/lit/ - Literature

started reading Prince of Nothing, I don't think I'm quite into it but it does have some stunning paragraphs from the beginning, haven't read anything like it

terry pratchett, every book blows my mind how good it is, it always juggles between making you laugh or cry


ASOIAF is getting boring for me because of dany's chapters in DwD


I'm halfway through the last book of The First Law Trilogy

so that's where the title "Last Argument of Kings" came from, neat
I'm too afraid to keep going to see what happens at the end, I'm expecting something bad, definitely will go on to read everything by this guy

Sanderson

read everything by him except his children books, those apparently are full of jokes and I never found his writing or the jokes in his novels funny, still very good stories overall


will check out top left and top right titles, thanks OP

>started reading Prince of Nothing, I don't think I'm quite into it but it does have some stunning paragraphs from the beginning, haven't read anything like it

Prince of Nothing is pretty interesting (though I haven't finished the first trilogy yet). It IS fairly original (if one discounts Bakker plomping the First Crusade into a fantasy setting). It's not the court politics of ASOIAF, not the gleeful genre subversion of the First Law, not the rumbustiousness of the Gentlemen Bastards series. It's sort of a bit of everything but something very different.

Must read more when I've got the time.

Nice to see Jack Vance up there. The Lyonesse trilogy is really excellent.

http://greatsfandf.com/ - great for finding out of the way and older works

>>2365907
AKA great for finding work that's actually good

down with epic fantasy

His Dark Materials trilogy is really neat.

The Castle Omnibus by Steph Swainton.

Written in the first person it's proper adult level fantasy no fucking about, doesn't pull any punches and has as its main character a drug addled immortal who can fly.

The Omnibus contains the 3 books; The Year of Our War, No Present Like Time & the Modern Age.

It is also (apparently) in the new sub genre New Weird which is a mix of sci fi, horror and fantasy, but to me it's more like hard fantasy with a lot of the gloss removed.

>>2365958

Without looking anything up about this - it sounds suspiciously edgy and urban fantasy-ish. Is it?

I've seen Black Company a few times in my local shop and have been very tempted to pick it up. Care to tell me what I might expect OP? Think I might go get it tomorrow.

>>2365963

Err not really, it's in a fantasy style world where an Emperor rules the known lands with a Ring of Immortals each the best in the world at what they do. The Immortals can be challenged and if they lose against a mortal then they leave the Ring and the mortal replaces them.

It's also got starship trooper style insects, multiple worlds and generally a lot of stuff you don't usually get in fantasy but all wrapped up in a fantasy bundle.

I have read a lot of scifi and fantasy(many hundreds probably) and it rates up there with my favourites.

>>2365256
>>2365848

I've been recommended them a few times, but when I started reading the first one I was just not into it, felt like it was trying too hard to be grimdark. Does the story pick up?

>>2365907

>Lists Tolkien and not Herbert

Yeah, nah

>>2365972

A truly excellent first trilogy. The fantasy element is on the low side - focuses on the grunts on the front of a mercenary group (the titular Black Company). Of course there are great magic users and all that but they're kept at arms length and it's about the pretty ordinary guys in the Company doing their thing. Concise, nicely written and decently wrapped up after three books.

The books after that... You can take or leave them. I'd say they're still good for a fan, but they're a bit derivative and the plotting is much more loose and the story takes a while to get going. I did enjoy them but the faults are noticeable.

>>2365993

Oh sorry, meant the First Law books.

>>2365999

The story very much picks up and the whole trilogy is an interesting subversion of many genre clichés.

And I'd say the series is gritty as opposed to grimdark.

The Lies of Locke Lamora

>>2366015

Shame Lynch has his mental issues and won't ever finish the series.

Just finished the first book of the Malazan book of the Fallen by Stephen Erickson. Very good read.

Hard to get into at first because the author doesn't even try to hold your hand but I find it highly rewarding, I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in Epic Fantasy.

>>2365995

Sounds good. The book in your picture has the first trilogy in it then I assume?

>>2366055
I've hear good things about it but the 10 book length is deterring me. Are they quick reads?

>>2366077

I read the first in a few weeks,
I'm a generally slow reader.

But the text is dense.

>>2366075

Yeah, Chronicles is the first omnibus.

>>2366077

Personally, having read the first half of the series I find the Malazan saga very hit and miss. My rule: the odd numbered books are more good than bad; the even numbered books the reverse.

Plus, one person said to me that the second half is actually worse than the first... So I really don't know whether I want to continue on with the series. Having said that, there was once some Malazan fanatic on /lit/ ranting about how it was the greatest series ever and generally 2deep.

The Death Gate Cycle - Weis & Hickman
Chronicles Of An Age Of Darkness - Hugh Cook

'90s fantasy representing.

As someone who has never read any actual Fantasy before (With the possible(?) exception of Pratchett) what would be something nice to begin with? I was considering picking up "The Blade Itself", but otherwise I have no idea.

Just finished the farseer trilogy. I really love Hobb's writing even if the MC is a little bland to me.

I'm itching for another good fantasy series that has some pretty kickass female characters too (one thing I did like about ASOIAF)

Any recommendations?

