Need help finding good fantasy!

[Tassyr]

So after a few events realside left me in the mood to read some serious fantasy, I found out that I don't actually HAVE many fantasy books, aside from the big ones (LotR, Hobbit, Etc.)

And when I SEARCH for what I'm after, I don't seem to be able to find it.

Basically I'm the type of guy who likes a small to medium group of heroes (you know, three to five, maybe a few more) up against the world, that sort of thing- without being first person, and preferably UNDER a few thousand novels.

Anyone ever run into an oddity like this?

[edit:] Please don't recommend Game of Thrones. "Die Die Everyone Dies" isn't really my style.

[mewmartigan]

My first recommendation would be The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. They are great and fit your description (i.e. not as depressing or gritty as Game of Thrones).

[WillAdams]

Elizabeth Bear's _Range of Ghosts_ is a promising beginning --- not sure how many there will ultimately be.

[Dr. Drib]

Why not try the "Earthsea Trilogy," by Ursula K. LeGuin?

The books have won multiple important awards and, most importantly, they're not doorstops!



Don

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

My first recommendation would be The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. They are great and fit your description (i.e. not as depressing or gritty as Game of Thrones).

Seconded. A wonderful trilogy.

I would also recommend David Eddings' "Belgariad" series - a series of 5 (moderately-sized) books.

[Tassyr]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Why not try the "Earthsea Trilogy," by Ursula K. LeGuin?

The books have won multiple important awards and, most importantly, they're not doorstops!



Don

man, I remember those. I read those in elementary school XD (I was that one quiet bookworm kid sitting on the benches at recess, who only went outside because the library kicked me out to get some fresh air.)

I am going to try the other two recommendations, thanks guys!

And keep 'em coming!

[jgaiser]

Fat fingered .. Reposted below

[Milanya]

Off the top of my head:

Guy Gavriel Kay - Tigana
Bujold, LM - Sharing Knife (quartet)
Bujold, LM - Chalion (trilogy)
David, Weber - War God series (Oath of Swords, The War God's Own, Wind Rider's Oath)
Mecedes Lackey - Valdemar series, The Dragon Jousters series (quartet)
John Moore - Heroics for Beginners, A Fate Worth than Dragons, The Unhandsome Prince
Christopher Paolini - Eragon series
Megan Turner - The Queen's Thief (quartet) [The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia, A Conspiracy of Kings]

[jgaiser]

Daniel Abraham's The Long Price Quartet series -- A Shadow in Summer, A Betrayal in Winter, An Autumn War, The Price of Spring.

Daniel Abraham's The Dagger and the Coin series -- The Dragon's Path, The King's Blood, The Tyrant's Law.

Saladin Ahmed's Throne of the Crescent Moon -- first book in an unfinished series. Fun story.

Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series -- The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, The High King -- Haven't read these, but there's some pretty good reviews.

Lois McMaster Bujold's Chalion series -- The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls.

Lawrence Watt-Evan's Ethshar series -- 10 books in the series so far. Some are out of print and difficult to find. Try the first two -- The Misenchanted Sword and With a Single Spell.

I'll see if I can find more.

[Tassyr]

Everyone who mentioned Belgariad- this set is AMAZING! I haven't fallen this hard into a book in months! I've already cleared the first one and most of the second... c.c I may be neglecting sleep to read. XD

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Tassyr

Everyone who mentioned Belgariad- this set is AMAZING! I haven't fallen this hard into a book in months! I've already cleared the first one and most of the second... c.c I may be neglecting sleep to read. XD

It's one of my all-time favourites. That's why I keep recommending it. Unfortunately I don't believe it's available in ebook format in the US, but it is elsewhere.

[carpetmojo]

Scott Lynch - The Gentlemen Bastards series.

[Istvan diVega]

Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Saga and the closely related Empire trilogy by Feist and Janny Wurts are fabulous reading. Both are part of a larger framework termed the Riftwar Cycle, encompassing ten series in all. Most are quite enjoyable, while not crucial.

Dragonlance Chronicles and Dragonlance Legends by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

Barbara Hambly's Darwarth trilogy.

If one or two antagonists will do in a pinch, then Michael Moorcock's stories of Elric of Melniboné, Corum Jhaelen Irsei, Dorian Hawkmoon, Jerry Cornelius and Ulrich von Bek and his descendants come highly recommended. As does pretty much everything else Moorcock has written. Full bibliography here.

Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.

And then there's the late David Gemmell. If you want stories of magic, swashbuckling and the greatest heroism in the face of impossible odds, then look no further. Begin with Legend, the first book in his Drenai series and take it from there. All his Drenai books and many of the others can be read in isolation, despite being part of a larger overall story.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Istvan diVega

Dragonlance Chronicles and Dragonlance Legends by Laura and Tracy Hickman.

FYI, these are actually by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

[Istvan diVega]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

FYI, these are actually by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Thank you, now duly corrected. I knew something was off there, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it....