Category: book Nook
Hi,
I love authors like Mercedes Lackey, Anne McCaffrey, and Terry Brooks. Problem is, I have read all their books to date. I'm looking for a new author to keep me busy while waiting for the newest release from Mercedes Lackey or another fantasy or thriller author (I also love Dean Koontz and Stephen King). Does anyone have any suggestions? Here's what I like to read in order of preference:
*Fantasy: based on medieval civilization, magical, or with historical undertones
*thriller: particularly those based on classic stories, such as Dean Koontz's modern Frankenstein books
*historical: set in the middle ages or colonial America, mainly
*paranormal: ghosts, poltergeists, demons, etc.
*classic novels: Huckleberry Finn, Uncle Tom's Cabin, To the Lighthouse, Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
I know this is a lot of information, but I thought I'd throw it out there. The more author recommendations I can get, the better. I don't like to re-read the same stories over and over again, and I'm running out of books to read.
Ideas?
~Jewel
Fantasy: The Red Knight, by Miles Cameron.
Colonial, Charleston, by John Jakes.
Colonial: The Glorious Cause, by Jeff Shaara.
Hope that helps.
I have a couple of fantasy suggestions.
Joe Abercrombie - Best Served Cold
This world has magic in it, technically, but not tons of it. It's a very gritty, sort of dark tale about revenge. Lots of harsh language, but excellent characterization. There are plenty of ccastles, dukes, kings, and lots of politics and intrigue.
Daniel Abraham - The Dragon's Path
I've only read the first book of this series thus far, but it's good. Very medieval-ish civilization, multiple main characters, excellent characterization, and writing that's quite tight. It's a touch slow to get rolling but I'm assured it picks up in later books.
I know a good many fantasy novels, but many are either urban, epic or otherwise not quite what you're after. I also don't know what you've read overall in the genre, so I can't help too much.
My two suggestions are the Witcher series, (Starting with the short linked story collections The Last Wish and then the Sword of Destiny, then followed by the first real Novel, Blood of Elves) by Andredj Sapkowski (Google the witcher and you'll find it). It's on Audible, though the etext versions are floating around. The other is the Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfis 0 sorry, spelling might be wrong and I can't check right now. Those two are among some of the best I've read in recent memory. The witcher has some truly fantastic characterization, great writing, political intreague and puts twists on a few classic fairy tales. The world is rich and simply a joy to excperience. The Kingkiller Chronicles, - there are two, plus a short novella at the moment - are very long books, but to me, they never drag on. They are great works of fiction with a very enjoyable story and writing. The book refvis and summaries can explain their plots better than I can. But if you're into fantasy at all, you owe it to yourself to at leasttgive them a look.
Rick riordan is one author who writes very good fantasy based stories. And
J.k Rauling. oh, and Michael Buckley.
Robert Jordan (the wheel of time) if you want something long to sink your teeth into.
Look up Brandon Sanderson as well. he finished the wheel of time After Jordan died, and his own work (mistborn, stormlight archive) Is pretty fantastic.
Want to echo the sentiments above on the kingkiller chronicals as well. I only got round to reading them last year but they may have been the best books I read in 2015.
Also, to Greg's point about Joe Abercromby, I think "best served cold" is set in the first law universe. So look up the first law trilogy which starts with "the blade itself". Wonderful grimdark fantasy.
I mean I could go on for hours here. There's plenty of great fantasy out there if you take the time to look. Might I suggest creating yourself a goodreads account if you don't already have one? You can submit the books you've already read and it'll give you reccomendations based on those.
Terry Pratchett! his books are detailed, funny and beautifully written.
It's actually Rowling, not Rauling, but yes the Harry Potter books are excellent. I would also recommend David Eddings, particularly his Belgariad and Malloreon sagas. I like him because he uses a lot of usually sarcastic humor in his writing.
Hi. Also by Joe Abercrombie is "The First Law Trilogy" and "The Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. Plus, there's "The Wheel of Time" Series by Robert Jordan.
