Well, I find myself in need of a "relax" book (or series) that will hold my attention. Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate. I can't find anything quite filling my criteria at the libraries I have access to. Sort of what I have in mind:
LotR: this is, admittedly, on the grimmer side of things
The Earthsea Cycle
Mistborn
The Icewind Dale trilogyNo flaming anything on this thread, please. The books must be no worse than PG-13.
The Deed of Paksennarion
i highly recommend.
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Well, I find myself in need of a "relax" book (or series) that will hold my attention. Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate. I can't find anything quite filling my criteria at the libraries I have access to. Sort of what I have in mind:
LotR: this is, admittedly, on the grimmer side of things
The Earthsea Cycle
Mistborn
The Icewind Dale trilogyNo flaming anything on this thread, please. The books must be no worse than PG-13.
The Deed of Paksennarion
i highly recommend.
Seconded.
Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Asprin, SM Stirling,
Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate.
Gee, I'd be hard pressed to think of a story that DOES end in any of those ways, other than the Darksword trilogy by Weis and Hickman. What stories are you thinking of that DO end that way? (I take it that it's OK if SOME of the major characters die.)
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Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate.Gee, I'd be hard pressed to think of a story that DOES end in any of those ways, other than the Darksword trilogy by Weis and Hickman. What stories are you thinking of that DO end that way? (I take it that it's OK if SOME of the major characters die.)
The black company, the malazan series, dune series, the wizards first rule, lies of locke lamora, joe abercrombie's The First Law trilogy - all quite grim endings or not pg-13. All definitely worth reading (I'd avoid any of the books past wizard's first rule though).
Well, if that's what Yucale meant, I can just copy a couple of my recommendations from the other thread and paste here...
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.
...and only minor characters die. (Although Hardy's third book has a couple of "Apocalypses" of sorts. But I'm not recommending that one. There is some sex, but I don't think it's worse than PG-13.)
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.
...and the author actually has a rule that no one dies in Oz, although he wasn't consistent about that. In one book, Baum implies a future apocalypse of a sort, but that turns out to be a red herring. Altogether, Oz is one of the most cheerful fantasy worlds you'll see. And as Baum was writing for children 100 years ago, it's rated G.
Re: "Deeds of Paksenarrion" recommendations - you don't think "that scene" at the thieves' guild just before the end of Book 3 begins is a tad too violent to pass as PG-13?
Depends on where you live. In the U.S. deplorable violence is OK as long as there isn't any sex or foul language. Unless you live in certain areas and then any book with magic in it is considered immoral.Of course, that particular scene isn't that far from some of the sex-scenes in the first of Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel-trilogies. (Unless you count the huge issue of consent/non-consent on the part of the character having things done to her.) And while Carey's Kushiel-novels definately shouldn't be read by someone who's not finished (as far as that's possible) figuring out their sexual wants and boundaries, if it weren't for that infamous American prudishness, I'd probably say that her latest series (Naamah's Kiss, Curse, and (upcoming)Blessing would have fit Yucale's original criteria quite nicely.
One Forgotten Realms-series which does fit perfectly, though, would be Elaine Cunningham's Songs & Swords quintet. Unfortunately, they're out of print, so unless there's a used books store nearby...
Not out of print, however, is Rosemary Jones's books Crypt of the Moaning Diamond, and City of the Dead which were among the funniest fantasy-novels I've read, ever, without having been written by Terry Pratchett.
Well, I find myself in need of a "relax" book (or series) that will hold my attention. Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate. I can't find anything quite filling my criteria at the libraries I have access to. Sort of what I have in mind:
LotR: this is, admittedly, on the grimmer side of things
The Earthsea Cycle
Mistborn
The Icewind Dale trilogyNo flaming anything on this thread, please. The books must be no worse than PG-13.
"The Innovation Playbook" by Webb has a whole chapter on this. That is a non-fiction book.
As far as exploring the concept in fiction, Lawrence Watt-Evans (never call him Larry!) wrote four books called the Lords of Dus series that does a good job of exploring this trade-off. A great read too!
in service,
Rich
www.drgames.org
Magician: Apprentice (Riftwar Saga)by Raymond Feist and the next 3 books in the series. It is a "boys to men" story.
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The Diskworld novels by Terry Pratchett.
Funny, exiting and sometimes very wise - and they have the apocryphal Apocalypse or, for short Apocralypse that will end with the Triumph of the Ice Giants and the Teatime of the Gods, but for now that has been avoided...)
Stardust by Neil Gaiman.
Good Omens - The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman.
"Damien" fighting to prevent the Apocalypse.
