Recommended Novels

[magatsu17]

I've been struggling to find something to Read till the next book comes out. So if you have any recommendations i would apprieciate it here are some of my favorites

Dragon Prince series- this was the series i picked up after the wheel of time. it's very political but very good.

Sword of Truth series- this one is like a poor mans wheel of time. While not as well written and not as deep, it's still very good and has good development of the main character at least.

Memory, Sorrow, and a Thorn- this one is also very good. it has a lot of twist and turns to keep you ocuppied. Plus very good writting

Baker's Boy- I recommend no body read this series. While it has very good writing and a good story i was so dissappointed with the climax that i never wanted to see any of those novels again

A Song of Fire and Ice.- Probly the second best fantasy series i've ever read(some say it's better than the wheel of time, I don't agree ofcourse). With a extremely deep story and very strong characters. My main problem with this one is that it's so depressing to read. But if you want a change of pace from the wheel of time you couldnt' ask for anything better.

[Jean]

Read Rawn's Exiles trilogy, or atleast the first 2 books, cause she hasn't written the last one. lol It's better than the Dragon Prince books in my opinion.

ROTFL@ poor man's wheel of time. :D I gave up on Terry Goodkind around book 3 or 4.

Have you ever read any Terry Pratchett? If you haven't go out and get one of his books. :) They're hilarious.

[magatsu17]

The last one in the Terry Goodking Series Faith of the Fallen is actually really good. Its the best one in the Series by far. I didn't think he had it in him right a really good one but even my sister liked. She said" It's worth reading the 3rd 4th and 5th just to get to Faith of the Fallen," and I agree though i liked the 3rd, 4th and 5th. she really didn't

[Ulk]

LOL, the recycled plot lines in SOT get a tad boring, but i still read the fucking thing for some reason, oh well.

The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman i think their names are, is really good. i think its got around 7 books in it, and the series is complete! there's something you dont see every day.

The Farseer Trilogy by umm.. Robin Hobb, thats good too. Its a lot of political intrigue stuff really well written. although a lot of shitty shit happens to the main character, not too many ppl die, so you shouldnt get too depressed.

[Buckweet]

Originally posted by Ulk
LOL, the recycled plot lines in SOT get a tad boring, but i still read the fucking thing for some reason, oh well.



Id watch how you dis Sword of Truth....
It's a good series that works really differently than RJ's world. I love all of his books in the series and his books have gotten better and better unlike some author...who after book 5 or so...took a dive in to slow moe lets take a nap for 5 years or so.:p

Buckweet Gaidin

[nightfairy]

OK- the MYTH series by Robert Aspirin (first book "Another Fine Myth") these are super comedy fantasy, complete with magicians, dragons, demons & dimension hopping. There are somewhere around 10-15 books. Unfortunately, each book takes about a 1/2 hour to read (they're short but extremely amusing if you need a quick fix)

"The Mists Of Avalon" I must recommend; it is EXCELLENT
It is part of a series with a prequel & one or two sequels that I havent read, but have been advised not to waste my time on. The MOA itself, however, is great - only about 860 pages but somehow reads like the Neverending story & just goes on & on & retains its greatness throughout. PLEASE do not judge the book by the made for TV movie with Juliana Marguilies & Angelica Huston, the movie was like to the book in name only. This is one of the only books that I could have picked up right after a new WOT & it holds up. Definately check it out.

And a little off the beaten path...
The Sonja Blue Series. First book "Sunglasses After Dark". Not strictly fantasy, this is a Vampire series, but extremely well written, both plot & character. Not for the faint of heart, though, it's graphic & violent, but with heart & soul. (Not to mention passion & vengence). The 1st 3 books can be found in a collective called "Midnight Blue". There is also a 4th story, "A Dozen Black Roses" and a graphic novel & a few short stories & a cult following.

Enjoy!

[Litefoot]

Jean - Love, love, love Terry Pratchett. Good Omens, co-written by T. Pratchett is one of my favourites. :)

And have any of you read Anne McCaffrey?

Her 'Pern' series is generally very good, if a bit hard to read through at some times. I would definately recommend all those books however - Dragonflight, The White Dragon, The Dragonsinger and all the rest.

However, don't think her other novels come close to the greatness achieved in her Pern books. Take the 'Crystal Singers' 3 book series. Book one was very interesting, book 2 was rubbish and book 3 was pretty average. She's written other books I haven't read - The Ship That Sang, Decision at Doona, to name a few.

Would like to know what they were like, if anyone has read them?

[Ulk]

Originally posted by Buckweet


Id watch how you dis Sword of Truth....
It's a good series that works really differently than RJ's world. I love all of his books in the series and his books have gotten better and better unlike some author...who after book 5 or so...took a dive in to slow moe lets take a nap for 5 years or so.:p

Buckweet Gaidin

You're not gonna offend me by saying wot has sucked recently, i agree w/ you, LOL. but you have to agree that every book in SOT is the same thing... Richard gets captured, by women, then breaks free and shows all his glory.. they're still pretty well written, but it gets real predictable, real fast. you're one of the first ppl i've found who hasnt thought he was kind of in league w/ david eddings. :p

[Jean]

Originally posted by Litefoot
Jean - Love, love, love Terry Pratchett. Good Omens, co-written by T. Pratchett is one of my favourites. :)

And have any of you read Anne McCaffrey?

Her 'Pern' series is generally very good, if a bit hard to read through at some times. I would definately recommend all those books however - Dragonflight, The White Dragon, The Dragonsinger and all the rest.

However, don't think her other novels come close to the greatness achieved in her Pern books. Take the 'Crystal Singers' 3 book series. Book one was very interesting, book 2 was rubbish and book 3 was pretty average. She's written other books I haven't read - The Ship That Sang, Decision at Doona, to name a few.

Would like to know what they were like, if anyone has read them?

Have you read his Death series? Love those! Granny Weatherwax is the best though! :)

It's been a LONG time since I read any Any McCaffery. I read the Harper Hall trilogy when I was 12 or 13 cause they had them in the school library. lol Then I picked up the Dragonriders of Pern books. I haven't read any of her non-Pern books.

Oh! And Ulk mentioned Robin Hobb, has anyone read her Liveship Trilogy? I keep saying I'm going to pick up those books and read them and was wanted know some opinions about them.

Nightfairy, I never saw the Mists of Avalon movie, I wanted to because I read somewhere that they tried to stay faithful to the book, but from what you say, that was a complete lie. This is the reason I don't want a WoT movie, no matter what, they'll change things so that the story is unrecognizable.

[Buckweet]

Originally posted by Ulk


but you have to agree that every book in SOT is the same thing... Richard gets captured, by women, then breaks free and shows all his glory.. they're still pretty well written, but it gets real predictable, real fast. you're one of the first ppl i've found who hasnt thought he was kind of in league w/ david eddings. :p

First off I dont have an inckling to who this David Eddings is...

(I'll probably get flamed for it)

And as far as SoT...yea I guess the whole captured by women and dazzling them is kinda overdone...but each case is unique and quarky...besides...unlike WoT...in SoT..people die and stay dead:(

I almost shed a tear when Warren died.....

WAAAARRRREEENNNNN NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!


:D There..I got it out of my system...Im ok now!:p

Buckweet Gaidin

[magatsu17]

Originally posted by Jean




Oh! And Ulk mentioned Robin Hobb, has anyone read her Liveship Trilogy? I keep saying I'm going to pick up those books and read them and was wanted know some opinions about them.



Didn't Robin Hobb right the Assasain Trilogy. Now that was a good one also. The title of the first one Assasain Apprentice I picked up cause i had just read Magician Apprentice by Raymond E Fiest. The books were completely Different but the assasain one was better.

[Ulk]

yeah the Assassin trilogy is by Robin Hobb.. i havent read the other ones she wrote, they dont look as cool.

and David Eddings is an author who ppl read when they were 12, thought he was the kickassest writer on the planet, then when they got older realized he sucks extreme ass. i havent actually read him myself, due to this fact. i'm pretty sure SoT would be better than him tho.

