Deepest History in a Fantasy series???

[GOLLUM]

I would agree in essence with what JD says about Howard's world, knowing that he had a real penchant for historically based stories and the research that went into them. Still not in the same league as Erikson, who reminds me a bit of a modern day Howard. Erikson is for me a modern master of the S&S style story. I don't think JD has read Erikson yet but I would urge him to do so!

 

[j d worthington]

I would agree in essence with what JD says about Howard's world, knowing that he had a real penchant for historically based stories and the research that went into them. Still not in the same league as Erikson, who reminds me a bit of a modern day Howard. Erikson is for me a modern master of the S&S style story. I don't think JD has read Erikson yet but I would urge him to do so!

No, I haven't... yet. As you know, I've been working my way through all the things suggested by HPL in SHiL... and various other items connected to Lovecraft, the Weird Tales group, and the weird field in general (both fiction and nonfiction). So I've seldom had time to step outside that for a while... but I've been thinking of trying to make some time to try more of the "modern masters" in the field.... Once I do, I'll be sure to let you know what I think.....

 

[GOLLUM]

I look forward to it. As you know I consider this the greatest fantasy series of all time and I do think it would be worth your while. I consider him to be superior to Howard athough comparing different generations of authors can oft be perilous.

 

[DeepThought]

As you know I consider this the greatest fantasy series of all time and I do think it would be worth your while. I consider him to be superior to Howard...

I fully agree with you GOLLUM...and for all you chron locals, the best way to find out is to actually read/experience them for yourselves rather than investing too much time with other peoples opinion which can sometimes be helpful of course and yet sadly, is always subjective. But frankly, putting him beneath Robert Jordan (figuratively speaking of course ) is kind of hard to swallow and which again alas, is my opinion .

Cheer's, DeepThought

 

[Connavar]

Having read more of Erikson i feel he need way more skill to use the history of his world well. I mean creating a new tribe in every page isnt having deep history. Only thing that have good and deep history is the Mezla.

I give credit for creating the good history of Malazan,the gods,warrens,mythical peoples but the rest of his human world is very shallow history wise. You dont know the other nations and people from another.


By far the best with history is REH and Erikson isnt even close IMO.

Heh reading REH Hyboria history introduction to my Conan collection was more interesting than many so called fantasy with alot of history.

I havent even been able to finish the second Malazan book. His writing ability reminds me of SK. Good story and characters but his writing kills you in the long run.....

Of course i have more respect for SK cause he is a great storyteller.

 

[anthorn]

I would say the Three worlds Cycle by Ian Irvine.

Oh and after his current trilogy he's not going to write any more Three world books for a while. Which is shame

 

[Pyan]

I've always been impressed with Robert Silverberg's almost casual revealing of the long past of Majipoor in the tales based on that huge planet. He doesn't give you huge infodumps, but almost every part of the story has a bit more to tell of the history of the place.

 

[elvet]

One way to convey a sense of history is to follow a story over eras of time. The Pern novels do this very well. The first book tells how the planet became inhabited, and the following books follow the decline of tecnology and the evolution of a new social structure.

 

[j d worthington]

I should add, too, that Andre Norton's Witch World series has a very complex history as well. It is handled a good deal more subtly, though, and one may not realize how deeply it runs the first time around; all the more so as it you are given this history in little bits and pieces from tale to tale, until a very rich tapestry begins to emerge. But... it does inform the stories with a great deal of "thickness", so to speak....

 

[Nesacat]

Having just very recently read Erikson's Malazan books I'd agree with it's rich depth and word-building. They are an amazing set of books and very well worth staying up all hours to finish them. Very complex, very detailed. Obviously someone who loves the language and takes great pains to paint as clear and detailed a pictures as is possible using words.

Admittedly when I saw this thread the first books that came to mind were Robert Howard's Hyborian tales and Andre Norton's Witch World. Yes, they not on the same breath-taking scale of Malazan but they are richly detailed and complex in their own way.

Much more subtle and it's a simpler world but deep nevertheless. And it's intriguing as in the case of Witch World you have to put it all together from what you get from the many stories in that world. Nothing is sort of laid out in an organised fashion but each tale gives you some small piece of the puzzle. In fact, it was these pieces that sent me chasing after many of the stories. It was the need to see the rest the puzzle.

Am going to toss in Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori. Okay it's not a fantasy realm in the sense of a place purely of the imagination but it is very well researched and very well detailed. You get a clear picture of Japan and society of the time. And this again would open the gates to many other such books.

 

[nixie]

Another one for Erikson, the world building and history is truly amazing.

 

[Talysia]

Am going to toss in Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori. Okay it's not a fantasy realm in the sense of a place purely of the imagination but it is very well researched and very well detailed. You get a clear picture of Japan and society of the time. And this again would open the gates to many other such books.

I completely agree with this one. I've just completed a reread of the series, and one of the things that struck me the most about it was the sense of history coming from it.

 

[GOLLUM]

Having just very recently read Erikson's Malazan books I'd agree with it's rich depth and word-building. They are an amazing set of books and very well worth staying up all hours to finish them. Very complex, very detailed. Obviously someone who loves the language and takes great pains to paint as clear and detailed a pictures as is possible using words.

Glad you liked them so much Nesa.....
I think I need to chase up Witchworld. I've heard of them but never read the series. Something tells me I should.