[algernoninc]

i like sean russell [i've read so far Initiate Brother and the Swans War books] and i was planning to start World Without End duology. it was my understanding that the story is not related to Beneath the Vaulted Hills, and now it appears i need to start somewhere else :confused:
could you please explain the relation between the first duology and the second?

[Lfex]

i like sean russell [i've read so far Initiate Brother and the Swans War books] and i was planning to start World Without End duology. it was my understanding that the story is not related to Beneath the Vaulted Hills, and now it appears i need to start somewhere else :confused:
could you please explain the relation between the first duology and the second?

Beneath the Vaulted Hills duology is a prequel to World without End duology. It is set about 100 years earlier, IIRC, but it was written latter. As for which books you should read first, well, it depends. I believe in reading books in order they were written, not chronological order, but OTOH then you will now how Beneath the Vaulted Hills duology must end. And yes, both are well worth reading, IMHO.

[Lowlander]

The World without End duology is one of the best fantasy series I have ever read. Strangely enough I didn't care much about Beneath the Vaulted Hills but then I'm not a great fan of prequels.

The Initiate Brother novels are also very good. Recommended if you lika fantasy with a strong Asian flavour.

BTW, it's four years since Mr. Russell finished his Swan Wars' series. Nothing much has been heard of him since. Anyone knows if he has left the fantasy genre or is he having problems finding a publisher for his next book ?

[suciul]

The World without End duology is one of the best fantasy series I have ever read. Strangely enough I didn't care much about Beneath the Vaulted Hills but then I'm not a great fan of prequels.

The Initiate Brother novels are also very good. Recommended if you lika fantasy with a strong Asian flavour.

BTW, it's four years since Mr. Russell finished his Swan Wars' series. Nothing much has been heard of him since. Anyone knows if he has left the fantasy genre or is he having problems finding a publisher for his next book ?

I strongly concur with The World without End being an excellent duology. I liked Beneath the Vaulted Hill duology too; I agree that the author was kind of boxed in since we knew what was the ending, but the writing was very taut and suspenseful. I liked too the Initiate Brother duology, especially the first volume; the second was ok, but could have been better.

I read the Swan's War trilogy but it was a hard slog for me, I almost gave up on it since I rarely like those type of fantasies (evil gods and the like), but the writing and characters were good enough for me to read them, though they are my least favorite books of the author.

I know he struggled a lot to complete the trilogy so who knows if it is authorial burnout or no contract, but I would always buy a new S. Russell original fantasy...(have no idea why Mr. Russell instead of writing interesting and original fantasies, wrote a Tolkienesque run of the mill trilogy that tons of others were writing)

[Erfael]

Russell has never been solely a fantasy author. He writes in a pseudonymous team with another author, though I can't remember the other author, the pseudonym they write under, or the style of their books at the moment. He's also one of my favorites, with the exception of the Swans War, which I have been unable to finish.

Looking into it, he doesn't seem to have written much outside of fantasy, making the "not solely fantasy" thing a little untrue...

From Wikipedia:

Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner

Sean Russell wrote these books in collaboration with Ian Dennis under their common pen-name “T. F. Banks”.

* Vol. 1: The Thief Taker, Delacorte Press, 2001, ISBN 0385335717
* Vol. 2: The Emperor's Assassin, Dell Books, 2003, ISBN 0440240840

[Sacorian]

Beneath the Vaulted Hills duology is a prequel to World without End duology. It is set about 100 years earlier, IIRC, but it was written latter. As for which books you should read first, well, it depends. I believe in reading books in order they were written, not chronological order, but OTOH then you will now how Beneath the Vaulted Hills duology must end. And yes, both are well worth reading, IMHO.

I must say I am the opposite I try to read an author's books in chronological order if I can. But Authors like Terry Prattchet I will read as the books come to me. When I read tolkeins work I always go Silmarillion, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings. His short stories (Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wootton Major etc) I read in any order though.
Also I am currently reading The Chronicles of Narnia in chronological order