Need some fantasy suggestions, please.

tricia.june · Post by **tricia.june** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:19 am

I'm looking for fantasy books--not children's or contemporary, please--in which the protagonist is NOT on a mission to save his/her people, world or country.

I'm having a really hard time finding what I want, so any help could very well result in me being your best friend forever.

Thanks you guys!

Post by **The Master** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:18 am

You may find something to like about Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series. While there is a "save the Land" focus the protagonist is a very reluctant anti hero with leprosy who's only doing it because he feels trapped into it.

You should start with Lord Foul's Bane.

Post by **Bmat** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:23 am

I'm not sure about this series, since it has been a while since I read it, but the Chalion series by Bujold may meet your criteria. If I remember correctly, the first book is about saving a family from a curse.

Especially the first two books of the three part series are very well-written with characters that catch one's interest and an intriguing world.

Ariel · Post by **Ariel** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:54 pm

Hiya new person!

tricia.june · Post by **tricia.june** » Sat Jul 19, 2008 5:08 pm

Bmat wrote:I'm not sure about this series, since it has been a while since I read it, but the Chalion series by Bujold may meet your criteria. If I remember correctly, the first book is about saving a family from a curse.

Especially the first two books of the three part series are very well-written with characters that catch one's interest and an intriguing world.

Thanks! Just looked these up at my library--they look great.

Ariel wrote:Hiya new person!:)

Hi, hi!

Chaeronia · Post by **Chaeronia** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:35 am

Donaldson can be hard work; an acquired taste for many. Very dry, brittle, and a protagonist who is difficult to empathise with. The rewards are there, but it's not for everyone.

Might I ask why you want especially don't want to read such stories? I know the 'saviour' theme is commonplace in fantasy, but ruling it out means missing out on such beautiful works as Guy Kay's Tigana or Pullman's excellent His Dark Materials.

Tigana or anything by China Mieville are usually my first fantasy recommendations. Steven Erikson, too, may well fit your bill.

Happy hunting.

tricia.june · Post by **tricia.june** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:58 pm

Chaeronia wrote:Donaldson can be hard work; an acquired taste for many. Very dry, brittle, and a protagonist who is difficult to empathise with. The rewards are there, but it's not for everyone.

Might I ask why you want especially don't want to read such stories? I know the 'saviour' theme is commonplace in fantasy, but ruling it out means missing out on such beautiful works as Guy Kay's Tigana or Pullman's excellent His Dark Materials.

Tigana or anything by China Mieville are usually my first fantasy recommendations. Steven Erikson, too, may well fit your bill.

Happy hunting.

Oh, I'm absolutely not ruling out reading them, I love them--The Golden Compass is one of my favorite books--but I have no trouble finding them on my own.

They're just ruled out in this particular thread because I haven't been able to find more than 2 or 3 adult fantasy books (Mieville among them) that aren't about saving an entire people/world/country. When I was reading YA, it was easy to find a huge variety of fantasy plots, but with adult fantasy I've had no luck. So I came begging for help.

I will look up Erikson at my library. Thanks for the suggestion!

Qray · Post by **Qray** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 5:05 pm

The Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. Consisting of the books, Homeland (1990,) Exile (1990,) and Sojourn (1991.)

The protagonist of the Trilogy (the Dark Elf, Drizzt Do'Urden,) not only isn't on a mission to save his/her people, world, or country, but he despises what his people are. The Trilogy centers around Drizzt coming to the realization that he isn't like his evil kin, and his personal and physical journey to separate himself from them.

aldan · Post by **aldan** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:04 pm

I concur with Qray on this one. The Dark Elf trilogy is a great set that really doesn't have anything to do with saving anything or anyone but the protagonist (well, he does try to save a few individual characters in the second and third books, but it's not as if they're anything more than single characters), so you should have fun with it. They are now selling the trilogy in a single volume under the Dark Elf Trilogy moniker, but if you wish to check out the individual books, they are Homeland, Exile and Sojourn.

LadyFlame · Post by **LadyFlame** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:13 am

Oooo...I just found my current new favorite authors...
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman....
I just finished a series they did, The Rose Of the Prophet, which is a neat story set in an 'Aladin-like' setting but complex just enough to be totally unpredicable...ton of fun. LOVE their style.
Now, I'm reading another series by them called the Death Gate Cycle...I'm just getting into the first book and so far so good....
I'm fired up about finding them and highly recommend...
I'd also recommend going to Amazon or B & N when you find a book that interests you and read some others' reviews on them....it may save you money, but also point you in the right direction.

Qray · Post by **Qray** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:44 am

LadyFlame, have you read the their Dragonlance books?

Margaret Weis also wrote the Star of the Guardians series which while considered science fiction, is more space opera. A grand fantasy story set in space. If you like the Dragonlance books, check out Star of the Guardians. I think you might like it.

Post by **The Master** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:28 pm

Oh wow, I forgot about the Death Gate cycle. Yeah, that's a winner of a series.