[magatsu17]

I've tried to read David Eddings a few times but just wasn't able to get into it.

SoT is really good though. Terry Goodkind is no Robert Jordan or George R. R. Martin but he's pretty close

[Buckweet]

~nods up and down like a ninny~


Buckweet Gaidin:D

[Jean]

Originally posted by magatsu17
I've tried to read David Eddings a few times but just wasn't able to get into it.

SoT is really good though. Terry Goodkind is no Robert Jordan or George R. R. Martin but he's pretty close

Terry Goodkind is a sick man who's into torturing women and S&M. In EVERY book Kahlan was assaulted in some fashion by someone.

[Ulk]

Originally posted by Jean


Terry Goodkind is a sick man who's into torturing women and S&M. In EVERY book Kahlan was assaulted in some fashion by someone.

i'm not sure why i'm about to defend terry's ass, cos i just finished bashing him twice. oh well :)

i think that her getting assaulted just comes along with being a man character and going into battle killing ppl. you could say the same for richard x10. not only has he been assaulted in every book, he's been tortured in some, got the plague, all kinds of nasty shit. SO i dont think he's into torturing women at all, just showing that when you're a main character and fight a lot, you're fucking bound to get the shit kicked out of you once in a while.

[magatsu17]

Richard in the First book got the worse treatment of any person in any book i've ever read. Excluding nobody. When he was caught by the Mordsith that's was the worse I can't think of how anyone could get worst treatment than that.

Besides Kahlan does some of the stupidest things i can think of. But it's still not as bad as when Elayne and Nyneve made that bargain with the seafolk. The stupidest thing I ever heard of anyone doing.

[Buckweet]

As rough as it has been for Khalan, Richard always got the worst end of the stick.

The SoT series has shown the brutal side of heroism and war...unlike the fairy taley stuff RJ writes... no offense to RJ
but come on.... killing off someone and bringing them back... --only a handful of good guys are dead/missing

Fel is dead
Moraine is missing

In like 9 books.

