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Scifi and Fantasy Forum: Books and Book Reviews: Any good fantasy novels besides Lord of The Rings?:
Archive through Mar 11, 2004
Archive through Mar 11, 2004
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I was never a big fantasy reader, but since I started writing I just can't stop reading fantasy novels. I just finished The Two Towers, and I'm wondering what to read after I finish Return of the King. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Posted By:  Arynne Nov 28, 2003 - 09:26 pm |       | Here are a few good ones to check into.
Harry Potter-any of the set.
Laurell K. Hamilton- A kiss of shadows
anita blake: vampire hunter- Laurell K. Hamilton
Anything anne rice. Her mayfair witches chronicles and her vampire chronicles are good.
George R.R. Martin - Game of Thrones Series. The best current fantast writer out there in my opinion.
| Posted By: Athalia Dec 01, 2003 - 06:05 pm | | R.A. Salvator's Dark Elf series is good, there is a lot of those books,
If you want something funny you could also try Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.
There is a lot more out there, Do what I do, go into the fantasty section of a bookstore, new or used, and write down names and titles to books that you think you might be interested in, then maybe you could order them from a library. Cheaper that way 
Dragonlance books....there are alot of them....
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman novels
David Eddings...Belgariad series...followed by the Malloreon (which I have yet to read but if it's as good as the first series...)
You could try Forgotten Realms books if you want an easy read...there are loads of them however....
| Posted By: Taren Jan 04, 2004 - 09:29 am | | Some poeple think Robert Jordan's 'The Wheel of Time' is the next 'Lord of the Rings' but it does get kind of boring after a few of the books.
I would definately agree with gypsy - George RR Martin's 'A Song of Ice and Fire' is the greatest fantasy series ever, easily suppassing Tolkien in my opinion. Terry Pratchett is quite good - the books become a lot better every time as he progresses through the series. Another amazing fantasy writer is Robin Hobb, with 'The Farseer' trilogy, 'The Liveship Traders' trilogy and 'The Tawny Man' trilogy. I'm currently reading 'Fools Fate', the last in the latter, and am finding it even better than her previous works.
I haven't read Robin Hobb. I'll have to give him (her?) a try, since you agreed with me about Martin and therefore have excellent taste 
I urge you to try L.E. Modesitt's *Recluse* series. Just read his first book {The Magic of Recluse} -- I'm pretty sure you'll like it a lot, & want to read the others in this LONG series.
No one mentioned Raymond Feist. Probably an oversight. Get the flavor by reading "Magician's Apprentice" -- absolutely enthralling!
aloha......bellgamin
| Posted By: Hyperion Jan 06, 2004 - 11:04 am | | By far the best Fantasy novels I have ever read were/are written by WILLIAM HORWOOD.
He has done a few stories carrying on the Wind In The Willows saga also, but by and far his greatest works are the Duncton Moles books.
The Books lists in series as follows....
Duncton Wood.
Duncton Quest.
Duncton Found.
Duncton Tales = book 1 of The Book of Silence.
Duncton Rising = book 2 of The Book of Silence.
Duncton Stone = book 3 of The Book of Silence.
All those books are about the lives and trials-tribulations of a group of moles within a whole society and underworld of moles.
It is breathtaking writing full of love and war, hatred and revenge, with quests and great battles against evil and the ever monstrous reminder that the two foots = (man) are never far away.
Also written by William Horwood is the Wind in The Willows follow-on book The Willows in Winter and also these three other fantasy titles.....
The Stoner Eagles.
Callanish.
Skallagrigg.
Horwood is not your typical fantasy writer in the sense that he relies on magic and wizards and goblins like all the rest of the boring LOTR copy-cat authors that have flooded the fantasy market with their never ending drone of drivel, but rather he is a fantasy writer that relies on character development, and the only truly fantasy or fascinating leap of faith that he ask's of his readers is that they believe his animal characters to be sentient like humans.
Other than that Horwood writes from the heart and tells truly epic human stories using animal characters.
Hyperion out
I probably don't have very refined taste, but I would suggest:
The Edge Chronicles
ANY books by Phillip Pullman
The Discworld books
Books by Robin Jarvis
Books by Eoin Colfer, especially Artemis Fowl
If you think these books are childish, you are too high-minded for your own good. I say this only because of the other less well-known suggestions above.
| Posted By: Hyperion Jan 12, 2004 - 05:39 am | | Green_Dragon - what got up your nose??
Seems to me that you have a rather large -chip- on your shoulder, because don't think that anyone within these forum walls would think a readers taste in literature to be childish.
Which 'less well-known' books would those be then??
