I read this series when I was younger and enjoyed it. I'm glad you feel the same way OP. Although I'm sure some people on this board will disagree.

Riftwar is good but a little too generic at the start however it does go on to be very good.

Steph Swainton's Castle Omnibus (The Year of Our War, No Present Like Time, and The Modern World) is probably my favourite as it's written for adults, it just wouldn't read as well. The protagonist is the only person in the world who can fly, is addicted to heavy duty hallucinogens and is part of a group who are immortal whilst they hold their positions working for the Emporer as the best of each (best runner, swordsmen, sailor,etc) but lose their immortality if challenged and beaten by a mortal. It has drugs, sex, violence, great battles, weird creatures, parallel worlds and all in a fantasy setting. GRRM is a mere peddler compared to Swainton, who sadly has just given up writing to become a teacher.

Yet I never met anyone who read it as well yet :(

Riftwar was pretty good, but I agree with
>>2082985 in that the beginning was incredibly cliched, similar to your basic DnD/fantasy rpg opening sequence, the story only got much more awesome from there however.

>>2082994
Tell about about this

>>2082985
I've only read the first one. I'll have to find the others now.

>fantasy
>literature

pick one.

>>2082994

This or Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

Magician was really good. It was the only Feist book where I felt I was watching the character grow. but Magician is probably one of my favourite fantasy books and Pug from it,(God knows what Pug is now) my favourite character. Silverthorn and A Darnkess at Sethanon weren't as good.

His Empire trilogy with Janny Wurts was really good aswell. The first book again was original and you could feel Mara struggling and growing up. The last book was a bit weak, but I really enjoyed the storyline overall.

>>2082994
This. The two released books of The Aspect-Emperor, the sequel trilogy, are even better. Probably my favourite fantasy author at the moment. His prose got even better in The Judging Eye as he cut down on the philosophical wankery a bit. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't exactly bothersome in the first three books but could have been a bit less prominent.

Probably Homer.

Gormenghast

>>2083095
Really, is he that good? I had never heard of him until that anon posted the book cover.

Bumping

Bumping up

>>2083121

Yeah. He's that good. His books are very grimdark though (in the way that make George R. R. Martin seems like a jolly fellow), so he never makes into mainstream.

>>2083218
Is it harry potter for grown ups? I skimmed the wikipedia article and saw sorcery schools.

Who in the world has the best smelling shit?

>>2083223

Nah, it's Freud against Cthulhu in a fantasy setting.

If the Kingkiller Chronicle book 3 by Patrick Rothfuss will tie up all loose ends and finally explain the big plot points in a satisfying way then it'll be the best fantasy trilogy.

>>2082962

It's enjoyable, but to me A Song of Ice and Fire is better written.

I say this because Pug and Tomas become so overpowered that Feist had to find excuses to keep them out of the story because they'd resolve the conflict too easily.

Is it me or are all good fantasy series depressing, grimdark books?

ASOIAF, Scott Bakker's books mentioned in this thread etc

>>2083226
GRRM

>>2082994
Seems like a difficult book to get into

My main gripe with fantasy books is that there's nothing to be learned from it, none of them are thought provoking. They are simply entertainment.

Bumping this thread up~

I haven't read much fantasy. Where to start? (I've only read entry level stuff such as harry potter, lord of the rings etc)

>>2084816
This may be a bit cliche, but it depends on what you want. Fantasy is actually incredibly broad, so to recommend e.g. Crowley to someone who wants to read Asoiaf or Asoiaf to someone who wants to read Crowley would be a bad start.

>>2084823
what kind of subgenres are there, then?

>>2084827

Is there a series like The Prince of Nothing trilogy, but one that is easier to get into?

This paragraph puts me off from the prince of nothing:
"Three major complaints. Bakker asks his readers not only to enter his world, but to study it. The PB version has 100 pages of Glossary out of a 500 page book, and in some of the passages, it feels like you've got to read them all to understand what is happening. Very confusing at times. "

>>2084840
Don't be alarmed by that. The glossary is actually just a bonus at the end of the third novel, and is basically there because Bakker likes to worldbuild. You should be fine without reading it, and actually, as it's more a background on the world's history of which you know nothing when you start, it shouldn't be read before.

