Fantasy book recommendations

[VonScar]

I also vote for Robert Jordan Jordan's-The Wheel of Time series.

From the get-go, the books have a greater expansive writing, world building on a vast scale. Book Six, The Lord of Chaos was one of the best books I ever read. There are so many characters and sub-plots it can make your head spin.

What you get with Robin Hobb's Farseer series is a singular narrative, real and compelling characters. However, Robert Jordan is Robin Hobb x 10 (I have read both).

I agree that the series has a slow down about book 8-10, but book 11 onwards and the pace ramps up under Brandon Sanderson's writing. But what must be remembered is that Robert Jordan left extensive material and notation, so Brandon had a great deal of guidance (including Robert Jordan's editor and partner's assistance).

If the Wheel of Time Series ever got the opportunity that George R Martin's-Game of Thrones did, I think the world would be in for a heck of a treat.

Wheel of Time check it out.

Cheers

Von

 

[fretted]

Anything by Guy Gavriel Kay, especially his earlier works like Tigana, a song for arbonne and lion of al-rassan

 

[HungryHippos]

Wow lots of good recommendations that will see me through 2016 and probably beyond, but keep them coming.
I purchased cheaply and got one free aswell with the deals on, heres what I bought:
Blood Song By Anthony Ryan
Magician By Raymond E. Feist
The Last Kingdom By Bernard Cornwell
Ship Of Magic By Robin Hobb (Free)

I'd probably suggest reading the Assassin books by Robin Hobb before the Liveship ones, though I have read and enjoyed both. I think there are actually 6 books in the Assassin series from memory.

 

[molinari]

..

 

[csrogue]

Tad Williams - Dragonbone chair think it was called is worth a read.
Everything by Stephen Donaldson, Thomas covenants chronicles are one of the greats.
Steven Erikkson - The Mallazan Book of the Fallen (10 books) . To me they are better than a song of ice and fire but can be difficult to initially step into.

 

[Shamikebab]

Guys he's read the other Hobbs, it's in the OP

 

[No1newts]

Has anyone ever read Michael J Sullivan?

His books get a good write up and his new one is currently top in the good reads most anticipated fantasy book for 2016.

Tempted but can anyone give me s run down on them? I'm more into complex/dark character driven fantasy (as if you couldn't have guessed ) so don't want to pick up some high fantasy drama that would probably not suite me.

 

[Lupis]

Has anyone ever read Michael J Sullivan?

His books get a good write up and his new one is currently top in the good reads most anticipated fantasy book for 2016.

Tempted but can anyone give me s run down on them? I'm more into complex/dark character driven fantasy (as if you couldn't have guessed ) so don't want to pick up some high fantasy drama that would probably not suite me.

I've read them and quite enjoyed them, but they are definitely not what you are looking for. They are quite light, mainly about the unlikely friendship between the 2 main characters and the situations they find themselves in.

There's a sample chapter here that'll give you an idea of them but as I said the books are generally quite light hearted with the odd dark parts, where I think you'd prefer the opposite.

 

[No1newts]

Cheers, I'll have a read of the taster but it doesn't sound my cup of tea.

 

[bakes0310]

Guys he's read the other Hobbs, it's in the OP

Well ive read the first farseer book assassins apprentice and im just under halfway through Royal assassin. And I haven't touched any of my books in the OP.

 

[jubei]

Read the David gemmell books, found him to be consistently good. Troy series already mentioned, but also Waylander and of course legend

 

[Buddy]

Am I the only one who's read the Traitors Son Cycle by Miles Cameron? Book one The Red Knight.

The best fantasy trilogy I've read since game of thrones.

 

[xaldub]

Am I the only one who's read the Traitors Son Cycle by Miles Cameron? Book one The Red Knight.

The best fantasy trilogy I've read since game of thrones.

I was tempted at one point, but then read that it suffered from the dreaded second book syndrome. Interested to hear your opinion when you reach that stage. I have too big a back catalogue of stuff to read to take a chance on something that might disappoint.

 

[Buddy]

I was tempted at one point, but then read that it suffered from the dreaded second book syndrome. Interested to hear your opinion when you reach that stage. I have too big a back catalogue of stuff to read to take a chance on something that might disappoint.

I've read all 3. It's now been extended beyond a trilogy. I personally enjoyed all of them. Without giving too much away each book has a different focus and scale. The second book sets up the 3rd perfectly. Despite that each book has its own story arc and an 'ending'. Would highly recommend and I've read most of the ones listed in this thread.

 

[asteldian]

I also vote for Robert Jordan Jordan's-The Wheel of Time series.

From the get-go, the books have a greater expansive writing, world building on a vast scale. Book Six, The Lord of Chaos was one of the best books I ever read. There are so many characters and sub-plots it can make your head spin.

