Fantasy / Science Fiction book series

[Everlong]

Robert Jordan's passing made me think of this genre and how much I used to like it. My interest has somewhat faded but there are definitely a couple of very nice reads out there.

My personal favorite is Guy Gavriel Kay http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Gavriel_Kay
His books are not one series as such but they are all set in an alternate medival universe that much resembles our own history. I have probably enjoyed Tigana the most, with A song for Arbonne and Lions of Al'Rassan as runners up.

I also really like Katherine Kerr's Deverry Saga up until around book 6 when I started losing interest.

Please point me in the direction of other worthwile reads.

[kerowo]

I used to read the Belgariad and the Mallorean every year when they were first coming out. They are by David Eddings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Eddings

[mute]

Some good suggestions in this thread:

Link

If you like Kay, then you should definitely read the Fionavar Tapestry (trilogy) if you haven't already.

[ZeTurd]

I'm pretty sure George R.R. Martin and his A Song of Ice and Fire series is going to be dropped in this thread pretty soon. And for good reason. It's one of the best ongoing fantasy series out there.

A perhaps lesser known series is Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Probably the best fantasy I've read in later years. He's a bit like Robert Jordan, only that he is actually competent at writing good prose and tying together plot strands.

From Wikipedia:

"The series is not told in a linear fashion. Instead, several storylines progress simultaneously, with the individual novels moving backwards and forwards between them. As the series progresses, links between these storylines become more readily apparent. During a book signing in November 2005, Steven Erikson confirmed that the Malazan saga consists of three major story arcs, equating them to the points of a triangle.

The first plot strand takes place on the continent of Genabackis, where armies of the Malazan Empire are battling the native city-states for dominance. The novel Gardens of the Moon depicts the struggle by the Malazans for control of the city of Darujhistan. Memories of Ice, the third novel released in the sequence, continues the unresolved plot threads from Gardens of the Moon by having the now-outlawed Malazan armies uniting with their former enemies to confront a new, mutual threat known as the Pannion Domin."

That only scratches the surface though. Very intricate and well thought-out plot lines, as well as engaging characters.

Oh, and second the recommendation for Guy Gavriel Kay. He's great. One of my all time favorites. Glen Cook's "Black Company" series is also good, and for [censored] and giggles I recommend Terry Pratchett's Discworld series - kind of like Douglas Adams in a fantasy setting.

I also vehemently disapprove of Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks and Stephen R. Donaldson, but YMMV.. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Bostaevski]

Oh man I hate Goodkind's "Wizard's First Rule" books. I mean I read the first one, the second one, the third... then I started getting furious. I couldn't stop reading them tho (figured he would end the series eventually and I would be released from this hell).

People talk about Jordan milking his series. Goodkind is the master of milking.

Every book is something stupid about how Richard and Kahlan can't be together. Nobody in the books has any empathy whatsoever so each person has to describe in boring detail how they're feeling. It doesn't matter how many times Richard proves that he knows what he's doing, it will always end up that everyone thinks he's crazy making it just infuriating to read these books. Jeesus Christ...



That being said, Stephen King's Dark Tower series was probably my favorite fantasy/sci-fi story.

I seem to remember really liking David Eddings books about Sparhawk (the Elenium?)

[LeapFrog]

Black Company books are great though the first, 'The Black Company', is really the high water mark. Not a big fan of the latter books though 'She Is The Darkness' is a great title [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]


[ QUOTE ]

Every book is something stupid about how Richard and Kahlan can't be together. Nobody in the books has any empathy whatsoever so each person has to describe in boring detail how they're feeling. It doesn't matter how many times Richard proves that he knows what he's doing, it will always end up that everyone thinks he's crazy making it just infuriating to read these books. Jeesus Christ...


[/ QUOTE ]

Completely agree, angrily quit somewhere into the third book, way, way to much lameness. Wasted potential.

[Orlando Salazar]

Ender's Game. LOTR.

[daveymck]

I always liked David Gemmel.

I got into this stuff via Tolkien then moved onto Eddings, Gemmell and Jordan.

I also really like Steven Donaldson although isnt so much conventional fantasy.

[Taso]

I thought Jordan was a great story teller, personally. However, I will say I didn't find his writing too impressive. The character development, plot, etc, was all great, but he couldn't hold a candle to Tolkien's writing.

[Dominic]

Agree on Donaldson and Martin...

would also add Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle and, if you like hard science fiction, Greg Bear's Eon series...