>>2084845
Ah fair enough. Just how great is this book? Everyone seems to agree it's the second coming of jesus.

And are the philosophical parts good? It sounds interesting that Bakker wants to be somewhat thought provoking. I don't think that's common in fantasy series?

>>2084849
While I think Bakker's work is perhaps my second favourite fantasy series, I have to say that everyone most certainly does not agree on it's quality. A lot of people are put off by Bakker's philosophizing and Kellhus's character (personally I find him fascinating). I at least emphatically recommend the series.

As for the philosophy, perhaps I wouldn't say it's exactly uncommon, but Bakker approaches it in a much more straightforward manner. I happen to like it.

Jack L. Chalker's 'Changewinds' trilogy.

>>2084852
Not the guy you're replying to but what's your favourite fantasy series?

>>2084855

My personal favorite is Wheel of Time, since it was the books that got me into reading, but Robin Hobb is the best author.
The Rainwild Chronicles wasn't as good as the first 3 trilogies though... (Haven't read the Soldier Son trilogy)

>>2085066
Ah, Wheel of Time, an old friend... I can't anymore rate it objectively "great", but there's really no volume of fantasy I'm waiting for more eagerly than A Memory of Light.

>>2084829

Ahh I'm so glad to see Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar stories on that list. The best parts were the porn stories of course.

I think that if we are including unfinished series I am going to have to vote for the relatively recent Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss.

Are there any fantasy books with clear 'powerlevel' differences between characters in it that actually fight at some points? As in, a world with warriors but also warriors of a whole other level. With mages, but also mages that are on a whole other level of power.

>>2085120
It sounds like The Prince of Nothing trilogy has something of 'powerlevels' with the sorcery schools. Perhaps someone who has read it can assure you of the difference in power of the characters in Scott Bakker's story

>>2084852

I too hate Kellhus and want to see him fail (preferably after defeating the Consult), but I'm no less intrigued by the book, and can't wait for The Unholy Consult. As for the philosophy, after Malazan series Bakker seemed like babby's first philosophical fantasy for me, I was actually more bothered by all the homolust undertone. But then, your mileage may vary.

>>2084849
The praise might be a bit exaggerated, but the books are really good. Definitely my favourite in the genre. It's a bit different from most stuff, and not an easy read, which is probably the reason it's not mainstream popular. It keeps getting better over time and the last book of the first trilogy is just amazing. The way Bakker discusses and uses concepts like good, evil, damnation etc is great.

The characters are written very well. Kellhus is one of my all-time favourite characters to read about, and the way you're given his point of view and see how other main characters and the enemies perceive him is just endlessly fascinating. It's very hard to decide if you should root for him, be appalled or hate him. I certainly feel all those three about him.

It's not exactly similar to asoiaf which a lot of people compare it to, in that it's not low-magic and doesn't have the sort of down to earth grit in the prose, though a lot of the events are just down right brutal. It also has what you'd call super-evil villains from the reader's perspective, though their motivations make sense in a lot of ways. But it's very similar to asoiaf in that it has more than enough moral ambiguity.

It's not the second coming of jesus, but extremely good nonetheless.

>>2085120

Both Malazan and Prince of Nothing series have powerlevels, though Malazan's are far more pronounced. Pretty much every Malazan book ends with some huge battle (that they call a "convergence") involving at least a few dozen god-tier characters. Also, everyone gains at least 10 D&D levels between books. A pretty normal character in this book will become a badass fighter/mage/both in the next one, and a god in the one after that. Pretty silly IMO, but you get used to it after a while, and the story gets MUCH better after book 2, with all the intertwining and overly complicated plot points that actually makes sense when you think about it.

>>2085124
Well, powerlevels of sort, yes. The powerlevels of the sorcerous schools are based on the different idealogies behind the use of sorcery and their respective basis in in-world metaphysics. It's all very neat, and combined with the imagery evoked in the series, it's my favourite magic system.

Malazan is practically the DBZ of fantasy, though. And I'm not saying that to insult Malazan.

>>2085125
I never found Malazan particularly philosophic, but then, I've only read the first five.

>>2085154
I really like Bakker's descriptions of magic in the battle scenes, especially when gnosis is in use. Something about his use of wording just tickles me in the right way. I was nearly frothing from my mouth when Achamian started raping the shit out of his Scarlet Spire jailors.

>>2085180
Geometries of light, man, geometries of light.

Trolling aside I think ASoIF is the best series while LotR is the most influential.

>>2085258
I personally don't like how GRRM tries to shock us by killing off nearly all characters.

He only did that with Ned and maybe Robb, none of the other deaths were shocking.

No love for Earthsea, or Discworld?

You guys are lame, with your grimdark nonsense.

>>2085534
Earthsea is boring as shit. The first part was okay but the others were terrible.

>>2085541
It's thrilling. Fuck you. I was thrilled while I read it, therefore it is thrilling.

Tombs of Atuan and shit.

>>2085554
>little girl walking around in dark caves
>thrilling
Yeah no..

>>2085557
Don't over simplify the story. She walked around in MYSTICAL, ANCIENT caves.

The air of MYSTICISM made it thrilling. The AGE of the caves helped reinforce this.

The GIRL was pretty, in my head. I am THRILLED by pretty girls.

>>2085557
>I only read about muscled, manly men like myself

don't you have an imagination?

I wouldn't call Tombs of Atuan thrilling but I would call it evocative and well-crafted. The idea that every fantasy book has to be an action-packed war story is one of many thing holding the genre back.

Anyone read the Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks?

I cant bring myself to finish Prince of Nothing.

I fucking despise every character in that book except or Achamian.

I got about a 100 pages into thousandfold thought and just put it down. Which sucks because the world is a very interesting. I just despise the characters.

I have the judging eye sitting around though, so i may just skip the rest of the third book and get through that instead.

>>2085845

>I need to relate to characters to enjoy reading about them

Lol. How about you just hang yourself already instead of prolonging the mess that is you.

>>2085494

Except he doesn't do that you retard.

>>2085878
..what?

there are characters i like and those that i dislike

PoN has enough characters that fall under the latter category to be off-putting

i said nothing about whether i relate to any of them or not. that's a different issue

I hope many people will read the Prince of Nothing thanks to this thread

A song of ice and fire, by G.R.R. Martin

and

The Dark Tower, by Stephen King.

the last one is not just a fantasy; there's a bit of western and horror and.. it's a wonderful mix.

I read and enjoyed the first book of Gene Wolf's Book of the new Sun. That was really good, haven't got round to getting more of it though.

I like Glenn Cook's writing style, he has written some good stuff.

Prince in Amber series has to get name dropped.

Personal favourite so far though is Malazan Book of the Fallen.

What do you guys think of the Death Gate Cycle?

I read those books when I was younger, loved them.

I remember a great fantasy book, but can't think ot the title. It was about a traveller with magic abilities. He went to a city that was ruled by 4 different houses. And during that time a tournament was going on between those 4. The magician joined different houses and fought for each one of them.

Anyone has any more leads?

>>2087129
>that feel when you remember a book or tv show or movie or videogame from your childhood and you don't remember the name

Which one of you have read The Wiseman's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss?

I'm working my way through it, at page ~700 right now.

While not the best at anything, I am thoroughly enjoying it. The author is a true story teller. The chapters with felurian in them were also beautifully written.

>>2087118
Love, love, love the Death's Gate books. The diversity of what could have been fairly traditional elemental worlds was cool. Liked Haplo and his dog, Hugh The Hand, the two different styles of Sigil magic, some great "oh shit!" moments, DAT LABYRINTH. The strange religious angle was woven in pretty well too. Only bad thing is that the books were written one-at-a-time, because I remember the odd slip-up or retcon that bothered me at the time.

A lot less self-consciously YA than even Weis And Hickman's other good series like Rose Of The Prophet.

>>2085258
you haven't read much fantasy then

ASOIAF is up there but you can mention a number of better ones
you should try other things Martin wrote, some of his sci-fi stuff is alot better written in my opinion


for me Wheel of Time series although people either love it or hate it, because it's so fucking huge, and in books 6-8 people stopped reading (ADD I think is their problem, the writing is great and now it's even better, it was just the story that slowed down, or actually took a while to develop fully since it's epic fantasy world versus the dark lord shit)


Personally I think Stormlight Archive will be the greatest when finished, provided Sanderson keeps up the quality in the first book, Way of Kings

>>2087672
Wheel of time is certainly intricate, but I have always had a problem with Jordan's prose. He takes too much time describing the mundane, and when he reaches a major climax they are over in the space he takes to describe a room in a palace or what people are wearing. Ok that was a bit exaggerated but still. A lot of it for me is too sterile in terms of morality, lust, violence etc.

Branderson certainly made it a lot more brisk and is doing a great job, but his prose sometimes sweats cheese. Stuff like "evil blackness" used as a description take me out of a book like a punch in the face.

It's good but not one of the best. It's very epic in scope and awesome at times, but has some pretty big flaws as well.

Well the only fantasy series I've ever read is ASOIAF since i don't particularly like the fantasy genre. That being said the series i see hailed as the best fantasy series the most often (other then lotr) would be Book of the New Sun. Though some people have said its not actually fantasy so idk.

Discworld, of course.

Pratchett is king, even thought he has alzeimhers.

>>2087763
That means he'll be forgetting all about the world he created soon enough

Joe Abercrombie's First Law books are really good

>>2087970
I second this

reading Farseer trilogy right now. Hobbs writes really really awkwardly, but the story is good and compelling.

I loved WoT til I started on book 4. after that the tedium sets in hard. I don't think ill ever finish that series

I think Scott Lynch's Lies of Locke Lamora should be mentioned here. It's not exactly what you'd call epic fantasy, but rather a heist story meets fantasy in a quasi-renaissance setting. It has its problems, but if you don't take it too seriously it's an energetic ride. Probably the most fun read I've had in a few years. It's very humorous with a dark edge and a lot of grit.

The main character is awesome. A great liar and extremely witty, but with a bloated as fuck ego and an inability to shut his mouth at times because of his temper. He can't fight for shit, isn't very attractive and fucks up frequently. The crew pulls confidence scams in a society where it hasn't really been done before. They don't do it for well meaning motives, just for money and the fun of it.

The problems it has are mostly about chapter structure and how exposition is handled. But for me it didn't matter that much, as it's the story and pace that made it so much fun. For a first novel it's a definite home run. Only two books are out at the moment, with third of the seven is coming out this year I think. Both of the first two books have satisfying conclusions and are pretty self-contained. The second book lacked some of the flare maybe, but had much better structure.

The Lord of the Rings. There should be no debate as to this.

If you're talking modern fantasy? Maybe Patrick Rothfuss but I really believe that modern fantasy is laughable.

>>2089767
Hobb was too wordy for my taste. And the main character kept getting more and more annoying. And the author just forced some of the plot twists by making a few of the characters temporarily retarded or blind or both.

The real Question is, LoTR or GoT

>>2089874
GRRM's work doesn't compare to Scott Bakker's

In my fantasy, the woman who works behind the bar in my local masturbates herself with a beer bottle before I face fuck her and then she pisses on me and then I fuck her arse.

I don't think there are any series about that, but if there were, that would be my favourite series.

>>2087514

Yes yes yes! I'm reading this at the moment and I'm really loving it. I agree about the Felurian chapters, it's the contrast against the book and a half set in the university.

I thought the Cthaeh (and Bast's reaction to it) was absolutely brilliant, really dark and clever. I'm nearing the end which is going to be a real shame. I can see that horrible empty feeling on the horizon.

Can you recomend anything similar? I've got Prince of thornes next but I think that'll be relatively quick. I've read The Mistborn trilogy and The way of kings also.

>>2084858
THIS - the reason I started reading fantasy

also Donaldsons Mordants Need was pretty good too

I liked the sword of Shannara series when I was younger. All three books were good in their own right.

Is there actual interesting philosophical thought in Bakker's Prince of Nothing?

I read it when I was 16 and frankly didn't think about that shit at all.

After reading his blog I see he is truly a smart guy and believes his series has real depth to it, is this true?

Fred Saberhagen - The Lost Swords series

>>2089916
Can't recommend anything similar. What do you think of how little plot points were explained, and instead more mysteries were added to the plot?

I think the final and third book will make or break this series. It has potential to be my favourite fantasy series ever. (although I'm pretty entry-level at the genre heh)

And do you think the framing story will be resolved in book 3 or that these three books are simply the prelude to a trilogy in the present?

>>2089956

Trouble is, there's a lot to cover. We need a lot of answers:

Who are the Amyr?
What's behind the Stone door?
What's the deal with Elodin?
What happened to Taborlin the great?
How's Kvothe going to deal with the Chandrian?

That's before even thinking about the present.

Why is he dying?
Whats happening with the demons?
Who/what is Bast?

I'm not sure whether we'll have any present day resolution in book three. I think you're right that we'll get another trilogy for that. Which I wouldn't mind to be honest.

As you're new to the game - When you're done with this, read "The Final Empire" By Brandon Sanderson.

It's a bit embarrassing how little LOTR mentions there have been. I assume this is because LOTR is the best fantasy and this goes without saying, so we're referring to the next best?

I don't know about you but LOTR has had more influence on me than any book I've ever read.

>>2089968
I wouldn't mind another trilogy either. Despite how terrible the wait on new books is, I'm kind of fond of 'growing up' with these characters. Growing up might not be the best word, but you know what I mean, it's like reading harry potter in your childhood and waiting on the new book every time except this time we're grown men.

What is your opinion of Denna? She gets a lot of hate from fans but I think if you empathise with them you can understand why they behave that way around each other. That's what makes their dialogues lovely, in my opinion

>>2089976

LOTR is shit. Just because it's "influential" doesn't mean it's good. It's influential in a bad way. It's the wen on the arse of fantasy literature.

>>2082962

Black Company, Glen Cook.
Wars of Light and Shadow, Janny Wurts.
Death Gate Cycle, Marget Weis and Tracy Hickman.
Young Wizards, Diane Duane.
Taltos, Steven Brust.
Books of Amber, Roger Zelazny

Feist is a good starter, but there are much better books around.

>>2089982

I hate having to wait on new books. Thankfully it's easy to fill your time with something else you've been waiting for. (Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, New Sanderson book).

I think I like Denna. If you see her through Kvothe's eyes she's a free spirit, although her life would be easier if she stuck with him. The convenience of their bumping into each other is a little annoying but I can suspend disbelief.
I'm looking forward to him meeting up with "Master Ash" after what the tree told him...

>>2089983
It's the epitome of fantasy. Every fantasy writer has been inspired by Tolkien, so if any fantasy is good then his influence was good. You probably haven't read the books, or don't appreciate the extent to which his world building defined the genre, and pushed it in the right direction. That aside, it's an incredible story.

>>2090003
I suspected 'Master Ash' is probably Lord Brent (Brend? something with Br-), the guy who taught the board game to Kvothe. My guess is also that he'll somehow get the throne during book 3, and later on Kvothe finds out the truth and goes into a blind rage and kills him on the spot by calling the name of the wind. It is 'Kingkiller Chronicles' after all. No idea how the Chandrian and Amyr fit into this though. Maybe they'll be an ongoing theme in the later books, with a few major revelations in the conclusion to this trilogy?

>>2090032
He also has to steal a 'princess' (figuratively?) - which if figuratively meant might be Denna.

