Recommend Fantasy books

[Edcculus]

Well, we have a Science Fiction and a Young Adult thread. Why not Fantasy? I'm struggling to find something that I want to read right now. I'll put up a list of what I HAVE read. Its probaly not all inclusive, but should show the kinds of books I like.

The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Silmarllion
Harry Potter
His Dark Materials series
Percy Jackson series
American Gods
Anasasi Boys
Graveyard Book
Good Omens
Neverwhere
Coraline
Stardust
The Dark is Rising series
Most of the Redwall books (started reading when I was a kid, I've probably missed the last few)
All of the A Song if Ice and Fire up to A Dance With Dragons
First three books in Wheel of Time series (found them a little....repetitive and long winded. May try starting up again)
Guardians of Gahoole
The First Law series (Joe Abercrombie)
The Narnia series
The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel series
The Hunger Games (meh didnt like them at all)
The Mysterious Benedict Society series
Wicked
Son of a Witch
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
Mirror Mirror
Alice in Wonderland

Like I said, pretty comprehensive, but my no means all inclusive. Feel free to suggest anything from more adult themed fantasy (Game of Thrones type stuff) to Young Adult themed (Harry Potter etc). Right now I think I'm looking specifically for something more like A Song of Ice and Fire, or The First Law series. Preferably something that doesn't have 20 books in the series that are 2000 pages each.

 

[htownmmm]

Terry Brooks

Sword of Shannara series
The Magic Kingdom of Landover Series

Terry Goodkind

The Sword of Truth series

Janny Wurts

The Wars of Light and Shadow series

Rachel Aaron

The Legend of Eli Monpress

Michael G. Manning

Mageborn series

That should hold you for a bit.

 

[mdevine]

Among my favorites are Abercromie's First Law series, Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice, Patrick Rothfus' The Name of the Wind, Gormenghast by Melvin Peake, Gene Wolfe's The Knight/ The Wizard and Stephen Kin's Dark Tower series.

A few stand alone fantasy favorites are Tigana, The Talisman and Heroes Die.


Mike

 

[sea]

I haven't been as into Fantasy books lately, but what about
Raymond Feist: Magician: Apprentice, Magician: Master, Silverthorn, A Darkness at Sethanon
Feist/Wurts: Daughter of the Empire and that series
Eddings: Belgariad series
Le Guin: Earthsea series

 

[xillion]

The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolf.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

 

[gmgaj]

These 2 are my top 2 recommendations:
David Eddings - Belgariad
L.E. Modesitt - Recluse series

I've about finished the wheel of time, but it was a long time getting through it. There was a dry zone in the middle, and it was a chore at times.

 

[auk1124]

I enjoyed some of Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone novels way back when. Those books are kind of frustrating because they were written over such a span of time, that they are scattered hither and yon and go in and out of print. Some publisher needs to do an Elric anthology to collect all of those stories and arrange them into some sort of semi-coherent order.

 

[Kentb]

Among my favorites are Abercromie's First Law series, Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice, Patrick Rothfus' The Name of the Wind, Gormenghast by Melvin Peake, Gene Wolfe's The Knight/ The Wizard and Stephen Kin's Dark Tower series.

Mike

+1 to the books by Rothfuss and Abercromie. Although, Rothfuss takes forever to put out a book and Abercromie's books are extremely violent. But those and the Game of Thrones books are among the best fantasy I have read in the past few year. And I have read almost everything the original poster included in his list and many of the books suggested by others in this thread. Also, Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. ☺

 

[Niles]

I enjoyed The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis, if you haven't read it.

 

[acesn8s]

There have been some great recommendations already.

Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles
Eddings’ Belgariad
Abercrombie’s Standalone books (post First Law)
Matt Stover’s Heroes Die (SciFi/fantasy fusion)
Guy Gavriel Kay’s books (all of them)
Moorcock’s Elric Novels (and there are omnibuses)

Some stuff I haven’t seen mentioned yet:
Glen Cook’s The Chronicles of the Black Company
Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen (10 book series that is complete!)
Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files (urban fantasy) – A warning, these books are like crack. If you get past the first 2 books, the Dresdencrack will own you.
Bradley Beaulieu’s The Lays of Anuskaya series (it has airships!)
Jack Whyte’s Camulod Chronicles (Arthurian retelling)

 

[Cynomys]

L. Frank Baum, "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"

I read the original book version of this work for the first time last year. I was intrigued by hearing that it was a Populist allegory. Here's some references on this theory:

"The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism", by Henry Littlefield
http://www.amphigory.com/oz.htm

And a counter-theory:
"The Rise and Fall of.The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.as a 'Parable on Populism'"
http://www.halcyon.com/piglet/Populism.htm

Or search "Wizard of Oz" + Populism on google. Regardless of the literary theories, the book is a good read.

