[Alucard]

The next two authors I'm going to try are tad Williams and David Gemmell, and I was wondering which titles i should start with. I have learned the hard way that sometimes, by reading a title by an author that wasn't his best, you can develop an opinion of the author that's undeserved. Since I've heard that both of these fellows are talented authors, I'm going to ask you all, which books should I start with? Any comments would be appreciated. . .

[Hans]

Well for Tad Williams, you would be best to start off with Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series:
1. Dragonbone Chair
2. Stone of Farewell
3. To Green Angel Tower (Been split into two parts)

For David Gemmel, I haven't yet read him, but he's released his first 3 books in one. Called Drenai Tales and will be releasing the following 3 early next year in one called Drenai Tales 2.

[jbcohen]

Never read either but I can help a little here. When I am in the same fix I usually take my web browser in hand and surff on over to http://www.amazon.com, look up the two books and read the comments about each and come to a decission. I will ask myself questions like these:

Do more people like one book then the other?
Are the people that did not like one book real idiots and dolts?

The I jump right in.

Hope this helps, this is how I personnaly arive at the answer to your question.

[Shehzad]

FF?? Tad Williams has been mentioned!

[Keyoke]

Egad, I hate using Amazon.com as a source of reviews. To many conflicting opinions of anonymous people I dont know. Heck, Winter's Heart got 4/5 stars before it was even published.. Nah, ask us what to read! We're nicer. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Tad Williams Memoroy Sorrow and Thorn is a great starting point. Loved that series..

As to Gemmel, I've never been much of a fan of his, but, I did really enjoy The Lion of Macedon. But, the Drenai books I hear are very good.

Keyoke

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

Yes, as I heard Gemmel is best with DRENAI TALES:

Legend
The King Beyond The Gate
The Quest For Lost Heroes
Waylander
Waylander II - In the Realm of the Wolf
The First Chronicles Of Druss The Legend
The Legend Of Deathwalker
Winter Warriors
Hero in the Shadows

I have read his SIPSTRASSI TALES. They aren't bad all:

Wolf In Shadow
Ghost King
Last Sword Of Power
The Last Guardian
Bloodstone

Tad Williams have two saga-"Otherland", which is translated here:
Otherland (City of Golden Shadow)
River of Blue Fire
Mountain of Black Glass

and "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn", whcich is not translated here in Bulgaria:
The Dragonbone Chair
Stone of Farewell
To Green Angel Tower

[This message has been edited by Elan Morin Tedronai (edited December 02, 2001).]

[Cannon Fodder]

Good Gemmell books to start with:
Legend would probably be the best, as it was his first and probably his best novel.
Possibly Waylander, The Lion of Macedon or even Morningstar, which is one of my favourites.

As for Tad Williams, I haven't read Memory, Thorn and watsit but Otherland was pretty damn good and could easily be read first.

[Hobbit]

Alucard - there has recently been published in the UK an omnibus of Gemmell's first three books:

Legend
The King Beyond The Gate
The Quest For Lost Heroes

called Drenai Tales, Volume 1. Would be a good place to start - as the title suggests however, a second volume is about to follow.

If you want a more 'action-packed' set of books to read, then from these two, Gemmell is the man for you.

Personally though I would start with Tad Williams - The Dragonbone Chair is a very good place to start. (As Cannon Fodder has said, all of Tad's work is good). The Otherland series is a little more contemporary and perhaps a little more Sf, though there are lots of fictional worlds within.

Nothing wrong with that, but Dragonbone is (at first glance!) a more traditional fantasy; It has a depth though that I would say is not in the Gemmell books.

Hobbit

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

You got the point Hobbit!

[Sammie]

Am i the only one on this site to have found David Gemmel, like, seriously boring, and not exceptionally well written?