I need a new series to read

[The Imp]

I really appreciate all the replies BTW guys Keep them coming please. My options may be more numerous soon as I think I'm getting the fancy new audioplayer that acts as an MP3 player AND plays special downloads from the Library of Congress and another audiobook project, free to people with visual impairments that have signed up (I have).

Happy New Year all

 

[Ursa major]

I haven't much to recommend (being more an SF than Fantasy reader) - although you might try China Miéville's Bas Lag three books, all of them hefty (Perdido Street Station, The Scar and The Iron Council) - but I have had the misfortune of reading Ilium, Olympos, Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion and, frankly, Simmons's writing is not a patch on Martin's (or a host of other authors, for that matter). Think self-indulgence; think trying to sound clever; "think" limited vocabulary (the sky on Hyperion is always "Lapis", literally dozens of times - aaaargh!); think of a complete lack of focus, so that (very) minor characters and plot twists get as many pages as the ones you (theoretically) want to know about.


But I guess you'll have to find out for yourself, given the positive statements about these books. It takes all sorts.

 

[Boaz]

It does indeed, Ursa. Mayhaps it is because I've read so little SF that I was easily impressed by Simmons.

Mayhaps I was impressed by by Toranaga (Togukawa Ieyasu in reality) because I was fifteen. I have friends who play Heroclix, a super hero minatures game. In Heroclix, Batmas has the power of "Outwit", i.e. he can cancel anybody elses powers because he is the consumate planner. It is infuriating... Egg, if that's how you felt about Toranaga, then I will confess that I was an impressionable fifteen year old without any power of discernment.

Imp, I forgot that I own The Silmarillion on audio. Martin Shaw is the reader. I've driven from Denver to LA numerous times and The Silmarillion (14 hours) makes the entire trip fly by.

 

[Young stormlord]

Hi Imp,

When I was ill some while back I invested in some audiobooks and agree they're quite excellent. The ones I have are His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (read by the asurthor quite superbly) and Carlos Louis Zafon's excellent Shadow Of The Wind which features a cemetry of forgotten books. The chap who reads this one is a New York actor and probably one of the best voices I've ever come across to do audio books.

You realise there several audio mp3s you can download for free although the quality does vary and they're of older classics.

Cheers...

I've just finished reading His Dark Materials. It was my New Year's present, and I like it, although *spoiler* I would rather fill the world with Spectre's than let go of my love *end of spoiler*.

I've also read Dan Simmons... but only Ilium and Olympus.Ended up laughing my ass on some parts and crying on another. I guess I'm a little emo . Good books and I'll gladly recommend them.

 

[gunder]

I would like to recommend that you read The Dark Tower series by Stephen King if you haven't already. I've read the whole series three times now and I've enjoyed it every time.

 

[The Imp]

I would like to recommend that you read The Dark Tower series by Stephen King if you haven't already. I've read the whole series three times now and I've enjoyed it every time.

This is actually one of my favorite series, although I think that King wasxn't the same after his accident. IMO, Wizard and Glass (the 4 th of 7) is a masterpiece. I've read the first 4 maybe 5 or 6 times, the last 3 only once.

Thanks for the suggestion though

 

[Ursa major]

This is actually one of my favorite series, although I think that King wasxn't the same after his accident. IMO, Wizard and Glass (the 4 th of 7) is a masterpiece. I've read the first 4 maybe 5 or 6 times, the last 3 only once.

Thanks for the suggestion though

Given that Wizard and Glass was the volume I liked least out of the seven (and by a long way), you should perhaps ignore my doubts about Dan Simmons's books.

 

[The Imp]

Given that Wizard and Glass was the volume I liked least out of the seven (and by a long way), you should perhaps ignore my doubts about Dan Simmons's books.

I don't see how it follows that a book that I wouldn't like a recommendation of yours based on that. using that logic, you'd advise me not to read ASIAF?

I'm very curious as to why you didn't like WaG. For me the last book was the ultimate letdown

 

[Ursa major]

I don't see how it follows that a book that I wouldn't like a recommendation of yours based on that. using that logic, you'd advise me not to read ASIAF?

You've made an excellent point there.

I'm very curious as to why you didn't like WaG. For me the last book was the ultimate letdown

It's a few years ago that I read it, but my impression is that there was too much teenage romance and too many hormones leading to (possibly avoidable) tragic results. If the central, flashback, story had been a standalone book, I'd never have taken it off the shelf.

As to the ending of the series, I could have done with less of the fictional King, but I wasn't surprised by the ending at the Tower; it seemed fitting to me (as long as King doesn't write up all the consequential action ).

