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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Jan 2007 : 07:11:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Zaknafein
The Shannara Trilogy - Terry Brooks
VERY long and in-depth but very good nonetheless.
I'm not a fan of his original trilogy. I enjoyed Elfstones, but even it was a bit formulaic. The other two books of the trilogy also contain some excellent original material, as does Elfstones, but too closely mirrored the Lord of the Rings to truly shine.
Oh, and the way the companions mis-interpreted Bremen's prediction in Sword has always irritated me. Their interpretation simply does not match what was said. I can't see how that conclusion was reached. |
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 29 Jan 2007 07:12:29 |
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Enialus Meliamne
Acolyte
Portugal
43 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2007 : 09:14:39
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quote:
Originally posted by thekosta
A couple that I'd like to throw out there that I like is
Terry Goodkind The sword of truth series
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I just started this series two evenings past. I decided it was high time to expand my book collection, when a friend of mine mentioned he wouldn't read these because he couldn't get into them, and his mentioning that he didn't have room in his packaging to ship them to his next assignment. I said, sure I'll take a look at them man. Picked up the first, then said, "I'm going to enjoy these". Glad I picked them up, and from what I've read of them so far, this series is going to be one of my favorites. |
Unashamed RAS fan.
Unashamed fan of THE Drow Elf Ranger.
Reader of any author in FR who entertains or weaves a good yarn.
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 01:53:08
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| Just an update. I read Feist's "Silverthorn". Pretty good. Read Gemmell's "Winter Warriors", amazing. |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2007 : 03:55:46
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quote:
Originally posted by MerrikCale
Just an update. I read Feist's "Silverthorn".
Did you follow it up with A Darkness at Sethanon? I like that one a lot better. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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J D Dunsany
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 19 Mar 2007 : 12:22:19
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Lots of good recommendations already, but the following struck me as being impressive when I read them:
The Warrior Who Carried Life by Geoff Ryman
Dawnthief (and its subsequent follow-up novels) by James Barclay
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson (haven't had the courage to read any of the others - they're so huuuuge!)
The Ryman is a great book, challenging the assumptions of a lot of epic fantasy, simply by having the main protagonist be a woman who turns into a man in order to complete the 'quest' that is the matter of the story. A bit weird in places, but recommended.
Barclay writes Gemmell-esque, muscular fantasy, with a nice line in dry humour. The political system of the world he's constructed is well-drawn, and the characters are well-written enough to transcend the stereotypes they're obviously based upon.
Erikson's a writer I'd like to read more of - his prose style works and his plotting is satisfyingly intricate with a really big payoff at the end. It's very long though - which might not be to everyone's taste.
Add to the list the obvious recommendations of Herbert, Lovecraft... Did anyone mention Aldiss' 'Helleconia' series? There's tons of stuff out there. Some of it's very good indeed.
Oh, and Silverberg's Majipoor books. 'Lord Valentine's Castle' is amazing!
Right, I'll stop now.
Cheers!
JDD |
"How content that young woman looks, don't you think? How content, and yet how flammable." - Lemony Snicket, The Unauthorized Autobiography |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1707 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2007 : 12:01:01
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All this and no recommends for James Blaylock?
The ones I've enjoyed the most are THE DIGGING LEVIATHAN and LORD KELVIN'S MACHINE.
If you like Tim Powers (and you know you should  ), you'll like Blaylock. The two are pals and collaborators both under their own names or as the collective William Ashbless.
Despite all the great recommends on this list, I'm taking Charles de Lint's THE ONION GIRL with me to read while on mini-vacation/honeymoon. Haven't had a good de Lint break in a while.... |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Gruen
Acolyte
12 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2007 : 14:53:25
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I echo many when I (also) suggest Neil Gaiman. I didn't see a specific mention, however, to Neverwhere. That was one of my favorites (along with Good Omens).
Somewhere I had read that he promises a follow-up novel to Neverwhere. That would certainly top my 'must read' list.
