Storm Constantine and the darker side of fantasy

[Overread]

Well I just started reading Sea Dragon Heir by Storm Constantine and have come to realise that I like the darker side to fantasy tales. So far I have read books by Anne Bishope and A Game of Thrones, both of which paint a darker background to fantasy worlds.
So two small resquests/queries -
first, anyone a fan of Storm and can give me any recommendations as to what to read of hers next

secondly, anyone able to give any ideas as to darker fantasy novels

thanks

 

[GOLLUM]

OH plenty of darker fantasy novels. Try J V Jones current trilogy which is brilliant. Also Ricardo Pinto's Stone Dance Of The Chameleon is very dark. Also most things by China Mieville including Perdido Street Station. The work of Clark Ashton Smith perhaps. There's plenty more but these are some of the best...

OH and also try George RR Martin's Fevre Dream. Probably the best Vampire novel written and quite dark. Also Steven Erikson's Malazan series plus Paul Kearney's Monarchies Of God.

 

[j d worthington]

I think I'd include quite a bit of Moorcock's work in there as Dark Fantasy, actually; especially most of the Eternal Champion cycle. In fact, Storm Constantine and Moorcock did a collaborative novel, Silverheart, which is a very interesting read... a bit of a strange hybrid, but very interesting.

Here's a post I did of the Cycle as released a few years ago (in uniform format); there have been a few books added to the set since (especially The Dreamthief's Daughter, The Skrayling Tree, and White Wolf's Son):

http://www.chronicles-network.com/forum/204070-post9.html

And yes, CAS is among the darkest of the dark, especially his Zothique and Averoigne cycles:

Zothique - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Averoigne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cycles of Clark Ashton Smith by Boyd Pearson

I'd also suggest Karl Edward Wagner's Kane series:

Kane (fantasy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Which of Storm Constantine's books to read next? I would say the Wraethu books; they have a fascinating central premise, and are written with rather more style and panache than Sea Dragon Heir. Although if you are looking for something closer to the fantasy mainstream, you might want to read the sequels to Sea Dragon instead.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

My favourite out of them all is Hermetech.

 

[Jarshen]

Agree with Teresa that in terms of Storm Constantine I would recommend the Warethu series, sort of dark romance with as she says a fascinating central premise. I think it is her best stuff.
China Mieville, Erikson and the Malazans, I can reccomend and will check out some of the other myself.
Also Peake's Gormenghast is a wonderful dark fantasy.

 

[Max the Mediocre]

R. Scott Bakker - The Prince of Nothing

 

[Rosemary]

I really enjoyed Storm's books, especially Sea Dragon Heir.
Grigori is another of her series...
1. Stalking Tender Prey
2. Scenting Hallowed Blood
3. Stealing Sacred Fire

Russell Kirkpatrick is another author I would recommend. Fire Of Heaven is his first trilogy.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've almost picked up the Grigori books several times. Since you recommend them, Rosie, maybe next time I'll actually do it.

Storm has started her own company, Immanion Press, to publish some of her backlist titles (as well as the works of other authors. So it's possible to get some of the early titles that were OP.

 

[Lirineth]

Go for the Wraeththu Trilogies, but do not buy the first one in its omnibus format, get the books individually as the first one (for sure) was somewhat polished by the time the second trilogy came out. The other good thing is that if you enjoy them, you do not need to wait for the books to come out, they are all 'out there' already.

Should you decide to become a fan here is the website where you can find lots of fun stuff Wraeththu and some very good writing on the subject, and yes I admit it I am a super fan of these two trilogies. I wish Storm would finish her new book within the same world of Wraeththu. Buy the way there are two more books, one written by Wendy Darling and Bridgette M Parker called 'Breeding Discontent' and the other by SC called The Hienama, both very good.

And for her other works, one of her best is The Thorn Boy, it is part of a book called 'The Thorn Boy and Other Dreams of Dark Desire' I enjoyed it very much. Let us know what you decided.

 

[Ian Whates]

Storm's a fabulous lady. I'm fortunate enough to count her as a good friend, and to have her as one of three Guests of Honour at a little convention I'm involved in organising for next year (the other two GofH's being two little known authors who've been best friends since their school days: Ken MacLeod and Iain M. Banks ). www.newcon4.com

 

[Overread]

Thanks for all the responces, going to keep me reading for ages!

 

[Lirineth]

Ok, we admit it we envy you big time, happy now?

So, being as it is that the website is not yet functional, would you mind telling us when is this convention going to take place?

By the way do you have any news as when is it likely to be published the last of the Waerththu's books written by SC? Do you think you could find out, because Immanion Press is not very clear about it.

 

[Donna Scott]

Hi, I'm an editor for Immanion.

I think some of Storm's old websites are still on the web, Lirineth. She has completed two Wraeththu trilogies:

This is the page with all Storm's Immanion books on:
Immanion Press - Books by Author Storm Constantine.

... hope you can follow that link okay.

The last of the Wraeththu histories is the Ghosts of Blood and Innocence. I love what she does with this series!

...I'm with Rosemary on the Grigori trilogy - that is, the first two books as I never managed to find a copy of the third, but the first two have been reprinted with Immanion, so I'm going to reread those as soon as I get my dissertation out of the way.

...oh and that Newcon 4 convention is going to be absolutely fantastic!!!! October 11th & 12th, isn't it, Ian?

 

[Ian Whates]

Hi, I'm an editor for Immanion....oh and that Newcon 4 convention is going to be absolutely fantastic!!!! October 11th & 12th, isn't it, Ian?

Hi, Donna, yup, that's the one. I'll put more up about the event in the 'convention' section nearer the time. How was Storm's party? Sorry I couldn't make it.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hey, Donna, nice to see you on chronicles.

As for Storm books - read the first Wraethu trilogy, the more recent omnibus, and enjoyed it. Personally feelt like a kind of mixture of themes between Vampire Lestat and Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdrome.

 

[Lirineth]

Hi Donna Scott
Hi Ian Whates

OK, I think that there has been a bit of a confusion here. For starters as I said I really love SC writing and I have read most of her work, specially anything to do with the Waerththu's books.

What I was asking was about the last book of the Waerththu Mithos that is to say:

Storm Constatine
continuation to ‘The Hienama’
Student of Kyme

NO DATE​

As for the dates for the convention, thanks so mjch Ian, they have already been diarised.

Any other nice news from Immanion Press?

Cheers
L