Fantasy Epics (Ones to read, ones to steer clear of)

[Shanoncia]

Nay friend... nothing could dampen the quality of the story! You miss my point entirely. It's neither the beginning or the ending of a story that makes it great. It's the setting, the people, the culture, the sacrifices, the bravery, the endurance, the suffering, the selflessness... it's the great qualities of heros that most men so rarely have an opportunity to let fly in this controlled day in age. An army of smurfs can't change who Moiraine was, the heart of Logain, the amazing history of the Aes Sedai... and so on.

[Eurytus]

Originally posted by Shanoncia
Nay friend... nothing could dampen the quality of the story! You miss my point entirely. It's neither the beginning or the ending of a story that makes it great.

In its most simple form a story contains a beginning, a middle and an end. It generally needs all three to be good for the story to work.

Or are you saying that you have never had a story ruined by a bad ending?

[LUKEDAWG]

I have to disagree (which I do ever so often), I believe the conclusion of a story or epic for that matter, plays a huge role in how I judge a story's quality. Wrapping up a story is one of the most difficult things for an author to do, which is pretty apparent in the latter mentioned authors. When I look at a conclusion it gives me a new perspective on the middle and beginning portions, and it can tarnish or embellish.

Have read Orson Card's Enders game, which was fantastic (I hear they're in the process of making it a movie) but I haven't read his Alvin Maker series yet, is it fantasy or sci-fi. His clean style kind of puts me off a little, but great work nonetheless.

Tried to get a hold of Jv Jones...what was it...something Dark Cavern, to get a jump on that series, but unfortunately it's out of print. Sounds like a great story, too bad it's out of print though.

Amantee, glad to hear you're reading the Serpent Saga, awesome series, might I suggest after u finish those up you take a look at his Empire series (a trilogy), written in collaboration with Janny Wurts. It takes a look at the world on the other side of the rift in Kelewan and I personally feel it was even better than the Riftwar.

[Rhaegar]

To the creator of this thread: if you are indeed unimpressed by Martin's series I can not help you at all. Sorry.

[AManatee]

Originally posted by LUKEDAWG
Amantee, glad to hear you're reading the Serpent Saga, awesome series, might I suggest after u finish those up you take a look at his Empire series (a trilogy), written in collaboration with Janny Wurts. It takes a look at the world on the other side of the rift in Kelewan and I personally feel it was even better than the Riftwar.

Yeah, I plan on reading all of his works. I've read a few authors. Feist impressed me the most. I dont even know why... I think he puts the characters on such personal levels.

[Vladimir]

Originally posted by AManatee
Thank you for the comments.

As far as Feist is concerned... you really need to start with Magician: Apprentice. If you did that.. nevermind. lol

now there is an overrated book if I ever saw one..

you should, of course. read Steven Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen... It don't get more epic than that

[AManatee]

I didn't think it was overrated I loved it. Opinions are opinions.

I will definately give Malazan Book of the Fallen a gool look. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Shanoncia]

Originally posted by Eurytus

In its most simple form a story contains a beginning, a middle and an end. It generally needs all three to be good for the story to work.

Or are you saying that you have never had a story ruined by a bad ending?

Sorry but I simply cannot agree. When does an epic start? There is so much history in Martin's world. In reading we do not only scope onward from Rand as young man, nay we reach way back into the depths of the darkest and brightest times. How then can you judge there to be a beginning? When the world was created? Nay... how cameith the creator himself? Certainly just because we have a beginning and an end doesn't mean a God or creator must. And where does the story end? If you are truely moved by a story you certainly will consider the after effects and what will come of you dear written friends and there world. After the Dark One is gone, then what? Who will take his place? And how long will the hero's be remembered and exhulted before they fade to rarely embraced myth? Nya a true story, imo friend, has no beginning or end... like the true essence of life.

[Keyoke]

We are straying off topic, and I'm a lil worried that some tempers may flare in this thread.

Just a friendly warning to keep cool heads.


Thanks!

Back to my lurking now.

Keyoke

[LUKEDAWG]

Sorry but I was unimpressed by Martin's series unfortunatly. though it is notorized and ravd about to say the lest. Just found too many characters thrown into the mix at once, and I didn't reallly care about the characteres either, maybe I'lll eventuallly give it another go-around. I hear a lot about Erickson, but I hear it's extremely mjuvenile (liike young adult kind of stuff) is this the case?

[ChrisW]

Shan made a typo(I tink). Insert Jordan where she put Martin. Not that it matters.

I hear a lot about Erickson, but I hear it's extremely mjuvenile (liike young adult kind of stuff) is this the case?

Umm you have been listening to the wrong people. Simple answer is no.

[Eurytus]

Originally posted by Shanoncia


Nya a true story, imo friend, has no beginning or end... like the true essence of life.

Go to a writing course, pick up a book on writing skills, talk to any editor or agent.

I think you will find that stories generally are considered to have a beginning, middle and end.

All the archaic language you want to use in your posts does not change that. And I will repeat that no story can be termed the "greatest of all time" when he has not even been completed yet.

[Ilnaulro]

Erikson's work is most assuredly not juvenile. Without going into too much detail, it is exciting, fascinating, deeply involving, infuriating, moving and funny in a grand scale. Can't really say fairer than that.
You can't have everything, as they say, for where would you put it all?

[ChrisW]

Eurytus, could you atleast try to be an amusing ass instead of a pompous one.

Yeah yeah Mods, no need to tell me to keep it civil, delete if you must

[Eurytus]

Caldazar, you can call me pompous if you like (I will wear it as a badge of honour) but since I was being factually correct then that is just your opinion and as such, means little to me.