I am looking for a good fantasy book. Just for reference i will say that I have read the Tolkien books, and I loved them, but at this point after reading them multiple times they are getting dry. So i would like some good suggestions for reading.
Thank You.
If you like Tolkien high-quest-fantasy, you should absolutely check out the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Sword of Shannara on up. Brooks got his start almost ripping off Tolkien, but it grows way more individual and unique as the series progresses.
If you like action-gritty-pulpier fantasy, the Way of Shadows trilogy by Brent Weeks was a fantastically fun read. Not gonna end up in an literature classes, but I loved em.
The Terry Goodkind line of books starting with Wizard's First Rule is really well liked. I haven't read past the first book, but I enjoyed it.
George Martin is considered one of the best fanatasy novelists. His books are also being made into an HBO series coming soon, I believe. It could be a lot of fun to read them and watch the show.
I really liked Stardust by Neil Gaiman. It's a quirky, but cool fantasy novel.
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly is another awesome book that falls under fantasy, but it isn't quite in line with Tolkien. It's more of a literary Pan's Labyrinth.
Just a few I can throw out there off the top of my head!
Some of my favorites:
Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams
The Book of Words trilogy by J V Jones
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
Some of my favorites:
Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams
The Book of Words trilogy by J V Jones
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
+1 for the Fionavar Tapestry...can't believe I forgot that one!
What's the Tad Williams trilogy like...the names at least sound cool!
Any of the 'Swords' books by Fritz Leiber.
Anything Conan or Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard
Cyrion by Tanith Lee
The 'Swords Against Darkness' compilations I-V. Especially the stories by Richard L. Tierny, David Drake and Ramsey Campbell.
The King's Blades stuff by Dave Duncan
Those are just a few of my favorites.
+1 for the Fionavar Tapestry...can't believe I forgot that one!
What's the Tad Williams trilogy like...the names at least sound cool!
It has a sort of old English feel to it. There aren't any elves or dwarves but there are races just like them. Ancient evil "elf" returns in spirit to try to take back his lands from the humans that took over. Mayhem and awesome storytelling ensue. When the last book went softcover they broke it into two parts so the trilogy became four books.
Here's the Wikipedia link for a bit better synopsis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory,_Sorrow,_and_Thorn
TY
(didn't mean to hijack, but it'd be a crime not to find out about interesting books for myself!)
Conan series by Howard. The new(er) Joe Abercrombie series is excellent as well. The Taltos series by Brust is really good. I also like the Fafhard and the Grey Mouser stuff by Leiber.
Might I suggest the Elenium trilogy followed by the Tamuli trilogy, both by David Eddings. Excellent reading and wonderfully witty.
While I wasn't crazy for the bulk of the Shannara books by Terry Brooks I did very much enjoy his two trilogies that basically setup how Shannara came to be. The Knight of the Word and the Scions of Shannara are modern day fantasy that are pretty much about how our current world got changed into the Shannara setting.
+1 to "The Word and The Void" Trilogy by Terry Brooks...John Ross is one of my favorite characters in all of literature.
I re-read both of these trilogies ~yearly:
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
Daughter/Servant/Mother of the Empire by Janny Wurts and Raymond E. Feist
You can get the first in an all-inclusive trade paperback or separately as Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, and Oath of Gold. This series has literally defined the way I think about and treat Paladins in D&D since I first read the series years and years ago. It also has made me desperately want a mercenary company RPG or TBS game in the style of the mercenaries presented in the first book.
The second trilogy is set in the same universe as Feist's Riftwar/Magician/Kingdom series, and includes some characters from those series, but you do not need to read them to understand or enjoy the Empire books. This particular series is possibly the finest political fantasy I have ever read. The main character isn't a fighter. She isn't a wizard. She isn't a priestess. She has no special powers, no fancy equipment. As far as I recall, she never actually wields a weapon in anger. The story is nevertheless thoroughly compelling.
Both trilogies feature strong female protagonists, for the record, which is a rarity.
OK, I'm adding one more that I just thought of then I'll pick up some ideas from others on books to check out. My last addition to the list is Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay, the writing style and story is easily as impressive as the Fionavar Tapestry books.
The Vlad Taltos novels, by Steven Brust. The titular character in the series is a member of an oppressed human underclass living in a Elven empire. Despite this, he is a successful assassin and low-level mob boss. The series is also interesting because it deals realistically with the consequences of easy access to the Raise Dead spell.
