Is GRRM the epitome of Fantasy??

[Werthead]

I disliked The Fionavar Tapestry. It didn't really gel for me. Oddly exactly the same thing happened with his only other multi-volume work, The Sarantine Mosaic.

However, Guy Gavriel Kay's stand-alone novels are among the finest, most emotionally effecting fantasy books I have ever read: Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan (soon to be a major motion picture) and The Last Light of the Sun are simply brilliant novels that show that the single-volume fantasy book is a long way from being dead. His new book, Ysabel, has attracted fantastic reviews ranking it as one of his best books.

 

[Lovely_Elm]

I am just 4 chapters into A GAme of Thrones - eneryone speaks so highly of the series that I had to jump on the bandwagon!

Guy Gavriel Kay really converted to the fantasy genre. Just like Hobb's works, they aren't high fantasy, more historical fantasy (Kay loosley bases all his morked on a set period of time - like the re-conquest of Spain in the Lions). Tigana was the first I read and Loved.

I'm now hoping that GRRM's works live up to that!

 

[Somebloke]

I am just 4 chapters into A GAme of Thrones - eneryone speaks so highly of the series that I had to jump on the bandwagon!

Guy Gavriel Kay really converted to the fantasy genre. Just like Hobb's works, they aren't high fantasy, more historical fantasy (Kay loosley bases all his morked on a set period of time - like the re-conquest of Spain in the Lions). Tigana was the first I read and Loved.

I'm now hoping that GRRM's works live up to that!

GRRM's are less 'nice' than Hobbs. This is in itself actually a good thing. I for one have trouble buying all of those sensitive, gentle-minded teenage boys that seem to populate her worlds.

Oh, and stay away from the forums until you finish A Feast For Crows. It's for your own good. You have been warned.

 

[MemmoN]

George's friend J.V Jones has a beautiful story called cavern of black ice and tower of grey ice. Written with the same spirit.

 

[Funky Cthulu]

I am 2/3rds of the way thru Tad William's 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' series. Really excellent, I totally underestimated them after reading his sci fi 'Otherworld' series. They're very different to GRRM's style, but I think they complement each other.

 

[dsmith]

I haven't read any of George R R Martin's books. What would you recommend as a good one to try first?

 

[j d worthington]

Probably the best among Martin would be his Song of Ice and Fire, or his early novel Fevre Dream (1982). For the series SoIaF:

1. A Game of Thrones (1996)
2. A Clash of Kings (1998)
3. A Storm of Swords (2000)
4. A Feast for Crows (2005)
5. A Dance with Dragons (forthcoming)

 

[dsmith]

Thanks j.d. ! I just ordered a used copy of Fevre Dream because it sounded good, so I'll start with that one, then try A Game of Thrones.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

I just finished that one myself dsmith. I'm sure you'll like it as you seem to enjoy a dash of horror in your fantasy novels