Im in the mood for a new book, or series, to read. any suggestions...
im kind of bored with what i have read so far
and, to help you out with what ive read so far
dragonlance
drizzt books
cleric quintet
all of robert jordan, except for new spring (which i will read once the last book is released)
Eddings, Belgarion saga, mallorean saga, and both sparhawk trilogies.
Horus heresy series, most of it.
some piers anthony
alot of glen cook
the first book by george r. r. martin
some of the shannara series
deathgate cycle
the ciaphas cain series
the list goes on, but those are the big series ive read and enjoyed.
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Im in the mood for a new book, or series, to read. any suggestions...
im kind of bored with what i have read so farand, to help you out with what ive read so far
>>snip<<
Steven Erikson's Malazan books--Gardens of the Moon is the first, and IIRC there are ten or so. They push a lot of the same buttons for me as Glen Cook's Black Company and Instrumentalities of the Night books do, but Erikson is also an archaeologist--the cultures are very detailed.
Joe Abercrombie - First Law trilogy, gritty fantasy as if Tarantino directed a fantasy movie. Awesome representation of barbarians.
Brent Weeks - Night Angel trilogy - very fun world design. Kind of a new take on a ninja.
Scott Lynch - Lies of Locke Lamora - the long con in a fantasy setting.
Also, Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. In fact, Dresden Files by Butcher is awesome also if you like urban fantasy.
Also agree with previous poster on The Name of the Wind, which is epic and fantastic.
Seconding China Mieville's Perdido Street Station. Dark, fantastically gritty sort of steampunk world, which is truly unique and creatively designed. The world is imaginative and interesting, the characters are believable and intriguing, and the writing is superb.
Assuming that you've read the bread-and-butter fantasy books, like Lord of the Rings...
...my two favorite books are by an obscure author: "Master of the Five Magics" and "Secret of the Sixth Magic" by Lyndon Hardy. They're out of print, but you can buy them used through amazon.com for a penny each. They have, by far, the coolest magic system I've ever seen, and "Secret" has the coolest alien world I've ever seen.
Also, I consider the "Oz" series by L. Frank Baum to be a staple of fantasy. In fact, I regard it as the first modern fantasy series ever written. Those books are still in print, and you can get them in electronic form for free at Project Gutenberg.
My all-time favorite time-travel fantasy is "The Anubis Gates" by Tim Powers.
(And if you're considering science fiction as well as fantasy, I'd highly recommend the original "Foundation" series by Isaac Asimov. It's printed in 3 volumes: "Foundation," "Foundation and Empire," and "Second Foundation.")
(Come to think of it, when you said "NEW series," did you mean "new" literally? In that case, none of my suggestions qualify.)
If you haven't read them before, try Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. They mix modern urban fantasy (set in Chicago) flawlessly with the hard-boiled detective type of story. Really excellent books with interesting stories and fantastic characters.
If you want a new - that is to say, relatively recent - series, the Harry Potter series is a fun read. (Although it's very different from the material you mentioned.)
R. Scott Bakker - Prince of Nothing trilogy - I may be the only one who thought it was awesome...
Dresden - the real wizard named Harry XD
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I second the Night Angel series if you're a fan of rogues and assassins. Not sure if you've read any of the Elric novels by Moorcock, but those are decent. Not my cup of tea, but still damn good novels. Also, try Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Its an epic fantasy set in an alternate western-type world where Gunslingers are akin to knights.
As a recap:
Brent Weeks - Night Angel
Michael Moorcock - Elric
Stephen King - Dark Tower
Has anybody suggested Brandon Sanderson? His stuff is good.
ive read the potter series. much better than the movies...
ill admit, ive watched the dresden series on the scifi (i cannot stant the other logo) channel, so i have given some thought to the series, its just everytime i look at the book, i just dont get that "hey, read me!" vibe from it.
and, by new, i mean "new to me". doesnt have to be a new series, just something i never heard of.
ill admit, ive watched the dresden series on the scifi (i cannot stant the other logo) channel, so i have given some thought to the series, its just everytime i look at the book, i just dont get that "hey, read me!" vibe from it.