Well, I find myself in need of a "relax" book (or series) that will hold my attention. Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate. I can't find anything quite filling my criteria at the libraries I have access to. Sort of what I have in mind:
LotR: this is, admittedly, on the grimmer side of things
The Earthsea Cycle
Mistborn
The Icewind Dale trilogyNo flaming anything on this thread, please. The books must be no worse than PG-13.
The Deed of Paksennarion
i highly recommend.
Seconded.
Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Asprin, SM Stirling,
Thirded. As for Lackey, the Valdemar books are very much on the idealism side of the scale.
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Try:
Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
Lots of guns, some foul language, generally a fun story where you know the good guys are going to win. Modern fantasy.
Rats, Bats, and Vats by David Freer and Eric Flint
Science fiction about a cloned grunt fighting a losing war with a rag-tag bunch of animals and a tractor. Very fun.
The Right to Arm Bears by Gordon R. Dickson
Science fiction but on a medieval style planet run by insular bears. Also fun.
Oath of Swords by David Weber
Great fantasy read. Gritty but also strangely wholesome story about the calling of a non-human paladin.
The Fuzzy Papers by H. Beam Piper
Classic science fiction. A little cynical but in an old-fashioned, you know the good guys will win, sort of way.
Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines
Fantasy focused on the poor goblin. Slightly cynical but not offputtingly so.
How Much for Just the Planet By John M. Ford
Star Trek novel but don't let that fool you. Read it if you can find it. Cynical but in an uplifting, idealistic way. Much singing and dancing.
The Elfen Ship by James P Blaylock
Probably not in print. Fantasy about a cheesmaker on a quest to sell his cheese. Light fantasy. Very easy read.
The Pig, The Prince and the Unicorn by Karen A. Brush
A light fantasy in which a pig must save the world by locking away chaos. The pig however just wants to make friends with everyone, even the bad guys. Very idealistic.
Hope that helps. Some of them might be harder to find than others but I've found all of those to be pretty good reads.
The Myth series by Robert Aspren (Aspern...Asprin...?) and later co-authored by Jody Lynn Nye. Still as halarious and tongue in cheek as it was when it was started in the 50's. Unfortunately the author ceased to be before he finished the series but his writing partner I believe took on the responsibilities, though I feel the later books lose some of their charm because of it. She is an excellent author, but she added things like a coherrant plot and purpose which I just didn't care for. Can't suggest too much more than that I'm afraid. Unless you like steam punk, then Burton and Swineburne in the Curious Affair of Spring Heeled Jack may be write for you, talking orangutans and all.
I usually read depressing, coming of age fantasies involving obscure moral lines and the development of serious peronsality disorders like The Name of the Wind (amazing book), The Left Hand of God, or The Magicians. Who doesn't love a nigh undefeatable, child prodigy, anti-hero?
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The Myth series by Robert Aspren (Aspern...Asprin...?) and later co-authored by Jody Lynn Nye. Still as halarious and tongue in cheek as it was when it was started in the 50's.
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Asprin must have been quite the prodigy, then, what with having been born in 1946. (The first book in the series came out in 1978, btw.)
Back on the original question--if you can find it, Alexis Gilliland's Wizenbeak trilogy is PG-13 and at least optimistic, if not idealistic.
The Myth series by Robert Aspren (Aspern...Asprin...?) and later co-authored by Jody Lynn Nye. Still as halarious and tongue in cheek as it was when it was started in the 50's.
<<...>>
Asprin must have been quite the prodigy, then, what with having been born in 1946. (The first book in the series came out in 1978, btw.)
Back on the original question--if you can find it, Alexis Gilliland's Wizenbeak trilogy is PG-13 and at least optimistic, if not idealistic.
Well thank you for pointing out my typo. Now I just feel silly.
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Well thank you for pointing out my typo. Now I just feel silly.
Don't--I just thought it was amusing because my first SF con was the last one where Bob Asprin was still qualified to be the Fan Guest of Honor, and I'm not *that* old. I've certainly made my share of typos/brainos online. Remember Rule 35: The net isn't only for porn, it's also for pointless pedantry!
Well thank you for pointing out my typo. Now I just feel silly.Don't--I just thought it was amusing because my first SF con was the last one where Bob Asprin was still qualified to be the Fan Guest of Honor, and I'm not *that* old. I've certainly made my share of typos/brainos online. Remember Rule 35: The net isn't only for porn, it's also for pointless pedantry!
His books were so good. I never did read the Phule's series though. I didn't started reading his books until an old roommate lent me his copy of the first about 4 years ago (with wonderful Phil Foglio - I'm terrible with spelling names if it isn't obvious already so that may not be correct - art). I was hooked and breezed through them. I love starting a series years after it was written; never have to wait for the sequel, you just drive to the bookstore (shakes fist at Pat Rothfuss who promised a sequel to his debut novel 3ish years ago!)