books similar to rigante series.

[ozgemmellfan]

hey, i've been a david gemmell fan for a couple of years now and want to read some other authors of similar genres. Could you please tell me any books like the rinagte series.

thank you

 

[ladyflorange]

hey, i've been a david gemmell fan for a couple of years now and want to read some other authors of similar genres. Could you please tell me any books like the rinagte series.

thank you

Ummm... David Eddings is quite a lot like Gemmell, also Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series and Anne McCaffrey's Pern series... at a push, Raymond Feist as well, but if I was you I'd go for the others first and leave Feist until you run out of options...

 

[Jay]

I would think someone who enjoys Gemmell would appreciate Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar work (well, anybody can appreciate Leiber). Even better, you can avoid the rubbish that is Eddings!

 

[PenDragon]

Ummm... David Eddings is quite a lot like Gemmell, also Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series and Anne McCaffrey's Pern series... at a push, Raymond Feist as well, but if I was you I'd go for the others first and leave Feist until you run out of options...

I'd have thought Eddings and Gemmell were at the opposite end of the scale to each other.

There aren't many (living) authors writing stuff like Gemmell but if you like his work check out earlier writers of Sword and Sorcery as mentioned Fritz Leiber also R. E. Howard's Conan you might enjoy. RA Salvatore's Drizzit Saga is meant to be quite good battle heavy fantasy (don't know not read it) and there's always James Barclay's Chronicles of the Raven but honestly I thought that sucked big time.

For things specifically like the Rigante series I would go for Historical fiction, specifcally Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Trilogy and his new novel's The Last Kingdom and Pale Horse. All of which are set in the dark ages, are tales about warriors and are packed full of; battles, blood fueds, skirmishes and sheild walls. Great stuff.

 

[Brys]

Yes - Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar work and Robert Howard's Conan are excellent Sword and Sorcery novels - they should appeal to anyone who likes Gemmell.

 

[ladyflorange]

I wouldn't have thought Fritz Leiber was anything like Gemmell... I found his books really strange and didn't like them at all. Why would you say that Eddings and Gemmell were at the opposite ends of the scale? I found them very similar.. in writing style at least, although admittedly Eddings is nothing on Gemmell.

 

[Brys]

Which Fritz Leiber books did you read? Leiber wrote a diverse range of books, but Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser were very much your standard Sword+Sorcery type fantasy - two rogues who engage in a range of adventures, one of them a barbarian, another a hedge wizard, and they're adventures usually involve fighting and stealing. Conan is probably closer to what Gemmell writes, but they're definitely in the same subgenre.

 

[Jay]

I wouldn't have thought Fritz Leiber was anything like Gemmell...

I would agree with you, Gemmell never comes close to matching Leiber in any facet of writing, however I think the conceptual similarities would tend to be appreciated by both.

Gemmell wishes he was half the talent Leiber was on his worst day.

in writing style at least, although admittedly Eddings is nothing on Gemmell.

I definitely agree with that While Gemmell can claim to being beyond mediocre at times, Eddings is indeed awful.

.

 

[beenorthern]

Gotta agree -- every writer has a different flavour and some are as far apart as cheese and chocolate. You're looking for that sword&sorcery, Northern twilight taste ...

I feel these writers are close to Gemmell --

Fritz Leiber's 'Faferd & Grey Mouser" series, starting with *Swords and Deviltry* (already recommended)

Karl Edward Wagner's 'Kane' series: *Dark Crusade*, *Night Winds*, *Darkness Weaves*, *Bloodstone* [read in any order]

Poul Andersen: *The Broken Sword*, *The Merman's Children*

Glen Cook: *The Black Company*, *Shadows Linger*, *The White Rose* [first 3 of 10]

Lawrence Watt-Evans: *Touched by the Gods*

Michael Moorcock's "Elric" series: *Elric of Melnibone*, *Sailor on the Seas of Fate*, *The Weird of the White Wolf*, *The Vanishing Tower*, *The Bane of the Blacksword*, *Stormbringer* [umpteen printings in omnibus editions]

Holly Lisle: *Diplomacy of Wolves*, *Vengeance of Dragons* and *Courage of Falcons*

Michelle West: *Hunter's Oath* & *Hunter's Death*

Michael Scott Rohan: *The Anvil of Ice*, *The Forge in the Forest* & *The Hammer of the Sun*

Tanith Lee: *The Storm Lord*, *Anackire*, *Vazkor, Son of Vazkor*, *Quest for the White Witch*, *The White Serpent*