The Elenium and Tamuli series, by David and Leigh Eddings. With the exception of the Dreamers series all of the Eddings' works are highly recommended, but the Elenium and Tamuli series stand out by being rare (and perhaps unique) examples of an all-Paladin adventuring party.
Oath of Swords, by David Weber. While mostly know for his military science fiction, Weber has also tried his hand at fantasy. Most notably in his War God series, which details the adventures of a Hadrani (mechanically a half-orc) Barbarian/Paladin.
It is more of an aquired taste, but is a good source of information of some of the original spell material used in DnD.
Jack Vance's Dying Earth novels
The Dying Earth
Rhialto the Marvolous
Eyes of the Overworld
Cugel the Clever
Of a side note, IOUN stone creation is given in Rhialto the Marvolous.
In Cugel the Clever, The Spell of Forlorn Encysment has to be the origin of the Imprisonment spell (especially the AD&D version)
I am a VERY big Jack Vance fan, but I seldom recomend him to others. I think many consider his writing more inspirational than entertaining. Myself, I love the wit of his characters (even though protagonists are often cookie cutter) Cugel is such an arse, I cannot get enough of him, though I would hate meeting him in person.
Greg
PS I also enjoy Lawerence Watt-Evans fantasy works.
(clipped post)
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
You can get the first in an all-inclusive trade paperback or separately as Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, and Oath of Gold. This series has literally defined the way I think about and treat Paladins in D&D since I first read the series years and years ago. It also has made me desperately want a mercenary company RPG or TBS game in the style of the mercenaries presented in the first book.
Oh yes, A great read. I wish we could see more of Paks. And yes, it is a Paladin defining book. If the class just doesn't click for ya, then DEFINITELY read this trilogy.
greg
Neal Stephenson: Anathem >>LINK<<
China Mieville: The Bas-Lag books in particular >>LINK<<
I enjoy Robin Hobb (including her work as Megan Lindholm), despite its pretensions >>LINK<<
>>LINK<<
>>LINK<<
For a delightful tonic, I heartily recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell . The first novel by British writer Susanna Clarke. >>LINK<<
Jorge Luis Borges is a breathtaking fantasist, the Dali of the short story. His fiction is life altering. >>LINK<<
Mervyn Peake wrote the magisterial Gormenghast at about the same time that Tolkein was in the ascendant. >>LINK<<
Scott Lynch is compulsively readable, and a master of intricate plot lines. He writes fantasy crime capers of subtle depth. >>LINK<<
Fritz Leiber >>LINK<< wrote awesome pulp, and was a far better stylist than his beloved Lovecraft. >>LINK<<
The Chronicles of Prydain are simply lovely. Avoid the dreadful Disney movie. >>LINK<<
Ursula LeGuin will still be the focus of doctoral theses a century from now. Her science fiction is as significant an exploration of the human as anything by Proust or Sartre. >>LINK<< Earthsea is a good starting point, but don't hesitate to read her more speculative stuff.
Gene Wolfe writes lies, in the best possible way. Nothing is as it seems in his works. >>LINK<< He wrote some very profound short stories that are still revolutionary.
My personaly favorites are the Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind, Kushiel saga/Naamah Trilogy by Jacqueline Carey(not your typical fantasy by any means), Exiles trilogy and the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies by Melanie Rawn (Exiles is very good but may never be completed by the looks of things), The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier, Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, and Runelords by David Farland
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(clipped post)
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
You can get the first in an all-inclusive trade paperback or separately as Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, and Oath of Gold. This series has literally defined the way I think about and treat Paladins in D&D since I first read the series years and years ago. It also has made me desperately want a mercenary company RPG or TBS game in the style of the mercenaries presented in the first book.
Oh yes, A great read. I wish we could see more of Paks. And yes, it is a Paladin defining book. If the class just doesn't click for ya, then DEFINITELY read this trilogy.
greg
The Paksenarrion books are highly recommended. If you like them then there is also a prequel trilogy about Gird (available as one book A Legacy of Honour) and a new series which features Paks as a side character (Paladin's Legacy series).
Tad Williams trilogy Very Good Read about the ADD hero ;)
Ursula K LeGuin Earthsea Awesome
Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander also Awesome and I mean that as the original sense of the word, not the modern slang :)
Author- Andre Norton Awesome many scifi and fantasy novels, inspired many authors...
