Favorite Fantasy Books

[Nekira Sudacne]

The War Gods Own. probablly the best book i've seen that deals with how Gods would act around and with the mortals they choose to represent them other than Mighty and Mysterious and worse of all, ignoring them completely like in some books.

[The Beast]

Aside from Lord of the Rings, Narnia series, Spell for Chemleon and the Drizzt series from Forgotten Realms; what are you favorite fantasy books.

I say Fantasy. Not sci-fi.

-Fang

Never read any of those books, except maybe the Narnia series (can't remember if I read that one or not). The closest book to fantasy I can remember reading is Treasure Island, but that's more of an adventure book than a fantasy one. Come to think of it, I don't remember ever reading a fantasy novel, and yet the recent previews for Narnia and Fellowship of the Ring somehow seemed familiar.

[Killer Cyborg]

Quite possibly the best fantasy series ever written is George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
Anybody who has not yet read the first book, A Game of Thrones, should do so at the very next opportunity.

Seriously, this is the best fantasy series I have read since The Lord of the Rings, and it is one heck of a lot more accessable in its writing.
If you can't get into the novel, then buy the RPG. Or the board game. Or the collectable card game.
It is one of the best fleshed-out worlds I have ever encountered, and the characters are all excellent.
As is the plot, the dialogue, and pretty much everything else about the books.

Other than that, the following fantasy books/series are also good:
Robert Asprin's Myth series
Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles
Joel Rosenberg's "Guardians of the Flames" series (about role-players who end up in the game world)
Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series
Barbara Hambly's books. Any and all of them that I have read, from Dragonsbane to The Ladies of Mandrigan.
Fred Saberhagan's "Swords" series, along with Empire of the East.
Stephen King's "Eyes of the Dragon"
Stephen R. Donaldson's "Mordant's Need" series
Craig Shaw Gardener's "Ebenezum" and "Wuntvor" series
Christopher Stasheff's "A Wizard in Rhyme" series
Hugh Cook's Wizard War (if I remember the title right)
Lyndon Hardy's books Master of the Five Magics, Secret of the Sixth Magic, and Riddle of the Seven Realms
Robin Hobb's "Assassin's Apprentice" and "Liveship Traders" series
Lawrence Watt-Evan's "Ethshar" novels.

And for "Modern Fantasy" books:
Laurell K. Hamilton's "Anita Blake" and "Merry Gentry" series
Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" series
Wen Spenser's book Tinker
Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and "Neverwhere"
Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series
Mike Resnick's Stalking the Unicorn
Holly Lisle's "Minerva Wakes"
Michael A. Stackpole's "Dark Conspiracy" novels (based on the RPG)

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[Josh Sinsapaugh]

The Silmarillion
The Book of Lost Tales
The Book of Unfinished Tales
...and anything else by Tolkien.

~ Josh

[The Beast]

KC you just reminded me of one! I think the author was King, but I'm not sure. I never finished reading the book because it belonged to someone in my platoon when I was stationed at Ft. Hood, and we both PCS to different bases in Korea. It was about some kid (aren't they all?) who learned he could shift himself from this world to some sort of midevil-era world that was similar to Middle Earth in some ways. The kid had to go cross-country and was warned not to fly because in the beginning of the book he couldn't fully control his power and may shift at any moment. If anyone could help me remember the title I would appreciate it.

[Marcantony]

I second George Martin's novels and add anything by Gemmell, Goodkind and Bunch.

[count zero]

Shadow & Claw and Sword & Citadel (aka The Book of the New Sun) by Gene Wolfe; some will quibble and tell you Wolfe's masterpiece is really, at the core, SF, but that shouldn't prevent you from reading it. You'll enjoy it as much as a fantasy as you will anything else. Better than 90% of the other books anyone will mention and equal to the classics of the genre.

The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. LeGuin (A Wizard of Earthsea, the first volume, is almost required reading)

The Knight and The Wizard, also by Wolfe, are excellent. Latro In the Mist will be of interest to students of Greek Mythology.