No offense to RJ
We're not worthy we're not worthy!:D

~~~~(sarcastiicly) ~~~
Now Jean-- your just upset cause Khalan cant have his babies so nye.... :p

Buckweet Gaidin

[magatsu17]

Besides Richard is one of the Coolest characters I've ever read about. He's smarter than every one like Rohan(Dragon Prince), Hes the most powerful magic user but doesn't understand his true power like Rand. Plus he's got a Really cool Sword.

Besides that time at the end of Wizards first rule when he figured that kalah's power couldn't do anything to him cause he was already totally devoted to her and tricked Darken Rahl was awesome Richard Rules.

He's the hero but he's also the "bringer of death". That 's an awesome title to have.

[Buckweet]

My favorite part is when he slaps the mudman for the first time...

Richard with a temper... now thats a cool title

Buckweet Gaidin

[nightfairy]

Nightfairy, I never saw the Mists of Avalon movie, I wanted to because I read somewhere that they tried to stay faithful to the book, but from what you say, that was a complete lie. This is the reason I don't want a WoT movie, no matter what, they'll change things so that the story is unrecognizable.

I know, I was sooo excited b/c I also heard they would stay true to the book & that the women were being depicted as strong & noble characters, but the movie repeatedly made the women into evil manipulative bitches, exactly the opposite of what the book did.

RE: Granny Weatherwax
I only read the short story in the collective "Legends" -(which for these of you that havent, you should read its got a really interesting short story prequel to EOTW), but LOVED it, I keep meaning to pick up the rest of the Granny books; what is the title of the first?

Has anyone read (I think its a trilogy) Stephen R. Donaldson's Mordant's Need series - first book "Mirror of Her Dreams"? I started reading it several cycles ago & it was very dimension-hoppy & very intense, but I put it down I cant remember why & now cannot find it.

And I agree about the WOT movie, it would only work if it were a year long miniseries w/RJ having total creative control & you know how likely that is. (Its much nicer as a movie in my head)

[Buckweet]

If they get Heather Locklier as Nynaeve...hey I'd watch it.


Bukweet Gaidin

[Ulk]

Originally posted by magatsu17
Besides Richard is one of the Coolest characters I've ever read about. He's smarter than every one like Rohan(Dragon Prince), Hes the most powerful magic user but doesn't understand his true power like Rand. Plus he's got a Really cool Sword.

Besides that time at the end of Wizards first rule when he figured that kalah's power couldn't do anything to him cause he was already totally devoted to her and tricked Darken Rahl was awesome Richard Rules.

He's the hero but he's also the "bringer of death". That 's an awesome title to have.

Richard is alright as a character, but if you've read any Drizzt Do'Urden books, he's so badass its unbelievable. He's the greatest character in fantasy, like ever IMO. the books themselves are lacking a great deal, Salvatore isnt that great a writer... but shit, Drizzt is cool.

[magatsu17]

Originally posted by Ulk


Richard is alright as a character, but if you've read any Drizzt Do'Urden books, he's so badass its unbelievable. He's the greatest character in fantasy, like ever IMO. the books themselves are lacking a great deal, Salvatore isnt that great a writer... but shit, Drizzt is cool.

What's the name of the first one??

I'm always down for a badass character.

Also has anyone read The Deed of Paksinarion. That is also an awesome Trilogy. It's by Elizabeth Moon and it's one of the many series that was able the keep me sane in that long period between books 7 and 8 of the WoT

[Ulk]

read Homeland first. its the first book in the Dark Elf Trilogy. Salvatore actually wrote The Icewind Dale Trilogy first, but after it he wrote all the shit that happened first. anyway, its better to read Dark Elf first. then after that there's about 7 more books to read :D

[elfnmagik]

so I'm going to just answer the original question and slap a few books down as alternative reading

"the Incarnations of Imortallity" by Peirs Anthony : There are seven books and each deals with a specific incarnation (death,war,time,fate,nature,god,satan) and how each of these incarnations are offices/jobs ...that mortals do to keep the earth running smoothly

the "Chtorran invasion series" by David Gerrold: i can't even explain this series without screwing it up....just read it , its a mind twist

lets see... "sonja blue" trilogy is excellent ( if you like vampires)
thats all i can think off the top of my head


:)

[Jean]

I've read a couple of vampire series, though my favorite is still Anne Rice, even if the latest books in the Vampire Chronicles haven't been that good. My favorite is Queen of the Damned.

I also liked her books on the Mayfair Witches...but I wouldn't call The Witching Hour light reading. lol That book is over 1000 pages, but it's GOOOD. :D But she stopped writing about them after Taltos. :( Only 3 books in that series.

I'll give that Sonja Blue series a try. :)



And one thing to add to the Terry Goodkind bit...it's not just Kahlan that gets assaulted, it's random women. I think it was his brother in book 3 or 4 that was the sick one that tortured women to death, what was the point in that? He's just icky.

[Min Farshaw]

~raises her hand a bit uncertainly~ There was this fantasy series i discovered when i was in grade 3 or 4... The Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Anyone heard of it??? Well anyways, yes a bit on the childish side, but i still recommend it for some fun light reading... :)

[Buckweet]

Hey Jean...Im reading "the witching hour" at the moment.
At the rate Im going it should take me about a month to finish. The fist couple hundred pages were dense. But i cant put the damn thing down---it's GREAT!!!


Buckweet Gaidin

[GWINNA]

I suggest The Wheel OF Time series by Robert Jordan.
~insane laughter~
I'm up to somewhere like my 10 the 0r 12th reading.
Seriously unless you think Microelectronic Circuits the fourth Edition by Sedra and Smith I realy don't have anything to suggest.

[magatsu17]

Terry Goodkind is kind of sick, but it's not just women. What about in the first book their was that guy who had the thing for lil'kids. Now that was really sick. Also when the Sisters of the Dark got their power from that wierd monster thing in the second book. That was sick but they did that volentarly. What about what the sisters of the dark did to the pirates what the pirates did to them then what they did back to the sisters of the light. that was one strange twist after another.

Also Nathan Rahl is a really cool character. How women have been trying to control him all his life but now that he's free he doesn't hate them, but he's still a badass.

[VerBATum]

I miss Gratch! he was so bloody kewl!

[magatsu17]

Gratch is awesome. In the third book when they were killing the Mirthswith(spelling) that was really cool. Speak of Mirthswith why would a wizard give up his humanity just to be invisible. That was one of the weirdest and stupidest things i ever heard of.

[VerBATum]

Dude! that sig is pretty damn neat - where ya get it from?

second, there was a little bit more to being a Mirth-whatever. I mean they where some pretty deadly fighters. And there was the fact that they where more or less part ofa family unit. THen they got to use thier magic on a regular basis.


Then there's the possibility that it just kinda snuck up on them like it almost did Rich.

[Gina]

Didn't it make anyone else sooooooo mad when they put that collar on his neck?

I couldn't do it if I were Kahlan, I think that was so stupid, rather than going straight to his Grandpa.

Sorry, a little off topic...

Dragon of Pern series is ok, it's what I'm reading now

Terry Goodkind is great though I liked those books.

Martin's series too

[Jacob]

I'm currently re-reading the Lord of the Ring and I recommend anyone who hasn't read that to do so (naturally). Then I'll watch the First movie around Christmas and I hope that it's as great as it seems to be judging from the trailers :) But before seeing the movie (but after finishing LotR) I'm also going to re-read Silmarillion and maybe Unfinished Tales. Heck, I'll probably re-read them all :-)

And While I think about it: If anyone of you can get a hold of The Brothers Lion Heart or Mio, my son by Astrid Lindgren, I recommend both of those warmly! Both are sadly out of print in the US most of the time though. But you may have some luck at a good library. Both of those hold a very special place in my heart.

[LaughingTurtle]

Hey Jacob, any special reason for recommending The Brothers Lion Heart or Mio, my son by Astrid Lindgren? I mean, can you give a quicky synopsis on them?

"You can't judge a book by it's cover", well neither can you by it's title, so that's why i'm wondering...

Though when i'll be able to get to reading them is any bodies guess, I have long list already:D...school books(Ugh, one called "Friday Night Lights"), fun books (David Drakes "Lord of the Isles" new book), and favorite books (Terry Brooks "Antrax"), and then i really wanted to reread the WOT again...*sigh*...O'well!

[Jacob]

Argh, I'm no good at doing synopsises!

Two brothers (location this world). Very ordinary, very close to each other. One older, one younger. Very sad at times. Why I love them? I guess it's one of those books from my childhood, like Tolkiens books are. My mother read the Brothers Lionheart to me while I was in the hospital, after surgery and read Mio My Son after the second surgery (Ronja, Robbers Daughter after the third). I loved being read to. Even though my mom wasn't all that good at reading The Brothers Lionheart to me, as she kept bawling as she read :-)

Mio My Son - Lonely orphaned and friendless boy with dreams of his father. (that is a King in the dreams? I have to re-read). In both these books, we are transported into other worlds of great evil and great good.

