Recommendations for a Fantasy "Newb"

[{Tigress}]

As I stated in another thread, until someone actually recommended Katherine Kurtz, I had no idea where to start when it came to reading Fantasy novels. I mean, yeah, I'd read The Hobbit, but until someone helped guide me through the maze of trilogies, series', collaborations, and even worlds, I simply didn't know where to begin.

So, I guess I've got two questions for y'all. What was your first Fantasy encounter (or the first one that got you hooked on Fantasy), and where would you recommend a newcomer to Fantasy begin their reading?

I think I'd suggest David and Leigh Eddings, specifically The Belgariad and Mallorean series'. The only reason I have for starting there as opposed to some other fantastic story lines is because I liked how he showed us a little bit of the "happily ever after" -- we got to see how the heroes and heroines settled down into "normal" life after the "adventure" was over.

 

[Litany]

My first fantasy novel was A Plague of Angels by Sherri S Tepper which I read back in my teens. Not her best book, but still good enough to get me hooked on her work. She's still one of my favourite authors. If you wanted to read any of her work I'd probably recommend either Beauty or Sideshow. She's very easy to read, doesn't get bogged down with monsters with silly names (in fact all her monsters tend to be human), and each story comes with a moral without being too preachy.

My favourite fantasy series of all time is A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin. Lots of politics and fighting and strange creatures, but it keeps you guessing and you never know who's going to die next. Only problem with starting with that though, is that it's a hard act to follow.

 

[Catalyst]

i am going to suggest Robin Hobbs Farseers, Liveship and Tawnyman trilogies only because they are my all time favourite fantasy books! they werent the first that i read, nor are they the last but they are excellent and will keep you in reading material for a long time! i also liked Philip Pulmans His Dark Materials, althought thay are a bit complicated. ok they are supposed to be childrens books but i found them complicated! lol i have no idea what my first fantasy book was

amy

 

[Oponn]

Hey Litany, I just wrote a review of Beauty today. Here

My first fantasy novel was Alice in Wonderland when I was a wee eight year old. The one that got me hooked on fantasy was Legend by David Gemmell.

My favourite series of books are Steven Erikson's Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

 

[Litany]

Hey Litany, I just wrote a review of Beauty today. Here

Hurrah! I do like Tepper. She's very good at ranting in an entertaining manner. You know you're being given a lecture, but you just don't care. I bet she's a fantastic mum.

 

[{Tigress}]

i am going to suggest Robin Hobbs Farseers, Liveship and Tawnyman trilogies only because they are my all time favourite fantasy books! they werent the first that i read, nor are they the last but they are excellent and will keep you in reading material for a long time! i also liked Philip Pulmans His Dark Materials, althought thay are a bit complicated. ok they are supposed to be childrens books but i found them complicated! lol i have no idea what my first fantasy book was

amy

Why would you recommend these to a newbie? I'm just curious what we "veterns" of Fantasy think will catch a new reader's eye and keep it.

And I didn't plan for this when I started this thread, but I can see my TBR list growing by leaps and bounds here. I don't think I've ever come across any of the authors mentioned in here so far, so this is really cool!

 

[{Tigress}]

Hey Litany, I just wrote a review of Beauty today. Here

My first fantasy novel was Alice in Wonderland when I was a wee eight year old. The one that got me hooked on fantasy was Legend by David Gemmell.

My favourite series of books are Steven Erikson's Tales of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

Would you recommend Legend to someone who was looking for a place to start in the world of Fantasy material? If so, why? Curious minds want to know!

 

[Litany]

I read Gemmell fairly early on. Started with Wolf in Shadow. They're easy enough to get into. I'd certainly recommend Gemmell to a teenaged boy wanting some fantasy novels, but then I was a teenaged girl and I enjoyed it. But then I'm blood thirsty.

Within fantasy there are different sub-genres, so it would depend on what they were into. If they were a bit girly, then they'd probably like the romance and magic sort of fantasy, and I'd recommend Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn. If they were into fighting and bloodshed, then definitely some Gemmell. If they were an older reader and wanted something a bit more complex out of a book, and maybe proof that fantasy is more than just swords and sorcery, then A Game of Thrones, or maybe Dune, which I count as a sci-fi/fantasy cross-over. If they wanted something grown-up but less complicated, then Sherri S Tepper. For something downright weird then Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.