Any of the Fafhrd & Grey Mouser/Lankhmar books by Fritz Leiber, including (but not limited to) Ill Met In Lankmar, Return to Lankhmar, and Lean Times In Lankhmar.

The Dream-quest of Unknown Kadath by H.P. Lovecraft

The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane by Robert E. Howard

Drawing of the Dark and On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers

Any of the Elric books by Michael Moorcock, including Stormbringer, The Sailor On the Seas of Fate, et al

The Dark Tower books by Stephen King are fantasy, regardless of whatever other genre labels may be applied to them (SF, horror, western, &c.)

The Deep by John Crowley (collected in Otherwise)

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Weavers of Saramyr by Chris Wooding; part of a series, but I've only read the first volume.

All this, and it's still only a partial list. I may post more later this evening.
pax
Ø

[count zero]

KC you just reminded me of one! I think the author was King, but I'm not sure. I never finished reading the book because it belonged to someone in my platoon when I was stationed at Ft. Hood, and we both PCS to different bases in Korea. It was about some kid (aren't they all?) who learned he could shift himself from this world to some sort of midevil-era world that was similar to Middle Earth in some ways. The kid had to go cross-country and was warned not to fly because in the beginning of the book he couldn't fully control his power and may shift at any moment. If anyone could help me remember the title I would appreciate it.

The book you're thinking of is The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Black House (2001) by the same authors is kind of a sequel, and places the two books firmly in King's Dark Tower universe.

pax
Ø

[Sentinel]

Roberson's Sword Dancer series, Dragonlance series, Stephen Boyetts' Ariel, Legion Of Videssos by Turtledove, and any classic mythology (Illiad, Odyssey, and compilations of myths, particularly Norse Myths).

[Marcantony]

+1 to Martin's Song of Fire and Ice and Rosenberg's Guardians of the FLame.

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is up there for me as well.

Also have to go with the original Conan books and De'Camps finishing of the Cormac Mac Art stories.

Ive seen theres a new Wheel of Time out. Whats this one like? I felt with the previous one you only needed to read the last page to know what had happened and could have skipped the entire novel.

[Killer Cyborg]

KC you just reminded me of one! I think the author was King, but I'm not sure. I never finished reading the book because it belonged to someone in my platoon when I was stationed at Ft. Hood, and we both PCS to different bases in Korea. It was about some kid (aren't they all?) who learned he could shift himself from this world to some sort of midevil-era world that was similar to Middle Earth in some ways. The kid had to go cross-country and was warned not to fly because in the beginning of the book he couldn't fully control his power and may shift at any moment. If anyone could help me remember the title I would appreciate it.

The book you're thinking of is The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Black House (2001) by the same authors is kind of a sequel, and places the two books firmly in King's Dark Tower universe.

pax
Ø

I haven't read those books, because I loathe Straub... but I'll get to them eventually.
Also, pretty much EVERYTHING by King is in the Dark Tower universe...

[Killer Cyborg]

Oh, I just remembered:

Terry Pratchett's Diskworld books are also great, in a comedic sort of way...

[count zero]

I haven't read those books, because I loathe Straub... but I'll get to them eventually.
Also, pretty much EVERYTHING by King is in the Dark Tower universe...

Just curious (and a little off-topic): why do you loathe Straub's books? I would think there'd be some crossover there for a King fan. I think Straub is quite underappreciated, and Koko, Mystery, and The Throat are top-notch books. He's been a little hit or miss the last few years (though Magic Terror is excellent, IMHO) but which writer over the course of a long career doesn't stumble now and then?

I rather like the Dark Tower series; I think there's some excellent writing in most of the books. And while he seems determined to create this big web that connects everything, there are a few King books that aren't somehow connected the DT universe. But I'm sure he'll get around to tying everything together before he's done. . .