I don't know if these helped much. The best things about these books really is the way they are written. The author, Astrid Lindgren (now ~ 90 and half blind) is probably the most popular person in Sweden. She tops the list of most popular and respected women year after year. She is credited with having toppled the Social Democratic government in 1976 though her critical articles that she wrote in debate then. (first non-social democratic government since Sweden became democratic). She is this respected, she commanded that much influence - because she wrote JUST THAT DARN GOOD BOOKS! I don't know that I can say anything more to convince you. I am certain that if you read either of these books, you will not be dissapointed.

[Pope Trevor]

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is a great book. it's science fiction, not fantasy, but still absolutly increadibly.

in addition to that i'd like to say that Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind, was one of the most painful experiences of my life. it was a terrible book. Goodkind tried to be like RJ, but failed misreably.

somebody else mentioned a long, long time ago that the Death Gate Cycle, but Margret Weiss and Tracy Hickman was good. I agree with that and strongly recomend it

[LaughingTurtle]

Pope said this
i'd like to say that Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind...was a terrible book

Considering that that was just your opinion, i won't beat you within an inch of your life.;)

Why in the world do you think he tried to be like RJ??? (examples please...) If anything, TG wrote a more romance like novel, (now series) than RJ's epic.

Though i totally agree with you on the death gate cycle... The Hand rules!

[QuirkyTemplate]

Why Sword of Truth is horrible, rips off RJ ect...

http://members.tripod.com/~sotiscrap/

... nuff said.
(but as I said, Faith of the Fallen was mega-cool)

btw, (said it once, say it again) ENDER's GAME is awesome!

[LaughingTurtle]

I never said that it was a good book, only that it wasn't a terrible one...also, some people are too critical of authors today, esp. the one on that page quirky, i mean there are only so many plot lines that you can use. Eventually some are going to be used again, and again, and again. The only thing that separates a good book from a bad one is in how well the author can put a spin on things. Though i admit, after reading that page, i have begun to have some serious doubts about the SoT...

I'm currently reading the Faded Sun trilogy...it's pretty good. One of the main characters is of a race called the Mir. They are kindof a mix between Dune's Freman, and the WoT's Aiel....and Magy, they use katanas... :D

[jade]

janny wurt's war of light & shadow is a series to rival wot & songoficeandfire....and its incomplete too!!

[QuirkyTemplate]

I agree. That site is a little critical of everything.

[magatsu17]

Hey yall watch dissing Sword of Truth around me, I mean in a not all Fantasy can be on RJ's level.

How is the Faded sun Trilogy LT, I saw the cover and it caught my intrest, had to be the katana thing or something.

and LT I thought you were with me in my Sword of Truth is cool club, infact I just started to read it again in my lack of anything good to read.

I might have to check out Janny wurt's series though.

[LaughingTurtle]

Oh no magy, i'm still in the SoT is cool club, only, I have a new view on things. Things that i never really thought about before, before I read that very highly opinionated website that is. Though it's still ok in my book.

Faded Sun: Kinda slow in the start, but picks up. Lemme drop a couple o hints (not spoilers thought)

In these books (it's a trilogy, but you can buy it as one book) there are:

1) Near comlete genocide of a humanlike species

2) Sameruai like codes of honor

3) Warriors who use both edged (katana) and distance (lasers) weapons.

4) Space travel

Though the only problem is getting to the good stuff. Once you get into it though, you won't want to put it down.

[Running Wolf]

If you're bored, check out the series, "Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever" by Stephen R Donaldson.
6 books in total, 2 series of 3 books each.
From what I remember, its well written.
One of the more interesting lead characters in a fantasy book.

[Jacob]

The two Tomas Covenant the Unbeliever cronicles are defenitely great books. Quite heavy weight though, probably not for those who find the Belgariand to be the best series ever. I think that these books deserve to be called classics and I think that they may well appeal as much to non-fantasy kind of people...as well as that many hardcore fantasy freaks may find them heavy going. The "hero" lacks quite a few of the quality's that many fantasy freaks expect of hero's I think. That added with the fact that he does something very very bad early on may cause a few to stop reading.

[Gina]

Did anyone read "The Pillars of Creation"?

Well, I like this Series, but what a dissapointment!

I thought this book was going to be great.

I don't want to give the series a bad reputation becuase the other books are good!

Whew! ~sighing~ how disapointing!

[LaughingTurtle]

Have to agree Gina with you on the PoC...but my full response is in the PoC thread.

Anyway the reason i posted was that i actually have almost finished the Assassin's Apprentice (by Robin Hobb), and i really have enjoyed it so far...so much so, that i have already bought the other two books in the trilogy. It's kinda different reading a story told entirely from the main characters POV...puts a new spin on things.

For a taste of Fiction (AAAHHH, NOOO REAL STUFF!!:eek: ) check out John Krakauer's "Into the Wild" (also the author of "Into thin Air - his account of climbing Mt. Everest - another great read for those Fiction reading people) Though it's not fantasy, it's quite an interesting book. True i have to read it for school, but it so far it's surpassed my expectations and keep me turn'n the pages.

[Elspeth]

Ooops! I accidentally posted my reply to this thread on the Pillars of Creation thread (you can go read my little spiel there if you want). So anyway, now I have to repeat myself here.

My favorite fantasy authors are Laurell K. Hamilton (great blood and gore vampire/werewolf fic, and if you think Lestat is sexy, just wait 'til you meet Jean-Claude), RJ (of course), J.K. Rowlings (I know it's a kids' series but I love Harry Potter anyway), and the funniest man in fantasy, Terry Pratchett. Also good are Mercedes Lackey, Andre Norton, and Steven Brust. (oh yeah, i read Faded Sun too. I liked the whole alien/human culture conflict).

The best thing I've read recently is Elizabeth Hayden's Rhapsody, Prophecy, Destiny trillogy. It's got it all: magic, political scheming, time travel, demonically evil villains who want to destroy the world, and a twisted love triangle (be warned, the heroine picks the wrong one). And Achmed the Snake (the ex-assassin who hears people's heartbeats and destroys demons using sound vibrations) has got to be one of the best bad-ass characters I've ever seen. He's even cooler than Drizzt!

Lois McMaster Bujold's "Miles Vorkosigan" series is also really fun, but that's sci-fi, not fantasy.

[Pope Trevor]

This Achmed the Snake better be pretty damed bad-assed, to out bad-ass Drizzt. He does have a cool name, though so that's a start.

I just started reading this old series of books, that probabably not a lot of you have heard of, and it's really good. I think its name is lord of the rings, or something.... The name isn't that impressive, but it might be worth a read. You probably, won't be able to find it in anybook stores around this time though....

[Running Wolf]

Yes Jacob, in many ways you are correct. His bad thing is quite horrific, but as a story it was very surprising to say the least. I became quite angry with him, but as the story goes on, his character developement was pretty superb i thought.
I dont know about what type would like the series though.
I read the books when i was 15, and at the time i thought that only LOTR was a better series. Now , WOT has surpassed The Unbeleiver series in mho.
But Thomas Covenant still remains 3rd in my mind, and ive read countless series. A classic indeed.
There were really cool fantasy aspects to them though, the Bloodguard, the Giants, etc etc etc.
If you like in depth character analysis, i thought those books were great.
VSE, VSE .....
BTW, for a quicker read, and more pure fantasy, the original Conan and Tarzan books are quite good i think.
Also, Robert Jordans Conan books were fun i thought.

[QuirkyTemplate]

Heh ... I flipped through the Connan saga, and I noticed that Connan the barbarian talks like a scholar or something! Instead of "me crush" it's "I shall abe foreced to maim you in a most grisly fasion."

[LaughingTurtle]

Jeez quirky, didn't you know that all barbarians had great vocabularies...esp, when it's things concerning women, money, and fighting...;)

Oh, and for bad ass characters see the "My 2 cents on other reading" thread for who i picked...Gerald Tarrent...one word (shaft style):

DAMN!

[Elin]

Yeah, I think the Thomas Covenant books are real classics too... The main character is a bit more interesting than most fantasy heroes. Donaldson has this real talent for evoking your feelings, that is, I remember being very moved by a lot of what happened...

His language is really something. When I read those (it was some time ago) I wrote down every word I didn't know and looked it up. Like, do you guys know what "eldritch" and "etiolated" mean...? I think Donaldson and Elizabeth Hand are the authors I've learnt the most new words from.

[Jacob]

I can compare Eddings with Tolkien, Goodkind with Jordan, but I don't think that you really can rate authors like Donaldson with other writers. He's a one of a kind and his style is too unique. Atleast the Tomas Covenant series is, I've read none other like it. I dispised him Tomas, but I also felt for him. His character is defenitely one of the most human of all fantasy characters I've ever read. Believable in all his flaws, great as they are. He's no super human, or angel. But neither is Tomas a demon, even though what he does at one time may be characterised as *evil*. The evil of weakness, of being a weak human being, maybe. This/these series defenitely made me think, changed my view of the world even, I dare say.

