Intelligent, well-written, gripping fantasy (possibly sci-fi) novels please

[Fishpond]

I am more of a fan of the 'high fantasy' - i.e. medieval style, royalty/high court/fairly realistic but with elements of magic, etc. Rich characters are the most important thing to me in a novel, and excellent writing rather than Dan Brown type stuff.

A Song of Ice and Fire is my favorite fantasy series by far, I also love LOTR and HP. I have recently read and loved Doomsday Book, and when younger I enjoyed the Ender's Game series and 1984, but that's about as far as my sci-fi forays have gone.

I tried Wheel of Time twice and couldn't get into the first book, is it worth perservering?

Any others welcome, preferably long and with lots of sequels . I'm pregnant and want to take the time to enjoy leisure reading as long as I possibly can!

I'm not really a huge fan of that genre but I did once read The Once and Future King by TH White, which I quite enjoyed. Arthurian fantasy. I would let you have my copy as I'm unlikely to actually read it again, but it happens to be signed by all of the Hothouse Flowers as I had it with me at a gig once so I'm hanging on to it purely for sentiment's sake.

you may enjoy guy gavriel kay, or jacqueline carey, and also the trilogy that starts with the ill made mute. the authors name escapes me at the moment.

The first series by David Eddings - the Belgariad - is very good. After the first series it all gets a bit same-y.

My mate said that the books made into the Game of Thrones TV series are excellent.

Katherine Kerr's Deverry series?

I really like Janny Wurts. Her Wars of Light and Shadow series is still going strong IMO. I also loved the first three books of Song of Ice and Fire (not so sure about the fourth one and the huge gap before no 5). You might like Robin Hobb (the Liveships trilogy is her best).

I think that the Wheel of Time just goes on and on without much of a resolution in sight (I got up to 9 I think and then decided it wasn't worth the effort)

Tad Williams, start with The dragonbone chair you will love them.

Robin Hobb is the woman for the job, OP

The curse of Chalion and the sequel Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Tad Williams Dragonbone chair
Tigana- Guy Gavriel Kay

Boudica series by Manda Scott, starts with Dreaming the Eagle, the second of the four is the best in terms of characterisation (Dreaming the Bull). It's a sort of novelisation of the life of Boudica, Roman Britain and all that but includes lots of fantasy elements, the 'dreaming', gods and goddesses etc.

Raymond E Feist - but not the later "omg the mortgage is due, write something" ones. Just the "proper" first ones. Magician, Silverthorn, Darkness at Sethanon, and then the Empire trilogy (Daughter of, Servant of, Mistress of)
The next few after Sethanon are OK, but they got very formulaic and tired, so if you LOVE the first ones, try em and see. I gave up in the end.
I second Deverry, I waited 25 years for the last one to be published to find out what happened first [fwink I kid you not]

Pombear is Feist good with female characters? I have one that I never got round to reading because I've got some garbled notion that they're all v sexist and I can't be arsed wasting my life like that. I could have been misinformed, though.

Sarah Monette's doctrine of labyrinths series ( starts with melusine). Fantastic characterisation and voice.

Have you tried Michael Moorcock? Dancers at the end of Time is a good (short) series to start with. Late Victorian meets the distant future.

I love the Deryni books by Katharine Kurtz.Must reread them.

You want some Ursula le Guin. The Left Hand of Darkness (novel) or The Birthday of the World (short stories). She is truly an excellent writer.

I wouldn't bother persevering with the Wheel of Time unless you have a penchant for reading about young women being spanked in every other chapter. If so, then go ahead. :)

I was really captivated by Beauty, by Sherrington S Tepper.
www.amazon.co.uk/Beauty-Fantasy-Masterworks-Sheri-Tepper/dp/1857987225

Really well written yarn and not twee or tiresome.

Sherri
Not Sherrington
Silly ipad

Feist annoyed me. Lots of soldiers marching, having a bit of a battle and then going to find themselves a girl to shag for the night.

Sherri S Tepper is good though, I do like the way she reworks fairy tails.

Stephen Donaldson? The First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are very good. Unfortunately I'm not so sure about the Last Chronicles and I've given up. May have to try again but I'd have to re-read the earlier ones first. Mordant's need is great, as are his short story collections.

Robin Hobb for the Assassin books and the Liveship ones.

You could try Ursula Ge Guin books such as The left Hand of Darkness or her "childrens" seires the Earthsea Chronicles. Margaret Atwood has also written a few "sci fi" style books - Oryx and Crake and the sequel The Year of the Flood. Also the Handmaid's Tale. I'm not a big sci-fi fan but enjoyed the above.

sorry - Ursula Le Guin

Thanks Indith that the sort of thing that does annoy me too.

How about the Otori trilogy by Leanne Hearn? Ancient oriental setting, tribal feuds, supernatural powers, love - it's all there and a fabulous read too. It starts with Across the Nightingale Floor. I couldn't put it down and had to read all three in quick succession.

Lian Hearn

I recommend Iain M Banks Culture novels. I think you could read them out of order but I wouldn't. Start with Consider Phlebas

I've read the first two of, 'Song Of ice And Fire' and been really disappointed. I don't think they are very well written and sadly, much modern fantasy is woefully badly written.

Stephen King's 'Dark Tower' series is v good and has echoes of the high court, medieval stuff interspersed with modern characters too.

I also second the, 'Across the Nightingale Floor' series which is excellent - sort of ancient Japanese warrior stuff. It's a teen series but very well conceived and executed.

I didn't like, 'Oryx And Crake' but did like, 'After The Flood.

You might also like Trudi somebodyorother - they are hideously badly written but the characters are quite interesting.