Fantasy Novels in non-medevial settings?

[stonetools]

Just finished The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham. Good fantasy novel in non-medevial setting (although there are elements of the early Renaissance, I would say). Strong female character. Will read the next novel The King's Blood.

Thanks again for all the recommendations so far. My wish list is a lot longer.

[taosaur]

Originally Posted by artifact

Also just finished re-reading Sanderson's The Way of Kings which has some heavy-duty world learning with its flora and fauna. Still low tech, if that is the OP's issue, but its absolutely not Earth. Plus its 1000+ pages!

Way of Kings is unique, but decidedly medieval, replete with nights in armor. I would say it's simultaneously one of Sanderson's most original works (competing with Elantris) and his most Dungeons-&-Dragons-like, with all the monster fights and enchanted whatnots.

[fantasyfan]

A fine example of a fantasy set in a non-medieval setting would be the Darkangel trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce. It is really set in the future. {I won't say where--you might like to experience that for yourself }

[JSWolf]

Peter David's Modern Arthur series takes place in New York City.

1. Knight Life (1987)

King Arthur arrives in modern-day New York City with his friend Merlin the Magician and decides to run for mayor but Morgan Le Fey and Modred try to ke Arthur from reaching his goal.

2. One Knight Only (2003)

Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King, has pursued his political career all the way to the White House. Then tragedy strikes, in the form of an assassination attempt that leaves his wife Gwen at death's door. To save her, Arthur must once again seek the Holy Grail, the Cup whose magical powers can heal her body and soul...

3. Fall of Knight (2006)

When former first lady Gwen DeVere Queen is discovered to be hale and hearty-after falling victim to a successful (and very public) assassination-the jig is finally up. Arthur Penn, aka King Arthur, reveals his true identity, and the existence of the Holy Grail, to the world.

Unable to cope with the sick and dying who desperately entreat him to heal them with the power of the Grail, Arthur accepts an offer from an entrepreneur with a new approach to health care: siphon water through the Grail, bottle it, and sell it as a curative. Flooding the market, Grail Water becomes the hottest-selling commodity in the history of humanity. Unfortunately, it's also tainting the very purpose of the holy cup's existence-and Arthur may soon discover exactly how the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[Apache]

How about Poul Anderson's Operation Chaos and Operation Luna?
They are also offered in an Omnibus titled Operation Otherworld.
Apache

[GreenMonkey]

Will throw out another one - C.S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy. Technically you could kind of call it sci-fi - since it's set far in the future where humans settled on a world where the world reacts and "evolves" based on the thoughts of people, conscious and subconscious.

Since demons and ghosts and everything else scary come out at night (influence of the dark fae) humanity tends to live grouped together in scattered urban centers. Technology is mostly limited to simple machines people can understand (because otherwise their unconscious fears cause them to sabotage themselves...pistols tend to blow up...etc). Magic workings can reinforce the technology's stability but it's still a dubious undertaking.

A favorite of mine.

[whitearrow]

+1 for The Coldfire Trilogy. I love those books. (And don't let the prologue of the first book turn you off.)

[sgoldin]

I wonder if anyone could include Robert Heinlein's Glory Road? Science fiction with a twist into fantasy.

I'd like to second (or third) Barry Hughart's incredible stories about Master Li and Number Ten Ox, beginning with Bridge of Birds. Some of the most imaginative fantasy around. I recently reread it, and was blown away all over again.

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[H.P. Lovesauce]

Originally Posted by artifact

I just started in on The Native Star by M.K. Hobson and so far so good. Its set in late 1800s California with Witches and Warlocks and things like Patent Charms via mail order and zombie controlling machines from Chicago.

That sounds awesome.

Amazon has the first chapter up as a sample. Interesting, but not awesome; I suspect Stonetools may not luuurve it owing to the romance aspect.

Now, you want some Weird West, Mark Sumner is good. The Devil's Tower I believe is the first of two novels. Either that or it's the second. Maybe it'd be good to check that.

I want to fourth (fifth?) the Barry Hughart Bridge of Birds recommendation. Sean Williams' The Gatherer of Clouds had a similar Asian feel, but not the lighter tone.

A lot of sword-and-sorcery fiction avoids medievalitis, as with Conan. Karl Edward Wagner's Bloodstone throws big sorcery and a touch of weird science together.

But sword-and-sorcery's offshoots will get you even further away from Arthurian headaches. Sword-and-sandal fiction spills blood in the classical world (Michael Moorcock wrote very favorably of Michael Ehart's The Servant of the Manthycore, which features a badass heroine). Sword-and-soul, like the Griots anthology or Charles Saunder's Imaro, might well be medieval, but relocates the action to Africa or its fantastical analogues.

And really, try to grab yourself a copy of Black Gate magazine. It's like all of these recommendations jammed together to make a fragrant, intoxicating potpourri. (One that occasionally drips with blood if it's not suffused with sorcery.)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by GreenMonkey

Will throw out another one - C.S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy. Technically you could kind of call it sci-fi - since it's set far in the future where humans settled on a world where the world reacts and "evolves" based on the thoughts of people, conscious and subconscious.

Since demons and ghosts and everything else scary come out at night (influence of the dark fae) humanity tends to live grouped together in scattered urban centers. Technology is mostly limited to simple machines people can understand (because otherwise their unconscious fears cause them to sabotage themselves...pistols tend to blow up...etc). Magic workings can reinforce the technology's stability but it's still a dubious undertaking.

A favorite of mine.

It is science fiction and thus, doesn't fit.

[mbovenka]

Anyone mention the 'Rivers of London' series by Ben Aaronovitch yet? I'm just now reading the first ('Rivers of London' (UK)/'Midnight Riot' (US)) and I like it so far. Young London cop finds out magic is real and gets assigned to a DI who is a wizard and 'not as young as he looks' (not as yet further explained :-))

The description was 'What if Harry Potter grew up and joined the fuzz' and doesn't fit that well, but gives some idea. Dresden Files or Iron Druid fans will like it, I think.

[fantasyfan]

I would second Philip Pullman's great Dark Materials trilogy mentioned earlier by BenG. It has some amazingly powerful writing and is set in an alternative Oxford.

[GreenMonkey]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It is science fiction and thus, doesn't fit.

I wouldn't say the Coldfire trilogy is science fiction.

There's demons, undying creatures that can't walk into the sunlight (vampires), werewolf like creatures magic despite the "science" that explains it (fae), and people using swords and crossbows.

Sure it takes place in the far future on a planet far far away...but there's magic and there's magical creatures and people with swords and crossbows on a quest. Definitely fantasy.

[whitearrow]

Coldfire might be technically science fiction, but it feels like fantasy.

[ReadingManiac]

I'm coming across a lot of mock-Arabic world Fantasy recently. Recommended are:

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

Other good Fantasy includes Jaq D. Hawkins' Goblin series which takes place in the future after a planetary disaster reduces the population to feudal societies.

This one starts with Dance of the Goblins, but you can just as easily start with Demoniac Dance if you prefer fast action over exposition. They are self-contained.

Brandon Sanderson and Brent Weeks are authors to check out.