I need something epic

[Jon Paul]

I need something epic to read. Something as massive as the Wheel of Time to sink my teeth into. I've read A Song of Ice and Fire, I've read the Malazan Book of the Fallen and I've read Tolkien's works. I've read a little Robin Hobb (though I read Assassin's Apprentice in an afternoon, so she isn't big enough for me), some Abercrombie, some Feist, some Wurts, wont read Stephen Donaldson or King.

 

I am open to reading science fiction as long as it's not.. well.. science-y. I'm fantasy at heart you see and I don't care how a quantum plasma cannon works. As long as it blow's stuff up then that's all I need to know.

 

So, any recommendations?

[balefired-ed2]

How about the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams? Pretty good, already completed, last volume needed to be split into two books in paperback.

[Ithillian Turambar]

Its a shame you are dead set against Stephen Donaldson - I don't like a lot of his books, I find my eyes just sliding all over the page and his characters generally just don't grab me. That being said, I would recommend the Mordant's Need Duology - which is a whole other level of writing to his usual stuff. It is more fantasy and is full of life and colour - its just a lot more 'real'. I've always thought it truly epic and it has a great magic system.

 

Another series I have always like is the Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay. This is a trilogy and has some great ordinary/magic world cross over.

[Kara]

Patrick Rothfuss is the author. Fisrt 2 books of a 3 book series are out. You wont be sorry!

 

Not epic in terms of size, just story telling.

[Jon Paul]

Thanks for the recommendations so far! Keep them coming! I've been to the book store just now and picked up some manga, Dune and Don Quixote to see me through until I can get to Amazon. I've been recommended Gene Wolfe as well. Couldn't find him/her in the store though. Any good?

 

Edit: I also picked up some stock fantasy, Gail Z. Martin and Rowena Cory Daniells.

 

Its a shame you are dead set against Stephen Donaldson

 

I wont read him after reading Thomas Covenant rape a girl. Same reason I wont read King after the disgusting scene scene in It.

[Hybrid]

Rothfuss is fantastic, but his story focuses on a single character. (Not a bad thing, but I don't know how you define epic.)

 

Paul Kearney's Monarchies of God series is good, but difficult to find.

 

Guy Gavriel Kay is very good as well, though he does more standalone novels than series. The ones I've read and enjoyed were Tigana, Last Light of the Sun, and Under Heaven.

 

Note that the above two (Kearney and Kay) fall under "historical fantasy" in that their stories are set in historical analogues.

 

Memory, Sorrow, Thorn is also really solid.

 

Also, I've heard that Bakker is great (but very dark and bleak), but I haven't had the chance to try him yet.

 

If I had to recommend one of these, I'd pick Rothfuss.

[jahnfriederik]

I still think Robin Hobb (all 9 books) is pretty epic.. also much more personal, much greater depth to the characters, than even RJ could achieve (just because of the size of the cast). The middle trilogy in particular is massive, although tbh I love the third one. I love it so much I would probably choose it over WoT if I had to pick, despite it's stunted size in comparison. It's just pure emotion. Don't know if that even makes sense, but it is.

[Jon Paul]

Also, I've heard that Bakker is great (but very dark and bleak), but I haven't had the chance to try him yet.

 

I've read a bit of Bakker. I need to get around to finishing The Prince of Nothing. But at times I'd rather be reading Aquinas !

[Blackhoof]

I recommend Dan abnett. he writes sci-do novels based on the warhammer 40000 universe. 40k is usually a tabletop wargame but you do not need to know the fluff before reading. He also isn't very sciency about it and their are psychic powers as well

[Jon Paul]

I've pretty much got the entire Black Library publication Blackhoof , I'm working my way through Ian Watson's Space Marine (I'm a Dorn fan-boy!).

[Guest kjsoccerdude]

You should try out Raymond E. Feist.

 

He has written quite few books. They all take place within the same world but over the period of a few hindered years. He wrote them in series' of 3 or 4 books at a time but they share lots of the same characters. Some of the characters live through all the books because of magic and what not while others come and go and their children and new characters are introduced. I believe there are around 25 books so far in the grand series as a whole.

 

First book was originally really long and they split it into two books. Magician: Apprentice is the first one I believe.

 

EDIT: missed the part in your fist post where you said you had read some, but you should try it from the beginning. It really is a great set of books.

