Fantasy novel recommendations

[wintersnight]

I seem to have inadvertently developed a bit of a fantasy addiction (after being pretty snooty about it as science fiction's poor relation for years) and need some help feeding my habit. So far I've enjoyed Ursula le Guin, Michael Moorcock, Elizabeth Moon and Sherri Tepper amongst others and really not liked Anne McCaffrey and Robin Hobb.

So any suggestions of well written fantasy (non women-hating also a distinct advantage) would be welcomed,

Sorry, can't recommend anything just wanted to get on here and steal see the recs.

David eddings rocks! They're oldies but goodies :)

Don't blame you for not liking Anne McCaffrey and Robin Hobb - def the fluffy end. I'm sure you'd enjoy Ben Aaronovitch "Rivers of London" trilogy, William Nicholson's "Wind on Fire/Wind Singer" trilogy and Neil Gaiman Anansi Boys or American Gods. You might like Kim Newman although that's bordering onto horror rather than fantasy so perhaps not. If you like your reading to be quite highbrow and challenging (quite likely if you've previously discounted fantasy) then try China Mieville - which DH loves but I find too difficult personally. I also like James Morrow.

Thanks. I definitely like the look of Aaronovitch and Nicholson. I enjoyed both those Neil Gaiman books. Will look at Eddings as well.

There's such a huge potential for fantasy to be cringingly awful (Lord J'Arrow of the M'archers parted his crimson lips to ululate the curse of the algorithmic programmers for the penultimate time sort of stuff) that it's hard to find anything worth reading.

The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher?
Dune
Ian Irving
Game of Thrones

Completely blanked out now! Good to see a Moorcock fan though [smiles] He's my husbands favourite author.

Tad Williams, start with The Dragonbone Chair.

Neil Gaiman
Patrick Roth

Guy Gavriel Kay - I keep recommending his work because I love his books. I'd start with "Tigana" or "A Song for Arbonne" or "The Lions of Al-Rassan" or his latest "Under Heaven".

P.S. I think Kayano may mean Patrick Rothfuss - I'd recommend him too, oh and Tad Williams, and George RR Martin and ..... :)

Happy Reading!

It's absolutely fair enough to not like Robin Hobb but to describe her as "fluffy"... words fail me!

BTW I second aaronvitch. You could try some real oldies such as Ray Bradbury.

Add the Fionavar trilogy to the GG Kay list, amazing books.
Also second David Eddings.
Trudi Canavan also good, loved the Magician set.
Oh - and Raymond Feist - Magician and loads more
Ray Feist and Janny Wurts - Empire trilogy

(opens up book database) (yes, really)

Julian May (Saga of the Exiles etc...fantasy/sf but brilliant)
Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel series...sexier by miles than 50 shades..)
Orson Scott Card does SF and Fantasy and Enders Game is the best SF book ever IMO!
Marion Zimmer Bradley (although if you don't like Anne McCaffrey you may not appreciate either)
Trudi Canavan (Magician Series)
Louise Cooper (Initiate/Outcast/Master etc) if they are still in print
David Eddings (would be sold as young adult these days...)
Raymond Feist (Magician)
Michael Grant
Janny Wurtz (Curse of the Mistwraith etc...but series still not finished)
Tanya Huff
Katherine Kerr (all)
Katherine Kurtz (Deryni series)
Sergei Lukyanenko
Melanie Rawn (but don't start the Ambrai series - unfinished with no sign of ending)
Patrick Rothfuss (in middle of writing 3rd book in series but OMG fantastic)
Tolkein (Everyone ought to read Lord of the Rings)

Enjoy!

I am also not a Caffrey or Hobb fan, and wasn't keen on Trudi Kanavan or the Kushiel books.
Have to second (or third?) GG Kay and Tad Williams. The ones I like best of the latter are sci-fi (Otherland) but his earlier fantasy series are good. Initially they seemed a bit derivative, but I ended up really enjoying them. He definitely got more original later with his later fantasy series, Shadowmarch.
GRRM is fantastic but you've probably already come across those. They're hard to beat, and I didn't find them misogynistic, though the tv series is more so.
I only read one China Mieville book and found it very disturbing (Iron Council). I still sometimes have a nightmare based on one particular bit which probably means he is an excellent writer but just not my thing.

One that hasn't had a mention yet is Holly Black - aimed at YA I think but "Tithe", "Valiant" and "Ironside" were great. She writes the Spiderwck books for children too, but those three are much darker and deal with more serious/grown up issues in amongst the fantastic elements.
Melissa Marr is well worth a look too, her "Wicked Lovely" series is haunting - again, I think it's probably aimed at YA but it doesn't suffer for it, or come across as childish.

I read a David Eddings recently for the first time, and thought it was a bit misogynistic tbh. Not great writing either really.

I love GRRM, if you haven't already read him.

Juliet Marrillier's Daughters of the Forest - a mix of Celtic myths and magic. It's the first of a trilogy, and it's all enjoyable, but the first is the most magical.

Maggie Stiefvater's Scorpio Races also vaguely based in Celtic mythology, but beutifully written and characterised. I suppose it's a young adult book really, as the main protagonist appears to be somewhere around 16, but it was one of the best reads of the year for me.

Thanks. Lots to go on here. I've avoided Georges RR Martin after watching one episode of Game of Throne as it seemed like misogynistic tosh but maybe his books are worth trying.

QueenofJacks, your husband has good taste if he likes Moorcock. I've never managed to convince anyone else but I think he's fantastic.

I'd still be grateful for any more suggestions ( I read a lot.) I'm happy to read YA; I just finished The Stekarm Handshake which was a great teen Sci Fi novel. I think my taste is more Neil Gaiman less Tad Williams if that makes sense.

Hmm, I really like Ursula le Guin (though would describe most of her stuff as SF not fantasy, tbh), like Anne McCaffrey for a bit of light reading but not keen on Robin Hobb.

You might like Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin (I always recommend this )

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels are extremely variable in quality, IMO, but the best of them are well worth reading. Good ones to try might be the Shattered Chain, the Forbidden Tower, or the Bloody Sun.

I really like the Amber novels, though I read them with my feminist radar firmly set to off . . . (to be fair, they're certainly not women hating, and there are plenty of strong women characters, but the lead is a bit of a blokey fantasy to say the least)

I used to love Michael Moorcock - the Dorian Hawkmoon series set in a fictional future where the british are real baddies and rampage all over europe.

I love Lord of the Rings and the Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Loved watching Game of Thrones although have not read it.

If you like Moorcock, do you like Philip K Dick (or would you count him as SF not fantasy?)

Oh, for another classic, what about Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy

It strikes me, reading this thread, how little gritty fantasy is written by women. Aren't we writing it? Or are we not getting published successfully? Or are we languishing in tiny editions while the men's stuff gets recced.

I don't think GRRM is misogynistic. Some of his character are, but others are smeary women and girls who outsmart or outfight or out-scheme most men. The tv show was, I agree.

Smeary women?! Darn autocorrect! I meant strong.

Another set to look for - The Keltiad set by Patricia Kenealy Morrison. (Copper Crown, Silver Branch, Throne of Scone)

Disorderlynights, I know this is theoretically a SF blog, but lots of fantasy by women in here too. I'd definitely classify Divine Endurance for example as fantasy rather than SF. I don't know what you'd call 'gritty', but there's lots of serious fantasy by women around, I'd say.

Game of thrones is an amazing read!!