[Guest]

The War Gods Own. probablly the best book i've seen that deals with how Gods would act around and with the mortals they choose to represent them other than Mighty and Mysterious and worse of all, ignoring them completely like in some books.

You should read the other two books in the series...at least until the next one comes out.

[count zero]

Imajica, Weaveworld, and Abarat, all by Clive Barker

Genpei by Kara Dalkey (fantasy set in feudal Japan)

Rats & Gargoyles by Mary Gentle

Perdido Street Station, The Scar, and Iron Council by China Mieville; these are generally categorized as part of the New Weird, but they're as much fantasy as SF and steampunk (or whatever genre one would like to use).

pax
Ø

[Rpgpunk]

Wizards First Rule.

[Sentinel]

I forgot: The Conan series.

Is the John Carter series Fantasy or SciFi?

[The Beast]

KC you just reminded me of one! I think the author was King, but I'm not sure. I never finished reading the book because it belonged to someone in my platoon when I was stationed at Ft. Hood, and we both PCS to different bases in Korea. It was about some kid (aren't they all?) who learned he could shift himself from this world to some sort of midevil-era world that was similar to Middle Earth in some ways. The kid had to go cross-country and was warned not to fly because in the beginning of the book he couldn't fully control his power and may shift at any moment. If anyone could help me remember the title I would appreciate it.

The book you're thinking of is The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Black House (2001) by the same authors is kind of a sequel, and places the two books firmly in King's Dark Tower universe.

pax
Ø

Thanks for the info. Now I can get it and finish reading it this time.

[Killer Cyborg]

I haven't read those books, because I loathe Straub... but I'll get to them eventually.
Also, pretty much EVERYTHING by King is in the Dark Tower universe...

Just curious (and a little off-topic): why do you loathe Straub's books? I would think there'd be some crossover there for a King fan. I think Straub is quite underappreciated, and Koko, Mystery, and The Throat are top-notch books. He's been a little hit or miss the last few years (though Magic Terror is excellent, IMHO) but which writer over the course of a long career doesn't stumble now and then?

His writing style bugs me. He's too quasi-poetic in a bad way.
Like Tanith Lee with a head injury.

I rather like the Dark Tower series; I think there's some excellent writing in most of the books. And while he seems determined to create this big web that connects everything, there are a few King books that aren't somehow connected the DT universe. But I'm sure he'll get around to tying everything together before he's done. . .

Which ones?
(Bachman books don't count...)

[Killer Cyborg]

KC, you mentioned Stackpole... Have you read his DragonCrown Saga? Absolutely fantastic books. In the same class as Martin, albeit, not nearly as long!

Haven't read anything by him other than the Dark Conspiracy books.
But I'll add it to my list.

[Killer Cyborg]

Any of the weiss/hickman colections. I also enjoyed Beowolf. Eyes of the Dragon, The Demon and the Dragon (?), The Crimson Shadow, Any Tolkeen book thus far, the Complete Chronicles of Narnia. That's about all my mind has right now.

Yeah, I fogot Narnia!

[Narsis]

I have read and enjoyed the weiss/hickman books as well as the books by R.A. Salvator.

[count zero]

I rather like the Dark Tower series; I think there's some excellent writing in most of the books. And while he seems determined to create this big web that connects everything, there are a few King books that aren't somehow connected the DT universe. But I'm sure he'll get around to tying everything together before he's done. . .

Which ones?
(Bachman books don't count...)

Well, as far as I know: Misery, It, The Dark Half, The Tommyknockers, The Dead Zone, Dolores Claiborne, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The Green Mile, Dreamcatcher, Cujo, Christine, Needful Things, Bag of Bones. Not sure if The Shining was written before or after The Gunslinger. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Pet Sematary isn't connected to the DT.

Unless there's been something said somewhere that links all of his books to the Dark Tower, or I missed the reference in each of the aforementioned books. . .

[Killer Cyborg]

The discworld books by terry pratchett , aurgubly the best , funniest and most well written fantasy series of all time .

