Fantasy - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Bartleby · 06-21-2003, 07:55 PM

I'd have to agree with Jukeboxhero on Jordan. His first four books or so were excellent in both character development and plot, but his later books seem too bogged down with subplots, and regurgitated information that only really serves to fill his pockets while stretching out the life of the series.

On another note, Check out R.A. Salvatore's Demon Wars series. While I'm normally not a big fan of the creator of Drizz't D'Urden, these books really show how much better a writer he can be when he isn't restricted by someone else's setting.

Bobthegreatjohn · 08-19-2003, 10:10 PM

George RR martins Song of ice and fire is definitly on the top of my list

followed by jordan of course. (his books seem to becoming better quality slowly). Read the first one....they keep getting better until just around "the shadow rising".

In a world of its own, is the entire DUNE (frank herbert) series...possibly the weirdest thing...part sci-fi...part fantasy...and juust all out weird. (with this goes enders game as already mentioned).

David eddings, its a bit of a younger adult sorta thing, and i havent read it in a long long long time....but its something htat most people still hold respect for and like. Theres something fun about them.

(on a note of books i didnt like: i hated RA salavatores the demon wars cycle....and tad williams was good...but wasnt up to par with his "dragon bone throne" or whatever it was)

L.E. Modsitt Jr: has a series of books called "the magic of recluce" the first one being called "the magic of recluce", and then "the towers of sunset". These books do need to be read in order.

Terry pratchet is always a good read if your out for something fantasy, but yet hilarious, that makes fun of all good fantasy writers. You can read his (23ish books) in any order, just read, "the color of magic" first, followed by "the light fantastic" and then go from tehre whichever ones interest you.

Iv started stephen kings Gunslinger books lately...their....very different. cant really give my oppinion on them yet.

If you get realliy really desperate, the sword of truth series by Terry Goodkind, is an exellent example of a standard book "boy lives on farm, boy is no one, boy kills off evil father, boy wins and becomes kind master of everything". well its not quiet that...but it has a very....choppy predictable feel about it. (more so than wheel of time)....so its far from good...but its better than say salvatore i think. but thats just me.

Karen · 08-20-2003, 12:51 PM

I completely agree with the consensus on Robert Jordan. I was a HUGE fan of the wheel of time up until about book 5, then I tried to read further and just couldn't take it anymore. I think there's still some interesting stuff going on in that series, but he's determined to stretch into fifteen books what he could probably do in 7 or 8.

Furthermore, I think the series pretty much reaches it's height around "The Dragon Reborn". It's great when you can root for the characters while they're ascending to power, but once they all become ultra-ultra powerful (and every character from the beginning does), they become pretty much unsympathetic. I cannot stand Rand al'thor anymore.

End vent.

My favorite fantasy author is probably Terry Pratchett. A lot of people read the Discworld series and then say "Oh, he's the parody guy", but every once and a while when he plays it straight, his stories are capable of much greater poigniancy than I've seen from any other author in the genre. For an example, try "Reaper Man" and "Guards, Guards".

"Sword of Truth" was a decent diversion, but I think that was pretty much a one-book series. As previously stated, it's just too predictable.

Jukeboxhero · 08-20-2003, 05:27 PM

In defense of mr Goodkind I have enjoyed the Sword of truth series immensly(?sp) I have on my bookskelf every title including the new one. Whilst The hero does always win its a different win each time.

and not quite boy lifes on farm etc. now that would sum up the wheel of time.

lemon · 08-20-2003, 06:37 PM

Anybody ever read any of Neil Gaiman's novels? They're weird and VERY different from the usual fantasy stuff. My favorite book of his is Neverwhere, which is being made into a movie, and has one of the weirdest and most original plots in fantasy literature. Just wondering if anyone else on this forum knows what I'm talking about.

Karen · 08-21-2003, 02:07 PM

I enjoyed Neverwhere.......Door was a great character^^.

Also, if you like Gaiman, then you probably already know this, but "Good Omens", his colloborative novel with Terry Pratchett, was really good. Kind of like wha the movie "Dogma" would have been like if it was actually well-written.

I've really gotta hunt down more of Gaiman's work, everything that I've read by him so far, I've really liked, but I know that I've only scratched the surface.

Jukeboxhero · 08-21-2003, 02:30 PM

loved neverwhere

Kitten Courna · 08-24-2003, 10:26 AM

Maybe I beat the "favorite author" dead horse a bit, but I still recommend to all of you, Steven Brust. Short, indeed, finish them in a matter of hours, but a talented writer who is doing exactly as he wants to do.

