The New and Improved Recommendation - Fantasy / Horror

[PeterWilliam]

Suggestions?

Well, since you really enjoyed Elizabeth Moon, at least as much as I did, perhaps we've got some parallel tastes here. If so, try Carol Berg's Rai-kirah trilogy.

[Cranky Hamster]

Rai-Kirah is a solid trilogy but there's nothing really "feminist" about it (the two main characters are guys, and there's not much gender equality going on in Alek's society) and it's also pretty modern, having come out in... 2000 or thereabouts?

Mercedes Lackey's By the Sword is slightly older and has a story very similar to the Deed of Paksenarrion (charting the history and rise of a female professional soldier). I remember it being a pretty quick read, with what drum-banging there was being in the direction of gender/LGBT equality issues. I haven't read it in like ten years, though, so I can't vouch for the quality of the writing. I remember that it was better than some of Lackey's more slapdash work in the late '90s, but that is about all I can tell you.

[PeterWilliam]

I suggested it more for the writing. Carol Berg, as a female author, is underrated. Not as badly as Elizabeth Moon, IMO, but underrated none-the-less. Also, as a female author, she has male characters that are far more believable than many male authors' female characters. Also, the pace for Rai-kirah really seemed to fit what NickeeCoco was looking for.

[NickeeCoco]

Mercedes Lackey's By the Sword is slightly older and has a story very similar to the Deed of Paksenarrion (charting the history and rise of a female professional soldier). I remember it being a pretty quick read, with what drum-banging there was being in the direction of gender/LGBT equality issues. I haven't read it in like ten years, though, so I can't vouch for the quality of the writing. I remember that it was better than some of Lackey's more slapdash work in the late '90s, but that is about all I can tell you.

I read Lackey, along with Katherine Kerr, a lot when I was a "tweener" and early teen, so from about '93-95. I tried to re-read some of her stuff a few years ago, but I have to admit it didn't really appeal to me anymore. There was a lot of cliche stuff and "easy fixes". I forget the book, but I remember once there was a female who went to some society that lived in trees and gardens. She couldn't speak their language, but she managed to meld minds with a doe (?) and learned the language that way. That just didn't sit right with me and put me off from Lackey. I think that sort of thing is sloppy writing. I don't remember the By the Sword series/book, though. I like a lot of feminist stuff that doesn't have gender equality. Take Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale, for instance. But thank you.

Well, since you really enjoyed Elizabeth Moon, at least as much as I did, perhaps we've got some parallel tastes here. If so, try Carol Berg's Rai-kirah trilogy.

I'll look into it. Thanks.

[sithren]

I would agree that Prince of Nothing by Bakker and Godless World by Ruckley is a darker and grim series. Both series are completed.

Still on the fence on PoN but I did enjoy Godless World quite a bit.

I just finished reading the Godless World series. I hadn't read any fantasy in about 10 years (from what I can remember) and this series was great. I had only picked up the first out of curiosity in an airport.

Would anyone have anymore suggestions for something similar? Something dark, and light on the magic side of things?

Also, something that has intrigued me for a while are the books by Conn Iggulden...are they worth reading?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Great forum, by the way.

[DurzoBlint]

I just finished reading the Godless World series. I hadn't read any fantasy in about 10 years (from what I can remember) and this series was great. I had only picked up the first out of curiosity in an airport.

Would anyone have anymore suggestions for something similar? Something dark, and light on the magic side of things?

Also, something that has intrigued me for a while are the books by Conn Iggulden...are they worth reading?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Great forum, by the way.

I've read almost all of Iggulden's books and I really liked them a great deal. He bends history a bit to work in his story lines but, it is rather trivial in the grand scheme of things. I liked his Emperor series more than his Lord of the Bow series. But both were quite good and I recommend them both.

For less magic I would say Nights of Villjamur by Mark Newton, The second novel is due out soon and I enjoyed the book. A series which I have on the horizon is George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series I hear it doesn't have much magic in his world and is loosely based on the history of the War of Roses. The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie has some magic in it but it is mostly gritty and a very fun read. I am a few hundred pages in Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and there isn't much magic in his world and it is a really good read so far

If you want dark then I would suggest the Prince of Nothing Series by Scott Bakker. It has magic in it through out and is very dark. He is also started a follow up trilogy and is one 1 (?) book into the Aspect Emperor trilogy. If its anything like PoN then it should be quite bleak as well.

While it is on my to read pile I think The Black Company by Glen Cook might also fit the novels in the dark category but, I haven't read it so maybe someone else can jump in and tell you whether I am right or wrong on that last one.

Hope this helps. Hopefully, someone else will jump in and help you with a few more titles and correct me where they feel I am wrong.

[sithren]

I've read almost all of Iggulden's books and I really liked them a great deal. He bends history a bit to work in his story lines but, it is rather trivial in the grand scheme of things. I liked his Emperor series more than his Lord of the Bow series. But both were quite good and I recommend them both.