Some of the books, at least.

[Library Ogre]

Recently, I've been reading a lot of Steven Brust.

[Gallahan]

I took a chance on one of those bargain hardcover books that you can buy for less than a paperback. It was the first, beautifully designed book, in the Sword of Truth series: WIZARD'S FIRST RULE.

I have since gotten several of my friends hopelessly addicted to the magnificent story. However, there is a warning here, the first book is a bit mature in nature in certain sections.

Further, I stopped reading the series after The Soul of the Fire. Great books, but with the success that Terry Goodkind found, he started stretching out his books and got repititious. Just read the reviews for the latest in the series, "Chainfire" at Amazon.com. Man, that book was slammed so badly that I might never read it, and that's usually not my style. But, the author lost me after Soul of the Fire. Great series up until that point, and highly recommended.

[maasenstodt]

For me, nothing beats Jack Vance's Dying Earth described in the novels The Dying Earth, The Eyes of the Overworld, Cugel's Saga, and Rhialto the Marvellous. Indeed, I enjoyed the books and the fabulous RPG so much that I crafted rules for playing PFRPG and even Palladium's other games in Vancian style.

[Adam of the Old Kingdom]

The Elenium and The Tamuli (the 2 sparhawk series) by Eddings
The Belgariad and the Malorian series. as well as Polgara and Belgarath books.
Spell Singer
Mordants Need
1st, 2nd and Final chronicles of thomas covanant. (I connected with Donaldsons style)
The legend of Huma
The Magician and the books that followed.

[Severite]

I loved the Jim Butcher series, The Dresden Files;

Series starts with storm front

Otherwise loved pretty much all of the dragonlance novels

[Marrowlight]

Just for a name I haven't seen anyone else use yet, I enjoyed the LE Modesitt JR Order and Chaos themed novels, or at least the early ones (well, the early published ones, man has a bad habit of skipping around in time from book to book)

But really I have a question about the beloved George RR Martin fantasy books. A recent trip to Boston finally afforded me the time and the lack of access to any other books and I sat down and read the first book, and after that read a portion of and skimmed through the second - and I've got to know for those who are such big lovers. How do you tolerate the characters? Without getting into spoilers, and don't think I'm saying the books are poorly written, I've never met such a cast of just awful awful people. Maybe that's the point, maybe that's why so many people like it, because of the 'realistic' element of it - but I've never struggled with finishing a book so much in my life. Every couple chapters someone would do something that seemed so awful or disappointing that I'd lose the desire to read about their story anymore.

There are a lot of really good ideas going on in the world, don't get me wrong - but of all the people I've seen in the first two books there are barely a handful I can stomach to read and their chapters come far too rarely and end far too quickly.

[count zero]

also (it might falling into Sci/fantasy) the incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony.

You know, I read all those books when they first came out. I think I was in Jr. High at the time. I really dug 'em, especially On a Pale Horse. I went back and read it again a couple of years ago and, man, did it suck. I mean, I thought--after the second reading--no way could I have read this already. It just seemed like a completely different--and much more poorly written--book. And I've read my fair share of lousy books. . .

I guess I either I was a little less discriminating back then or the quality of books I read in the interim got better. I dunno. It's just my opinion but it seems to me Mr. Anthony's writing was just. . well, wretched. Don't mean to offend any Piers Anthony fans out there. Just calling it as I see it.

pax
Ø

[Denaes]

I really dug the Incarnations of immortality overall. I think there was a book (Fate?) that I didn't read because it was boring.

I liked a lot of his series, even Xanth... which just got so damn old.

Robert Aspirin's Myth books are probobly my favorite series. I've read them like 8 times over. Light reads, good amount of surprises and humor. I love seeing how things unfold as I never saw it comming.

Hmm, been a few years, I need to pick up the last few books

[Marrowlight]

. Xanth, to me, was probably more "pure" Piers than anything else he did.

