What should I read?

[ASH]

Okay, so I am waiting for the next book in A song of ice and fire, Wheel of time, and Harry Potter. I have read all the DragonLance novels, as well as the deathgate cycle...

I just finished the Chronicles of Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy...

What do some of you suggest I read next? Based on the above list of books that I have read and enjoyed...

I have a decent amount of down time to read, so I am looking. Any suggestions..?

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson has just been released in the US.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/104-2208913-7951914?v=glance&s=books

The first 4 (5?) books are available in the UK and Canada as well.

 

[Merlion]

The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K LeGuin, The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle, anything by Stephen King, anything by David and Leigh Eddings (The Belgariad/Mallorean and the Elenium/Tamuli are the ones I am really familiar with, they have a couple of stand alone novels as well)

Terry Brook's Shannara or Landover series. Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time/A Wind in the Door/ A Swiftly Tilting Planet/Many Waters...

 

[Tetsubo]

I was always a fan of Eddings.

If you'd like to venture into SF I can recommend Perry, Hamilton and Swann.

One book I think every gamer should read is The Hero With A Thousand Faces. It's non-fiction but it gives you great information on creating mythic story lines.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Based on what you've already read, I'd also suggest Eddings. Start with his first series, the Belgariad. If you like that, he (and his wife) have a variety of books in the series you can try.

If you're in the mood to try an anti-hero, get Stephen Donaldson's first chronicles of Thomas Convenant, the Unbeliever (Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth War, and The Power that Preserves). Warning, this is not light fiction.

Consider Gordon R. Dickson's The Dragon and the George. Kind of silly, it's good, fun fantasy. If you like it, there are another half-dozen or so books in the series.

I'll second LeGuin's Earthesea series: A Wizard of Earthsea, Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore. Warning: she's written more in this series past these three books, but has completely changed the tone in the later stories. Many long-time fans of the series hate the newer stuff (I haven't read those yet).

Katherine Kurtz' Deryni Chronicles: Deryni Rising, Deryni Checkmate, High Deryni. If you like those, she's written a lot of other books in the series.

Katherine Kerr's Westlands books. Start with Daggerspell.

Not many people have heard of her, but I really like Susan Dexter's stuff. Try The Ring of Allaire, The Sword of Calandra, and The Mountains of Channadran.

Juanita Coulson's The Death God's Citadel and The Web of Wizardry. An interesting story of heroes who aren't perfect, but are still heroes.

Not really fantasy, but I like them: Anne McCaffery's dragonriders of Pern books. Either start with Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon for the central story. Or start with Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, and Dragondrums for a more personal story set in Pern.

 

[CCamfield]

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson has just been released in the US.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/104-2208913-7951914?v=glance&s=books

The first 4 (5?) books are available in the UK and Canada as well.

5 The fifth is Midnight Tides. I've got it sitting on a shelf... waiting for the right moment to read it.

 

[Kaledor]

I've always been really partial to Melanie Rawn's Drangon Prince and Dragon Star series. There are a total of 6 books split into two trilogies. I think it's very epic and has a lot of fantasy elements. A fairly in depth history (explained over the course of the series) and a very interesting magic system -- I'd call it unique just because I haven't run into anything like it before. Most importantly, I think she has an incredible sense of character -- very real and believable, with flaws and personalities etc.

 

[janta]

Glen Cook's Black Company series
Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books (I'm not sure what the publication order is -- start with Magic's Pawn or Arrows of the Queen)
Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures (humorous fantasy)
Lois McMaster Bujold's Curse of Chalion
Raymond Feist's Riftwar Saga (first one is Magician: Apprentice -- you can hear the dice rolling!)
Jacqueline Carey -- Kushiel's Dart (though it's definitely a "TV-MA" sort of book)
Terry Pratchett -- the Discworld series (I think he's easily one of the finest writers around; start with Guards! Guards! or Wyrd Sisters )

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Off to inspect my library!

--Janta

 

[Halivar]

If you want synergy between reading and gaming time, the following book series all make me went to roll up chracters and/orcampaign worlds. So, my top 5 all time fantasy series, of which you should pick up ONE or ALL FIVE:

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (obligatory; everyone should read it once a year)
2. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (VERY LONG; set aside a couple months for it)
3. The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny (not everyone's cup o' tea; too complex for some)
4. The Dark Tower by Stephen King (western/fantasy/horror/sci-fi)
5. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (they look like kid's books if you don't know better)

Of course, if the idea of reading the eleven books of RJ's WoT doesn't daunt you, consider picking up L. Ron Hubbard's Mission: Earth series, as well. It's not fantasy, but it's a fun read.

 

[Phaedrus]

My absolute favorites (on my "read 'em again" list):
1. Tolkien
2. C.S. Lewis
3. David Gemmell... anything he writes.
4. L.E. Modesitt, Saga of Recluse. 11 books, and the 12th just came out. I haven't read the Soprano Sorceress series yet (soon!)
5. David Eddings (the character dialog is the best, if you like humor). I like the Elenium/Tamuli over Belgariad/Mallorean, but both series are excellent.
6. Terry Goodkind (he's a bit preachy in his underlying Randian philosophy, but I don't mind it since I agree with it)

Not to anger any fans out there, but I find Jordan to be a bit wordy. Still an enjoyable read, but he's not my favorite.