Fantasy: Next Series to continue with...

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Please HELP!

I have one week to decide which Fantasy series should I start. Based on this decision, I am going to buy (more or less) all the books of the series and start reading. So I need some advice about what should I pick up.

I have read:
Tolkien (LotR, Hobbit, Silmarillion)
Zelazny (Chronicles of Amber)
LeGuin (Earthsea books).

IMHO, Tolkien was the best (really detailed universe), followed closely by Zelazny (loved the action). EarthSea was not really my cup of tea. Now I want to start with the new writers of fantasy.

I have talked to somebody and he recommended:
1. Raymond Feist (dunno which saga). I think this was his favorite author.
2. Eddings. He said this is also very good.
3. George R. R. Martin. This looks impressive
4. R.Jordan. Wheel of Time series.

Any other recommendations are welcomed!!!

I have started with the Wheel of Times, sounds great, but I have read couple of reviews about the series. Everybody says it starts great but the last novels are really awfully boooooring.

About the other authors, I have started a review search (mostly Amazon) and for now the favorite of the "race" seems to be GRRM (3).

I really want to read something special, so please help me decide on which author should I focus. Because I don't have all that much time to read them all (sorry, somebody has to work in order to get the money for the books, and that somebody is ME).

Just can't wait so see your answers (even though it looks this is not a fantasy site).

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Ok Raymond E Feist is my current favourite author - the man is a total genius. I would suggest Magician or one of the Empire series - which is a collaboration with Janny Wurts. Less magic, more battles and politics and intrigue: still amazing writing
The Wheel of Time series takes a little getting into (first book is not my favourite) but the next 7 books are good reading. Unfortunately common concensus is that the later books are a bit... wishy washy Sad

Try looking at www.dragonmount.org (the official website)

I can't speak for Eddings or Martin except to say that my fantasy-buddies Jon and Phil are both big BIG fans of both - especially Eddings

If you haven't read anything by Terry Pratchett then GET SOME NOW!!! Very VERY funny and easy to read. There's about 29 books in his Discworld series - don't start at the beginning though!! I would recommend the books about the Night Watch and the Witches much more than the Wizards of unseen university - but all in all i cannot recommend Pratchett highly enough

Also read the His Dark Materials Trilogy (Northern Lights, Subtle Knife, amber spyglass) by Philip Pullman and the Shannara books (there's two sets of 4, the second is set 300 years after the first) by Terry Brooks and absolutely anything by Anne McCaffrey

I have to go now... but i will post some more later!! Hope this helped!!

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Perhaps Lois McMaster Bujold's work is more science fiction than fantasy, but I thoroughly recommend her Miles Vorkosigan novels. My recommendation may be prejudiced, but the books in the saga have won both Nebula and Hugo awards.

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If you like something that is both SF and Fantasy, you might enjoy David Brin. The Uplift Saga (first three) are SF, but the Second Uplift Trilogy is somewhere between SF and Fantasy. Or at least this is my opinion. Oki, u are not going to get the magic, but the universe is really interesting!

As I said, you might enjoy it. I loved all the 6 books. Not so much the SunDiver, but the StarTide Rising was awesome, and the second saga was really interesting.

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Now, I am reading the second book of the Wheel... it is oki, looks like I got adicted to Fantasy. Smile

) But I have a feeling that this story has ALOT of common ideas with the DUNE series... way to many resemblances.

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Go for GRRM and the Fire and Ice series. You won't regret it.
I would also suggest Tim Powers especially his early stuff...Anubis Gates...On Stranger Tides etc.

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My recommendation would be Terry Goodkinds Wizards First Rule Series. As far as Jordan goes i read the first 5 books and now i could really care less what happens.

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Dittos on Tim Powers.

Lois McMaster Bujold also has two excellent fantasy novels. The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls.

Dave Duncan's King's Blades series is also excellent.

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Out of every author you mentioned, Robert Jordan is by far the best that you can invest your time. Yes, some books are tedious and very long, but the series is very powerful, dramatic, and an exceptional read. His ideas are quite unlike any author, yet very simillar...

If you have a hard time reading Robert Jordan... Forget G.R.R. Martin.

You can try Terry Goodkind, but many readers claim his storytelling is too optimistic and predictable. For instance, just about every book in the Sword of Truth series has the same context: begins happily, stumble upon a tragedy, figure out how to defeat the tragedy, and have a happy ending.

I personally like Terry Goodkind, and would never compare him to Robert Jordan and vice versa...

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Thanks for the infos! Now I am enjoying the Wheel, 5th volume! Jordan has a nice way of writting, even though maybe there are too many descriptive parts. Or maybe this is all the magic in his writing.

And yes, for now it's quite hard to get away from the books and go to work. I will try martin, when I get the time.