Which amuses the hell out of me since, by about halfway through the series, his list of "Thanks for ideas" at the end of each book was about as long as the actual story.

[Marrowlight]

. Xanth, to me, was probably more "pure" Piers than anything else he did.

Which amuses the hell out of me since, by about halfway through the series, his list of "Thanks for ideas" at the end of each book was about as long as the actual story.

And that's probably a reason the series did well. He tapped into Great Old One P'n, and all those P'n worshippers sent a lot of PPE down Florida way.

Piers Anthony is just a good diligent Priest of Darkness. Bully on him!

I'm not debating the success of the books, I'm just amused at the notion of Xanth being more "pure" Piers considering how so much of it was based on other people's ideas and jokes and even plotlines as the series went on.

[Library Ogre]

I'm not debating the success of the books, I'm just amused at the notion of Xanth being more "pure" Piers considering how so much of it was based on other people's ideas and jokes and even plotlines as the series went on.

There you have it. Peirs Anthony is pure plagarism.

::cue lawyer-bomb in three, two, one....::

[Marrowlight]

I'm not debating the success of the books, I'm just amused at the notion of Xanth being more "pure" Piers considering how so much of it was based on other people's ideas and jokes and even plotlines as the series went on.

There you have it. Peirs Anthony is pure plagarism.

::cue lawyer-bomb in three, two, one....::

Not sure it can be plagarism when it's people willingly sending him their ideas....but it's still bizarre. Hell, I'm pretty sure I read at least one of the books where the main character was an idea sent by a fan.

[Marrowlight]

Mm. until we started getting to the next generations of characters (I Was good for the first two generations) I really liked Xanth. Then it got out of control, imo.

[Denaes]

I actually like that aspect - I really am neutral to much of PA's work - though, I did neglect to mention the Tyrant books, what were they called? taking place around Jupiter. Very good, honestly I think his best stuff. Biography of a Space Tyrant?

I loved this series. Overall it was rather great.

One thing I found strange was the Pedephilia in both this series and the Juxtaposition/Adept series.

[Denaes]

Oh damn!

While I love the MYTH and M.Y.T.H. (if you don't know the difference, you're not a true fan ) series by Robert Aspirin, I also love his Phule's Company books... at least the first two. The ones after he "co-wrote" which I think means someone else wrote and he approved. I didn't like them as much.

Then after that is my favorite all time series... Raymond E. Feists Riftwar Saga.

Magician (later split into Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master) is like the ultimate book about a pair of young adults growing to fufil and finally exceed their wildest fantasies as the greatest warrior on the planet and the greatest magician on the face of the planet.

That book(s) is great, then the story of their prince(s) becomming the rulers of the kingdom and then going on to save their loves and then the kings twins averting a huge war are great reads. The serpent army overseas was a tad cooler and the Midkemedia series about the female that had her own House was interesting, but not as good. But I was like 13 when I read those (I'm 29 now) so I think I might like to go back and re-read the whole series again.

While the MYTH/M.Y.T.H. series is humorous and a bunch of thin reads, the riftwar saga is far more serious (with some humor) and thick reads.

[Marrowlight]

Always enjoyed the Riftwar saga myself.

[Library Ogre]

I was more of a fan of the Serpentwar Saga, myself, but the Riftwar saga is good.

[Denaes]

I was more of a fan of the Serpentwar Saga, myself, but the Riftwar saga is good.

Serpentwar was cool, it had the guy with a bag of oranges.

It did really throw me, but maybe it was a talant, that almost every new book had new characters. I mean the plot in total passed through like 10-15 books and most of them mentioned old characters, but featured new ones.

If I recall correctly (and I'm not sure I do), the Serpentwar books had the same main characters the longsest out of all the books. I recall they had the blacksmith Erik (or something like that) and the merchant as pretty main characters.

[Library Ogre]

If I recall correctly (and I'm not sure I do), the Serpentwar books had the same main characters the longsest out of all the books. I recall they had the blacksmith Erik (or something like that) and the merchant as pretty main characters.

