I need something new to read.

[cailbrin]

I am big fan of George RR Martin, J V Jones and Steven Erikson.

I have worked my way through the typical route of Fantasy, Tolkein, Eddings, Feist ........

Most new fantasy I pick up is too light weight.

Tales of lost kitchen boys, who can talk to dogs and surprisingly turn out to be the lost kings of Zog are tedious, and I find the sickly goody two shoes of the whole thing slightly sickening.

I prefer earthier stories, where characters are rounded, usually neither 100% good or 100% bad, just trying to stay alive / get ahead.

I am fed up waiting for Mr Martin to get his act together, so I thought I'd ask the assembled glitterati to come up with suggestions.

 

[DarrellR]

Hmm the two authors that first ran into my mind when I read your post are Scott Bakker and Joe Abercrombie. I believe Bakker's series is The Prince of Nothing. The first triology is complete as is Abercrombie's The Blade Itself or something of that nature. I am sort of brain dead from work *laughs* But those two came to my mind because I have similar tastes and enjoyed them. Granted The Prince of Nothing series frustrated me on the second book because one of the main characters but I have every intention on finishing it and still have to admit it is a really good read.

 

[Overread]

Robin Hobbs Assassin's Apprentice (part one of the Farseer Trillogy) might suit you - long, deep and the lead character is anything but perfect (infact he makes some mistakes so bad you feel like shouting at the book!).
Its more focused round a single character and their actions (ok two characters in the end) and goes a lot into the thinking of that character - so you really get to know them well.

 

[Waziwig]

I keep shouting about this book ... and I suppose will continue to do so ....
Clive Barker's Imajica. (NOT HORROR, just dark!) The prose is real good, the surprises hit like a kidney punch, and the characters very real. Enjoy!

 

[dask]

I am big fan of George RR Martin, J V Jones and Steven Erikson.

I have worked my way through the typical route of Fantasy, Tolkein, Eddings, Feist ........

Most new fantasy I pick up is too light weight.

Tales of lost kitchen boys, who can talk to dogs and surprisingly turn out to be the lost kings of Zog are tedious, and I find the sickly goody two shoes of the whole thing slightly sickening.

I prefer earthier stories, where characters are rounded, usually neither 100% good or 100% bad, just trying to stay alive / get ahead.

I am fed up waiting for Mr Martin to get his act together, so I thought I'd ask the assembled glitterati to come up with suggestions.

You might enjoy Jack Vance's Dying Earth novels.

 

[soulsinging]

I am big fan of George RR Martin, J V Jones and Steven Erikson.

I have worked my way through the typical route of Fantasy, Tolkein, Eddings, Feist ........

Most new fantasy I pick up is too light weight.

Tales of lost kitchen boys, who can talk to dogs and surprisingly turn out to be the lost kings of Zog are tedious, and I find the sickly goody two shoes of the whole thing slightly sickening.

Might be helpful if you tell what kind of books you're referring to with that last sentence. It makes me think of Tad Williams.

Until then though, I'll second Robin Hobb. It's not as heavy or tense as Martin, but the characters are definitely very grey and there's no goody two shoes in the book. It's more brooding though, so if you're into a lot of action and excitement, it might fall a bit short.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

I'll third Robin Hobb (Assassin's Apprentice). It's very moving, doesn't work on stereotypes, and there is a realness to it that separates it from the lighter fantasy you make reference to.

 

[cailbrin]

Thanks for the replies.

My wife is a big fan of Robin Hobb, and I must admit that I enjoyed all her books.

We have quite a library of fantasy books, and it contains a lot of the usual suspects.

I will check out Scott Bakker and Joe Abercrombie.

 

[Connavar]

I prefer earthier stories, where characters are rounded, usually neither 100% good or 100% bad, just trying to stay alive / get ahead.

Robert.E Howard - Conan stories
Jack Vance - Dying Earth Tales
David Gemmell - Jon Shannow,Rigante
Tim Powers - The Drawing of the Dark
Paul Kearney - The Mark of Ran

Thats a few authors,stories i like that fit your description.

 

[Althain's Warden]

Okay, i'll throw in David Farland in the mix as well as Janny Wurts (which you may have read i suppose). However i've seen lots of people liking J V Jones, i know she has done other works but has anyone read the book of words trilogy- started with the bakers boy? Thats the only books i've read from Jones and i couldn't stand them, i've actually posted them on the thread about 'worst fantasy ever read'. If enough people can say that maybe that trilogy was a large brain **** then maybe i'll check out her other work, otherwise she's definately not for me !

