fantasy books/novels

[DarkKnight69]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
1. Lord of the Rings
2. A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin

Those should keep you busy for a while!

Edit: Forgot to mention the Assassin trilogy by Robin Hobb. Also Terry Goodkind's books are good (although people tend to diss them).

I cant freaking wait for soft cover of feast for crows to hit my local indigo...

 

[cougar78]

Hey don't forget Piers Anthony. He has several good series out there. The infamous pun filled Xanth series. I've read those since I was 12. The other good one is Incarnations of Immortality, personifies death(On a Pale Horse), time, war, fate, nature, evil, and good (7 book series). Those are more light fantasy and not dark but very good.

 

[Ameesh]

A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin is defintely the series to start with. forget the hobbit and lotr, they are boring as sh!t, too many ridiculous songs.

 

[Electric Amish]

On top of what's been suggested, I'd throw in the Dragonlance series starting with Chronicles.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I understand that Tolkien was the grandfather of fantasy, but I really can't stand his writing. I find it boring beyond belief.

I made it through the Hobbit and Fellowship and just couldn't bring myself to finish the rest. I appreciate what he has accomplished - it's no small feat to basically create an entire world complete with it's own languages and go in to the detail he does, but it's just too much for me.

I just need better pacing to keep my attention.

Yeah, that's why I like the more fun/light stuff like Harry Potter and Eragon. Easy to read, doesn't get bogged down in endless details, and has a pace you can follow. Don't get me wrong, I loved LOTR, but man that last novel was like marching through mud. The movies really helped out my understanding of the books (honestly I like the movies more than the books).

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
On top of what's been suggested, I'd throw in the Dragonlance series starting with Chronicles.

One of my friends recently recommend that series to me. He said it was probably his favorite fantasy series ever, and he's big into fantasy stuff.

 

[Lonyo]

The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.
That should keep you going for a year or two.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
The Hobbit should be first, it was one of the first modern fantasy books. I like The Fellowship of the ring better and I was halfway finished with The Two Towers before I got side tracked with The Chronicles of Narnia.

Chronicles of Narnia are hit or miss. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a great book, but you have to get through Prince Caspian to know what is really going on and I did not like that book. The Silver Chair is so far my 2nd favorite, but I am not finished with it yet. I have not read The Last Battle.

I think I am the only person alive who liked the *entire* Chronicles of Narnia series. I tend to look at it more as a whole than individual books though...after reading the first book in the series when I was a kid, it sparked my imagination and I took that fantasy world with me as I read the subsequent books.

Oh and OP - used books on Amazon.com ftw. Unless you're some sort of collector, the book is going to be read once or twice and then sit on a shelf until the end of time. You can pick up tons of books for a dollar or two if you buy used rather than new from Amazon.

 

[ThePresence]

I started years ago with reading Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist.

 

[ManyBeers]

Originally posted by: hungfarover
I'd like to start reading some Fantasy stuff but I really don't have any idea of where to begin. Who's a good author? What's a good book or series?

I enjoyed the"Clan Of The Cave Bear" series bu Jean Auel

 

[NatePo717]

The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett! I've been reading them for two years now and they rock. Discworld

From Wiki

"Now containing over forty books, the Discworld series is a humorous and often satirical fantasy work that parodies everything under the sun, where the disc-shaped world is placed on the backs of four giant elephants supported by the enormous turtle Great A'Tuin, swimming its way through space. Major topics of parody have included many science fiction and fantasy characters, ideas and tropes, Ingmar Bergman films, Australia, film making, newspaper publishing, rock and roll music, religion, philosophy, Egyptian history, trade unions, and monarchy."

 

[mryellow2]

The Once and Future King - T.H. White

A classic that I think everyone beginning to read fantasy should read.

Robin Hobb's Farseer books - very character driven

Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn

R.A. Salvatore has a new compilation out, I think it's called Bedwyn's Shadow or the Crimson Shadow, something like that. Pretty good read there.


Most of the stuff mentioned above are must reads as well.

 

[Shadowknight]

Memory Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams - they can be a bit boring in parts, but still a very good series overall.

ETA: Michael Moorcock's Corum, Prince of the Silverhand, Hawkmoon are good, the rest of his books are hit and miss.

 

[Electric Amish]

I think I am the only person alive who liked the *entire* Chronicles of Narnia series. I tend to look at it more as a whole than individual books though...after reading the first book in the series when I was a kid, it sparked my imagination and I took that fantasy world with me as I read the subsequent books.

I loved it when I was a kid, but after seeing The Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe as an adult I was disgusted with the Christian brain-washery.