That's part of what I liked about it; both Erik and Roo advanced in fairly reasonable ways, rather than Pug's rather Deus Ex Machina "I understand every person I could've been"

[Mudang]

I rather like the Dark Tower series; I think there's some excellent writing in most of the books. And while he seems determined to create this big web that connects everything, there are a few King books that aren't somehow connected the DT universe. But I'm sure he'll get around to tying everything together before he's done. . .

Which ones?
(Bachman books don't count...)

Well, as far as I know: Misery, It, The Dark Half, The Tommyknockers, The Dead Zone, Dolores Claiborne, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The Green Mile, Dreamcatcher, Cujo, Christine, Needful Things, Bag of Bones. Not sure if The Shining was written before or after The Gunslinger. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Pet Sematary isn't connected to the DT.

Unless there's been something said somewhere that links all of his books to the Dark Tower, or I missed the reference in each of the aforementioned books. . .

It and Bag of Bones definitely tie into the Dark Tower series.

[Killer Cyborg]

I rather like the Dark Tower series; I think there's some excellent writing in most of the books. And while he seems determined to create this big web that connects everything, there are a few King books that aren't somehow connected the DT universe. But I'm sure he'll get around to tying everything together before he's done. . .

Which ones?
(Bachman books don't count...)

Well, as far as I know: Misery, It, The Dark Half, The Tommyknockers, The Dead Zone, Dolores Claiborne, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The Green Mile, Dreamcatcher, Cujo, Christine, Needful Things, Bag of Bones. Not sure if The Shining was written before or after The Gunslinger. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Pet Sematary isn't connected to the DT.

Unless there's been something said somewhere that links all of his books to the Dark Tower, or I missed the reference in each of the aforementioned books. . .

It and Bag of Bones definitely tie into the Dark Tower series.

The Green Mile also ties into the Dark Tower series, IIRC.
Pet Semetary ties in to Insomnia, which ties into the Dark Tower series.

[count zero]

It and Bag of Bones definitely tie into the Dark Tower series.

The Green Mile also ties into the Dark Tower series, IIRC.
Pet Semetary ties in to Insomnia, which ties into the Dark Tower series.

And it only took you 7 months to dig up the links.


ps. add Cell to the list of the books outside the DT continuity (at least for now, or I missed the link).

[Marrowlight]

I was more of a fan of the Serpentwar Saga, myself, but the Riftwar saga is good.

Hmm, don't think I ever saw the Serpentwar Saga, same author I imagine?

[Mudang]

It and Bag of Bones definitely tie into the Dark Tower series.

The Green Mile also ties into the Dark Tower series, IIRC.
Pet Semetary ties in to Insomnia, which ties into the Dark Tower series.

And it only took you 7 months to dig up the links.

Give me a break; it's the first time I've seen this thread.

[count zero]

It and Bag of Bones definitely tie into the Dark Tower series.

The Green Mile also ties into the Dark Tower series, IIRC.
Pet Semetary ties in to Insomnia, which ties into the Dark Tower series.

And it only took you 7 months to dig up the links.

Give me a break; it's the first time I've seen this thread.

Well, to be honest, it was directed more toward KC. I'll give you a pass this one time, Mindcrime.

[GA]

2 things.

Oh i just wanted to back Robert E. Howard choices. Conan books inspire me to no end. Vibrant, gritty, roleplay ideas. The flagrant racism pisses me off at times, just for the context and plus I don't think a barbarian would care that much about race, that seems to be the problem of civilized men,, but even still its great reading.

The other one is kind of off topic but I think the ending of the Dark Tower series sucked. I'm not sure I would recommend reading it for campaign material though....for a megaverse campaign yeah but other than that .....probably not. Its a good enough series i guess, the first book i think is easily the best one, the others come off as too commercial in my mind, except maybe for wizard and glass that one seems pretty genuine....but the rest just i don't know seem too filled with Stephen King type gimmicks.