[Aragorn]

I recently started on "The Redemption of Althalus" by Eddings. Its okay so far.

[Vivacia]

I read the redemption of Althalus when it first came out. Let me know what you thought of it Ara. I didn't care for it much.

[Theoban]

This book is okay, but it suffers from typical Edding syndrome.

Althalus starts out a little bit bad, self sufficiant and above all, a thief, by the end, "love" is its own reward and he cares deeply about other people and worst of all, all the characters wander around saying "I love you" for no apparent reason.

This book would really have benefited with less 'feely' rubbish and more prodding buttock.

[Buckweet]

hey I read someplace on hear about a book or series name along the name "Fire and ICe"

Just wondering

who the author is,
what the saga is called?
is it worth getting?(cause I barely have time to read for leasure lately :()

Please no heckling for my ignorance :D

[LaughingTurtle]

Umm, the only thing that comes to mind that's even close to that is George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice Fire," but you've probably already heard of that series. Though if in fact, this is the right one, i definitely recommend it.

[Buckweet]

No, first time I heard of this series was on here.. and Ive never read anything about it anywhere else.
Im looking for something knew t ohold me down till book X.
How many books so far in this series....aparently it is a good read.

[Cypher]

3 books in the series so far, and as far as I know, 4th book will be out in september. I finished reading the 2nd book last night, going to the book store to purchase the 3rd today, but be warned, this isn't your everyday fantasy novel.

[LaughingTurtle]

You can say that again. Tis not a "happy" fantasy, it's very dark, and basically to sum things up...the good guys don't always win (well at least not so far)

DO NOT get attached to any of the main characters, because they are liable to get their heads chopped off.

But if you are daring enough, (and have a good stomach) this is a very well written and quite enjoyable saga.

[Buckweet]

Originally posted by LaughingTurtle


DO NOT get attached to any of the main characters, because they are liable to get their heads chopped off.



Care to spoil anything else about it:rolleyes:

[LaughingTurtle]

But of course! You see, in Book 2, Chapter 5, the /akj0klsjdfe390........

The rest of this post has been deleted by SASS (Smurfs Against Spreading Spoilers)

(:p WAP)

[jade]

i just finished Peril's Gate, the latest in the War of Light and Shadow saga... i think it's as well written and gripping as a song of and fire... which means ~dodges bolt of balefire~ better written than wot. the prose is much more beautiful... the series poses a very interesting question about light and dark.. evil versus good ... i just wonder why it isnt more popular... could it possibly be too deep for those who would prefer lighter more frivolous series such as eddings goodkind and even (gasp) jordan fans?

[Buckweet]

I see that SASS is still with us.

~~waives at SASS, nervously~~


(I got in trouble with those smurfs---they didn't like the fact that I was done with WH one the second day--not to mentuion the prologue)

...ahem... Yea, Ill pick up the first book some time this week.

thx for the help

ps- Jade.... I wouldn't go around calling Jordan and goodkind frivalous dude...

[jade]

actually buckweet... i think that once you read either series (wurts and/or martin), you'll know what i mean.

enjoy game of thrones!!

[Arawis]

I read the Incarnations of Immortality about a year ago and i didnt really like them. They were ok, but pretty soon it started getting way out there and i was just sitting there like "you gotta be kiddin me" But then again ppl have different tastes

[nightfairy]

I enjoyed the Incarnation series, it was my first series ever, read them about a decade ago. It does get a little out there, but everything ties together in the end, although the paradox thing is a little tricky to comprehend, although that's the whole thing about paradox. (Holy run-on sentence, Batman!)

[Arawis]

Hey has anyone here read His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman? that is a pretty cool trilogy, though it isnt very hard core ar anything like that.

I also like terry brooks, ive read the Shannara series, Magic Kingdom of Landover, and Running with the Demon. id recommend all these to anyone.

like i said these arent really heavy

[Elin]

Just finished "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons. It was one of the most inventive sf books I've read for some time. It's loosely modeled after Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", with a group of seven pilgrims (a Catholic priest, a soldier, a poet, a scholar, a starship pilot, a detective, and a diplomat) journeying together and each telling their story. Their pilgrimage is to the Shrike, which is a mysterious deadly god/alien that seems mostly to kill its devotees. The event will be pivotal to human history.

The most annoying thing about the book is that it's really the first of a two-part book (the second being "The Fall of Hyperion"), and it ends in a real cliff-hanger. So if you read it, keep the second book on hand. (I'm waiting to get it from the library.)

What I liked about the book was the sheer inventiveness of those stories, and how they're woven together. I don't want to spoil it for you, so I can't tell you what they're about... but I recommend it. Anyone else read it?

[Theoban]

I have read the dark materials series, I thought that the first two were really dark and well written, but the Amber Spyglass? Talk about boring! Should have been cut in half.

I just fiinished a book by an author that most of you are probably familiar with, a George R.R. Martin. I've never read any of hisother stuff, but this book is called "Fevre Dream" and its pre song of fire and ice days. Its about vampires on the Mississippi and its availably on the Fantasy Classics range, which is why I bought it.

READ THIS BOOK. You'll bee talking with a South American accent for days

[Arawis]

i know what you mean theo, however its worth reading just to see how everything ends up lmao:p

[MikeRules311]

The whole Drizzt Do'Urden series is extremely cool (Dark elf, Icewind dale, Legacy of the Drow, Silent blade) as is the Belgaried and the Mallerion by David Eddings

[Knight]

I'm currently reading one of Terry Pratchett's great Discworld novels, namely Small Gods. Here's a writer who can truly utilise the English language for all of its nooks and turns. I've yet to find a writer who can match good ol' Terry (RJ doesn't come even close in writing skills). He's released something like 26 Discworld novels in half that amount in years, and each volume is a bit longer than the previous one. Now, if only RJ could find the same rhythm.

I couldn't even finish the first volume of SoT by Terry Goodkind. It was just SO boring. The world is boring, the characters are boring, and the story is...well...boring. And who ever came up to name the main character in a fantasy story Richard? That must be the most fantastic thing about this series.

Geroge R.R. Martin is good. He's great. No, he is a fantastic writer, who can truly agitate his readers by killing any character without remorse. I remember I couldn't believe it when he beheaded the guy who seemed to be the number one main character in the first volume. I was constantly waiting for someone to come and ressurect him. RJ is a weak writer in this respect. He doesn't want to kill anybody of the really important ones, and if he does he brings him/her back. Even with Moiraine, you know she's not dead, and everybody is just awaiting for her return (me included).

[Arawis]

posted by Knight:
I remember I couldn't believe it when he beheaded the guy who seemed to be the number one main character in the first volume.

AHHH!!!i havent read this yet. my stupid library doesnt have it and i have yet to go to the other 5 i have cards to. :D o well.

who writes these Drizzt Do'Urden books? whats the name of the first one? (not that my library will have them either, ill have to drive atleast to carrolton. sigh. the disadvantages of living in a moderately small town.)

[Knight]

Arawis:

Sorry about the spoiler. It was unintentional.

[Jacob]

Terry Pratchett writes some of the funniest and cleverest books ever written. Reading them always brings me up into a good mood when I'm down. Yes, he does magic with the English language. He twists and turns to how the ordinary is such a laughing matter. He also manages to bring in the ugly sides of the ordinary and show them for what they are without loosing his humour. To me, even though what he writes is fiction and even though the action takes place in a truly fantastic world, what Terry Pratchett really writes about is the real world.

Really, Terry Pratchett and Robert Jordan can not be compared. Not for diferances in quality, but because they really are in genres so far appart that they can't be compared.

BTW: Knight, ever plan to publicly reveal yourself for who you are? I've already told Wendy that you're the old wotism vet LRK XXV from wotism.org ya know :-)

[Knight]

Jacob:

I'm in disguise..hsshh! ;)

*stalking nonchalantly in the corners*

[Elin]

Just bought Ursula le Guin's new collection of short stories ("The Birthday of the World")... I absolutely LOVE it!!! Everyone should read this! She writes sf, but where most sf extrapolates from the natural sciences, she extrapolates from the social sciences, experimenting with different social systems. For example, this world where people are divided into two "moieties", so that you're either a Morning or an Evening person. Marriages are really complicated: four people form a marriage, with two men and two women, one of each is Morning and the other are Evening. You can have sex with the two (man and woman) of the other moiety, but not with the one of the same moiety as yours (that would be incest). Also there's this other world where people are androgynes except at certain times when they become either male or female so they can reproduce. Anyway, she goes into what would be the social and psychological consequences of changing some aspect of society or physiology... and she does it so that you never forget that they're human beings like yourself. Plus, she writes beautifully...

