any fantasy fans out there? Robin Hobb/ lynn flewelling?

What luck to find this thread, have just finished Hobbs Assassin trilogy and was looking for further recommendations. Loads here to work with....

stephen deas, another dragon writer along jo abercrombie politics with no real goodies or baddies.

Mark - Read the Fools Gold trilogy, written under the Jude Fisher pseudonym, it's great stuff.

link here.

#pointythings - Jude Fisher is my editor. I've read non-fantasy by her (under her other name, Jane Johnson), 'The Salt Road' - very good. Also writes kids books. I have 'Gold Seekers' by her and am reading it to my daughter. I'll have to try her fantasy now. Which book/series are you talking about?

Try C.S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy - intelligent fantasy, engaging multilayered characters, especially one where you can never tell whether he's hero or villain because he's sort of both - really worth the effort.

Also Jude Fisher, big world building, it takes the first book to set things up but is really well done.

I gave up on Jordan after book 5, still haven't read the last Terry Goodkind for fear of disappointment (there were a couple of real turkeys in that series) but second Sheri Tepper - especially Singer from the Sea, Grass, Raising the Stones, Sideshow - she is very much a feminist but a sensible one who likes men.

Also love Guy Gavriel Kay (though a lot of his stuff is technically alternate history, but who cares?) and Robin Hobb's Liveship stuff - her work under the psuedonym Megan Lindholm is also worth a look.

Finally if you want feminist fantasy, Gael Baudino is your woman, but she is very, very feminist indeed.

I am definitely marking my place here - loads of great ideas for books - thanks, Ladies. My friends all mock my choice of books (how dare they!), so coming up with new books to read can be quite tricky. At least now I have some suggestions here. I'm currently reading 'Under the Dome' by Stephen King. I haven't read any of his books for years! I'm quite enjoying it, actually!

I've read the Age of Five trilogy by Trudi Canavan, and really enjoyed them. The Thomas Covenant books (Stephen Donaldson) are an all time favourite of mine, just pipped at the post, mind you, by the Dune books (I've read them countless times!).

I love Tad Williams, JV Jones and Robin Hobb. I also love Jasper Fforde, Kelley Armstrong and Gaiman who aren't typical fantasy writers. I also like Rothfuss and have recently read the Cassandra Claire books, which were great. Found Ben Aaronovitch very interesting with his Rivers of London and his other book. Patrick Ness is good, but teeny books again. Have loads of sci-fan books on my kindle and can't wait to plow through them:)

Oooo! There are other geeks on MN!

I totally love patrick Rothfuss Name of the wind. I thought wise mans fear was a bit of a let down after waiting so long for it.

Love Love love! Reymond E feist!

You guys should also try Trudi Canavan, have read all her books, they are amazing.

Oh and Jim Butcher, Dresden files are brilliant too!

polite cough in bearcrumble's direction I know a book very favourably compared to 'The Steel Remains' by the Wertzone and about which Robin Hobb said "Prince of Thorns is ... indescribable Dark, demented, rug-pulling, cliff hanging ... wow! This is an absolutely stunning book. Jaw-dropping."

Just sayin' ...

I do plan to try Morgan out soon though.

am nearly finsihed the latest Trudi Canavan and have the new Patrick Rothfuss waiting next.....

thehiddenpaw - I know !!! How excited am I?! (it's just a book fgs, but I can't wait) I'm currently on a waiting list at the library for it, but am behind seven other people and the bloody council haven't even bought a copy yet. So, I imagine I'll be having a leetle browse on Amazon one day soon and seeing the bargain hardback price will just cave in and buy it - despite swearing to wait for paperbacks on readitswapit. No patience .

I must say that I've noted down loads of fantastic suggestions from here...Until this thread I'd actually never read the Robin Hobb ones (had been put off by cheesey covers, so shallow ) So glad I did, I loved them !! But, couldn't even get half way through the first soldier son one.
Agree with Marion Zimmer Bradley and China Mieville - Perdido Street Station was just amazing, although I really didn't love Kraken.

Started the Joe Abercrombie 'The blade itself' but it really didn't grab me.
Now waiting to start reading 'The Steel Remains' mentioned earlier.

Has anyone read 'Lud in the Mist' by Hope Mirrlees ? It was written in 1926 and is considered to be a bit of a classic in the Fantasy genre. I thought it was fantastic, reminded me a fair bit of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, also brilliant IMO.

Will be following this thread very closely for more excellent ideas...

