The New and Improved Recommendation - Fantasy / Horror

[Contrarius]

I wonder why Rowling didn't give her wizards laptops.

Well, in the Monster Hunter books Larry Correia has fairies living in trailer parks and orcs flying helicopters, but they are still not known by the public at large. That's really a tough one!

edited to add -- on further reflection, I think probably the October Daye books are gonna be closest to what you're looking for. In those, there are basically two separate societies -- the fae, and the "normal" people -- and while the normal guys don't really know about the fae guys, the fae live with modern stuff. One whole book takes place at a computer company run by fae. OTOH, those books are sort of in the detective mold of UF, so they might not suit you from that perspective.....

[hyperchord24]

So if I were to write a Lord of the Rings type story, but set the story (not frame it) in modern day US, I'd be a pioneer?

I love fantasy. Wizards, magic, elves, swords, castles, rings, dragons, the whole nine. And I'm new to the genre and have very little time. I really don't know how to discern which author to start reading when they've all made the conscious decision to write about all these things in fantasy and set in Medieval times. I know not all of them are Tolkien ripoffs, but still, it is the same time frame. And I don't want to re read a CS Lewis type story where “oh, this fantasy world exists, but no one knows about it and we exist without modern technology.”

[Contrarius]

Well, keep in mind that magic and technology aren't exactly sympatico. If you've got magic, you're not likely to develop technology in the same way that we have.

Try the steampunk subgenre, which apparently has steam engines along with odd things. Or maybe Alloy of Law by Sanderson, which has magic developed into technology. There are others in a similar vein, but off hand I can't think of any with elves/fairies/dwarves as freely accepted members of society, aside from stories that also have vampires and werewolves and detectives. For instance, the Hollows series by Harrison has all of the above. Ummmm, the Temeraire (sp?) series has dragons and Napoleon.....I'm sure there are others out there, but if you want to fit your specific criteria you'd better write it yourself!

[hyperchord24]

Well, keep in mind that magic and technology aren't exactly sympatico. If you've got magic, you're not likely to develop technology in the same way that we have.

I don't like to make assumptions with speculative fiction. After all, why is it that people are seemingly stuck with medieval "technology" for thousands of years in some of these worlds when in our own, it only lasted 1 thousand, depending on which historians you talk to. The answer is that it's fantasy. You can make up those rules.

Maybe people felt stupid for relying on magic and want to develop technology, but are shunned by the wizards in charge. I don't know. I'm just throwing things out there. Let me know if this is too off topic to continue.

[Erfael]

Yes, start a new thread if you want to discuss this. Let's keep this thread for recommendation business.

[cerisepuck]

I just recently spent alot of money (well alot to me anyway) on Amazon buying some series that I had heard good reviews about on this website. I made it a point to buy only the books that were not available at my library so I was unfortunately unable to 'sample' any of them before buying them. The only ones that I knew I would enjoy were those by Tad Williams since I've read Shadowmarch.

Getting to my point, one of the series I purchased was The Complete Amber Chronicles 1-10 by Roger Zelazny. After reading Tad Williams, Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson, and C.S. Friedman for the past few months I knew I had high standards set, but....to be frank Roger Zelazny writes as if he was a middle school student. I'm very disappointed in the series and I'm only on page five. In order to process what I'm reading I create a mental picture of the characters and what's going on around them. Currently Mr.Corey is a gray blob talking to other gray blobs in shapless gray rooms. Where is the detail? I mean....really? I guess what I'm asking is what on earth does everyone see in this book and does it ever get any better than 'I woke. I stood. I spoke.'?

And if this book isn't going to get any better than please suggest something that takes more than a day or two to read. No, I'm not trying to be arrogant. If I've insulted anyone I'm very sorry. I'm just disappointed that this author isn't to my tastes.

[cdr]

Alright so i need help. Mostly i like anything i read but im having trouble picking out a new author and series, i dont know why. Over the past few weeks ive read all of brent weeks stuff, david dalglish, simon r green, gregory downs, scott lynch and michael sullivan. Alot of what ive read has been dark and i think id like something without so much despair compared to the little bit of redemption to be found in dalglish's books that i just finished. I did enjoy the middle ground to be found in weeks novels and especially liked vi's journey as well as her relationship to the main character. She reminded me of lasciel from the dresden files, nicci from sword of truth (as well as cara) who is one of the only characters from that series i really liked. I thought of reading some ya novels to keep it light but have just finished reading a bunch of stuff before giving it to my nephew. I read through the rangers apprentice, rick riordans stuff and that eragon series.

