Fantasy Recommended Reading

[Asmo]

Its Eddings himself, and some of his opinions and attitudes that I have a problem with, especially as expressed in the Rivan Codex. And now that I know those things I see them reflected in the books a lot more, which has made them less enjoyable for me. I loved them when I first read them; the appeal has lessened somewhat because of what I've learned about the author's take on things.

Can you please expand on this a bit?

Asmo

 

[Dracomeander]

I'd like to add my endorsement of Elizabeth Moon's 'Deed of Paksenarion'. It is definitely the best representation of the character of a paladin and an enjoyable read as well.

To add some books that I've enjoyed that haven't made the list yet.

David Weber's books of the Hradani.
Dave Duncan's 'A Man of his Word' tetraology.
L.E. Modesitt Jr Recluse novels which have been mentioned and his newer series the Corean Chronicles.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Anything David Weber he's a genius and will probably end up one of the best known authors of our time.

David Farlane's Runelords series
John Ringo's There Will Be Dragons, though it's cross genre kind of sci-fantasy
Hill's Cry of the Icemark
The Shadow Star Series by Clairemont

 

[PieAndDragon]

Anything by Robin Hobb
The Drenai tales by David Gemmell
A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin
Kushiel' Dart / Chosen / Avatar by Jaqueline Carey

 

[wmasters]

Well there's some great authors on that list, and some whom I can't stand as well. For my money, one of the best fantasy authors out there at the moment is K. J. Parker. He's writing his third trilogy at the moment, the previous two are both absolutely fantastic.

 

[Prince Atom]

Anything David Weber he's a genius and will probably end up one of the best known authors of our time.

Now, who is this again?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar. I'm especially fond of Exile's Honor, Exile's Valor, and By the Sword, all of which deal with people who come to the Heralds as adults, not the usual adolescents.

I'll also put a word in for Lois McMaster Bujold's books, The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and The Hallowed Hunt. Great stuff (and, by the way, if you're open to some military SF, her Miles Vorkosigan books are some of the best space opera out there).

I'll try and think of others.

TWK

 

[Priest_Sidran]

Okay, of the top of my head, here's some that will probably be enough to keep you busy for a while.

By Fritz Leiber, the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser books: Swords and Deviltry, Swords Against Deathp, Swords in the Mist, Swords Against Wizardry, Swords of Lankhmar, Swords and Ice Magic, and The Knight and Knave of Swords.

By Poul Anderson, The Broken Sword, High Crusade, Roma Mater, Galicenae, Dahut, The Dog and the Wolf, and Three Hearts and Three Lions.

By Andre Norton, her Witch World books: Witch World, Web of the Witch World, Three Against the Witch World, Warlock of the Witch World, Sorceress of the Witch World, Trey of Swords, Ware Hawk, The Gate of the Cat. (That would be a start, there are a couple dozen other books by Norton set in the Witch World).

By Robert Howard, any of his Conan stories.

By Ursula K. LeGuin, the Earthsea books: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, and The Furthest Shore. The other books in the series (Tehanu, and The Other Wind) were written much later, and have a different tone. Some people like them, others don't.

By Evangeline Walton Prince of Annwn, The Song of Rhiannon, The Children of llyr, and The island of the Mighty.

By Lloyd Alexander, the Chronicles of Prydain: The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King. Also The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain.

By Patricia McKillip, the Hed series: Riddle Master of Hed, Heir of Sea and Fire, and Harpist in the Wind. Also The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, and The Changeling Sea.

By Richard Cowper The Road to Corlay, A Dream of Kinship, and A Tapestry of Time.

By Joel Rosenberg, the Guardians of the Flame series: The Sleeping Dragon, The Sword and the Chain, The Silver Crown, The Heir Apparent, The Warrior Lives, The Road to Ehvenor, and a couple others.

By Orson Scott Card, the Alvin Journeymaker books: Seventh Son, Red Prophet, Prentice Alvin, Alvin Journeymaker, and so on.

By John Bellairs The Face in the Frost.

Some other time I'll look through my collection and see what else suggests itself to me.

Those are all good,

Adding the following,

Orson Scott Card: Hart's Hope

Belgariad, and Mellorian by David Eddings
Rhapsody, Prophecy, and Destiny by Elizabeth Haydon (along with Requim for the Sun, and Elegy for the Lost Star)
The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson
The Callisto Series by Lin Carter
The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, The Wishsong of Shannara, The Scions of Shannara, The Druid of Shannara, The Elf Queen of Shannara, The Talisman of Shannara, The First King of Shannara, and the newer series of Shannara books (The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara), By Terry Brooks
Landover Chronicles by Terry Brooks
Sailing to Sarantium, the Lion of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kaye
A Song for Arrabone by Guy Gavriel Kaye
Wizards of the Grove, By Tanya Huff
The Far Kingdoms by Alan Cole and Chris Bunch
Sabriel by Garth Nix
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen R. Lawhead
Any book by Sharon Shinn
Pern series by Anne McCafrey
Perlandria by C.S. Lewis
Tarzan (any one of the many) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Green Rider, Kristian Britain
Runelord, Brothers of the Wolf, Wizard Born, by Dave Farland
Magic of Recluse by L.E. Modeste
Bardic Voices by Mercedes Lackey
Shardik by Richard Adams
On blue Waters, and others by Gene Wolfe
Tales before Tolkien, by various (Anthology of fantasy from before Tolkiens time)
King Solomons Mines by H.Rider Haggard
Soul Singer of Tyranos by Ardath Mayhar
The Book of Venus parts 1, by Tannith Lee

 

[CCamfield]

One of the first posters mentioned Patricia McKillip. She's one of my favourite authors but to be honest the Harpist trilogy... going back and rereading it... it's obvious she was a less experienced author at the time. Her more recent books, _Od Magic_ and _The Tower At Stony Wood_, amongst others, are so beautifully written and have such a different focus from most fantasy that I found them a real delight.

A couple of other books that ought to be mentioned...

_Bridge of Birds_ by Barry Hughart, a rolllicking Chinese fantasy novel, A+++.

_The High House_, by James Stoddard. The author draws on some early pre-Tolkien writers for inspiration about a house that extends across multiple worlds and seems to have infinite size, actually. Not an A+ read but I thought I'd mention it because it's a nice change from sword-swinging.

 

[Elf Witch]

I don't think any list without mentioning Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series is complete.

They are my favorite books of all time. And I know that back in the days of 2e dragon magazine introduced the deryni power into the game it was the forerunner of psionics.

 

[Heckler]

I didn't notice if anyone montioned the "Sanctuary" series yet.

I'll second Rosenberg's "Guardians of the Flame."

Also Zelazny's "Chronicles of Amber," as well as a series he wrote with Robert Sheckley:
"Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming"
"If at Faust you Don't Succeed"
"A Farce to be Reckoned With"