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Recommend me a good fantasy novel series!
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I liked the original Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and I'm certainly liking the last.
I also enjoyed The Sword Itself by Joe Abercrombie, but made the mistake of reading the following two books of the series. That ending is seriously dipped in ink and made me not want to read another one of his books. But named book was really good, mainly because it was fantastically fun.
The first five books of Terry Goodkinds series (Wizard's First Rule ->) are good, then Richard becomes too stupid and preachy for my taste.
Of course Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is mostly outstanding.
Oh, and Fell Cargo (Warhammer Fantasy novel) by Dan Abnett is actually rather good.
I also enjoyed The Sword Itself by Joe Abercrombie, but made the mistake of reading the following two books of the series. That ending is seriously dipped in ink and made me not want to read another one of his books. But named book was really good, mainly because it was fantastically fun.
The first five books of Terry Goodkinds series (Wizard's First Rule ->) are good, then Richard becomes too stupid and preachy for my taste.
Of course Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is mostly outstanding.
Oh, and Fell Cargo (Warhammer Fantasy novel) by Dan Abnett is actually rather good.
GagHalfrunt
Lifer
There are a few times when the movie is better than the book. That would be one of those times.
PepePeru
Diamond Member
I too was skeptical about Harry Potter. Its not the best books I've read, but they are nice diversion. They were great to read in airport, on the plane since they don't require a ton of thought. However, they are still well-written and there's a reason why she's a freaking billionaire.
Song of Ice & Fire is exceptional
You've probably read it already though.
Song of Ice & Fire is exceptional
You've probably read it already though.
ktehmok
Diamond Member
This.
Or you could try Terry Brooks' Shannara series. Pretty much a LOTR copy but very readable.
Edit: scratch that, try The Starchild Trilogy That'll mess with your head a while.
jonks
Lifer
If you're new to fantasy you might enjoy it. I find Salvatores work a bit too cliche, but maybe I'm spoiled. I don't want to read another fantasy novel that has your typical elves and dwarves thing going on.
I'd recommend Erikson, but to a person new to fantasy it might seem a bit overwhelming.
Try Greg Keyes' Thorn and Bone series. Book one is Briar King. Very accessible and a great read.
Do not read Shannara, it is nothing more than a blatant ripoff of LoTR and it's so poorly written that I couldn't finish it.
Salvatore is like Dragonlance Chronicles, a good intro to fantasy or a light read if you don't want anything deep/complicated. The complete opposite end of the spectrum is R. Scott Baker's Prince of Nothing series which is very well written but requires effort to read.
dainthomas
Lifer
It's critical that the OP stop after High King and the original trilogy. It turns to complete garbage in a hurry after that.
Edit: Sword of Shannara is a LOTR clone (but at least a good one unlike McKiernan), but Elfstones and Wishsong are both pretty good.
A Song of Fire and Ice is tremendous, though I can understand someone wanting to wait until it's finished before starting it.
it's a little off the beaten path, but The Chronicles of Amber are pretty good.
I enjoyed the Dragonlance books, but if I were to recommend them to someone, I'd say read the core books and leave it at that, no matter how tempting the other books may seem. chronicles, legends, and that last summer flame book and then cut yourself off. TSR (and later WotC) really milked every last dime they could out of the franchise and published a shitton of crappy Dragonlance-related novels.
it's not a series, but The Neverending Story is superb. I can't imagine anyone into fantasy not liking the book.
the Dresden books are pretty enjoyable light reads... I'm currently on book 4. not super fantasy or anything, but the basic premise is that the main character is a wizard PI solving typically arcane mysteries in Chicago.
and if you've got any penchant for sci-fi/space opera, check out Saga of the Seven Suns.
it's a little off the beaten path, but The Chronicles of Amber are pretty good.
I enjoyed the Dragonlance books, but if I were to recommend them to someone, I'd say read the core books and leave it at that, no matter how tempting the other books may seem. chronicles, legends, and that last summer flame book and then cut yourself off. TSR (and later WotC) really milked every last dime they could out of the franchise and published a shitton of crappy Dragonlance-related novels.
it's not a series, but The Neverending Story is superb. I can't imagine anyone into fantasy not liking the book.
the Dresden books are pretty enjoyable light reads... I'm currently on book 4. not super fantasy or anything, but the basic premise is that the main character is a wizard PI solving typically arcane mysteries in Chicago.
and if you've got any penchant for sci-fi/space opera, check out Saga of the Seven Suns.
LOL, someone mocking Harry Potter that reads Terry Goodkind's objectivist drivel with plots that make Bring it on's latest sequel look good.
If you're looking for high quality:
Joe Abercrombie (dude is seriously evil though, don't ever think about liking a character)
Steven Erikson
George R.R. Martin
Robin Hobbs
If you're looking for some decent pageturner variety:
Feist
first two Dragonlance series
Potter
GagHalfrunt
Lifer
No, COMPLETELY a LOTR copy. I'm pretty sure that if you read it closely enough you'll notice points where Brooks forgets himself and starts calling the heroes Aragorn, Gimli and Frodo. Pretty much every enemy and every situation Brooks uses is directly stolen from LOTR. He didn't even bother to try to disguise the fact.
I second the recommendation of Tad Williams Memory Sorrow and Thorn and Raymond Feist's Riftwar Series. The Great Book of Amber is also high on my list.
I also recommend L. E. Modesitt, Jr's Recluse Series. I have read every book, and although they do not have quite as much action as some Sword and Sorcery books, I have found his world based on Order and Chaos to be very interesting. The series is Fantasy but a couple books have some Sci-fi mixed in.
I also recommend Dave Duncan, A Man Of His Word and
The Seventh Sword
I also recommend L. E. Modesitt, Jr's Recluse Series. I have read every book, and although they do not have quite as much action as some Sword and Sorcery books, I have found his world based on Order and Chaos to be very interesting. The series is Fantasy but a couple books have some Sci-fi mixed in.
I also recommend Dave Duncan, A Man Of His Word and
The Seventh Sword
DangerAardvark
Diamond Member
Yeah I'm re-reading Sword of Shannara. The last time I read it was in intermediate school. And wow, nearly every character and major plot point in the book has an analogue in Fellowship of the Rings. It's embarrassingly blatant.
Dorkenstein
Diamond Member
Haha, the first rule is the only good part of Goodkind's lame-o books. I got to book 3 and gave up. And yes, Harry Potter is for kids.
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