Fantasy Reccomendations

I fear I've been horribly, completely spoiled by George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Since A Dance With Dragons is still a long way off, I'd like some recommendations of *GOOD* fantasy series to read. I should specify that I'm looking for new, or perhaps lesser known writers, because I've read a good amount of what's considered 'popular' in fantasy like Wheel of Time and Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn.

I'm looking for something fresh, please don't bother with Ender's Game or Neil Gaiman's stuff, which I've read.

- Kushie's Dart has its charm.
- As does the Chrestomanci series, if you don't mind something aimed at a younger audience.
- If you like dark and gritty, The Black Company is enjoyable, although the ending is a bit much.
- Someone on this board suggested Jhereg, which I also enjoyed.

SoIF is pretty hard to top for fantasy, particularly of the epic variety.

its all mostly failure after you've read SoIF. :(
listen to >>2 though.

The Black Company has some good stuff in it and Steven Brust's books, including Jhereg, are almost pure awesome in writing.

Never heard of Chrestomanci and Kushiel's Dart looked ghey.

You could probably waste time waiting for a Dance with Dragons by reading Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.
Huge Books with so-so writing ftw.

These are books that are as good as ASOIAF:
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Reccommended by George himself)
The Prince of Nothing (start with The Darkness That Comes Before)trilogy by R. Scott Bakker

You also might as well read GRRM's earlier work. His best is Fevre Dream, then Dying of the Light.

Terry Pratchett's discworld novels are great too, but nothing like ASOIAF.

Steven Brust's books, including Jhereg, are almost pure awesome in writing.
Yeah, just avoid the second book in the Vlad Taltos series because it's bloody emo.

Note to all authors: don't write books while you're having major marital problems.

OP here.

Thanks for the recs, first of all. I've already read The Kushiel's Legacy series, and it was all right. Nothing compared to SoIaF. I've also already read a good bit of Terry Pratchett, and he wasn't really my style.

I'll try the Black Company series mentioned since I like dark and gritty, as well as Jhereg, Lies of Locke Lamora, and The Prince of Nothing.

Although as a side note, GRRM also recommended Jacqueline Carey's non-Kushiel books, Banewreaker and some other one I can't recall, neither of which I liked very well. It was basically Lord of the Rings told from the perspective of the general of Sauron's army, who has kidnapped and fallen in love with the Arwen character. The idea behind it was interesting, but I felt the execution was sloppy, poorly written, and generally not even on par with her Kusheil series. I only mention this to point out I don't always care for what GRRM is reading.

Anyway, thanks again for your recs anonymous, and my ears are still open for more.

>>6
Check out Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman.  Legends, Chronicles, and the Deathgate Cycle are very good series.

The Belgariad, by David Eddings, is an excellent and somewhat more humorous series.

If you want something thick and literary, Gene Wolfe is an amazing author of "high literature" fantasy.  Read The Book of the New Sun.

Happy hunting.

I suggest reading anything by Clark Ashton Smith.

>>7
I read the Dragonlance series in middle school (some of it *was* written in the 80s, just like Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn.) I've also read most of Eddings stuff, including The Belgariad. It's okay.

I haven't read Gene Wolf yet though, so I'll check that out too.

As a fun note, I actually read the Dragonlance series some years before I read LotR. And for what it worth, I mostly kept up with what they were writing, but I CAN'T STAND the 'second gen' series. Summer Flame and onwards pretty much ruined everything I liked about it. IIRC the only thing I enjoyed at all was that Raistlin sort of became a demi-god. I'm pretty sure he was everyone's favorite character. In my opinion, he should have spent his entire time as Fistandantalus fucking Crysania, because his plan was never gonna work.

Dragonlance is just ugh. It makes WoT look good.

Anything by Guy Gavriel Kay.

He's less on the "OMGIts FANATSY!!  Look that teh dragons and elves!!1" and more about composing good fucking stories.  If you want a novel with heavy fantastical elements to it, though, then you won't want to read all of his books--several don't rely on that too strongly.

i sort of dislike when one author recommends another author and you can sort of tell the only reason for the recommendation is because they are friends or are published by the same company...such a letdown.

I'm actually not too sure what exactly specifies Fantasy? But I really like books by R.A. Salvatore, Icewind Dale trilogy, etc.

