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A fantasy book that ARFcommers might like is The Doomfarers of Coramonde by Brian Daley:
"Just yesterday, Sergeant Gil MacDonald and his APC crew had been fending off an ambush in a Viet Nam jungle. In the middle of the firefight, some kind of magic spell had transported them to this Fantasy Land complete with flying dragons, wizards, crazy castles, and dispossessed princes. They would stay trapped here forever unless they could rescue the sorceress Gabrielle. Master magician, Amon, held her captive in his palace; and to reach her, Gil and his men would have to infiltrate Hell itself!" Daley would later go on to write some of the first Star Wars novels. |
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Quoted: I would disagree. He is--essentially--an elite. Has special powers, has unique weapon, has uniquely powerful wife and grandfather, inherited a kingdom/armies...not exactly an Everyman. Frodo was just a hobbit, like any other hobbit. Richard isn't just a man. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Terry goodkind. Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. It's kind of a what would happen if Frodo wasn't less useful than a wet paper bag. Richard Rahl is everyman's hero. I would disagree. He is--essentially--an elite. Has special powers, has unique weapon, has uniquely powerful wife and grandfather, inherited a kingdom/armies...not exactly an Everyman. Frodo was just a hobbit, like any other hobbit. Richard isn't just a man. Towards the end Richard became obnoxious because he was essentially perfect at everything. The first few books, however, are brilliant because he still has flaws to overcome. Goodkind stretched that cash cow out as long as he could. I think he may have even surpassed Jordan in that respect. |
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Laurel K. Hamilton too...except hers has slowly evolved into graphic supernatural porn. First four or five were good though (gave up after a particularly graphic vampire oral sex description). View Quote Obsidian Butterfly is both the best novel in the series and the last before it turned to crazy, terribly-written porn. |
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Towards the end Richard became obnoxious because he was essentially perfect at everything. The first few books, however, are brilliant because he still has flaws to overcome. Goodkind stretched that cash cow out as long as he could. I think he may have even surpassed Jordan in that respect. View Quote Agreed. Actually, for a short time in the late 90's, I was certain that Goodkind and Jordan were the same author. |
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See if you can find the "Thieves' World" series. Several writers playing in the same sandbox, using each others characters in their stories.
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agreed unless you want to read about a super saiyan whos also everything ever awesome ever, i think hes also the last velociraptor. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Terry goodkind. Terry Goodkind is a hack. He only knows one storyline and does it in every book. Don't waste your time here. agreed unless you want to read about a super saiyan whos also everything ever awesome ever, i think hes also the last velociraptor. Yep, and the deus ex machina crap gets old very fast. 500 pages of build-up just to end it with Richard "instinctively" doing something, even he doesn't know what, and solving the problem. Over and over again. |
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I would disagree. He is--essentially--an elite. Has special powers, has unique weapon, has uniquely powerful wife and grandfather, inherited a kingdom/armies...not exactly an Everyman. Frodo was just a hobbit, like any other hobbit. Richard isn't just a man. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Terry goodkind. Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. It's kind of a what would happen if Frodo wasn't less useful than a wet paper bag. Richard Rahl is everyman's hero. I would disagree. He is--essentially--an elite. Has special powers, has unique weapon, has uniquely powerful wife and grandfather, inherited a kingdom/armies...not exactly an Everyman. Frodo was just a hobbit, like any other hobbit. Richard isn't just a man. Well, other than the fact that he seems to "lose" his power all the freaking time. The little bit about not eating meat and then coming back around stuck in my craw somewhat. Also, that one book with Nikki got really preachy. If I wanted to read Ayn Rand then I would slog through it again. ETA: Quote fail. You're not wrong, but he didn't want any of that inheritance. |
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Lawrence Watts-Evans
With a single spell The misenchanted sword |
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I don't typically like fantasy but I highly recommend The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks… as well as The Light Bringer series by the same author. I recommend the Night Angel Trilogy first… and buy at least 2 of the 3 books as it sucks to be left without the next book at the end of the first.
