Need a recommendation on good fantasy books

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pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
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Originally posted by: StevenYoo
for a more modern "Alice in Wonderland" kind of book, read Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere"

"American Gods" is another awesome book of his

I read Anansi Boys and thought it was kind of dull until the end. I also read Good Omens (he worked with Terry Pratchett on that) and thought that was great.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: trOver
The Bartimaeus Trilogy -BY FAR the best fantasy action series IMO. Main character has a VERY amuzing scarcastic/smart ass additude to him, and I crack up every time I read them.

Book 1: The Amulet of Samarkand
Book 2: The Golem's Eye
Book 3: Ptolemy's Gate

I can believe no one else has commented on this triology yet!

i read the description of these books and thought it sounded great - sort of like Harry Potter (which I really enjoyed) so I ordered the complete set for $13.60 or so plus shipping.
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,954
3,944
136
Originally posted by: magomago
Sword Of Shannara Series...read them in 8th grade and loved them. Not sure how'd they would fare right now though

Only the first three. As soon as he starts in with the flying ships it turns to crap.
 

gerwen

Senior member
Nov 24, 2006
312
0
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My recommendation for Wheel of Time: Once you get to the part where the Rand tries to fight his way out of a box, it's time to put the series to bed. I don't remember which book it's in, but i also don't remember anything other than frustration past that point, and i did read 2 or 3 more of them. Really anything past the first 3 is a good place to stop.

 

Kirby

Lifer
Apr 10, 2006
12,028
2
0
I'm not sure if it's classified as fantasy, but the Once and Future King by TH White is excellent.
 

StevenYoo

Diamond Member
Jul 4, 2001
8,628
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Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: StevenYoo
for a more modern "Alice in Wonderland" kind of book, read Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere"

"American Gods" is another awesome book of his

I read Anansi Boys and thought it was kind of dull until the end. I also read Good Omens (he worked with Terry Pratchett on that) and thought that was great.

Anansi boys is the quasi-sequel to American Gods, a FAR superior book.

WHen I read Good Omens, it was clear to me as to who wrote each part. Anything dark, gloomy and violent was definitely Gaiman, anything slapstick with witty dialogue was total Pratchett :)
 

moonbit

Senior member
Dec 15, 2006
640
0
0
Mercedes Lackey's The Obsidian Trilogy - The Outstretched Shadow, To Light a Candle, When Darkness Falls

Fits the OP's bill for all the LOTR type stuff. Like most of Lackey's stuff, it's a coming-of-age-type story for the main character, but there's plenty of interesting side plots.

I love the rest of Lackey's writings (mostly fantasy, a little sci-fi), but a lot of it may come off as too emo or PC for some. She's done a wide range of fantasy too, including fantasy in the real world, historical, and has even rewritten some fairy tales.
 

crownjules

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2005
4,858
0
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If it hasn't been already mentioned, I would consider The Dark Tower series by Stephen King to be fantasy-ish. Not in the way of elves and dwarves and magic. A different universe then our own and the quest of one man, a gunslinger (basically a knight, but with revolvers instead of swords) to find the Dark Tower and save it while the world falls apart around him.

 

gerwen

Senior member
Nov 24, 2006
312
0
0
Originally posted by: crownjules
If it hasn't been already mentioned, I would consider The Dark Tower series by Stephen King to be fantasy-ish. Not in the way of elves and dwarves and magic. A different universe then our own and the quest of one man, a gunslinger (basically a knight, but with revolvers instead of swords) to find the Dark Tower and save it while the world falls apart around him.

Seconded, great read.
 

AmigaMan

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
3,644
1
0
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: trOver
The Bartimaeus Trilogy -BY FAR the best fantasy action series IMO. Main character has a VERY amuzing scarcastic/smart ass additude to him, and I crack up every time I read them.

Book 1: The Amulet of Samarkand
Book 2: The Golem's Eye
Book 3: Ptolemy's Gate

I can believe no one else has commented on this triology yet!

i read the description of these books and thought it sounded great - sort of like Harry Potter (which I really enjoyed) so I ordered the complete set for $13.60 or so plus shipping.

where did you order it from?
 

trOver

Golden Member
Aug 18, 2006
1,417
0
0
you wont be let down! trust me! if you liked harry potter, these are much better IMO. I liked the whole harry potter series, but they were getting a bit too childish for me, and these were the perfect replacement.
 

Luthien

Golden Member
Feb 1, 2004
1,721
0
0
Originally posted by: Canai
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.

Ditto this thumbs up. Stephen R. Donaldson's series which he is supposed to continue the last I heard about 2 years ago is one of the most under appreciated series ever published. Highly recommend the series.

Also highly recommend the Orson Scott Card series that starts with Ender's Game. One of the best books I have read of that genre and is in my top 10. Won the hugo and nebula awards.

The movie sucked but the books was great, Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard.

Watership Down, by Richard Adams is also fantastic.

If you have not read the Silmarillion yet DO IT!

Davin Brin's "Uplift Series" also very very good starts with startide rising.

I have lots more and many from other Genre's; to name a few you should enjoy.

Bram Stoker's Dracula Still Fantastic.