[Jon Paul]

EDIT: missed the part in your fist post where you said you had read some, but you should try it from the beginning. It really is a great set of books.

 

I tried Magician but it just didn't catch me enough to want to finish the series. I did enjoy his Daughter of the Empire trilogy with Wurts though (which inspired me to read both their independent works).

[mockeryjones]

You said you were open to science fiction as long as it is not to sciencey correct?

 

OK these series will fit the bill

 

Epic Space Opera Series

 

Nights Dawn Trilogy - Peter F Hamilton (A stunning work that is amazingly broad and is more of a epic future fantasy than a classic science fiction story. I would say this series and the Commonwealth and Void Series by the same author are the sci fi equivalent of Jordan's WOT Masterpiece. I can't recommend these series highly enough)

 

Lost Fleet Series - Jack Campbell (Epic Military Sci Fi Tale about a space fleet trapped deep in enemy territory, not on the same level as Hamilton but still worth a read)

 

Ender Series - Orson Scott Card (Another stunning work that cannot be overvalued)

 

Entire and The Rose Series - Kay Kenyon (Another world building effort worth reading, not quite as classic as the above but incorporates as much of an epic fantasy feel as it does sci fi)

 

anyway there are plenty more out there. I would say the Hamilton Stuff is the best of the best.

[Jon Paul]

There's a lot of Hamilton at the local, which is a good sign. I'll pick him up next week along with Wolfe.

[Vinny]

I need something epic to read. Something as massive as the Wheel of Time to sink my teeth into. I've read A Song of Ice and Fire, I've read the Malazan Book of the Fallen and I've read Tolkien's works. I've read a little Robin Hobb (though I read Assassin's Apprentice in an afternoon, so she isn't big enough for me), some Abercrombie, some Feist, some Wurts, wont read Stephen Donaldson or King.

 

I am open to reading science fiction as long as it's not.. well.. science-y. I'm fantasy at heart you see and I don't care how a quantum plasma cannon works. As long as it blow's stuff up then that's all I need to know.

 

So, any recommendations?

 

Dune / Dune Messiah / Children of Dune (Frank Herbert)

 

Shadow Moon / Shadow Dawn / Shadow Star (George Lucas & Chris Claremont)

 

Dorsai Saga (Gordon R. Dickson)

 

Elric Saga (Michael Moorcock)

 

War & Peace (not fantasy but provides the same pleasures)

 

Titus Groan / Gormenghast

 

The Iliad / Odyssey / Aeneid

 

1,2 Samuel, 1,2 Kings

[Jon Paul]

Dune / Dune Messiah / Children of Dune (Frank Herbert)

 

I've just recently finished Dune and have Dune Messiah in the mail.

 

Elric Saga (Michael Moorcock)

 

I intensely dislike Moorcock.

[Dashaan Vorsharn (MK_Kupa)]

I've got quite a build up of books to read becasue i've pledged myself to to read anything till I read Memory of light but I might recomend, Russell Kirckpatric: The Broken Man. I've read the prologue and seen the MASSIVELY detaied world map in the cover and it looks epic.

[Suttree]

Scott Lynch, The Gentlemen Bastard Sequence, starting with "Lies of Locke Lamora".

 

Also give Bakker another shot. The White Luck Warrior was the best fantasy novel I've read this year and that includes Dance with Dragons!

[Rufae]

Ender's Game (series) by Orson Scott Card and edited by RJ's Harriett is awesome

 

Foundation by Asimov is good.

[Ogrelin]

Semper Mars: Book One of the Heritage Trilogy

 

http://www.amazon.com/Semper-Mars-Book-Heritage-Trilogy/dp/0380788284/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

 

9 books in 3 trilogies... I'll re-read them someday :)

[Asha'Dude]

If you want to read a Politicalesque Epic fantasy book series that really makes you think, Try the Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind. (Yes I'm a Goodkindian, big whoop.)It's Eleven books long and pretty well thought out in my opinion. And even though you ruled out Stephen King, I strongly recommend his "Dark Tower" Series because It's truly his Magnum Opus.

[Jon Paul]

I won't read the Yeard. Ayn Rand is abhorrent enough without being filtered through evil chickens and protagonists volleying little girls in the jaw.

