I need advice

Post by **Sheol** » Sun May 16, 2004 4:02 am

i am concidering buying allot of new fantasy books and I was wondering what i should get. I am mainly looking for fantasy so if I could get some help...

Post by **variol son** » Sun May 16, 2004 9:49 am

Well, what have you already read, and what are you looking for in a fantasy read? I mean, there's no point buying Tolkien if you want a good laugh, and there's no point buying Pratchet if you want a good cry.

Sum sui generis
Vs

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Sun May 16, 2004 10:46 am

Stephen Erikson's 'Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen'. Book one is Gardens of the Moon and is good, books 2-5 are not just good, they're brilliant. Read this series.

Oh, and the obligatory GRRM plug (if you haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire - read it!).

Post by **duchess of malfi** » Sun May 16, 2004 1:55 pm

The problem with Erickson is that his books are not available in the US, though I keep hearing rumors they might be released here soon.

Yes, Martin's books A Song of Ice and Fire are great. Also Phillip Pullman's his Dark Materials Trilogy, if you are looking for a series that is already done.

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Sun May 16, 2004 2:04 pm

Soon, yes. GotM is out 1st June, IIRC, so I guess I should say if you live outside the US read MBotF. If you live in the US, wait a year or two until your country catches up.

Post by **FizbansTalking_Hat** » Sun May 16, 2004 3:11 pm

duchess of malfi wrote:The problem with Erickson is that his books are not available in the US, though I keep hearing rumors they might be released here soon.

Yes, Martin's books A Song of Ice and Fire are great. Also Phillip Pullman's his Dark Materials Trilogy, if you are looking for a series that is already done.

Thats odd, glad I live in Canada where Erickson is so readily available.

So check out
Erickson - Malaazan (sp?)
George R.R. Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire
Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow, Thorn
Greg Keyes - Briar King (Only Book 1 is released but its up there with Martin and Williams in the Epic Category)
Terry Brooks - Shannara Series (Predictable and cliche'd but still fun none the less.)
Terry Brooks - Magic Kingdom of Landover (Very Funny, Comical Whimsical Fantasy, normal everyday guy finds an ad in an upscale catalogue offering Fantsy Kingdom for sale and he buys it, but he buys mroe than he bargained for with a kingdom in ruins, civil war, all sorts of comical satire of your everday fantasy)
R. A. Salvatore - Demonwar Saga
Weis & Hickman - Dragonlance (9) book series starts with Chronicles, Legends, War of Souls, ALSO Soverign Stone Trilogy
Robin Hobb - Farseer Trilogy (The best first person fantasy I've read in ages, fun read, starts with Assasin's Apprentice) < - - - Check it out first.
Cheers.

Post by **Romeo** » Sun May 16, 2004 3:37 pm

I bought my Erickson books online from amazon.co.uk (the new one just showed up the other day).

I *HIGHLY* recommend Carol Berg. She has five books out (and another coming in the fall), but I'd recommend that you start with either Son of Avonar, or Song of the Beast (a story of dragons). Then move on to her Restoration/Revelation/Transformation trilogy.

Post by **danlo** » Sun May 16, 2004 5:02 pm

Alot of good suggestions are in the "What are your favorite books/series/authors?" thread. (I shall add an f: denoting fantasy, on my list there) Along with the other suggestions I highly recommend the brand new Ea Cycle series by David Zindell: Book One is called The Lightstone, I am in the middle of Book Two, Lord of Lies, and enjoying it immensely, Book Three, The Evening Star is forthcoming-and you do need to order them from Amazon.uk.

Post by **Baradakas** » Sun May 16, 2004 5:16 pm

My highest recommendation goes to M elanie Rawn's Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies, which are simply superb.... Get these and you'll never regret it.

-B

Post by **Encryptic** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:08 pm

Sheol wrote:i am concidering buying allot of new fantasy books and I was wondering what i should get. I am mainly looking for fantasy so if I could get some help...

I'd read some of the threads in this section to get a good idea, but here's what I would suggest, among others:

The Farseer Saga by Robin Hobb (start with Assassin's Apprentice)

Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin (this is a must-have. Start with A Game of Thrones)

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams (start with the Dragonbone Chair)

There's more, but you get the gist. At risk of sounding like a broken record, avoid anything by Terry Goodkind like the plague.

Post by **FizbansTalking_Hat** » Mon May 17, 2004 5:12 pm

Encryptic wrote:At risk of sounding like a broken record, avoid anything by Terry Goodkind like the plague.

So it is written, so it shall be done..........

Post by **Roland of Gilead** » Mon May 17, 2004 8:13 pm

A lot of good suggestions here already, but if you're looking for authors who stand the genre on its head, try China Mieville's Perdido Street Station or anything by Tim Powers.

And these books won't require a third of your life to commit to, like some of the afore-mentioned series.

Post by **FizbansTalking_Hat** » Mon May 17, 2004 8:17 pm

Haha, Roland is correct about the epics taking a while to get through but they're worth it, he's also correct in China Mieville's novels.

They defy the imagination when it comes to cross genre mixing and story telling. Part fantasy, gothic, history, future, science fiction horror, stephen king-esque, epic mythology book kinda thing......

Thats how I veiw it and its up in my top 50 books of all time. Cheers.

Post by **Baradakas** » Tue May 18, 2004 1:14 am

Epics are always worth it, Zifnab, er, Zanfib, er, wait, who are you?

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