Gruen
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2007 : 16:16:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
Despite all the great recommends on this list, I'm taking Charles de Lint's THE ONION GIRL with me to read while on mini-vacation/honeymoon. Haven't had a good de Lint break in a while....
Admittedly, I've not yet taken the plunge into marriage (I've not yet popped the question, but I've almost got her convinced that I really want to be married by an Elvis impersonator! )... But I'd think the honeymoon was for activities other than reading.  |
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J D Dunsany
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 20 Mar 2007 : 16:29:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
Despite all the great recommends on this list, I'm taking Charles de Lint's THE ONION GIRL with me to read while on mini-vacation/honeymoon. Haven't had a good de Lint break in a while....
Admittedly, I've not yet taken the plunge into marriage (I've not yet popped the question, but I've almost got her convinced that I really want to be married by an Elvis impersonator! )... But I'd think the honeymoon was for activities other than reading.
Don't you believe it! I took three novels with me on my honeymoon and managed to finish them all!    |
"How content that young woman looks, don't you think? How content, and yet how flammable." - Lemony Snicket, The Unauthorized Autobiography |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2007 : 03:21:47
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. . . And afterwards, sprawled languidly, they read their books . . .
love to all,
THO |
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laethyn
Acolyte
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2007 : 04:13:56
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Simon R. Green's "Blue Moon Rising" was absolutely fantastic IMO.
And the old "Tribe of One" Darksun Trilogy by Simon Hawke was great as well |
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J D Dunsany
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2007 : 06:38:59
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
. . . And afterwards, sprawled languidly, they read their books . . .
love to all,
THO
Great image! |
"How content that young woman looks, don't you think? How content, and yet how flammable." - Lemony Snicket, The Unauthorized Autobiography |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 01:13:50
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Just out, The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien -- the First Age story of Túrin Turambar put together by Christopher Tolkien as a seamless novel (and aimed particularly at Lord of the Rings readers unfamiliar with the Silmarillion or alienated by its elegiac compression).
Susan Cooper's Dark Is Rising sequence, 'young-adult' fantasy of the greatest weight, humanity and power. (Read it before the publicity that'll fall with the forthcoming movie adaptation.)
Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood and everything since: extremely accomplished British hard fantasy, i.e. that treats mythic archetypes as hard SF does science.
Both Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith are being republished in very nice editions: including Del Rey's Howard series, and Night Shade Books' collected Smith volumes, or try the best-of The Return of the Sorcerer.
C.J. Cherryh's underappreciated Morgaine novels... Powers and Blaylock, definitely (I'm rereading On Stranger Tides on public transport)... enough for now. |
Edited by - Faraer on 20 Apr 2007 01:15:51 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 01:24:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Just out, The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien -- the First Age story of Túrin Turambar put together by Christopher Tolkien as a seamless novel (and aimed particularly at Lord of the Rings readers unfamiliar with the Silmarillion or alienated by its elegiac compression).
Ah, yes... my copy should arrive today.
Which means now I'll have to hurry and finish everything else I'm reading at the moment.
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 02:43:34
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Great recommendations, Faraer.
I'd just like to echo three of Ed's earlier ones: THE FACE IN THE FROST by John Bellairs, TIGANA by Guy Gavriel Kay, and especially A SONG FOR ARBONNE (also by Kay). I asked Ed for some new recommendations, but he just groaned, pointed to the pile of over 400 books that have come from publishers in the last few days, trying to persuade him that their books are worthy of World Fantasy Awards, and shook his head. Then he turned the other way, and pointed at the pile of receipts and papers that are his taxes, and groaned again. Louder.
love to all,
THO
P.S. MerrikCale, if you don't like Ed's style when writing Realms books (and I hope you'll peek at SWORDS OF DRAGONFIRE when it comes out, this fall, because Ed's style is shifting somewhat), you owe it to yourself to check out his DARK WARRIOR RISING from Tor Books (out this September) and his DARK LORD from Black Library/Solaris (Simon & Schuster distributes, in the USA), also due out in September; trot off to a public library if you don't want to spend coins on hardcovers you might not like. Ed's writing those in different styles, and they're GOOD.