>>2366124
Best bet is to go for something popular, accessible and (if it's a series) complete. That way you have a reference point for comparison when looking for more fantasy.

>>2366124

People might say I'm trolling but you might want to give A song of Ice and Fire a try. (The Game of Thrones series).

It's a pretty good introduction to "epic" fantasy and although some of them are big, they aren't that hard of a read.

If you want more of the good vs evil classic fantasy check out The Wheel of Time.

And of course, Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit is always a good start off for fantasy.

>>2365944
Yes, his dark materials is absolutely fantastic. I first read it as young teenager, and enjoyed it then. I reread it every few years because i enjoy it so much. The story itself is pretty good, but its the philosophical and theological side to it understand and enjoy more as i re-read it.

>>2366124
Start with the Hobbit, its a nice and charming little book which tells a great story and familiarises you with the tropes of the genre.
Then go for something like A Song of Ice and Fire or joe abercrombie's stuff

Reading Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. It's slow, a little cliched, but good.
Also reading Gentlemen Bastard, It's amazing so far.
Got halfway done with DwD before putting it away for a while. Dany's chapters bore the fuck out of me.
Also, is Prince of Nothing truly worth it? I really don't want to buy another shit book.

I just got started on LOTR for the first time, after just reading the Hobbit.

I was expecting the prose to be a litte more, I don't know, colorful. It feels a bit boring. I'm enjoying the book though.

>>2366142
I'd pretty much disagree with all of that. Dude needs to bootstrap his fantasy reading with a small variety of shorter works, then trust his reader's instincts. What's good and short these days?

>>2366161

I'd just like to interject and mention that I read sci-fi and non-fiction mainly, I've just never read anything which counts as 'fantasy' for some odd reason.

>>2366160

Tolkien can get a little carried away with his descriptions in the LOTR. It took me a while to get through them because some of those chapters almost put me to sleep.

Yeah it's still a good book but it had it's downs as well.

>>2366161

Maybe it's just because I'm never really satisfied with shorter Fantasy books. Mainly because when I read fantasy I really put a lot of emphasis on character development and the layout of the world I'm reading about.

It's difficult to have significant character and plot development with shorter works.

>>2366137

One good next step is Joe Abercrombie's "Best Served Cold," which features a sort of kick-ass female as its lead.

I read it before reading the First Law trilogy and it wasn't really a hindrance. Looking back I realise there are certain references that are more relevant and have added meaning, but it's not like you'll be scratching your head wondering what the hell is going on (given it IS set in a new theatre of the First Law world, is supposed to be a stand alone novel, and all bar one of the important characters are completely new too).

Only other recommendations wouldn't be exactly what you're after. The Witches in the Discworld series (not exactly "kick-ass" in a way and barely "female"), though they are my favourites storyline.

The last couple of Earthsea novels? Very good tut they require you to read the rest of the series and it's an odd sort of fantasy series by LeGuin.

Howl's Moving Castle? It's for a younger audience and half the plot is about Howl (of course) but Sophie is great and the novel is excellent too (faaaaar better than the movie).

Can't think of much else off the top of my head.

Hey guys, which should I read next, First Law or Prince of Nothing?
I'm ordering from Amazon soon and I'd greatly appreciate the advice.

>>2366184

First Law. You should check out the audiobook, though. Stories are meant to be told.

Good and short fantasy is so tough these days (mainly because publishers want long series and tell authors to make it so).

I'd really struggle to make recommendations on that basis. The Hobbit is the only obvious one. Then maybe something like HMC mentioned above or the Discworld novels that are brief and fairly standalone? Failing that short and self-contained trilogies like the Black Company or First Law?

Unlike SF there aren't really many great short story fantasy anthologies either. Maybe the Legends ones? Based off of that, maybe hunt down the Dunk novellas? The Swords and Dark Magic anthology from last year was pretty good as well - lot of nice stories by a variety of established and new authors.

>>2366184

While I did really like the first book of TPON, which is all I've read, TFL novels are excellent all the way through. It's a really impressive début all things considered.

>>2366192
>>2366209
Thanks guys, I'm downloading the Audiobook right now, but I'll probably end up buying the books.

>>2366160

The first book is slow to get going (Tom fucking Bombadil) but it's all worth it in the end.

bump

I'm more of a S&S fan, so I'm always going to recommend R. E. Howard's Conan and KING KULL stories.
Alternatively, the Riftwar Saga is pretty good. (Although the Serpentwar Saga is downright painful by the fourth book.)

Anyone willing to offer me a multi-book High Fantasy series that isn't by GRRM? (I went through AGOT, couldn't stand it.)

WAIT

WAIT

WAIT
WAIT
WAIT

WAIT......

There are fantasy writers besides Tolkien?

