A GRRM question?

[Connavar]

I am very new to fantasy, i have only read Gemmell so far.

The thing is i hear so much about how good George R. R. Martins is and specially how good A Game of Thrones is.

I was wondering, i wanna try him out and wonder is that his best book? So i know if he is something for me.

 

[Koopa]

Well its the first of the series of ASOIAF

as for whats his best book, it all depends on taste, to i'd say ASOIAF is his best work

 

[Commonmind]

Gemmell is sorely missed And as Kiwi said, it depends on taste, but the series is by far the best I've read and will likely please any fan of the genre. That's a pretty big claim on my part, but I've read quite a bit of Fantasy. No other series has been consistently entertaining throughout, and has had such a clear sense of cohesion, from the beginning (A Game of Thrones) to the most recent book.

 

[Connavar]

Thanks thats what i wanted to know the book or series that is considered his best.

 

[Culhwch]

Gemmell is sorely missed And as Kiwi said, it depends on taste, but the series is by far the best I've read and will likely please any fan of the genre. That's a pretty big claim on my part, but I've read quite a bit of Fantasy. No other series has been consistently entertaining throughout, and has had such a clear sense of cohesion, from the beginning (A Game of Thrones) to the most recent book.

A very big claim. There are a number of voracious fantasy fans on this forum alone that will disagree with you there.

 

[Pyan]

And there are some that would say that there's no such animal as the "best" fantasy series - just some that they prefer to others.

 

[Commonmind]

A very big claim. There are a number of voracious fantasy fans on this forum alone that will disagree with you there.

I should have worded it differently. What I meant was that I considered it the best from what I've read, and that was the pretty big claim, considering I've read quite a bit. And of course, the rest of it was based on my own opinion of the series; that's not to say that everyone would find it cohesive and entertaining throughout. I should have seperated my saying it would 'likely' please any fan of the genre, as I could definitely see the confusion there.

Hope that clarifies a bit.

 

[Commonmind]

And there are some that would say that there's no such animal as the "best" fantasy series - just some that they prefer to others.

I said the best I've read; I wouldn't be pretentious enough to assume it would be everyone's. Even for the individual person, that 'best' sometimes changes; it has for me several times.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

Wow....considering this is the GRRM section of the chronicles you guys sure came down on poor Commonmind. So Im going to say ASoIaF is the best fantasy series evah!. Then I will freely admit I am completely biased and there is no way to talk me out of my opinion.....bwahahaha One Series to rule them All......

With that being said this is completely not the place to get an unbiased opinion on the series. (Wheres Boaz to tell me no opinion is unbiased) So take everything everyone says with the obligatory grain of salt.

Oh and start with Game of Thrones, some of the charm of Martins work is his ability to go to show you the typical fantasy formula then hit you with a plot twist that completely shocks you, then hits you with 2 more before you can recover. You would lose that if you started in the middle.

 

[Culhwch]

I certainly wasn't coming down on Commonmind, trust me on that. But I just know there are a lot of fantasy fans on here that don't like or rate Martin - that was my only point. Just as I don't like or rate Erikson, hack that he is.

Perhaps as this is the Martin forum I won't get flamed. [prepares self for flaming anyway]

 

[Commonmind]

I do thank Aegon for offering the digital band-aid, but I took no offense to it. As I said, I should have worded it differently to begin with, it would have made the post a bit easier to swallow. As it is written now and how I intended it to come across are very different.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

Just seemed an odd place to pick apart someones opinion....like going the pepperoni section of an all-pizza forum and nitpicking someone for saying that particular topping is best. Maybe its just me....

This whole thing being real minor, I am more amused than actually annoyed....hence the tone of my digital band-aid is slightly less than serious....

Excelsior

 

[Culhwch]

I didn't pick apart his opinion! I understood exactly what he said! I merely stated some people would disagree! I can't stop using exclamation points!

In all seriousness, Martin is great. Try him. Start with A Game of Thones. I would also suggest Fevre Dream, which is a brilliant (in my opinion) vampire/steamboat novel. But if you don't like him, you aren't alone. The denizens of this forum (I mean the chronicles network as a whole, not just the GRRM boards) are hands-down the most knowledgeable on the net. Check out the General Book Discussion boards - there are three stickied threads there absolutely brimming with suggestions. Or else delve into some of the author boards. I'd suggest Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, myself. And have fun.

