Fantasy Novel Recommendations

[Iridal]

I was organising my library today, and saw that I forgot to mention a few authors and series:

• Shadows of the Apt - Adrian Tchaikovsky: original story and lots of suspense and action
• Chronicles of the Raven - James Barclay
• The Banned and the Banished - James Clemens
• The Godslayer Series - James Clemens: still waiting for the last book in this series, but very very good fantasy

Originally Posted by Kindle Worm

I've heard nothing but good about it. And yeah, you definitely should read WOT. You hear a lot of complaints about it dragging on, but it really is a good read.

I think WOT is one of those series you really like or really hate. I'm part of the latter group The first three books were good, but I hate series that just seem to go on and on and on. All the books were too much alike, not my taste at all. But I'm sure other people have enjoyed them immensely!

[teadonkey]

Has anyone read Ratha's Creature? It's been suggested to me because I liked Firebringer and The Sight. I would consider it a fantasy book but maybe I'm wrong. Don't feel shy letting me know if I am. I'm just learning that there are about a billion little subgenres in the big blanket terms like 'fantasy' and 'mystery'.

[Kindle Worm]

I think WOT is one of those series you really like or really hate. I'm part of the latter group The first three books were good, but I hate series that just seem to go on and on and on. All the books were too much alike, not my taste at all. But I'm sure other people have enjoyed them immensely!

I understand that, to me this more describes the Sword of Truth novels. Same basic idea and plot through out each novel. And there seemd to be no progession. In WoT at least they move along, slowly at some points, but the story moves.

[DiapDealer]

I think WOT is one of those series you really like or really hate. I'm part of the latter group The first three books were good, but I hate series that just seem to go on and on and on. All the books

I understand that, to me this more describes the Sword of Truth novels. Same basic idea and plot through out each novel. And there seemd to be no progession. In WoT at least they move along, slowly at some points, but the story moves.

I put them both under the same umbrella. ZZZZZzzzzzz.

Robert Jordan the man, was much easier to tolerate than Goodkind the self-proclaimed deity...err, I mean man, for sure.

[Belfaborac]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Thomas Covenant series by Stephen R. Donaldson (but do yourself a favor and stop after book 6).

Sorry to go slightly OT, but I was planning to read vol. 7> soon. Are they no good?

[DiapDealer]

Sorry to go slightly OT, but I was planning to read vol. 7> soon. Are they no good?

It's not that they're "no good." And this is just my opinion of course; but the latest (The Last Chronicles of TC) feel like they were someone else's idea. Like Donaldson was convinced to return to The Land for one more series.

There was just such a solid "THE END" feel to the series after book six, that it seems a shame to keep going. Runes of the Earth and Fatal Revenant have some great moments, to be sure, but overall... I wasn't that impressed.

I'm waiting until the series is done to pick it back up, but I don't think anything's going to change my opinion that White Gold Wielder was the proper ending. I would have rather seen another SciFi epic like the Gap Cycle in place of what we're getting.

[Belfaborac]

Gotcha. I must say I was a bit surprised to see more of the series, since I agree that White Gold Wielder was a solid ending to the tale.

Oh well, I'll still read them I guess, since you're not entirely dismissive. Of course it's just your opinion, as you point out, but The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are some of my favourite books of all time and if I thought they were abyssmally bad I'd prefer to abstain simply to avoid staining the mental imprint they've made.

Thanks for the clarification!

[Piper_]

Another I'd recommend is The Baroque Cycle trilogy by Neal Stephenson.

These are just barely in the category of fantasy... He calls it science fiction, but I don't like science fiction, so it can't be that.

Seriously, to me, it's historical fiction with a bit of magic and other stuff. I guess it could be steam punk, but because of the magic and history factors, I'll toss it up here, anyway.

Whatever it is, it's great - Neal is a brilliant writer.


(Cryptonomicon is another favorite, but it strays too far to be considered fantasy.)

[DiapDealer]

These are just barely in the category of fantasy... He calls it science fiction, but I don't like science fiction, so it can't be that.

I like to think of it as Speculative Historical Fiction.

I loved these books as well, but Stephenson seems to be a chore for many people. I recommend them constantly, but I'm not too surprised anymore when I hear someone has given up on them.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I like to think of it as Speculative Historical Fiction.

I loved these books as well, but Stephenson seems to be a chore for many people. I recommend them constantly, but I'm not too surprised anymore when I hear someone has given up on them.

He's an author that I've always meant to read, but I keep putting off because I feel like his books (from what I've heard) are the kind that deserve more time and attention than I am able to give right now.

[DiapDealer]

If you liked Stephenson's Baroque Cycle (or if the Baroque Cycle interested you but was a bit too daunting)... I'd like to recommend The Age of Unreason series by Gregory Keyes.

Very similar Speculative Historical Fiction, but a bit smaller in scope and lighter in tone. Fantastic stuff!

[Exer]

Originally Posted by Iridal

I think WOT is one of those series you really like or really hate. I'm part of the latter group The first three books were good, but I hate series that just seem to go on and on and on. All the books were too much alike, not my taste at all. But I'm sure other people have enjoyed them immensely!

I'm the exact opposite, I think. I'm one of those people who, no matter how a book ends, I'm wanting more. I'm serious, I don't care if the book ended with all the characters growing up and having kids and living happily ever after -- my brain just says, "Well then, write a book telling me about the lives and adventures of the kids!".

I just can't help myself. Every time I read a stand-alone book, I wish it was a series. Every time I read a series, I wish it was a longer series, or had a follow up series.

I'm so glad I don't treat food the way I treat books.

[DiapDealer]

I just can't help myself. Every time I read a stand-alone book, I wish it was a series. Every time I read a series, I wish it was a longer series, or had a follow up series.

I'm almost the complete opposite.
I'm a stand-alone guy in a genre where that seems to be taboo, for the most part.

[AndrewH]

I just finished reading Daniel Arenson's The Gods of Dream. It was very engrossing, epic, and surreal. Definitely one I'd recommend!

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I like to think of it as Speculative Historical Fiction.

[lol That works!]

I loved these books as well, but Stephenson seems to be a chore for many people. I recommend them constantly, but I'm not too surprised anymore when I hear someone has given up on them.

Oh, same here. Frustrating, but I guess it's one of those lines that are so strong you can do the "two different types of people in the world" thing with it.

Fantasy seems to be like that somewhat, and so far, the groups have seemed to overlap, but with a broader spectrum for fantasy, I'm sure there will be stragglers.

It's hard for me to imagine anyone not loving his stuff, though. I can't seem to read him without keeping a text file of keeper quotes.