William Horwoods Duncton Wood books have a global following that is hard to beat, he has sold literally millions of them. His country estate in southern England is proof of his worth as a literary genius, he was born poor but now lives in complete splendour.
He is considered to be my many one of the greatest British fantasy writers ever.
Signed copies of his first book Duncton Wood go for thousands of pounds at book auctions.
Perhaps some VALIUM would be in order, or a good cup of tea maybe??
One thing is certain; you need to relax with the attitude buddy.
You understand I say these things with no malous or ill-intent, I am simply vexed by your hostile attitude.
Hyperion out
| Posted By: Langdon Jan 22, 2004 - 06:10 am | | I am just getting back in to this genre, but when I first started reading fantasy/sci-fi I was a big Piers Anthony fan.
The Adept series are excellent books for the cross-over appeal and the first few books of the Xanth series are good as well.
If you don't mind a slightly lower reading level, I think all of Garth Nix's books are quite good. I suggest starting with 'Sabriel'
The Symphony of Ages series by Elizabeth Hayden is also very good (if you don't mind adult content)
| Posted By: Esme Jan 31, 2004 - 05:22 pm | | Oh, I can't resist this topic...
Terry Pratchett's Discworld, absolutely. I am something of a discworld evangelist, and yes I am baised. If you read nothing else read these!! (And the plus is that you don't have to start at the beginning of the series to get the plot line- each book is 99% self-contained with only rare references to other books, which doesn't detract from the story at all.)
Neil Gaiman- Neverwhere, and there is another one that is more true fantasy but I can't think of the name...
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (Haven't read the Conan books he wrote). Awesome plot-but very very long and I find myself having to re-read the series everytime he publishes a new book because it takes so long for him to come out with a new one.
Terry Goodkind is also good- but there are too many Jordan parallels for my taste.
David Eddings- The Diamond Throne, and the rest of that series. (Better than the Belgariad)
Piers Anthony- Incarnations of Immortality (Mature content, be forewarned) and early Xanth.
C.S. Freidman- When True Night Falls, etc.
Wizard of Earthsea series.(I think by LeGuin)
Also Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
*plink plink* *plink*
That is good to know about Discworld, since I have only read the first one.....
As for Earthsea it is by Ursula LeGuin as you stated.
Well firstly ello to all in here and as I was reading through many topics this is one I had to repile to. I have read the repiles by others and I agree with many if not all of them, excellent choices of suggestions of books to read. But might I add one of my own? The Sword of Shannara, by author Terry Brooks has long been one of my favs, He in my own view is quite an author, and currently has 11 or so(he keeps cranking them out on me lol) Novels concerning the Shannara realm. I say its a must read for Fantasy lovers and I hope my comment was worthwild. Also he has a exstensive series called the Magic Kindgom for sale a more childish fantasy so to say, in other words for younger readers or for the young at heart. and he has a series that is more of a Fantasy/SC-FI style which in itself, for me at least, is rare and would be well liked I think by the members of this forum.
| Posted By: Gabriel Feb 07, 2004 - 10:59 am | | I agree with some above about the Song of Ice and Fire by R.R. Martins and the Farseer by Robin Hobb.
Do also check out the Runelords by David Farland.
Try Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Novels
Or like Darknight Margret Wies and Tracy Hickman put out some good ones. Chronicles were excellent and so was Doom Brigade
| Posted By: Nonesuch Feb 19, 2004 - 04:08 pm | | The Tales of Alvian Maker by Orson Scott Card- best fantasy series ever! A young America, but with magic, not science.
Also Inkheart by Cornielia Funke, very good.
Kinda off topic, but the best scifi book ever is Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card.
| Posted By: krasinda Mar 11, 2004 - 02:23 am | | to reiterate the sentiments of several previous post-authors, ROBIN HOBB!!!! her liveship traders series is brilliant and the rest of her work is comparable. i must admit though, that sometimes her books are very tragic. beautiful, but tragic.
Sara Douglass' Battleaxe series is also wonderful... you do tend to change allegiances quite often though! (initially abominable characters can do a complete 180!!)
juliet mariller's daughter of the forest is definitely worth a look.
terry pratchett is always worth a read - don't be put off by the covers (we have some very strange cover art on the australian editions) his books are actually very intelligent, in a round-a-bout, humourous fashion.
raymond feist, stephen donaldson, stephen lawhead, david eddings, ursula leguin, dave duncan, j.v. jones, traci harding, isobelle carmody, robin mckinley, david gemmell....
the list goes on!! i can't think of any others at the moment! there are so many talented writers, and so little time!! just work your way through the local library to find out what you like, and then you'll know what to buy!
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