>>2366124
the most basic good vs evil story is wheel of time

it's very long and some books are skippable but it is epic fantasy , but it doesn't lack grey characters

the first and the latest books are the best ones, since Sanderson is finishing the series


also Brandon Sanderson

if you want fantasy, that's your basic storyteller, Way of Kings is huge, try the Mistborn Trilogy maybe


>>2366992
the only guy you could probably accuse of having a similar story to tolkien would be robert jordan, and even his only resembles it in the scope of the books, with kingdoms and armies fighting against evil armies

Wheel of Time got me into fantasy, because of its lenght and slowing down of the story towards the end of jordan's life people either stick with it and love it or discard it and hate it

not the best writer definitely but sanderson finishing it is amazing

The Gathering Storm is probably the best in the series
People sometimes recommend here The Name of The Wind by Roffus, I read it and I have no desire whatsoever to continue with the next book, sure the world is detailed, but it's so focused on giving details of this world that the main plot is lacking, its just a faggot with too many unrealistic qualities and sheer dumb luck that dazzles his way through school; a character that is a genius from birth in more than one aspect and that becomes a legend AND a hero through sheer rumour even before leaving school- that's a fairy tale right there

try it if you want Young Adult stuff but I'd recommend The Abhorsen Trilogy, also known as The Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix, very cool world with Death Gates and banishing Undead or evil magical creatures into death, and there's also a dual world, with ww1 era on one side and a fantasy realm accross a very heavily guarded border where the dead walk

I'v read some Terry Pratchett, The two frist discworld books, and Guards! Guards!
While Im currently reading DwD, but soon finished with them. My question is would you recommend a specific Pratchett/Discworld book to start reading? Since he has written so many books my guess is that some books are better/worse.

>>2367965
read them all

I read them I think in the right order and im at pyramids

they all blow your mind

im going to read the even the worse ones

>>2367971
okay, I was at the understanding that you don't really need to read them in the order they are published, since there are "mini-series" within the Discworld series. I'v heard that those books about the witches are entertaining.

>>2366015
Is the 2nd anything like the first part of the 1st? The shift from joviality and amusement to everyone dying in 3 pages a bit too jarring and just couldn't enjoy the last half as much.

The Book of the New Sun isn't really fantasy, it's more sci–fi. But this is why "speculative fiction" is not just a bullshit category, it's just a retarded name.

>>2368028
There seem to be a lot of "magic comes back" post-apocalypse hybrid settings in 70s/80s fantasy. Dat Cold War angst.

Read The Kingkiller Chronicle. It's fucking awesome. The only problem is that the last book isn't out yet so if you're like me you'll go insane waiting to find out what the fuck happens.

In fact, if anyone can recommend a new series to tide me over until the third instalment I will love them forever. The one criteria is that I want it to be as similar as possible to Rothfuss's series. I just love it that fucking much.

>>2368065
just signing that
2 of 3 books out yet, both of them brilliant

Has anyone in here read a bunch of Wolfe and can recommend something operating on the same level? GRRM and Glen Cook can be a lot of fun, but you can't really compare them to Wolfe.

nb4 Vance

Huge ASOIAF nerd. The times are good to us with the great HBO show and GRRM pressured to release the books ahead of the show.

Here's the season 2 trailer if you haven't seen it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOzXsqoJhtE

>>2368065

I thought exactly the same thing. The Wise Man's Fear is pretty close to my favourite book ever.

Dunno what you guys are talking about, I personally think Sanderson is pretty average. I'm glad that someone is able to finish the series but he has nowhere near the same level of descriptive skill that Jordan had, a lot of the characters simply feel so flat compared to their original state, especially mat.

>>2368074
>GRRM pressured to release the books ahead of the show.
doesn't seem likely
besides, at the pace the show is going that still means at leas 3-4 years till we get the next one.

>>2367974

You should read the mini-series of each group in order, because their plots do carry on from one book to another, but it doesn't really matter if you read all the Death ones first, then the Guards or did the opposite way around.

The Witches and Guards series are definitely my favourites and I'd start with either of those.

First Law is as good as everyone says, but Prince of Nothing never really jelled with me. I've gone back to it twice so far and I've reached the part where Achamian has got his whore back, just after the barbarian and Kellhus have taken control of the army.

There's something lacking in it - for me.

For reference, I've read Feist (shame he got so bad after the Serpentwar), Tolkien (Silmarillion and Lost Tales too), Jordan (archetypes braid tugs and spankings everywhere), Gemmel (lol Thermopylae everywhere), Le Guin (nice magic system), Erikson and Esslemont (so much writing, and the end of book 9 being better then book 10 imo, Esselmont is all good though), Kerr's Deverry Cycle (good earlier books), Rothfuss and Lynch both of whom have better first books than second - Lynch's second was pretty terribad and the twist, though brilliant, just didn't make up for it.

And a lot of others, but the above are probably the best known. Haven't got to Pratchett, Hobb or GRRM as of yet, and have a shitload more on my list. So what's wrong with Prince Of Nothing?

Has anyone here read the deed of paksenarrion?

I read it when I was younger and thought it was a decent read, nothing special or anything.

Basically it's a trilogy about a girl joining an army, becoming a paladin and then getting tortured and gangraped for 5 days, described pretty graphically at times

It's safe to say that my 15 year old self didn't anticipate that last part. It was boner inducing as all hell.

Anybody here read any Andre Norton?
Some of her books are that sort of weird mix between sci-fi and fantasy.

