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What are the best stand alone fantasy novels you have read?

  • 10-04-2010 6:28pm
    #1
    sxt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,759 ✭✭✭


    I think my favourites that I have read are "Perdido Street Station" by China Mieville and "The People of Paper" by Salvador Plascencia


Comments

  • #2
    r3nu4l
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,399 ✭✭✭✭r3nu4l


    It's not straightforward 'Fantasy' in the usual sense but "Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell" is amazing!


  • #3
    Sir Ophiuchus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,035 ✭✭✭Sir Ophiuchus


    "The Redemption of Althalus", by David Eddings.

    "The Master of Whitestorm", by Janny Wurts.

    "The Homeward Bounders", by Diana Wynne-Jones.


  • #4
    Branoic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭Branoic


    Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (sp?) is pretty awesome.


  • #5
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Just having a think about it and it seems that all the best stuff was expanded into a series!


  • #6
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 18,004 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    There aren't many standalone fantasy novels but two that I did like were Tad William's "The War of the Flowers" and J.V. Jones' "The Barbed Coil". Both were standalone with no sequels or prequels.


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  • #7
    FJFF
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35 ✭FJFF


    Sir Ophiuchus wrote: »
    "The Redemption of Althalus", by David Eddings.

    Possibly my favourite stand alone novel, well worth a read.


  • #8
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 18,004 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    There's a blog entry here about the blogger's favourite standalone fantasy novels. Can't say I've read 'em but might be worth a shot!


  • #9
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,769 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    ixoy wrote: »
    There aren't many standalone fantasy novels but two that I did like were Tad William's "The War of the Flowers" and J.V. Jones' "The Barbed Coil". Both were standalone with no sequels or prequels.
    You sir, are a man of rare and excellent taste re: "The War of the Flowers".

    Also, I'd rate : "Declare" by Tim Powers + "A Brother's price" by Wen Spend er


  • #10
    Shryke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,199 ✭✭✭Shryke


    Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. You could call it a sci-fi but it works very well as a fantasy.
    American Gods/Stardust/Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I'm surprised he hasn't been mentioned.
    The Anubis Gate by Tim Powers. This one came to me as he's already been mentioned. Brilliant and bizarre time travel adventure story.
    Small Gods/Men at Arms by Pratchett. While technically part of the Discworld series they are stand alone novels. If not Men At Arms then Small Gods certainly is. No recurring characters and in a fresh setting.
    Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. He's new and a lot of people haven't read him but he's fantastic and this was an unbelievable pleasure to read.



    I'll second Perdido Street Station and Jonathan Strange. The former is a great and strange book that I think its follower The Scar almost matches. Too bad about Iron Council though. The latter, Jonathan Strange, was long but never boring, had a realness about it and came together brilliantly in the end.


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