Good Fantsy Books - Page 2

Khorum · 02-01-2007, 08:26 PM

Well everyone's recommended my favorites (Erikson's Malazan and Martin's ASoIaF) I don't really read a lot of contemporary fantasy but I worship a lot of the older pulp masters. Someone's already mentioned Michael Moorcock, I'd toss in Fritz Lieber's Ill Met in Lankhmar and the whole Fahfrd and the Grey Mouser saga. Seriously great classic pulp fantasy that, along with Howard's Conan stuff, arguably kickstarted the RPG industry (TSR licensed the Fahfrd property in the early 70's). This was gritty, sexy, whores-and-assassins fantasy written a DECADE before tolkien's LOTR.

Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy, especially Titus Groan, is definitely worth reading if you're looking for 'high' fantasy. It's lush and dark and is probably the best expression of literate 'fantasy'. Gormenghast was a fully realized, baroque world published in 1946. Also a full decade before LOTR. If you enjoyed GRRM's meticulous character development and byzantine intrigue, Gormenghast is its grandaddy (Peake does it better imo, although often excruciatingly british). Peake was later pronounced insane, how badass is that?

NeuadvenBonechillerr · 02-03-2007, 03:16 PM

Well I just went out and got War of Souls because my internet is being whacky. . I also was looking at forgetten realms stuff but I relized something. . .there is about 6 million differant books by atleast 15 authors. . .does anyone have a recommended starting point to see if I like the books?

Nebuchadnezzar · 02-03-2007, 04:34 PM

Salvatore is what most people like. I can't remember the name of the first trilogy though, there's like 15 books in all following the same set of characters.

darksensei · 02-03-2007, 07:15 PM

It isn't the chronological order but I believe the Icewind Dale trilogy was the first of the Drizzt series.

Definitely the best of the FR stuff imo but is it worth the cost for all the books? Idk but I'd recommend just checking them out from the library they're all short reads.

gnomeish · 02-04-2007, 05:15 AM

Arbuste, excellent compilation of written works. I do not agree with half of what you wrote, but a very nice listing of recommended books none the less. Thank you!

edit: First trilogy in the Drizzt series begins with "Homeland", but I cannot remember what the actual Trilogy is called.

Nebuchadnezzar · 02-04-2007, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnomeish

edit: First trilogy in the Drizzt series begins with "Homeland", but I cannot remember what the actual Trilogy is called.

That's actually a prequel trilogy (and the best one), Icewall came first. You could probably read "Homeland" no problem, but it would have greater impact if you went by the publishing order.

Faltigoth · 02-05-2007, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorph

Yea, the Word/Void series --

Running with the Demon (1997)
A Knight of the Word (1998)
Angel Fire East (1999)

-- is all about the world as it was long before all the Shannara stuff, and how it fell apart. I'm really liking it so far (still on the first one).

Son of a bitch, are you serious!?! That was always nagged at me about Shannara, which I loved and still do, that there was obviously a modern-type world beforehand which was hinted at but never really explored. I always assumed those books you mentioned had nothing to do with the Shannara series so I never read them. Heh! I will have to look into that shit!

Lenardo · 02-07-2007, 07:08 AM

icewind dale trilogy - was the first appearance of drizz't in any book. there have been prequels, etc, but that trilogy was the first one published.

david weber has a decent fantasy series- Oath of Swords by David Weber - Baen Books is the first book in the series. heck it could translate fairly well into an mmo.

Braen · 02-07-2007, 07:15 AM

Are the Wheel of Time books as bad as everyone says?

I am currently in a fantasy holding pattern until "A Dance with Dragons" and Harry Potter are released..

I read The Eye of the World a few months ago and I liked it but everyone seems so against his books and says that after say the 5th book they hated it.

So is it worth the read at all?

Lenardo · 02-07-2007, 07:40 AM

oh no it is not that the books are bad. it is just that he dragged the series out , which conversely, makes some of the books not good,

the last book imo was the best one he has written since book 4.....

ziggyholiday · 02-07-2007, 07:54 AM

Arbuste, you seriously thought the Amber series wasn't worth reading? It's been a loong time since I've read them but from what I remember they were great reads, Certainly above the majority of TSR published books.

Landover series were good but it's light reading, nothing serious what so ever.