Are their any good fantasy books written by women
Hard mode: from the last ten years
Not trying to start anything, I'm just looking for a bunch of names

>>2368251
- Ursula K. Le Guin ("Tales from Earthsea" was published in 2001)
- Lois McMaster Bujold (the last book of the Chalion cycle was published in 2005)

>>2368251
For hardmode I'd recommend Cat Valente, JV Jones and KJ Parker. They're all very different from each other. Alas, I haven't read much from the big (female) sellers of the noughts, a deficit which extends somewhat to earlier works as well, since >>2368219 has been sitting on my shelf for quite a while now.

>>2365972
really hackish pulp fantasy

>>2366015
this blew

>>2366055
fuck you this sucked balls

Stephen Donaldson wrote God tier fantasy in the Illearth War series

For me, the two books that kicked me into fantasy writing were:

1.) The Hobbit
2.) The Chronicles of Krystonia

I was only 6 at the time when I read these books and I loved the genre ever since.

>>2368251
Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell, of course.

I really like Marie Brennan's very folk tale oriented short fiction (google her website and PodCastle's audio versions). I read one of her novels "Midnight Never Come" set in Elizabethan England with a Faerie court intrigue plot, but it was slightly lacking by comparison.

>>2368324
Oh, and speaking of short fiction, everyone should read or listen to Eugie Foster's "Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast".

>>2368251
I agree with this anon:
>>2368324

It must be my favourite contemporary fantasy novel.

>>2368324
"Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell, of course."

meh

YES!
Fantasy general! This is how /lit/ should run- rather than a whole heap of squablin and trollin we can retreat to middle earth, sip mead and swap stories (authors) in the Fantasy General 10/10 op!

Here's my Fantasy writer must have list: Robin Hobb, David Eddings, China Mieville

>>2366137 looking for strong female characters- read Hobbs Liveship trader books...

>>2368181

I have to admit that I thought TDTCB while an excellent book did lack that little something. I thought it was well written, pretty original and nuanced enough.

I guess it just never quite had that "Wow!" moment where the shit really went down. I'm not a big fan of Malazan but the siege of Capustan in book three was like a, "Shit, it's ON and this is awesome."

>>2368293

Or in other words, everything in this thread

>>2368321
>reading the Hobbit aged 6
>not sure if...

>>2366137
Mistborn or Warbreaker

>>2368611
have you read the book? its for kids

>>2368611
>>2368655
A /lit/izen once tried to tell me that twelve was the right age to pick up Narnia for the first time. Twelve!

>>2368660
I know. You should wait until at least 21 for Narnia. Paddington bear is for 12.

I watched an movie adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when i was like 7 or 8

>>2366026

Lynch has done a reading of Republic of Thieves and apparently it's definitely out this year. Maybe June.

http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2012/01/scott-lynch-update_28.html

>>2368667

Lynch's short story, "In The Stacks," is excellent too. And I'm one of the few people who preferred book two of TGB series, so I'm hoping he's over his issues and we'll see more of an output from him soon.

You know guys, there's fantasy out there which doesn't suck

>>2368683

Yeah that is a cool story. Have you read any Queen of the Iron Sands? Been meaning to but my to read pile is too big at the mo.

>>2368691

such as?

>>2368181

Are you the kind of person who "roots" for characters?

so I'm on the third book in Prince of Nothing now. Its been pretty fun, but its starting to imply that the best character, Cnair, will either ally with the consult or die (or, more likely, first one then the other) at which point I will lose interest.Hopefully Bakker has better sense than to kill the most interesting character.

>>2368776

But the only interesting thing about Cnaiur is that he's homosex and that he's slowly going insane. Is there something else you like about him? He's a simple-minded brute.

>>2368786
The fact that hes the only one that doesn't beg for Kellhus's cock, and at least has (had?) potential to essentially become a Dunyain but with different motives.

Dragonlance
I loved these books and would like to read about Huma, Magus and Fistandantilus, as the story of Raistlin is already finished

Have any of you read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant?

How does it compare to PoN/The First Law/ASoIaF or if you haven't read those how good is it in general?

>>2368596

The end of book 9 (Dust of Dreams) - "Hail the Marines" - actually made my jaw drop in the context. So much emotion in that chapter, and I've read a lot of fantasy. Some has made me laugh, some has made me think, but until that line, and the full context of it, I've never been completely awed by the written word.

Erikson and Esslemont are solid, and even though Esslemont is slightly more formulaic than Erikson, I've liked reading him just as much.

>>2368761

Didn't see your question before I replied.

No, I don't root for characters. I like the characters in the Prince of Nothing well enough though, but where I'm at, it just seems so... not quite contrived, but not far off it.

It just seems to force everyone else to the extreme of stupidity and Kellhus as so godly brillliant. Also, fuck Drusas and his whore, they're so fucking boring and childish. "You walked right past me so i ran away and cried some more, boo hoo"

>>2368801

People always seem to say that Thomas is basically a dick and that never makes me keen to start reading those books.

