Fantasy books......any thoughts?

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I was just curious why there weren't more books under the mis. section of the fanasty books.

Most people know the more famous fantasy writers, but there are a few good books out there that I thought would be good for the list here at Sorcerer's Place, that not everyone might know about.

George R.R. Martin wrote the Game of Thrones and a Clash of Kings. I thought both of them were very good. I assume they might be more popular with the guys than the girls, it was a little gory and sometimes down right crude writing from time to time, but extremely intersting to read. As stated before it is has a lot to do with power, Kings, and Queens. Dark places unkown and worlds with a different view. Dragons, and knights, and people who you thought were dead come back to visit you. Definetly no love story involved.

Donna Gillespie wrote The Light Bearer. Definetly a good book. It has a female heroine as its main character, but it still kicks butt. It has a little bit of a love story within in it, but it is not done in detail and does not overshadow the main theme of the story. A young women who watchers her people die around her, stands up to fight and bring about what is right, in a land torn in war.

And Stephen R. Donaldson wrote The Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through. Takes a little different twist than most fantasy novles. It is a world where you can creat a mirror with an image in it and travel to places unkown to you through them. It is also about finding a champion, who is the only one that can save a destitute world, and finding that champion in the oddest of places.

My descriptions do not do the books justice, but they are really very good. At least in my opinion.

Anyway, just a thought.

 

I really liked George R.R. Martin's books. I thought they were quite enjoyable.

I also really like Tad Williams. Memory, Thorn and Sorrow where good but the Otherworld Series is amazing. They are some of the best books I have ever read.

 

I've just borrowed the George RR Martin trilogy, and I agree, so far it's Fantastic. The characters are well developed and multifaceted.

He was also mentioned a few times in the Fantasy Authors poll. I'm glad someone loaned me the books! Has he written anything else, in the same genre?

 

I forgot about McKiernan. I really like his books too. Too bad he's probably written his last book in that series.

 

On the trendy note: I really enjoyed Terry Goodkind's SWORD OF TRUTH series (although the last few have been let downs).

I recently read the first book in the SARANTINE MOSAIC called "Sailing to Sarantine". It was written by Sir Guy something or other (he helped Tolkin post-mordum finish the Simarillion). This book had a very original concept and kept me guessing.

For good sword action and plot twists, you can't beat David Duncan's The King's Blades ("The Gilded Chain" through "the Sky of Swords") Great action and easy to read.

 

Guy Gavriel Kay wrote the "Sarintine Mosaic". Which I thought was much better than his earlier work in the "Fionavar Tapestry."

I thought that Terry Goodkind's newest book "Faith of the Fallen" (at least I think that's the name) was much better than the two previous books in the series.

 

if you like terry goodkind read wizard's first rule its excellent

 

i'm gonna assume everyone here has read every single j.r.r. tolkein book ever written, and if you havn't go read them all! and dont show your avatar 'round here again 'lest i smash your face!

 

Blackthorne- No I haven't, the Mirror of her Dreams and a Man Rides Through are the only two by him I have read. I was about 16 or 17 at the time and I felt that it was going to be hard to find a book as good as those two were, that I stopped reading for awhile. Everything I picked up, didn't sound all that interesting.

Then about 3 yrs after that there seemed to be all kinds that I was interested in and I never got back to reading any more my him.

But, since I am looking for a new book to read, I think I will try to find the First Chronicle. I want to finish the series that George Martin wrote first, but I think it is going to be a while before he comes out with the last two.

Darien--It does not seem as the George Martin has wrote any other series. He has a couple of novels he wrote a while back called

Dead Man's Hand
Dying of the Light
Fevre Dream
Windhaven

But, I have never read these, so I am not sure if they are any like this series or not.



[This message has been edited by Satiana Fearbringer (edited April 08, 2001).]

 

If anyone is into Fistory? (Fictional History)

A friend of mine wrote a book about the knights of Malta...It's listed at Amazon.com
The author's name is Nicholas Prata, the book: "Angels in Iron." A good read...Although I am kind of biased.

It's been out for a couple of years...

 

Bel;

Shara's stories on the Civil War -- Killer Angels, Gods and Generals, etc. would fall into that category. Very cool books!

Can you post a link to your friend's books?

I also strongly recommend the Warlord Chronicals by Bernard Cornwell.

This spin on the Arthurian legends brings new life to the culture and to the characters. Great battle scenes, wonderful character development.

Cornwell presents an Arthur that even Ragusa would love!

 

I just looked it up, he actually has two out now...Dreams of Fire is purely fictional, I believe...I read the first couple of chapters while it was in manuscript form...But I couldn't finish it because of school.

Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/107-2674201-3239757

 

I'm rather surprised that no one has menioned Raymond E. Feist. Magician is such a great book.

 

Magician was indeed excellent.

Steven Donaldson's books are all worth reading. For those who'll venture into Sci Fi too, you must read the Gap series. Brilliant, although bear with the first one which was originally written to stand on it's own, first as a short story, then extended, and it therefore has a bit of a strange feel to it.

Speaking of Sci Fi, anyone who has not read "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card, please hang your heads in shame. It is probably the second best Sci Fi / Fantasy book ever.

The best is of course Lord of the Rings, but that just goes without saying.

 

Anyone else think Robert Jordan is either a money grabbing bastard or has lost the plot totally?

The Wheel of Time goes on and on and on and on and on and............

Really getting rather annoying now, 2 years between books and still not finished at nine!!!! I refuse to buy any more till he's finished it now. The writing isn't even that good. The storyline is or perhaps was. Now it's been dragged out far too much.

Rant, rant. Sorry.

On a brighter note, try L.E. Modesit Jnr's Recluse saga for an entertaining read. Well written, each book stands on it's own. Way to go!

 

Woohoo!!!! L. E. Modesitt rules!!!! It took me a little to get used to his style of writing but once I started I couldn't stop!!! I even use a name from his books.

On a different note I don't really see why everyone loves Tolkein so much. Sure he was the "father of fantasy" and blah blah blah, I just got bored after a while. The Hobbit was a nice read but The Lord of The Rings got so boring that I had to force myself to finish it, so I gave up on the rest of his books.

[This message has been edited by Cerryl (edited April 10, 2001).]

 

Oh dear Cerryl, oh dear.

Rather than abuse you for such herresy, perhaps a "show of hands" on the board is in order:

To all of you:

"The lord of the Rings" is the greatest book ever written! All in favour say "Aye".

Hmm, perhaps I should just drown the witch anyway? (Self professed white wizard)



[This message has been edited by Viking (edited April 10, 2001).]