Help cure my GRRM curse!!!

[MSBorba]

All,

Here's my problem....I have read many SF&F titles over the years and some were really good, others not so good but readable. Ever since I've read GRRM's ASOI&F books, I am having a very difficult time finding other fantasy-based or historical (middle ages through 17th century) fiction worth the read.

The first 3 books in GRRM's series, in my opinion, ranks up there with Tolkien's Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. I actually rate ASOI&F above the Tolkien books.

While I await Martin's Feast for Crows (part a) and in anticipation of what books to read after book # 4, I would like recommendations.

I really enjoyed...Lions of Al-Rassan by Guvriel, Ender's Game by Card, The Princess Bride by Goldman, Tolkien's books...

I did not enjoy...Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (I could only read the first 2 books), Erikson's Gardens of the Moon (book 1 was very difficult to follow, but had some moments I really enjoyed...I may, if I can't find anything else to read, try book #2 of this series), Gene Wolfe
s The Knight (very dull)

I have read Goodkind's Sword of Truth series books # 1 & # 2....they are OK, but nothing close to Martin's brilliance.

I have ordered Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell and Assassins' Apprentice by Robin Hobb (I'm actually enjoying the Hobb book so far)....hoping to find enjoyment in these two highly recommended authors.

I also, based on an earlier GRRM thread will look into the other books recommended on GRRM's website.

Can you help with recommendations to break this evil curse?

THANKS!

 

[dwndrgn]

If you haven't read it yet, try Greg Keyes' The Briar King

 

[Brys]

Firstly, the second book of Erikson's series, is vastly superior to the first. Deadhouse Gates works far better as a novel than Gardens of the Moon - it's not nearly as confusing (though that doesn't mean it isn't complex and well-developed, but no more confusing than Martin), and it has one much clearer plot line. Other than the exception of Erikson, I have quite similar taste to yours. You may want to try R Scott Bakker's the Darkness that Comes Before. In some ways it is quite similar to Erikson, but a lot of people who didn't like Erikson still enjoyed this as well - there are quite a few historical elements in it, the big one being a fantasy interpretation of the crusades, and it's really an excellent book.

Greg Keyes' the Briar King is also quite good, with a historical basis.

Fritz Leiber is an amazing author for sword and sorcery with his Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser tales, though it is very different to Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire - if you want to read a lighter, humorous (though also dark at many times, and very well written) adventurous fantasy, then this is probably the best there is.

I'd recommend Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast to you. Certainly not an easy read, but it is my second favourite fantasy series (and really should be my first, but for some reason I still prefer Erikson, probably because it's epic fantasy), and by far the best written fantasy that exists. The story is extremely entertaining, and at times it feels like A Song of Ice and Fire set inside the castle of Gormenghast.

Also of a similar style to ASOIAF is Raymond E Feist/Janny Wurts' Empire series, which IMO is by far Feist's best series. Admiteddly, it isn't as good, but is still worth reading.

JV Jones' Sword of Shadows series (though I can't comment on her other series) is also excellent with a dark tone and the beginning of the first book with the clan warfare and the despair she creates in that, if it was continued throughout the book, would rank up there with ASOIAF. Even though it doesn't, it's still one of the top 5 epic fantasies being written at the moment.

I hesitate to recommend China Mieville, because he's so different to all of the other authors you listed, but he's definitely one of the best, most imaginative authors today, and you should probably try him out. Before I read anything by him I hadn't read any New Weird fantasy, but this was what brought me into it, so you should try some of his New Crobuzon books (Perdido Street Station and the Scar are the best).

A few other authors you might like:
Roger Zelazny (Chronicles of Amber series - reading it at the moment, and it's excellent)
Michael Moorcock's Elric
Steph Swainston
Frank Herbert (Dune is a classic)
Isaac Asimov (Foundation is also a classic)

 

[Rosemary]

Another GRRM fan? That's the trouble when you find a brilliant author I have always found it difficult to find another author. Also that one tends to compare the authors styles of writing too much, which in itself is another problem.

Have you tried Tad Williams?
His Memory, Sorrow & Thorn series I found was very good. Book 1 - The Dragonbone Chair, Book 2 Stone of Farewell, Book 3 - Green Angel Tower - Seige, and Book 4 -Green Angel Tower - Storm.
I did however, find that his last two books - Otherworld and Shadowmarch were not up to his usual standard.

Or Jennifer Falllon. The Demon Child Trilogy I thoroughly enjoyed.
Her Second Son Trilogy was not as well written, while her last series The Hythrun Chronicles has so far been excellent. Book 1 Wolfblade, Book 2 Warrior and now awaiting for Book 3.

Of course so much depends upon ones own preferences in the various styles of writing.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

I can sympathize- most of the other books I've been reading and re-reading lately seem to be filler between GRRM books.

One author I can recommend is Kate Elliott. Her writing style is different and, I think, a little more abstract, but she does have a nice way of tying together plots, and her series is complicated enough to keep the brain going, like GRRM. Another thing about her "Crown of Stars" series is that there are already four or five books out, with another on its way. She writes a bit more quickly than GRRM.

Other than that, I can't be much help. Nothing I pick up these days seems to grab me the way that his books do.

 

[nixie]

You could try R Scott Bakker's ,Prince of Nothing series.I picked up The Darkness that comes Before,after reading the first three ASOIF and found it an excellent read.

 

[Direwolf]

Have you tried Tad Williams?
His Memory, Sorrow & Thorn series I found was very good. Book 1 - The Dragonbone Chair, Book 2 Stone of Farewell, Book 3 - Green Angel Tower - Seige, and Book 4 -Green Angel Tower - Storm.

I second the Tad Williams nomination. I haven't read those books in a long time, but they made quite an impression on me when I was younger. That series (Memory Sorrow & Thorn), along with Tolkien and Martin are what I think of when I think of quality fantasy.

 

[don sky]

You can also try Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince series: Book 1-Skybowl; Book 2-Dragon Token; Book 3-Stronghold!
Also the Magician trilogy by Feist was awesome!

 

[Culhwch]

I'd recommend Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles - The Winter King, Enemy of God and Excalibur. A reinvention of the Arthur mythos, and brilliant books all. Cornwell's a fave author of GRRM's, as well, and a number of us have discussed the possibilty of these books in particular influencing ASoIaF.