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I have a summer job that allows me to read quite a bit (last summer, I read 6 novels). However, I have absolutely nothing left to read this summer, and going through the book thread, nothing hooked me up at first glance. So perhaps someone can recommend me a good series they've read ? I like 10+ books series.
I have read (and recommend) : The Wheel of Time A Song of Ice and Fire The Sword of Truth The Inheritance Cycle Lotr
I was thinking about buying Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson, as he did a pretty good job coauthoring The Gathering Storm.
Any suggestions ?
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Anything by R.A. Salvatore!
I LOVE the whole Icewind Dale series. I would recommend this to anyone as my number one book.
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The Dark Tower
I'll ask my old roommate for more recommendations and post them here.
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The Belgariad and the Mallorean by David Eddings (first book is very slow but gets to be excellent by the 3rdish one)
~LoA
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R.A. Salvatore was so much fun while it lasted but the dialogue is way too nerdy. I highly recommend A Song of Ice and Fire. Best fantasy series I ever read.
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The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.
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First post here, but I second The Malazan Book of the Fallen series although the first 200 pages can be rough.
Other suggestions are The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie if you want something slightly gritty and The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch which is absolutely amazing.
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Dragon Riders of Pern (Anne McCaffrey) series are pretty good. The Shanara series is pretty good (Terry Brooks) and he also has a bunch of other good series too.
Also, not really fantasy (sci-fi) but the foundation series by asimov is fucking incredible, and everyone should read it. Actually, anything by Asimov is amazing.
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Read Ted Dekker books, I think they're amazing, usually they are mystery.
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Any of David Gemmell's books (alot have recurring characters and are set in the same world). His first book Legend is really enjoyable. In fact all of his novels are enjoyable, I've never met anyone who hasn't liked one of his books. Style is heroic fantasy but he somehow manages to create really believable characters and while the action is usually non-stop he manages to inject a fair amount of philosophy into his stories.
Raymond E Feist isn't bad. The first trilogy starting with Magician is pretty good. After you've read that I'd highly recommend the Empire trilogy co-authored with Janny Wurts. (You mentioned you like long series - basically all of Feist's books are one long series).
Definitely check out The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobbs. This has 2 follow on trilogies. Beautiful books with some very likable characters.
I recently read Way of the Shadow by new author Brett Weeks (enjoyable action and surprisingly gripping though dark at times).
Lastly if you've never heard of him (and most people haven't because he has surprisingly ended up mostly out of print) check out Jack Vance. He has many books to his name, some of them sci-fi and others fantasy. A remarkable author with amazing dialogue. A real master.
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I've read and enjoyed most of the books on your list, and I would recommend The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Unfortunately, it's the first book of an incomplete trilogy (the second book won't come out until March 2011).
I also enjoyed the trilogies from Robin Hobb, as the previous poster suggested.
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I must also recommend The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. I've yet to come across another character as real as Fitz. Hobb is such a fantastic writer <3
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Read my series when it comes out! T_T. God I need to go write....
Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince trilogy is amazing. Kate Elliot's Crown of Stars series is awesome. Guy Gavriel Kay has fantastic fantasy stand-alone novels. I highly recommend his Lions of Al-Rassan. Also, Storm Constantine's Magravandias series is so lush!!
Some non epic-fantasy recommendations:
China Mieville's Perdido Street Station isn't epic fantasy, but it's breathtaking urban steampunk/fantasy.
Sharon Kay Penman writes historical fiction, but I highly recommend her novel Here Be Dragons. Such beautiful characterization.
It definitely makes me a little sad to see this thread and see these writers aren't getting as much recognition as people like Terry Goodkind -___- and the gagworthy Steven Erikson... But ok, I'll turn off the hate. Please try some of these other writers! There's more to fantasy than just nerdy guys writing LOTR rip-offs!!
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I'm very surprised noone mentioned the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. There's like 37 novels and they're fantastically. Might be too philosophical and clever to some people who can't comprehend. Read "Reaper Man" then you know if you like his style or not.
