Modern Epic Fantasy Authors

[Brian G Turner]

I'm currently trying to explore the epic fantasy genre more deeply, especially more recent works (not least some well-received debut authors) from the past few years.

So far my list includes:

George R R Martin
Joe Abercrombie
Scott Lynch
Paul Kearney
Mark Lawrence
Douglas Hulick
Michael J Sullivan
Brandon Sanderson

Question is - who has been published over the past five years I'm missing from the list?

 

[Mouse]

Robin Hobb? J.V. Jones?

 

[elvet]

Steven Erikson

 

[Brian G Turner]

Oops, yes, meant to add Erikson ans Hobb.

Not familiar with JV Jones, though, so will take a look.

 

[chopper]

Over the last 5 years-ish?

Sam Sykes
Tad Williams (Shadow-xxx sequence)
Mark Barrowcliffe (MD Lachlan) has an epic fantasy series due either this year or next; unfortunately he's publishing under yet another pseudonym so I can't help any further...
Mark Charan Newton
Gav Thorpe
Celine Kiernan (Moorehawke trilogy - it's on my TBR; I haven't reached it yet)

JV Jones - I got tired of her series, but the Barbed Coil is one of my alltime favourites.

 

[Boneman]

Peter Brett?

 

[Mouse]

JV Jones - I got tired of her series, but the Barbed Coil is one of my alltime favourites.

So did I. Took too long for the third one to come out and I stopped reading it halfway through. Still, the first two were really good. Worth a look.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Oh, I should probably also add Brent Weeks to this list?

 

[Vekhein]

I read a couple of book by Brent Weeks(The Night Angel Trilogy), RA Salvatore(Drizzt Series), Tom Lloyd(The Stormcaller), David Dalglish(The Half-Orc Trilogy), Terry Goodkind(The Sword of Truth Series) , George R R Martin. These are all pretty good authors i have read and would recommend them.

 

[Connavar]

You must read Kearney recent series if you like First law series. Abercrombie and Kearney are the most promising in Sword and sorcery type with a lot of military action. They are much more interesting g if you like that type like me.

 

[Brian G Turner]

You must read Kearney recent series if you like First law series. Abercrombie and Kearney are the most promising in Sword and sorcery type with a lot of military action. They are much more interesting g if you like that type like me.

I've started Hawkwood and the Kings but am finding it hard to get into - there's little direct character experience so it feels more like watching a film. Also, the prose tries so hard to be stylistic that it becomes very distracting at times. However, will push on.

 

[AndrewT]

I'm Just finishing up Jim Butcher's six volume series Codex Alera. High quality classic fantasy. Book 1 was not quite as good as the rest as he was getting his feet wet.

 

[Kylara]

I'll reinforce Brent Weeks, and Peter Brett, both excellent (imo)

 

[elvet]

I've started Hawkwood and the Kings but am finding it hard to get into - there's little direct character experience so it feels more like watching a film. Also, the prose tries so hard to be stylistic that it becomes very distracting at times. However, will push on.

I prefered his later books - the Macht trilogy.

 

[biodroid]

What about Patrick Rothfuss?

 

[Kylara]

You know, I still havent got his new(ish) one...it's been hardbacking for soooo long...

 

[ratsy]

I for sure would suggest Rothfuss as well. I doubt they are for everyone but for sure they are a new take on the genre.

Brent Weeks isn't necessarily epic but i really enjoyed the Night Angel trilogy and his new series is actually better.

Scott Lynch? This is as good as it gets, now if he could just release the 3rd book I will be a happy man. ***i see u have him already

Ken Scholes...if you havent read the Psalms of Issac i highly recommend you all do. This series is something else...mechanical men with the power to destroy cities..., Gypsys with invisible powder! How can you go wrong...very well thought out and written. Epic on a grand scale.

For a good epic series I also recommend David Anthony Durhams - Acacia Trilogy...just fantastic. I was glad I started when they were all done because it would have been hard to have to wait to read the next one.

 

[Vekhein]

Ohh Patrick Rothfuss i started reading his books a couple of months ago the first one i read The Wise Man Fears excellent im eagerly awaiting his third book.

 

[Clansman]

A glaring omission (in my view) from above is Janny Wurts' Wars of Light and Shadow. Bigger than Martin's series, about the same size as Erikson/Esselmonts, but but better written and plotted than Erikson. Certainly more cogent than Erikson on his best days. Her magnum opus stands at 9 large books, 2 yet to come (the penultimate is about 1/3 written). She produces a book about once every 2.5 years. Her bibliography is here but it is a bit dated until you read through the whole thread:

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/44333-janny-wurts-publications-list.html

As you can see, she also did the Cycle of Fire trilogy, and she and Raymond Feist collaborated on the Empire series (the flip side of Feist's Riftwar series). Couple of stand-alones, namely To Ride Hell's Chasm, Master of Whitestorm, and Sorcerer's Legacy, plus a whack of short stories. TRHC stands as one of my favourite all-time fantasy stand-alones, but it is her big series, WoLaS that is my all-time favourite period.

Echo about Kearney. Persist. Hawkwood gets better, and the pace really pulls you along. The Macht books are truly excellent, though definitely low fantasy.

Anyone mention Katherine Kerr (Deverry) or Katherine Kurtz (Dyerni stuff)?

 

[Connavar]

A glaring omission (in my view) from above is Janny Wurt Wars of Light. Bigger than Martin's series, about the same size as Erikson/Esselmonts, but but better written and plotted than Erikson. Certainly more cogent than Erikson on his best days. Her magnum opus stands at 9 large books, 2 yet to come (the penultimate is about 1/3 written). She produces a book about once every 2.5 years. Her bibliography is here but it is a bit dated until you read through the whole thread:


Echo about Kearney. Persist. Hawkwood gets better, and the pace really pulls you along. The Macht books are truly excellent, though definitely low fantasy.
[/B

Heh i knew you would mention Janny Wurts, you are a big fan of that series. Im interested to try only based on your passion for that series.

About Kearney, he is not tradional epic fantasy like his God of Monarchies series early in his career. He is the hardcore S&S author of Sea Beggars,Matcht series. Hawkwood got better but he is far from the finished product he is now as S&S/heroic fantasy author.

He is a son of Howard,Gemmell type and not GRRM natural style. Brian shouldnt judge him for his old series that isnt his usual subgenre,type of fantasy.