Fantasy Books

[deejayvee]

Hello all,

 

As we now have a forum dedicated to non-canabis books, I thought I'd start a topic on my favourite genre: fantasy.

 

I picked up the first two books of Traci Harding's Ancient Future yesterday for $18 and from what I've read so far, while the story seems quite good, it does appear to be a fairly simplistic writing style. But as I'm a medieval history nut and it's set in the Dark Ages I'm enjoying it so far.

 

Other authors I recommend would be:

 

Ian Irvine - His View From the Mirror series was fantastic and the Well of Echoes is great so far.

Raymond E Feist - This is probably my favourite fantasy world. With characters like Jimmy the Hand, Arutha, Pug and of course Mara I cannot get enough of these books.

Robert Jordan - If you've ever been into fantasy, you've probably started reading the Wheel of Time series. Many people give up during the first book, but if you persevere it's a wonderfully detailed series.

Jack Whyte - The Camulod Chronicles perhaps aren't quite fantasy, but like Traci Harding's series it is set in Dark Ages Britain. However, this is the story of how the Arthur legend came to being, rather than the tale of Arthur. It's an excellent read, with some of the best millitary elements I've read in fantasy.

JRR Tolkein - I won't bother saying any more about the father of Modern Fantasy.

 

I've read plenty of others that I've enjoyed, but they'd be my favourites. I really enjoy reading fantasy when I'm baked as it allows your imagination to run a bit wild.

 

I imagine I'm not the only stoner who digs fantasy, so who else does, and what recommendations do you have??

[Guest Wilderbud]

I love fantasy. I think Ive mentioned my favourites so Ill just mention my most favourite [non-sexual] fantasy novel - The Dimensioneers by Doris Piserchia [finally checked the spelling]. Storm Lord by Tanith Lee is my favourite [part-sexual] fantasy novel and I love most of the Silverberg [you know the ones] fantasies. Day of the Triffids, The Sheep Look Up and other Fantasy+SciFi novels are also favourites [fantasy doesnt have to have dragons of course - its a ride].

[Guest FLOWER]

Hi deejayvee,

 

I used to read a lot of Fantasy novels, it is definently my favorite .

 

My opinion on a the best fantasy writer is David Eddings .

 

 

I also have the first 3 books of Traci Harding's that i picked up and haven't got round to reading yet (Thanks for reminding me )

 

 

FLOWER

[TUGBOAT]

What about Clive Barker. I've read quite a few of his books. Most peeps think he is a horror writer due to his commercial success with the Hellraiser series, which were later turned into movies. The dude has an unbelievable imagination. And has a long list of work.

 

Recommendations: (by this author)

 

Imajica, Weaveworld & The Great and Secret Show. All very entertaining although Imajica is a bit of an epic.

 

He can be very verbose at times but I find his books are usually a great read.

 

There are others I could mention but they don't really fit into the fantasy category.

[Luke Skywalker]

I just finished reading Robin Hobb's Fools' Fate.

 

If you want a real Fantasy read, check out the books in these series, as she's written something far beyond what most would credit as a standard Fantasy realm. Makes David and Leigh Eddings look wooden and childish.

 

The Farseer Trilogy, Liveship Traders trilogy and The Tawny Man trilogy. Great books. I could not recommend them higher. I was practically in tears by the end of it.

 

But yeah, The belgariad and the Mallorean had a place in my heart once, another good writer of fantasy is Stephen Donaldson, with the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, 1 and 2, as well as the Mordants Need series. He also wrote a good Sci-Fi series , "The Gap", but that's for another thread.

[deejayvee]

If you want a real Fantasy read, check out the books in these series, as she's written something far beyond what most would credit as a standard Fantasy realm.

I read the Farseer trilogy, and to be honest the ending annoyed me quite a bit so I didn't go on to the Liveship Traders.

 

However, I did pick up Fool's Errand and enjoyed it so I might go back and finish this trilogy.

[Luke Skywalker]

Read liveship traders first, it's set in a different world south of the farseer kingdom.

 

Trust me, read the liveship books, you won't regret it. And yeah, the fools errand continues, Fitz is far from finished in his adventures by the end of the first series.

[dirty]

i am not a huge fantasy buff, but I have read a few a david gemmels books and thought they were pretty basic but cool

[expansion]

Do you all think that some of these books could have been made into one rather than three plus epics?

Sometimes I wonder if it's all just for money. I found Eddings got a bit same-ish after the first few thousand pages!

i'm going to start a new thread on fav single fantasy book.

[nakkas]

i love fantasy novel but eversince reading the raymod e fiest novels nothing compares imo,cant find a book that keeps my intrest after i read his series.read them about 10 times each !