Author- Marion Zimmer Bradley Awesome
Morgan Llywelyn, Bard, Druid, Druids, the Silver Branch, and a few others, Great read, awesom author. Give you a great idea what a Neutral Druid is like ;)
Nancy Farmer - Sea of Trolls trillogy :) Childrens books, but well worth the read. Vikings, Bards, Skalds, Druidry, Dragons, and such.
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If you like Tolkien high-quest-fantasy, you should absolutely check out the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Sword of Shannara on up. Brooks got his start almost ripping off Tolkien, but it grows way more individual and unique as the series progresses.
Almost? I'm not sure how he didn't get sued by Tolkien's estate for Sword. The similarities are painfully obvious and include nearly every aspect of the LotR, even Tom Bombadil. HOWEVER... it's a great book and yes, he got it out of his system quickly and even the second book has a much more unique feel to it. I love the series over all and recommend it highly.
The rest of the suggestions are good as well. Especially G.R.R. Martin, Brent Weeks, and Elizabeth Moon. I'd add the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. It's an alternate history about the Napoleonic War... with dragons!
Also, if you haven't read the Xanth trilogy, you should. At least the first few books.
Fain the Sorcerer by Steve Aylett
To throw some peanut butter into the chocolate
The Incarnations of Immortality -Piers Anthony
Dark Tower- Stephen King
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Prince Ombra- Roderick MacLeish
American Gods, Anansasi Boys, Murder Mysteries - Gaiman
Imagica, Weaveword, Abarrat - Clive Barker
The Above is a list a sample of the not all fantasy is divorced from the 20-21st century setting.
The Dragon and the Unicorn- AA Anasatasio
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever- Stephen Donaldson
The Worm Oraborous
Iron Angel- Alan Campbell
The Tears of Artamon series- Sarah Ash
Terry Pratchett's Diskworld and Tiffany Aiching Books just because they are satires doesn't mean that there aren't solid fantasy roots there and his takes on some tropes (the origins of Hogswatch Night in Hogfather) are really insightful
I would not recommend past book 4 in the Goodkind series unless you really like to hear Ayn Rand philosophy rehashed for 4 more books worth.
Kushiel's series by Carey and Gene Wolfe I heartily recommend.
I have had several people recommend Orcs by Stan Nichols but haven't read it yet so no clue to the quality there.
The Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and the fourth unnamed unreleased book) by Christopher Paolini is a very good series IMO. It follows the main character from a young farm boy to him becoming a dragon rider and beyond. Very good series and well worth the time to read.
To throw some peanut butter into the chocolate
((lota good stuff))
I would enjoy raiding your bookshelves. I used to always suggest the Thomas Covenant series. It probably was the fantasy series that worked me up more than any other. I hated the main character so awfully much. But I cannot say the books let me sleep better at night. ARGH! Just thinking about him again...frustration and anger is growing. I think I had best go to my happy place. ( David Webber's Bahzel Bloody Hand series, I don't recomend it, it is easy happy fluff, though I do like the halflings are seaman bit repeated in Golarion.)
Greg
Roger Zelazny - Chronicles of Amber
Jim Butcher - Codex Alera, and if you want to include urban fantasy, The Dresden Files (which I would recommend anyways)
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
The Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and the fourth unnamed unreleased book) by Christopher Paolini is a very good series IMO. It follows the main character from a young farm boy to him becoming a dragon rider and beyond. Very good series and well worth the time to read.
If you like the plot of Star Wars overlayed on a LoTR world : )
The Sandman graphic novels should be added if we are adding some peanut butter to the chocolate.
Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy.
Also, highly recommend George R. R. martin and Steven Erikson.
I can't believe no one mentioned the Myth series by Robert Aspin.
I also liked the Windrose Chronicles by Barbara Hambly, a decent mix of traditional fantasy with planer travel.
Guardians of the Flame by author Joel Rosenberg.
Lets end with my favorite book: Watership Down. Not strictly fantasy, but I always suggest that. ^_^
Also:
Dark Tower was mentioned before. +1
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson +1 (Although, wow is the setting dark.) (And the third series of it just recently came out.)
As you can see, there are TONS of recommendations here and it would take a long, long time to sift through them all. So it wouldn't be a bad idea just to write down all suggestions, google them up and see what intrigues you the most by the general story. I won't debate books that other people recommended, since it kinda doesn't have a point, de gustibus non disputandum est and all that jazz. Most of the books I'll recommend are series (as fantasy novels are want to do) so I won't write down the individual names, just the series name.
Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin - my favourite series in the whole wide world.
Riftwar by Raymond E. Feist - starts out as nothing spectacular but after a few books you get attached to characters.
Heritage of Shannara by Terry Brooks - you can easily skip the first trilogy, as it is very similar to Lord of the Rings and not that intresting anyways, but this one is way better in every aspect.
The Black Company - very grim and dark series, and has a quite unorthodox approach to describing scenes of battle.
Prince of Nothing - very confusing start, very enthralling afterwards.
Kingkiller Chronicle - Name of the Wind is the only book currently on the market with second one coming soon. It's a very character driven novel, without too much dabbling in action and stuff. Low magic setting.
The Watch Series (Discworld) - Terry Pratchet at his best, need I say more?
I'll briefly mention Faerun novels as they're not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're into that you might check out:
Erevis Cale Trilogy (and the following Twilight War) - fantastic series IMHO, one of my favourites.
The Year of Rogue Dragons - if you like dragons, you found the book for you.
Legend of Drizzt - first three series are worth it (Dark Elf, Icewind Dale, Legacy of the Drow), afterwards the series isn't as good.
Hope it helps. :)
Raymond E. Feist... Krondor Series and Serpent Wars series, both brilliant! Riftwars is also a recommended read, but not as good (although a prelude) to the two above mentionned references
Terry Brooks... Shanarra series (as already mentioned by one of the first people to reply. Absolutely recommended!
David Gemmel... anything except the 'troy' series. Especially the books like: Swords of Night and Day, Druss the Legend, Wayfinder, King beyond the gate, White Wolf.
"Banewreaker" and "Godslayer" are re-interpretations of LOTR as a tragedy told from the point of view of the dark powers. Imagine Sauron as a tragic, sympathetic hero. It's by Jacqueline Carey, and her Kushiel and Naamah series aren't to be missed either....they're on a low-magic alternate history earth, and some of my favorite series.
Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series and Phoenix Guard series are also awesome.
Anything by China Mieville and Neil Gaiman should be read, including their shopping lists and post-it notes.
Charles DeLint also does really cool urban fantasy faerie-punk. I like the idea of immigrant fey dealing with home-grown Native American animal spirits. His heroes tend to be artists and musicians.
Jim Butcher's Dresden series is good. Really, really, really good.
George R.R. Martin is very good, but his sequels take forever to be published, even if they're "already done.
J. Gregory Keyes is the methadone version of George R.R. Martin with the added bonus of he actually finishes his series!!!!
CJ Cherryh does EXCELLENT sci-fi, but her fantasy is OK too, paticularly The Paladin, Goblin Mirror, Dreamstone, Tree of Swords and Jewels, and Faery in Shadow.
I liked the Dragonlance series when it was newer, and I also like the Forgotten Realms novels of Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb, particularly "Azure Bonds." R.A. Salvatore can be fun too.
"War of the Oaks" by Emma Bull is good.
"Soulless" is hilarious.
I just got done with "Shadows over Baker Street" which is an anthology of stories about Sherlock Holmes dealing with the Cthulu mythos.
A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone by Greg Keyes
First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Then the classics:
Conan by Robert E. Howard
Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber
Elric by Michael Moorecock
Dying Earth by Jack Vance
I am looking for a good fantasy book. Just for reference i will say that I have read the Tolkien books, and I loved them, but at this point after reading them multiple times they are getting dry. So i would like some good suggestions for reading.
Thank You.
Good fantasy authors to try:
Raymond E. Feist
Mercedes Lacky
Terry Goodkind
Dorana Durgan
R.A. Salvatore
Elain Cunningham
I liked the Dragonlance series when it was newer, and I also like the Forgotten Realms novels of Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb, particularly "Azure Bonds." R.A. Salvatore can be fun too.
RA Salvatore has amazing action sequences, but the writing is tough to take if you're used to higher literature style stuff. If whether or not its "good writing" doesn't matter, then his books are a ton of fun. (I say that not to be pretentious, as I grew up reading it, but as I read more and more by other authors I couldn't go back to Salvatore : (
However, I'm currently re-reading the Finder's Stone trilogy (of which Azure Bonds is the first book) and I have to say it's awesome. I'm really enjoying it. Again, not high literature, but high fun. +1 to that, sir.
