Fantasy Books I Haven't Read

Waylander · 08-23-2014, 01:07 PM

Hi there,

Please could someone recommend me some fantasy that I may not have read. To help, I'll give the authors I have read and like or disliked or found meh:

David Gemmell - Liked
Joe Abercrombie - Disliked
Raymond E. Feist - Disliked
Mark Lawrence - Liked
Jim Butcher - Liked
Kevin Hearne - Liked
L.E. Modesitt Jr - Liked
George R.R. Martin - Meh (Good story but unlikable characters and too long)
Neil Gaiman - Liked
J.R.R. Tolkein - Liked
James Barclay - Disliked
Markus Heitz - Meh (Good narrative setting but cardboard characters)
Steven Erikson - Disliked
Brandon Sanderson - Liked
Brent Weeks - Liked
Peter V. Brett - Liked
R.A. Salvatore - Liked
Jennifer Fallon - Liked
Robin Hobb - Disliked
Mike Carey - Liked
Brian McClellan - Liked
Robert Jordan - Total Meh (Boring, badly written and shallow 2-D characters)
Paul Kearney - Liked
Naomi Novik - Meh
Anne MacCaffrey - Meh
Glen Cook - Meh (Didn't get on with the writing style)
Elizabeth Moon - Meh (Characters didn't interest me)
Philip Pullman - Liked
Guy Gavriel Kay - Disliked
Paul Hoffman - Meh (Depressing)
David Weber - Disliked (Clunky and long-winded)
Tom Lloyd - Meh (Boring to me, not necessarily to other people)
Patrick Rothfuss - Meh (but could like him if tried again)

I don't know whether anyone has any ideas about fantasy authors I may like that I haven't tried?

John F · 08-23-2014, 01:36 PM

How about Richard K. Morgan? I haven't read any of his Fantasy, but I enjoyed his SF, so your thoughts after you've read it would be appreciated.

BenG · 08-23-2014, 01:59 PM

Guy Gavriel Kay (The Lions of al-Rassan),
Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials),
Mervyn Peake (Titus Groan),
Roger Zelazny (the Amber books),
L. Sprague de Camp (The Incompleat Enchanter),
Michael Moorcock (the Elric of Melniboné books),
Stephen Donaldson (Thomas the Unbeliever),
Peter S. Beagle (The Last Unicorn),
Michael Chabon (Summerland), or
David Eddings (The Belgariad).

Rbneader · 08-23-2014, 03:54 PM

Huh, looks like we have similar tastes. I may move Dresden up on my list.

Recommendations:

Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books. If you like Tolkien and Salvatore, you'll really like Moon. Here's the first trilogy: http://www.baenebooks.com/p-100-the-...senarrion.aspx
You can also get it at Amazon, B&N, etc.

Andre Norton. Try her Witch World series for epic fantasy. For standalones, I like Scent of Magic or the Mirror of Destiny. I also especially like Year of the Unicorn or Key of the Keplian. If you like Tolkien and Gemmel she could be right up your alley.

Roger Zelazny is also good. Darker than either Moon or Norton.

Apache · 08-23-2014, 04:20 PM

Glen Cook has two good series.
The Black Company and Garrett P.I.
Apache

pwalker8 · 08-24-2014, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apache

Glen Cook has two good series.
The Black Company and Garrett P.I.
Apache

I liked the Swordbearer the most out of all his books.

GreenMonkey · 08-24-2014, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apache

Glen Cook has two good series.
The Black Company and Garrett P.I.
Apache

If he didn't like Joe Abercrombie, I doubt he'd like Glen Cook's Black Company. And he had Cook in his "meh" list.

I'd recommend Scott Lynch but since you didn't like Hobb or Abercrombie and was meh on Martin, I'm pretty sure you have the opposite taste that I do.

WillAdams · 08-25-2014, 08:36 AM

Have you tried this?

http://www.literature-map.com/

Agree w/ BenG suggesting Moorcock and Zelazny.

Waylander · 08-25-2014, 08:41 AM

Thanks WillAdams and everyone here for the suggestions. I will definitely give Moorcock and Zelazny a go, and will probably give some of my "meh's" another go, as my tastes may have changed. It's not that I don't like dark fantasy, as I love the Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence, but Abercrombie et al just don't do it for me, probably because the characters are so unsympathetic.

Apache · 08-25-2014, 12:14 PM

The Garrett P. I. series a blending of Fantasy and Murder Mystery. I like to think of them as Nero Wolf Fantasies.
Apache

pwalker8 · 08-25-2014, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apache

The Garrett P. I. series a blending of Fantasy and Murder Mystery. I like to think of them as Nero Wolf Fantasies.
Apache

They are also quite funny in places. For a while, I was sure there were two different Glenn Cooks!

Pulpmeister · 08-25-2014, 09:33 PM

You could look at R A Lafferty. A prolific short story writer, but also several novels, often intricately interconnected.

Nine Million Grandmothers (short stories)
Tales of Chicago (part of the Melchizedech series)

Look him up on the Internet Speculative Fiction database.

eschwartz · 08-25-2014, 10:25 PM

Terry Pratchett.

He co-wrote Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch with Neil Gaiman.

