# Help Me Find Some Books Please!



## NortheastGuy (Jun 1, 2006)

Hello!  I'm very happy that I found this forum, as I'm an avid fantasy reader and would love to get the insights and input from fellow fantasy lovers!

In any event, I'm coming to the end of reading the first book of Feist's Darkwar Trilogy, so I'm stuck looking for a new series until book 2 is available.  My favorite authors are Feist and Eddings (the old Eddings trilogies, I'm not very fond of the current one).  Would anyone have a recommendation on authors who write in a similar vein (not so much similar stories as much as writing style)?

Thanks much for your input!


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jun 2, 2006)

Well both Eddings & Feist are considered 'easy reads' in terms of tight prose. 
I do not mean poor quality. I am a huge fan of their works.

I would probably recommend David Gemmell as a similar author to get your teeth into.

There's more 'epic/adult' fantasy authors out there to blow your mind but I'll let some of the others let you know about that.

Welcome to the forums


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## murphy (Jun 2, 2006)

Robin Hobb.  Start with Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin and then Assassin's Quest.  If you like these 3, the followup books are the Magic Ship books which is in the same universe.  The third trilogy is the Fool's, which is more about the hero of the first 3 books.  A little dark, but great reading.


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## deemarie (Jun 2, 2006)

I just posted a very similar question on another forum but got no replies - so thanks for these reccommendations!


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## j d worthington (Jun 2, 2006)

No recommendations at this point; just a note. I hadn't seen any introductions from you folks, so I'll take this opportunity to say: Welcome, glad to have you here! Have fun; I've no doubt you'll find many people willing and able to help you with any and all questions. (Once I get a better feel for what you like, I have no doubt I'll be one.)

See you on the boards!


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## deemarie (Jun 3, 2006)

Thanks for the welcome.
I read nothing but fantasy and science fiction when i was younger, but then got bogged down in doing stuff like have kids and get a career; I read a lot of crime fiction then (probably suited my mental framework better!) but am now rediscovering stuff. Apart from the Eddings books, the ones that really stick in my mind were the Summer Tree trilogy, and the Alvin Maker series. I'm looking forward to finding some new material.


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## Chrystelia (Jun 3, 2006)

Hi welcome to the forum.  So I guess you have read all 12 books of Eddings old books.  I don't like the new ones as well.  What about The dark is rising series by Susan Cooper, Terry Brooks Shannara books, Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini, Harry Potter.  I'd so very love to recommend George R. Martin and Robert Jordan but I guess you are not ready for that yet.  If you like historical fiction, try Soul Flame by Barbara Wood, my favourite book by her.  It's about the granddaughter of Cleopatra.  but you got to tell us what kind of fantasy books you like so we have an idea of the kind of books to recommend.


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## Rosemary (Jun 3, 2006)

I would suggest Tad Williams as well.  Start with Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series.  The storyline is good and in my opinion his style of writing is great.

Mercedes Lackey is another marvellous author.  She starts off with the Heralds of Valdemar Series, followed by about 7 other series.    I have enjoyed all of her books.  

I hope you find the books that are of interest to you.


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## Nesacat (Jun 3, 2006)

I liked the earlier Eddings books and if you have not read The Redemption of Althalus, that's not good too. But then again I'm admittedly biased towards anything with cats.

The Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman is really good. I know it's marketed as a book for young adults but it's a very good set of books for adults as well. There's G P Taylor with Shadowmancer, Wormwood and Tersias. Cornelia Funke with the first 2 books of a Trilogy ... Inkheart and Inkspell. The third is on the way.

There's also the Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake.


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## j d worthington (Jun 3, 2006)

Not to mention E. R. Eddison's *The Worm Ouroboros*, *Mistress of* *Mistresses*, *A Fish Dinner in Memison* and *The Mezentian Gate*. Not exactly light reads (though Worm certainly is lightweight philosophically; the others aren't, necessarily), but wonderful classics of the genre. Lord Dunsany, if you haven't read him, especially *The King of Elfland's Daughter* and his early short story collections.

Actually, I think there's a thread here in the forums that's a great introductory list to some of the best fantasy, both classics and more recent books. The possibilities may not be endless, but it'll take a while.....


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## NortheastGuy (Jun 6, 2006)

Thanks for the feedback everyone!  I've read some of Terry Brooks and Tad Williams, but didn't feel pulled into the stories and didn't like them.

Gemmel may be a good try.  I read the first of Robin Hobb's books a while ago, and I did like that one -- I'll probably have to re-read the first again though 

Again, thanks for the feedback!


