Who is Jennifer Fallon like?

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Ash

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After finishing Scot Bakkers excellent Prince of Nothing Books, I find that i'm at a loss for Fantasy books to read. A friend of mine mentioned Jennifer Fallon, so I was wondering who she was similar to thematically and stylistically.

I have to admit to having some trouble reading fantasy by women, I’m sure it’s a gross generalization, but of the ones I have read very few have grabbed me. I kind of like Hobb, but I’m a little bored of her and I rather like JV Jones, but that’s about it.

I’m a big fan of the epic hard edged fantasy works, like the aforementioned Bakker and the likes of Martin and Paul Kearney.
 
While I have enjoyed The Demon Child Trilogy and the Second Sons Trilogy (awaiting the UK release of her next series) and have become quite a fan of Jennifer Fallon's work... however it sounds like it might not be for you.

I've not yet read Bakker (on my ever growing to read list) nor have I read anything by Martin and I've never even heard of Kearney so I can't really compare.... But I think I know the type of fantasy you mean when you say "hard edged" and while Fallon is enjoyable I wouldn't describe her as hard edged.

Some describe her as the Australian Eddings, a comparison which will allure some and repulse others!

I'm going to guess you've already read Steven Erikson? If not, give him a try - he sounds to your tastes.
 
Ash said:
After finishing Scot Bakkers excellent Prince of Nothing Books, I find that i'm at a loss for Fantasy books to read. A friend of mine mentioned Jennifer Fallon, so I was wondering who she was similar to thematically and stylistically.

I have to admit to having some trouble reading fantasy by women, I’m sure it’s a gross generalization, but of the ones I have read very few have grabbed me. I kind of like Hobb, but I’m a little bored of her and I rather like JV Jones, but that’s about it.

I’m a big fan of the epic hard edged fantasy works, like the aforementioned Bakker and the likes of Martin and Paul Kearney.
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Hello Ash. It looks like you have very similar taste in books to me. I loved the Prince of Nothing books 1 & 2, and felt a bit bereft when I had to figure out what to read next. If you like hard edged fantasy works then Wulfa Jones is right, Erikson is a good place to go especially if you liked Martin. Erikson is a little dense for me (I only read Gardens of the Moon and have the rest gathering dust on my bookshelf at the moment), but certainly as hard edged as you can get. If you aren't bothered about reading a series, then Guy Gavriel Kay is probably one of the best writers around, though not hard edged by a long way.
With regards to Jennifer Fallon, I found the Second Son trilogy an excellent read. My only query was that it was not as complex as it should have been bearing in mind the plot. But that was not a major grumble. I haven't got on with Medalon quite so well, and understand this to be a fairly common thing. I read both male and female sci fi and fantasy books, but if you want to get over the whole gender issue, try Lois McMaster Bujold. The Curse of the Chalion is the first of an excellent trilogy, well written, not quite so epic as fantasy goes, but her writing style is quite a marvel. And if you want to go into the extreme with hard edged, try Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover, testosterone oozes from it.
 
I wouldn't say she's an Eddings at all - the does her a definite disservice...but she's no Erikson, or Bakker either.

Middle of the range type - intricate plotting, prone to romance, writing style is improving (having finished her third and most enjoyable trilogy 'The Hythrun chronicles, which can be confusing because I think that in the US the Demon Child Trilogy was released as the Hythrun chronicles ~waffle~). It's essentially gentle, sometimes weak, sometimes humourous - greatly given to dialogue, not much description. Actually, I don't think she strikes a very good balance between plot/description/dialogue - she impairs the atmosphere by focusing on 'talk talk talk'. Characterisation is quite good - definite personalities, but the characters aren't particularly complex, you're good, or you're not. Dirk Provin is probably her most complex character...

If you want middle of the range, relaxing stuff - she's good.

K
 
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I wouldn't say she's an Eddings at all - the does her a definite disservice
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That depends upon you opinion of Eddings... I enjoy his earlier work and would conisder it to be a praise!

Waiting to read the The Hythrun Chronicles, but they are not out in the UK till early next year.

There is a noticeable difference between The Demon Child Trilogy and the Second Sons, a leap in quality.
 
I have only read the Demon Child series and I enjoyed it quite a bit. But I agree with others in that it is not a very complex work. My only complain is with some of the dialogue, but overall it was a good trilogy.

I plan to pick up her Second Sons trilogy and am eagerly awaiting the US release of the Hythrun trilogy.

Not sure whom I would compare her with, but not Eddings.
 
I'd like to point out that it wasn't me who said she was like David Eddings... it was something I'd heard of someone else. I can see why they would say that...

Minor Demon Child Spoilers:
Child gods - both Kalianah and Dace felt very Eddings. The whole plot of the teenager coming from speical Royal line and destined to kill a God (while used quite often in the genre - it's Eddings forte). The strength of the female characters, the way the characters where written did remind a little of Eddings after someone had pointed it out.

While not an over overwhelming case some of it did feel a little Eddings to me, but only after someone pointed it out.

Second Sons is much better, bar the very bad and garish covers of the versions I own.
 
