Recommend me a novel or series to read

Dagger · Post by **Dagger** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:27 pm

I haven't done much fiction reading lately and wanted to get into something new in fantasy, but I have no idea what to try. To give you some background:

I really enjoyed the Dragonlance Chronicles, Legends, and War of Souls series a lot. I also read the Avatar Trilogy and liked it. I loved the epic nature and neat characters in of all of the above. I'd love to find something similar in scope and style to those books.

I read a few of the Fafhrd and Grey Mouser books and I enjoyed them for a bit, but I'm kind of tired of them. I want something with a bigger plot.

I tried getting into the Robert Jordan series, but the first book started putting me to sleep and I couldn't finish it.

I got the Crystal Shard recently and could only get a few chapters in. It just seemed too juvenile. I probably would have loved it in my teens.

Based on my comments, what do you recommend I try?
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cuchulainkevin · Post by **cuchulainkevin** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:38 pm

a few of my favs

R Scott Bakker The Darkness The Comes Before series (not finished, book 4)

Kate Elliot The Crown of Stars series (finished)

George RR Martin A Song of Ice and Fire series (not finshed)

Patricia Mc Killip The Riddlemaster series (finished)
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narpet · Post by **narpet** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:47 pm

Since I am just getting ready to finish book 5 of the Belgariad by David Eddings... I would recommend it. I have found it to be very well written and a lot of fun to read. Eddings really creates a believable world over the span of the 5 books... with different cultures that clash even when they are getting along. He states that the books began as a personal study in geography, and you can tell by the distinctions given to the lands and different peoples of his world. He also does a very good job of fleshing out his characters. Each one has a distinct personality... and stays consistent to that personality. Sure... it's basically a good guys -vs- bad guys story (and a story of what it's like to grow up quickly both from a male and later a female perspective - Eddings admits that his wife helped very much in the creation of all of his novels), but the characters are so nicely imagined that it's a real pleasure to read.

Anyway... if you haven't read it, I would give at least the first book a try. The series actually gets better and better as it goes along (IMO). The first book is Pawn of Prophecy.

gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:51 pm

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, and the sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies.

Two of the best books about thieves and their practices I've ever read.
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Taranthyll · Post by **Taranthyll** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 12:46 am

gideon_thorne wrote:
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, and the sequel, Red Seas Under Red Skies.

Two of the best books about thieves and their practices I've ever read.

Seconded. These are my current favourite fantasy novels. Scott Lynch is a brilliant writer who really understands pacing. The Lies of Locke Lamora reads like a fantasy version Ocean's Eleven - Locke and his crew are masterful thieves and swindlers who get ensnared in events beyond their control and Locke has to think fast and move faster to triumph. The follow-up novel, Red Seas Under Red Skies is equally strong. The best thing is that the novels are self-contained, and while they do continue the story, each book is a separate story with a beginning and an end (as opposed to the current trend in epic sagas, like Wheel of Time, or Game of Fire and Ice, which are one long epic saga).
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CnD · Post by **CnD** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:03 am

Dagger wrote:
Based on my comments, what do you recommend I try?

The Blackhearts Omnibus - Nathan Long (Warhammer)
"Under threat of death for their crimes, Reiner and his companions are forced to carry out the most desperate and suicidal secret missions, all for the good of the Empire. Chaos cultists, ratmen, dark elves, rogue army commanders and more - time and again the Blackhearts are pitted against impossible odds and survive - yet what they most want is their freedom."

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss (Book One of the Kingkiller Chronicles)
"My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me."
Shadowfall - James Clemens (Book One of the Godslayer Chronicles)
"Four millennia have passed since the gods came to Myrillia, creating the nine lands of peace as a haven from the nightmarish, accursed Hinterlands. In all this time nothing has disturbed the harmony of the nine lands.

But now the goddess of the Summering Isles has been murdered. The only witness is Tylar de Noche, a crippled and disgraced former Shadowknight. As he holds the dying goddess, her last breath bestows a powerful blessing on him-a mark that heals his broken body. A mark that many see as proof that he killed a god. A mark that unleashes a powerful force of darkness within him.

Chased across Myrillia by enemies both human and ethereal, Tylar must uncover and face down a being powerful enough to kill an immortal-the true godslayer. For if he fails, all of Myrillia will fall into shadow."
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Ace of Swords · Post by **Ace of Swords** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:23 am

Fred Saberhagen's book of swords / lost swords series.

gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:27 am

Taranthyll wrote:
(as opposed to the current trend in epic sagas, like Wheel of Time, or Game of Fire and Ice, which are one long epic saga).

*chuckles* Well, I would have recommended Wheel of Time, which is one of my favorite series, but noting the initial post, I went with something different.

Jim Butchers Codex Alera is a nice, short, fantasy series though. Lots of neat ideas to mine for an elemental based magic system too. There are only 6 books.
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Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:58 am

I can't recommend Glen Cook's Black Company novels highly enough. Given the stuff you do like (e.g., Dragonlance novels), I'm not sure Glen Cook is for you. The recommendation for David Eddings matches more with what you've been reading. Personally, I think Eddings is terrible, but I do think he is better than Dragonlance novels. I enjoyed his first 2 series when I was a kid. I'm looking for something grittier now. (It didn't help that the second series was basically a rewrite of the first series with different character names.)