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice one of my top 10 it is an amazingly well told and written story. AWESOME

Halocaust books will astound and amaze you being that they are REAL and not fantasy you will be simply shocked and digusted and won't be able to put the books down.

BEST of the best holocaust books.

Alicia My Story by Alicia Appleman-Jurman
The Seamstress by Sara Tuvel Bernstein
Night by Elie Wiesel

Personal Discovery:

A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

Survival:

The Last voyage of the Lucette

WWII

Iron Coffin by Herbert A. Werner
a fantastic book a german submarine captain that survived WWII his being one of four that did so. Amazing book!

Horror in the East, Japan and the atrocities of WWII by Laurence Rees.
incredible, well written cant put it down!

 

everman

Lifer
Nov 5, 2002
11,288
1
0
Dragonlance legends and chronicles are good, and the same authors worked on the Death Gate Cycle which is also good. Well, that's 13 books right there. Then you can try some Terry Pratchett books, around 30 of them in the Diskworld universe.
 

SolMiester

Diamond Member
Dec 19, 2004
5,330
17
76
Originally posted by: Luthien
Originally posted by: Canai
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.

Ditto this thumbs up. Stephen R. Donaldson's series which he is supposed to continue the last I heard about 2 years ago is one of the most under appreciated series ever published. Highly recommend the series.

Great read, 3 times now!!.....LOL The 7th book is out BUT I couldnt get into it

 

RaistlinZ

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2001
7,470
9
91
Originally posted by: everman
Dragonlance legends and chronicles are good, and the same authors worked on the Death Gate Cycle which is also good. Well, that's 13 books right there. Then you can try some Terry Pratchett books, around 30 of them in the Diskworld universe.

Ditto'ed. Gotta read the Dragonlance series starting with Dragons of Autumn Twilight. :thumbsup:
 

Luthien

Golden Member
Feb 1, 2004
1,721
0
0
Originally posted by: SolMiester
Originally posted by: Luthien
Originally posted by: Canai
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.

Ditto this thumbs up. Stephen R. Donaldson's series which he is supposed to continue the last I heard about 2 years ago is one of the most under appreciated series ever published. Highly recommend the series.

Great read, 3 times now!!.....LOL The 7th book is out BUT I couldnt get into it


I read them twice in my teens a long while ago and when I heard that after decades he was going to finally write 7-9 in the series something promised so long ago I immediately thought it would likely be impossible for him to write in the same manner after so long a time.

Once the series is completely finished and all out in softcover I will reread it along with the 3 new books. I hate waiting for sequels. I will not watch a tv series until the season is over then buy it on dvd to watch it all without waiting week to week and forget about it for a year in between.
 

Luthien

Golden Member
Feb 1, 2004
1,721
0
0
Some more books that are fantastic.


Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Cart of Mars series.

Excellent! Nearly a century old now but still great!

The following all by Robert A. Heinein and all fantastic and ahead of their time!

Stranger in a Strange Land
Starship Troopers
Red Planet

Actually every book he wrote is rated 4 stars or more on amazon. He is a Giant in the Scifi arena one of the best ever. I have only read 4 of his books and cannot remember the one I liked the best. I realize now that I really need to find the time to read every book he wrote since they are just delicious.
 

UILanMan

Senior member
Feb 21, 2001
218
0
0
Just wanted to say thanks to all that posted, I've now got a big laundry list of books to read (thanks OP for posting, I had the same question too). And it's great to see so many positive posts - :thumbsup:
 

patentman

Golden Member
Apr 8, 2005
1,035
1
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Have you read the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordon? The first 5 books are awesome. After that they slow down a lot, and the series may never be finished because the author is terminally ill.
 

UILanMan

Senior member
Feb 21, 2001
218
0
0
Originally posted by: patentman
Have you read the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordon? The first 5 books are awesome. After that they slow down a lot, and the series may never be finished because the author is terminally ill.

Ack! Yes, I'm actually right now in the middle of reading the series, I'm on Book 10 (Crossroads of Twilight), and I feel the same - it's definitely slowed down a ton. I had no idea the author was terminally ill :(

But thanks to all these other suggestions I have new stuff to fall back on :)
 

gsellis

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2003
6,061
0
0
Fantasy - In no particular order

Leo Frankowitz - Conrad Cross-Time Engineer series - time displaced engineer

Alan Dean Foster - Spellsinger series - guitar player in another land

Christopher Rowley - Basil Broketail series

L. Sprague deCamp - Lest Darkness Fall - time displacement

Lawrence Watt-Evans - Any - Read "With A Single Spell" first and you are hooked.

Cristopher Stasheff - Warlock series and Wizard in Rhyme series

Robert Lynn Asprin - Myth Series



 

BooGiMaN

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2001
7,955
0
0
For those that love the Song of Ice and Fire series you really need to give the audio book versions of this series a try

I have a long ride to and from work and have been listening to the audio version read by Roy Dotrice...and I have to say it adds a whole new dimension to the story...

he is very very good and voices each character differently...i actually look forward to listening to the next 'installment' each day on my ride to and from work

i am on book two and i hope he continus to do the audio version for the rest of the series, even the new book whenever that comes out.