Non-heroic fantasy?

[b0rsuk]

Originally Posted by Staked

How about The Black Company by Glen Cook? None of the main characters are typical good guys and they get in to some pretty evil stuff throughout the series.

Up to a point. Then they're painted as the least evil for some reason. I was also a bit disappointed that it's basically an another "no one from the core team dies" book, despite being about a band of mercenaries.

[Staked]

Originally Posted by b0rsuk

Up to a point. Then they're painted as the least evil for some reason. I was also a bit disappointed that it's basically an another "no one from the core team dies" book, despite being about a band of mercenaries.

Hrm. Suppose I should put my response in a spoiler:

Spoiler:

When Croaker was writing the chronicles, he was much better at pointing out that what the company was doing wasn't what anyone would consider good. When he "died" and the next chronicler took over I certainly agree there's a distinct difference in perspective on their actions from that point on.

As for core members not dying, well, the original captain dies and the others, well, you've got the three wizards and Croaker always had Lady's protection, so it stands to reason they'd all be the toughest to kill. Plus, hell, the main characters were why I kept reading. :-)

[Belfaborac]

The Black Company is both on my TBR and TBRR (To Be Re-Read) list, since I only read the original trilogy back in the day. I loved them at the time and hopefully they'll be just as good next time around.

[jbcohen]

I think that Mack Bolan books fit the bill for this type of books, good does not always triumph in the end so much as good always wins the battle but the war is still on going. Mack always grouses that his fight against evil is sort of like a multi-headed hydra each time he lops off one head two more grow back in its place. In my current bolan book he is up against the Liberation Tigers of Timali Elam, sure he will probably save the girl in the end and leave a lot of dead tigers behind him but he will probably not suceed in finishing off the tigers for good. They will probably show up again in a future novel, as they sometimes do with an ax to grind with Mack. Such a thing happends to mack all the time. I think that Mack qualifies for this thread.

The thing I like best about mack is he ahs the exact oposite life style that I do. I work nine to five then go home to a house in the suburbs with white picket fence around it, just kidding I have no white picket fence at home, no fence at all. Mack is a man living on the edge no home in the burbs no wife and family just a lot of bad guys shooting at him. I don't regret my choice in life but its nice to read about what it would be like if I had made the oposite choice.

[xg4bx]

unfortunately he may be an amazon exclusive author but i read this not too long ago-

Azieran: Coveting Bloodshed by Christopher Heath

"Baron Von Draukenhaus has been summoned from a century long, self-imposed exile to lead a band of expendable heroes in hopes of striking a tactical blow against an enemy hellbent on enslaving all of Azieran. Wielding Darkannis, the blade upon which a horned, demonic bat is crucified, Draukenhaus finds himself accompanied by a motley band of strangers: Mizzerotte the volatile mage, St. Cerillian Skiles the pious saint, Diabolique the seductive trap master, Groan the steadfast giant, Delorian Dekx the deceptive harlequin, and a mysterious figure cloaked in black known only as The Archer."

almost every character is a dirt bag lol. when your 'hero' is a vampire seeking redemption for centuries of slaughter and one of the main characters is an insane, drug addicted harlequin, you won't be finding puppy dogs and lollipops . its a fun read but very 'video gamey'. its non-stop battles and very RPG-ish with health potions curing the most insane wounds but it's entertaining.

[fantasyISbetter]

If you are still looking for books with evil protagonists, or where evil is not vanquished in the end, you might try:

Suarez, Daniel Daemon - Mathew Sobol, game creator, dies and leaves behind a Daemon that transforms society; well intentioned people try to stop him, but fail-terrifying in its relentless progression

Troop, Alan The Dragon de la Sangre- dragons who shift into people- and they think children are really delicious

McMullen, Sean Voyage of the Shadowmoon Moon - Silverdeath-fire circles-vamp Laron, Priestesses Terikel & Velander, sorcerer Roval, boatmaster Feran, eunuch Druskal- WONDERFUL- humorous,memorable

Henry, Mark Happy Hour of the Damned -gory- new zombie makes zombie friends and foils nasty plot by other supernaturals- she eats people

[ATDrake]

For a Flashman-type sf/fantasy protagonist, you might want to try Hugo Award-winner Mike Resnick's The Chronicles of Lucifer Jones, for which the 1st book is currently being offered free for the month by the publisher and the next few on promo tie-in sale.

It's one of those outrageous tale-telling wacky globe-trotting adventure pseudo-historicals centred around a shamelessly selfish con-man posing as a preacher who sometimes, but not always, gets the better of the people he openly attempts to lie, cheat, and steal from. I'm only a few chapters in (can be read like interlinked short stories), but basically it's a lot of unrepentant reprobates going up against other unrepentant reprobates and may the best con-man win.

These are mostly pretty funny so far and according to the blurbs, there'll be fantasy elements introduced later on, but I'll warn for Kipling-esque gung-ho paternalistic colonialism attitudes in the 1st person narrative (current portion of the volume I'm on is set in Africa, and there's use of retro-30s white stereotypes about the natives, mostly for comedic effect which some people may feel too close to to want to read in their entertainment fiction nevertheless).

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

For a Flashman-type sf/fantasy protagonist, you might want to try Hugo Award-winner Mike Resnick's The Chronicles of Lucifer Jones, for which the 1st book is currently being offered free for the month by the publisher and the next few on promo tie-in sale.

It's one of those outrageous tale-telling wacky globe-trotting adventure pseudo-historicals centred around a shamelessly selfish con-man posing as a preacher who sometimes, but not always, gets the better of the people he openly attempts to lie, cheat, and steal from. I'm only a few chapters in (can be read like interlinked short stories), but basically it's a lot of unrepentant reprobates going up against other unrepentant reprobates and may the best con-man win.

These are mostly pretty funny so far and according to the blurbs, there'll be fantasy elements introduced later on, but I'll warn for Kipling-esque gung-ho paternalistic colonialism attitudes in the 1st person narrative (current portion of the volume I'm on is set in Africa, and there's use of retro-30s white stereotypes about the natives, mostly for comedic effect which some people may feel too close to to want to read in their entertainment fiction nevertheless).

Sounds a bit like the Stainless Steel rat by harry Harrison, I loved those stories.