Don't judge the books by the series; as always, the books are way better. Its not that the series is bad, it just kind of fails reflecting the stories, characters, and tones of the books.
I recommend the Taltos series by Steven Brust. Light, fun, funny and fantastic.
I also have really liked Joe Abercrombies works both the first law trilogy(as mentioned above) and best served cold (a book set in the same world but not part of the first law books).
If you are up for a 7000 page book the dark tower series is a great set of fantasy books and among my favories (also pointed out above). The publisher claims it is 7 books but thats pretty much a lie. Its one intensly long book.
R. Scott Bakker - Prince of Nothing trilogy - I may be the only one who thought it was awesome...
Nope. That makes my fantasy top three or so as well.
But I'd also be the first to admit it's not for everyone. I know a lot of people who can't read Song of Fire and Ice because they find Martin's vision of a medieval-ish world too cruel and dark, and Westeros is just about Disneyland next to Bakker's Three Seas.
Seconding Steven Erikson's Malazan books.
Book #1 Gardens of the Moon
Alan Dean Fosters 'Spellsinger' series was pretty cool.
I LOVED Terry Brooks 'Magic Kingdom For Sale/Sold'!
Lloyd Alexander 'Chronicles of Prydain' is probably one of my alltime favorite series.
Robin Hobb 'Assassin' trilogy.
Suzanne Collins 'Hunger Games' trilogy is an 'Enders Game' type series.
Charles DeLint 'Newford' books...though you'll have to hunt around or wiki/google to get them in order.
Ramsey Campbell did one called 'Darkest Part of the Woods'.
**EDIT** Robert Aspirin 'Thieves World' stuff and 'Myth Adventures'. Two very different series, both awesome!
the first book by george r. r. martin
Finish the series it only gets better....until "a feast for crows" (book 4) which I thought was subpar for the series.
If you like the Warhammer fantasy setting all of the Gotrek and Felix novels are awesome.
And if you in the mood for a little modern fantasy the Dresden Files series is awesome as well.
I'm reading Gollancz' anthology of Leigh Brackett called The Sea Kings of Mars. It's all stuff Paizo didn't republish. Cool.
R. Scott Bakker - Prince of Nothing trilogy - I may be the only one who thought it was awesome...
Nope. That makes my fantasy top three or so as well.
But I'd also be the first to admit it's not for everyone. I know a lot of people who can't read Song of Fire and Ice because they find Martin's vision of a medieval-ish world too cruel and dark, and Westeros is just about Disneyland next to Bakker's Three Seas.
+1
And I find Martin's vision neither dark nor cruel, but ridiculously boring; but that's just me.
And I find Martin's vision neither dark nor cruel, but ridiculously boring; but that's just me.
I disagree with the boring but won't argue with it... as far as the dark/cruel, let me clarify what I mean there.
I think as a fantasy author writing about a medieval-ish world, your approach to worldbuilding falls into one of two rough categories:
A) A medievalish world is a pretty great place to live, most of the time, or is made so in some way. Basically the world, when whatever evil plot isn't threatening it, is presented as a place you'd rather live than our modern world.
B) The medievalish world is a terrible place to live, full of tyranny and injustice because it lacks our modern social constructs. With the possible exception of a few people who hold the power, life can be capricious, brutal, and short in a way that's rare in the civilized nations of the modern world.
I think most (not all) fantasy books tend to fall in A, and I think both Martin and Bakker's works are clearly in the B category.
Planet Stories?
Pathfinder Tales?
I did not want to sound antagonsitic, sorry if it read that way.
I agree to your assessment in general that most fantasy worlds fall into either category.
Ice and Fire simply did not appeal to me. I found none of the main characters interesting and the world seemed rather black and white. Two things I hate in books.
There are some books that give me the feeling that there is a world beyond the path described on the pages. Then there are others where there I get the feeling that, beyond the path the stories on, the world is a blank.