CKDad · Post by **CKDad** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:34 am

Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber - the first five books, at least. The whole series is available as an omnibus.

Try the first of Lois McMaster Bujold's Chalion books - The Curse of Chalion. If you like that, the next (Paladin of Souls) won the Hugo, though for my money, Curse is better. (Both are quite good.) The Hallowed Hunt, third and final, is weaker than the other two, but even Bujold off her game is better than many lesser writers.

For something a good bit lighter, try Kage Baker's The Anvil Of The World. I think L. Sprague de Camp's The Unbeheaded King can still be had as well. (Not to mention his Harold Shea books.)
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nwelte1 · Post by **nwelte1** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:17 am

gideon_thorne wrote:
*chuckles* Well, I would have recommended Wheel of Time, which is one of my favorite series, but noting the initial post, I went with something different.

Jim Butchers Codex Alera is a nice, short, fantasy series though. Lots of neat ideas to mine for an elemental based magic system too. There are only 6 books.

Seconded TWoT is awesome. Yes even the middle books when things tend to bog down. I really enjoyed The Gathering Storm even though it was written in part or in substantial part by Brandon.

gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:30 am

I'd also recommend the Sword of Truth series. It gets a bit preachy about half way through due to the authors favorite soap box, but its a great series with a lot of neat ideas for campaign adaptation. The Confessor concept in particular.
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Sir Ironside · Post by **Sir Ironside** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:45 am

gideon_thorne wrote:
I'd also recommend the Sword of Truth series. It gets a bit preachy about half way through due to the authors favorite soap box, but its a great series with a lot of neat ideas for campaign adaptation. The Confessor concept in particular.

Richard takes on the same tone as Doc Savage did back in the heyday. Good at everything, even better than someone who has studied all their lives, he picks up in a day or two then becomes AWESIMO.

It is what 12 books long so I don't know if that qualifies to what the OP wants. Which is too bad because I can't recommend the shear awesomeness that is the Malazan books.

A good one of, that is more dystopian/sci-fi with a sprinkle of fantasy (I'm serious) is Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I highly recommend this book. It isn't a series but stand alone and very well written.
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Jackal · Post by **Jackal** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:11 am

CKDad wrote:
Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber - the first five books, at least. The whole series is available as an omnibus.

These are great books!

You might also enjoy "Orcs" by Stan Nicholls: http://www.amazon.com/Orcs-Stan-Nicholl ... 111&sr=8-1

I'm also a big fan of the Witcher books I've read by Andrzej Sapkowski: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Wish-Andrzej ... pd_sim_b_6

And anything by Steven Brust: http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Brust/e/B0 ... =sr_tc_2_0
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Stainless · Post by **Stainless** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:55 am

Great thread! Has anyone found a good novel that portrays dungeon crawling well?
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Buttmonkey · Post by **Buttmonkey** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:01 pm

The second book in The Deed of Paksenarrion has a dungeon crawl segment that is very well done. It's a great omnibus collection that I'm surprised I haven't recommended already. Really good stuff.

CharlieRock · Post by **CharlieRock** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:05 pm

Dagger wrote:
I want something with a bigger plot.

Well, that actually eliminates just about every series I own.
I think everybody should read Robert E. Howard's Conan though.
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Post by **Fiffergrund** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:04 pm

Just try the Malazan Books. Try Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates. If you finish Deadhouse, you'll be hooked so badly you'll immediately buy the rest of the series.

That book is a heart-wrenching masterpiece. I'm sitting here trying to think of a book I'd recommend more enthusiastically than that one, and I can't.

It has the added bonus of being completely incompatible with a film adaptation. I'm absolutely convinced it can't be done.
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gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:40 pm

Sir Ironside wrote:
Richard takes on the same tone as Doc Savage did back in the heyday. Good at everything, even better than someone who has studied all their lives, he picks up in a day or two then becomes AWESIMO.

That actually might bother me more if I didn't know people who are like that. *chuckles* Actually, characters who try and do everything themselves, without allowing effective shock troops like the Weasley Twins to go in and wreck devastation, now they are irritating.

Quote:
It is what 12 books long so I don't know if that qualifies to what the OP wants. Which is too bad because I can't recommend the shear awesomeness that is the Malazan books.

I've picked up the first of this series. We'll see how it goes? I've got a few others on my list to get through first.
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CnD · Post by **CnD** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 6:16 am

Fiffergrund wrote:
Just try the Malazan Books. Try Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates.

Checked out the info on Amazon for Gardens of the Moon. It does indeed sound like a pretty interesting read. Plan on stopping by the local BAM tomorrow and see if they have a copy to pick up. Saw that there was something like 10 books in the series, is the entire run available now or still in the process?
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Post by **Fiffergrund** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 7:15 am

CnD wrote:
Checked out the info on Amazon for Gardens of the Moon. It does indeed sound like a pretty interesting read. Plan on stopping by the local BAM tomorrow and see if they have a copy to pick up. Saw that there was something like 10 books in the series, is the entire run available now or still in the process?