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I don't typically like fantasy but I highly recommend The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks… as well as The Light Bringer series by the same author. I recommend the Night Angel Trilogy first… and buy at least 2 of the 3 books as I and others have found them some what addictive. View Quote Also very good series. You might pick up The King Killer Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss...but wait until he finally finishes the 3rd and final book. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the second Mistborn book now. It's been an interesting series. |
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I read several of the books from that series. The first few were very interesting, then it gradually seemed like the author was trying to drag the story out more and more. Then I heard that the series was originally supposed to have already ended, but the publisher talked the author into stretching things out, so that they would have more books to sell. I got tired of reading thick books with little progression in the story, and gave up on the series. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Wheel of time by Robert Jordan. I read several of the books from that series. The first few were very interesting, then it gradually seemed like the author was trying to drag the story out more and more. Then I heard that the series was originally supposed to have already ended, but the publisher talked the author into stretching things out, so that they would have more books to sell. I got tired of reading thick books with little progression in the story, and gave up on the series. The series did drag out a bit in the middle, But the series is finally over. The Author died before the last book was finished, and Brandon Sanderson finished the series dragging the last book out into 3. |
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Quoted: The series did drag out a bit in the middle, But the series is finally over. The Author died before the last book was finished, and Brandon Sanderson finished the series dragging the last book out into 3. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Wheel of time by Robert Jordan. I read several of the books from that series. The first few were very interesting, then it gradually seemed like the author was trying to drag the story out more and more. Then I heard that the series was originally supposed to have already ended, but the publisher talked the author into stretching things out, so that they would have more books to sell. I got tired of reading thick books with little progression in the story, and gave up on the series. The series did drag out a bit in the middle, But the series is finally over. The Author died before the last book was finished, and Brandon Sanderson finished the series dragging the last book out into 3. not entirely Sanderson's fault its gonna be the same way with A Song of Ice and Fire the author just had too much going on to be finished up in one book, WOT main ending felt rushed and phoned in after all the build up. still i think I'm done reading anything longer than a trilogy. |
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Originally Posted By RatherBeLifting (in re: Terry Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" series):
The little bit about not eating meat and then coming back around stuck in my craw somewhat. Also, that one book with Nikki got really preachy. If I wanted to read Ayn Rand then I would slog through it again. ETA: Quote fail. You're not wrong, but he didn't want any of that inheritance. View Quote That's funny...I got EXACTLY the same impression from that particular novel...like Rahl had somehow been transformed into John Galt and was trying to get his message out to a new audience. I've a suspicion that Goodkind had just read that novel while he was writing his. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Robert Asprin Myth series, as well as Magic Kingdom series Also, "Thieves World" is an anthology he created with a bunch of other fantasy writers, so would be a good into into writers and styles. Robert Heinlein "Glory" Asprin is who i grew up reading |
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Quoted: +1 but get ready to lose months of your life. Salvatore will suck you in. Read the Cleric Quintet or TheDemonwars Saga after those. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: RA Salvatore. Read everything with Drizzit in it starting with Homeland. +1 but get ready to lose months of your life. Salvatore will suck you in. Read the Cleric Quintet or TheDemonwars Saga after those. It's Salvatore when he isn't restricted to PG-13 and doesn't have a giant corporation putting limits on what he can do with characters. ....He also has the honor of being the guy that killed off Chewbacca in a starwars novel. |
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RA Salvatore. Read everything with Drizzit in it starting with Homeland. View Quote Another vote for this one, read the side books too they will fill in some of the blanks in the main series concerning some of the characters. Also another vote for the dresden files and the sword of shannara series. Depending on how fast you read these three sets should keep you going for a good long time. |
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See if you can find the "Thieves' World" series. Several writers playing in the same sandbox, using each others characters in their stories. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/AsprinThievesWorldVelezCover.jpg View Quote There are two modern incarnations of this too. Edited by Lynn Abbey. My wife(Mickey Zucker Reichert)has a story in each one. Lynn is trying to get up another one. |
