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best fantasy books

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    #32
    danyosan
    Registered Users Posts: 315 ✭✭danyosan


    I found that with the shannara series as well, once I read the first one a rattled thru the rest of the series though.

    Cant believe nobody has mentioned terry goodkind and his sword of truth series, this is one of the best series I have read in a long time!!

    Favourite àuthor has to be gemmell though.


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    #33
    super_furry
    Registered Users Posts: 27,321 ✭✭✭✭super_furry


    danyosan wrote:
    Cant believe nobody has mentioned terry goodkind and his sword of truth series, this is one of the series I have read in a long time!!

    Can't get into that at all. I'm trudging through the first one (about halfway) and it's just leaving me cold. It all seems a bit too simple, and the characters are almost too umcomplicated.

    The best series for me is George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. The only thing that I could criticise is the fact that I have to wait for the next one now. Also highly recommended is James Barclay's brilliant Chronicles/Legends of the Raven and David Farland's Runelords series - which is now being made into a major film.

    I haven't read JV Jones Cavern of Ice yet, but her Bakers Boy series was very good if a bit simple. Tad Williams stuff is always great - loved his 'War of the Flowers'. Gemmell is good but he does get repitive, while the Wheel of Time starts off brilliantly but takes a severe dip after the sixth book.


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    #34
    danyosan
    Registered Users Posts: 315 ✭✭danyosan


    Persevere with it, I found the same thing, didnt think I would get into it at all but then it got me hooked.

    The ice and fire series didnt really grab me at all, granted ive only read the first one but I didnt think all that much happened. Mind you there has to be a lot of action to keep my attention.


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    #35
    super_furry
    Registered Users Posts: 27,321 ✭✭✭✭super_furry


    danyosan wrote:
    Mind you there has to be a lot of action to keep my attention.

    If that's the case then you HAVE to read The Chronicles/Legends of the Raven. It's the most bloodthirsty, action packed series you'll ever read.


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    #36
    danyosan
    Registered Users Posts: 315 ✭✭danyosan


    will do....havent read a book for months now though, used to work at sea so got loads of reading done, working onshore now and havent picked up a book since, gotta get back into it. Ive got chainfire and tanequil lying in the house, been there for nearly 2 months and i havent even opened either, need a good kick up the jacksie!


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    #37
    Ehlana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭Ehlana


    danyosan wrote:
    I
    Cant believe nobody has mentioned terry goodkind and his sword of truth series, this is one of the series I have read in a long time!!

    I totally agree with you re: the Sword of Truth Series. I'm currently rereading the whole series leading up to Chainfire just to savour it all the more. For me, Terry Goodkind is more of a grown up David Eddings (who I also adore).

    I have to say though I cannot see the appeal with Robin Hobbs. Just couldn't get into the Farseer Series.


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    #38
    danyosan
    Registered Users Posts: 315 ✭✭danyosan


    I've never read any of robin hobbs stuff. One that I just couldnt get into and pretty much hated to be honest was the tom covenant stories. Just couldnt get into a story that revolved around a character that I didnt like. i didnt even finish the first book, only time thats ever happened.


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    #39
    Fence
    Registered Users Posts: 208 ✭✭Fence


    danyosan wrote:
    Cant believe nobody has mentioned terry goodkind and his sword of truth series, this is one of the best series I have read in a long time!!

    Have to disagree.
    Goodkind took a good idea (the first book) and ruined it with way too many messages about how the only way forward is through a benevolent dictatorship. He lets far too much political bs overshadow his plots and characters.


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    #40
    meditraitor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,207 ✭✭✭meditraitor


    Steven Erickson is a must for anyone one who loves fantasy,A Tale of the Malazan book of the Fallen series::: blew me away, takes you into it,,,


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    #41
    danyosan
    Registered Users Posts: 315 ✭✭danyosan


    Fence wrote:
    Have to disagree.
    Goodkind took a good idea (the first book) and ruined it with way too many messages about how the only way forward is through a benevolent dictatorship. He lets far too much political bs overshadow his plots and characters.

    I have found that in a few of his books, gotta agree with you there. there was two in the series that I just thought were a waste of time, the pillars of creation and...cant think of the other's name. But generally ive found it to be a good series, the politics aside, the storylines keep me gripped.


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    #42
    Horatio
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭Horatio


    The other one is the Soul of the Fire with " the chicken which is not a chicken"
    that was crap but Temple of the winds was one of the best ever reads


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    #43
    arrietty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 83 ✭✭arrietty


    I can't believe no-one's mentioned His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman! Not typical fantasy... technically children's books (but the last one, especially, is very sophisticated)... and super-literary, with references all over the place. But if you're at all into fantasy you should read it.

