Book Nerds, Please Help!

[satindesire]

I have finally exhausted our bookshelf and E-Reader of fantasy novels. I need book suggestions!

I'm extremely fond of dark/high fantasy and sci-fi. I really enjoyed the Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman, the Black Jewels novels by Anne Bishop, the Halo series of books (written by Eric Nylund, Joseph Staten, Greg Bear and William C. Dietz), and the Harry Potter series greatly, and any books with that sort of fantasy "tone" is a-okay with me!

I also like Anne Mcaffery, Laurell K. Hamilton, Madeleine L'Engle, Neil Gaiman, and Ray Bradbury. But I need fresh blood!

Can someone give a girl a hand?

 

[IrisAlthea]

Have you read Ursula le Guin?

 

[redwingsgirl]

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

 

[knot_sweet]

Brent Weeks is my current personal favourite.

David Gemmell is good for a short, but absorbing, read.

Terry Pratchett is my go to guy when I need a well crafted giggle.

I found Raymond Feist's Empire trilogy a good read too.


Today I'm working through the Hunger Games trilogy. And not regretting it.


ETA. Steer clear of the Terry Goodkind series. It has moments of great reading but you have to slog through pages of shit to get them.

Also forgot to add a couple of other good reads: Ben Elton's work is usually pretty good.

Shadows Fall I reread from time to time, mostly for the talking teddy.

,Second Angel is great for sci fi nerds who don't mind a bi of futuristic technical jargon.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Le Guin and Jordan are both good choices.

You might also want to look at the "Wayfarer Redemption Series" by Sara Douglass.

And if you haven't read the "Song of Ice and Fire" ("Game of Thrones") series by George R. R. Martin... they're not completely fantasy, more sword-and-sorceror, heavy on the sword, my partner and I both loved them, and the HBO series which so far has been pretty faithful to the books. Unfortunately, only the first five (of a planned seven) books have been completed.

 

[L8tnIt]

Piers Anthony's Xanth series has had me entertained for years. So far, I have successfully collected over 30 of his paperbacks

 

[Red Sonja]

Piers Anthony's Xanth series has had me entertained for years. So far, I have successfully collected over 30 of his paperbacks

Yes... and the Blue Adept series, not to mention the Incarnations of Immortality series. Highly, highly recommend!!

 

[satindesire]

Thaaaaank you all!!

 

[Ember_on_ice]

Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's Kelita series (The Copper Crown is the first one I read, but you could start with The Hawk's Gray Feather).

Mercedes Lackey has a great series - start with Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall and then just go from there.

If you don't mind stories more geared for younger audiences, you might try Lloyd Alexander's Book of Three series. They were some of the first fantasy stories I read and really laid the foundation for a lifetime of loving the genre.

Also in the young-adult section is Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. My fifth grade teacher read this aloud to us in weekly installments, and I still want to go back and thank her.

Jennifer Roberson has a good series that starts with Sword Dancer.

If you're into actual mythology and folklore, check out Evangeline Walton's version of The Mabinogion, which are ancient Welsh tales.

One of my favorite series' of all time is by Adrienne Martine-Barnes. They're sort of hard to find, though the final volume is available on kindle. Since the first three are not, this seems kind of weird. Anyway, they're The Fire Sword, The Crystal Sword, The Rainbow Sword, and The Sea Sword.

Of course, you must read Marion Zimmer Bradley if you haven't already. If you're at all into King Arthur tales, The Mists of Avalon is THE book, the one you will compare all others against.

Have fun!

 

[IrisAlthea]

If you don't mind stories more geared for younger audiences, you might try Lloyd Alexander's Book of Three series. They were some of the first fantasy stories I read and really laid the foundation for a lifetime of loving the genre.

Also in the young-adult section is Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. My fifth grade teacher read this aloud to us in weekly installments, and I still want to go back and thank her.

Have fun!

I loved those books so much. Thanks for reminding me!
Katharine Kerr might be worth a look too, if you like Tolkien.

 

[NikiCole]

Gregory Maguire Wicked, Son of a Witch etc.... They are really good if you are an Oz fan.
Anne Bishop - Black Jewels <you have mentioned> but have you read Sebastion and Belladonna? Very, Very good. Also Pillars of the World
If you want romance type, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dark Hunters series.
Christine Feehan - more romance but with a paranormal twist
Terry Brooks - Sword of Shannara series
And yes, I will include Stephanie Meyer but only The Host, I cannot even bring myself to talk about her vampires.... I am a fan of the "walk in the dark, burn in the light" vampires.

I have the Sookie Stackhouse series too on flash along with the Game of Thrones I can send you.


Everyone else has already popped in with the other part of my library. I am re-reading through Stephen King novels now....

 

[midwestyankee]

Try reading everything out there by an entirely new author and type of book instead. Consider it your own fantasy adventure. My suggestion: Thomas Pynchon. Begin with The Crying of Lot 49. He's a little bit like Kubrick in that he takes on a different genre with almost every new book. Another, somewhat similar writer in that he wanders through genres like a hipster goes through coffee shops, is T. Coraghessan Boyle.