He also wrote the Discworld series, which is kind of like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy but with fantasy, and less depressing.

ereaderSam · 10-15-2014, 01:24 PM

I too would recommend books authored by Elizabeth Moon.

Dazrin · 10-15-2014, 01:35 PM

I would add Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea series to your list.

08-23-2014, 01:07 PM	#1
Waylander Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 2905052 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5 SE, Onyx Boox Poke 3	Fantasy Books I Haven't Read Hi there, Please could someone recommend me some fantasy that I may not have read. To help, I'll give the authors I have read and like or disliked or found meh: David Gemmell - Liked Joe Abercrombie - Disliked Raymond E. Feist - Disliked Mark Lawrence - Liked Jim Butcher - Liked Kevin Hearne - Liked L.E. Modesitt Jr - Liked George R.R. Martin - Meh (Good story but unlikable characters and too long) Neil Gaiman - Liked J.R.R. Tolkein - Liked James Barclay - Disliked Markus Heitz - Meh (Good narrative setting but cardboard characters) Steven Erikson - Disliked Brandon Sanderson - Liked Brent Weeks - Liked Peter V. Brett - Liked R.A. Salvatore - Liked Jennifer Fallon - Liked Robin Hobb - Disliked Mike Carey - Liked Brian McClellan - Liked Robert Jordan - Total Meh (Boring, badly written and shallow 2-D characters) Paul Kearney - Liked Naomi Novik - Meh Anne MacCaffrey - Meh Glen Cook - Meh (Didn't get on with the writing style) Elizabeth Moon - Meh (Characters didn't interest me) Philip Pullman - Liked Guy Gavriel Kay - Disliked Paul Hoffman - Meh (Depressing) David Weber - Disliked (Clunky and long-winded) Tom Lloyd - Meh (Boring to me, not necessarily to other people) Patrick Rothfuss - Meh (but could like him if tried again) I don't know whether anyone has any ideas about fantasy authors I may like that I haven't tried? Last edited by Waylander; 08-25-2014 at 07:15 AM. Reason: Added Authors

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08-23-2014, 01:36 PM	#2
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,172 Karma: 63764653 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Glo HD	How about Richard K. Morgan? I haven't read any of his Fantasy, but I enjoyed his SF, so your thoughts after you've read it would be appreciated.

08-23-2014, 01:59 PM	#3
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Guy Gavriel Kay (The Lions of al-Rassan), Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), Mervyn Peake (Titus Groan), Roger Zelazny (the Amber books), L. Sprague de Camp (The Incompleat Enchanter), Michael Moorcock (the Elric of Melniboné books), Stephen Donaldson (Thomas the Unbeliever), Peter S. Beagle (The Last Unicorn), Michael Chabon (Summerland), or David Eddings (The Belgariad).

08-23-2014, 03:54 PM	#4
Rbneader Fanatic Posts: 500 Karma: 2661351 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: None	Huh, looks like we have similar tastes. I may move Dresden up on my list. Recommendations: Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books. If you like Tolkien and Salvatore, you'll really like Moon. Here's the first trilogy: http://www.baenebooks.com/p-100-the-...senarrion.aspx You can also get it at Amazon, B&N, etc. Andre Norton. Try her Witch World series for epic fantasy. For standalones, I like Scent of Magic or the Mirror of Destiny. I also especially like Year of the Unicorn or Key of the Keplian. If you like Tolkien and Gemmel she could be right up your alley. Roger Zelazny is also good. Darker than either Moon or Norton.

08-23-2014, 04:20 PM	#5
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,140 Karma: 90000000 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Glen Cook has two good series. The Black Company and Garrett P.I. Apache

08-25-2014, 08:36 AM	#8
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Have you tried this? http://www.literature-map.com/ Agree w/ BenG suggesting Moorcock and Zelazny.

08-25-2014, 08:41 AM	#9
Waylander Fanatic Posts: 594 Karma: 2905052 Join Date: Oct 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5 SE, Onyx Boox Poke 3	Thanks WillAdams and everyone here for the suggestions. I will definitely give Moorcock and Zelazny a go, and will probably give some of my "meh's" another go, as my tastes may have changed. It's not that I don't like dark fantasy, as I love the Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence, but Abercrombie et al just don't do it for me, probably because the characters are so unsympathetic.

08-25-2014, 12:14 PM	#10
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,140 Karma: 90000000 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	The Garrett P. I. series a blending of Fantasy and Murder Mystery. I like to think of them as Nero Wolf Fantasies. Apache

08-25-2014, 09:33 PM	#12
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,508 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	You could look at R A Lafferty. A prolific short story writer, but also several novels, often intricately interconnected. Nine Million Grandmothers (short stories) Tales of Chicago (part of the Melchizedech series) Look him up on the Internet Speculative Fiction database.

08-25-2014, 10:25 PM	#13
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Terry Pratchett. He co-wrote Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch with Neil Gaiman. He also wrote the Discworld series, which is kind of like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy but with fantasy, and less depressing.

10-15-2014, 01:24 PM	#14
ereaderSam Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 140 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2	I too would recommend books authored by Elizabeth Moon.

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10-15-2014, 01:35 PM	#15
Dazrin Wizard Posts: 2,631 Karma: 73864785 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PDXish Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices	I would add Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea series to your list.