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## murphy (Jun 6, 2006)

Might not be to your taste, but some really exciting books are George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.  The first book in the series is A Game of Thrones.  Very gritty and realistic.  Not a lot of magic.  

Another gritty series is Steven Erikson's Malazon.  First book is Gardens of the Moon.


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## Dianora (Jun 7, 2006)

If you have not read anything by Guy Gavriel Kay, you have been missing out, big time. His stuff is unreal... Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, etc. Unbelievable.


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## deemarie (Jun 8, 2006)

I've also invested in the Robn Hobb Farseer trilogy as lots of people have mentioned it. So far I'm enjoying it. Have also bought the first George RR Martin as again, that was getting a lot of mentions.
Sometimes, though, I wish fantasy could be a little funnier - not in a Pratchett kind of way, but in a witty kind of way - when you are dealing with very larger-than-life situations, with magic and battles and epic stories, it is essential to still feel some sense of empathy and liking for the characters, and humour is such a good way of doing it. I think that's why i liked the earlier Eddings books so much - oh yes, they're walking through stone, and creating demons and battling with gods again; but you can still laugh at Silk's comments and it makes you care for them all so much.
I recently tried Diplomacy of Wloves by Holly Lisle, and I really liked the concept, but just couldn't connect witht eh characters in a way that made me care what happened to them.
And I agree very much on the Guy gavriel Kay front, especially the Summer Tree books.


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## murphy (Jun 8, 2006)

deemarie said:
			
		

> I've also invested in the Robn Hobb Farseer trilogy as lots of people have mentioned it. So far I'm enjoying it. Have also bought the first George RR Martin as again, that was getting a lot of mentions.
> Sometimes, though, I wish fantasy could be a little funnier - not in a Pratchett kind of way, but in a witty kind of way - when you are dealing with very larger-than-life situations, with magic and battles and epic stories, it is essential to still feel some sense of empathy and liking for the characters, and humour is such a good way of doing it. I think that's why i liked the earlier Eddings books so much - oh yes, they're walking through stone, and creating demons and battling with gods again; but you can still laugh at Silk's comments and it makes you care for them all so much.
> I recently tried Diplomacy of Wloves by Holly Lisle, and I really liked the concept, but just couldn't connect witht eh characters in a way that made me care what happened to them.
> And I agree very much on the Guy gavriel Kay front, especially the Summer Tree books.


 
For something on the funny side, try James Schmitz' (sp?) The Witches of Karres.  Ignore the lurid cover on the Baen rerelease.  It is a charming book, like all of his stories.


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## Asmer20 (Jun 11, 2006)

There's Ben Bova, Orson Scott Card and for really easy reads try Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine as well as Asimov's Mag and Science Fiction and Fact magazine.  Short stories are often good and easy reads that focus on one thing that the story is based on.  Enjoy!  And don't forget to write as well!!


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## deemarie (Jun 22, 2006)

Thanks to everyone who reccommended the Robin Hobb books, I'm almost at the end of the Farseer trilogy and have really enjoyed them - don't know quite why, I suppose they're just good stories, with likeable characters. Is there anything else of hers I should try?


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## murphy (Jun 22, 2006)

deemarie said:
			
		

> Thanks to everyone who reccommended the Robin Hobb books, I'm almost at the end of the Farseer trilogy and have really enjoyed them - don't know quite why, I suppose they're just good stories, with likeable characters. Is there anything else of hers I should try?


 
Did you just read the 3 Farseer books?  If so, there the Ship trilogy which takes place in the same world, with different characters, followed by the Fool's trilogy, which goes back to the original characters.  List as follows:

Ship of Magic
Mad Ship
Ship of Destiny

Fool's Errand
Golden Fool
Fool's Fate

Happy reading


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## deemarie (Jun 30, 2006)

Thanks for that - something to look forward to. I like the sound of the Ship books, I love anything seafaring (like the Patrick O'Brien adventures). Have just started A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin, again as reccommended on this forum, and so far I'm really enjoying it.


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## Didelidi (May 21, 2007)

Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself.
Just finished half of it, but it's already my alltime favuorite!^^

It's a trilogy, 2. just published in March and 3. expected March 2008.

Recommended!!


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## Who's Wee Dug (May 23, 2007)

<I wish fantasy could be a little funnier >

You could try Mary Gentile's "Grunts" some black humour there as well as a good read, but that is a matter of opinion.


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## mirinda (May 23, 2007)

Sara Douglass Wayfarer Redemption Series is good... a little dark but not horribly so.


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