[VerBATum]

Originally posted by Arawis
posted by Knight:
I remember I couldn't believe it when he beheaded the guy who seemed to be the number one main character in the first volume.

AHHH!!!i havent read this yet. my stupid library doesnt have it and i have yet to go to the other 5 i have cards to. :D o well.

who writes these Drizzt Do'Urden books? whats the name of the first one? (not that my library will have them either, ill have to drive atleast to carrolton. sigh. the disadvantages of living in a moderately small town.)


R. A. Salvator wrote/created Drizzt Do'Urden. he did Lots of other one's too i'm finding out. He Forgotten Relms novels are jujst his most reconized ones.

[Arawis]

thank you verbatum :)

[Emerald Eyes]

I think Anne Rice is pretty cool. The Sword of Truth series is cool too, but it ripps off of WoT too much. O_o;; Anyhow, there's this series called the Coldfire trilogy by C.S. Friedman and it's my fave series next to the Wot.

[Cypher]

yes, is that series any good EE? I remember reading it about 4-5 years ago, yet have forgotten what it was about... I have it on my bookshelf now yet not sure if its worth the reread.

[LaughingTurtle]

Finished Queen of the damned....3rd book in the vampire trilogy

Now i'm ready OtherWorld by Tad williams...strange yet so far very good.

[Theoban]

Otherworld gets better as it goes on, the first book almost put me off as its a bit too boring

[Mesaana]

I'm a huge Rice fan... but I dunno about some of her books, you may or may not enjoy the next two that she has in store and as for the rest... well Vittorio was amazing... Pandora good, and Merrick.. well you have to make the call on that one :) She's still a grand authoress though, I'm ALL about the Mayfair witch Trilogy if anyone wants to try that.

forget if I mentioned it before, but for a good single read, the book of atrix wolf is all good :)

[Turtle]

MISTS OF AVALON is incredible. I agree w/ nightfairy.

It changed my life in the most positive way.

[nightfairy]

geeze, that was like a million years ago that I posted about Mists. Wow. It is soooo good, though!

[Elin]

Yeah, "Mists of Avalon" is a great book. I love the inexorable sense of tragedy at the end of it, how everyone's ensnared in their own actions...

*sets it up on her list of books due for a reread*

Actually, I saw the movie "Mists of Avalon" a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised to see it on the shelf of the video store, because I'd never heard of it. It wasn't that good though - looked nice sometimes, but it didn't have any soul, it didn't touch me at all. Which the book definitely does. Good choice of Loreena McKennitt for music though.

Ok, I might as well add what I'm reading right now. Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy is very good. It's supposed to be fantasy for young readers, but don't mind that. It's as good as the other classic children's fantasy like that of Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander, and C S Lewis. It's very original and grabs hold of you from the first page. Also I like the language, and the suspense - I was reading last night and one part really gave me a racing pulse...

The other series I'm reading is Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman". It's a comic series, which I haven't read much. The art is ok, but the only comics I'd read before are manga like "X", so I was used to that kind of aesthetic and didn't like the art in Sandman that much. But I got used to it, the only bother was that they change artist once in a while so when you've gotten used to how a character looks, he suddenly changes... :( (which bothers you especially when you've almost developed a crush on that character...:rolleyes: ) Anyway, what makes it good is the stories - Neil Gaiman must be a genius. He takes elements of mythology, twists them around, and puts them together in a different way. Also it's got elements of horror; it's a bit gory in places. The language is very good and quite poetic sometimes. Anyway, I really recommend it.

[Arawis]

yay for his dark materials!!! i love that series. iorek byrnison is the coolest! o....wait.....are you there yet? ~oops if you arent~

[Mesaana]

His Dark materials is amazing as is the sandman series. just wait to you get to Sandman:The Dreamwalkers (I thinks it's called that anyhow been a long time) it's illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano who did the Vampire Hunter D series as well as a tonne of other beautiful manga. His art is AMAZING. You'll love it.

hee my fave Dark Materials book was the Third, a wonderfully wonderful ending.

and before I forget more good Gaiman books are Stardust (my alltime fave) and American Gods, Neverwhere is grand too... actually I am hard pressed to find a bad Gaiman book. Oh yes extra points for Stardust cause he put Tori Amos in it. :)

[radarofpolo]

Dark materials is great suff, go pullman!

Most work by mike stackpole is good if u like sci fi. Also anything Battletech or mechwarrior, now thats some cool stuff :cool: .

I also heard somewhere that this Robert Jordan guy writes pretty great stuff...... :D

[nightfairy]

ok, I know I posted this before, but since it WAS a million years ago...

You MUST read the Sonja Blue trilogy, by Nancy Collins. Its a vampire series: Sunglasses After Dark, In the Blood and Paint It Black. Or all 3 are compiled together in Midnight Blue. MUST MUST MUST. Trust me.

[Elin]

yay for his dark materials!!! i love that series. iorek byrnison is the coolest! o....wait.....are you there yet? ~oops if you arent~

Well, I've read the first two...

His Dark materials is amazing as is the sandman series. just wait to you get to Sandman:The Dreamwalkers (I thinks it's called that anyhow been a long time) it's illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano who did the Vampire Hunter D series as well as a tonne of other beautiful manga. His art is AMAZING. You'll love it.

and before I forget more good Gaiman books are Stardust (my alltime fave) and American Gods, Neverwhere is grand too... actually I am hard pressed to find a bad Gaiman book. Oh yes extra points for Stardust cause he put Tori Amos in it.

Ooh, a manga illustrator in Sandman? I'll be looking forward to that... I liked "Neverwhere" but haven't read "American Gods" yet.

You MUST read the Sonja Blue trilogy, by Nancy Collins. Its a vampire series: Sunglasses After Dark, In the Blood and Paint It Black. Or all 3 are compiled together in Midnight Blue. MUST MUST MUST. Trust me.

That does sound interesting... I'll check it out after my exams and stuff are done.

[wendy]

I have only read "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman. It was such a sweet and funny and sad and happy story... (yes I know.. I just wasn't made to be a descriptive book reviewer, but you get the point)

I really want to read his other works but they are hard to come across :(

[Elin]

Try the public library... they often have more than you think. For example, at mine they have a complete reference series of Sandman (that you can only sit and read there) plus copies that you can loan. Or if they don't have it at the local one I'm sure they can loan from somewhere else in the country. Comic books are usually pretty expensive, so I wouldn't buy them if they're available some other way...

[Byrn]

Okay, how about the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny, or the Gap Cycle by Donaldson. I almost forgot the Cold Fire trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Damyn Vryce is one of the all time coolest heros. OR Juxtaposition by Piers Anthony, something about a character with the name Stile, just sounds cool.

P.S. Or any Heinlen books, Starship Troopers i one of my Favorites. along with Glory Road.

[Theoban]

Read Gateway

By Frederick Pohl

[Elin]

Okay, how about the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny, or the Gap Cycle by Donaldson. I almost forgot the Cold Fire trilogy by C.S. Friedman. Damyn Vryce is one of the all time coolest heros. OR Juxtaposition by Piers Anthony, something about a character with the name Stile, just sounds cool.

Well, I've only read the first book in Donaldson's Gap books, and I didn't much like it. I do like his Thomas Covenant books, he's great at evoking your feelings and does it very well there. But I don't like it when he yanks your emotions around like he does in that first Gap book. It just gets too depressive with all the rape and torture.

[Byrn]

the rest are much better thatn the first, although the torture and rape are still there in a lesser degree.

[dallandra]

I've read Katherine Kerr's Deverry series before and she's not bad at all, you all might want to check it out.
Mists I would definitely recommend, absolutely wonderful, just stick it out throught the first chapter and you won't be able to put it down after that.
hey Ulk, I've read the Dark Elf trilogy (Drizzt rocks) what's the next one in line? I get confused easily.
Can anyone recommend anything else for me that isn't sci fi? I'm not into alternate earth or space or anything like that.
And for anyone who hasn't read A Song of Ice and Fire, try to fit it in, you won't be disappointed.
Oh, and the Dragonlance books are great, start with the Chronicles trilogy. Absolutely wonderful.

[Arawis]

i read the first 3 books in the deverry series and didnt really like them. the 3rd one was the best out of the ones that read, but they all spent too much time in the past, etc. my library didnt have the rest of the series and they werent interesting enough for me to want to go to another library and get the rest

[astraea]