 

[cfuhrer]

Try reading everything out there by an entirely new author and type of book instead. Consider it your own fantasy adventure. My suggestion: Thomas Pynchon. Begin with The Crying of Lot 49. He's a little bit like Kubrick in that he takes on a different genre with almost every new book. Another, somewhat similar writer in that he wanders through genres like a hipster goes through coffee shops, is T. Coraghessan Boyle.

I was going to recommend "The Blind Connamera" by CW Anderson.

Just because I'm feeling cheeky and wanted to send everyone a-googling just to find out a Connamera has nothing at all to do with fantasy or sci-fi literature.

 

[MatthewVett]

I second Terry Pratchett. Not only is he an amazing writer, but he and Neil Gaiman have written a novel together, too, so if you like one, you'll probably like the other, in my experience.

 

[Babyslave]

I'd like to throw in a suggestion if I may. It's not widely available, though I did find it on Amazons Kindle e-books.

I was never a fan of fantasy or science fiction, and credit my ex for insisting I read this series. Since then, I've expanded into other writers. A few mentioned here are now favorites of mine. I adore Ursula LeGuin.

Anyhow....

Jack Vance's - Lyonesse Trilogy
- Lyonesse (sometimes titled Suldrun's Garden)
- The Green Pearl
- Madouc

 

[rosco rathbone]

I'd like to throw in a suggestion if I may. It's not widely available, though I did find it on Amazons Kindle e-books.

I was never a fan of fantasy or science fiction, and credit my ex for insisting I read this series. Since then, I've expanded into other writers. A few mentioned here are now favorites of mine. I adore Ursula LeGuin.

Anyhow....

Jack Vance's - Lyonesse Trilogy
- Lyonesse (sometimes titled Suldrun's Garden)
- The Green Pearl
- Madouc

Best fantasy writer in the world. Dying Earth is even better.

Lyonnesse trilogy, Demon Princes series, Dying Earth...just the tip of the iceberg of his greatness.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Gene Wolfe's "Urth" series...incredibly good, very influenced by Vance but without the dry irony.

 

[Babyslave]

Best fantasy writer in the world. Dying Earth is even better.

Lyonnesse trilogy, Demon Princes series, Dying Earth...just the tip of the iceberg of his greatness.

And here I thought folks would say... Jack who??
Thanks for the tip. I'll be checking out your recommendation.

 

[lovecraft68]

One of my favorite series is David Eddings The Belgariad.

5 books

Pawn of Prophecy
Queen of Sorcery
Magician's Gambit
Castle of Wizardry
Enchanters end game.

Very well done and a bit lighthearted, no sex, or profanity just a good engaging story.

However be warned Edding's went to the well too many times and came out with a 5 books series The Mallorean I have not yet met one person who enjoyed it, it was strictly a cash cow and destroyed everything cool about the first series.

If you want a bit more depressing and darker you can't go wrong with Stephen R Donaldson's 1st and 2nd Thomas Covenant series.

Series one
Lord Foul's Bane
The Illearth War
Power that Preserves

series 2
Wounded land
The one tree
White Gold Wielder

You could get away with reading the 2nd series without the first it gives a different POV and explains as it goes its also the better of the two.

again sadly nothing can be left alone and there is a thirs series that I gave up on after the second book

 

[daikarasu]

First off, I LOVE your tastes, they are fabulous.

If you want a good fantasy read, well, you've heard of "The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy" I assume? Well, the book trilogy is an amazing read.

I also highly recommend the "Codex Alera" series by Jim butcher, and "The Dresden Files" by him as well.

I would also recommend the wayferer redemption trilogy by sara douglas.

I have a lot more things to recommend, but right there is a LOT of reading to do.

 

[SirTrucker]

I would definitely say The Wheel of Time series by Robert jordon and also The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. And anything by Brandon Sanderson.

 

[satindesire]

I tried the Wheel of Time series and found it dragged too much for my tastes. I'm sorry if that offends WoT fans! Don't kill me!

I have read the Hitchhiker's series, thank you!

I appreciate all the suggestions!

 

[SinisterSpiders]

Kate Forsyth, Jennifer Falon, George R. R. Martin, David Farland, Rick Riordan, John Flannagan...

Out of those I'd most highly reccommend Kate Forsyth and David Farland! Also, I am desperate to read Robin Hobb.

And from what I've heard Brent Weeks, Lian Hearn are good too.

Sorry about the crazy list I used to work in a bookshop and I love fantasy!

 

[rosco rathbone]

And here I thought folks would say... Jack who??
Thanks for the tip. I'll be checking out your recommendation.

Jack Vance is one of the three greatest living American authors. If you loved one book and haven't read the rest, I envy you. I wish I could have that experience of first discovering them over and over. His level of inventiveness stuns me every time I read him.

If you're a fantasy person, read the Dying Earth books first.

My personal favorites are the Demon Princes books, which are sort of a fantasy/"science fiction" mix with a lot of dry irony, social commentary and Borgesian pseudo-learned footnoting.

 

[Button_eyes]

If you enjoyed the Harry Potter series, and don't mind stuff that's aimed at a slightly younger audience, I can't recommend the Skullduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy highly enough. Absolutely brilliant- I read them back to back, and am impatiently waiting for the next one to be released.