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Hating on Terry Goodkind is never wrong, but I don't see how Erikson can be lumped in with him. The scope of his world is unlike anything else. At times it's dragonball z meets D&D but you have to give some credit for the enormity of what he's doing. At first I thought the Malazan books were pulpy deus ex bullshit but I've come to really appreciate his ability to craft such a ridiculously huge world and manage so many different characters and story lines.
No other series really has that same level of content, and I'd say about 85% of it is solid. Some of the comedic relief characters piss me off while others I really like, and there's only a few main characters who bother the shit out of me at times.
I'd atleast give the 2nd book Deadhouse Gates a try before deciding if it's for you or not. I could definitely see how someone might not like it, but the first book isn't a good indication of whether you are on the love it or hate it side.
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On May 02 2010 03:01 floor exercise wrote: Hating on Terry Goodkind is never wrong, but I don't see how Erikson can be lumped in with him. The scope of his world is unlike anything else. At times it's dragonball z meets D&D but you have to give some credit for the enormity of what he's doing. At first I thought the Malazan books were pulpy deus ex bullshit but I've come to really appreciate his ability to craft such a ridiculously huge world and manage so many different characters and story lines.
No other series really has that same level of content, and I'd say about 85% of it is solid. Some of the comedic relief characters piss me off while others I really like, and there's only a few main characters who bother the shit out of me at times.
I'd atleast give the 2nd book Deadhouse Gates a try before deciding if it's for you or not. I could definitely see how someone might not like it, but the first book isn't a good indication of whether you are on the love it or hate it side.
OK, that's probably why then. I've only read the first book and quite honestly I didn't care for the scope of the book because if it takes 2 novels just to get a story going... then I don't have a high opinion of the writer. It's the Robert Jordan syndrome. Writers need to be less lazy with the actual CRAFT of writing, and focus less on content IMO. Content's easy to make (for creative people). It's the logistics of getting that story across to the readers in an enjoyable fashion that's important to me.
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Valhalla18444 Posts
On May 02 2010 02:22 BajaBlood wrote: I've read and enjoyed most of the books on your list, and I would recommend The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Unfortunately, it's the first book of an incomplete trilogy (the second book won't come out until March 2011).
I also enjoyed the trilogies from Robin Hobb, as the previous poster suggested.
march fucking 2011?! oh patrick
anyone who hasnt read this book go do so, it's so good
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8716 Posts
On May 02 2010 00:54 iaretehnoob wrote: The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Another vote for this. Just make sure you are a very attentive reader for the first book, perhaps reading a bit slower than usual, because it's easy to get to a point where you think "what the hell is going on." But once you get rolling through the books, they are fucking awesome. Huge payoffs imo =]
lol @ storkhwaiting critique on things he hasn't read. don't care for the scope? how about the scope of your critique? you read one book of a series that is separated from the rest by over a decade and then you judge, not just the whole series, but the author himself? i think you need to learn what the fuck scope is and how to use it.
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On May 02 2010 05:13 Liquid`NonY wrote:Show nested quote +On May 02 2010 00:54 iaretehnoob wrote: The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Another vote for this. Just make sure you are a very attentive reader for the first book, perhaps reading a bit slower than usual, because it's easy to get to a point where you think "what the hell is going on." But once you get rolling through the books, they are fucking awesome. Huge payoffs imo =] lol @ storkhwaiting critique on things he hasn't read. don't care for the scope? how about the scope of your critique? you read one book of a series that is separated from the rest by over a decade and then you judge, not just the whole series, but the author himself? i think you need to learn what the fuck scope is and how to use it.
Don't nerd rage at me. If you're that upset, go buy another copy of his books. It'll make up for the ones I'll never buy. I think you need to learn what the fuck an opinion is. I shared mine. You can share yours without freaking out. It's a valid critique to say, I bought and read one of his books and didn't care to read the rest of the series.
I guess the entire book industry is wrong though, and that novels should never be critiqued until the writer's written 8 of them and we've waited 15 years to see how it developed.
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Having read Mistborn, I can heartily recommend the series. Sanderson has a few other books out there, but the Mistborn series is probably the best of them.