>>2368065
>The one criteria is that I want it to be as similar as possible to Rothfuss's series.
OK, I actually have one title in mind, let's see...

parents murdered gruesomely? check
vengeance? check
all-round perfect alfa as fuck teenage schoolboy character? check
already famous? check
who also gets angsty and bitchy from time to time? check
plot armor? check
Harry Potter

>>2368827

Could this BE more bittersweet than the aftermath of Coral? Do I dare read about 5000 pages to get to this pay-off?

>>2368966

In my opinion, the aftermath of Coral was nothing compared to the end of Dust of Dreams. Another problem was, I felt the final book couldn't hold up to it, and I was right. It was still good, but not on the same level. That one line I quoted just made the entire series up to that point. It's all about context.

I'll be rereading them at some point anyways, so you should read them at least once, they shouldn't take an average reader long at all.

>>2368861

That just makes me want to read them more. A "chosen one" who happens to be a douchebag? Sign me up.

This nigga right here.

One of the best books I've ever read, not just fantasy either. Aynone else read this?

>>2366077

They're fairly contained storylines, so you can take a break every book or two.

>ctrl+f "dragonlance
>1 result
Fuck you /lit/! This is one of the greatest fantasy series of all time. I've read the first three trilogies and Summer Flame more times than I can count. Fucking love the series to death. I still laugh, rage, cheer and shed manly years even though I know exactly what happens.

Well, now I have to read the series again! Thanks for reminding me /lit/!

>>2369021

Dragonlance is the lowest tier of fantasy. Right down there with Forgotten Realms and Wheel of Time and Inheritance Cycle.

>>2369004

too bad the translations are so very mediocre

It's a VERY slavic book and even so, when I reread his works ten years after first reading them, the witcher saga is average.

For the adult fantasy reader the Narrenturm trilogy is far better but I don't know if it's been translated yet

One of my favorite things about ASOFAI was combination of the fantasy setting and the graphic depictions of sex.

Can anyone here recommend some porno fantasy for me.

>>2369005

Yeah, take a break every 2000 pages. And they're not semi self contained as each book directly leads on to the next in its theatre.

I'd say it's best to just read the first one and go from there. You'll either find enough you like to keep on going or they will be enough to put you off wanting to wade through another nine 1000+ page novels.

bump

>>2368801
TC is perhaps my favourite series in fantasydom. It is excellent. I won't rank it with the others you've mentioned, but I have read them all and liked them.

Donaldson is quite difficult to recommend sometimes as his first books are often weak. This is the case with both TC and the Gap series, but both improve exponentially afterward.

>>2369975

Are the TC books the best to start with? I've always been curious about Donaldson but am never sure what's the place to start with him. I was thinking Mordant's Need as that's just a two parter?

I'm about to read this book and the sequel before I start playing the games.

I'm hoping it'll make the games a better experience.

>>2369082
>Polluting glorious western literature with slavshit books.

>>2365256
What is Elric about OP?
Also have you tried The Abhorsen Trilogy, The desert Spear, Mistborn Trilogy, Night Angel Trilogy, The Joe Pitt Casebooks or the Night Watch series?

Not too long ago read The Nightside series and The Secret Histories series both by Simon R. Green.... the nightside series was just the just repeating "in the nightside" it got really fucking annoying..... then i decided to try Secret Histories...... stopped reading the book by page 10.

Why did /lit/ recommend me that author? I read 9 of the nightside series before i stopped part way in 10 to try book one of the secret histories..... one thing i hate about an author is when they use parts from another world they have or characters to use in another book..... i don't know if i can finish the rest of those books.....

>>2370453

Elric is a typical swords and sorcery series focusing on the wanderings of Elric, the last of his people, and his demonic sword, Stormbringer. So it's mostly a bunch of short stories about Elric going here and Elric being there and the shit he gets into.

It's a lot of fun but, as is the way, some stories are better than others, so the quality can vary a lot. But it's nice to dip in and out of, for a short burst of fantasy.

The generic "Elric" fantasy masterworks book is a decent compilation, though as I remember, half of it features the in-universe final story of Elric (which I actually don't like that much - I prefer the more pulpy adventures of Elric (Elric in the City of Beggars!)).

>>2369136
first law trilogy, you'll like it

>>2370295
I'm ashamed to admit I haven't read Mordant's Need, so I can't honestly say. If you'd like easy access to Donaldson, pick up either of his short story collections. They're quite good, but not his best (overall, some of the stories were excellent).

Most of these books /lit/ recommended some i haven't even gotten around to reading as yet.

