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

[fishandlilacs]

Anyone like these sort of books? I know fantasy fiction has a bit of a saddo reputation but I do enjoy it.

I am currently readin book 2 of the mistborn trilogy by Brandon sanderson. DH bought the first one for xmas.

I would like to find more authors on a similar vein.

I LOVE some of Tad Williams's books, but find others strangely uninvolving.

Loved the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Trilogy and the standalone book War of the Flowers. Lovely mix of imagination and humour. Otherland left me rather cold and so did the most recent series, Shadow something?

Agree with StressedHEmum's assessment of Trudy Cavanagh - easy reads and fun but the worlds in which they are set seem to me a bit lacking, somehow boil-in-the-bag.

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville: thoroughly loved it until I started having nightmares - literally - about Slake Moths. And stopped reading.

The name of the wind, by Patrick Rothfuss, is one of the best fantasy books I've read in ages. Think there might be a sequel now too.

Agree that Robin Hobb is great, though liked the Soldier Son trilogy less than the others as found the protagonist too creepy to be able to sympathize with him properly.

I love the fantasy genre but it can be hard to find really good authors as the quality of writing is often truly awful. I was so happy to discover robin Hobb and am still on the lookout for another author to discover, with a big back catalogue!

Another author I discovered recently is Cassandra Clare, with her city of bones trilogy. Aimed at young adults I think and somewhere midway between fantasy and vampire/werewolf fiction, but really well written and definitely hard to put down.

marks place

I'd love to get back into it, DP tends to read the more detailed fantasy but I'm not up to that after a long day and am reduced to reading 'chewing gum' at the moment! So I'm looking forward to new recomndations

Agree about Robin Hobb, I was an total fan (as I used to be with David Eddings) but the later stuff with the Fool (Fools God?) just went a bit off base for me.

Totally agree about the Soldier Son books, I didn't find them pleasant reading at all and I loved all her other books. Haven't attempted the new series yet though as SS put me off her a bit.

I've been reading WOT since I was 13, brilliant books. I thought Sanderson did quite well.... although it annoyed me that he didn't deal with all the characters like Jordan used to.... He didn't even touch on Elayne in book 12. I haven't picked up 13 yet though.

Feist is one of my all time favourites. Epic reading, not afraid to kill of characters, flawed heroes you fall in love with a little bit, monstors, demons and dragons..... everything a fantasy buff could want

His Empire series set on Kelewan written with Janny Wurts is paticularly good.

I'm reading George RR Martin atm, need to pick up the last couple he's written soon.... got so much study to do though I haven't much time for reading for pleasure these days

Has anyone read Graceling & Fire by Kristin Cashore?

If you want something thought provoking, what about mary doria russell's the sparrow? (And sequel)

I like tad williams too, and neal stephenson.

Tad Williams is worth a read.

I did enjoy Terry Goodkind's series of books although the TV show was a real turn off.

Stephan Donaldson and The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant was a good series.

I've read the entire Dune series several times.

Brian Aldiss's Heliconia trilogy is an acknowledged classic.

J.V. Jones writes a good yarn.

Lavitabellissima I have. I quite liked them.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

cross posted talkingnonsense

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.

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

@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.

Yep - they sound right; Thanks

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...

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

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.