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?

If you like GoT, Robert C Crane Sanctuary series is for you. I think the first couple are free on Amazon at the moment. Can't remember how many are in the series but it's a complete storyline. It's magical fantasy set in a medieval time on another planet with lots of battles and great characters. I love, love, love his other series: Girl In/ Out of the Box and the gruesome and gross Southern Cross. It took me three attempts to get started in Sanctuary but then I loved them and reread them often. My current fave author and the first books in the series are free if you want to try them out.

Currently reading and enjoying the Atlantis Grail series. I like GoT but am frustrated at the long wait for the next book.

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.

Seconding Diana Wynne Jones - she's great.

On Neil Gaiman - OP, I agree entirely about Ocean At The End Of The Lane. It was a perfectly inoffensive book, but I finished it and thought "so what?" It was just an entirely pointless, forgettable event for me. If you go for Gaiman again either try "Stardust" (great) or his collaboration with Terry Pratchett, "Good Omens".

Loads of great suggestions here. I would add Mark Chadbourn's 'Age of Misrule' trilogy - magic and ancient mythology return to modern Britain, chaos ensues. I was absolutely hooked.

There's a follow up series too but I haven't got round to that yet .

I just remembered Fortunes Rising by Sara King. It's fantasy/sci fi, I usually am less keen on fantasy but this enthralled me. I'd forgotten about it because I was frustrated that she hadn't written the second book yet, but now I see that she has so I'll be reading that this weekend.

Also, American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a great book.

I'm surprised no-one's mentioned the Darker Shades of Magic trilogy by Victoria Schwab. I'm currently on the first (I was swayed by the design of the gorgeous hardback edition) and am absolutely loving it! The essence is that there are four "Londons" in sort of parralell magical universes, each of which have varying degrees of magic (Grey London would be the one we know as i has no magic). There are, of course, a select few individuals who can travel between them, and peril along the way.

I also absolutely ADORE Nevernight and it's sequel, Godsgrave (released last week). I think it was originally marketed as YA fantasy, but it's really, really not. It follows the story of Mia Corvere, a fledgeling assassin and "darkin" who is able to control shadows. Very bloody, with frequent adult scenes and a lot of swearing, but it is fabulous

Haven't read the GoT series yet, though I probably should. There's a lovely illustrated edition (spotted in Asda recently for a song!) which I may yet purchase.

A lovely bookseller recommended The Lies of Locke Lamora based on my recent purchases, though I haven't yet started.

Ooh yes, I'd completely forgotten about the Gentleman Bastard series, which starts with the Lies of Locke Lamora. Probably the most imaginative fantasy series ever?!