 

But I may relent on King for The Dark Tower. I was gifted the first four books a while ago and they've just been collecting dust since.

[Joshua Hendrickson]

Thanks for the recommendations so far! Keep them coming! I've been to the book store just now and picked up some manga, Dune and Don Quixote to see me through until I can get to Amazon. I've been recommended Gene Wolfe as well. Couldn't find him/her in the store though. Any good?

 

Edit: I also picked up some stock fantasy, Gail Z. Martin and Rowena Cory Daniells.

 

Its a shame you are dead set against Stephen Donaldson

 

I wont read him after reading Thomas Covenant rape a girl. Same reason I wont read King after the disgusting scene scene in It.

 

I recommend Gene Wolfe's THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN, followed by THE BOOK OF THE LONG SUN and THE BOOK OF THE SHORT SUN. Or if you want something more strictly fantasy in the sword-and-sorcery mode, try Wolfe's THE KNIGHT and THE WIZARD, a terrific two-volume novel.

 

I am curious--what was the "disgusting scene" in IT that bothered you so? I mean no criticism of your tastes. It's just that IT is my favorite novel of all time. In your posting, you repeated the word "scene" so that the actual scene in question was totally unidentified. I really am curious--what was the scene? (I have an idea, possibly ... but I won't reveal it until you answer me, if you choose to do so.)

[Jon Paul]

I recommend Gene Wolfe's THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN, followed by THE BOOK OF THE LONG SUN and THE BOOK OF THE SHORT SUN. Or if you want something more strictly fantasy in the sword-and-sorcery mode, try Wolfe's THE KNIGHT and THE WIZARD, a terrific two-volume novel.

 

I read The Shadow of the Torturer. It didn't excite me enough to continue on to Claw. Nothing really happened plot-wise. And the writings was just too hard for me to get into. It's one of the draw-backs of the first-person POV. It can lead to being dragged from the scene.

 

I am curious--what was the "disgusting scene" in IT that bothered you so? I mean no criticism of your tastes. It's just that IT is my favorite novel of all time. In your posting, you repeated the word "scene" so that the actual scene in question was totally unidentified. I really am curious--what was the scene? (I have an idea, possibly ... but I won't reveal it until you answer me, if you choose to do so.)

 

Children. Sewers. I thought that was obvious actually.

[Joshua Hendrickson]

I recommend Gene Wolfe's THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN, followed by THE BOOK OF THE LONG SUN and THE BOOK OF THE SHORT SUN. Or if you want something more strictly fantasy in the sword-and-sorcery mode, try Wolfe's THE KNIGHT and THE WIZARD, a terrific two-volume novel.

 

I read The Shadow of the Torturer. It didn't excite me enough to continue on to Claw. Nothing really happened plot-wise. And the writings was just too hard for me to get into. It's one of the draw-backs of the first-person POV. It can lead to being dragged from the scene.

 

I am curious--what was the "disgusting scene" in IT that bothered you so? I mean no criticism of your tastes. It's just that IT is my favorite novel of all time. In your posting, you repeated the word "scene" so that the actual scene in question was totally unidentified. I really am curious--what was the scene? (I have an idea, possibly ... but I won't reveal it until you answer me, if you choose to do so.)

 

Children. Sewers. I thought that was obvious actually.

 

Sorry you didn't care for SHADOW OF THE TORTURER. Wolfe uses the first-person perspective almost exclusively, but for me it draws me in--seeing the world from the point of view of someone who presumes the reader knows as much as the narrator makes the world at once more vivid and more cryptic to me. It can be difficult, though. I agree that THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN is not a plot-driven novel, but then, I am not always terribly keen on plot-heavy novels. Detail, subtlety of presentation, and inner-character development matter a great deal to me, while connecting all actions and motives matter less.

 

As for IT, you refer to the children in the sewers. I presume you mean the act of sexual magic the children commit in order to escape. I thought that might be the scene. It's not for everyone, sure, but to me, it is the single boldest scene King has ever written, and is by no means pornographic (or pedophiliac) or even erotic. Rather, it gets to the heart of magic, which is, as King made clear in the novel's dedication, what IT is all about. I think it is brilliant and moving. But that it can offend many people doesn't surprise me--that's the risk with moving into such bold, dangerous territory.