Spec me a fantasy book

MoNkeE said:
Funny - out of the 3 or 4 Gemmell books I've read, none of them feature either of those ;)

Definitely read David Gemmell - Legend. It's a fantastic book!

-RaZ
Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to meet the fella quite a few years ago and get my copy signed. :)

Drenai2.JPG


Drenai1.JPG
 
Ive read most of the dragonlance series and just skimmed the surface of the forgotten realms series of book. The writing style of the authors came across as a bit simplisitic, childish(at times) and dare I say - "thin on the ground".

Eddings is also quite good, Belgariad, Mallorean, Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress are favourites.

Ive read all the warcraft books too ,as well as some of the Warhammer books (related to the recent Dawn of War games). Not too involving and to be honest a bit thin on the ground also.

Have read all the LOTR series and went back and read Silmarillion. Dont know what it is about Tolkien but he comes across as someone who cant get to the point in his stories. His writing style is a bit rigid and can be annoying when he takes up a whole two pages to just describe a sword or a tree. Thats just my take on it however.

The Robin Hobb series of books are absolutely awesome. Give a whole new insight into fantasy writing. Can not recommend them enough.

Picked up some of Gemmels work in Borders in Heathrow when I was getting ready to fly out to Thailand. Read the whole of "Druss the Legend" in the 11 hours it took to get to Thailand. Awesome book.

Just finished White Wolf: Book one of the Damned and currently reading The Swords of Night and Day which is effectively Book Two of the Damned. Proving to be quite interesting so far.
 
I had a couple of phantasy short stories published in role-playing magazines when I was a child. A couple of years ago I had a try at writing for the first time in over a decade, but I felt that I'd lost my talent, so gave up after a few minutes. I'll post the couple of paragraphs I came up with as a starting point though, for the purpose of critique. I might give it another go at some point, but I need to get other stuff out of the way first.

[maincharactername] strode forward, hilt clasped firmly, arm angled down and behind him such that the blade's tip almost dragged along the blasted terrain he had tread an instant earlier. The legendary Sword of Realmguard glimmered, its soft amber radiance refusing to be overpowered by the flickering red rays of the harsh orb that hung in the sky. Those same rays collided with the luminescent black slates and coals upon which trod the last knight on life defending the great city of [cityname].

Nearing the portal, [maincharactername] turned his weary head about to scan for the presence of the enemy. He knew not what to expect, in what perverse caricature of life it might this time manifest itself. He had thus far battled with miniature implike creatures wielding barbed spears of alien design, and fought a human-heighted being of what he presumed was fire-blackened flesh. It had metallic eyes and a sickening grin, and had launched at him with claws rotating so fast he had not known what the blur was till he had side-stepped the foul thing and sliced it in half in one motion. Another earlier attack had come from two shrieking winged things, wielding obsidian-bladed swords. All manner of exotic monsters had attempted an attack of one form or another, only to meet their doom at the hands of the best the city had to offer.

[maincharactername] wept for all that had been lost in just days, and cursed himself for the decision that had led to him arriving too late to marshall his guards into an effective repelling force. Did fate so despise him that this unexpected attack should befall on the very week he had taken his first time off in two decades, or was there some malevolent intelligence behind the timing? But surely the driving force of the diabolical hordes didn't sully their otherwordly, hateful minds with the craft of espionage. He dismissed the musings as questions he would never be able to answer, and determined to concentrate on dealing with the situation rather than contemplating what caused it. It was a time for action!

(I always left name generation until I was well into the story, because it didn't feel right identifying with characters or places too soon.)
 
Gemmell, Eddings, Feist are all good choices in my opinion.

I've recently enjoyed the Temeraire books by Naomi Novak, a sort of fantasy/alternative history sort of thing with dragons during the Napoleonic War.

The Joe Abercrombie books are amazing, definitely one of the more refreshing fantasy books I've read recently. Dark and gritty, with main characters who are more 'anti-heroes'.

Neil Gaiman - of his novels I've only read Good Omens and American Gods, but both were excellent. Check-out the Sandman graphic novels as well.

The Dungeons and Dragons based books: these were some of the first fantasy books I read, and the quality can vary a lot. I still have a soft spot for the first two Dragonlance trilogies though.

The Wheel of Time books by Robert Jordan were quite enjoyable at first (I think I got as far as book 7), but they do seem to drag on a bit. I still intend to go back and read them all when (if) the series is finally finished.

Probably more horror than fantasy, but H.P. Lovecraft is worth a read. Also, some of Brian Lumley's Cthulhu Mythos books like the Titus Crow series.