Almost? I'm not sure how he didn't get sued by Tolkien's estate for Sword. The similarities are painfully obvious and include nearly every aspect of the LotR, even Tom Bombadil. HOWEVER... it's a great book and yes, he got it out of his system quickly and even the second book has a much more unique feel to it. I love the series over all and recommend it highly.
It was different enough. You can find many similarities but the story is not the same. It easily different enough to not infringe on copyrights or trademarks. Still if you read the books back to back you can definitely see the where the inspiration came from.
Contributor
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I second the recommendation for anything by Greg Keyes (also credited as J. Gregory Keyes). Why Fool Wolf isn't the most popular contemporary sword & sorcery character I can only blame on a lack of marketing and distribution.
My favorite of Greg's novels are his earliest two, The Waterborn and The Blackgod, because of their vivid, non-European setting. But my favorite character is still Fool Wolf, whose adventures you can find in The Hounds of Ash and Other Tales of Fool Wolf. There's a new Fool Wolf story in the Swords and Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery anthology edited by Jonathan Strahan and Lou Anders. That anthology is great starting place for someone searching for a new favorite fantasy author.
Right now I'm reading the Inda series by Sherwood Smith; Inda, The Fox, King's Shield, and Treason's Shore. They are bloody good.
Lately I've been trying to work my way through all of the Song of Ice and Fire books, which I really, really enjoy. If you read through the 1st book quickly enough, you can start nit picking the HBO series when it comes out next year! ;)
To throw some peanut butter into the chocolate
((lota good stuff))
I would enjoy raiding your bookshelves. I used to always suggest the Thomas Covenant series. It probably was the fantasy series that worked me up more than any other. I hated the main character so awfully much. But I cannot say the books let me sleep better at night. ARGH! Just thinking about him again...frustration and anger is growing. I think I had best go to my happy place. ( David Webber's Bahzel Bloody Hand series, I don't recomend it, it is easy happy fluff, though I do like the halflings are seaman bit repeated in Golarion.)
Greg
If you are ever in Boulder CO. come on by.
I agree with Thomas Covenant not being the most likable of protagonists.
I'm suprised nobody mentioned His Dark Materials trilogy, Smoke and Mirrors, Coraline, Wicked, Black Sun Rising (By C.S Friedman) and Mists of Avalon.
I'm suprised nobody mentioned His Dark Materials trilogy, Smoke and Mirrors, Coraline, Wicked, Black Sun Rising (By C.S Friedman) and Mists of Avalon.
Smoke and Mirrors and Coraline are by Neil Gaiman, and fall under my suggestion to read everything of his--including his shopping list and post-it notes!
Smoke and Mirrors is really, really good. Lots of great ideas.
I'm suprised nobody mentioned His Dark Materials trilogy, Smoke and Mirrors, Coraline, Wicked, Black Sun Rising (By C.S Friedman) and Mists of Avalon.Smoke and Mirrors and Coraline are by Neil Gaiman, and fall under my suggestion to read everything of his--including his shopping list and post-it notes!
Smoke and Mirrors is really, really good. Lots of great ideas.
Smoke and Mirrors is absolutely brilliant,
And the Graveyard BOOK!
The Corum books by Michael Moorcock (the Swords Trilogy and the Chronicles of Corum) are some of my favourites. Also the Hawkmoon books by the same author, although they're less typical fantasy.
The Thousand Nights and a Night a.k.a. 1001 Arabian Nights has some pretty good stories, too.
So, loads of awesome have been said.
Just to add to the voices, I can, for a Tolkine reader who reads those books multiple times (like myself) recommend the following highly:
Extended works of Tolkien (look into it, more is being published and the parts I've read are weigh good)
(Repeating others here) Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (and for the final, still being published books Brandon Sanderson) is a blast. They're demanding at 800+ pages each (13 novels year, one last final next year) but for a Tolkien reader they are a step up in action, believe-it-or-not around same level of epic and at 14 books there's something to get into. Jordan is a great writer, potentially the best, and Sanderson who does the later books is really the greatest world-builder in writing that I've encountered yet.
Bradon Sanderson's Mistborn triology have been mentioned, but too that I can add his series Elantris (way good), Way of Kings (new, epic series the size of Wheel of Time started this year and VERY MUCH promising in the first book)and for a taste of his work other smaller things, among them a free short fantasy story called Warbreaker (check brandonsanderson.com it's available there and you can find a list of his works)...
I don't really have more to add that haven't been said, at least not in the epic fantasy genre, but I think there's a lot of choices out there... Good luck and good reading...