Need new fantasy series

[slothrop]

I have read: Martin, Jordan, Harry Potter, Hobb, Some Feist-but never made it past Riftwar, only the first Goodkind book, thats about it. (addition) Dark Tower series as well.

Any help?

Tried Malazan, but struggled. SHould i give it a second chance?

Thanks.

[Kaznen]

Sorrow, Memory, and Thorn by Tad Williams.

 

And the Demon War Series by R.A. Salvatore

[loki redfern]

Shannara - Terry Brooks

Belgariad - David Eddings

Legend - David Gemmel

[Werthead]

The Malazan Book of the Fallen is one of the best fantasy series out there, second only to ASoIaF, but it is pretty tricky to get into. The first book, Gardens of the Moon, doesn't take any prisoners for the first 150-200 pages or so. You just need to blitz through it until the action moves to the city-state of Darujhistan and the story settles down into something less insane. The best thing about this series is that there's a new book every year, pretty regularly, and there's six books out now (out of ten). Book 7 is out in April and the author is already quite far into writing Book 8.

 

The Prince of Nothing Trilogy by R. Scott Bakker (first book: The Darkness That Comes Before) is an excellent series, probably the third-best fantasy series after the above two. It is, however, exceedingly grim and somewhat humourless at times. If you can handle that, it's phenomenal. The prose is superb, reminiscent of Frank Herbert (of Dune fame) at his best, and the story is fascinating.

 

The Lies of Locke Lamora is the debut novel by Scott Lynch, a somewhat lighter read that mixes the styles of Feist and Martin. It's an excellent book, the best fantasy novel of 2006 by some margin, and well-recommended. It's the first in a series, but it looks like it's a series of adventures with a complete story in each book, rather than a full ongoing mega-saga. The sequel is out in June 2007.

 

Guy Gavriel Kay is one of the better fantasy authors around at the moment. His individual stand-alone novels Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan and The Last Light of the Sun are all superb. His new novel Ysabel is out in February as well.

 

Neil Gaiman is also very well recommended. Neverwhere is a great place to start, followed by American Gods and Anansi Boys. His collaboration with Terry Pratchett, Good Omens, is excellent.

 

Tad Williams is a solidly entertaining writer. Both the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Trilogy (first book: The Dragonbone Chair) and the Otherland series (first book: City of Golden Shadow) are worth reading.

 

JV Jones is an excellent writer. She has written a good stand-alone novel, The Barbed Coil, and two linked series. The first, The Book of Words Trilogy (first book: The Baker's Boy) is a straightforward, somewhat traditional epic fantasy but with more interesting characters than others. Its sequel series, The Sword of Shadows Quartet (first book: A Cavern of Black Ice), is absolutely superb.

 

Kate Elliott has completed a pretty long (seven volumes) epic fantasy set in an alternate-history version of Europe. Crown of Stars (first book: The King's Dragon) is an entertaining series.

 

If you want to sample a classic of the genre, then I recommend Jack Vance. Both The Lyonesse Trilogy (first book: Suldrun's Garden) and The Dying Earth Quartet (first book: The Dying Earth) are available in omnibus editions and are excellent and very funny books.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about Eddings or Brooks. They'd be a significant step down from the level you are already reading at. Gemmell is pretty good. I recommend the Sipstrassi books, particularly the Jon Shannow Trilogy beginning with Wolf in Shadow.

 

If you're open to science fiction suggestions, than Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy (first book: The Reality Dysfunction) - published in six volumes in America due to its length - is highly recommended, as is Alastair Reynolds' Chasm City and David Brin's Uplift Saga, although with that series I recommended starting with the second book (Startide Rising), as the first (Sundiver) is pretty awful. Luckily, they are seperated by 300 years and Sundiver isn't relevant to the plot of the other five books.

[loki redfern]

i would have said the fiovar(sp) tapestry as well for guy gariel kay, i thought that was pretty good, like a more serious and indepth war of the flowers

[Kivam]

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game series

[O.o Jack K5 o.O]

you should check out the Vampire Hunter D books. there are six out now, the first and third books are the two movies. the seccond one is also quite excelent. i havent read the remaining three yet, but considering the first three they seem promising. plus D is 1337 sauce.

[shanara74]

I don't know if anyone else has said this yet, but

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley is my favorite fantasy book of all time. And then there's all the stuff Robert Heinlein has written... he's RREALLY good... :)

[RobertAlexWillis]

Werthead has a good list ... I've read most of it, and about the only author I couldn't get into was Neil Gaiman ...

 

Let me add C.S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy (first book, Black Sun Rising ), also, if you're looking for more Feist, don't go with his post-Riftwar Midkemia stuff (it gets a little repetetive) read the trilogy he co-authored with Janny Wurts set on Kelewan in Tsurannuanni (The Empire Series, starting with Daughter of the Empire).

 

Eddings and Brooks are good for putting your mind in neutral.

 

For more light reading, try Anne McCaffery's Pern books, or one or two of L.E. Modesitt's Recluce books (after that, you may as well have read them all). But I would put either Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, or The Prince of Nothing at the top of your list.

[OzzieAlThor]

George R.R. Martin's: "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.

 

Complete opposite of WoT and it's EXPERTLY done.

 

I warn ya though, it's brutal.

