers) have never heard of it.

 

I remember being blown away by them and by the maturity level of them and how ahead of their time I felt (And still feel) they are.

 

The name of the series is The Dread Empire series.

 

It is several novels long (YAY!) has excellent prequels and is COMPLETE (YAY!!!)

 

In terms of tone and theme its more comparable to Martin...Very grown-up, graphic and intense. Military plots are frequent too, but not as heavy-handed as say, Black Company...If you enjoyed The Siege of Crydee in riftwar or any elements of Deadhouse Gates or Black Company, you will dig this. But again, the military aspect is not the MAIN deal...Political Intrigue is prevalent...anguish, tragedy and betrayal among many core characters also prevail. One thing I liked was that people in this series were actually real FRIENDS with others (think Robert and Eddard in GOT)...

 

Actions have consequences...things from earlier novels are not forgotten and characters actually LEARN from their mistakes lol!!!

 

There is indeed magic, but it is subtle and used smartly and consistently and kept in the background much of the time.

 

Characterization is excellent and deep...there’s a character named Braggi that is spookily reminiscent of Ned Stark.

 

If you like lighter fiction in fantasy like Pratchett or more innocent fantasy like Eddings, you may not enjoy Dread Empire...if Rawn or Martin or Hobb has held your fancy, I think you'd really like it.

 

Here is one link I would like to provide you to check it out:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Cook#Dread_Empire

 

My bottomline is that these novels are a good balance of magic, royal families, military plots, political intrigue and gritty, realistic human-interaction with each other thorugh adult, complex friendships, marriages and family relationshios

 

I hope yall enjoys! :)

 

 

Fish

 

 

[Karana Majin]

Thanks!  This actually sounds pretty good and I am always looking for new stuff to read.

[The Fisher King]

Hi there, Karan Majin!

 

Thanks for the response! :) … I remember coming across these books years ago (before Martin, Hobb and the wonderful Dragon Prince Author Melanie Rawn) and I was at that time veeeeery frustrated by the fact that all fantasy seemed to be geared to lighthearted themes and younger readers. While I loved The Belgariad by Eddings, (and still do), I grew up.

 

Though Mr Jordan’s WOT is not as brutally graphic as ASOIAF, Jordan's WOT in terms of deep characterization, complexity of plots and world-scope really impressed me, and still does.

 

Then I read A Game of Thrones. To me, WOT and ASOIAF will always be tied for first in my heart. I see them as different approaches, but not one as ‘better’ than the other.

 

Melanie Rawn’s Dragon Prince series is maybe my third favorite. Almost as graphic as Martin (though ‘Graphic’ is certainly no requirement for me) and that series really opened my eyes…Loved the characters…The pure and unrelenting anguish that Hobb put Fitz through did it too…while depressing as all, it showed me the levels of writing of personal tragedy that could be accomplished by a talented author.

 

Anyway, I found Dread Empire early on after reading The Belgariad and Xanth and some Pratchett and it blew me away

 

In terms of scope, grittiness and theme I would put Dread Empire maybe a couple of levels above Feist and one very very small level below Martin.

 

Let us know if you find it and like it!

 

 

Fish

 

[Werthead]

Heard of it, never read it. Glen Cook was not published in the UK until last year.

[The Fisher King]

You should check it out, Wert!

 

(Lot of politics, military stuff, court-intrigue, subtle sorcery and human angst)

 

 

Fish

[randalthorr]

Am currently reading Crown of Stars. Thought Ill start this after finishing COS off, but the local library doesnt have it. But they do have the Black Company series. Would you recommend it?

[The Fisher King]

I would recommend it depending on what you want from your Fantasy Reading.

 

Its not Epic-Scope and it is told from First Person POV. (This irritates some folks, but not others).

 

It is narrow in Focus. What is that Focus, then? Well, it is mainly gritty military campaigns and alot of the travelling around of certain army-type groups.

 

The characters are much deeper than you might think at first glance and that is a tough trick as an author sometimes when you use FP POV.

 

If you enjoy Travelling, Military Campaigns, Gritty Realism and a Very Subtle (though excellent, imo) Use of Magic...you will LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it.

 

 

Fish