 

[{Tigress}]

I read Gemmell fairly early on. Started with Wolf in Shadow. They're easy enough to get into. I'd certainly recommend Gemmell to a teenaged boy wanting some fantasy novels, but then I was a teenaged girl and I enjoyed it. But then I'm blood thirsty.

Within fantasy there are different sub-genres, so it would depend on what they were into. If they were a bit girly, then they'd probably like the romance and magic sort of fantasy, and I'd recommend Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn. If they were into fighting and bloodshed, then definitely some Gemmell. If they were an older reader and wanted something a bit more complex out of a book, and maybe proof that fantasy is more than just swords and sorcery, then A Game of Thrones, or maybe Dune, which I count as a sci-fi/fantasy cross-over. If they wanted something grown-up but less complicated, then Sherri S Tepper. For something downright weird then Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.

Such fantastic suggestions! And I would never have figured out you were blood thirsty had you not told me -- your avatar is sooooooooooo misleading... NOT!

 

[shanemckiness]

You need to read Terry Goodkind's Wizards First Rule

This book is the ultimate fantasy novel. Period.


-Shane

 

[Litany]

The first book in Sword of Truth was ok, but after that each successive book is mostly composed of reminders of what happened in the last book. Every time a new character arrives they get taken aside and have everything explained to them in excruciating detail. And then whatever terrible disaster he has to avert during the book something else will always pop up to distract him so that at the end of each book you're always back where you started. And there are so many stupid misunderstandings that drag on for ages, and the characters aren't exactly deep. And he does seem to be a bit too obsessed with sex crimes for my liking.

So, as I say, the first one was ok, but it was your standard village boy goes on quest and discovers his powers while smiting evil fantasy novel. All the cliches are in there. I know a lot of people like the cliches though, else they wouldn't be so popular, so if you like Sword of Truth then you might also enjoy Robert Jordan, but for me I prefer fantasy novels that break away from the norm.

 

[{Tigress}]

This book is the ultimate fantasy novel. Period.


-Shane

Welcome to the forums!

Now, tell me why you think Wizards First Rule is the "ultimate" fantasy novel -- what makes it so special for you?

And Litany -- I loved the first six (?) books of Jordon's WoT. LOL So, I guess you'd file me away under the "Cliche" loving group. But, that's not the only Fantasy I like. I guess you could call me an "eclectic" Fantasy fan.

 

[Litany]

And Litany -- I loved the first six (?) books of Jordon's WoT. LOL So, I guess you'd file me away under the "Cliche" loving group. But, that's not the only Fantasy I like. I guess you could call me an "eclectic" Fantasy fan.

I'm not saying there's necessarily anything bad in enjoying cliches, just that there are so many books that follow the same formula and that does put a lot of people off reading fantasy novels. My boyfriend wouldn't touch fantasy with a barge pole. Claimed it was all 'faeries' and 'dragwyns' and just generally crap. Give him a Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind novel and you'd just end up confirming that everything he said about fantasy was true. But I got him to read George R R Martin and he loved it.

So, for a newcomer to fantasy, which is what this thread's all about afterall, I would recommend books that have something different to offer. I'll admit that Melanie Rawn is a traditional magical quest and dragons sort of a lass, but we all need our sad little addictions here and there,and it's nothing to be ashamed of.

So if you haven't read Terry Goodkind, but you like Robert Jordan, then I'd recommend you read maybe only the first 3 or 4 books in his series and then stop. He has the Robert Jordan syndrome of writing a story to death and I know a lot of people that started off loving him that now want to stab him to death with rusty forks.

 

[Wabbit]

The first book that I read when I was very young was The Hobbit and then I enjoyed that so much that I wanted to find more books like that. I went to WH Smith and got myself ( with my pocket money ) The Elf Stones of Shannara by Terry Brooks. It's a shamless LOTR rip off but it's much better

As for what I would recommend to somebody starting fanasty? I think Litany answered that question very well so it's a bit redundant! I will add my carrot into the fray and say The Hobbit would be good to start with. It's very short and it's very easy to read.

Regards
SillyWabbit

 

[{Tigress}]

So, for a newcomer to fantasy, which is what this thread's all about afterall, I would recommend books that have something different to offer.

