Friday, July 17, 2009

Go Read A Book (Here Are Some Suggestions)

Go read a book from one of these series:

Discworld by Terry Pratchett.

Myth Adventures by Robert Asprin

Shannara by Terry Brooks

Xanth by Piers Anthony


I've only read books from the first two series, but have also heard great things about the others.

Any agreements with the series above or other suggestions?

6 comments:

Hammer said...

As someone that owns most of the Shannara books, I have to say, at best they are a poor rip-off of Tolkien and at worst are just bad.
They have a few interesting hook ideas for GMs, but I'm not sure they justify actually buying them.

Mike said...

@Hammer

So is there a standalone fantasy book you would suggest instead of the Shannara series? I ask because I've generally not been a fan of fantasy outside of Tolkien and a Song of Fire and Ice.

Hammer said...

@Mike

Sorry, I'm more of a Sci-fi man.
I only read the Shannara books because my Dad gave them to me.

lessthanpleased said...

Stand-alone fantasy series that are really good include:

Steven Erikson: The Malazan Book of the Fallen

Glenn Cook: The Black Company

Joe Abercrombie: The Books of the First Law (or something like that)

R. Scott Bakker: The Darkness That Comes Before

Robin Hobb: The Liveship Traders

Alan Campbell: The Deepgate Codex

Stand-alone fantasy novels that are really good:

China Mieville: Perdido Street Station

Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

There are also a couple good series with only a book or so in print:

Patrick Rothfuss: The Name of the Wind

David Anthony Durham: Acacia

Those are a good fantasy starting list.

Jeremy Murphy said...

Damn, lessthanpleased, you stole my reading list.

I might add the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson, The Scar by China Meiville, and the Legion of Videssos series by Harry Turtledove. And maybe Jack Whyte's Dream of Eagles for those who have been living under rocks - literarily-speaking.

Unknown said...

The Black Company books by Glen Cook are fucking awesome. Regular Joe mercenaries beating Stereotypical Super-Wizards by being crafty and fighting dirty.

His Dread Empire series isn't half-bad, either. Tries for a more epic scale, but the characters are actually interesting (Unlike those Terry Brooks comes up with.)