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Edited by - The Hooded One on 20 Apr 2007 02:47:50 |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 12:13:49
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| Just curious; has anyone mentioned Philip Josè Farmers World of Tiers novels? Fast-paced, entertaining and interesting setting. What more could one ask for in an adventure novel. These would probably be categorized as Science Fantasy but the fantasy elements are dominating. TOR re-published them in two volumes a couple of years ago. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 21:20:14
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| I confess I haven't read them yet. But Ed at least has mentioned them as one of the major inspirations (alongside Roger Zelazny's Amber) for high-level manoeuvring in the Realms. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2007 : 02:15:56
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The World of Tiers were an inspiration to Roger, too; he once wrote that the Amber books were in part an exploration of another, more "fantasy" way to explore the same "different worlds power struggle" that PJF did in the World of Tiers books.
BTW, fans of Neil Gaiman should watch out for the movie version of his fantasy novel Stardust, due out this summer. A swords-n-airships romp, with Michelle Pfeiffer as the lead villainess (the witch Lamia; lots of spellhurling), Robert de Niro as an air-pirate captain, Peter O'Toole as the dying king, Ricky Gervais doing a comic turn as Ferdy the Fence, Clare Danes as the "fallen star" heroine, and so on. I've only seen an extended trailer thus far, but it looks like visual fun at the very least (there's a website, but I can't use a work computer to explore it, thanks to our multiple and very proactive firewalls). Ed saw the same trailer and said, "Popcorn-spiller for me! Whenever I see those sorts of swordfights, I want to reach down one of my blades from the wall and join in!"
love,
THO |
Edited by - The Hooded One on 21 Apr 2007 02:18:04 |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2007 : 02:24:42
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I joined in against the orcs, in the front of a cinema watching the Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings, when very young.
Neil seems genuinely pleased with how the Stardust adaptation is turning out. There's less swordplay than the trailer suggests. Have you seen MirrorMask? Have a look at the short films The Butterfly of Love and Tyger, on the 2 April 2007 entry of his blog. |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2007 : 09:24:36
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
The World of Tiers were an inspiration to Roger, too; he once wrote that the Amber books were in part an exploration of another, more "fantasy" way to explore the same "different worlds power struggle" that PJF did in the World of Tiers books.
BTW, fans of Neil Gaiman should watch out for the movie version of his fantasy novel Stardust, due out this summer. A swords-n-airships romp, with Michelle Pfeiffer as the lead villainess (the witch Lamia; lots of spellhurling), Robert de Niro as an air-pirate captain, Peter O'Toole as the dying king, Ricky Gervais doing a comic turn as Ferdy the Fence, Clare Danes as the "fallen star" heroine, and so on. I've only seen an extended trailer thus far, but it looks like visual fun at the very least (there's a website, but I can't use a work computer to explore it, thanks to our multiple and very proactive firewalls). Ed saw the same trailer and said, "Popcorn-spiller for me! Whenever I see those sorts of swordfights, I want to reach down one of my blades from the wall and join in!"
love,
THO
You also get the scheming godlike siblings that Zelazny took a step further than Farmer. The gates are also an element they have in common. I seem to remember Ed referring to these in an old Dragon article. There is an introduction to The Gates of Creation by Zelazny in the TOR version where he talks about his reaction to the books as a reader.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2007 : 10:14:10
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I have to agree with both the THO and Faraer -- Stardust is looking to be an intriguing adaptation of Neil's original work. I've heard he's also managed to slip in a few bits into the film from his original manuscript that never actually made it [fully] into the book itself. I think we're in for a real treat.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Non FR Novels for Big FR Novel fans?