How is it that no one has mentioned Piers Anthony?? Xanth series (only read up to 18ish) Adept series, Incarnations of Immortality (best IMO).

All depends on how you like your fantasy really, I'm not that picky and enjoy the lighter stuff.

Grimmlokk · 02-07-2007, 08:22 AM

Oh you could try The Darksword Trilogy too. Also by Weis and Hickman, so similar style. Whole new world and characters and all that jazz. Wasn't really in love with the entire series, but I really enjoyed the last book. Good twist ending.

MorinkhanMT · 02-07-2007, 08:46 AM

Summary: Wheel of Time

The first 5 books completely kick ass. Fantastic world and characters. Strikes a good balance between number of core characters and their storylines.

The second 5 books introduce many new characters and sideline plots. A lot of those side plots, while interesting at their heart, take multiple books to resolve. This has the effect of dragging out the overall series and takes too much time away from the core characters and their storylines. The worst example is one of the later books, where THE central character of the entire series is almost completely absent until the final chapter.

The latest book (or even two) have mostly gotten back on track, and we're currently waiting on the final book of the series. However, the author was recently diagnosed with a rare, fatal disorder, so the fate of the series is somewhat up in the air. He's hoping to finish himself, but has taken some steps to ensure the final book's posthumous publication, should he not make it.

IMO, despite the series' drag-on-edness, it's still a must-read for any fantasy fan. Boiled down, it's still one of the best, most well-developed fantasy worlds, full of great characters, with amazing depth and consistency of history, politics, culture and magic. With a bit of skimming in the later books, it's still a highly enjoyable series.

NeuadvenBonechillerr · 02-08-2007, 03:40 PM

Alright I just finished the War of the Souls, kind of a downer and simple ending for a 1200 some page build up. . .but. .

I've now read

The seasons trilogy
The twins trilogy
The Chaos War
The War of The Souls

Did I miss any major Dragonlance? I know there are about 6000 more books by differant authors about each individual char or the creation of gnomes or whatever. . .but none of those look interesting.

NeuadvenBonechillerr · 02-08-2007, 06:39 PM

Nevermind, I thought to wikipedia it and got a nice overview, and I pretty much covered the core. . time to move onto Forgotten Realms!

02-03-2007, 04:34 PM	#18 (permalink)
Nebuchadnezzar Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,662 -2 Internets	Salvatore is what most people like. I can't remember the name of the first trilogy though, there's like 15 books in all following the same set of characters. __________________ I eat grass like an ox and shat like a fox.

02-04-2007, 05:15 AM	#20 (permalink)
gnomeish Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 25 +0 Internets	Arbuste, excellent compilation of written works. I do not agree with half of what you wrote, but a very nice listing of recommended books none the less. Thank you! edit: First trilogy in the Drizzt series begins with "Homeland", but I cannot remember what the actual Trilogy is called. Last edited by gnomeish : 02-04-2007 at 05:17 AM.

02-07-2007, 07:15 AM	#24 (permalink)
Braen Watches the Watchmen Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dallas Posts: 3,958 +4 Internets	Are the Wheel of Time books as bad as everyone says? I am currently in a fantasy holding pattern until "A Dance with Dragons" and Harry Potter are released.. I read The Eye of the World a few months ago and I liked it but everyone seems so against his books and says that after say the 5th book they hated it. So is it worth the read at all? __________________ Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn - In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming "That is not dead which can Eternal lie, and with strange Eons even death may die" - H. P. Lovecraft

02-07-2007, 08:22 AM	#27 (permalink)
Grimmlokk Unlicensed Vaginoplasty Surgeon Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 3,482 +13 Internets	Oh you could try The Darksword Trilogy too. Also by Weis and Hickman, so similar style. Whole new world and characters and all that jazz. Wasn't really in love with the entire series, but I really enjoyed the last book. Good twist ending. __________________ "The eyes are the groin of the face"

