Fantasy Book suggestions

[Matchstick]

I'd second the Riddle of Stars recommendation in RainofSteel's post. Fantastic books, not long, but with exceptional characters and a wonderful setting.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I also highly recommend Peter S. Beagle. Try this collection that he edited: Amazon

I love Beagle. His stuff was great (and definitely didn't meander).

 

[Zaukrie]

If you like dialogue, Lies of Lock Lamoria and Brust's books are can't miss books. But, neither is exactly "good guys" vs "bad guys". Very entertaining, fast paced, and character interaction (and action) are what these are about. Lies will, someday, be a movie.

 

[Tamlyn]

Seriously - take a look at Plague of Shadows by Howard Andrew Jones. It was a very fun read. I just wish it was a multi-part series instead of a stand-alone novel!

"You must spread XP around..."

HAJ has posted a prequel short story on Paizo's Web Fiction page. It gives a good taste for his style. This one is definitely on my short list.

 

[Ahzad]

Glen Cook's Garret P.I. series they are short, and great fun to read. A hard boiled detective in a fantasy city, again super fun reads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_P.I.

 

[Dioltach]

Lies will, someday, be a movie.

I know they're too old for the parts, but otherwise I'd love to see Daniel Craig as Locke and Daragh O'Malley (Harper from the Sharpe series) as Jean Tannen.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Glen Cook's Garret P.I. series they are short, and great fun to read. A hard boiled detective in a fantasy city, again super fun reads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_P.I.

I enjoyed the Silver Pigs, so I think this will appeal to me.

 

[Matchstick]

Glen Cook's Garret P.I. series they are short, and great fun to read. A hard boiled detective in a fantasy city, again super fun reads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_P.I.

Good grief, what a tasteful community this is! First "Riddle of Stars" which I consider to be one of the best non-tolkien series ever, yet it's seemingly not very well known. Now the Garrett books which I think are better than Cook's Black Company series (which is very good)! I LOVE mixed genre books, and Garrett's fantasy/mysteries are excellent with a classic main character, fantastic (in most senses of the word) supporting characters, and a dynamic and colorful setting.

Fantastic taste and recommendations!

I enjoyed the Silver Pigs, so I think this will appeal to me.

Silver Pigs is great, in fact she keeps that story going well for a good number of books. I like Garrett better than Falco, though both are great, and Garrett's friends and setting are superior IMO. Both series are very good!

 

[drothgery]

The Vlad Taltos books by Steven Brust fit your criteria to a T. Start with Jhereg, though note that the series is not done yet, and is not written in chronological order. If this bothers you, you may want to wait for it to be done.

FWIW, the Dragaera books aren't a multi-volume single story ala The Wheel of Time; they're largely self-contained (though later books do sometimes contain spoilers or hints at spoilers for earlier books, even if they're set mostly earlier in the chronology). I don't know that the series will ever be 'done' unless Brust dies or otherwise decides he's not going to write any more of them.

 

[Matchstick]

FWIW, the Dragaera books aren't a multi-volume single story ala The Wheel of Time; they're largely self-contained (though later books do sometimes contain spoilers or hints at spoilers for earlier books, even if they're set mostly earlier in the chronology). I don't know that the series will ever be 'done' unless Brust dies or otherwise decides he's not going to write any more of them.

They're also of a little more varying quality than some other series. Jhereg and Yendi are by far the best, and Teckla is the worst IMO. The rest, and there's quite a few, run the gamut between those highs and lows.

What Dragaera has is a setting that's really excellent. I don't think the characters are as strong as in some books, but wow that setting is just compelling.

I really like reading Brust, he just doesn't always deliver for me.