I'm Looking for your Literary Recommendations

Post by **Anomander Rake** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 7:39 am

I can't believe no one's mentioned the Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Four books published so far in a projected ten book series: Gardens of the Moon, Deadhouse Gates, Memories of Ice and House of Chains. They don't have a publisher in the United States yet, but a resident of the US can order them from Canadian booksellers pretty inexpensively.

As far as I'm concerned, these books are the best thing happening in fantasy literature today. I know that doesn't sound like much of compliment, but I mean it as one. The world of the Malazan Empire is about as awe-inspiring as fantasy gets.

But don't take my word for it. Here's some of what Stephen R. Donaldson himself has to say about Erikson in his introduction to Blood Follows, a novella set in the same world as the Malazan Empire: "Some of Erikson's compulsive hold arises from the sensation, so acutely conveyed to the reader, that his invention is spinning out of control; that his imagination is so rife, so fecund, that it can't be contained within the normal structures of story-telling. Reading him is like watching two massive locomotives powering toward each other on a single track; you find that you simply can not look away from what will inevitably be a spectacular and hideous catastrophe. And yet, somehow, astonishingly, the inevitable does not occur: at the last instant, a hand rises to the instrument panel, a lever is pushed, a switch closes; and the locomotives howl past each other with frightening velocity, full of force and intention, and - you can see at last - perfectly under control."

And Erikson's a big Stephen R. Donaldson fan. That can't be a bad thing.

Post by **Brinn** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 2:16 pm

Anomander and Danlo,

You've convinced me. I'll be picking up Neverness and Gardens of the Moon (I think that's what book 1 of the Malazon series is called) and I'll be starting them as soon as I finish with Ender's Game. I'm trusting you both

. My expectations are high and I'm looking forward to them. I hope I'm not disappointed!

Post by **Anomander Rake** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 7:59 pm

Gardens of the Moon is indeed the first Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, but it often reads more like the fourth book in a series. This was completely intentional on Erikson's part, as he wanted to toss the reader into a world that was already fully developed. As such, it is sometimes confusing, sometimes frustrating, sometimes both at the same time. But it's very rewarding if you've got the patience for it, and it's even more rewarding after you've read Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice.

Enjoy.

Post by **Nemesis** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:03 am

Totally agree, having read all the covenant chronicles and Erikson.

Erikson is the best that I have ever read to date. Closely followed by George R R Martin - "A song of fire and ice" series.

Though Donaldson would be right along side of Martin.

Post by **Vain** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 10:02 am

I'm hoping Nemesis is going to be able to tell me where to get decent books from in NZ

My local Whitcoulls etc are hopeless

Post by **Nemesis** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 10:48 am

Kia ora

Depends on where you live. Hopefully somewhere with a decent bookshop, but it doesn't sound like it

I'm in Wellington, so no problems there with a large Whitcoulls shop. Sometimes I'm old fashioned and borrow from the library if its not a new release I'm after.

Sometimes even lucky with the second hand bookshops - I might find what I want (but it must be in good condition cos I'm real picky)

onions · Post by **onions** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 2:01 pm

anomander and nemesis:

After you recommendations, I want to try gardens of the moon too.
Which book of the malazan series is the second one?

onions

Post by **Anomander Rake** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 7:24 pm

Deadhouse Gates.

Post by **Lauralin** » Thu Dec 19, 2002 11:16 pm

Have you ever read The Song of Albion by Stephen Lawhead? It's very good Celtic fantesy.

Post by **CovenantJr** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 10:03 pm

Ah yes, Stephen Lawhead... I enjoyed the Pendragon Cycle, definitely worth reading. You could also try the Jerusalem Man series, Knights of Dark Renown and Lion of Macedon/Dark Prince by David Gemmell. None match TCTC, but are enjoyable nonetheless.

Post by **Ryzel** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:54 pm

You should try some Stephen Brust. Not all his work is equally good, but I will recommend The Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years after, which is a kind of The Three Musketeers, in a fantasy milieu. He has other works from the same world, but at a different time. The most well known is probably the Taltos: Assassin series, but because of the multitude of different stories and how they are published I have never managed to get a handle on that series. It is entertaining though.

Another author you could check is Paula Volsky. She has written quite a few books, and one of the great advantages is that they are standalone books which means that you only have to read one.

Another standalone is The Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMasters Bujold. Bujold writes mostly space opera, but The Curse is a fantasy, self contained.

Sheri S. Tepper does not write fantasy any more, but her True Game series is a certain classic. (And INCREDIBLY difficult to get, nowadays.) I have not read The Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped, but those are probably just as good. The Dervish Daughter triology is also quite good, although I personally did not like it all that much.

Good luck with your reading. My store of unread books can now be measured in meters rather than copies.

Post by **Brinn** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 4:20 pm

Since last I posted I've taken some of your recommendations and have discovered some fine authors and interesting tales. Unfortunately I must report that I still have not discovered my personal grail which is a book or series that I enjoy more than the Chronicles. Alas, here's a recap of my adventures in reading Christmas:

FMIcan'tlogin (Whoever you really are!) - Ender's Game and Speaker for the dead were very interesting. I hadn't read Sci-fi in a while and it was a nice change of pace. I particularly enjoyed Ender's Game. The end twist was a classic! Thanks for the recommendation!

