Looking For New Author To Read

[Simon Collins]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far - I'm making a list of all the ones that sound appealing to keep me going for the next good while. My top three to try I think are Stephen Brust, Lois McMaster Bujold and Jennifer Fallon.
But I'm definitely going to pick up The Lies of Locke Lamora too - what 'age' is it set in, roughly? And The Drawing of the Dark looks fun too.

Re: Mercedes Lackey. Thanks for the link, Hypersmurf. OK, romantic fantasy - I've read Tamora Pierce, Kristen Britain and Elizabeth Lynn, all of whom I enjoyed without being over-thrilled by. Is she any better?

Jim Butcher's Alera Codex may well be worth a look, but Lustbader will definitely not go on my list - not my cup of tea at all, sorry.

Re: Poul Anderson. I did read a couple of his books a good few years ago and forgot to add him to my list - again, enjoyed without loving them. Thanks though.

Also, just to reiterate a couple of my caveats as there seems to be some misunderstanding still - no RPG spin-offs (no Weis, Hickman, PN Elrod, Keith Baker, etc.) and no sci-fi (not even cross-overs - I think Sean Russell's duologies may be in this area from the reviews I read??). I'm not saying there aren't decent books in these genres, just that I have no interest in them at the present time.

I suppose I should also add that any historical fantasies, where the emphasis is on history over fantasy, I prefer early medieval or earlier (e.g. Arthurian, Viking, Rome) and mainly don't like post-medieval (e.g. Renaissance, Napoleonic, Victorian). Modern fantasy (e.g. de Lint, Holdstock) is fine (I'll check out the two Powers' books mmu1 recommended, for example) but I prefer links into Arthurian and Celtic mythology over other stuff.

Thanks again for all the recommendations - please feel free to make more.

 

[Simon Collins]

I'll also recommend Brust. But I'm going to suggest starting with the Phoenix Guards novel instead of the Taltos stuff. Set in the same world, but earlier in the history. It can be a bit slow at times, but the way he writes it shows off the English language like nothing I've read before or since.

I'm now in two minds - I love great use of language, but I hate a slow plot. If I really wanted to get hooked on Brust, would I not be better starting with the Taltos books?

 

[Klaus]

If you like historic fantasy, try Steven Pressfield's book Gates of Fire, covering the Thermopylae.

 

[Simon Collins]

If you like historic fantasy, try Steven Pressfield's book Gates of Fire, covering the Thermopylae.

Is this the book that will be the basis of the film 'Three Hundred'? Looks good, though David Gemmell already did an excellent total fantasy version of the same thing.

 

[Shane_Leahy]

Harry Turtledove and his Misplaced Legion series.

The basic premise is a Roman Legion is magically transported to a fantasy world and have to learn how to live there. It is a nice way to introduce the reader to the world through the eyes of the Romans.

He has a few series in the same world but taking place at different times, and by different times I mean 100's of years.

 

[Enforcer]

Is this the book that will be the basis of the film 'Three Hundred'? Looks good, though David Gemmell already did an excellent total fantasy version of the same thing.

The movie 300 is based off of Frank Miller's comic depicting the battle.

 

[Simon Collins]

The movie 300 is based off of Frank Miller's comic depicting the battle.

Oh, I had noticed that film rights had been sold for the Pressville book, so presumed this must be it. Very interesting!

 

[jonathan swift]

I'm now in two minds - I love great use of language, but I hate a slow plot. If I really wanted to get hooked on Brust, would I not be better starting with the Taltos books?

Perhaps. I've read both and like both. While the Taltos novels move quicker, as they are shorter, the text seems to flow faster in the Khaavren Romances (Phoenix Guards and it's sequels). Either way it is simply great stuff.

 

[mmu1]

I'm now in two minds - I love great use of language, but I hate a slow plot. If I really wanted to get hooked on Brust, would I not be better starting with the Taltos books?

I think the easiest way to resolve this is for you to answer this: Do you like Alexandre Dumas? Have you read and enjoyed The Three Musketeers?

The Phoenix Guards books are Brust's homage to Dumas, and while they're in no way, shape or form simply a ripoff or a fantasy re-hash of the Musketeer novels, they're very heavily influenced by Dumas stylistically. I think that they stand well enough on their own that even someone not crazy about Dumas ought to give them a look - on the other hand, if you explicitly dislike Dumas' stuff, they're probably not the books for you.

The Taltos books, on the other hand, use a completely modern writing style, and are - in my opinion - a much faster read. Taltos, Dragon and Jhereg are also fairly short books, at under 300 pages, so you can find out if you like Brust rather quickly if you pick up one up.

Oh yeah - if you do decide you like Brust, then also check out his Agyar - it's a really good modern vampire story.

 

[RaceBannon42]

A real world equivelent to the settings in The Lies of Locke Lamora would be Renessiance era Venice.

If you enjoy Historical Fantasy give The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford a shot. Its set during the time of Richard the third, and contains a backdrop that includes the Medicis the Byzantine Empire, and the War of the Roses. Ford is Brilliant, although the ending seemed a bit abrupt to me.