What are some of your favorite fantasy novels?
- Thread starter Argus Skyhawk
- Start date
Here goes my list. Not listing LOTR or JKR for obvious reasons.
Series I'd definitely recommend:
Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy
Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books ( I came around to them. I didn't like the first book as much)
Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Trilogy (Really Very Good!) and his as-yet incomplete Shadowmarch Trilogy (2 books out, last expected soon, I hope).
Ok Stuff:
DragonLance Chronicles - I read a couple of the main trilogies. They are ok! You get into them but you may not feel like returning to re-read.
The BitterBynde Trilogy - I liked the first book. Somehow I gave up on the second book. And never read it entirely.
Pullman's His Dark Materials - I liked the first book - well written but I just felt the ending of the book became tiring. Yet to try the remaining ones.
The stuff that I really didn't like (but you might still want to try):
Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth - had a weird torture sequence in the Wizard's First Rule that didn't really work for me. I read one more and gave up.
Feist's Riftwar Saga - Didn't really like it. Read it. But didn't like it.
Terry Brook's Shannara - Didn't really like it. Bad, almost amateurly bad, how he tried to copy Tolkien in the first book.
David Eddings' Mallorean, Belgariad, Althalus (1-book) - He writes the same thing over and over. I suggest picking up the Althalus book. If you like it, then you can revisit some of the same concepts in the Pentologies)
Paolini's Eldest trilogy (Last book expected soon) - Some ideas are nice, but some others are horribly mundane for Fantasy. The guy needs a good editor/guide.
Series I'd definitely recommend:
Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy
Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books ( I came around to them. I didn't like the first book as much)
Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Trilogy (Really Very Good!) and his as-yet incomplete Shadowmarch Trilogy (2 books out, last expected soon, I hope).
Ok Stuff:
DragonLance Chronicles - I read a couple of the main trilogies. They are ok! You get into them but you may not feel like returning to re-read.
The BitterBynde Trilogy - I liked the first book. Somehow I gave up on the second book. And never read it entirely.
Pullman's His Dark Materials - I liked the first book - well written but I just felt the ending of the book became tiring. Yet to try the remaining ones.
The stuff that I really didn't like (but you might still want to try):
Terry Goodkind's The Sword of Truth - had a weird torture sequence in the Wizard's First Rule that didn't really work for me. I read one more and gave up.
Feist's Riftwar Saga - Didn't really like it. Read it. But didn't like it.
Terry Brook's Shannara - Didn't really like it. Bad, almost amateurly bad, how he tried to copy Tolkien in the first book.
David Eddings' Mallorean, Belgariad, Althalus (1-book) - He writes the same thing over and over. I suggest picking up the Althalus book. If you like it, then you can revisit some of the same concepts in the Pentologies)
Paolini's Eldest trilogy (Last book expected soon) - Some ideas are nice, but some others are horribly mundane for Fantasy. The guy needs a good editor/guide.
Btw, re RA Salvatore's Drizzt series of books -
Is it best to start with The Icewind Dale trilogy (publishing order where Drizzt first makes appearance) or in The Dark Elf trilogy (currently the first 3 books in The Legend of Drizz't series of books where the 3 in Icewind Dale are from #4-#6)?
Is it best to start with The Icewind Dale trilogy (publishing order where Drizzt first makes appearance) or in The Dark Elf trilogy (currently the first 3 books in The Legend of Drizz't series of books where the 3 in Icewind Dale are from #4-#6)?
Stargate by Pauline Gedge
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Unfinished Tales by J. R. R. Tolkien
Watership Down by Richard Adams
I've not read Redwall, but I liked the cartoon versions.
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (except the epilogue)
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. TolkienHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (except the epilogue)
The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Unfinished Tales by J. R. R. Tolkien
Watership Down by Richard Adams
I've not read Redwall, but I liked the cartoon versions.
The Redwall books are good, but they are written for kids/teens more than adults. They're surprisingly mature at times, but they make for quick reads because Jaques is aiming them at that age group. I read most of them between third and eighth grade. I haven't kept up with them of late though, the last one I picked up was Legend of Luke.