Anomander Rake - I've ordered Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates over two months ago from Amazon and 'm still waiting to receive them. I really looking forward to digging into these.

Danlo - I found an old copy of Neverness at the local library. What a dense and imaginative book! I really enjoyed it although I found it to be somewhat abstract at times (although I think a great deal of Sci-fi has a tendency to get abstract as physical descriptions of concepts that are supposed to be advanced should strain the limits of our limited and unenlightened perception! i.e. How do you describe, in understandable terms, that which to us, as the reader, is currently far beyond our conception and understanding?). The questions Zindel poses are deep and his answers are fairly simple and elegant. This is a book that expands the reader's horizons. A wonderful recommendation!

After reading a few reviews at Amazon I also read Feist's Magician series. In my opinion it was fairly simplistic and rather standard fantasy fare. A nice tale and a good way to pass a few hours but nothing here to get excited about.

I am currently reading the Summer Tree (The series is called the Fionovar Tapestry) by Guy Gavriel Kay as I anxiously await Gardens of the Moon. The Summer tree was his first effort and it shows some promise although I'm only 100 pages in thus far. I have also ordered Tigana by Kay as it has been widely heralded as his masterpiece.

Thanks to all for your help and if any of you has read anything new recently I'd be intersted to hear about it.

Post by **Damelon** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 11:09 pm

Brinn wrote:I've ordered Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates over two months ago from Amazon and 'm still waiting to receive them. I really looking forward to digging into these.

You and I both. Last time I checked Amazon was estimating Feb. 25th for Gardens of the Moon.

Visitor · Post by **Visitor** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 5:53 pm

Although not quite as emotionally charged as Thomas Covenant, the Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson is an absolute cracker.

Post by **fightingmyinstincts** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 7:39 pm

OOOOOOH! Abhorsen is out now! The last of the series by Garth Nix. I'm rereading the series. Did I recommend that? I'm FMI by the way, the one with the looooong list.......Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen, in that order, are the series I'm talking about.....very good, believe we have another big fan somewhere around here.....Show yourself!

Post by **High Lord Prothall** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 5:58 am

For really great "Epic" sci-fi/fantasy, the works of A. A. Attanasio are awesome.

I have read Radix (out of print in U.S. though

and it was one of the best sci-fi novels I have ever read, and I think a TC fan would especially enjoy it. The last of the Radix tetrad "The Last Legends of Earth" is also quite good, and is available at amazon.com.

He has a holy grail tetrad "Dragon and the Unicorn", "Wolf and the Crown", "Eagle and the Sword", and "Chalice and the Serpent", though I haven't read these, so won't vouch for their quality

Post by **Brinn** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 8:29 pm

Damelon, do you have relatives that work at Amazon??!!??!! My order for "Gardens of the Moon" is now expected to be delivered March 13th - April 2nd!

Post by **Ryzel** » Sat Feb 15, 2003 12:40 am

Brinn wrote: After reading a few reviews at Amazon I also read Feist's Magician series. In my opinion it was fairly simplistic and rather standard fantasy fare. A nice tale and a good way to pass a few hours but nothing here to get excited about.

I am currently reading the Summer Tree (The series is called the Fionovar Tapestry) by Guy Gavriel Kay as I anxiously await Gardens of the Moon. The Summer tree was his first effort and it shows some promise although I'm only 100 pages in thus far. I have also ordered Tigana by Kay as it has been widely heralded as his masterpiece.

Thanks to all for your help and if any of you has read anything new recently I'd be intersted to hear about it.

I agree with you about Feist, although as entertaining fantasy goes the two first books are quite good. He kind of loses focus after that though.

As for Kay I remember both "A Song for Arbonne" and "The Lions of Al-Rassan" as being quite good. But I also remember Tigana as being good, thus making the Summer Tree books IMO Kay's weakest work, believe it or not. Maybe I just did not like the way the story went.

I have not read something big in the Fantasy department lately, but I am actually considering rereading "Gardens of the Moon" because I just finished Memories of Ice and I think that I maybe need a recap of what happened in that book.

Post by **Damelon** » Sat Feb 15, 2003 12:45 am

Brinn wrote:Damelon, do you have relatives that work at Amazon??!!??!! My order for "Gardens of the Moon" is now expected to be delivered March 13th - April 2nd!

When did you put in your order? I put mine in Jan. 6th. Although I see they pushed back the date again.

Items not yet shipped:
Delivery estimate: February 27 - March 4 1 of: Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen : 1)

Post by **Damelon** » Sat Feb 15, 2003 12:47 am

Ryzel wrote:I have not read something big in the Fantasy department lately, but I am actually considering rereading "Gardens of the Moon" because I just finished Memories of Ice and I think that I maybe need a recap of what happened in that book.

Oh sure just tease us about Gardens of the Moon

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

I'm Looking for your Literary Recommendations

Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon

The second book is...

Fantasy reccomendations

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