 

[Edcculus]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I forgot about Abercrombie's standalone books. I might have to give those a try. Time to hit the library and see what on this list they have available!

Kentb - Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors as well. Can you tell? . Funny thing. The first book I read of his was Stardust a few years ago. Then I picked up American Gods and was hooked.

 

[zenless]

Abercrombie's books are awesome. I'm reading Red Country right now. I'll have to re-read the First Law trilogy again. The other stand alone books are also good. Trying to not go into any spoilers on those books!

I really like the China Mieville books i've read, though I've only read two. Perdido Street Station and The Scar. Kind of an odd steam punk fantasy world. But very good reads.

 

[rockviper]

I've reread Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion several times.

 

[acesn8s]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I forgot about Abercrombie's standalone books. I might have to give those a try. Time to hit the library and see what on this list they have available!

Kentb - Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors as well. Can you tell? . Funny thing. The first book I read of his was Stardust a few years ago. Then I picked up American Gods and was hooked.

Interesting fact, Gaiman wrote the first draft of Stardust with a Lamy 2000. He wanted to tap into the atmosphere of the time by writing with a fountain pen. He has a new novel coming out this year. first adult novel in a few years.

Oh, Scott Lynch's The Gentleman Bastards series is really good too. the main characters are con artists in a fantasy world. Lots of fun.

 

[Kentb]

Kentb - Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors as well. Can you tell? . Funny thing. The first book I read of his was Stardust a few years ago. Then I picked up American Gods and was hooked.

Have you ever read the Sandman graphic novels by Gaiman? Don't be turned off by the comic book style. They are amazing stories!

 

[beginish]

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is quite good in my book

Stephen Donaldson's three cycles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series are very well written and very original

 

[Relentless]

The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolf.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

The new sun tetralogy is a thought provoking read. Disturbing at times, but brilliant. The long sun was also very good. Both series were written at the height of Wolfe's career.

 

[Vercin]

+ 1 on Dresden files .. you got to love a modern day detective/wizard hehe .. each book is separate story/case although they merge into one background
also same author Jim Butcher - Codex Alera love those as well (this are more classic fantasy). This go all together as one.

+1 on Terry Goodking - Sword of Truth .. I guess this is out coz you said no huge series .. But I must say I LOVED EM (I've also read the Robert Jordan's - Wheel of time - and there was a talk that one is a copy cat to the other .. but If that's the case almost every fantasy is copy to another (magic dragons etc .. and I did prefer Terry's writing to Robert's (he got me almost dropping the books at times))

Robin Hobb - The Realm of the Elderlings: The Farseer Trilogy, Liveship Traders Trilogy, The Tawny Man Trilogy, The Rain Wilds Chronicles (this I enjoyed greatly they could be read one trilogy at the time and each book is like 500 pages. The Tawny man follows up on the Farseer (location in the realm and some of the characters .. the Rain Wilds follows up the Liveship but chronologically are placed like the first listing .. but in general they are like separate stories. Enjoined this greatly.

She also has one stand alone trilogy Soldier's Son .. something like western based fantasy I guess cowboy/settlers vs native Indians with added fantasy elements.

The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings -stand alone tome.

this would be the first I could think off that you don't have on your list. I will look up my reading list speed-sheet and check what I missed and will trow in some more later

Jim Butcher - Codex Alera - would fit most with the Game Of Thrones .. large scale politics and battles .. if the GoT is based on the war of the roses this is more based on the Roman Empire (thrown into fantasy element power etc). Also The Sword Of Truth series (although this are much longer to read). Also the Farseer trilogy would be based on the Vikings invasion on England.

 

[mikelz777]

These books would fall into the young adult category but I remember being taken with them back in the day. The tripods series by John Christopher.

-The White Mountains
-The City Of Gold And Lead
-The Pool Of Fire
-When The Tripods Came