Any Decent Fantasy Novels?

[nikolai]

Any suggestions? I used to read quite a bit of fantasy literature, but stopped for a couple of years. It's the sort of thing I like in theory, but in practice most of it's rubbish. I want help finding the decent stuff that's out there among the dross and thought I'd consult the collective wisdom of the board.

Recently I've read A Song of Ice and Fire and was very impressed (in fact it's that which got me casting about for more fantasy stuff). I've also read one of Robin Hoob's books, Fool's Errand which I though was okay, but not spectacular. I've also looked at, and given up on, Magician by Raymond E. Feist, which I though was a truely aweful piece of work.

nikolai.

P.S. I'm not interested in David Gemmel or Eddings, getting sick of their stuff put me off fantasy in the first place.

 

[Lady Mer]

Well, almost certainly someone will mention the Wheel of Time. I'm not such a fan, but the first three books are pretty good. Just pretend the series stops there.

I also suggest the King's Blades series by Dave Duncan. (The Golden Chain, Lord of the Fire Lands and Sky of Swords.)

 

[Dark Jezter]

I always recommend Robert E Howard's Conan tales to people looking for good fantasy to read. Unfortunately, they have been out of print for a long time in the United States. You might want to check your local library for them, or you could do like I did and order them from Amazon.co.uk, which sells The Conan Chronicles; a two-volume set that contains all of Robert E Howard's Conan stories, completely unedited.

Just make sure you order the ones by Robert E. Howard and NOT Robert Jordan. In fact, I'll post the links for you here...

The Conan Chronicles Volume 1: The People of the Black Circle
The Conan Chronicles Volume 2: The Hour of the Dragon.

Howard's Conan tales are some of the most influental fantasy tales ever written, and were even a major influence on the creators of D&D back in the early 1970s. I recommend them to all serious fans of fantasy.

 

[drothgery]

Well, almost certainly someone will mention the Wheel of Time. I'm not such a fan, but the first three books are pretty good. Just pretend the series stops there.

The first seven books, and book nine are pretty good (heck, books 4, 5, and 7 are excellent). So's the New Spring novella in Legends. But book eight is painful to read, and nothing happens in book ten.

Anyway, if you like Song of Ice and Fire, I'm guessing that you like your fantasy on the grim-n-gritty side, so Erikson's Tales of Mazalan the Fallen books (start with Gardens of the Moon) or Glen Cook's Black Company books (starting with The Black Company, of course) might be worht checking out.

If you're willing to give Hobb another chance, pick up Assassin's Apprentice (and if you like it finish the trilogy, and the read the Liveship traders books before re-reading Fool's Errand and going to Golden Fool). It's kind of difficult to just jump into Hobb with the Tawny Man series.

But my recommendation these days is Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos books (start with Jhereg, though you might have to get the The Book of Jhereg ominbus, which is the first three). An assassin with a wisecracking familiar is usually fun, and each book stands pretty well on its own.

 

[jdavis]

The Saga of Recluse Books by L E Modesitt, jr

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville (fantasy with a bit of steampunk thrown in, set in a big gritty urban university setting. Not traditional heroic quest fantasy, but great characters and story)
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (my fiance LOVED this series, and she usually hates fantasy of any kind)

 

[Hand of Evil]

Any Gregory Keys stuff.

William Kings Gotrek & Felix novels - Warhammer stories

Gimon Green's Hawk and Fisher is fair if standard .

 

[Mark]

If you want to go with some D&D novels, and like to read with your tongue planted firmly in cheek, look for those by Paul Kidd...

 

[Claude Raines]

I highly recommend "The Deed of Paksenarrion" by Elizabeth Moon. This is actually three books in an omnibus edition and is in my opinion the best example of a paladin in fantasy literature.

 

[Olive]

I'll echo the Robin Hood suggestion. Do read them in order as it will make a lot more sense.

I also thought that Perido Street Station was excellent. BTW I'm with you, I think a lot of fantasy is junk, but loved the GRRM stuff. If you hated MAgician, then do not, by any means, pick up anty of his other work. Magician is by far the best of them.