 

[Esioul]

I've just read teh first book in Julian May's Many coloured land series- It's excellent! So am very annoyed thatI am probably not goign to get anywhere near a bookshop till Teusday, grrr, want th enext one... Try it!

 

[Hypnos164]

Glen Cook - probably best to start with The Black Company (perhaps you already have if you have read Erikson's intros and interviews)

Patrick Rothfuss - only 1 book so far but Name of the Wind is awesome quality

Second both Abercrombie and Lynch

 

[Simple Simon]

Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing series was the first to pop into my mind from you description and I'd also agree that Joe Abercrombie's First Law series would be a good one to try.

I just read Perdido Street Station by China Miéville and that might pander to your taste also.

Oh and Althain's Warden you might want to read the first book of J.V Jones' Sword of Shadows series to get a better handle on what she can do. I found this series to be far superior than anything else she has written (but definitely avoid the barbed coil). Although I did enjoy The Book of Words trilogy I must say I far more enjoyed the secondary character story arcs than the primary characters.

 

[GOLLUM]

However i've seen lots of people liking J V Jones, i know she has done other works but has anyone read the book of words trilogy- started with the bakers boy? Thats the only books i've read from Jones and i couldn't stand them, i've actually posted them on the thread about 'worst fantasy ever read'. If enough people can say that maybe that trilogy was a large brain **** then maybe i'll check out her other work, otherwise she's definately not for me !

Well, having read everything JV has published I can concur with Simple Simon mate.

Book Of Words had its rare moments I thought but certainly wasn't anything to rant about. Barbed Coil I personally found to be an improvement and handy being a stand-alone BUT the more recent Sword Of Shadows is quite simply excellent. I found it difficult to believe it was the same author of Words but there you go, a major step up from her previous works. The prose, characters, story arc you name it it's all of a very high standard. I don't recall what other authors you've read but it compares very favorably with GRRM's Song Of Ice and Fire, Keye's Kingdom Of Thorn and Bone, Kate Ellliott's Crown Of Stars, Janny Wurt's current Wars Of Light and Shadow, William's Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and the list goes on....

As suggested try Book 1 Cavern Of Black Ice. I will be surprised if you don't like it and not wish to read further. From meomry it's a 5 book series now with 3 books already out and Book 4 Watcher Of The Dead due early in 2010.

Cheers....

 

[cailbrin]

"I've just read teh first book in Julian May's Many coloured land series- It's excellent! So am very annoyed thatI am probably not goign to get anywhere near a bookshop till Teusday, grrr, want th enext one... Try it!"

A truly brilliant series.

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Well since you've read Hobbs already, I second the Rothfuss recommendation. I also think you may like Cecilia Dart-Thornton's Bitterbynde trilogy starting with The Ill-Made Mute. Rather similar to Hobbs.

 

[Clansman]

Cailbrin, the only author that compares to those mentioned in the first sentence of your first post, that I have read, that is, is Janny Wurts. Her Wars of Light and Shadow is easily of the same quality as Martin and Erikson, and there is plenty of moral ambiguity to go around. The bad guys are not the typical fantasy straw men that infected a lot of fantasy for so long (how many Saurons does the plucky underdog need to defeat before we "get it"), and the good guys, though incredibly talented, make mistakes, and don't seem to make a whole lot of progress like in the farm-boy novels. The writing is very high-level stuff, and not for those for whom literacy is a challenge, and Wurts' characterization is second to none. Her world building is as good as it gets.

I haven't yet read Lynch or Abercrombie, but they seem like good bets also. I found Farland very weak, and after the third tepid novel, I gave up on that series. Anything by David Gemmell is always a good bet.

 

[Hypnos164]

Hmm I have The Curse of the Mistwraith in hardback and I clearly didn't enjoy it much at the time (some time in 1993/4 going by the edition date) as its the last Janny Wurts book I bought ... having purchased everything else of hers up to that point.

Given that it keeps getting comparisons to some of my current favourites (Erikson, Martin etc.) I may try and find time to re-read it to see if my tastes have changed to appreciate its style / setting more in the intervening time

 

[Boneman]

From what you like, read SHOGUN I say.

Aah, but it's not fantasy/Sci Fi, you say.

Aah, but it's the best descriptive book ever written about entering a New World, and it will grip you like no other book before, I say.

I'll give it a go, you say.

Well done, you will not regret it, I say.

 

[cailbrin]

Well since you've read Hobbs already, I second the Rothfuss recommendation. I also think you may like Cecilia Dart-Thornton's Bitterbynde trilogy starting with The Ill-Made Mute. Rather similar to Hobbs.

I have just picked up a Rothfuss book, Name of the Wind from the library.

I will give it a go, once i have finished the Bone Hunters for the upteenth time.