I also keep meaning to re-read the Micheal Moorcock books (The Eternal Champion, Hawkwind, Elric of Melniboné etc). It must be about twelve years since I last read any of them.
 
Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials"
very excellent trilogy, ranekd high up there next to Harry Potter.
If you liked harry potter but want something a bit more grown up then go for this.
 
Gilly said:
Stephen Donaldson - Chronicles of Thomas
Covenant
Click to expand...


I read the first Chronicles ages ago, seem to recall it being full of waffle between the good bits and very hard to read from a 'falling asleep' perspective, however I was quite young at the time, maybe I should try it again.
 
I am suprised that no one has mentioned Steven Erikson. His Mazalan Books of the Fallen series are a good read if a somewhat odd fantasy world.

Starts with Gardens of the Moon and is well worth checking out.
 
I've tried to read Pratchett twice now but i just don't enjoy his style, finished the colour of magic but didn't want to read the next one. Was then advised to read Mort because it was 'the best book he's written' and i couldn't get past half way.

Not my cup of tea at all.

Currently reading through the Hobb books again.
 
RDM said:
I am suprised that no one has mentioned Steven Erikson. His Mazalan Books of the Fallen series are a good read if a somewhat odd fantasy world.
Click to expand...

I read the first 4 of these books and enjoyed them. However I eventually got a little frustrated at his inability to form a proper 'power' hierarchy of the various characters. There appear to be so many different omnipotent beings that it makes you wonder how there are any humans left at all. The 'Gods' seem to be scared of numerous other creatures that just trundle around the world wiping out cities but who themselves get beaten in sword fights by the same humans are so weak elsewhere. I like a bit of consistency in these things but Erikson just seems to chop and change things as it pleases him. You'd need to read the books to know how big a role these all-powerful characters play, so it's not just a minor annoyance.
 
Dano said:
I read the first Chronicles ages ago, seem to recall it being full of waffle between the good bits and very hard to read from a 'falling asleep' perspective, however I was quite young at the time, maybe I should try it again.
Click to expand...


I tried to read it in my late twenties and still found it the same. Reads like the bible only not as interesting.
 
Deadly Ferret said:
I had a couple of phantasy short stories published in role-playing magazines when I was a child. A couple of years ago I had a try at writing for the first time in over a decade, but I felt that I'd lost my talent, so gave up after a few minutes. I'll post the couple of paragraphs I came up with as a starting point though, for the purpose of critique. I might give it another go at some point, but I need to get other stuff out of the way first.

[maincharactername] strode forward, hilt clasped firmly, arm angled down and behind him such that the blade's tip almost dragged along the blasted terrain he had tread an instant earlier. The legendary Sword of Realmguard glimmered, its soft amber radiance refusing to be overpowered by the flickering red rays of the harsh orb that hung in the sky. Those same rays collided with the luminescent black slates and coals upon which trod the last knight on life defending the great city of [cityname].

Nearing the portal, [maincharactername] turned his weary head about to scan for the presence of the enemy. He knew not what to expect, in what perverse caricature of life it might this time manifest itself. He had thus far battled with miniature implike creatures wielding barbed spears of alien design, and fought a human-heighted being of what he presumed was fire-blackened flesh. It had metallic eyes and a sickening grin, and had launched at him with claws rotating so fast he had not known what the blur was till he had side-stepped the foul thing and sliced it in half in one motion. Another earlier attack had come from two shrieking winged things, wielding obsidian-bladed swords. All manner of exotic monsters had attempted an attack of one form or another, only to meet their doom at the hands of the best the city had to offer.

[maincharactername] wept for all that had been lost in just days, and cursed himself for the decision that had led to him arriving too late to marshall his guards into an effective repelling force. Did fate so despise him that this unexpected attack should befall on the very week he had taken his first time off in two decades, or was there some malevolent intelligence behind the timing? But surely the driving force of the diabolical hordes didn't sully their otherwordly, hateful minds with the craft of espionage. He dismissed the musings as questions he would never be able to answer, and determined to concentrate on dealing with the situation rather than contemplating what caused it. It was a time for action!

(I always left name generation until I was well into the story, because it didn't feel right identifying with characters or places too soon.)
Click to expand...

Don't give up school/or day job.

A friend.
 
Phillip Pullmans Dark Materials Trilogy.

Consists of Northern Lights, Subtle Knife and the Amber Spyglass.

Don't be put of by them appearing to be aimed at children, Harry Potter was, and what fantastic reads they were.

My old mans a librarian and brings home shed loads of fantasy books for me, and these stand out from the crowd.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom