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What's 'a bit like Philip Pullman but not Terry Pratchet'?

(33 Posts)
Another vote for Nix and Abhorsen (less so the days of the week books)
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 02-Jul-09 17:43:52
One more - Sherwood Smith - this series is brilliant!
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 02-Jul-09 17:42:05
Diana Wynne Jones?

Wen Spencer?

Jasper Fforde?

Or, if he likes space opera,

David Weber?

Lois McMaster Bujold?
Really EachPeach? Gah. I am desperate for reading matter again too.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 01-Jul-09 23:34:16
Neal Stephenson Baroque Trilogy - not fantasy but sort of alternative history
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 01-Jul-09 23:23:47
ursula le guin's wizard of earthsea series - technically for kids but like pullman, even better for adults
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 01-Jul-09 23:03:13
Robert Rankin.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 01-Jul-09 22:32:55
Ken MacLeod
try this
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 01-Jul-09 22:21:55
I've begun reading KE Mills. The Accidental Sorcerer is the first in the series.
Jeff Noon is fabulous!

Janeite I don't think you want this month's book then.... grin
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 25-Jun-09 17:13:51
love GarthNix - bought for 12yr old son but decided walking dead a bit much - now won't hand over as too brilliant!
Anyone else into Raymond e. Feist? - have to warn you - all housework and conversation will fall by the wayside as you read these!
Mark Chadbourn ?

Day Watch by Sergei Lukanyeko ?
I can't even remember the ending but I know it was rubbish!
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 25-Jun-09 17:08:11
Iain M Banks? Sci Fi but very enjoyable and plays with ideas about being like our world but not quite, same as pullman.

End of Mr Y did have dreadful ending which was a real let-down - agree with Janeite's friends there!

Jeff Noon is fabulous - Vurt is the place to start.

Also agree Neil Gaiman excellent.
Deffo Gailman. 'American Gods' and 'Anansi's Boys' are my favourite.

'After Dark' by Marukami is good but I didn't like 'The Wild Sheep Chase' at all - those are the only two I've read.

I know five people that have read 'The End Of Mr Y' - 2 loved it, one gave up and myself and one other thought there was some really good writing in it but ultimately it failed for being a) too clever for its own good and b) having a rubbish ending.

I don't like Garth Nix either!

How about some 'older' fantasy/sci-fi such as War Of The Worlds / Day Of The Triffids etc?

Or if you want a fab series, different idea to Pullman but similar in that it has great characters, religious element (this time inspired by Japan) etc, then try Leane Hearn's 'Across The Nightingale Floor' series, which is very well written and spans years of epic battles etc.
Yes Garth Nix. The Abhorsen books are fabulous.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 14:21:35
As Juwesm says Garth Nix - not really for adults (more teen) but I am reading Lirael which is reminding me a lot of Philip Pullman. The first one is called 'Sabriel'.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 14:09:26
Haruki Murakami is my favourite author and his books are all fantasy. Any of them are really good. I've just finished 'The End of Mr Y' by Scarlett Thomas, which Phillip Pullman gives a really positive review to so could be worth a try.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 14:08:57
That's the one RG.

He also wrote Stardust, and of course The Sandman, which is just jaw-droppingly amazing and NEEDS to be read by everybody.
....didn't Neil Thingy write Coraline?

Took the urchins to see the film..... I was they were scared shitless by it...
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 14:00:10
Never heard of Neil Gaiman, but will def check that out.

Just popped in to look at the answers as I love Philip Pullman but don't get Terry Pratchett.

Julian May is another fave of mine - a bit more futuristic though
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:48:00
Snow Glass Apples

From Smoke and Mirrors, to give you an idea of Neil Gaiman.

It's quite scary grin
There's also a great Neil Gaiman short story collection called Smoke & Mirrors.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:42:52
I am a bit evangelical about Neil Gaiman, tbh. He is quite brilliant.

Second Garth Nix.
The Dresden Files are slighty 'off' your spec but really really good.
He's a modern day wizard living in Chicago helping the police solve supernatural crimes events - cue vampires, werewolves, trolls, faeries but not in the 'sword & sorcery' style. Very well written, funny & exciting.
Not to be confused with the Sky series of the same name, based very loosely on the books and was utter pants
Garth Nix - Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.
Second Neil Gaiman.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:39:02
Oooh, lots of x-posts! I'd found Neil Gaiman but didn't know what to make of him, so that's a great help.

I'm a sucker for a bit of Arthurian action too...
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:38:02
Thanks OrmIrian, I'm a bit at sea with anything fantasy, cos while I like Philip Pullman I don't really 'get' adult fantasy - don't even like magical realism a la Angela Carter et al.

I'll check her out...
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:37:24
Kevin Crossley Holland's Arthurian quartet.
Ursula le Guin
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:37:07
Neil Gaiman's American Gods is a huge fantastic fantasy about how the Old Gods have adapted to modern day life, and about human nature, and loss and love and destiny. It's very funny in places but also very adult, it's certainly not a comedy. It's one of my favourite books.

Also, Anansi Boys (also Gaiman) is utterly brilliant and based around similar themes, but a bit lighter and funnier.
Ursula Le Guin maybe? Her books for adults are wonderful. The Dispossessed, Always Coming Home(my favourite), Left Hand of something or other.
Add message | Report | Contact poster By Wed 24-Jun-09 13:32:38
Been asked for a book that meets the topic title spec.

Anyone any ideas?! It's for an adult btw. Bit desperate, mate's birthday is tomorrow, can't get to a bookshop and Amazon's recommendations are a bit random and difficult to gauge just from the website.

Thanks grin
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