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Wulfa_Jones said:
I'd like to point out that it wasn't me who said she was like David Eddings... it was something I'd heard of someone else. I can see why they would say that...
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Grin, I know. No matter who said it - I think it's a disservice! I've read Eddings, when I was still finding my feet in the genre years ago...I read, I think, The Ruby Throne or something trilogy. With Sparrowhawk? I liked it then. What I've heard though is that Eddings recycles plots, has characters that are carbon copies throughout each series etc. Not to mention weak(er) writing compared to other middle of the range or just plain bad authors. Given Fallon's definite improvement in her writing and her intricate plotting I feel it's a misstep to compare them.

K
 
The second sons trilogy is great (in america i think its the one that was published first but i believe it was written second).

Im indifferent to her other trilogy
 
Actually, I thought her Second Sons trilogy one was one of the best series i've read in the last couple of years. I wish i could find it in hardcover, instead of the paperback (only) copies we got here in the us.

have not read her other trilogy that just finished publishing here, though i do have the books.
 
Ash, definitely try Steven Erikson. It's big, epic, and of staggering scope. Not as good as Martin, IMO, but maybe the next best epic.

As for Eddings, what you've all heard it true. He was my intro to Fantasy, after Tolkien, and a big part of what got me hooked... but after The Elenium and Tamuli trilogies (with Sparhawk), and the Belgariad and Mallorean (with Garion), I couldn't take anymore! That's 16 books, and his newer books since then do use the exact same style of humor and character, repeatedly.
 
Yeah Second Sons was released first here in the UK as well. Then the Demon Child (the last one jas only just been released). All in paper back.

Evil Agent - You are of course (sadly) right about Eddings. I loved the Belgariad and Mallorean and The Elenium. Never took much to the Tamuli. I even have the first two books of this lastest series but really wasn't bothered enough to buy the recent one in hard back so will wait for the paper back - in the hope that he will improve!
 
Does anyone have an opinion of The Galactic Milieu Trilogy? I was going through somw stacks of books I was mailing out and I ran across one I got on the local scene Jack the Bodiless (Book I). Anyone read this?
 
The Galactic Milieu (by Julian May?) was OK. SF trilogy (telepathic humans within an alien conglomerate). It had some good characters, but i found myself getting bored by them by the end of each book. And although some interesting ideas are presented, they are streched into 10 (?) books with lots of soap opera shenanigans.

Also there were a lot of references to books in the same universe but not in the trilogy, which was annoying, and made character's motives difficult to understand. As far as i can tell, there are actually 3 series (set quite far apart).
They turn out to be sort off cyclical, but i would strongly reccomend starting with the first series. It starts with the many coloured land which is the only one thats won any awards (won the locus, nominated for hugo, nebula and a few others).

This link shows the order of publication, and groups them into the series
 
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The Galactic Milieu (by Julian May?) was OK
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Christ, I have to step away from the computer, I was looking at a May topic on another board and posted it in this one :) Thanks for the info! :)
 
Yes, get back to reading Looking for Jake (unless you've finished it - then you should be writing the review! - lol).
 
Christ, I have to step away from the computer, I was looking at a May topic on another board and posted it in this one Thanks for the info!
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I was a bit confused :) :confused:

I've never heard of Fallon (and if she anything like Eddings etc I wont be reading any soon), so thought she must have some relation to May.
 
Yes, get back to reading Looking for Jake (unless you've finished it - then you should be writing the review! - lol).
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I have been doen with it just trying to catch up on reviews - i just read faster than I am inclined to write reviews and gettining behind Looking for Jake is a few reviews down the road after Coronation, Orphans of Chaos, and Learning the World, and Princess of Roumania, and a couple others I lost to a PC problem that has set me back.

Coronation just isn't inspiring me to write a review - it's like writer's block. :)
 
There is quite a lot about the Galactic Milieu in the Sci Fi section here at SFF World Jay_T, I wrote a lot about it because I think it is a marvellous series. The tale is very complex, epic I suppose. I don't know that it is space opera as I think it is a little too high brow for my concept of space opera, but if you want an engaging cast of characters, a confident writing style and a glimpse of humans as they could be I would go for it. One of my favourite series' ever I think. In trying to get back on topic, I must say that what the Galactic Milieu has the Second Son trilogy by Jennifer Fallon lacks. You believe in the ability of the family in the series, the profound intelligence of its lead characters. I didn't always get that with the Second Son Trilogy. And as an aside, I found that Julian Mays move to fantasy was a real disappointment. The Conquered Moon (forgot the exact title now) felt very amateurish. I have as usual forgotten the book it reminded me of but I had only recently read it at the time and felt it was too close in plot for scrutiny.
 
The Second Son Series is a page-turner. Very character driven books though - if you like the characters, you'll probably ending up liking the books. There isn't much else there in them to catch hold of your eye otherwise. And they are 'fantasy' in the way 'Swordspoint' is. What I liked best (and worst) about the books were,










SPOILERS






the way romantic entaglements were handled. We really don't know till the end who Dirk's love interest REALLY is. Though I have to say that I was bitterly disappointed by Krish's ultimate fate. The romantic in me would have liked him to patch up his difference with Allie and get back together. And Nellie being set up as the heir was rather trite... oh well. Also, psuedo-evil! Dirk reminded me of a watered down version of Gerald Tarrant - more endearing but stripped off Tarrent's officious charm and personality.

Favorite character was probably Allie followed by Tia and Dirk.

I'll agree with Severn about the ballance between talk and description. I am hard-pressed to think of a single rememberable feature from her world - apart from the generic 'tunnel/lybrainth' thing.
 
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