Is "A Song of Ice and Fire" the best epic fantasy since "The Lord of the Rings"?

[Tumbler]

Sara Douglass's "The Wayfarer Redemption" and the books that followed brought me back to fantasy when I had pretty much dropped everything else. A beginning, middle, and end. Interesting cultures with a clear backstory, arthurian themes, a protagonist who is already a huge success (instead of an emotionally screwed up outcast). Actually, he has to become an emotionally screwed up outcast in order to begin his quest.

 

[The Other Librarian]

Double Post

 

[KnowTheToe]

He is less than halfway done and is 8 real years into the writing. For that reason alone, I say no. Keeping with the trend there will be 16 years between the sale of the first book and the last book in the series. IMO, that is way too long.

I enjoy the books, but probably will not read anymore of them until the series is done. By the time the series is done, I probably won't care.

 

[Acid_crash]

I can only speak of my own opinion, but of all the fantasy series I have read, I think that one of the better ones was the first Chronicles trilogy for Dragonlance and the War of the Lance. I thought that was pretty good storytelling and would make a damn good movies series.

I really like ASoIaF, but I like Wheel of Time more and that is one of my personal favorites. I think when Martin finishes his books and Jordan finishes his books, I will decide which I like more but I'm not too sure.

It's really hard to say which is best, I mean, Lord of the Rings has what, a 90 year head start (or something close to that) on the rest of these authors, so it's really hard to compare, especially with book series' that aren't finished yet.

 

[Mystery Man]

I really like ASoIaF, but I like Wheel of Time more and that is one of my personal favorites. I think when Martin finishes his books and Jordan finishes his books, I will decide which I like more but I'm not too sure.

You first have to assume the Jordan is ever going to finish his series.

 

[Pants]

You first have to assume the Jordan is ever going to finish his series.

2 books left he says.
If you want to believe that...

 

[Banshee16]

Tad Williams - Memory Sorrow and Thorn. He wrote 3 and then he was done. Great series.

I'm in agreement here....I consider Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn a close second to LotR..

Banshee

 

[barsoomcore]

I couldn't be bothered finishing Martin's first book. THIS is what passes for good writing nowadays, I guess.

Fantasy is so over-stuffed with people who just can't write solid prose.

Tolkien could. The Lord of the Rings is filled some of the greatest English prose in the 20th century. I'll put Eowyn vs. the Witchking (or even better, Eomer's discovery of his sister's body) up against ANY writer in the last 100 years.

Gene Wolfe can. Ursula K Leguin can. Steven Brust is a great, great master. Steven Erickson is tremendously imaginative. As is Michael Moorcock. And Glen Cook has a gift for fascinating voices.

George Martin is dull. And he's not a very good prose stylist.

You don't want to know what I think about Robert Jordan.

 

[Squire James]

Tolkien is certainly #1 in the "most often imitated" category, so I think at least a few people thought he wrote a good set of books! As for "Song of Fire & Ice", I'm not too eager to crown the baby King before it completely separates from Mother, if you know what I mean. It has started out well, but - dare I say it? - so did Jordan.

Still, a book can be one of the greatest that was ever written, and it's still okay not to like it. That's why other books exist, after all!

 

[Felonious Ntent]

I'm in agreement here....I consider Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn a close second to LotR..

Banshee

I don't know. I realy wish I could remember converstaions between a friend and I years ago when we read the series. we thought it was decent but it realy only amounted to 3 novels about traveling with a bit of plot thrown in. But then as others have said taste is subjective.