Fantasy book advice needed

astrokitten · #1 05-20-2004, 03:13 AM

Hey all

I am a fantasy book junkie, but unfortunately I don't know too many good authors. The only ones I really know and enjoy are Piers Anthony, Terry Brooks, Tolkien, and the Dragonlance books. I'm looking for a new author to read. I have tried to find one on my own but keep ending up with books that are bland. The ones I seem to stumble on are too mundane :( If someone could point me in the direction of a good fantasy author or even books, that would be great; hopefully a good epic fantasy with elves, dwarfs, and what-not. I'm not really into the ones about a single humie saving the world, where the only link to fantasy is he knows a soothsayer. (Thats the kind I end up with if I look on my own :( )

Thanks a bunch

-astro

gandar · #2 05-20-2004, 03:52 AM

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, IMHO, is excellent, although it doesn't have elves/dwarves, but it does have an interesting take on magic, etc...

It's definetly an epic, though - I think it spans 8 books now and rising.

You also might want to check for R A Salavatore (sp?) - he's another D&D writer that has done much for the Dark Elves...

Ed Greenword (Elminster series) and Douglas Niles (Rod of Seven Parts) are also good. Steven Brust wrote the Jhereg series - quite good, if decent, but the books are bit thin.

Robert Zelazny also wrote an excellent series called Amber. It's a bit different than your standard fantasy stuff, but the man is, IMHO, a God of fiction.

~Gandar

Mongrel · #3 05-20-2004, 04:39 AM

Incompatible with the humor of like 99% of the worlds population, but great books nonetheless: The discworld series by Terry Pratchett. (Humorous, but intelligent, fantasy books)

gandar · #4 05-20-2004, 04:56 AM

I forgot about Pratchett!

Hey, if I liked him, does that make me odd?

ltlruss · #5 05-20-2004, 08:21 AM

Even though it's about a single humie trying to save the world, I really liked the Sword of Truth books by Terry Goodkind. Those and the Dark Elf books by R.A. Salvatore are really good. Between the two series, there are something like 20 or more books. More than enough to keep you occupied for a while...

**Derision** · #6 05-20-2004, 08:25 AM

Not your traditional fantasy, but George RR Martin's 'A song of ice and fire' is a great series IMHO.

samandhi · #7 05-20-2004, 08:36 AM

Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series and also the second chronicles of Thomas Covenant..... Mercedes Lackey has An EXCELLANT series that is something like 8 books or so... Cant remember the name of the series.. And let's NOT forget Anne McCaffrey, which, most are like epic fantasy, until you read the very first one and then later again about the 6th or 7th one (all those being from the dragonrider series). You can, read these out of order and still get a full tale of it....Tad Williams is, IMO, an excellant epic writer. His series consists of three books. But dont let that fool you, as each book in the series is about 1000 pages each... His world is somewhat different than most epic fantasy books. His elves are called Sithi, and so on and so on... The first book is called "The Dragonbone Chair". Second, is "Stone of Fairwell", Then comes "To Green Angel Tower".

**Derision** · #8 05-20-2004, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samandhi

And let's NOT forget Anne McCaffrey, which, most are like epic fantasy, until you read the very first one and then later again about the 6th or 7th one (all those being from the dragonrider series).

Aye, great books, can't believe I forgot that, especially since the name of my server comes from that series

samandhi · #9 05-20-2004, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Aye, great books, can't believe I forgot that, especially since the name of my server comes from that series

DOH hehe...

DataMan4971 · #10 05-20-2004, 09:57 AM

A good book my friend's son is reading, *advanced* only 300 pages and kind of kidish, but the Lost City of Faar looked really cool. Call me a nub but I liked it.

<------- A nub??

ryder911 · #11 05-21-2004, 09:37 AM

Eveworld series

gandar · #12 05-21-2004, 09:48 AM

Another good author is Fritz Leiber, author of the Nehwon series.

windsofwar · #13 05-23-2004, 04:57 PM

there is also the death gate cycle by margaret weis and tracy hickman. you should recognize them from dragonlance. stephen r lawhead has some good stuff. cj cheryh does a bit of fantasy not much though. robert jordan is awesome author (i know hes been mentioned) id recomend going down to the library and just looking at the books there. sometimes you can judge a book by its cover :0)

MCG_3dMarDiv · #14 05-23-2004, 05:12 PM

If you want the BEST of the BEST.

Read the Warlord of Mars (John Carter)

That series cannot be beat!!!

http://www.johncarterofmars.com/

Spinaldeath · #15 05-24-2004, 04:06 AM

I highly suggest the Broken Sky series by...Chris woodling? I dunno, His names something like that. It's a pretty good series, not too elaborate. Theres 8 books in the series, and the final book is about triple the size of a normal one.

Once you read up to the end of the first book, if you're into fantasy, you'll be hooked on it and want more.
But yeah, I highly suggest it.