anyone recommened any fantasy books?

[Bumchin101]

Just that really...tried to get into the game of thrones series but just wasn't doing it for me.

Can't find anything I can sink my teeth into and I miss reading

So can anyone recommend any fantasy books that are worth a read?

[ohfourfoxache]

I've just finished the Twilight series and loved them

Ridiculously "easy reads" - they are just not taxing at all - but I'm now picking them apart, looking at themes and symbolism etc a la gcse English (and that is going back some time)

Just something to think about other than the boring and mundane......

[ItsFunnierInEnochian]

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I read it through once a year, 7 books in total. Quite different to his usual gore and horror.

[rocketghirl]

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is hugely regarded in fantasy - definitely recommended

[Fairylea]

Brandon sanderson mistborn series. Dh is a fantasy fanatic and those are his favourites by a mile.

[FriedSprout]

I enjoyed the first few in the series, but there were way too many characters and story lines and I found it difficult to keep track of them in the most recent books. I found it all a little annoying, as the main characters were more than interesting enough without all the 'hangers on'

So, my recommendations for a good read are The Lord of the Rings a simple story compared to Game of Thrones and The name of the a Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

[FriedSprout]

Oh def agree with Stephen Kings The Dark Tower books and Brandon Sanderson too. DH loves Wheel of time series, me not so much.

[2kidsintow]

Ilona Andrews Magic Bites series
Poison Study, Magic Study etc
Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison series
Rivers of London
Blood Fever, Fae Fever - Karen Moning
Just One Damned thing after another trilogy (or is it 4 now?) - time travel/historical. Excellent. And cheap on kindle
Mistborn is a huge read, but I enjoyed it.

[WeAreGroot]

Robin Hobb's Farseer, Liveship and Tawny Man trilogies are superb. As is what I've read so far of the Rain Wilds Chronicles. I wasn't as keen on her Soldier Son trilogy.

I really like the Banned & the Banished series and the God Slayer Chronicles by James Clemens. They're a tiny bit cheesy and silly in places but I find them really endearing and entertaining reads. Unfortunately the God Slayer Chronicles series was never finished.

Trudi Canavan is quite good. I prefer the Kyralia series (Black Magician Trilogy, The Magician's Apprentice and Traitor Spy trilogy) to the Age of the Five trilogy.

The Fool's Gold trilogy by Jude Fisher is another one that is a bit cheesy but a very entertaining and easy read.

[Bumchin101]

Ohh, they all sound good. Gonna have to work my way through them all :) thank you guys. X

[Aprildaisy]

The dark tower series Stephen king are good am on the fifth one think there's now 8 of them

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

I was going to say much the same as Groot about Robin Hobb!

Also Guy Gavriel Kay, Sheri Tepper, Robin McKinley have all written some of my favourites.

Terry Pratchett of course!

Sure I could come up with loads more but it's late!

[Meerka]

Ahh Robin McKinley yeah =) The Hero and the Crown, the Blue Sword, Sunshine

Fantasy Life by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

half sci-fi, but with fantasy elements - Iain M Banks. Amazingly plotted and structured novels woith a touch of humour and a touch of darkness. Inversions might be a good one to start with if fantasy's your main thing.

Ursula K LeGuin - Left Hand of Darkness. I find it a moving novel that has a sort of sense of mystery at its centre that is rare. I mean, the story is clear enough but there's a sense of so much more. Sorry, not terribly eloquent.

If you like it weird and wonderful, Cordwainer Smith

Magician, Raymond E Feist.

Geta, Donald Kingsbury.

Sheri Tepper like inigomontoya says.

Lois McMaster Bujold, The Curse of Chalion. Lovely read.

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

I just finished Magician will have to get the next one sometime!

[pointythings]

And if you want something off the wall, try C.S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy. Big, complex and with truly interesting morally ambiguous characters. It's amazing.

I second Guy Gavriel Kay - suggest you start with the Fionavar Tapestry for classic fantasy and then get into his alternative history stuff.

Oh, and if you want something short but profound, try Keith Roberts' Pavane - probably the first alternative reality fiction.

[fuzzpig]

I'm not into fantasy books myself but DH really enjoyed series by Ben Aaronovitch and Benedict Jacka

[justwondering72]

I am re reading The Belgariad series. Old- I think they were written in the 80s- but they are great. The characters are so likeable. I think this series was one of George R Martins inspirations.

I remeber loving Terry Brooks Shannara series too, another oldie but good.

[justwondering72]

Oh and the Dragonlance Chronicles, absolutely classic fantasy from Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. Really showing my age here! They are cheap to buy on kindle though, one advantage of vintage fantasy:)

[Whiskwarrior]

I third Robin Hobb's books - she's bloody amazing. Also couldn't get into the Soldier Trilogy though, so maybe give those a miss. Start with The Farseer Trilogy - you can't go wrong.

Definitely Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Seven books in total (Wind Through The Keyhole is a kind of slot-in book which can be read as a stand-alone).

I would suggest anyone persevere with Game of Thrones - I read the the first four before they made the tv show and I think a lot people coming to the books from the show find them over-complicated but they're worth sticking with.

YY to Robert Jordan's mighty Wheel of Time series - finished them (finally!) in the Spring. Be warned - when you commit to them, you need to really commit.

Terry Brooks Shannara books just keep on giving - start with The Sword of Shannara and go from there. Simplistic stories but so good. His Magic Kingdom of Landover series is great too - first one is 'Magic Kingdom For Sale - Sold'.

Jim Butcher's Dresden Files are also very reable, but more urban fantasy than anything else (I think).

Just finished Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell for the second time. I first read it seven years ago and have purposely left it for this long before going back to it because I wanted to forget as much of it as I could so that it would feel like reading it for the first time again. It worked!

I can probably think of more...

[Whiskwarrior]

Oh, justwondering - I LOVE the Dragonlance books!

I used to have pretty much all of them and I stupidly gave them to a charity shop so I only have the original trilogy left .

I was saying to my Mum recently that I need to read them all through again. Is it wrong that I much prefer Kitiara to bloody Laurana?

[MrsCakesPrecognition]

How about the His Dark Materials trilogy?
Dragon Riders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
Anything by Terry Pratchett's.

[Mojito100]

Any olds but a goody - the Belgariad series. Loved it in my 20's and still re-read it.

[WhereYouLeftIt]

Dresden Files by Jim Butcher are worth a look. 15 books in the series now, and every book more complicated than the last .

Ben Aaronovich's Rivers of London series is pretty good too.

An old favourite was Julian May's linked series, The Saga of the Exiles and The Galactic Milieu.

[StillSquirrelling]

I'm a lifelong fantasy fan and the following are series I have read over and over many times over the last (ermahgerd! ) 20 years or so:

Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern, Crystal Singers, Brain & Brawn and the Talent series are all excellent

Katharine Kerr's Deverry series

Robin Hobb - both her Liveship and Rainwilds series (haven't read any others yet)

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series

Diana Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci series


Others I have read in more recent years:

Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series and Alpha & Omega series - more urban fantasy really but she's also written a few proper fantasy books too (just can't remember the names offhand!)

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series (also urban fantast, strictly) - an hilarious read!

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

I am now the proud owner of a SIGNED COPY (with all gold 'n stuff on) of Fool's Assassin Only thing is I think I'll somehow have to try and find time to re-read all the previous ones before starting it as it's been too long!