In the Malazan books, you stand on a plain and you can see to the horizon, smell the grass and feel the heat. I never got that from Martin.
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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The Riftwar books by Raymond Feist
The Amber series by Roger Zelazny
in addition to the previously mentioned classic fantasy Elric books, the Fafrd and Grey Mouser books by Fritz Leiber and the Book of Swords books by Fred Saberhagen
Anything by David Gemmell (but would recommend you start with his first book, Legend)
Anything by Dave Duncan (King's Blades series is particularly good)
for a fun mix of humor and fantasy, the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett (they're a series, but each is fully independant, so you can start anywhere)
In the Malazan books, you stand on a plain and you can see to the horizon, smell the grass and feel the heat. I never got that from Martin.
I would have swapped those around. Some things are just a matter of tastes?
The Nightside books by Simon Green were interesting, is the story of John Taylor; a down and out detective with magic powers in a mirrorworld of all earths myths and religions; like: Nightingale's Lement, Agents of Light and Darkness, Hex and the City, Paths Not Taken. So, if you like the Dresden Files; you might like this series.
Something From the Nightside is the first book; best to read them in order.
I love the Myth Series by Robert Asprin. Some of the last books in the series kinda stink; but the first 7 or so are awesome. First one I didnt like was Little Myth Marker; but there are a couple good ones after that.
Barbera Hambly; good author; read a couple of her fanstasy novels; and her 18th century vampire mystery "Those Who Hunt the Night"
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant; Start with Lord Foul's Bane; read both series; Book two, the Illearth War is a long read; but once you get to the Power That Preserves and the Wounded Land it gets better; the first couple books there is a lot of sniveling and self pity; but that is to be expected from a person with his affliction; just dont let it bother you.
Oooh; and how could I forget:
Steven Brust; The Vlad Taltos Novels; The Book of Jhereg is the first one if I remember right; about a human assassin living in an elven city where humans are mostly weak and pathetic and elfs are tall; strong and magical as all get out. He has some great adventures; love these books.
Barbera Hambly; good author; read a couple of her fanstasy novels; and her 18th century vampire mystery "Those Who Hunt the Night"
Awesome vampire novel! Liked the follow-up "Traveling with the Dead" even better!!
I echo The Lies of Locke Lamora and Perdido Street Station, and also recommend Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It's an excellent steampunk alt-history piece. With zombies.
Paul Kidd: "White Plume Mountain" and "Descent into the Depths of the Earth". Surprizingly well-written novelizations of some classic D&D adventures - only novilizations of modules I've read that I actually enjoyed.
You mean you didn't read the Dragonlance Chronicles? Or didn't enjoy them?
But yeah, I read those two Paul Kidd books. I didn't find them particularly compelling (or else I would have gotten "Queen of the Demonweb Pits" as well) but they were quite funny at times. And one character really stood out in my mind: Escalla. Escalla gave me an obsession with pixie PCs that lasts me to this day. (Of course, I doubt that anyone else used an animated hellhound pelt as a main character either...)
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While we're on classics: Poul Anderson's "Three Hearts and Three Lions"; this book is the basis of so much in gaming. It's still a solid, enjoyable, story.
If you ever wondered why trolls regenerate and are particularly vulnerable to fire...this book's to blame. Good read, though.
There is the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.
They are a very good read.
Just my opinion, but I would tack onto that, "Until the point at which Terry Goodkind discovered Ayn Rand, and the major villain inexplicably transformed from a bad-ass rapacious conquerer to a communist for no apparent reason and with none of the other characters seeming to realize he suddenly became completely different."
Eve Forward "Villains by necessity" - What would happen if Good triumphed!
R. E. Feist "Riftwar saga"
Kinda late coming into this but...
+1 for the Dresden Files suggestions. It is currently my favorite series. Jim Butcher is a fantastic author. Also, Dresden Files RPG, ftw. :)
If you want something a little different though, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, The Kane Chronicles Series (1st book only, so far) and his new Heroes of Olympus series are actually surprisingly good. The Lightning Thief movie was crap. The books are quite good.