-Kitten

Annie Insight · 09-03-2003, 10:44 PM

I absolutely love Mercedes Lackey. I've read most of the Valdemar books, starting with the "Arrow" series. Actually, the library doesn't have what I haven't read, so I think next week I'll see if I can't go down to the local bookstore and just read for an afternoon...or better yet, save up my money and buy 'em! I've read some of the trilogies...I just can't get over the role of the horse-like Companions! They are so cool, and I really enjoy the way they get along with the people in the story.

I also like Tamora Peirce...haven't read much of her, though. Has anyone been to her official website? Very well done, and her bio is fantasmarrific!

My boyfriend loves Anne McCaffrey...he's always telling me about the "Pern" series and how much he loves the dragonriders. I haven't read anything by her...yet!

He told me about this book that he thought was really awesome...it's called "Malady of Magick". Anyone heard of it? I want to see if that one's at the library because it sounds like it would be a good read...

CopyMaster · 09-05-2003, 01:48 AM

Three words (more like two but three sounds better, how do you count the "K."?): Philip K. Dick

Two words: Patrick O'Leary

L.E. Modessit, Jr.
Robert Jordan,
Orson Scott Card,
Gene Wolfe,
You get the picture...

Fantasy/Sci-Fi with a slightly different twist by the first two, and last one, possibly second to last as well

Modessit: Recluce is an interesting concept, twists the notions of color associations of good and evil on their heads, writing is a bit childish in some parts, too much onomatopoeia (BOOM, BANG, WHHUFF, if you've read it you'll understand) but the ideas and plots are excellent and almost a little too realistic, scary thought indeed

Have to agree with other posts on Jordan though:
Wheel of Time 1-6: awesome
Wheel of Time 7-??: cannon fodder

Enjoy!

Farror · 09-10-2003, 03:44 PM

Robet Jordan all the way! Altghough the books are tending to slow down, think of how potentially action packed the eleventh book could be. Also, somem of this detail is quite important and I really doubt that jordans readers would be satisfied if he stopped too soon. Think of the THOUSANDS of loose ends there would be!

Melter · 11-01-2003, 07:09 PM

Any chance I get to mention fave fantasy and I will always put The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake in there. This trilogy lives and breathes characters. And you're given humour, drama, sadness, horror, excitement, and lots more thrown in for good measure.

For those mentioning Neil Gaiman you should check out the Sandman graphic novels if you haven't already. They really show how good a writer this guy is.

Sneaky · 11-10-2003, 01:09 PM

I am a bif fan of Katherine Kurtz and her Deryni Series. Medieval Fantasy mixed with magic.

And of course David Gemmell and Alan Dean Fosters Spellsinger Series. Dito Tanya Huff. Thats enough

Allusearna · 12-06-2003, 05:02 PM

I love Robin Hobb. She’s written three trilogies under that name. Her characters are so detailed and alive, the books really are character driven. By that, I mean if the characters were a little different, just a little, she would have ended up with a totally different plot. (The Plots are brilliant as well) My favorite trilogy was the first one, the Farseer Trilogy.

Also, Tracy Harding. She’s an Australian author (my sister had dinner with her a few months ago. Apparently she’s really nice and my sis got her autograph, saying it was real nice meeting my sis and that ‘we’ll have to do dinner some other time’)
Basically it starts with Tory, a black belt who’s stranded due to her car breaking down, as it’s late she decided to sleep in a stone circle till morning, and wakes up in the 6th Centaury. There’s two trilogies, though I haven’t finished the second as my stupid sister is hogging the 2nd book… but It’s real great. A lot of time travel and past and future reincarnations that you’ve got remember (there are tables, so it’s not TOOO confusing) and there’s even a few nice time loops J quite a lot of mythology too, with Taliesin and the Goddess and later on more Gods and Goddesses, and Gwynn ap Nudd.

As for David Eddings, I used to be a fan, though they never once made my cry (unlike the past two author’s books) but they did make me laugh a few times. But I would advise anyone not to read too many of his books, or you will realize they all have basically the same plot with the same characters but have different names and are set in a different world. They get really predictable, more than they were in the beginning.

I like Tad Williams, especially the memory, Sorrow and Thorn series, but I wouldn’t HIGHLY recommend them, I’ve found better authors since then.

MikeM · 12-09-2003, 04:45 AM

uh, Tolkein...