So, some of the godmode books on my shelves not already mentioned in this thread;

Robert E Howard - The Conan Chronicles (Collected)
Fritz Leiber - The Books of Lhankmar (Collected)
Dianna Wynn Jones - The Nine Lives of Christopher Chant
also - Castle in the Air
D.M. Cornish - Monster Blood Tattoo (Series, marketed as teen fiction)
Janny Wurts - To Ride Hell's Chasm (Stand alone, and I hate the Mistwraith series)
Lyndon Hardy - Secret of the Sixth Magic (and subsequent series)
Tad Williams - The War of The Flowers (maybe not godmode but I liked)

>>2370642
..ctd

Books on my shelf already mentioned and comments;

Elizabeth Moon - Deed of Pasenarion - Very formulaic and not great writing either. I actually like her sci-fi books which are lightweght space opera and cheesy but fun, some great parts in them.
Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn Series - Good ideas and writing but he got himself into a formular plot trap.
Patrick Rothfuss - Someone already mentioned the Potter parallels but does this mean that writers can never send their characters to magic school again? I think that it transcends that issue as the story develops anyway since it is so different in other respects and is solid, well written fantasy. The last book was great and I think that this is my favorite series right now.
Raymond Feist - Has got pretty cheesy over time but the earlier books up to the end of the Serpentwar are very solid and engrossing and happily they do not end in a cliffhanger so you can leave it there.
David Eddings - Begariad/Mallorean and Sparhawk series - has not been mentioned yet, probably because they are basically G rated and he has only one plot but I have fond memories of them as a teen so they can't be that bad.
Jordan/Sanderson - Wheel of Time - While it has its flaws, you are missing out if you have not read it.
GRRM - ASoIaF - Solid Gold
Terry Pratchett - Everything by Him - Solid Gold
Erikson/Esslemont - Malazan Series - Dense, Long, Undeniably Epic. Sometimes suffers from writing about people traveling syndrome. I've just finished the last one and I have to say it was worth it but I did hit tough spots.
Robin Hobb - Meh
J.V.Jones - Also Meh

Rose of the Prophet trilogy by Weis & Hickman.

Trad fantasy young apprentice wizard dude shipwrecked on the shores of a fantastical Middle East sold into sex slavery as a woman. Bros up with a couple of nomads. Djinn, efreeti and angels everywhere. A cosmic chessgame in the heavens between Gods from different traditions/genres. Great stuff.

Villains by Necessity, by Eve Forward.
Yall niggas need to read that.

Already posted in another thread, but Clive Barker is awesome. His works are on the verge of fantasy and horror, and are amazing.

Books of blood and Weaveworld are definite to-reads.

If you guys don't mind pushing a bit into SF Michael Hick's "In Her Name" is a phenomenal series. It has some strong SF elements but it's ultimately written in a fantasy style. The Omnibus easily made my top ten SF/F.

Also nice to see a solid Fantasy thread on /lit/

And thanks whoever linked the Great SF&F site

>no mention of Dresden Files

I thought /lit/ loved this shit? I can't be the only one!

>>2371794
Its in here >>2370639
Just shows that you don't read pics huh?

bumping the best thread on /lit/

>S&S vs High Fantasy?

Darwinian fantasy

a post against DFW bullshit

>>2371970

Sorry, just did a ctrl+F and didn't find it. My bad.

Has anyone read any Janny Wurts? I've heard that that the Wars of Light and Shadow is pretty good but... then some places and people never talk about it, so I assume it's shit.

>>2373733

I found the books she split with Feist well worth the read, but I haven't read her solo books as of yet, so no help there.

I'm almost halfway into The Blade Itself, and not a single fucking thing has happened yet. When can I expect this book to get better?

I am currently in book 2 of the Night Angel series.... rape, buggery, whore, loli... everywhere... what?

>>2374154

Patience. TBH nothing "omg amazing" happens during the first half of that book. Not that I don't think everything it's building up to isn't interesting... but the first "wow" moment or whatever it is you're waiting for isn't until you first meet the Bloody Nine later on.

>>2374291
I'm glad to see someone mention this. I read it a few months ago, although I didn't find as good as i was hoping for it to be it was still a decent read.
The second book is my favorite due to a cool battle and a surprise right at the end.

>>2374291
>>2374425

I liked it up until he got neutered by his woman. Her whole storyline was just dumb.

>>2374594
.... she cut his balls off.... back to reading

>The Blade Itself.

I remember I read all three of the trilogy books a couple years ago. Killer series.

Logen Ninefingers was a bloody beast.

Abercrombie is a fantastic writer as well.

>>2374154
book 1 is bofre the "real action" but don't fret

>>2374291

these are the kind of books where the lame fantasy covers put me off reading them.

bump because a retard just asked hurr durr why doesn't lit talk about fantasy

Currently slogging through The Mists of Avalon. Only really worth reading if you've read a ton of King Arthur books and have a hard-on for female characters. So yeah, not for the greater part of /lit/.

>>2375905
You're not missing out on anything. Just another generic mediocre fantasy trilogy. I couldn't even make it past the second book.
Just have a look at the names of the places and characters in the books and you'll understand what level of writing it is.

>>2374594
Same guy here finished book 2 and reading book 3 now holy shit he married, it talks, virgin king, god king wants his daughters vag

Can anyone recommend any good books that mix fantasy and horror?

You could say every horror is kind of fantasy, but I'm talking something set in a traditional high fantasy setting, I guess.

Pic related. I fucking loved the setting of Dark Souls.

Why has nobody mentioned China Mieville yet??

- Perdido Street Station
- The Scar
- Iron Council

He's one of those rare fantasy writers who can actually go off and create his own, original world; no elves or dwarves or all the usual shit in his books. And he's got a brain the size of a building too, so he can slot everything together and make it all make sense.