From a couple of posts ago... I can clear up what happened to the quality in Anne Rice's Vampire Series. She's apparantly writing two RELATED series, the real Vampire Chronicles (#5 being the latest one, Memnoch, and it is definitely the crowning achievement of the series so far), and a crappy, tacky, just-for-the-money extra series that deals with some other vampires that have been dealt with in a minor way in the true series. Merrick was her attempt to combine the Vampire Chronicles with the Mayfair Witches, her other excellent series.
The Empire Series (R E Fiest writing with J Wurts) is unbelievably worth reading (starting with Daughter of the Empire)... excellent for starting to fill the gap between RJs books. There's a complicated plot, great characters, magic, politics, war, love and betrayal, fueds and anything else you could want. Its nothing like the Riftwar Saga that Fiest did on his own. That was good, this is better, more intricate, detailed and real.

[jade]

i just finished book one of the tawny man.. and i thought it was very well written...really enjoyed it... does anyone have any info on book 2?

[Elin]

i just finished book one of the tawny man.. and i thought it was very well written...really enjoyed it... does anyone have any info on book 2?

Oohhhh... I'm definitely getting that. Though I already have a looong list of books to read when summer break comes along. And no, I don't know anything about book 2.

On another note... You know how there are fundie Christians who are so worried about the heretical and witchcrafty Harry Potter books? What I'm wondering is, why don't they bash Philip Pullman's stuff? I mean, I'd say that planning to kill the Christian God is rather more heretical than whatever Harry does... :rolleyes: Oh well, I guess they haven't read the books far enough to discover what's actually in them...

[Arawis]

not very many kids are reading His Dark Materials. its not aimed to a young audience. im an exception. :) Harry Potter however had a big children's reading debut. these biblethumpers probly just dont even know it exists.

[Arawis]

o yah, i just got this book by Raymond E. Feist from the library. its called 'Shadow of a Dark Queen' has anyone here heard of it? its been pretty good so far........

[astraea]

Yeah, its the first in the Serpent War Saga (think thats what its called). This series follows on from the Riftwar Saga, mentioned above. I don't think its as good as the Riftwar books, so if you like Shadow of a Dark Queen read the old ones. The first is Magician. Long, but definitely worth it.
And just to repeat myself, the Empire trilogy is very, very good. VERY good.

[Arawis]

ok i will read this empire trilogy of which you speak. you seem to have good taste, i mean it was you who mentioned josh hartnett in the movie thread right. :)

[astraea]

Yup, that was me!

[sven]

David Farland is a fantastic writer in the fantasy genre in which his books consistantly get better. the first book is called runelords. the only draw back is that this is another series that isn't finished yet and is currently at three books. and how is it that no one has mentioned orson scott card and enders game

[Arawis]

i thought someone did mention that............? o well i liked that one too. my favorite besides ender's game was ender's shadow ~nods~ the other ones were kinda weird though, ya know, the ones with the piggies? ( i think thats what they were called) they were still good, but, weird :)

[Kiri]

Wow - there's so many books and authors in this thread i've never heard of, but thank you all, i now have a list for which i'm determined to harass the bookstores on the weekend and come home with some great reading.

i would have to agree with astraea (apologies if the spelling is wrong) the Empire Series is extremely good and riveting. raymond and janny as authors on their own really can't compare with their combined efforts in the Empire Series.

i loved Magician, however, the following books seemed to deteriorate in quality and it felt like they were only being written for the sake of meeting commercial demand, and to coincide with the computer game release rather than a genuine interest to put some effort into matching the first book.

janny's Miswraith Curse series is really good, and she certainly has a way with words, descriptive sentences is an understatement!!!!

the Dragon Prince series is also quite good, along with katherine kerr's Deverry Series, and Tad William's triology starting with The Dragon Bone Chair (definitely different).

i'm not sure if anyone has heard of Isobelle Carmody and the Farseeker Series (aussie author) - it's a fantastic, and thoroughly enjoyable book, although she takes @#$%^& forever between releases. she has a new fantasy series just starting, (forgot the name) but that promises to be good as well.

-please don't turn me into dust- but i thought the Liveship Traders from Robin Hobb was much, much, much better than the Assassin's Apprentice. Granted the first person perspective is interesting, but it was sooooooooooooo depressing, reading an entire book and not be lifted in spirits can leave you worn out. whew!

by for now:p

[Anita_Blake]

hopping in to say my piece!

Anything by Neil Gaiman is gold, pure solid gold. The man is a genius. This is doubled for Good Omens, which he co-wrote with terry Pratchett, who is also pretty darn hilarious.

i'm going to agree with pretty much evryone here is saying the Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches is amazing, though the 2nd and 3rd books are not as strong as the 1st. Same with the Vampire Chronicles, at least Interview With the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned. after that it juts kind of becomes 'more adventures of lestat' and 'desparately trying to sell more novels by loosly tying them to lestat'. :)

The Eyes of The Dragon by Steven King is a great fantasy novel about a prince and a king and a journey. it's great.

Bloodsucking Fiends, byt Christopher Moore is a funny and interesting vampire novel. Very lighthearted.

The Barbed Coil by JV Jones, and her other books as well are passable, i'd read them again.

and of course, the Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy by Douglas Adams, which if you like Terry Pratchett and/or Neil Gaiman, you'll love, becasue it's equally irreverent and amusing.

also, the series of politically correct bedtime tales by James Finn Garner is hilarious.

and if you like fairy tales, try to find a copy of Grimm's Grimmest, which features the unsanitized versions of beloved fairy tales, not suitable for small children due to the high ick factor as well as blood and gore. in cinderella. yeah. it's great. ;)

[Elin]

Anything by Neil Gaiman is gold, pure solid gold. The man is a genius. This is doubled for Good Omens, which he co-wrote with terry Pratchett, who is also pretty darn hilarious.

Oh yes... Neil Gaiman is a genius. A friend of mine has an autographed copy of "Good Omens" and I warned him that it might mysteriously disappear if he wasn't careful...:D I just finished "The Kindly Ones" (the next-to-last part of Sandman) last night. I almost cried... it was really sad.

and if you like fairy tales, try to find a copy of Grimm's Grimmest, which features the unsanitized versions of beloved fairy tales, not suitable for small children due to the high ick factor as well as blood and gore. in cinderella. yeah. it's great.

This sounds cool... so these are older versions then? Who is the author? (I did a search at the university library, but I got no hits on the title. OTOH, when I searched on Grimm I got hundreds of hits.)

[astraea]

Kiri,
I love Isobelle Carmody too! Must be an Australian thing, I don't thing anyone else has ever heard of her. Have you read Traci Harding (another Australian author)? The way she writes is a little annoying, but you get over that darn quickly as the story is so good...
As Anita mentioned Stephen King I suppose I can bring in The Stand here - the uncut version - takes forever but is definitely eye opening... and scary... and addictive. The best thing he has ever written!

[wendy]

I get my neil gaiman book in the mail from WH smith in the next week or so *rubs hands together gleefully* He is non-existant in australia so I've had to resort to expensive shipping and depressing exchange rates, but its worth it! *ignores her mounting credit card bill*

[wendy]

oooh I have to recommend John Wyndams "The Chrysalids" for you guys who like Isobelle Carmody.

[Elin]

Wendy, which book are you getting?

[wendy]

"The Dream Hunters"

I bought it in New York and started reading it on my flight. Needless to say I left it on the plane. Now I am desperate to find out what happens to the fox and the monk! (so please no spoilers if you have read it)

[wendy]

the only other stuff of his I've read is "Stardust" which I absolutely loved. I have also read one volume of his sandman comics called "The inn at the end of the world" I think. That was dead cool. I really want to read the rest. I don't know what it is about his style, I think he touches on human nature in such a positive and genuine way its just inspiring. And reading him puts you soooooo in touch with your own imagination.

[Vivacia]

You should read the Liveship books Ulk. They are really pretty good, and they tie in to the Tawny Man series. Fool's Errend is the first in that series. I liked it much.

[Anita_Blake]

elin, Grimms Grimmest is....

edited by Marisa Bulzone
edited from the German by Stefan Matzig
with Introductin by MAria Tatar

published by Chronicle Books (San Fransisco)

Library of Congree ISBN 0-8118-1675-3

HTH!

( I got it from Book of the Month Club (canada), and I have seen it in hardcover at Chapters (multi-huge canadian book store chain).)

[Kiri]

Hi Astraea,

An Isobelle Carmody fan!!!! I can't tell you how happy I am ~jumps up and down madly~ it's so hard finding people who like the same authors...

I think I have all of the books by Traci Harding except one. I liked the first book The Dark Ages (I think) because that one was the most like a fantasy novel, whilst the rest kind of got more and more technical and sci fi, which I liked, but I got lost too.

[astraea]

yeah, I was way lost in some parts too. sci-fi is a little hard to keep up with, whereas fantasy, well, that just flows just the way you want it.