And that is all I will say on the topic. Unless Aegon flames me again.

 

[Boaz]

One Series to rule them All......

Funny.

(Wheres Boaz to tell me no opinion is unbiased)

Right here watching over your shoulder, but I'm not judging you... I'm keeping an open mind.

Excelsior

Stan is the Man!

Connavar, welcome! I'd recommend starting tomorrow morning with The Chronicles of Narnia (in the original order of publication), then read The Hobbit followed by The Lord of the Rings. Then after lunch read some Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert Howard. Then you'll have the basis for twentieth century fantasy, imo. Don't ever read Terry Brooks, whatever you do. Then start A Game of Thrones just before you go to bed... take two aspirin and post here in the morning.

I would like to say that G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire compares favorably to Sho... gah... uh, uh, sorry Aegon! I forgot! It'll never happen again. I'm leaving now. Good luck to you Connavar.

 

[Connavar]

I am a huge fan of Conan cause of the comics so one of the biggest reason i jumped on the fantasy wagon was cause of Robert E.Howard. I plan to read him first of the greats then Tolkien and co.

Right now i obessed by David Gemmell and his amazing books so i wanted to try others that i didnt know about and GRRM is the one people mention most to me.

Terry?

 

[Koopa]

I certainly wasn't coming down on Commonmind, trust me on that. But I just know there are a lot of fantasy fans on here that don't like or rate Martin - that was my only point. Just as I don't like or rate Erikson, hack that he is.

Perhaps as this is the Martin forum I won't get flamed. [prepares self for flaming anyway]

The thing about Eriksson is, the first time i tried reading it, i got not further then a few 100 pages, i just grew detested with the book and could not for the life of me read on, two weeks later, i gave it another go, and since then i have read them all, and i actually like them, not as much as Martin or Hobb but a more or less third best. For some reason though i cannot seem to finish Midnight Tides, i am stuck after 2/3, and though i liked it well enough, i just dont want to continue, the rest i have read completely though. And in my humble opinion it is far better then Eddings or Jones.

The same can be said of Baker's trilogy.

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

And that is all I will say on the topic. Unless Aegon flames me again.

Im going to assume thats tongue-in-cheek.....because I wouldnt call my objections flames, heck I dont think you could light a candle with the flaming I was doing......somewhere the gay community is laughing.

To the OP, heck try Robert Jordan....he's one of the inheritors to the Conan series (which you said hooked you) and has a pretty good series of his own called the Wheel of Time. Well it good for the first 4 or 5 tomes....Gemmel is a little faster paced than most fantasy authors so I dont know if youll find anything directly analogous.

Enjoy

 

[Connavar]

Heh i dislike Robert Jordan simply cause i saw his "modern remake" of Conan

Wheel of time i have heard nothing good of actually.

Gemmell is the man for me Right now i am in the mood for him, alittle later i will check the other more slow paced and more magical fantasy.

About being similer to Gemmell, the pace isnt the best thing about him even though its great, the best thing about him the flawed and realistic characters and great battles and the epicness. Thats why i will try other that nots so similer to hoping to find the things i am looking for.



I actually read A Game of Thrones in the libaray today. I read 20 pages and so found it intresting. Will start reading it and the rest of the series after DG Power of Stones series. GRRM better deliver, he will be my first post DG

 

[bloody gauntlet]

ASOIAF is absolutly an awesome series. If you do not love it, I would be very suprised. A game of thrones is a great book, but will take some time to get into because there are so many characters and several developing stories. Sooner or later everything comes together, and then you are hooked. Then you will be screwed like the rest of us, waiting for his next book. At least you started after A feast for crows was released. For those of us who have been reading when A Game was written, it has be a long haul, witth long waits.
Every book is well worth the wait!

 

[Connavar]

Hehe poor you guys.

Thats the best thing about being new to fantasy, i can go the store and grab several books of a series

Soon enough i will be tortered by the waiting like you guys.