[David Boyle]

i really like Ian Irvines books, the well of echoes is the best quartet of the two but it comes after the view from the mirror quartet, so if you read it first youll have some minor spoilers but i read it that way and it didnt effect me greatly. reading his new book at the moment(fate of the fallen), good but not as good as the previous ones. its a little more informal???

 

feist is good too i recomend you read on

[circumventor]

Wraethu by Storm Constantine.

 

Some of the subject matter is kinda tough to get used to if you don't have an open mind...

but if you're reading fantasy books my guess is that most of you do.

[circumventor]

I picked up the Prince of Nothing Books, and I have to say that once I got all the Nations and names straightened out, I have been nothing but impressed.

Thanks for the recomendation werthead. :)

[time weaver]

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game series

i have to second this one probably one of the best besides WOT

[Raeyn]

I would recommend the collective works of L. E. Modesitt Jr., especially his Recluse saga and the Spellsongbooks...

 

Sword of Truth stuffs is allright.. not a superhuge fan...

 

Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materialstrilogy is fairly popular...

 

and stuffs, and things, and shinies :D

[Werthead]

Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game series

i have to second this one probably one of the best besides WOT

 

Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead are excellent. Xenocide is average. The later books are pretty poor. Card's newest book, Empire, is horrificaly bad on just about every level.

[rrmike]

 

Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead are excellent. Xenocide is average. The later books are pretty poor.

 

x2. I like your opinions Wert. They seem to agree with my own. I may just hit you up about some more reading material after I get all settled in with which ones I like of my current recommendations.

[Hannibal King]

The Quickening Trilogy by Fiona Mcintosh

Starts with "Myrren's Gift", totally awesome, definately a must read.

[Lyenna]

The Sword of Shadows trilogy by J. V. Jones, thats pretty good. Still waiting on the last book though... :roll:

[Werthead]

The Sword of Shadows trilogy by J. V. Jones' date=' thats pretty good. Still waiting on the last book though... :roll:[/quote']

 

Hope this doesn't disappoint you too much, but Sword of Shadows is a four-book series, not three. However, the good news is that A Sword from Red Ice (Book 3) will be published in November 2007 simultaneously in the UK and the USA. Jones is already writing Book 4, A Shadow Under the Ice.

[Lyenna]

Hmm thanks.

Then I'll be eagerly awaiting the next two books :D

[battousai]

I've always wanted to read the Sword of Truth series. Does anyone know if its worth a read?

[Arys]

I've always wanted to read the Sword of Truth series. Does anyone know if its worth a read?

 

Honestly the first 5 or so books are well worth it but by the lastest books I feel that I am getting preached at more than reading a book. Just a little to much of what sounds like Goodkind's own views on morality in it. Which I understand will generally bleed through in to a book someone is writing no matter what but it just seems like that is all the books have become about.

 

Anyway my recommendation for a good series is the Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman. Still the only fantasy series I have re-read several times.

 

Also the Dresden Files series is really good. Up to 8 books now and the 9th is in the works. Plus ScFi Channel is making a series about them, which could really be a bad thing or good thing. Starts this Sunday.

[battousai]

Honestly the first 5 or so books are well worth it but by the lastest books I feel that I am getting preached at more than reading a book. Just a little to much of what sounds like Goodkind's own views on morality in it. Which I understand will generally bleed through in to a book someone is writing no matter what but it just seems like that is all the books have become about.

 

ya ill take that into consideration. Whats the Death Gate Cycle generally about? Its just the only series which I know are still not completed yet. Currently, on my mind are WOT, A song of ice and fire, and the sword of truth series. Besides LOTR I dont know any series which are actually finished.

[Werthead]

I've always wanted to read the Sword of Truth series. Does anyone know if its worth a read?

 

It is not.

 

ya ill take that into consideration. Whats the Death Gate Cycle generally about?

 

A typical fantasy world gets blasted into four fragments' date=' each one based around each of the four elements. The lead character is an antihero serving the main villain who has to prepare the four worlds for invasion, but gradually comes round to the side of good. The worldbuilding is quite original. Unfortunately, the horrific character of Fizan from the Dragonlance books makes a totally unnecessary appearance and the series' finale is very unimpressive. Still, it's probably the best thing Weis and Hickman have written.

 

Its just the only series which I know are still not completed yet. Currently, on my mind are WOT, A song of ice and fire, and the sword of truth series. Besides LOTR I dont know any series which are actually finished.

 

ASoIaF should be your first port of call, although WoT will be finished sooner.

 

Completed, good fantasy/SF series:

 

The Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman (Book 1: Northern Lights, aka The Golden Compass in the USA)

Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott (Book 1: The King's Dragon)

The Lyonesse Trilogy by Jack Vance (Book 1: Suldrun's Garden)

The Book of Words Trilogy by JV Jones (Book 1: The Baker's Boy)

The Monarchies of God by Paul Kearney (Book 1: Hawkwood's Voyage)

The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton (Book 1: The Reality Dysfunction)

 

Also, some good, completed fantasy/SF single-volume novels:

 

Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan, The Last Light of the Sun and Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Barbed Coil by JV Jones

Fevre Dream by George RR Martin

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The Prestige and The Separation by Christopher Priest

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds

Magician by Raymond E. Feist (there are sequels, but the first book can be read by itself)