>>2
>>3
>>4
QFT for Brust, Locke Lamora, Black Company - all 3 very good

But WTF is up with people not having read the Malazan Book Of The Fallen series by Steven Erikson? For me it beats even ASOIAF by not that small a margin. Read it. NOW!
And although i have not read Prince Of Nothing yet, i heard good things about it.

Let me recommend some others, while mostly not along the lines of the at the moment so popular epic fantasy (which has grown rather boring for me lately), still very fun reads and often violent and bloody (yay):

Matthew Woodring Stover - Heroes Die / Blade of Tyshalle (while more of a fantasy/sci-fi mixture - fast pace, FUKKEN GREAT fight scenes and action in general, some interesting ideas at least in the latter one)
Tim Lebbon - Dusk
Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself

David Gemmell - everything by him, especially those Drenai novels about Druss and Waylander, further Dark Moon and White Wolf
Karl Edward Wagner - every Kane story there is - except the first, maybe, Darkness Weaves.. you can tell it was the first. But the short stories in "Death Angels Shadow" are a must.

And last but not least of course Fritz Leibers "Swords" series (or rather Lankhmar (short) stories in general).

i thought both david gemmel and Steven Erikson were pretty shitty writers. Tons of /b/tards seem to like the Malazan series and I cannot tell why. Same types who play Magic: The Gathering and own dvds of Buffy the Vampire Slayer if you ask me.

>>15
That's a most grave insult, you'd better have some evidence to back it up before uttering such an accusation.

Obviously - Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake

EVERWORLD by somebody...

The Prince of Nothing is a mixed bag, in my opinion.

It has a number of memorable characters, but some of the plot twists (especially in the characters' personal lives) are a tad too hard to believe.

Martha Wells writes decent fantasy, particularly of the Victorian/steampunk variety. Some of her books are not to my taste, but I quite liked Death of the Necromancer.

Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart is also quite good, especially if you're not into the whole Medieval swords'n'sorcery thing. The later two books are alright, but not as good as the first.

Drizzt Do'Urden!

R.A. Salvatore wins.

Eye of the Dragon by Stephen King

Martha Wells & Barry Hughart hugely seconded here.

For a series with a somewhat similar feel to ASOIaF (though a bit more lightweight) try Greg Keyes' series that starts with "The Briar King".

Anything by Garth NIx. He writes young adult, but his ideas are fantastic.

Hellsyeah, I definitely concur with 14 on Karl Edward Wagner, good luck with finding it, though. They're like $50 dollars a book now, I think. Also, on the subject of Heroic Fantasy, I'd recommend Robert E. Howard's Conan stuff, and, if you can find it, Michael Moorcock's Elric saga. They're all for the most part short stories (the Elric books are very short, less than 200 pages on average), but very good nonetheless. Howard's views on society's stupid rules played out through Conan's intolerance of them are just awesome.

China Mieville's Perdido Street Station series redeemed fantasy for me.  Awesome motifplay, really interesting characters, completely enjoyable read.

>>21

Massive fail.

Why haven't you fuckers recommended Glen Cook yet? Because you're horrible, that's why.

Glen Cook's "Black Company" series is great. Read them in order. Highly highly recommended.

Try Zelazny's "Amber" series too. Again, read 'em in order.

Robin Hobb's "Assassin's Apprentice" trilogy is good too.

>>28
Lol, holy shit.

Do you even bother reading threads?
They've mentioned "The Black company" more than a few times.

I'm on the 3rd book, The White rose.
Not bad, but nothing I'm really crazy about yet.

Try the hardcore new book by John R.R. Cumcock called Shotgun Mouthwash

the earthsea series by ursula k leguin is pretty good, the tv-series sucks ass though, don't bother with it. umm, most other stuff already been mentioned methinks.

Am I the only person who detests Zelzany's Amber series?

Likewise, Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice series is emo beyond belief. It's far overrated in my opinion.

Üleliigne tarbimine võib põhjustada kõhulahtisust.

>>17
Best. Fricking. Series. Ever.
Oh, and if you like fantasy, No Child Left Behind is pretty good.

I was so damn disappointed by the Amber Series after all the damn hype.  POS. 

>>22
i would have to agree with this, but being a stephan king fan, im probably a bit biased. Its more of an extended fairytale than a fantasy book, but i really enjoyed it. lots of highs and lows. Also the gunslinger series by king might be something you should check out, but then again, its not really mainstream fantasy.