>>2370642

Diana Wynne Jones died recently ;_;
If you don't know her, she was massively ripped off by JK Rowling, except that Jone's' books weren't complete shit.

She wrote the sort of books that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults but on different levels. After I heard that she'd died, I went back and re-read some of her books and was struck by their humor and subtlety. The Lives of Christopher Chant (Also published as Charmed Life) is almost Dickensian, in that you can read it as a child and puzzle along with Christopher, as he struggles to understand the corrupt and criminal conspiracy that he becomes an unwitting accomplice in; as an adult, you can read it again feeling sympathy for his naivety, as he's blatantly manipulated by the adults that he trusts. She was a GOOD writer.

>ctrl-f "Elric" and "Howard"
>only two posts of each

/lit/, I am disappoint...

>>2377004

As I type this post with one hand, I'm reading 'The Dreamthief's Daughter' in the other hand..."

Can anyone tell me just how inaccessible the "prince of nothing series" really is?

I've seen it recommended highly and it's caught my eye - but i usually only read fantasy to unwind and enjoy a some fairly easy reading.

(Though I'm prepared to put in the effort if it really is THAT GOOD)

>>2377195

Well, I've only read the first volume of TPON series and I think it's accessible. It's no Malazan saga for dumping you in the middle of everything, if that's what you're worried about. It's got the usual, vague prologue of many a fantasy series but from then on it moves forward in a straight manner.

And Bakker's writing is good so it's not some turgid mess or indecipherable babble that you have to force yourself to get through.

Can't say if the series maintains its quality but I did really like The Darkness That Comes Before and recommend people read it. I think it's well worth it.

Anyone like the Eragon series? I know they could be a bit childish, but I was hooked on the first, and I got back into them for this last one.

>>2377195
It's not inaccessible by any stretch, and I'm the guy who disliked it earlier in the thread. It's missing something for me, but maybe you'll love it. Anyway, it explains what's up and doesn't just drop you in it.

>>2377528

It is by the numbers, more than generic, and I haven't read the last book yet, but I bet it's cliched too. I literally came up with the magic system for the bad guy before I read the books (active imagination in this child), and Le Guin came up with that system in the first place, although the Big Bad did have the extra part.

Overall, it could be worse.

>>2377528

It's about as good as you'd expect a book written by a 15yr old boy to be.

Scientology is the greatest fantasy series of all time.

>>2378638
WINRAR!!

>Tolkien
Get out OP
>no Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Kill yourself OP

I would also recommend The Mabinogion by Evangelin Walton

I love Abercrombie.

>>2378644
>recommending a female author

Think you better leave too.

>>2378668
>>>/b/

>>2374154
i had the same feeling...untill out of nowhere the bloody nine fucks some dudes up near the end, and it's awesome all over your face

>>2373436
Even he's not as bad as 99% of this thread

reading the last pages of The First Law, there are no words to describe how I'm feeling

>>2378716

Shocked? Cheated? Afraid? Anti-capitalist?

>>2378728
a bit of all
depressed I think is another one
>>2365848
this is me

Im reading the song of ice and fire series at the moment and enjoying it thoroughly, i am getting toward the end of Blood and Gold.
Am i a bad person?

>>2378644
see VVV

>>2370642

Although you have to be careful reading the raunchier ones in public places.

>>2368065

I haven't gone through this whole thread, but I just had to stop and say something.

I fucking hate you anon, and I wish you dead. I hate every single living person that can honestly say they've enjoyed the Name of the Wind.
And I'm not a very judgmental person in general either, but my God do I fucking loathe that book. What an overrated fucking piece of trash.

I still remember how I pushed myself to read that book BECAUSE of people like you, hoping that the end would somehow make up for the general retardation that was displayed by the character and the world up to that point; that can happen sometimes.

But Jesus, dear sweet Jesus. I've never read a book with a more unlikable main character (at least in fantasy) and a more uninteresting world.
What the fuck even HAPPENS in this book? It's mostly NOTHING. The fucking thing I was waiting for the whole time was stopped short from being revealed RIGHT at the end, and throughout that time I had to deal with shitty generic characters, a quasi-Mary Sue hero whose only bad trait was being too arrogant and one of the most rape-deserving female characters I've ever encountered.
I admit though, I laughed once, when that guy told Kvothe to jump off the building and that red-headed piece of shit actually did. What does that tell you about his intellect?

What was the high-point of this book? A fucking vegetarian dragon.
How.
Fucking.
Edgy.

In the Name of the Wind must be destroyed.

Before anyone asks, I'd say my top three fantasy novels are The Thousandfold Thought, The Illearth War and a Storm of Swords.

I've visited /lit/ like three times, including this time.
The second time someone recommended ASOIF -series to me.
And its the best thing I've ever read.
thank you faggots

fire and blooooooooooood

>>2378809
I won't comment on the rest of your post, but that's a pretty good top three. Especially in regard to TTT, which isn't usually considered the best of the series, but it is a sentiment I share.