James
hey. My tastes in fantasy run a bit unusual as I don't really like much of the current high fantasy stuff. However I would like to recommend Jack Vance to anybody who wants to read some highly colourful fantastic stuff with exquisite prose and a style that just commands the attention like no other. His plots are usually quite straightforward but his command of language is really something else and you will find the stories almost call out to be read aloud. he generally didn't write long-winded epic sagas (he died in 2013) but he was a huge influence on George R. R. martin, Gene Wolfe and other contemporary writers. He also wrote science fiction and mysteries, and I highly endorse those as well. For the fantasy stuff though, there is his "Tales of the Dying Earth", which comprises four books published between the early 50s and the 1980s that take place at the end of the world, in a decadent time where magic and science are intertwined. There's also the "Lyonesse" trilogy, which is Vance's stab at the high fantasy genre. It's not my favourite work by him but it's extraordinarily well written all the same and if you like Tolkien and that sort of thing you will probably enjoy it.
I also suggest E. R. Eddison's book 'The Worm Ouroboros". Be warned though that the language is a bit dense as it's told in the style of plays from the Elizabethan period and even older English works. If you can get a handle on the rhythm though and know your archaic terminology, it's really easy to get into. A lot of authors try to capture that ancient way of writing, but Eddison really did it and puts other attempts to shame. This also means though that the book is difficult for some modern readers. If you're up for a challenge though, go for it. I am not sure but I kind of wondered if the Ouroboros motif itself influenced Stephen King's Dark Tower series, although the writing isn't even remotely similar.
If you're into sword and sorcery, you can't go wrong with Robert E. Howard. The tales of Conan, compiled in three volumes nowadays ("The Coming of Conan the Cimerian", "The Conquering Sword of Conan" and "The Bloody Crown of Conan") are absolutely essential reading. Also the Solomon Kane stories and the tales of Kull of Valusia. Keep in mind though that these were written by a Texan loner in the 1920s and 30s, so the racial politics are occasionally a bit eyebrow-raising.
The coolest sword and sorcery ever written, in my opinion, is that of Fritz leiber and his "Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser" stories. I happen to know that Audible has great audiobooks of these, each with an introduction by Neil Gaiman, and you can tell how much Leiber influenced that newer writer's work, too. The stories are about two adventurers from very different walks of life who meet in the great city of Lankhmar, run afoul of the thieves' guild, and through tragedy and loss and struggle become fast friends, embarking on many mad quests and escapades. THe stories can be humorous, heavy, horrific, sexy, ribald, or all of the above all at once. I promise you'll never have as much fun reading S&S fiction.
I'd also suggest Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry which comprises three volumes. Even after as many times of reading it the ending still moves me. I'd also suggest Rodger Zelazny's Amber novels. Technically it's two serieses, each comprising five novels and each set featuring a different protagonist. Admittedly Zelazny's style takes a bit of getting used to since in the Amber saga in particular it almost seems as though you're just dropped into the middle of things even in the first novel, but if you can get past that the stories are highly interesting.
you may enjoy debrah harkness.
her styles takes a while to get used to, she writes a lot about witches and vampires and her books are quite long.
i don't remember the name of the series (the main one with mathew and diana), but it is worth checking her out
Zelazny..yeah, definitely agree with that recommendation, Bryan. Actaully, his style is what I think is most attractive about his work. He's more literary than most and can be both very clever and extremely funny at times. I admit to having never finished the Amber series, though. one of these days. "Lord of Light" is a fantastic stand-alone book by him though, and I remember really enjoying "jack of Shadows", too. I have a few short story anthologies of his and, while he can sometimes write a story based around a bad pun (did Isaac Asimov put him up to this??!), they tend to be really thoughtful and entertaining. Some of them are based in the world of Amber, too.
I used to like that Fionavar stuff by Gavriel kay, but I don't know, it doesn't really do it for me anymore. Moving at times though, yes, and I appreciate that he told his story in three concise volumes and then knew when it was time to get out. A lot of modern authors could learn from that example.