Ive read and reread jordan, rawn, sherwood smith, sanderson, salvatore, butcher, erikson, martin, esslemont, hearne,kenyon, friedmon, hobb, james barclay, evans, e.e. knight, peter brett, sarah douglas, feist, scholes, tad williams[/B] and probably a few ive forgotten. Ultimately im at a loss so any suggestion would be a great help and if someone could just hit me in the head with a series and force me to read it id be most grateful

[cerisepuck]

Ive read and reread jordan, rawn, sherwood smith, sanderson, salvatore, butcher, erikson, martin, esslemont, hearne,kenyon, friedmon, hobb, james barclay, evans, e.e. knight, peter brett, sarah douglas, feist, scholes, tad williams[/B] and probably a few ive forgotten. Ultimately im at a loss so any suggestion would be a great help and if someone could just hit me in the head with a series and force me to read it id be most grateful

I don't even know who half those authors are. I'd actually like to know which of their books/series you like the most so that I can read them.Yes I know I have no suggestions. I'm very sorry.....please don't be angry. It just sounds like you know your fantasy so I'd love to hear which authors you enjoyed most so I can enjoy them too. Thanks!

Oh and you could always try Anne McCaffrey's the Dragons of Pern series. I'm sure you've already read her books though since you've read alot of well known authors. Oh actually I do have a good suggestion! Piers Anthony has alot of dry humor in his books but they're still fun to read (for me anyway). He tends to border on whimsical sometimes and can come off as a little cheesy in his jokes but I enjoyed his books very much.

[cdr]

I don't even know who half those authors are. I'd actually like to know which of their books/series you like the most so that I can read them.Yes I know I have no suggestions. I'm very sorry.....please don't be angry. It just sounds like you know your fantasy so I'd love to hear which authors you enjoyed most so I can enjoy them too. Thanks!

Oh and you could always try Anne McCaffrey's the Dragons of Pern series. I'm sure you've already read her books though since you've read alot of well known authors. Oh actually I do have a good suggestion! Piers Anthony has alot of dry humor in his books but they're still fun to read (for me anyway). He tends to border on whimsical sometimes and can come off as a little cheesy in his jokes but I enjoyed his books very much.

Ive read mcaffrey though its been a while and ive been considering rereading her, merceds lackey and maybe kerr and weis/hickman. As far as favorites go i loved the belgeriad by eddings back in the day, really enjoy the drizzt novels by salvatore as well as the demon awakens stuff. I think waiting on the last book of the wheel of time by jordan will be the death of me as i may just hold my breath until it comes out. Butchers dresden files are amazing and codex alera by him is as well. I truly think the malazan books by erikson may be one of my favorite worlds. I may get bashed for saying it because a lot of people complained about the writing in weeks night angel trilogy but i enjoyed the story and its been one of my recent really good surprises. Dragon prince stuff by rawn is great as well.

Im a bad person to ask because i really can find something to like in almost every novel. If the prose id bad i can like the characters, the scenery sucks i like the relationships, all that sucks i can like the fights or scheming. I even like the sword of truth series even though sometimes i wanted to put it down, find goodkind and punch him in the mouth and i do agree with most of the bad said about it.

[cerisepuck]

I even like the sword of truth series even though sometimes i wanted to put it down, find goodkind and punch him in the mouth and i do agree with most of the bad said about it.

LOL! I feel that way sometimes too!
Thankyou very much for your suggestions. I have added Eddings, Butcher, and Rawn to my list of author to read next.

[Kazz Wylde]

How do y'all prepare to read the next book in a series after its been awhile? Read the last couple chapters of the last book? Check wiki?

[cdr]

How do y'all prepare to read the next book in a series after its been awhile? Read the last couple chapters of the last book? Check wiki?

I am a fast reader so I tend to start at the beginning of a series and go through the whole thing again. When Towers of Midnight came out I reread the whole wheel of time in about 2 weeks and that made it all the more enjoyable

[Kazz Wylde]

I am a fast reader so I tend to start at the beginning of a series and go through the whole thing again. When Towers of Midnight came out I reread the whole wheel of time in about 2 weeks and that made it all the more enjoyable

Oh man! lol I'm not fast enough of a reader to do that.

[cdr]

Oh man! lol I'm not fast enough of a reader to do that.

Ha its probably only fair that i admit im recovering from back surgery so its all i have to do, plus i sleep very little. If you dont have an abundance of free time skim through. Read the important parts and the parts you really like but skip through the parts that have no real bearing on the series or just simply annoy you. That way youll still be able to sink into the world, touch base with all the characters and important moments before you move on to the new book. Not that im really a good person to give advice, im probably a bit odd in my habits

[Kazz Wylde]

Ha its probably only fair that i admit im recovering from back surgery so its all i have to do, plus i sleep very little. If you dont have an abundance of free time skim through. Read the important parts and the parts you really like but skip through the parts that have no real bearing on the series or just simply annoy you. That way youll still be able to sink into the world, touch base with all the characters and important moments before you move on to the new book. Not that im really a good person to give advice, im probably a bit odd in my habits

Yeah I think I'll skim and like read the last couple chapters