    I also like some of Tanith Lee's stuff, especially her short stories (try the Forests of the Night collection). Amazing writer. I don't see her in bookshops a lot but I picked up a novel of hers in a charity shop on the weekend.

    I hated the Farseer Trilogy and didn't even finish the third Robin Hobb trilogy in that series, but I loved The Liveship Traders. Much better than the other books, I reckoned. I think it was because I couldn't stick Fitz and his pondering. :rolleyes:


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    #44
    Scruff
    Registered Users Posts: 4,222 ✭✭✭Scruff


    GaRtH_V wrote:
    George RR Martins series has to be my favourite,followed by a close second with The Wheel Of Time and to top of all of in third place id go with the Dragonlance chronicles by Weis and Hickman

    i was going to say almost the exact same.

    1) George RR Martin - A song of Ice and Fire *
    2) Raymond E Feist - The Riftwar and Serpentwar Saga **
    3) Weis and Hickman - Dragonlance Chronicles

    *Remains here as long as the forth coming Feast For Crows doesnt let the whole side down.

    ** Wheel of Time could have been here except it became pants after book 5


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    #45
    damiynn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭damiynn


    I have read a lot of fantasy since thats about all i can do. Everything from Rob Jordan and George Martin to John Norman and Phillip Jose Farmer but I will tell you what A V Wedhorn's Kingdom Chronicles I think will end up being one of the best series Ive ever read


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    #46
    NineMoons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 73 ✭✭NineMoons


    Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time - I love it (great characters, funny, exciting, imaginative) and hate it (politics shmolitics, too many characters, badly edited in later books) in pretty much equal measure but I'm still dying to know how it ends.

    Robin Hobb - didn't care so much for the first three (the Farseer ones), the middle three I LOVED (the ones about the ships) and I really liked the last three (the Fool trilogy?)

    Ursula Le Guin - First books I ever bought with my own money! Earthsea books especially Tehanu which I hated the first time I read it and read it again a few years later and fell in love with it.

    Mervyn Peake - Gormenghast - the first two - I didn't like Titus enough to want to read about him meandering all over the place without the other characters so I never read Titus Alone.

    C.S. Lewis - Narnia Chronicles.


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    #47
    growler
    Registered Users Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭growler


    NineMoons wrote:
    Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time - I love it (great characters, funny, exciting, imaginative) and hate it (politics shmolitics, too many characters, badly edited in later books) in pretty much equal measure but I'm still dying to know how it ends.
    .

    it'll never ever end it just goes on and on and on and on then they 'll all wake up and it'll start all overr again.

    After reading the first 47 books I got bored anyway.


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    #48
    fade
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭fade


    i do agree that the last few books have been a bit slow, but i still wouldnt stop reading them. i personally love robert jordan, there is so much depth and detail. and i know politics come into it alot, but when does it not. i think he has created such a spectacular world that leaves nothing out, and for me its a real story, it doesnt sort of skip, or give less attention to certain things. pure class.

    robin hobb, pure class asweel, i just love the narative style. readin twany man book 2 at the mo, its gooooddddddd


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    #49
    calis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 283 ✭✭calis


    wheel of time books will finish at book 12 YAY only 2 more to go :D


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    #50
    NineMoons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 73 ✭✭NineMoons


    Yup, only two more. If he introduces another character my head may explode. Less politics, more action and lots more MAT!! :p Book 11 - Knife of Dreams is out on October 11th. Apparently RJ has insisted on it having a full editorial work-up this time - the last one was on the shelves 6 weeks after he handed it in so no wonder it was full of unnecessary crap!

    This one is going to be great - it has to be or I will become very bitter and disillusioned... :mad:


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    #51
    Mickah
    Registered Users Posts: 394 ✭✭Mickah


    More Sci/Fi than fantasy but easily as good as George RR Martin

    Stephen Donaldson - The Gap Series

    1. The Gap into Conflict: The Real Story
    2. The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge
    3. The Gap into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises
    4. The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order
    5. The Gap into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die

    Real gritty, violent and real books, I liked the same about Martin. I've read a lot of Sci-fi/Fantasy and this series is in my top 3 along with George RR Martin's.


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    #52
    Cronus333
    Closed Accounts Posts: 218 ✭✭Cronus333


    My favourites:
    Wheel of time: Amazing. best ever. Mat is annoying though. Go Alviarin!!!!
    Magician: Graet but Feist trails off after this.
    Well of Echos: I just liked the Scrutators....

    I hate Shannara with a passion and brooks. No origanal characters or monsters. Plus who on earth is called Pe?!!