Adam Nichols: *The War of the Lords Veil*, *The Pathless Way* [almost impossible to find]


These books are not as close, but you may enjoy them --

Alice Borchardt: *The Dragon Queen* & *The Raven Warrior*

Guy Gavriel Kay: *The Last Light of the Sun*

C.J. Cherryh: *Fortress in the Eye of Time* [first of four]

Kate Elliot: *King's Dragon* [first in series]

Martha Wells: *Wheel of the Infinite*

Deborah Christian: *Kar Kalim*

Lois McMaster Bujold: *The Curse of Chalion*

Sean McMullen: *Voyage of the Shadowmoon*

Julian May: *The Many-Coloured Land*, *The Golden Torc* & *The Nonborn King*


I know a lot of these are OOP (out-of-print), but one can usually find copies at on-line bookseller associations like Abebooks or Alibris, and their members do include Australian bookshops. Unless eBay bookshops are in one's own country postage is usually ridiculously overpriced; but I have found that when I buy several books at once Abebooks sellers are much more reasonable about combined postage.

 

[Jay]

Karl Edward Wagner's 'Kane' series: *Dark Crusade*, *Night Winds*, *Darkness Weaves*, *Bloodstone* [read in any order]

Just a note, these have been nicely collected in recent years by Night Shade Books, Gods in Darkness (which collects the novels) and Midnight Sun collecting the short stories.

 

[PenDragon]

Why would you say that Eddings and Gemmell were at the opposite ends of the scale?

Eddings writes high fantasy, farm boy with hidden magical destiny, goes on quest over magical land with a group of friends (each of whom has an archetypal role) who help him finally get hold of the magic magguffin (c)and defeat the evil overlord (tm) A few battles, lot's of tweeness, and sappy pricness' who need a good slap.

Gemmell writes more in the Sword & Sorcery vein, lone (sometimes amoral) warrior hero, seeks revenge kicking ass along the way, often fears magic (which is limited and nasty) but more than happy to go up against a sorcerer with nothing but a sword. Will kill anyone who crosses him, gives him lip or looks at him a bit squiffy. Lots of sword fights and battles, and fist fights. If there are any princess' they can kick much ass.

Hmmm, I've really gone off Eddings.

 

[ladyflorange]

I agree with the general conclusion that has been reached on Eddings.. before I had read any fantasy at all I really liked him, but as soon as I read stuff that was actually any good, he just became boring and repetitive. Still don't agree with the Fritz Leiber thing, although I can see where it comes from.. while he may be a good writer, he's really not to my taste at all.

 

[fungi from Yuggoth]

Nightshade have recently released the first of Charles Saunders' Imaro novels. I haven't read these for ages since they've been out of print, but I remember them being excellent, African-themed Sword and Sorcery (in the Howard vein). Worth checking out.

You might also enjoy The Grand Cham by Harold Lamb. It's an historical novel set in 14th century Europe, Persia and Asia so no magic, no monsters. But plenty of swashbuckling fun!

 

[GOLLUM]

That's an excellent list Bennthoren has compiled here and I pretty much agree but you may want to add Stephen Erikson only if you're going to include Glen Cook and possibly throw in Paul Kearney too plus C.L. Moore's Jirel of Jory for a female spin on S&S

For me Leiber, Howard and Moorcock are probably my best of the so-called S&S genre although I really liked Rohan's series (the ICE rocks!) not to mention Poul Andreson, an underrated master, especially with Broken Sword and of those others mentioned Julian May's Many Coloured Land, Kate Elliot's excellent COS series and Bujold are quality reads. All come recommend w/o hesitation..

As far as Goodkind and Eddings go, HELP!.....

 

[GOLLUM]

Nightshade have recently released the first of Charles Saunders' Imaro novels. I haven't read these for ages since they've been out of print, but I remember them being excellent, African-themed Sword and Sorcery (in the Howard vein). Worth checking out.

OH I've never heard of these books and as Howard is one of my fav S&S authors I'll definitely want to check this out!

Thanks for the heads up fungi.

 

[Kaotic_Writer]

I'm srry i cant be of help but i have never found a series quite like the rignate it is by far the best

 

[Kaylo Mizuri]

Even better, you can avoid the rubbish that is Eddings!

Thankyou I agree entirely. I tried to get into a couple of his books and I found them really dull. His combat scenes are really badly done, in my opinion. I get annoyed when people compare Eddings and Gemmell. Completely different. Eddings is more swords and sorcery than Gemmell.