i don't think anyone else knows who isobelle carmody and traci harding are, our poor australian authors who never get to publish overseas :(
sorry, but i don't know many people who have read traci harding's books and i have to ask this silly question (a pet peeve of mine), but did you like brockwell or brian better? always thought brockwell should have been the chosen incarnation...

[Elin]

Anita, this sucks... :(

I did a search at Libris, which is a database covering all the major libraries in Sweden, and the book wasn't in the register. Oh well...

"The Dream Hunters"

I bought it in New York and started reading it on my flight. Needless to say I left it on the plane. Now I am desperate to find out what happens to the fox and the monk! (so please no spoilers if you have read it)

Leaving stuff on the plane is so irritating... I lost Salman Rushdie's "Shame" that way. And no, I haven't read that Gaiman book (yet).

[Arawis]

grimm's grimmest! i own that book! its amazing how these stories ended up as those harmless disney stories everyone knows :)

[jade]

robin hobb.

i might be jumping a head of myself, but i am now halfway through with Mad ship, book two of the liveship traders series..anyways, does any think that amber bears an uncanny resemblence to the Fool, or Lord Golden from the tawny man?

[Vivacia]

Yes, Jade!! The Fool/Amber is one of my favorite characters ever...

[Cypher]

you read the tawny man before finishing the liveship traders? heh, I'm also half way through mad ship, but I haven't read tawny man yet. Amber does seem similar to the fool, but I haven't read that book for a while, took a break from mad ship when storm of swords book 1 and 2 came to me from my dad coming home, just started book 2 of storm of swords (in paperback they made it 2 books) and probably won't go back to mad ship till I'm done.

[jade]

actually, i did not realize that liveship trader was linked to the assassins... i thought it was a freestanding series. i came across fool's errand several weeks ago.. and had to read it cuz it was fitz's story continued... i found it to be an excellent book... so i wanted to read more of hobb...and to my surprise, liveship is indeed part of the same six duchies world.

you're finally reading storm of swords... that is such an awesome book.. so much happens... why oh why robb!!!... hehe... john snow is such a studd... cant wait for feast of crows...

anyways, back to robin hobb.. i did some research... book two of tawny man will be called Golden Fool.. what a great title... it's still incomplete so that's another year or two before we'll have a chance at it... geez.. why do i always get myself enchanted with series that are incomplete...

[Cypher]

ha, u too, I'm stuck in the incomplete series world also, I asked Vivacia what series she recommended that were complete, she said farseer and liveship trader by hobb, then this damned new series comes out continuing the farseer, and that really annoyed me *grr* Tawny man came out like 2 weeks after she advised those 2 series.

[wendy]

QUOTE]Leaving stuff on the plane is so irritating... I lost Salman Rushdie's "Shame" that way. And no, I haven't read that Gaiman book (yet).[/QUOTE]


I read a Salman Rushdie book called Midnights Children. His writing is so vivid and bizarre. I particularly remember the beginning where the protagonist describes himself as a cracked jug. I wish I could find the exact quote. It's so... apt. Can you recomend any of his other books Elin?[

[Elin]

I read a Salman Rushdie book called Midnights Children. His writing is so vivid and bizarre. I particularly remember the beginning where the protagonist describes himself as a cracked jug. I wish I could find the exact quote. It's so... apt. Can you recomend any of his other
books Elin?

Hmm... I've read Shame, The Moor's Last Sigh, and some weird fairy-tale-seeming book called Grimus by Salman Rushdie. I really liked Shame, and The Moor's Last Sigh was good too. His style is usually sort of a rambling, bizarre chronicle over some huge family tree, and I like it a lot...
So as I said, Shame is very good (it's mostly set in Pakistan) and not too long, compared to his others. Alas, I left my copy on a plane to New York...

[talyn rahl]

by Gaiman do you possibly mean Neal Gaiman?? cos if you do COOOOLLL His Sandman series was BRILLIANT! you must all read them even though there comics there still wikid! and has anyon read the book by him and Terry Pratchet, i don't really like pratchet in fact ive on read Mort and Truckers but the could be a good collaboration book, well worth reading.

[jUstIn]

has anyone read "nightfall, and other stories" by issac asmov?
i read about half (the half that was there) and havent seen the book in stores. is it in stores? is the whole book good?

[Arawis]

ok, im rereading wot and i checked out 1,2,&3 so i went back to check out 4,5,&6 today, and 4&5 were gone! :eek: so i checked out #6 so that when the person comes back with 4 and 5 they wont be able to continue the series :p im so devious :p

*ahem*

i was going to say i read this book a couple of weeks ago that i thoguht was good. its called Stolen From Gypsies it isnt fantasy but its short and funny and just an easy read. by the way i forgot who wrote it, something like Noble Smith or, well it has Noble in it somewhere :rolleyes:

[Cypher]

yeah, justin, I have that book, not sure if its still in stores though.

[Arawis]

ok, i am now reading the chronicles of thomas covenant the unbeliever. they are ok so far. im only on the 1st book though ;)

[Jacob]

Originally posted by Elin


Oh yes... Neil Gaiman is a genius. A friend of mine has an autographed copy of "Good Omens" and I warned him that it might mysteriously disappear if he wasn't careful...:D


You remember asking me what I wanted for my birthday? How good a friend is this guy who's got that autographed copy anyway....? It's having an autographed copy of Good Omens in your bookshelf must be absolutely WICKED!

And Wendy, I realise that this a rather late and you may not see this and all but I just saw your post where you recomend John Wyndhams The Chrysalids and I must ask: Why didn't you include Day of the Triffids with that?! That was the first book ever that you recomended me to read if you remember? Later on, I stumbled upon an old copy of that book locked away in storige when I was working at the library four years ago and I red it cover to cover in one stretch:)

[Remlin Tolvier]

I can't remember the author's name but the book is titled "The Lion of Ireland". Excellent book. I highly recommend it. It is an historical fiction about medieval Ireland. The book is well written, fast paced, bloody, emotional and is filled with tragedy. Another good book to read that gives an excellent account of what life was really like in the dark ages is "Pillars of the Earth". (again, I can't remember the author. I read the books and then lend them out....never to be seen again)

[Nachtnoir]

Just read most of the posts here, and it amazes me that no one has mentioned "The Dark Tower" series by Stephen King. Though it isn't strictly what you'd call fantasy, it is in a general manner. Instead of swords, the heroes carry six shooters. But there are Wizards.

Also, if your looking for some great fantasy, check out the Lankmar series by Fritz Lieber. It is old school. The term "Sword and Sorcery" was created by readers of the time to describe his books. He was writing about dwarves and barbarians when Tolkein was still an itch in his daddy's pants.

If your up for some sci-fi, read the Dune books by Frank Herbert. Stick to the first 3 though. You may also want to try the new series of prequels written by Herbert's son and Kevin Anderson. Though not as great as daddy's first three, they are still good.

And finally to cap off the Bad Ass discussion a few pages back. There is no other character in Fantasy that can hold a candle to Elric. Drizzt is just a weak copy of Elric. Just be prepared though. Michael Moorcock, the writer of the Elric books has RJ put to shame on the length of his series. The Eternal Champion series is up to like 30 books. Now understand all of the books in the series are not about Elric directly. Elric is just one incarnation of the "Eternal Champion", a warrior soul that wanders the "Multiverse" popping into different worlds at different times to do battle with equally cool villains. The writing is excellent, and after you've finished one of these books, you'll want to jump into another, so buy two when you start.:cool:

[jade]

i've read the moor's last sigh, satanic verses and started the ground beneath her feet.. i have yet to finish that one..

but yes his writing is indeed bizarre.. one of the characters from satanic verses survives a plane crash but has transformed into a donkey/mule?.. really weird.. i tried to explain to a friend the plot line.. but he thought it was too weird, i couldnt convince him to read it...but he has such an amazing and beautiful grasp of language..

elin, i remember u having an interest in india is that right?.. i think we talked about other indian writers once?...

[talyn rahl]

hey Nachtnoir, do you know when the next dark tower book is cummin out? coz i really really wanna read it coz Wizard and Glass ended on such a cliffhanger

[Byrn]

A really good book about Magic is the Rainbow Abyss by Barbara Hambly. The main character, Rhion, is not your typical hero. A must read, it is one of my favorites.

[Nachtnoir]

Talyn, it looks like Fall of 2003 is when the next Dark Tower book comes out. That is straight from Stephen King's official website. There is however a .pdf prologue posted to the site for you to download if your interested. Also, His newest book, the sequel to "The Talisman", "Black House" might quench your thirst for DT. There is alot of background on the Crimson King in there.

It looks like Stephen is trying to tie all of his books together.

[Arawis]

my mom read that black house book, said it was good. i didnt read it, got disinterested w/ dark tower before i fnished 4th book

[talyn rahl]

hmmmmmm maybe i will, ive just finished my current book, Neuromancer, by william gibson, (Read it all of you it takes a while but its quite good) and need summat nu to read