My favorite fantasy novels:
The Dark Tower books by Stephen King: Wow. King at his best, imo! I love this series! My screenname, Roland19, is taken from this series. So I'm definitly a big fan of it.
The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher--such a great series of books. Dresden is definitly one of my favorite characters in fantasy novels!
Can't wait to read Small Favor!
Tales of Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card--I like these books. I think Seventh Son and Prentice Alvin & Alvin Journeyman are big favorites. I do enjoy the rest of the books too. Hope he finishes this series up one of these days. lol.
Word/Void Trilogy by Terry Brooks--really good books. I did like Armaggedon's Children too (read that first actually...) and there were parts of its sequel that I liked.
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman--Excellent series. Haven't seen the movie. I hope its good.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling--Of course! Its hard not to like this series!
The Landover series by Terry Brooks--Fun series! Lots of action, fantasy, and humor!
Discworld by Terry Pratchett--Speaking of humor! lol. This is just a really good series full of humor and wacky incidents. Man, I have to read a Discworld book again soon. In fact, its been awhile since I've read the first two books!
And...well, I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of 'em right now! lol!
Roland19
The Dark Tower books by Stephen King: Wow. King at his best, imo! I love this series! My screenname, Roland19, is taken from this series. So I'm definitly a big fan of it.
The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher--such a great series of books. Dresden is definitly one of my favorite characters in fantasy novels!
Can't wait to read Small Favor!
Tales of Alvin Maker series by Orson Scott Card--I like these books. I think Seventh Son and Prentice Alvin & Alvin Journeyman are big favorites. I do enjoy the rest of the books too. Hope he finishes this series up one of these days. lol.
Word/Void Trilogy by Terry Brooks--really good books. I did like Armaggedon's Children too (read that first actually...) and there were parts of its sequel that I liked.
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman--Excellent series. Haven't seen the movie. I hope its good.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling--Of course! Its hard not to like this series!
The Landover series by Terry Brooks--Fun series! Lots of action, fantasy, and humor!
Discworld by Terry Pratchett--Speaking of humor! lol. This is just a really good series full of humor and wacky incidents. Man, I have to read a Discworld book again soon. In fact, its been awhile since I've read the first two books!
And...well, I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of 'em right now! lol!
Roland19
I've still got a ton of fantasy to catch up with, but to date my favorites are Fritz Leiber's Swords of Lankhmar, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire (I've read the first two books so far), and Robert E. Howard's Conan.
I read Mary Gentle's Grunts! some 15 years ago and remember it being a blast. I must track it down and re-read it at some stage.
I read Mary Gentle's Grunts! some 15 years ago and remember it being a blast. I must track it down and re-read it at some stage.
Dresden Files would be my favourite too.
I've only read the first 2 Nightside books, but I'm enjoying them too.
I'd also add Jim Butcher's other series, Codex Alera too.
The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind
The first few yes, the later ones seem to morph into this masturbatory lecture/polemic of the writer's simplistic politics views - all done in the most ham-fisted manner. There is one in particular that reads like a love-letter to that crank Rand (who I'm always surprised to see is regarded as a serious thinker in the states!).
The first few yes, the later ones seem to morph into this masturbatory lecture/polemic of the writer's simplistic politics views - all done in the most ham-fisted manner. There is one in particular that reads like a love-letter to that crank Rand (who I'm always surprised to see is regarded as a serious thinker in the states!).
His Dark Materials trilogy by Pullman
The Satanic Verses by Rushdie
The Thursday Next novels by Fforde
Watership Down by Adams
The Satanic Verses by Rushdie
The Thursday Next novels by Fforde
Watership Down by Adams
Norrin Radd
Vice Admiral
LOTR, Narnia, Earthsea, Shannara, Riftwar, Song of Ice and Fire, Guy Gavriel Kay books
Talking rabbits = fantasy in my book. I should have put Watership Down on my list as well.