Yep - they sound right; Thanks

@KatyMac
You're thinking of Clive Barker's 'Weaveworld'?

& Orson Scott Card wrote the excellent 'Ender's Game' and sequels amongst other things...

Donaldson's 'White Gold Wielder' series starting with 'Lord Foul's Bane' is probably the leprosy book.

I'm remembering:
The Many coloured land (about elves in prehistory) series
Something about a tapestry/carpet....can't remember what
Magician
Wielding a red sword (Piers Anthony??) series
'Orsen scott Card' but I can't remember what he wrote
a book about someone with leprosy????
Lord Valentines Castle (again a series but that isn't the first)

I love:
Anne McCaffery
Mercedes Lackey
David Eddings

I wrote aload of names down from here last night and then went to bed trying to remember a load of authors I have read recently. So some other suggestions
Amanda Hemmingway- older teeenager, think Susan Cooper dark is rising type stuff
Jan Siegel (a pseudonym for above) adult, really lovely writing elegent and excellent hair raising magic in real life stories. Each book stand alone and starts with young child growing through to adult
toby forward- new, dragons, nasty characters but really good politics. Almost George R R Martin type machincations. TOok me a while to get into now cant stop thinking about the next one on order
joe abercrombie- loved the first trilogy but disliked the follow on. Blood and guts but really good development of characters. Not for the faint hearted
will probably be awake again at 2am thinking of more. Love to hear other suggestions as am making lists for me
Oh and my new favourite Leona Wisoker- now that is amazingly differnt new fantasy world which has layers of complexity to it.

cross posted talkingnonsense

When I went through my fantasy phase I read
Katherine Kurz
Marion Zimmer Bradley - darkover novels
Elizabeth A lynn
Robert Zelazny
John Christopher - more aimed at teenagers ie The Tripods

I totally recommend Sarah monettes doctrine of labyrinths series, and if you like young adult ( diana wynne jones type) Sarah Rees brennan is brilliantly talented. I hevnt read much else current- oh enjoyed Naomi noviks temeraire series- but older stuff, love Vonda McIntyre, Elizabeth Lynn and Marion Zimmer Bradley.

good lists in here
juliet Marillier a good read too in the legend magic range. Does celtic stories really good reads

Stanton Lacy- new Patrick Rothfuss just published, am waiting for order

Others
Eileen Gee (not read anything like these before and really enjoyed)
Jim Butcher (fantastic magic stuff, love it)
Terry Pratchett (I know he has been going for years but so much fun)
Jasper Fforde- not realy sci fi but sort of fantasy
Gail Z Martin- interesting first book not so keen on next ones but good trilogy overall
Kristin Cashore- just found these and they are excellent
Kristen/Kirsten Britain Green riders series- am deperate for next one this summer big reads
so so many others if I get my bool list out I wll add to this

Cersei (cool GRRM name btw) - I've read a whole bunch of Katherine Kerr, top stuff. My wife called one of our boys after the 'Rhodri' in Kerr's books.

Has anyone read any of Katharine Kerr's books? Daggerspell is the first in a long series where what a person does in one life affects their next reincarnation. I really enjoyed these books. Love Robin Hobb, George R R Martin, Kate Elliott, J V Jones and WoT too.

Slubber - I've never tried Wheel of Time, the only seemingly endless epic that has ever appealed to me is George Martin's 'A song of ice and fire' because it's so damn well written. Otherwise I like my fantasy rather tighter, focused, going somewhere, promising an end.

I agree MarkMark. I really enjoyed the Robin Hobb books (haven't yet read Soldier Son or the Dragon Keeper ones yet). I think the Fool is one of my all time favourite characters. V clever to have what, 9 books and still be unsure sure of his/her gender by the end.

I have ground to a juddering halt with WoT, and book six is sat lumpenly on my bedside table with it's ridiculous cover, mocking me for my lack of fantasy commitment.

Maud I agree about the Slake Moths, terrifying, but the book is well worth finishing.

I've only met one person who loved the Soldier Son trilogy, but I liked it... perhaps it's because it was the first Hobb I read & I wasn't sat there wishing Fitz and the Fool would show up! I've since read the Farseer and Tawny Man series and loved them. Hobb does a masterful job with first person and with relationships.

just seen this thread for the first time, good timing as I'd finished the last Kushiel book this morning and was looking for new books to read :)

Before that I read Fiona McIntosh's Valisar trilogy and enjoyed that