I believe the 8th or 9th will be released in the US later this month. It may already be out in Canada and the UK.

It's an investment, to be sure, but it's really epic. If you get no further than Deadhouse Gates (Book 2), then it's worth it.
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boxcornersdiety · Post by **boxcornersdiety** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 11:08 am

the book of the new sun

the book of the long sun

the book of the short sun

Dagger · Post by **Dagger** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:15 pm

Thanks so much everyone for the recommendations. I'm going to look into all of these this weekend and hopefully come out of it with something enjoyable to read. Thanks!
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LordSeurek · Post by **LordSeurek** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 4:06 pm

gideon_thorne wrote:
I'd also recommend the Sword of Truth series. It gets a bit preachy about half way through due to the authors favorite soap box, but its a great series with a lot of neat ideas for campaign adaptation. The Confessor concept in particular.

Second that. Probably my favorite Fantasy that is not d&d'ish....

L.S.
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Secret Skeleton · Post by **Secret Skeleton** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:11 pm

My very favorite book is called Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell by author Susanna Clarke. I cannot even begin to describe how the book even is, let alone how much I like it.

Give it a go, it is totally apart from any other fantasy novel.

anglefish · Post by **anglefish** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:12 pm

cuchulainkevin wrote:
a few of my favs

R Scott Bakker The Darkness The Comes Before series (not finished, book 4)

Kate Elliot The Crown of Stars series (finished)
George RR Martin A Song of Ice and Fire series (not finshed)

Patricia Mc Killip The Riddlemaster series (finished)

Can't recommend enough.

The LiveTrader series by Robin Hood is also good.

Otherwise, most of my fantasy is not the same taste. I have to have mine fairly exotic these days. Standard fantasy doesn't do it for me much anyomore.

DaveyB · Post by **DaveyB** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:43 pm

narpet wrote:
Since I am just getting ready to finish book 5 of the Belgariad by David Eddings... I would recommend it. I have found it to be very well written and a lot of fun to read. Eddings really creates a believable world over the span of the 5 books... with different cultures that clash even when they are getting along. He states that the books began as a personal study in geography, and you can tell by the distinctions given to the lands and different peoples of his world. He also does a very good job of fleshing out his characters. Each one has a distinct personality... and stays consistent to that personality. Sure... it's basically a good guys -vs- bad guys story (and a story of what it's like to grow up quickly both from a male and later a female perspective - Eddings admits that his wife helped very much in the creation of all of his novels), but the characters are so nicely imagined that it's a real pleasure to read.

Anyway... if you haven't read it, I would give at least the first book a try. The series actually gets better and better as it goes along (IMO). The first book is Pawn of Prophecy.

I'll second, third, and fourth this one! 'Course I've always been an Eddings fan since I first read of the adventures of Sparhawk back in highschool in the Ruby Knight. Didn't realize at that time that it was the second book in a three-part series! D'oh!
The Belgariad is a great series and the follow-up series that I'm reading through now, the Mallorean, is even better. Like Narpet says, the plot is classic good vs. evil but I like Eddings' style and the fact that each of his characters has a distinct personality throughout, allowing one to form connections with certain characters. I remember reading the Elenium series of books and actually being sad when one of the main characters died. The characters and the personal struggles they go through are all believable (in the context of the stories that is).

The only fault I could give the Eddings' is that their over-all plots are very similar between the Belgariad/Mallorean series and the Elenium/Tamuli series. Other than that, they are great books that I think most anyone who enjoys a classic tale would enjoy.

Also, have to give a shout out to Robert E. Howard and good 'ole Conan, by Crom! Solomon Kane is also a close second to Howard's famous barbarian. While not as grandiose in plot as the Dragonlance or Eddings books, they have their own gritty style which usually has Conan in some particular situation which he must get out of, all the while getting the girl in the end while kicking ass along the way. Can't go wrong with that!

Steerpike · Post by **Steerpike** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:58 am

Many have been mentioned:

Lies of Locke Lamora (Scott Lynch)

Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)

Book of the New Sun (Gene Wolfe)

Gardens of the Moon (Steven Erikson series)

The Red Tree (Caitlin R. Kiernan - or anything by her)

Blackhearts Omnibus (Nathan Long)

Felix and Gotrek Omnibus (William King)

Song of Fire and Ice series (G.R.R. Martin)

Rigante series (David Gemmell)

I could go on, but I'll stop there.
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gideon_thorne · Post by **gideon_thorne** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:32 am

Steerpike wrote:
Rigante series (David Gemmell)

I could go on, but I'll stop there.

Hell. Anything by David Gemmell is worth a read. I own every book he put out.
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Steerpike · Post by **Steerpike** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:37 am

gideon_thorne wrote:
Hell. Anything by David Gemmell is worth a read. I own every book he put out.

True. I mentioned the Rigante books because those are my favorite. But I haven't read all his work. In fact, I am reading LEGEND right now because I haven't read any of the Drenai books. It is very good so far.
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