Recommendations for fantasy or sci-fi please

[Fabianthefabulous]

Watching Game of Thrones is inspiring me to read some fantasy. I went to the library to browse earlier but everything that I liked the look of was book 2 or 3 of a series, I couldn't find any book 1's.

In the past I have read:
The Lord of the Rings which I liked
The first few Diskworld books which were ok but have not inspired me to read any more (I think I made the mistake of starting with book 1&2).
The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin - ok but not interested in reading the sequels
The Ocean at the end of the Lane by Neil Gaiman which I really didn't like.

So I like things like LOTR and GOT. Should I read Game of Thrones or is there something better out there?

Shardik by Richard Adams is also set in an imagined kingdom and has some of the characteristics of fantasy novels though there's no magic.

Raymond Feist / Magician is a great one and most of the following books.... l'm also a Robin Hobb fan . Or David Eddings

Best series I've read recently is the Temeraire series, by Naomi Novik.

It's like Age of Sail, but with sentient dragons as an air force, and it's so well-written. The worldbuilding is amazing.

I've just started reading The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham (the first books are available in one volume called Shadow and Betrayal and the last two in a volume called Seasons of War.) The series is highly regarded by many fans of George RR Martin and by Martin himself.

Yet another vote for Robin Hobb! I got bored with the Wheel of Time series I'm afraid. David Eddings and Gemmel are great but I agree might seem rather dated now. I am a fan of Pratchett so will recommend you try again.

Has anyone suggested Marion Zimmer Bradley? The Mists of Avalon is fantastic. And yes, Bernard Cornwall is a fantastic author and bridges the historical fiction/science fantasy genres well

You might like the Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein. They start out looking like fairly standard fantasy but turn out to be something rather different. The series is currently unfinished but she is working on the last two books. Be warned, though, she takes longer to finish a book than George RR Martin.

Another vote for Katherine Kerr

Lois McMaster Bujold

Dune by Frank Herbert
I Robot by Isaac Azimov - the father of sci fi

Robin Hobb Assassins Apprentice trilogy - amazing books, I've bought them for loads of people who've all loved them

Wow thank you, I wasn't expecting so many replies so quickly, it's going to take me a while to read through all of these properly. From a first glance Robin Hobb seems to be mentioned a lot so perhaps I will start there.

Wheel of time is a great series as is sword of truth. I really enjoyed Robin Hobbs the Farseer trilogy and I've just started the live ship traders trilogy. All really good books and a great read :)

Anything by Trudi Canaan. She's written a few trilogies so you can lose yourself for a while!

Not Canaan, Canavan!

I agree with the Marion Zimmer Bradley recommendation, GemmaB78 and the Trudi Canvan books Crumble82

Brian Harmon - the 'Rushed' series

Another vote for Patrick Rothfuss 'The Name of the Wind' and 'The Wise Man's Fear' (books 1 and 2 in his trilogy - eagerly awaiting book 3). Name of the Wind is my favourite book in the world! Even better than LotR (sacrilege, I know).

Robin Hobb's Liveship trilogy is awesome, and the other series are good too. Another Robin - McKinley, is an amazing storyteller - she has re-written quite a few fairytales from a female perspective, and her earlier fantasy novels ( I think actually aimed at young adults) The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown are great. Very GoT. Less sex though, as young adulty...

Diana Wynne jones, especially the ones aimed at older readers ("a sudden wild magic" "hexwood", "deep secret" to get you started. So so so good.

Neil gaiman "stardust"

Obvs all the WoT and Sanderson and feist and canavan recommendations, too.

I'm writing Genevieve Cogman at the moment. Not bad, though she's no Robert Jordan...

If you like steampunk then the Mortal Engines quartet is excellent (though a little dark).

I've also been enjoying Brent Weeks Black Prism series, though lost momentum when i had to wait for the next book to be finished

I would personally swerve Game of Thrones until he finishes it (if he ever does) I read it years ago thinking it was a complete series and then spent the next years being grumpy about having to wait. The TV show has helped fill the void.

Definitely second the suggestions of Magician (and subsequent) by Raymond Feist and Wheel of time by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson), and Trudi Canavan's books!!

Not writing. Reading. I am not, myself, Genevieve cogman...

Another Robin Hobb fan here. Also second Garth Nix.

I love sci-fi but it is quite different really - a lot of the time it is posing questions and making you think. Fantasy to me tends to be more character led. (Making gross generalisations I know).

Oh and for modern fantasy/crime then I love the Rivers of London.

The Drowning of Arthur Braxton also worth a read.

Terry Brooks Shannara series, Raymond E Feist Magician, Robin Hobb, Cecilia Dart-Thornton Bitterbynde trilogy, David Eddings, Laini Taylor Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Anne McCaffrey, Ilona Andrews, The wheel of Time series but I got a bit bored after book 14...

Gordon R. Dickson's Dragon Knight series

• Jim Eckart is transported from modern days to a fantasy middle ages where he discovers he can turn into a dragon

Christopher Stasheff's Warlock Series are humourous

• Rod Gallowglass is a 31st century interstellar policeman sent to find out what's happening on the planet Gramayre where colonists deliberately took up a medieval lifestyle. He is aided by his robot horse Fess and to his intense surprise meets witches, goblins and fairies who can apparently do magic.

Jim Butcher's Dresden Files

• Harry Dresden is Chicago's only consulting wizard.

Yes definitely agree go back to Pratchett and read the Witches books or Monstrous Regiment or m all time favourite Nightwatch. These all all so much better than the first two.