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Obsidian Butterfly is both the best novel in the series and the last before it turned to crazy, terribly-written porn. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Laurel K. Hamilton too...except hers has slowly evolved into graphic supernatural porn. First four or five were good though (gave up after a particularly graphic vampire oral sex description). Obsidian Butterfly is both the best novel in the series and the last before it turned to crazy, terribly-written porn. I agree, finish Obsidian Butterfly (great fight against mercs near the end) then quit. They start as short, fun, sleazy but cheesy pulp detective books except with vampires and werewolves (nothing new now but she was one of the first in the genre) and then the author suddenly went bugshit insane. I like porn, sure, but she writes it about as interestingly as a root canal. |
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Quoted: I've read a shitload of fantasy novels over the past 40 years, starting with the Covenant series back in the 70's. A surprisingly good book i read back in the late 90's was: The Baker's Boy (Book of Words), by J.V. Jones. Not sure if I ever read the entire trilogy. Another overlooked series is: The Deryni novels, by Katherine Kurtz. Really want some Sci-Fi/Fantasy awesomeness? Start with this: http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/zug556/MAY_zps619d246f.jpg View Quote |
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There are two modern incarnations of this too. Edited by Lynn Abbey. My wife(Mickey Zucker Reichert)has a story in each one. Lynn is trying to get up another one. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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See if you can find the "Thieves' World" series. Several writers playing in the same sandbox, using each others characters in their stories. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/AsprinThievesWorldVelezCover.jpg There are two modern incarnations of this too. Edited by Lynn Abbey. My wife(Mickey Zucker Reichert)has a story in each one. Lynn is trying to get up another one. HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE! You're married to Mickey Zucker Reichert? I read tons of her stuff in the 80's and 90's! |
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Piers Anthony On a pale horse , is part of a series called incarnations of immortality ( or something like that ) good series View Quote Came here to post this. Incarnations of Imortality: On a Pale Horse Bearing an Hourglass With a Tangled Skein Wielding a Red Sword Being a Green Mother (the only one that's bad, IMHO) For Love of Evil (One of the best) And Eternity... As also already mentioned, the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I'm olde school. |
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Came here to post this. Incarnations of Imortality: On a Pale Horse Bearing an Hourglass With a Tangled Skein Wielding a Red Sword Being a Green Mother (the only one that's bad, IMHO) For Love of Evil (One of the best) And Eternity... As also already mentioned, the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I'm olde school. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Piers Anthony On a pale horse , is part of a series called incarnations of immortality ( or something like that ) good series Came here to post this. Incarnations of Imortality: On a Pale Horse Bearing an Hourglass With a Tangled Skein Wielding a Red Sword Being a Green Mother (the only one that's bad, IMHO) For Love of Evil (One of the best) And Eternity... As also already mentioned, the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I'm olde school. He used to be a favorite author when I was a child/young teen. He had several earlier series that were exactly in the same style, if you're looking for something else to read. |
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some good recommendations here, seems like a trip to the bookstore or some amazon prime shopping is in my near future.
I started re-reading the malazan series again last night ( since it was the only new book I had) and i've given it more of a chance than I did last time around, but the most annoying thing about the book is it makes mention of things with ZERO explanation of what/who they are... very annoying. for example moon's spawn.. took me awhile to realize it was basically a rotating death star that can be moved around and had people living in it (more than one) . ZERO mention of WTF it was anywhere in the book other than the glossary on the last page... it was just referred to as moon's spawn from the beginning and I guess the reader is supposed to know what it is?? |
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some good recommendations here, seems like a trip to the bookstore or some amazon prime shopping is in my near future. I started re-reading the malazan series again last night ( since it was the only new book I had) and i've given it more of a chance than I did last time around, but the most annoying thing about the book is it makes mention of things with ZERO explanation of what/who they are... very annoying. for example moon's spawn.. took me awhile to realize it was basically a rotating death star that can be moved around and had people living in it (more than one) . ZERO mention of WTF it was anywhere in the book other than the glossary on the last page... it was just referred to as moon's spawn from the beginning and I guess the reader is supposed to know what it is?? View Quote That series requires alittle bit of patience. I wouldn't call it shit, the author has some skill. I have read em, it has its moments, but it is meh... There is acutally two authors that writes the series. the other author is Ian Esslemont.. Not sure I spelled it right. There is alot of characters, and plot lines. I have talked to people who are obsessed with it. I mean they make trekies seem normal. Tolkien for the win. |