I would also recommend the Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin

Earthsea Wiki

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: NatePo717
The Diskworld series by Terry Pratchett! I've been reading them for two years now and they rock. Diskworld

From Wiki

"Now containing over forty books, the Discworld series is a humorous and often satirical fantasy work that parodies everything under the sun, where the disc-shaped world is placed on the backs of four giant elephants supported by the enormous turtle Great A'Tuin, swimming its way through space. Major topics of parody have included many science fiction and fantasy characters, ideas and tropes, Ingmar Bergman films, Australia, film making, newspaper publishing, rock and roll music, religion, philosophy, Egyptian history, trade unions, and monarchy."

Discworld
Sorry, I'm a huge fan so I had to correct it.

 

[Andy22]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin is defintely the series to start with. forget the hobbit and lotr, they are boring as sh!t, too many ridiculous songs.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

I think I am the only person alive who liked the *entire* Chronicles of Narnia series. I tend to look at it more as a whole than individual books though...after reading the first book in the series when I was a kid, it sparked my imagination and I took that fantasy world with me as I read the subsequent books.

I loved it when I was a kid, but after seeing The Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe as an adult I was disgusted with the Christian brain-washery.

I would also recommend the Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin

Earthsea Wiki

Christian brainwashery? I'm not christian, i'm probably agnostic if anything, but what Christian brainwashery? I had heard that it had something to do with Christianity but unless you're looking for it, I don't tink you really notice it. at least when I watched it, that was the furthest thing from my mind.

 

[Maxspeed996]

Look for the Forgotten Realms books...

The Dark Elf Trilogy
The IceWind Dale Trilogy
Legacy of the Drow
Paths of Darkness

ok I'm a dork.....but they were pretty good reading when my leg was broken and I couldn't get around!!

 

[Paladin]

Originally posted by: z42

You'd probably like Raymond Feist's books a lot. Start with Magician.

I second this. Fantastic series, and easy, fast read. Read all of the series.
Magician Apprentice is the first. It's the Rift War saga I believe....

 

[illusion88]

Originally posted by: ITJunkie
Give David Eddings a try

I just read The Elenium and The Tamuli and I wasn't that impressed. Maybe becuase I was comparing to The Belgariad and The Malloreon which I read many years ago an really enjoyed. Sparhawk just wasn't doing it for me. And his group of knigts just didn't feel...... knightly. I think they would have been better mercenaries or something.

But I did really enjoy The Belgariad. Thats a quality series. Will and the Word FTW.

 

[NatePo717]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: NatePo717
The Diskworld series by Terry Pratchett! I've been reading them for two years now and they rock. Diskworld

From Wiki

"Now containing over forty books, the Discworld series is a humorous and often satirical fantasy work that parodies everything under the sun, where the disc-shaped world is placed on the backs of four giant elephants supported by the enormous turtle Great A'Tuin, swimming its way through space. Major topics of parody have included many science fiction and fantasy characters, ideas and tropes, Ingmar Bergman films, Australia, film making, newspaper publishing, rock and roll music, religion, philosophy, Egyptian history, trade unions, and monarchy."

Discworld
Sorry, I'm a huge fan so I had to correct it.

oops I'll fix it.

 

[LeonarD26]

Not exactly fantasy, but I HIGHLY recommend the Dark Tower series by Stephen King.

 

[dawnbug]

Philip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy are some of my favorite fantasy books.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

I think I am the only person alive who liked the *entire* Chronicles of Narnia series. I tend to look at it more as a whole than individual books though...after reading the first book in the series when I was a kid, it sparked my imagination and I took that fantasy world with me as I read the subsequent books.

I loved it when I was a kid, but after seeing The Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe as an adult I was disgusted with the Christian brain-washery.

I would also recommend the Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin

Earthsea Wiki

Christian brainwashery? I'm not christian, i'm probably agnostic if anything, but what Christian brainwashery? I had heard that it had something to do with Christianity but unless you're looking for it, I don't tink you really notice it. at least when I watched it, that was the furthest thing from my mind.

Aslan = Jesus

It was all painfully obvious when I saw the movie.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

I think I am the only person alive who liked the *entire* Chronicles of Narnia series. I tend to look at it more as a whole than individual books though...after reading the first book in the series when I was a kid, it sparked my imagination and I took that fantasy world with me as I read the subsequent books.

I loved it when I was a kid, but after seeing The Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe as an adult I was disgusted with the Christian brain-washery.

I would also recommend the Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin

Earthsea Wiki

Christian brainwashery? I'm not christian, i'm probably agnostic if anything, but what Christian brainwashery? I had heard that it had something to do with Christianity but unless you're looking for it, I don't tink you really notice it. at least when I watched it, that was the furthest thing from my mind.

Aslan = Jesus

It was all painfully obvious when I saw the movie.

i'm thinking you need to learn the definition of brainwashing before you use it. most people wouldn't link the two, and besides, thats not even anywhere close to brainwashing.