non-medieval fantasy

[dreamseeker]

I'm looking for imaginative, non-medieval fantasy - some really new and fascinating world awaking sense of wonder

• If possible: no inns, no knights, no "prices", no medieval-type castles
• magic is very important, should be used extensively
• may well be dark, gritty, violent (would prefer that actually)
• otherwise quasi the opposite of GRRM - focus should not be on intrigues / power struggles, but some great worthwhile quest
• serious tone, aimed at adults, so no discworld, no Alice in wonderland, Oz etc. kind of stuff please

tolkien, jordan, erickson, donaldson, goodkind, friedman are good in large parts, but all still have too much medieval feel for me.
the dark tower is great in parts, but lacks good magic, interesting creatures etc. (should also be no western style)

what I checked out briefly and sounds interesting

• The Cloud Roads - Martha Wells
• Bright of the Sky - Kay Kenyon (although it's more science fiction)
• maybe books by David Dalglish?

 

[Mouse]

Not sure what you mean by 'no western style' but maybe Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere or American Gods.

 

[dreamseeker]

Not sure what you mean by 'no western style' but maybe Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere or American Gods.

no please also no allusions to greek / celtic / whatever mythology - something new!
think of imaginative whelan paintings:

 

[Mouse]

Neverwhere's not got any of that in.

 

[Dozmonic]

Aye, Gaiman or Diana Wynne Jones sound like they could be what you're after

 

[thaddeus6th]

Hmm. The Lies of Locke Lamora satisfies most criteria very well, although there's less magic than you would like.

 

[dreamseeker]

Neverwhere's not got any of that in.

Neverwhere feels too ludicrous to me, also has too much allusions to traditional religion

 

[Mouse]

Not that I noticed, but ok.

(You know, it's quite nice to thank people for offering you suggestions! )

 

[dreamseeker]

Not that I noticed, but ok.

(You know, it's quite nice to thank people for offering you suggestions! )

thanks
well, should be more "epic" and serious

 

[Mouse]

You're welcome. Well, I'm out then. Epic's not really my thing.

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I could send you mine lol Given the era it is set in is part of the reason I am getting agent rejections. There are power struggles and a royal family - it is also set in a medieval palace but my MC has a laptop and my Gandalf style character has a mobile phone. It's also YA but it is dark and gritty with plenty of magic.

However, if you do come up with a novel with your requirements I want to hear it so I can put it in my query letter.

 

[dreamseeker]

Hmm. The Lies of Locke Lamora satisfies most criteria very well, although there's less magic than you would like.

too "humorous" to me, also based on medieval Venice and classical pirate stories

 

[dreamseeker]

Aye, Gaiman or Diana Wynne Jones sound like they could be what you're after

thanks, of Diana Wynne Jones I only know howls moving castle, has she written something in that vein aimed at adults?

 

[thaddeus6th]

I would've said Renaissance, to be honest, but fair enough.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Let's see if we can clarify what you are looking for. Basically, what you want it epic fantasy, but without any of the usual trappings of epic fantasy. You want a world that is as little as possible like our own. You want lots of magic and fabulous beasts -- though not the usual ones. And you prefer violent and gritty.

You aren't looking for anything that fulfills just one of these requirements; you want them all (although you'll negotiate a bit on the dark and gritty).

Do I have that right?

 

[Brian G Turner]

Have to admit, the first author that comes to mind is Ursula Le Guin. Have you tried any of hers, dreamseeker?

 

[ratsy]

Try the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. It checks off a lot of your boxes...very different setting and a lot of magic. Starts with The Black Prism.

 

[dreamseeker]

Let's see if we can clarify what you are looking for. Basically, what you want it epic fantasy, but without any of the usual trappings of epic fantasy. You want a world that is as little as possible like our own. You want lots of magic and fabulous beasts -- though not the usual ones. And you prefer violent and gritty.

You aren't looking for anything that fulfills just one of these requirements; you want them all (although you'll negotiate a bit on the dark and gritty).

Do I have that right?

nicely put
although (tolkienesque) elves, dwarfs, dragons... are perfectly ok

 

[dreamseeker]

Try the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks. It checks off a lot of your boxes...very different setting and a lot of magic. Starts with The Black Prism.

thanks, will check it out. I didn't like the Night Angel Trilogy, but yea, the beginning of Lightbringer seems quite intriguing.

 

[dreamseeker]

Have to admit, the first author that comes to mind is Ursula Le Guin. Have you tried any of hers, dreamseeker?

aye, Le Guin is great, although Earthsee was too "fairytale" to me, couldn't quite immerse myself in that world