I need a new series to read

[Eulalia]

Have fun!

To tell you the truth, I found it while I was surfing to find out if Jean Auel was still alive, and if she was still writing her sixth book. (apparently she is) Just had to search GRRM!

And now more news. I was in a writing class with Meg Ryan, who was in a movie with Kevin Bacon, so now you are all third degree. Or does a cyber network count?

You have to watch Stephen Hawking types! What an amazing man.

 

[Eulalia]

I just downloaded (Tivo via Netflix) and really enjoyed the TV series Heroes. How does it relate to GRRM? Well, it has interesting, strong male and female characters. Flawed good guys. Plenty of ambiguous types. Depraved villains. Action. Cliffhangers. Humour. Complications and interweaving POV's. Swords! but mostly Science Fiction. Didn't like the first episode, but then got into it.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Heroes doesn't have the gristle and death that makes GRRM's series feel realistic, though. I still like the first season however.

 

[Bazza]

Eulalia, Heroes was definitely one of the best shows on TV...until the second season. It was beautiful how everything wove together in the first season by the end. But. I refuse to watch the third season until every writer is fired, lynched, and ran over by a buick. The second season utterly destroyed all the characters (not like GRRM, REALLY destroyed them with horrendous writing). I implore you to stop after you're done with the first season, just bask in its glory!

Also, I noticed Jim Butcher was mentioned in this thread but not his Codex of Alera series. I finished reading it not too long ago and while it is mainstream fantasy, it was very well written. It is unique in that, every person in the book can use magic, except for the main character, so it can make for some frightening consequences! And surprisingly enough, its not the stereotypical, "the only guy without magic will gain it back in a moment of need" kind of thing. He grows up learning how to circumnavigate his non-magic flaw by using only cleverness, guile, and luck. It's also got a cool Roman style to the world. Imagine if the Roman legions could use magic! There are 5ish books, beginning with The Furies of Calderon, and only 1 left to be written. (I think) I highly reccomend it!

 

[Eulalia]

Bazza, thanks! But it too late! You are totally right about the second season. The writers strike and shortened seasons have a lot to answer for... It is times like these when one questions the abolition of slavery! The third season is picking up, though. Its a pleasure to watch the talented actors, even if the material was subpar.

I don't know, Heroes has rather a lot of gruesome deaths in it, almost qualifies as a horror series? Maybe they don't have the staying dead part down.

Roman legions with magic, oy! Unstoppable.

 

[The Imp]

SInce TV shows are being mentioned, the new sries Dollhouse (9 PM Friday FOx) has the potential to be an excellent show.

 

[Bazza]

I agree, I've been glued to Dollhouse. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it is definitely intriguing!

 

[Eulalia]

If you like historical style mysteries, I just found a Tudor version, C. Sansom.

 

[Boaz]

GRRM, in his April 17 entry to his Not A Blog, recommended Maruice Druon's The Iron King.

 

[Calesta]

I too need a new author to add to my mix if readings. but so far I tend to jinx them. First was Jean Auel then there was Robert jorden while waiting on jordan i found the song of fire and ice.... So while i need another great aurhor I sure would hate to jinx them

 

[murphy]

I too need a new author to add to my mix if readings. but so far I tend to jinx them. First was Jean Auel then there was Robert jorden while waiting on jordan i found the song of fire and ice.... So while i need another great aurhor I sure would hate to jinx them

You might try the Inda books by Sherwood Smith. There's four books in the series and the fourth one just came out so you wouldn't jinx her.

 

[viZion]

Has anyone here read First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie? The book covers caught my eye the other day. It sounded interesting from what I read on the back of the books, too. Is it any good? It fits my criteria of being a series that's already done which why I'm considering it.

 

[Delran Stark]

Anyone tried out Turtledove? Quite nice books.

 

[soulsinging]

Has anyone here read First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie? The book covers caught my eye the other day. It sounded interesting from what I read on the back of the books, too. Is it any good? It fits my criteria of being a series that's already done which why I'm considering it.

I loved them. They have a lot of action, a fair amount of dark humor, great dialogue, and interesting characters. They're not the happiest of books though, so be ready for that. But I really enjoyed the series.

 

[IlliferThePenniless]

Imp-

I'm not sure if you're still looking for audio books, but as a fellow audiophile I'd highly recommend Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. It's not as rich as ASoIaF but it does have the distinct advantage of being finished and it's by far the best work I've heard Michael Kramer do as reader (he also reads the male half of the Wheel of Time Books) and it's a hell of a fun ride. Some good twists and turns (though I actually caught most of them, used as I am to super close readings thanks to joints like this one).

The Wheel of Time audiobooks are pretty good, though they suffer from the same isssues as the series as a whole in that really become interminable around book seven or so... Of course, if you're like me, by that point you'll be pretty hooked and therfore willing to continue through the tedium just to see how the whole thing wil resolve itself. But the will keep you listening for a while, so they've got that going for them...

As for other audio books in the genre I've enjoyed, I'd really reccomend Sussana Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell, it's kind of Jane Austen by way of Harry Potter, but it's definitely for grownups. It's beautifully written as it moves from a Victorian comedy of manners to something deeply unsettling and ineffably creepy. It's only one book, not a series, but it's like 30 hours long so it'll keep you busy.

There are some realy great Neil Gaiman audio books out there as well (he's the rare author who's not a complete disaster reading his own stuff). Once again, not series but stuff like American Gods, Neverwhere, The Graveyard Book, and Stardust have all made audio books I've greatly enjoyed.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention, cliched as it is, the Harry Potter series as well as simply spectacular audio books. If you think Roy Dotrice make ASoIaF come alive, wait until you hear Jim Dale, the work he does on that series is really superb.

I hope you find some of this useful...

 

[Alabrent]

You might give Jack Vance's Lyonesse Series a chance, it consists of three books: Lyonesse, The Green Pearl, and Maudoc. It is set on a fantasy island off the coast of Cornwall a couple of generations before King Arthur. The first book starts a little slow, but it is well worth it. Vance's use of language is marvelous.