This is what I love about a Forum like this... you get to see things from a whole new perspective. I would have never thought of starting someone out with some alternate Fantasy instead of the mainstream, "traditional" stuff, but you make a good point for those who think they don't like elves and dragons and wizards and such.

Now you're gonna make me rethink my question! LOL I was thinking of it in terms of my own experience.

I was one of those shy kids in school that watched all the boys sitting around with a bunch of dice and paper and play this sort of never-ending story they called D&D. I soooooooooooo wanted to join in, but as I said, I was shy, and besides, girls just didn't DO that! Then I'd hit the library or the bookstore and see all these really cool books with pictures on the covers that looked like they just might fit into one of those games, and yearned to read them -- but, like I said earlier, I simply didn't know where to begin.

So, 10 years go by, the Fantasy yearning is tucked away nice and deep where I don't feel it much, and then I find myself invited to join a Role Playing game. And, even though it's not D&D by that point, it does have magic and elves and fauns and centaurs and and and... and I was once again DESPERATE to delve into the world of Fantasy books. Thankfully this time around, I had some help!

Now, 10+ years later, I've read primarily nothing BUT Fantasy and still feel like I've barely scraped the tip of the iceberg. And every day in this forum just confirms that! LOL

But, back from that long detour there... you're very correct in pointing out that not everyone yearns for the same things I did, and for those who don't, your suggestions would be perfect!

 

[Litany]

I think fantasy gets a bad press. There is a lot of dross, but that's the same with every genre. I think fantasy can be every bit as innovative and thought provoking as sci-fi and that's the message I'd like to get across to someone who was new to the genre. It's not all farm boys fulfilling prophecies and scantily clad barbarians slaying dragons. There are some good books out there that follow the standard format, but I think that as that is what people typically think of when they think of fantasy novels, the ones that it appeals to will find their own way to the genre.

 

[{Tigress}]

The first book that I read when I was very young was The Hobbit and then I enjoyed that so much that I wanted to find more books like that. I went to WH Smith and got myself ( with my pocket money ) The Elf Stones of Shannara by Terry Brooks. It's a shamless LOTR rip off but it's much better

Yeah, you're probably right... the Hobbit wouldn't be a bad intro. I know that even though I don't count that as where or when my Fantasy addiction began, it HAD to be the book that introduced me to elves and dwarves and such, so maybe it's responsible for me wanting to play D&D and therefore want to read more Fantasy. I just read the Hobbit when I was so young, I guess I never thought about it influencing me like that. LOL

I don't know that I'd call the Shannara series an LoTR ripoff, but I will agree with you that it was a pretty good series. There's other stuff of Brooks that I've liked better (please don't ask me why, but I love his crazy Landover stuff), but Shannara was good enough I kept reading it.

 

[Litany]

I was quite young when I read the Hobbit, but it didn't really hook me into the genre. It was in the kiddy section of the library, and I loved it. It was everything a good adventure should be. But that's how I thought of it, as an adventure book, in the same way as Swallows And Amazons was an adventure. So I just kept on with reading anything I could get hold of without caring what genre it was as long as there was a decent story in there. It was only when I was a bit older that I recognised fantasy as a genre all of its own and started reading it for its own sake.

I agree that it would be a good introduction, I just don't count it as my own simply because of the way I was reading at the time. If that makes any sense.

 

[{Tigress}]

I agree that it would be a good introduction, I just don't count it as my own simply because of the way I was reading at the time. If that makes any sense.

Makes perfect sense because I was the same way. It was only have reading Wabbit's comment that I sat back and asked myself if maybe that's where I got my craving for the elves and such -- I mean, where else would I have picked them up? LOL

And just to explain how/what I read now... I am still one to go for the characters and not the genre. Oh, I focus on Fantasy, but the books that stand out as being exceptionally good are the ones that make me feel like I've lived with the characters for awhile. Character development is everything to me -- I open each new book looking for new friends. (Have I mentioned I'm a little weird, yet? )

 

[Wabbit]

I don't know that I'd call the Shannara series an LoTR ripoff, but I will agree with you that it was a pretty good series. There's other stuff of Brooks that I've liked better (please don't ask me why, but I love his crazy Landover stuff), but Shannara was good enough I kept reading it.

Not the series but ELF STONES. It was in fact a carbon copy! Read it again and you will see what I mean

Regards
SillyWabbit