Just a short note about Dune: The original books (Frank Herbert) were great, but now I am reading some of his son's prequels... I think they are mediocre, or maybe even worse. Sad

( I am dissapointed. (Talking about the characters, dialogues, interaction, storyline, almost everything seems artificial and, well, boooring Smile

).

In my opinion, stay away from Brian Herbert's books Smile

). But, who am I to judge? Maybe just another sad soul who misses Frank's stories...

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Dovle--

I agree with you about Herbert pere and Herbert fils.

Unfortunately the watered-down writing in the younger Herbert's works must appeal to watered-down readers because the books sell.

The SFBC has dropped authors such as Julian May and J.V. Jones, but the Dune clones are selling.

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Well, I bought two of them (the BUtlerian Jihad and Machine Crusade) because were having special prises, and just because of curiosity. I think they manage to sell the book because of Frank's name, and the really good image created by the original Dune.

This happens with alot of the books. For example Orson Scott Card: I was really impressed by the Ender's Game, and also by the Speaker for the Dead, but then the quality start to fade... and the Ender's saga ending was not my favorite. But overall, it was a nice saga.

The Shaddow saga success is just build ontop of Ender's saga. The first book is good, I would say as good as Ender's Game. But the next ones are not so good Sad

. But because I have bought all the books in the series, I *have to* buy the latest one, just not to say that I stopped in the middle of the action. But if this last one (in Shadow's series) is boooooring, I WILL NOT buy any other Ender's Book!!!

And about SF: is somebody aware of some good SF writers (as good as Frank Herbert, Asimov, Clarke), 'cose I am a little bit out-to-date on this topic.

And back to fantasy: I think The Dark Tower can be a good choice, and not such a clasical heroes tale, but a more modern one. I have to continue with it (with the fourth book)...

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Try The Mote in God's Eye, Footfall, or Lucifer's Hammer by Niven and Pournelle.

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=44441&highlight=favorites

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Well, I'm pleased to be the first to comment on the Forgotten Realms world of the likes of R.A. Salvatore. If you're into something a little darker, pick up the Dark Elf Trilogy by Salvatore (Homeland, Exile, and Sojourn). The first book alone is one of the most engrossing reads I've ever come across.

For a more intense look into that same Dark Elf society outlined by Salvatore in this trilogy, I loved the War of the Spider Queen, which was a collaboration of 6 authors. The books are as follows:
Dissolution by Richard Lee Byers
Insurrection by Thomas M Reid
Condemnation by Richard Baker
Extinction by Lisa Smedman
Annihilation by Philip Athans
Resurrection by Paul S Kemp and R A Salvatore
This is one of my favorite fantasy series of all times, although I have to admit that it is utterly incomparable to Tolkien, who was unparalleled as a weaver of worlds.

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I would have to say DEFINITELY go with Eddings. The series (can't remember the name now) 10 books in total is amazing. Its some of the best writing I've encountered and I loved it. The characters, story and humor is great. Oh, I think it's called the Belgariad.

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Oh, and for something lighter, the MYTH series is phenomenal. Robert Aspirin, the author, creates characters of stunning depth and detail and places them in such utterly improbable situations that you find yourself absolutely engrossed.
The series includes:
Another Fine MYTH
MYTH Conceptions
MYTH Directions
Hit or MYTH
MYTH-ing Persons
Little MYTH Marker
and so on.

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Eddings actually has two 6-book series' out that I know of (the Mallorean is one, can't remember the other), and some follow-ups that are character backgrounds on the particular characters. All great reads.

If you're looking for something lighter, but still definelty worth reading, check out the Dragonlance Chronicles. Very light reading, and slightly formulaic at times, but they'll hook you and you'll have blown through the trilogy in no time.

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Bodo wrote:

Eddings actually has two 6-book series' out that I know of (the Mallorean is one, can't remember the other), and some follow-ups that are character backgrounds on the particular characters. All great reads.

If you're looking for something lighter, but still definelty worth reading, check out the Dragonlance Chronicles. Very light reading, and slightly formulaic at times, but they'll hook you and you'll have blown through the trilogy in no time.

That's right Bodo! The first series is The Belgariad and the second is The Mallorean, the Belgariad comes first doesn't it? Maybe I'm mistaken on that. Then I think the backround character books are on Polgara and the Wizard (forgotten his name)

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I love Robert Jordan, and he's amazing. some gave up on him, but I am a die hard and continue to love his work

Terry GoodKind is a crappy writer and i gave up on him half way through wizards first rule of magic. Very unoriginal, and not exactly compelling.
I have also read George R.R. Martin's first book in Songs of Fire and Ice and didn't think it was that great... The plot wasn't exactly amazing, and i found only a couple of the characters to be intriguing... where as multiple characters of Jordans works is great

In my opinion, i wouldn't mind if the series never ended. because i love it!

I've also read Feist's Magician: apprentice and master. It was ok i guess... decent.

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Anyone read any China Meville?

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