Longest time thread on /lit/ ever?

His Dark Materials

>>2089983
1/10

>>2090138
not even fucking close

anyone else remember the thread that started out with someone asking for help on writing choral music? that shit went on for weeks, in memory at least.

I know it's by M.C. Escher, but what's the name of OP's pic?

The kingkiller chronicle

My vote is LOTR. What he was able to do in creating Middle-earth is unlike anything anyone else has done.

Has anyone read the Saga of Recluce? I read a couple of the books it in middle school and I hardly remember anything, but I'm thinking of picking it up again.

>>2090348
Day & Night -
http://www.worldofescher.com/gallery/A11.html

>>2091888
Day and night (what, what)
I toss and turn, I keep stressing my mind, mind (what, what)
I look for peace but see I don't attain (what, what)
What I need for keeps this silly game we play, play
Now look at this (what, what)
Madness to magnet keeps attracting me, me (what, what)
I try to run but see I'm not that fast (what, what)
I think I'm first but surely finish last, last

Have there been any good 2010 and 2011 debutes apart from the kingkiller chronicle?

Anyone read something by Brent Weeks? The night angel trilogy

>>2089968

I'm pretty sure I worked out why K. has issues with sympathy in the *current* timeframe.

I won't go too much into detail, but recall the conversation about "changing a name" with Elodin, and the nature of the chest in K's room.

>>2092413
Name of the Wind was 2007 I think. If you're looking for debuts, I've heard good things about Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Read a chapter or two a while back, and it seemed quite grimdark and the narrator could be described as a sociopathic cunt. Planning to read it after I'm done with Abercrombie's The Heroes.

>>2091831

What is interesting about Middle-earth?

Nothing.

>>2089954
"Farslayer howls across the world,
For thy heart! For thy heart! who hast wronged me,
Vengeance is his who casts the blade,
Yet he will in the end no triumph see."

Great classic fantasy series from the days when the genre was more YA focused. I really enjoyed the Empire Of The East trilogy too which are set in the same world before all the fake Roman Gods and Lost Swords came along.

I'm a veteran reader of literature, fantasy and other genres, and I personally think and feel that Lord of the Rings is the best fantasy series.

Are you angered?

DUNE

>fantasy thread devolves into LOTR

Seriously now. It was good for his time and very influential, but it hasn't aged too well - not that it's Tolkien to blame for that, it's just that his personal creations were transformed into generic staples of an industry and then overused. The things he pioneered, such as the deep and thoughtful creation of his world and other thing, have had nearly a century to be improved on and bested by other authors.

LOTR is a classic and it can be read in the same way any pioneer of something can, but it's not a fantastic must-read, it's only decent.

My personal favourite is the generic choice of ASOIAF, because it is undeniably great. Fantasy is my favourite genre but i'm still pretty new to it. The Kingkiller Chronicles are also bloody good, too, and I recommend them, though as people have said in this thread, it will take the competency of the third book to seal the deal on that one.

I really like ASOIAF, but I think I have look up some books that have been mentioned here. ASOIAF is the best I've read so far.

>>2092486
Yeah, it's something like that. He put his name Kvothe in the chest in his room

>>2092824

Speak for yourself. No fantasy series I've read managed to capture the same bleak atmosphere as LotR did.

I still wonder what exactly made Kvothe want to get rid of his powers and 'wait to die'. It has to be something horrible.

I also feel that there'll be several tearjerking scenes in the final book.

>>2093344
He's not exactly prone to sulkiness or depression, however much shit he's gone through, so I'd say it's something rather significant. Probably causing the war and maybe getting Denna killed. Possibly even giving the Chandrian some sort of unintended help. Maybe these three events are related to each other.

>>2092581
I heard it goes to shit after book 3

liked the first one

>>2083077
Loved that series

>>2092824
Except that it hasn't been improved upon and bested by other authors...

>>2093529
It has been. For example, The Prince of Nothing trilogy as mentioned in this thread