What you get with Robin Hobb's Farseer series is a singular narrative, real and compelling characters. However, Robert Jordan is Robin Hobb x 10 (I have read both).

I agree that the series has a slow down about book 8-10, but book 11 onwards and the pace ramps up under Brandon Sanderson's writing. But what must be remembered is that Robert Jordan left extensive material and notation, so Brandon had a great deal of guidance (including Robert Jordan's editor and partner's assistance).

If the Wheel f Time Series ever got the opportunity that George R Martin's-Game of Thrones did, I think the world would be in for a heck of a treat.

Wheel of Time check it out.

Cheers

Von

I disagree with Jordan's books being x10 of Robin Hobbs Farseer (course, that is the beauty of books, everyone has differing opinions )
Wheel of Time was great until book 5. From that point on it felt like Robert was being paid per word and once the chars split into smaller and smaller groups in addition to the seemingly endless extra chars that would be added in, it became tedious to read. I think the final straw for me was in one of the later books there were 82 pages of Rand out of 800+.

Though I actually do agree a tv show would be awesome - tv translation has a bad habit of removing lots of content from a book, but in this case I think that would bea good thing.

 

[melmac]

I disagree with Jordan's books being x10 of Robin Hobbs Farseer (course, that is the beauty of books, everyone has differing opinions )
Wheel of Time was great until book 5. From that point on it felt like Robert was being paid per word and once the chars split into smaller and smaller groups in addition to the seemingly endless extra chars that would be added in, it became tedious to read. I think the final straw for me was in one of the later books there were 82 pages of Rand out of 800+.

Though I actually do agree a tv show would be awesome - tv translation has a bad habit of removing lots of content from a book, but in this case I think that would bea good thing.

I have never read Robin Hobbs, but I agree with the sentiments you posted. I got bored with the Wheel of Time. The first few books were awesome and new. But I got bored, read through three more books and stopped. There was just so much waffle and constant repetition.

 

[Gilly]

Lord of the Rings is the best book ever written. Hopefully you've already read it.

The Thomas Covenant books by Stephen Donaldson are great for the first 6 books, but they are tough going into the third series.

Game of Thrones is a must. It's a world away from the TV show which is in itself excellent.

I grew up on Eddings, Feist, Gemmell and co. Eddings is great but is more entry-level fantasy and easy to read rather than detailed and taxing. It has it's place though

 

[melmac]

Been given a kindle voyage for Christmas, so I would like some recommendations in the fantasy genre. Can be anything in that field along as its a good book.
So far I have:
The farseer trilogy robin hobb
The tawny man trilogy Robin Hobb
The Emperor series conn iggulden
Conqueror series conn iggulden
Terry pratchett the colour of magic

If you liked the Colour of Magic then get more of the Terry Pratchett books. My personal favourites were any of the ones with the Witches or Captain Carrot.

Here are some of the books that I think you should read.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King.
Swan Song by Robert McCammon.
Rose Madder, Stephen King.
Orcs by Stan Nicolas.
The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.
The Talisman by King and Straub.
The Magician by Raymond Feist.
Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind.
Sword Of Shannara by Terry Brooks.
Dawn Thief by James Barclay.
Lord Fouls Bane by Stephen Donaldson.
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson.

The books I listed above are either stand alone books or the first in series. They should give you some idea of what to expect from the rest of the series.

I have left out a few others that are really good, but, the ones above are a very good start.

Also my two personal favourites are

Anything by David Gemmell.

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

 

[ThePainBarrier]

If the Wheel f Time Series ever got the opportunity that George R Martin's-Game of Thrones did, I think the world would be in for a heck of a treat.

I think it has been mentioned somewhere in the forums before but there is a 'pilot' episode for a Wheel Of Time series that got aired last February.

It was surrounded by a lawsuit for being 'unauthorised' though.

Full story here:
http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-real-story-about-that-wheel-of-time-pilot-that-aire-1684773094

 

[FortuitousFluke]

I think it has been mentioned somewhere in the forums before but there is a 'pilot' episode for a Wheel Of Time series that got aired last February.

It was surrounded by a lawsuit for being 'unauthorised' though.

Full story here:
http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-real-story-about-that-wheel-of-time-pilot-that-aire-1684773094

I watched it, it's a shambles. Effectively the rights owner releasing something to ensure the rights option doesn't lapse, The wrangles over the TV rights are the reason we're unlikely to get a WoT TV series in a period when epic fantasy rights are selling like hotcakes.

I know it's not strictly Fantasy (though when considered alongside other SciFi the writing feels much more like a traditional fantasy novel) but a friend reminded me the other day of Dan Abnett's Warhammer Novels, Gaunts Ghost's in particular is worth a read and really does feel more like an ensemble fantasy story.