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HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE! You're married to Mickey Zucker Reichert? I read tons of her stuff in the 80's and 90's! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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See if you can find the "Thieves' World" series. Several writers playing in the same sandbox, using each others characters in their stories. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/AsprinThievesWorldVelezCover.jpg There are two modern incarnations of this too. Edited by Lynn Abbey. My wife(Mickey Zucker Reichert)has a story in each one. Lynn is trying to get up another one. HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE! You're married to Mickey Zucker Reichert? I read tons of her stuff in the 80's and 90's! Thanks for the support. When I re-up my membership, I'll post a pic with an ask me anything thread.(the ones on her fan site are mostly bad takes, the book jacket one isn't too bad though). She's working on the third novel in a prequell series of the I Robot stories. She dedicated the first one to Pat Rodgers. He advised her(and still does)on Police procedure, and as she puts it, "Gun stuff". She also CC's an MPC 9mm. |
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some good recommendations here, seems like a trip to the bookstore or some amazon prime shopping is in my near future. I started re-reading the malazan series again last night ( since it was the only new book I had) and i've given it more of a chance than I did last time around, but the most annoying thing about the book is it makes mention of things with ZERO explanation of what/who they are... very annoying. for example moon's spawn.. took me awhile to realize it was basically a rotating death star that can be moved around and had people living in it (more than one) . ZERO mention of WTF it was anywhere in the book other than the glossary on the last page... it was just referred to as moon's spawn from the beginning and I guess the reader is supposed to know what it is?? View Quote Yeah, that's kind of what I meant by 'Hoover Dam floodgates'. It's one of the few series' where I'd appreciate some infodumps and 'As you know, Bob's. My copy is one from Great Britain but it has a glossary and character lists; I assume the US printings do too. |
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SERRAted Edge
urban fantasy series moon's Deed of Paksenarrion darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley |
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Kate Elliot "The Crown of Stars" series.
Also "The Eternal Champion" series by Michael-something. Moorcook? Morecock? |
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Try the Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card
Enders Game has a good balance of Sci Fi and Fantasy as well. Terry Goodkind and Salvatore are popular as well. and tagged because I work in a bookstore and we always need more fantasy recommendations because "I've read all those" is a common response |
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some good recommendations here, seems like a trip to the bookstore or some amazon prime shopping is in my near future. I started re-reading the malazan series again last night ( since it was the only new book I had) and i've given it more of a chance than I did last time around, but the most annoying thing about the book is it makes mention of things with ZERO explanation of what/who they are... very annoying. for example moon's spawn.. took me awhile to realize it was basically a rotating death star that can be moved around and had people living in it (more than one) . ZERO mention of WTF it was anywhere in the book other than the glossary on the last page... it was just referred to as moon's spawn from the beginning and I guess the reader is supposed to know what it is?? View Quote That stuff I could deal with. It's a cheap knock-off of Glen Cook's stuff and he does that too (just better). The things that got me is stuff like how they describe the magic system as working one way, but show it working a completely different way, or how the Empire of Mazatlan apparently routinely enlists pre-adolescent girls in a pre-gunpowder sword-and-amor army, as infantry. And these little girls are actually treated as combatants, not field recreational facilities. Lots of stuff like that. It's been a few years and I can't remember them all now. |
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That series requires alittle bit of patience. I wouldn't call it shit, the author has some skill. View Quote Their line-by-line writing is okay, the style doesn't make blood shoot from my eyes, but a shit sandwich is still a shit sandwich no matter how good the bread is. Good writers can still write shitty books. Just look at THE BASTARD KING, by Harry Turtledove writing as Dan Chernenko. Harry's a good guy and has written some really good stuff, but that's about as shitty a book as you can find. Complete turd. (There are many things that go into a book's quality: The word-by-word, line-by-line quality of the writing style; the plot; the characters; and the setting are the main ones. If they all work well, the book will work well for a lot of readers. Each one that fails will lose more readers. You can easily have a book where the writing style is great, but the plot doesn't make any sense and the characters are repulsive or, worse, uninteresting.) |
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He used to be a favorite author when I was a child/young teen. He had several earlier series that were exactly in the same style, if you're looking for something else to read. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Piers Anthony On a pale horse , is part of a series called incarnations of immortality ( or something like that ) good series Came here to post this. Incarnations of Imortality: On a Pale Horse Bearing an Hourglass With a Tangled Skein Wielding a Red Sword Being a Green Mother (the only one that's bad, IMHO) For Love of Evil (One of the best) And Eternity... As also already mentioned, the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I'm olde school. He used to be a favorite author when I was a child/young teen. He had several earlier series that were exactly in the same style, if you're looking for something else to read. That was a great series all the way to the second to last book. I didn't agree with his perception of god, but then again he put a spin on all the incarnations. If the OP wants wizards and dragons Piers Anthony also has a pretty long series called Xanth. The premise of the story is that when you turn 21 you get a magical ability and everyone's ability is different. The first book is titled "A spell for chameleon". This is not a serious type of fantasy like Tolkien but fun nonetheless. |
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Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. It's kind of a what would happen if Frodo wasn't less useful than a wet paper bag. Richard Rahl is everyman's hero. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Terry goodkind. Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. It's kind of a what would happen if Frodo wasn't less useful than a wet paper bag. Richard Rahl is everyman's hero. ^^^TRUTH ^^^ (pun intended for those who have read the series) I am on book #6 of that series. Good character development. This is one series that needs to be read from the beginning. |
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I'm usually not into fantasy but my brother got me the game of throne series for Christmas and it's great so far. The thing that kind of sucks is the show only bc tv/ movie adaptations usually suck but I haven't seen any episodes yet though, just glances and clips
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Their line-by-line writing is okay, the style doesn't make blood shoot from my eyes, but a shit sandwich is still a shit sandwich no matter how good the bread is. Good writers can still write shitty books. Just look at THE BASTARD KING, by Harry Turtledove writing as Dan Chernenko. Harry's a good guy and has written some really good stuff, but that's about as shitty a book as you can find. Complete turd. (There are many things that go into a book's quality: The word-by-word, line-by-line quality of the writing style; the plot; the characters; and the setting are the main ones. If they all work well, the book will work well for a lot of readers. Each one that fails will lose more readers. You can easily have a book where the writing style is great, but the plot doesn't make any sense and the characters are repulsive or, worse, uninteresting.) View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That series requires alittle bit of patience. I wouldn't call it shit, the author has some skill. Their line-by-line writing is okay, the style doesn't make blood shoot from my eyes, but a shit sandwich is still a shit sandwich no matter how good the bread is. Good writers can still write shitty books. Just look at THE BASTARD KING, by Harry Turtledove writing as Dan Chernenko. Harry's a good guy and has written some really good stuff, but that's about as shitty a book as you can find. Complete turd. (There are many things that go into a book's quality: The word-by-word, line-by-line quality of the writing style; the plot; the characters; and the setting are the main ones. If they all work well, the book will work well for a lot of readers. Each one that fails will lose more readers. You can easily have a book where the writing style is great, but the plot doesn't make any sense and the characters are repulsive or, worse, uninteresting.) I was very impressed with parts of it but I was disappointed overall. I'd probably recomend it for someone who reads fast, it is entertaining. If you read slow or dont have much time for reading, there are better books. I read alot and I got through them all in about a week and a half, it helped that I had all of the books as well as the esslemont books. I actually dont read much fantasy, I got the first book as a gift, and bought the rest cheap as paperbacks. I have a Kindle now, so I can get books for free that once I couldnt find anywhere. |
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came here to say this. Book http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51o4sVfJwDL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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I don't read much of that genre, but Robin Hobb's "Assassin's Apprentice" series is really good. came here to say this. Book http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51o4sVfJwDL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg Another vote for the Assasin's Apprentice series. Also a favourite of mine is Tad William's Dragonbone Chair trilogy |
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For a good tongue in cheek poke at most fantasy fiction, try Terry Pratchet's "The Color of Magic".
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He used to be a favorite author when I was a child/young teen. He had several earlier series that were exactly in the same style, if you're looking for something else to read. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Piers Anthony On a pale horse , is part of a series called incarnations of immortality ( or something like that ) good series Came here to post this. Incarnations of Imortality: On a Pale Horse Bearing an Hourglass With a Tangled Skein Wielding a Red Sword Being a Green Mother (the only one that's bad, IMHO) For Love of Evil (One of the best) And Eternity... As also already mentioned, the Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I'm olde school. He used to be a favorite author when I was a child/young teen. He had several earlier series that were exactly in the same style, if you're looking for something else to read. mine too. both the immortality series and the adepts |
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Michael Sullivan's Riyria Revelations series, mentioned earlier, is great. A newer series called the Kingkiller chronicles is very good as well.
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