[Blackadder]

Hey, there.

Ill start off my first post as a topic in this nice forum of yours. As I can see that you guys (and girls ofcourse) knows the secret gold-eggs in the jungle of fantasy fiction. I've found a map and walked the main paths. You know.. with the signs and stuff.

So far this main road has consisted of some exellent books I wish I had never read, so I could read them for the first time once again. I started off with ASoIaF series, then I jumped over a bridge to a trilogy of Robin Hobb, popular called "The farseer trilogy".


Yesyes! The next book I'm gonna run away the world with. I was thinking maybe Sword of truth series, but.. naw. Then I came over a trilogy called "The Black magician trilogy" which... is a very promising title, but after reviewing it abit on the net, I found it interesting, but I don't know if I should read that now or what. What do YOU think I should be reading next? After you have reviewed the books Ive already read, you may have some idea what I like. I like .... assasination, politics, mind-shaking plots, treason, battles etc.

So.. this well-composed first-post has come to an end. (Btw I love most PC games, Blackadder series, Monty Python, The Office, hacking my friends MSN adresses and write love-letters (Dont try that at home please.. If you do, don't sue me), history, piano, literature,The world of Warhammer, Movies, Lord of the Rings (mostly the books infact) and all that stuff. 1..2.. 3.. and you all now know abit more of me.)

As I got more pleasant things to do than write constant bwabbling, I will say..I will say..

Thank you all.

And I will say..I will say..

Regards, Blackadder. (Sorry for all this.. bad humour. Ban me) :o

Edit: As I discovered.. one minute too late, was that there are several threads for questions like for example.. this one. My apologies.

[Ondine]

I read "The Black Magician Trilogy" and I quite liked it. As this was Trudi Canavans first ever trilogy I think she did a pretty good job. The books were full of magic, adventure, high action and in the end I did find them to be quite a page turner. The first Book "The Magicians Guild" was quite slow to start with but if you stick with it, it does improve dramatically. At the end of the day it really is down to what you like personally! Why not try book one and if you don't like it go on to something else. I'm also a new member on this site but after spending a couple of weeks perusing the site I've mangaed to practically double my "To read Pile"!! There really are loads of recommendations, just keep checking the various threads.

Hope this helps you a bit and please don't blame me if you don't like "BMT"!!!;)

P.S. I forgot to point out that "BMT" is just easy bedtime reading not indepth fantasy stuff!!!

[JBI]

'Points to sticky', that is all the recomendations you will ever need compressed into one thread. Sift through that, and you won't be disapointed.

[Eventine]

I'd just like to offer an anti-reccommendation for the Black Magician.

See comments here (http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8206)

[Blackadder]

The only problem with the sticky threads, is that many of the recommendations is only a title and a writer. I quick description along it, and it would've been great. Wellwell.. I might aswell google every title..


What does the forum think about the Malazan Book of the Fallen serie? And perhaps the Dark Elf trilogy (Correct name? About an elf called Dritz or something).

Thought abit about either about some works of Gene Wolfe or R. Scott Bakker. And now I have searched around abit, and some guy said that Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake was some of the best he had ever read..

[GreyMantle]

Gene Wolfe is supposed to be very unique, and I do in fact have The Knight on my to read list right now.
Gormenghast isn't true fantasy, but is more like Charles Dickens meets gothic horror. If you have lots of time (really long books, really small font), then go ahead and dive into it.
It seems that everybody BUT me loves the Malazan Book of the Fallen, but you can find more at Erikson's Author Discussion Forum.
Drizzt's books are published by Wizards of the Coast, so if you don't mind lots of cliches and the fact that it takes place in a D&D campaign setting, then you'll find one of the better fantasy authors out there, though the quality has sharply declined in recent years (Avoid the Hunter's Blades Trilogy and you'll be happier for it).
R. Scott Bakker is the best author around today. Accept it. Although not for everyone, his Prince of Nothing trilogy is a masterwork of superviolence, romance, philosophical debates, and cynical writing. Read it, love it, reread it, and join the debates on Scott's Official Author Forum.

[Yobmod]

I would say Gene Wolfe is the best author writing today :D . For a fantasy fan, I would say start at his masterpiece, the Book of the New Sun series. Don't be fooled by the blurbs though, this is completely unique. If you hadn't mentioned him however, Wolfe wouldn't be the first author to come to mind based on your previous reading. His series is epic in scope, but clearly not 'epic fantasy' in the same vein as Hobb, GRRM etc.

btw, GRRM has a few good SF books out, if your not fantasy fixated, and Hobb has at least 4 other series you could check out.

Peake is a true genius, and Gormanghast is his magnum opus - but as greymantle hinted, they have very little in common with the fantasy you have read, and are not easy reads; you have to put some work in.

The books that came to mind when i read your post were The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0006473296/sr=8-3/qid=1153929277/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-6108162-2086506?ie=UTF8). They are certainly gritty and emotionally wrought, too much so for some people. And the characterisation of TC is perfect (I assume you don't mind whiny characters if you liked Hobb :) ). This series is a classic of the genre, admitted to even by his non-fans if they are being fair.

[Blackadder]

Thank you all for good response in this matter. If I would give one last piece of information regarding what I like to read... I :loved: the character in ASoIaF called Tyrion Lannister. He is so cunning and ... cool (couldnt find a better word.. not even for an ugly dwarf). :)

[Akkarin]

If you're thinking about it, I've just recently read the Black Magician trilogy. I really enjoyed it. It wasn't very epic, but it had plenty of characters I grew to like, and it kept me turning page after page.

Definately a series I enjoyed, if not the best I've ever read.

[JBI]

I recomend Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. Although Kay's style of writing isn't that great (He tends to tell more than he shows) his book has a great plot, and great characters. I would have to recomend this one, since I loved reading it.