Why have all the fanesy books i've read on recommendation from enworld sucked?

[Assenpfeffer]

Re: Re: Why have all the fanesy books i've read on recommendation from enworld sucked?

What? No one extolling the virtues of John Norman's Gor books?

You know, the first few (6, I think) were reasonably successful in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom stories. With a BDSM subtext, but you could ignore that if you tried.

Then, about book 7, the subtext took over and the writing, never a strong point of the books, got even worse, driving the whole thing into the toilet. A shame, really - there was actual potential displayed in books 4 and 5..

 

[Pielorinho]

Guy Gavriel Kay is fantastic. My personal favorites were Sailing to Sarantium and its sequel (whose name I forget). Really interesting stuff.

And again, I'll point out that I'm a Jordan-hater who loves Martin, as is my fiancee, so it's not too weird an idea.

Daniel

 

[KnowTheToe]

Okay, you liked Magician by Fiest, how about any of his other books?

Try Fairy Tale by Fiest. It is not fantasy, but it is an awsome book. IMO his best writing by far. The characters are interesting and the concepts are pretty cool. The basis of the story is how fairy tales/ folk lore came into existance and the dangers they still present to the world. I have yet to recommend this to anyone who did not think it was fantastic.

 

[KnowTheToe]

I am also going to jump on the band wagon not to recommend Martin. While his series is excellent, he has not committed to an ending and if there are 3 more books, you have to wait 6 years to get conclusion, by then you have lost the feel of the story and have to reread the books several times. While rereading the books is enjoyable, you lose some of the magic because you know what is coming up and a large part of my enjoyment of the series is the surprises and twists in characters as their world changes around them from the ravages of war.

 

[Fast Learner]

I'm jumping on the "hate Jordan, love Martin" bandwagon. I can't even imagine how anyone would consider them similar. Jordan's character's are at best one dimensional, where Martin's are at least three dimensional.

I also was quite disappointed with Cook's Black Company, again due to one- to two-dimensional characters (and because true mercenaries suck, as having no morals is inexcusable).

Martin rocks, as does Mielville (at least Perdido Street Station).

 

[Pielorinho]

I'm jumping on the "hate Jordan, love Martin" bandwagon. I can't even imagine how anyone would consider them similar. Jordan's character's are at best one dimensional, where Martin's are at least three dimensional.

Yeah, my favorite character, Dany, exists in thirteen dimensions .

Daniel

 

[Bob Aberton]

I'll say something about the GRRM books (Mind you I've only read Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings...).

Some people have said that they do not like the books that much because good guys die and generally (at least so far) the bad guys win.

I'm pretty much a bleeding heart myself, and I was pretty downhearted when, for example,

SPOILERS


















I WARNED YOU









Eddard Stark dies, or when Winterfell is burned.








BUT,

I think it is the mark of good literature (not just a good fantasy story) that I actually care enough for the characters to feel as though I lost a friend when one of them died (usually horribly and tortuously).

If you don't like it when the Bad Guys win and the Good Guys either die horribly or kill someone else in a horrible fashion, maybe the series isn't for you.

BUT they are excellent books overall. If you enjoy, say, Greek tragedy-style literature, GRRM's books may be your kind of story.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I just finished reading Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy, and man was I impressed. It so did not end like I thought it was going to. I also read the first novel of The Tawny Man (entitled Fool's Errand and let me tell you, I almost cried at one point in the book. She writes the tragic hero VERY well, IMO. She also characterizes personal relationships very well, something that IMO not too many authors do.

As for recommending George R.R. Martin, I'd say give it a try (as I would with anything). Worse comes to worse, you hate it, no biggie. I'm of the opinion that reading is never a waste of time, regardless of what it is.

I've been thinking a lot about Jordan, and I think I've finally nailed on why his writing bugs me so much. I think that he does indeed have talent, but he doesn't use it's full potential. There are some scenes later in the series that I thought were really good - the end of the ninth book comes to mind. But overall I think he doesn't use his potential in his writing, or just doesn't care. Oh, and he needs to start writing his women like real people.

Ooh, personal writing theory: writing as the opposite gender isn't particularly hard, because in most ways men and women are the same. There are some underlying psychological differences between the two genders, true, but ultimately if you just forget about the gender of the person you're writing and just write them as a human, you'll do fine.

 

[Eosin the Red]

First to answer the original question: I would suggest sticking with what you like - Some decent suggestions abound. I would not recommend GRRM to you. I don't think you will grok.


I like GRRM and RJ for different reasons and they tell different stories. I am getting to where I enjoy the rants from people about the series. I look at WoT like I look at Babylon5 - if it lasts 30 years, I will be happy. I look forward to reading book 20 [if there is a book 20].

I do find it funny that you would mention that how easy it is to write from a woman's perspective. I can't even figure out why my own wife behaves the way she does, much less some of the more cryptic women I have met. Don't even get me started on my daughter. I think you are making light of something that you do not understand well - psychological, physiological, social, needs strata, hierarchy. Go out and read an issue of Cosmo, women are not just like men but with *****.


Having said that, GRRM rocks on toast. His characters are much more ambigious than RJ ~ but that is as much a product of the stories being told as the writer. The charcters in WoT would not survive one year in GRRMs Westeros, but the characters from Westeros would not be able to survive in WoT either [if they did it would be as Darkfriends]. Apples to Apples, not Oranges to Apples.

 

[Olive]

I just finished reading Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy, and man was I impressed. It so did not end like I thought it was going to. I also read the first novel of The Tawny Man (entitled Fool's Errand and let me tell you, I almost cried at one point in the book. She writes the tragic hero VERY well, IMO. She also characterizes personal relationships very well, something that IMO not too many authors do.

i really reallt recomend reading the liveship traders series before reading the second book in the tawny man series. really do. everything will make more sense. i didn't and then wished i had...