Recommendations for a Fantasy "Newb"

[Litany]

Character development is everything to me -- I open each new book looking for new friends. (Have I mentioned I'm a little weird, yet? )

That makes sense to me. That's the main reason I like Melanie Rawn. The characters act like real people. They do things out of anger and jealousy, and just because they're a main character it doesn't mean they won't end up dead. It what makes what would have otherwise been an average book really stand out for me.

 

[{Tigress}]

That makes sense to me. That's the main reason I like Melanie Rawn. The characters act like real people. They do things out of anger and jealousy, and just because they're a main character it doesn't mean they won't end up dead. It what makes what would have otherwise been an average book really stand out for me.

I'm with you on that! Her books do stand out as exceptionally good in my memory.

 

[{Tigress}]

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

No no no! Don't make me read LoTR again! LOL I really wish I knew why I can't remember them... dagnabit!

 

[Severian]

these GW are kind of 'science fantasy'.

Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The New Sun + Coda: The Urth Of The New Sun
Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The Long Sun
Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The Short Sun

The Lord Of The Rings

Stephen R. Donaldson - 1st and 2nd Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
E.R. Eddison - The Worm Ouroboros
E.R. Eddison - Mistress Of Mistresses
Lord Dunsany - Time And The Gods
Jack Vance - Tales Of The Dying Earth
Terry Pratchett - discworld series

 

[Oponn]

these GW are kind of 'science fantasy'.

Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The New Sun + Coda: The Urth Of The New Sun
Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The Long Sun
Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The Short Sun

The Lord Of The Rings

Stephen R. Donaldson - 1st and 2nd Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
E.R. Eddison - The Worm Ouroboros
E.R. Eddison - Mistress Of Mistresses
Lord Dunsany - Time And The Gods
Jack Vance - Tales Of The Dying Earth
Terry Pratchett - discworld series

I wouldn't reccomend any of them to a person looking for something to start with in fantasy. They're all very good, but they're hardly light or easy to get into and diffenately don't have universal appeal.(apart from diskworld)

 

[Severian]

I'm not really interested in anything that has universal appeal or is light reading. maybe she can start with the dragonlance novels and harry potter

but I guess you have a point.

 

[phil_t]

Harry Potter

Shannara series is a good read for generic Fantasy stuff, as is Lord of the Rings (just for Gods sake dont read any of the poetry ).

Some good stuff ive enjoyed -

Assasins Trilogy by Robin Hobb
Redemtion of Althalus by David Eddings
Perdido Street Station & The Scar by China Mieville (although its a bit Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Steampunk mismash )

Phil

 

[Wabbit]

Harry Potter
Perdido Street Station & The Scar by China Mieville (although its a bit Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Steampunk mismash )

Phil

Don't you mean it's a bit new weird?

Regards
SillyWabbit

 

[Kerowyn]

Question for Tigress? What kind of fantasy books are you looking for? I'm probably more anal than most but I keep a database full of books that I've read, like to read and I've got subgenres for most fantasy. The most common are historical (Sailing to Sarantium by Kay), epic (Tolkien), urban (anything set in the present world at any point during the book, like Harry Potter), alternate history (Ruled Britannia by Turtledove), arthurian (Fionavar Tapestry by Kay) and robin hood legends (Lady of the Forest by Roberson), bardic (Instrument of Fate by Golden), military (Deeds of Paksenarrion Trilogy by Moon).
All of which I have read and thought excellent.

 

[Roxie]

My first Fantasy series was the Belgariad and I just loved it to this day Eddings is still one of my favorite fantasy writer. I also enjoy Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mercedes Lackey, Sara Douglas and of course Tolkein...all of these authors offer a wonderful introduction into the deep world of fantasy books.

 

[Oponn]

I'm not really interested in anything that has universal appeal or is light reading. maybe she can start with the dragonlance novels and harry potter

But the point of the thread is reccomendations for a fantasy newb, not what you are interested in.

 

[Richard Rahl]

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.

i cant see how you dont see the fact that each one supports a human principle important in life, and besides he gets past the sex crimes in naked empire ( i admitits the last book so far... but at least he got over them ) the point is, you have to read most of the series to realize howdifferent it is... i mean war wizards! additive subtractive! keep, a wr raging now that wasn't alive since three thousand years ago! and the balance of magic! im sorry, but i dont understand how anyone could resist that! and the only other book id have to reccomend to newbies and oldies... Belgaraid and the Mallorean! EDDINGS RUES!

 

[Generalvally]

i mean war wizards! additive subtractive! keep, a wr raging now that wasn't alive since three thousand years ago! and the balance of magic! im sorry, but i dont understand how anyone could resist that!

Crazy things happen

 

[Oponn]

i mean war wizards! additive subtractive! keep, a wr raging now that wasn't alive since three thousand years ago! and the balance of magic! im sorry, but i dont understand how anyone could resist that!

I'd go further than saying I resist it... I detest it

 

[Thea]

Lavondyss by Robert Holdstock, especially if you have an interest in Celtic mythology and Jungian psychology.

 

[Litany]

I'd go further than saying I resist it... I detest it

Ooer. There'll be tears before bed time.

I think I've made my feelings clear on the subject but in the hopes of preventing this going round in circles forever...I can see why people enjoy his books. But they're not for everyone. And if everyone liked the same things the world would be a dull place indeed. So, Mr Rahl, please understand that in the same way that not everyone likes the same sort of biscuits, people will also differ over what books they like. Try not to take it so badly, or personally.

Just think of us as infidels and rise above us.

 

[Wabbit]

I think of you as a pirate Arrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Michael H]

Several people have mentioned Robin Hobb- she is one of my favorite fantasy authors. If you enjoy her work, I would recommend Steven Brust, who writes similar stories (fantasy/assassin), but in a much more humorous vein. Brust's books are hilarious, especially the series that follows Vlad Taltos.

He also wrote a series of books as a tribute/homage/ripoff (it's ok, he admits it) of Dumas. Starting with "The Phoenix Guards", there are a total of five books written with some of the funniest dialogue I've read in a "classical" style.

To tie this all together, Brust and Hobb co-wrote a novel called "The Gypsy", which isn't all that funny and is kind of hard to follow at times. It's still a good read. This book was written under Hobb's pseudonym, Megan Lindholm. Hobb has published other books under this name, so fans of hers should also check that out.

 

[magemanda]

Litany,

I've already made this very point to Mr Rahl and he continues to post about his obsession with Terry Goodkind's books all over the forum. He even managed to twist a thread on the non-fiction forum into a discussion on the (dubious) wonders of these books.

Richard Rahl - desist with your continual comments! We get that you like them, but many of us don't!

 

[Oberon]

Intro to Fantasy

I'm really surprised no one has mentioned Ursula LeGuinn's Earthsea Trilogy for a lighter introduction to fantasy. Three slim books of wonderful tales!

For alternate reality fantasy, Orson Scott Card's "Tales of Alvin Maker" is excellent, although I confess that I dropped out of the whole series in the middle of the foruth book. Seventh Son is a perfect standalone read, however, and maybe you'll get more momentum on reading them all by having them available rather than wait for the next one, as I had to.

The book what got me started on reading fantasy was There and Back Again but that's all I can recall of the book!

Watership Down is another form of fantasy: anthropomorphic rabbits. Wind in the Willows is the classic of this type of fantasy.

O