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02-01-2007, 08:26 PM	#16 (permalink)
Khorum Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,594 -33 Internets	Well everyone's recommended my favorites (Erikson's Malazan and Martin's ASoIaF) I don't really read a lot of contemporary fantasy but I worship a lot of the older pulp masters. Someone's already mentioned Michael Moorcock, I'd toss in Fritz Lieber's Ill Met in Lankhmar and the whole Fahfrd and the Grey Mouser saga. Seriously great classic pulp fantasy that, along with Howard's Conan stuff, arguably kickstarted the RPG industry (TSR licensed the Fahfrd property in the early 70's). This was gritty, sexy, whores-and-assassins fantasy written a DECADE before tolkien's LOTR. Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast trilogy, especially Titus Groan, is definitely worth reading if you're looking for 'high' fantasy. It's lush and dark and is probably the best expression of literate 'fantasy'. Gormenghast was a fully realized, baroque world published in 1946. Also a full decade before LOTR. If you enjoyed GRRM's meticulous character development and byzantine intrigue, Gormenghast is its grandaddy (Peake does it better imo, although often excruciatingly british). Peake was later pronounced insane, how badass is that?

02-03-2007, 03:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
NeuadvenBonechillerr Banned Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 368 -7 Internets	Well I just went out and got War of Souls because my internet is being whacky. . I also was looking at forgetten realms stuff but I relized something. . .there is about 6 million differant books by atleast 15 authors. . .does anyone have a recommended starting point to see if I like the books?

02-03-2007, 07:15 PM	#19 (permalink)
darksensei Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 874	It isn't the chronological order but I believe the Icewind Dale trilogy was the first of the Drizzt series. Definitely the best of the FR stuff imo but is it worth the cost for all the books? Idk but I'd recommend just checking them out from the library they're all short reads.

02-07-2007, 07:08 AM	#23 (permalink)
Lenardo Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 2,283 -5 Internets	icewind dale trilogy - was the first appearance of drizz't in any book. there have been prequels, etc, but that trilogy was the first one published. david weber has a decent fantasy series- Oath of Swords by David Weber - Baen Books is the first book in the series. heck it could translate fairly well into an mmo.

02-07-2007, 07:40 AM	#25 (permalink)
Lenardo Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 2,283 -5 Internets	oh no it is not that the books are bad. it is just that he dragged the series out , which conversely, makes some of the books not good, the last book imo was the best one he has written since book 4.....

02-07-2007, 07:54 AM	#26 (permalink)
ziggyholiday Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 184	Arbuste, you seriously thought the Amber series wasn't worth reading? It's been a loong time since I've read them but from what I remember they were great reads, Certainly above the majority of TSR published books. Landover series were good but it's light reading, nothing serious what so ever. How is it that no one has mentioned Piers Anthony?? Xanth series (only read up to 18ish) Adept series, Incarnations of Immortality (best IMO). All depends on how you like your fantasy really, I'm not that picky and enjoy the lighter stuff.

02-07-2007, 08:46 AM	#28 (permalink)
MorinkhanMT Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 234 -1 Internets	Summary: Wheel of Time The first 5 books completely kick ass. Fantastic world and characters. Strikes a good balance between number of core characters and their storylines. The second 5 books introduce many new characters and sideline plots. A lot of those side plots, while interesting at their heart, take multiple books to resolve. This has the effect of dragging out the overall series and takes too much time away from the core characters and their storylines. The worst example is one of the later books, where THE central character of the entire series is almost completely absent until the final chapter. The latest book (or even two) have mostly gotten back on track, and we're currently waiting on the final book of the series. However, the author was recently diagnosed with a rare, fatal disorder, so the fate of the series is somewhat up in the air. He's hoping to finish himself, but has taken some steps to ensure the final book's posthumous publication, should he not make it. IMO, despite the series' drag-on-edness, it's still a must-read for any fantasy fan. Boiled down, it's still one of the best, most well-developed fantasy worlds, full of great characters, with amazing depth and consistency of history, politics, culture and magic. With a bit of skimming in the later books, it's still a highly enjoyable series.

02-08-2007, 03:40 PM	#29 (permalink)
NeuadvenBonechillerr Banned Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 368 -7 Internets	Alright I just finished the War of the Souls, kind of a downer and simple ending for a 1200 some page build up. . .but. . I've now read The seasons trilogy The twins trilogy The Chaos War The War of The Souls Did I miss any major Dragonlance? I know there are about 6000 more books by differant authors about each individual char or the creation of gnomes or whatever. . .but none of those look interesting.

02-08-2007, 06:39 PM	#30 (permalink)
NeuadvenBonechillerr Banned Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 368 -7 Internets	Nevermind, I thought to wikipedia it and got a nice overview, and I pretty much covered the core. . time to move onto Forgotten Realms!