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I actually meant skip the first book and start on the second. The first book isn't a great introduction at all to the series. It was written like 10 years before he got a publishing deal and there's a number of inconsistencies between it and the rest of the series. In addition to that the 2nd book is just all around more cohesive, it doesn't try to be so glenn cook-ish, and the setting and characters are mostly new as well so you don't miss anything. If you absolutely hated the first book you may still hate the rest but it's worth trying if you don't have anything else to read.
I don't know, I actually hated it when I started too but I stuck with it and found it really rewarding in the end. It doesn't surprise me when others don't like it
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I just got The Name of the Wind from my local library =).
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A few I would recommend.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson - Book 1 Mistborn The Belgariad/Malleoran by David Eddings - Book 1 Pawn of Prophecy The Elenium by David Eddings - Book 1 The Diamon Throne
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I don't think enough people have read Mickey Zucker Reichert's The Legend of Nightfall and The Return of Nightfall.
If you want to read books about a sarcastic, witty assassin who fucking throws daggers and has a sweet innate gift to shift his body weight to specific body parts (180 pound fist to face anyone?) then you should read those books.
Also, The Fifth Sorceress by Robert Newcomb is really good. It's about banished sorceresses trying to gain power over the world but good guys include a crazy gnome, dagger-throwing prince (recurring theme in a lot of my reading), and babe trying to stop them. Newcomb's description is very good, I still remember his description about the bad guy mercenaries' swords being pretty awesome.
Last, Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice and the rest of its related series (Farseer Trilogy) is rather fantastic in that it takes you from the childhood to full grown man of a man created to be an assassin. I think the character comes back in her later books (Fool's fate/Fool's errand series) but I'm not quite sure.
P.S. dragonlance chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman has a bad ass evil mage named raistlin who is just a fucking baller.
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I liked the Mistborn trilogy. The relatively short length is a selling point for me, I don't really care to read a 10k page series anymore.
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The Dresden Files. It's contemporary fantasy, yet Awesome with a capital A.13 books in the series already.
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David gemmell has some nice books, Druss IS a Legend , Farseer trilogy is also hot, Verity so much awesomeness, Sara douglas, Brian jacques.
Thats about all i can think of now.
Love sword of truth Richard and Kahlan, cant get enough of the wizards rules and nothing beats a naked chick on horseback riding into a camp of thousands ^_^ all time favourite books and i dont know why most people dont like them
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On May 02 2010 08:02 floor exercise wrote: I actually meant skip the first book and start on the second. The first book isn't a great introduction at all to the series. It was written like 10 years before he got a publishing deal and there's a number of inconsistencies between it and the rest of the series. In addition to that the 2nd book is just all around more cohesive, it doesn't try to be so glenn cook-ish, and the setting and characters are mostly new as well so you don't miss anything. If you absolutely hated the first book you may still hate the rest but it's worth trying if you don't have anything else to read.
I don't know, I actually hated it when I started too but I stuck with it and found it really rewarding in the end. It doesn't surprise me when others don't like it
Now this is a good explanation. Thanks floor. I'll check the second book out then.
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Thanks for the suggestions !
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On May 02 2010 05:07 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote:Show nested quote +On May 02 2010 02:22 BajaBlood wrote: I've read and enjoyed most of the books on your list, and I would recommend The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Unfortunately, it's the first book of an incomplete trilogy (the second book won't come out until March 2011).
I also enjoyed the trilogies from Robin Hobb, as the previous poster suggested. march fucking 2011?! oh patrick anyone who hasnt read this book go do so, it's so good
Wow I started but couldn't get going with Name Of The Wind. Hearing FS and BB say they like it so much gives me hope to pick it back up again.
Also, very happy that Gemmell and Hobb are getting so much love in this thread. Just to continue the spam: Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy (first book Assassin's Apprentice) and Legend by David Gemmell are epic and easy for anyone to read, new to fantasy or long-time fans.
On May 02 2010 08:46 Koiru wrote:
Last, Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice and the rest of its related series (Farseer Trilogy) is rather fantastic in that it takes you from the childhood to full grown man of a man created to be an assassin. I think the character comes back in her later books (Fool's fate/Fool's errand series) but I'm not quite sure. Yeah the same characters from the first trilogy come back in this series. As you may or may not know the Liveship Traders trilogy is set in the south of the same world and has some related characters to the first books as well. (I found this series harder to get into but on the other hand one of my friends prefers these books to the others. Taste eh?).
