[colpet]

I'd like a web site/forum recommendation. I rely heavily on my gaming forums (GB, JA and AG) to provide good information and lively discussion about Adventure games. I imagine there must be something similar for fantasy readers. I'm fairly new to the genre (other than Tolkien, of course )and have picked up most of my recommendations from word of mouth.

I got many good suggestions from the other Fantasy thread recently. I'm reading the Black Jewels trilogy, and have Garth Nix waiting in the wings.

[artwking4]

I'm a big fan of anything by Raymond E. Feist. I was introduced to his books by playing the rpg game, Betrayal at Krondor, that Dynamix/Sierra released back in the early 90's.

[Lucien21]

oooh Deja vu

[Lucien21]

http://www.thefantasyforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=216

http://www.fantasybookspot.com/forum/

Never been to either so no idea what they are like.

[colpet]

Here's some I found.
SSFworld.com
Chronicles-network.com
Xenite.org - I'm a member here already at the Tolkien and the Inklings forum.

Thanks for the links, Lucien.

[Ninth]

If any of you find the perfect forum (you know, like the Adventure Gamers of Fantasy), keep me updated, because I really could use recommendations.

By the way, colpet, I'm not sure whether you've read Robin Hobb or George R R Martin? If you haven't I'd recommend them hearthily, in that order. Hobb's the woman (and it shows in the way she writes, IMO), and she made me feel for her character (I'm talking about the Farseer Trilogy), and Martin weaves some amazing Borgi-esque stories (with the associated subtle characters).

[colpet]

Well, I've perused SFFworld.com (American) and Chronicles-netwok.com (UK), and liked what I saw. Both have an extensive home page with news and reviews. I've registered at both (under my alias, elvet ), and will let you know how they compare to my gaming forums. So far I'm really a novice. It reminds me of when I first started posting at GB, there were so many unfamiliar games to learn about. I've looked through the recommendations threads and have seen both Hobb's and Martin's names mentions many times. Definitely being added to my growing list of books to read.

[Ninth]

Oh, and while I'm at it, what about Zelazmy's Amber? This series has got to be the most magical of all the series I've read.

And there's always Robert Jordan, for some fun and epic (good, but not as interesting as the others I've cited) fantasy.

[colpet]

I read the Chronicles of Amber, and had a hard time with it. I'm not sure why, but I couldn't get a grasp of the character's powers. They always seemed to develop a new trick or attribute that helped them with their adversity. It was all too much in flux.

[Spiwak]

Read up on R.A. Salvatore. His Icewind Dale Trilogy and Dark Elf Trilogy, actually his whole Drizzt saga, are quite engrossing. Oh and Lloyd Alexander. The Chronicles of Prydain (Black Cauldron, et al) are some classic, albeit a little youngish, fantasy novels.

[Lucien21]

Jordans far too long winded. His series is up to book 11 I think and shows no sign of stopping. Plus it got rubbish about book 6 or 7.

[eriq]

I agree. Robert Jordan's series is getting a bit zzzzzzzzzz....

If you want THE most engrossing series, check out the "Dark Sun : Prism Pentad" series by Troy Denning. A five book series, this set is by far my highest recommendation. It's from the early 90's so you may need to look on eBay or Amazon for older copies.

I also really enjoy Rovert Silverberg's writing - especially the novel "Kingdoms of the Wall"

[Ninth]

Originally Posted by Lucien21

Jordans far too long winded. His series is up to book 11 I think and shows no sign of stopping. Plus it got rubbish about book 6 or 7.

We've already been through this, but...

12 is suppposedly going to be the last one.

The 6th and 7th books are great.
8 is average.
9 is very good.
10 is shitty.
11 is good.

[Ninth]

Ok, so I need some recommendation fast (before saturday).

I love George R R Martin (Song of Ice and Fire), Robin Hobb (Farseer Trilogy), Robert Zelazny (Amber)

I like Greg Keyes (Charnel Prince, etc...), Tad Williams (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, Otherland), Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time), Terry Pratchett (Discworld).

I don't like Anne Mc Caffrey, Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth), Tolkien, or anything that's too conventional or black and white, or plain boring.


I need to find some new books to read (preferably a series) for next week... Suggestions, anyone?

EDIT: Something original would be a plus.

[colpet]

Have you read Steven Donaldson's Thomas Covenant trilogies? Other suggestions - Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry, Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, and Tad William's War of the Flowers.
BTW, I'm enjoying the information on the Chronicles forum. You may find some suggestions there.
http://www.chronicles-network.com/

[Lucien21]

Tad Williams last fantasy novel "Shadowmarch" has just been released on paperback in the UK.

Have you tried China Meivelle. I'm not a huge fan, but a lot of people like him.

[playing_games]

Oooohhhh! I second the recommendation for Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry. I absolutely adored it.

I enjoyed David Farland's Runelords series. It has a unique magical system which I found fascinating. I liked it a lot but the series received mixed reviews, I think.

[Stoofa]

I don't recommend the Fionovar Tapestry. It was so sexist and shit (at least the first two books that I read). I hated hated HATED that series.

[AGA]

Originally Posted by Ninth

Ok, so I need some recommendation fast (before saturday).

I love George R R Martin (Song of Ice and Fire), Robin Hobb (Farseer Trilogy), Robert Zelazny (Amber)

I like Greg Keyes (Charnel Prince, etc...), Tad Williams (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, Otherland), Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time), Terry Pratchett (Discworld).

I don't like Anne Mc Caffrey, Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth), Tolkien, or anything that's too conventional or black and white, or plain boring.


I need to find some new books to read (preferably a series) for next week... Suggestions, anyone?

EDIT: Something original would be a plus.

As already mentioned, Raymond E. Feist is good. He's written maybe 20 books by now, all set in the same universe, but in a number of different sagas, all of which are set in different times/places and stuff. Aside from the earliest books, they're fairly short in length too, and never get boring.

[Melanie68]

Just reread American Gods! I am loving that book.