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    #53
    monagea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭monagea


    lads this is a post forum but really there is lists like this all over the net, what would be savage is if we had some kind of poll and in the review by people could mention other series that are similiar. I have read a ew series of the above mentioned but dont know where to go now but if we had a poll then i could make an imformed dicision. what you think????


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    #54
    chillyspoon
    Registered Users Posts: 549 ✭✭✭chillyspoon


    I'm staggered how few people know about this simply fantastic collection of books - I can't recommend them highly enough! :)

    Loads of my faves from childhood through to adulthood are mentioned so far on this thread, from Eddings and Gemmell, Feist and so on.

    A friend introduced me to Dan Simmons when he lent me Hyperion when we were in college - I was immediately hooked - it's a simply fantastic novel, the world he describes is compelling and thought provoking. The remaining books in the cantos "The Fall of Hyperion", "Endymion" and "The Rise of Endymion" go on to complete a story that is huge in scale.

    To any sci-fi/fantasy fan I recommend these books - to any fan of imaginative stories, irrespective of genre, I recommend these books!

    The author's website is http://www.dansimmons.com/ .. well worth checking out...


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    #55
    English Mick
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭English Mick


    Can't believe only one person mentioned Mercedes Lackey. Has nobody read Magic's Pawn, Promise and Price?


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    #56
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    After just starting George RR Martins A Game of Thrones I've stumbled i here.

    Live arrietty (in June) said, I can't believe there isn't more mentions of the His Dark Materials trilogy. Has no-one read it, or is it just that it was started out as a childrens' book? I thought that image was shook off by the third in the series.

    I just think it's a phenomenal set of books.


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    #57
    DamoVOTF
    Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭DamoVOTF


    Read most of the books mentioned here but my ranking would be:

    1) Steven Erikson: Malazan books of the Fallen. By no means an easy read but you will love the characters and the action is superb. Best books ever.

    2) Magician a classic, some of the later books are good as well. Raymond Feist.

    3) Wheel of Time. Robert Jordan. Addictive.

    4) George RR Martin. Interesting one this one. Pretty good books but not sure they were all that. (Has been a long time since I read them).


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    #58
    munky
    Closed Accounts Posts: 167 ✭✭munky


    Just finished book 1 of the Farseer,and oh my its good!I really want the second book aready and I haven't even finished the first one.


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    #59
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    munky wrote:
    Just finished book 1 of the Farseer,and oh my its good!I really want the second book aready and I haven't even finished the first one.
    You just said you finished it!! :D


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    #60
    werewolfv2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭werewolfv2


    DamoVOTF wrote:
    Read most of the books mentioned here but my ranking would be:

    1) Steven Erikson: Malazan books of the Fallen. By no means an easy read but you will love the characters and the action is superb. Best books ever.


    oh yeah :) Erikson is gods gift to the fantasy genre :P

    also have to bring up Glen Cooks Black Company


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    #61
    valen
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭valen


    DamoVOTF wrote:
    1) Steven Erikson: Malazan books of the Fallen. By no means an easy read but you will love the characters and the action is superb. Best books ever.

    I've read a helluva lot of books over the years. And yeah, I'd have to agree with you on this.

    I read the first one. Got confused. Enjoyed it, but go "damn, that was a hard read" - it's like reading book sixteen of the Wheel of Time, you feel lost. But, that's what he wants you to feel. You've jumped into his world, and it's already got 400,000 years of history.

    I then found book five in a book shop in the US, just before a long flight. Loved it. He tells many interwoven stories - any given book is written like Pulp Fiction - timelines are skewed. There are maybe 50 interesting characters per book. Sometimes they only get a page of his time - but in another book, they'll get 300 pages, so there is great pleasure in re-reading the older books, to get more out of the whole world, and the stories he pulls out of it.

    There are no "good" guys and "bad" guys. Just humans, and beliveable immortals I've ever come across, and the most human gods. You don't get to the end saying "DAMMIT, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT". You get to the end going "Wow. That rocked. I want another story now".

    It's not a series like you are used to; many books share the same characters, but some books might only have three guys you've heard of before.

    I read his "Chain of Dogs" book, and cried like a baby at one stage (if you've read it, you'll understand). Right after, I read the new George RR Martin book. I'd liked his other three. Compared to Erikson, the writing is childish, the story is sloppy. What took him 800 pages to write, is about 200 worth of story. I was really annoyed by the end of the book. Especially at the wee footnote, that tried to explain why we waited so long for a book that wasn't very enjoyable. Then, I got a hold of Erikson's House of Chains, and I'm gripped.

    Strongly recommendly reading.

    john


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