For less magic I would say Nights of Villjamur by Mark Newton, The second novel is due out soon and I enjoyed the book. A series which I have on the horizon is George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series I hear it doesn't have much magic in his world and is loosely based on the history of the War of Roses. The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie has some magic in it but it is mostly gritty and a very fun read. I am a few hundred pages in Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch and there isn't much magic in his world and it is a really good read so far

If you want dark then I would suggest the Prince of Nothing Series by Scott Bakker. It has magic in it through out and is very dark. He is also started a follow up trilogy and is one 1 (?) book into the Aspect Emperor trilogy. If its anything like PoN then it should be quite bleak as well.

While it is on my to read pile I think The Black Company by Glen Cook might also fit the novels in the dark category but, I haven't read it so maybe someone else can jump in and tell you whether I am right or wrong on that last one.

Hope this helps. Hopefully, someone else will jump in and help you with a few more titles and correct me where they feel I am wrong.

Great, thanks DurzoBlint. This will give me a lot to look into. I've always been curious about Iggulden's novels. Also, I've read good things about Martin too, so I think I may start with either one. Too bad time is hard to come by these days.

[Seak]

I started reading Stephen King a long time ago and love his creations!!

I have read and enjoyed so many of his books!

I see Hobbit has given his point of view that you should read The stand first...but I on the other hand prefer you begin with The Talisman!! hahaha!!
Yes...both Peter Straub and Stephen King collaborated on this great book, and I truly find it to be one of the better reads all around!

Sorry to disagree with you Hobbit...hahaha!! But I will say the Stand is still a magnificent piece of writing!!

His epitaph, of course, is the Dark Tower series and you will really enjoy this!!

have fun reading, Shayna

I went with the Stand and couldn't keep going about a quarter into it. It just didn't get me. I guess I should have followed your advice. and Hobbit's for that matter and picked a shorter one.

Thanks for your help!

[L_E_E]

Hi all. I like RA Salvatore's Drizzt. I enjoyed the books where he is the main character. I enjoyed reading about this unique race.

I am looking for books where the main character is a drow, preferrably an anti-hero type of character. Any recs?

thanks!

[Seak]

Hey L E E

I would recommend The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie starting with The Blade Itself. Full of anti-heroes. There's this one character who I know i would despise if I met on the street, but I can't help but root for him throughout the book.

Lies of Locke Lamora is another great one. This is about a group of thieves (among other things) that call themselves the Gentlemen Bastards. That alone got me reading the book.

I can't recommend these enough, and I know if you tool around the site you'll find there are a few people in the forum that agree.

[tyriseus]

I just heard about this site yesterday and thought I'd check it out. I'm quite impressed already with what you have here - I may have just discovered another great way to avoid work.

Fantasy has enthralled me for nearly twenty years but only in the last few years have I really befome infatuated with it. Further, in January I finally worked up the guts to try and write my own first book. While I've always been an avid reader in the last while I've begun to read fantasy nearly exclusively. Part of my motivation was to read as many writers of the genre as I could to try - well to be blunt, to try and make sure my book doesn't suck. Anyway, in the last few months I read myself out of my familiar authors, and hit the web to try and find new ones. So far, this site seems to have the best info I've found. There are a lot of recommendations for author's I have not heard of and it is evident that there are a number of individuals who have truly delved far deeper into the genre than I. (Alas why did I waste all that time reading Tolstoy, Clavell and their ilk when I could have been reading fantasy?) I'm looking forward to tracking down some of these gems.

Inro aside the one series I'd recommend above all would be Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenent. It was my introduction into the realm of fantasy and for that it has a special place in my heart. (I'm actually in the midst of re-reading it now.) It may be rather wordy but it is rather unique in being built around a leper and his disbelief in the world he finds himself in. I could say a lot more but I'm pretty sure a work like this has been discussed extensively here already.

Sorry for the longer post - cheers.

[nquixote]

Here's my Amazon list of undrrated sf/f books. Included are:

The Lyonesse Trilogy
The Dark Border
Mordant's Need
The Cycle of Fire
The Death Gate Cycle

[DurzoBlint]

Here's my Amazon list of undrrated sf/f books. Included are:

The Lyonesse Trilogy
The Dark Border
Mordant's Need
The Cycle of Fire
The Death Gate Cycle

The Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman bring back old memories. I believe I still have them all in hardback in my parents attic. Zifnab AKA Fizbin is still a favorite character of mine.

[Evil Agent]

I went with the Stand and couldn't keep going about a quarter into it. It just didn't get me. I guess I should have followed your advice. and Hobbit's for that matter and picked a shorter one.

Thanks for your help!

I finally read the Stand, about two years ago... and although it had some pretty epic elements, I found it quite disappointing. What an unnecessarily long slog! The beginning was the best part, and then it just became boring and pointless. I'd place it pretty low on the list of perhaps 15 King books that I've read.

I guess I should offer some recommendations in the spirit of this thread? When it comes to King, my favourites were the Dark Tower Series, Pet Sematary, Salem's Lot, and Misery.

[DurzoBlint]

I guess I should offer some recommendations in the spirit of this thread? When it comes to King, my favourites were the Dark Tower Series, Pet Sematary, Salem's Lot, and Misery.

Needful Things was also a really good book, much better than the movie.