Recommendations

[sirigorn]

You didn't like Earthsea

No, I didn't. But that was a few years ago and I'm only 13, so I was something like 10 then. Books as big as Earthsea are hard to get into at age 10 (tho I was a bit of a nerd then. Still am!!) And BoP says the first is hard to get into, so that might be it.

[Lalaith_Elf]

Originally posted by sirigorn
No, I didn't. But that was a few years ago and I'm only 13, so I was something like 10 then. Books as big as Earthsea are hard to get into at age 10 (tho I was a bit of a nerd then. Still am!!) And BoP says the first is hard to get into, so that might be it.

Yeah it is hard to get into. I've only just read them, and I'm nearly 17 - well I did go through a stage when I was reading pretty much only Tolkien and Anne Rice.....

[Arcala]

A really GOOD book is Lord of Snow and Shadows by Sarah Ash. It's an interesting mix of modern stuff (guns, etc.) magic, and a very interesting plot that never gets you bored.

[Mim Baggins]

I would recommend Hyperion by Dan Simmon. It's science fiction and its has a main story but with short stories throughout. Some of the short stories are brilliant.

[Jabberwock]

Aside from the normally recommended classics (which are all good), I'd try some of the following if you're looking for good fantasy that is a little different.

Lord Dunsany's short stories from Pegana etc. - a master of language and story
Barry Hughart's Master Li books - hilarious and wonderful fantasy/mysteries set in old China.
Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast books - be warned of extremely thick (but amazing) description
Guy Gavriel Kay - Tigana, Song for Arbonne, Lions of Al'Rassan, or Sarantine Mosaic : best Canadian fantasist - helped put together some of the postmortem Tolkien stuff.

[sirigorn]

Okay, I know I was the one that started this thread, but if anyone else is looking at this thread for books, I found a great new series. Actually, it's more than one series, but they all take place in the same world. They're by Mercades Lackey (I think I spelled it wrong). There's a timeline in the beginning of Brightly Burning, if you want to read them in order...

And thanks for your recomendations, Jabberwock!! (I saw a poem called Jaberwock somewhere... it was a bit strange)

[old scholar]

i would recomend Beggers in Spain by nancy kress
it is a great book and really makes you think

[BelegS]

I commend Jabberwock's post.

Some excellent recommendations there. All of them.

[Falagar]

Yeah, Tigrana is great (though Alessan somewhat reminded me too much of Aragorn). Guy's style is pretty...particular.

[BelegS]

Falagar, have you read 'A Song for Arabonne' by Kay? and 'The Lions of Al-Rassan'?

[Lady Ravyn]

here's a convo beren and i were having in general lit, but i thought maybe it would be better appreciated here ...

The Pearl Saga (The Ring of Five Dragons, The Veil of a Thousand Tears, and The Mistress of the Pearl) by Eric Van Lustbader

Thanks, Lady Ravyn. But the thing is I can't find the whole saga. I know there's the Ring of Five Dragons in one of the bookshops here, but I couldn't find the other two volumes

i don't know if you shop online or if your parents would let you borrow their credit card (that's what mine do and i pay them back in cash when i get the books) but i found them on amazon: Mistress of the Pearl

Thanks for the link, Lady Ravyn (it does work).But unfortunately, I haven't managed to convince my parents to shop for books online (yet... bwahahahaha!) *ahem* but anyway, how does this series compare to other fantasy series (Wot, Lotr, Dune, etc...)?

it's a very different sort of book (something refreshing, i find, in a genre where plots are reused over and over-which isn't always bad, i suppose )i mean, it's obviously not as good as lotr, but i think it's better than many fantasies out there. i'd put the series in my top ten fav books. the way the author describes the society of that world is very detailed; it's a caste-bound society so each caste has sort of its own stereotype, which means, of course, each caste has a character that breaks the boudaries. the plot is also very complicated, so it keeps you thinking (the only thing is you have to constantly try to remember what happened in the other two books ) i'm almost done with the third book, and it's still not clear how the series will end, so i'm thinking there will be more than three books. that's fine with me, though as it means more of this awesome series
(p.s. - sorry for the lengthy post! )

[Falagar]

Originally posted by BelegS
Falagar, have you read 'A Song for Arabonne' by Kay? and 'The Lions of Al-Rassan'?

No, but they're now on my list, seeing how Tigrana was. Heard lots of good stuff about The Fionvar (sp?) Tapestry.

[BelegS]

Tigana was really good and Finovar Tapestry I guess is also good. [Although on a casual skim I didn't find the beginning very intresting, though I guess a proper read might have adverse effect]

My favorite of Kay's is certainly 'The Lions of Al-Rassan', followed by 'A Song for Arabonne' and 'The Last Light of Sun'. Kay is similar to Martin in one respect that most of the main characters are grey and he makes us sympthize with everyone, be it hero or villian.


Hey, you still post at that AsOFaI boarD? I read some posts by you some time ago but haven't read any recently.


[Waiting for aFFC]

[Falagar]

Some time since I last posted anything on the aSoIaF-board, have gone back to my position as lurker. Have been lurking a bit more than usual lately, so perhaps a post is coming up in a not too distant future.

THanks for the recommendations!

[BelegS]

You are Welcome Ser Falagar, Hero of the Trident.