Anyway, pic related for two series which aren't often discussed here, and which manage to input a complete narrative into a total page length which is more common for only one novel in this subgenre. The 5-parter is for the more military minded epic fantasists, and the 4-parter for the character minded. I highly recommend both.

>>2378809

that was an inspriring rant good sir. i was amused.

A friend lent me The Soprano Sorceress so I've been reading that. Not really been reading much recently so not into it. Is it worth continuing with?

>>2378809

The Wise Man's Fear is better. I encourage you to buy it and push yourself through it, even if you don't like it at first I'm sure that you'll come around.

>>2378880

It's not a lot better.

>>2378880

I've read the Wise Man's Fear and while it is slightly better, it's still pretty bad if we're comparing it to something like Chronicles or the first three ASoIaF or even the first three books in the Malazan series.

They're not fun books. The author is not very inventive, and his magic system in particular is very shitty - especially when you juxtapose it with Bakker's.

And even beyond that, you do realize the books are merely a glorified, fantasy version of the author, right?

While I agree that the author should be present in his books, I don't think living out your fantasy at the reader's expense is the way to go about it.

And I know I'll sound like a sexist dick, but I'd really like to see some statistics to the reviews this book gets in places like Amazon. I have a feeling this book resonates more with women than men.

>>2378809
if you bothered to go through this whole thread you'd see you're no alone thinking its overrated

im this
>>2367941
in another thread about Name of the Wind I actually said how the highpoint of the book was that same moment, I lol'd heartily when he fell, and yes he is a mary sue

>>2378888

Actually I was trolling because I could see that there were Rothfuss haters here. Haters gonna hate. Your criticisms are quite petty really. You call Kvothe a Mary Sue but for all his good traits he has plenty of bad ones which you should realise since you seem to dislike him so much. How the fuck are writers supposed to tell stories about heroes if their heroes are not allowed to be good at anything and have to be odinarymen, which if you think about it becomes even dumber when they miraculously win the day. The other thing I see people complain about is that everything seems to happen about Kvothe. For fucks sake its his god damn story. By the way, you are a sexist dick.

take it to /tg/ or /v/ cheers

Has anyone read any Conn Iggulden or Simon Scarrow?

I've only read through the former's Emperor/Rome series, been meaning to look into the Genghis Khan series though. Haven't read any Scarrow, but I'd imagine it's fairly similar?

>>2379065

>>2379292

>>2379299

>>2379305

>>2379310

Guys, don't let that fucker win. Just ignore him.

>>2379299

>deleting your posts
>2012

I'm not surprised faggot like you would do this.

ITT: cunts cunting cunts cunting cunts

>>2379320
>C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER

>>2379316

>>2379327

>>2379330

>>2379322
>>2379323
>>2379325
>>2379330
>>2379333

>>2379337

>>2379341

Well, there went this thread.

>>2379343

>>2379343

>>2379345

Derp and Edgy, ruining /lit/ threads since 2011.

>>2379349

>>2379346

>>2379351

>>2379349
I can't even blame him for this anymore; that image is months old and it is still getting responses, and each time it does, the thread is effectively gone. It shouldn't be too hard to avoid the pattern, unless our spiraling duelists are in cahoots, of course.

I guess you could say...

things cunt get any worse.

YEAHHHHHHHHH

>>2379359

>mfw D&E doesn't have anything better to do on a Saturday night than this.

>>2379359

>>2379366
lol

>>2379368

>>2379371

Hi-diddly-ho, cunterinos!

>>2379374

>>2379387

>>2379387

Hello?

Yes, this is cunt

>>2379400
>Deep&Edgy
>specialty is roofing

Well, I hope this puts paid to any stupid ideas that D&E ever contributes anything worthwhile to this board.

This is totally his standard tactic, btw. He just gets drunk and reposts and reposts and reposts then pretends he's going out for steak and chips with the lads.

I don't like Hobb at all, she can't keep her femnazi agenda out of her books

>>2379400

>>2379405
Nowai.

>>2379415
>actually posting about books
>shutupcunt.png

>>2379426

>>2379392
>>2379397

it's Gaga TIME!

>>2379431

Deep&Edgy, you seem like an okay sort of guy. Maybe one day we can hang out, and

HNGHHHHHRGGHHHHHHHHH

>>2379431

If /lit/ had competent janitors, this spam would have be deleted outright. Somebody really needs to out this schmuck and do something along the line of what happened to Quentin. In the meantime, install 4chan x or something folks.

>>2379453

>>2379453

>>2379467

>>2379480

>>2379462
Don't be an idiot, D&E already deleted his posts.
He likes to keep /lit/ clean.

>>2379492

>>2379462
>tfw D&E is the /lit/ janitor.

>>2379513
lol
imokaywiththis.ping

>>2379493

He has to delete them so he can keep posting the same pic you fucking retard.

lol you're too late shitposters we've had our thread, and it was good ;D

stay hipster though

>>2379535

>>2379513
Prove it

Is there no way we can find dox on D&E? Someone needs to Quentinise him.

I'll personally go round to his house and break his windows. And if he complains, I'll kick his fucking head in as well.