P.S Soldier Son Trilogy by Robin Hobb is also fantastic if you haven't read it yet. Different world to the other series which is nice. Great characters and plot as usual. Similiar themes to a popular contempory movie + Show Spoiler + but without all the fail.
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I can second the recommendation for The Lies of Locke Lamora (and its sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies) by Scott Lynch. They're the first two books in a seven-part series, and they're cruel, but it's nothing you haven't seen if you've read GRRM, and they're great, rollicking fun. In a phrase: fantasy Venetian conmen.
I'm reading Brandon Sanderson at the moment, and he's not bad. Some interesting ideas, but not the most memorable read.
Sadly, I hated Brent Weeks. Again, the world was harsh, but not in a kind of soulless way that made me apathetic towards the characters. Also, I have a big problem with his representation of women.
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I HIGHLY recommend any of the Drenai Series by David Gemmell. Some of my favorite fantasy books.
The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks.
The Prince of Nothing Series by R. Scott Bakker
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Malazan Book of the Fallen
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Since everyone has already mentioned all the authors that I personally enjoy, here is one that is not quite the usual fantasy fare. But the setting can be considered fantasy.
Terry Prachett's Discworld series is a very popular and well known comedic fantasy book universe, good to read during the holidays when you want a laugh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett
Hah I didn't know he got knighted for his literary contributions!
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David Gemmel's Troy series is very good, one of the best fantasy series I had read in a long time. Also you could always consider some of the classics like C. S Lewis and the Thomas Covenant series by Stephen R. Donaldson. Also I have a friend who really like the Malazan books by Erikson, I didn't like them much. I think people tend to love or hate them though it seems like more of the former than the latter.
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On May 02 2010 19:17 omgCRAZY wrote: (...) The Prince of Nothing Series by R. Scott Bakker
^^
Also:
Roger Zelazny: The Chronicles of Amber
It has 10 short books, but I suggest reading only the first 5. Very entertaining read.
Uh, I know there's more that I read, but can't remember now.
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My suggestion is to read "the Hobbit" (u write u have read LOTR) so you will understand lot of things about that world (it is a small and enjoable book)
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On May 02 2010 11:22 Ankalagon wrote: The Dresden Files. It's contemporary fantasy, yet Awesome with a capital A.13 books in the series already.
Seconding this as a fun series. Butcher's Codex Alera is also entertaining. What is most amusing about it, though, is that it was written because of a bet. Arguing over form vs. substance in fiction, Butcher said he could take two terrible, hackneyed ideas and write a decent novel about them. In turn, the other guy's two suggestions were the Lost Roman Legion... and Pokemon. That information will either completely ruin the series for you, or make it that much better.
Most of my other recommendations have been mentioned already, but one name that hasn't been is Gene Wolfe's. Simply amazing author.
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The View from the Mirror Quartet The Well of Echoes Quartet The Song of the Tears Trilogy
all by Ian Irvine, in the same world - a great set of books. all very interesting!!
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Robin Hobb: "Royal Assassin" Trilogy. Exceptionally well written. Highly recommended.
Orson Scott Card: Enders game. Terran strategy vs Zerg invasion. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G story of a -yet to be- commander
Asimov: complete works but specially the "foundation" trilogy. SF and sociology in a master piece.
(Do you have any beta key? i would be very gratefull)
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anyone else having recommendation for books like "ice&fire" (george rr martin) and "the first law" from abercrombie? So basically more realistic/grownup/dark fantasy?
I tried Hobb and Rothfuss and I had to stop reading halfway through since those heroic one dimensional fantasy just doesn't work for me
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+1 for the 4 main David Eddings series (belgariad/elenium). You should also read The Redemption of Athalus. I am not sure why people liked the Shanara series, it seemed to be the same book over and over again, I could not get through 4 of them. If you like lighter (and pun filled) fantasy, you should check out the Xanth series by Peirs anthony. I have always loved reading those books when I needed a break.
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