 

[The Imp]

You've made an excellent point there.





It's a few years ago that I read it, but my impression is that there was too much teenage romance and too many hormones leading to (possibly avoidable) tragic results. If the central, flashback, story had been a standalone book, I'd never have taken it off the shelf.

As to the ending of the series, I could have done with less of the fictional King, but I wasn't surprised by the ending at the Tower; it seemed fitting to me (as long as King doesn't write up all the consequential action ).

Apologies to mods for this OT conversations.

For me, the flashback story enabled me to undertand the person that ROland became and his obsession with the Dark Tower. Wathcing him grow up and become a true Gunslinger (over the course of the story) was also veryh gratifying. As for the last book, there was so much wasted writing that could have been used to cover backstory that was never touched. I found the character of the Crimson King ("Read" King?) to be perhaps the most terrible plot device I've ever seen in my decades of reading.

BTW, if you like and haven't read Black House and it's predecessor The Talisman. I was greatly disappointed not to find a tie-n the Black House in DT7

 

[george c]

a short (3 books) series i really liked was Swan Wars by Sean russell

 

[Eulalia]

I just got "Poison Study". It was an easy read, if you don't mind plain writing style, and it had a theme I've never seen.

The latest P.D. James was one of her best. I actually have to look words up! (palimpsest!!?)

Sigh, still waiting for DWD!

Anyone else get reading joy for Christmas?

 

[Khale]

I am a big audio fan for when I am driving or at the gym and enjoyed listening to the Wheel of Time and all of the Shannara books. I thought the readers did a great job on the voices. On weekends when I just read, I go for more epic fantasy like GRRM or Erikson.

Good thing the Malazan books aren't on audio. I don't think it would be possible to follow and understand what was going on without reading and re-reading chapters.

 

[Thirianjer]

Imp - I know of your condition, my mom had Usher's syndrome.

Julian May has a good 4-book series, The Many-Coloured Land, and its 2 prequels Metaconcert (don't read/hear the prequels first).

I'd recommend Tad Williams' OtherLand series, also.

 

[Boneman]

I'd add the 'Chronicles of Amber'. Just released as an anthology, it has five books in it....... In the UK I paid £7.99, and although he can go on a smidgeon when shifting through shadow, Roger Zelazny cannot be beaten. There is a follow-up series to it, starting with 'Trumps of Doom'. Google 'Nine Princes in Amber'.......

 

[KESpires]

I'm going to 2nd or maybe 3rd the motion for Ilium by Dan Simmons. It is unbelievably good. Dan Simmons is amazing.

Hence the quote on the inside cover:

"I am in awe of Dan Simmons" Stephen King

 

[mutate]

The only series I have enjoyed as much as ASOIAF are Dune, Ender's Game, Robin Hobb, and the Godfather (crime genre I know)

I may try Zelazny, Wolfe, and Simmons now.

 

[GOLLUM]

The only series I have enjoyed as much as ASOIAF are Dune, Ender's Game, Robin Hobb, and the Godfather (crime genre I know)

I may try Zelazny, Wolfe, and Simmons now.

You'll find they're all pretty good, especially Zelazny and Wolfe, top-notch writers and thoughtful prose.

Have you tried Erikson's Malazan series. For me better than Martin's ASOIF in terms of sheer world building and story line but Martin is the better writer. Speaking of which you should also check out Martin's earlier works including 1974's Fevre Dream ( I describe it as Stephen King meets Mark Twain on the mississippi river) and the wonderful DreamSongs retrospective. Fevre Dream is possibly the best vampire novel I've read outside of Matheson's I Am Legend and Dracula of course.

There's many many fine authors in speculative fiction and you'll find the members here quite knowledgable about such things.

Cheers...

 

[Eulalia]

Hey, I found a cool site, whilst surfing that gives you a clickable "literature map". Naturally this link is centered on GRRM. Basically, it gives you a matrix of other peoples favourite authors, who liked the pointer author!

Literature-Map: George R. R. Martin

Lots of the authors are named above in previous posts. I've read many of them. Ayn Rand?!

Cheers

 

[Boaz]

Eulalia, holy smokes that thing is addicting. It's like six degrees of seperation. There are some crazy connections. I entered Stephen Hawking... and I got matches of Albert Einstein and Carl Sagan which I expected, but I also got matches with Jean-Paul Sarte, theologian Peter Kreeft, Walt Disney, and drummer Neil Peart... now that's an eclectic group.