Book Recommendations

[Harroghty]

This used to exist (maybe Moloch started it), but I want to revive it and I didn't find the old thread after a short search.

• Deeds of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon. Mask recommended this to me last year and it was awesome (and long). The tale of a paladin from wretched child to religious, influential paragon. Strong recommendation if you want a long story to get mired in; I would not list Ms. Moon as a top author of all time, but the book was very interesting.
• The Ship of Ishtar by A. Merritt. This is a good short read for lovers of classic fantasy. (If you like classics like Howard, Lovecraft, Wellman, Burroughs, etc. then definitely check out the Planet Stories line of books.)

[Roderick]

Deeds of Paksenarrion is 1044 pages?!? Good gracious man! It had better be in 40 point font.

It does look very interesting though. It has been added to my kindle library.

Thanks for the recommendation!

[Rhangalas]

The Threat from the Sea Trilogy by Mel Odom
Follows the story of a malenti who seeks to prove herself to her sahuagin kin. It really illustrates the "wilds" of the sea and the nuances of how life is lived there, much as Bob Salvatore does with the Underdark.

• Rising Tide
  Under Fallen Stars
  The Sea Devil's Eye

The Twilight Giants Trilogy by Troy Denning
Covers a gamut of giants, giant-kin, and their culture. A little scout-y, since the main focus is a scout, but it's good stuff in my opinion, especially if you like monster races.

• The Ogre's Pact
  The Giant Among Us
  The Titans of Twilight

Netheril Trilogy by Clayton Emery
Follows the story of a barbarian during the age of the Netheril Empire. I don't remember these fully, other than that I enjoyed them... time to reread I guess.

• Sword Play
  Dangerous Games
  Mortal Consequences

War of the Spider Queen Series by Collaboration with R.A. Salvatore
Focuses on the Drow and Lloth. One of the best series I have ever read.

• Dissolution (Richard Lee Byers)
  Insurrection (Thomas M. Reid)
  Condemnation (Richard Baker)
  Extinction (Lisa Smedman)
  Annihilation (Philip Athans)
  Resurrection (Paul S. Kemp)

Heh... this list got longer than I intended, but you can also search for the authors I listed, they have other works that are also good.

[Gwain]

Any of the books in the Harper Series involving dinosasurs. http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/T ... er_(novel)

[Benorf]

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. He finished the Wheel of Time series. This trilogy is beyond amazing. It is pretty high fantasy, and has a really cool and unique magic system. I have never read a series that ties *every* loose end together so well.

Name of the Wind
and
Wise Man's Fear

Both of those are by Pat Rothfuss. He's one of the coolest authors I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, genuinely happy to talk to all of his fans. These books are part of a trilogy, and have the best written music scenes I've ever read. The last book in the trilogy is... eagerly awaited.

[Tyeslan]

If you are going to suggest Brandon's books, you might has well toss in all 14 books of the Wheel of Time series including New Spring the prequel. It's what got me dragged into fantasy, and where one of my character names generated from. The series also has a massive following. Definitely read worthy, in my opinion

[Rhangalas]

Thought I would throw these two out there as well... more monster races, of course.

The House of Serpents Trilogy by Lisa Smedman
The story of a Yuan-ti plot to enslave humanity.

• Venom's Taste
  Viper's Kiss
  Vanity's Brood

The Year of Rogue Dragons Trilogy by Richard Lee Byers
Dragons! Lots of them razing and destroying stuff in 1373 DR. Features both chromatic (evil) and metallic (good) dragons.

• The Rage
  The Rite
  The Ruin

[Casamir]

I will preface this with, 'If you haven't read Jim Butcher's the Dresden Files, do so now. I'll wait.....' And with that out of the way, I can echo much of what has been said, and do see a few others I shall check out. I find myself leaning toward's Benorf's direction though. If you want Sanderson, I'd push for Steelheart as your first book of his (or Way of Kings.) Steelheart is urban fantasy that goes 'what happens when people get super powers, and none of them are particularly nice? Where are the heroes, what do you do when your neighbour or your best friend wakes up with psychopathic superpowers, and decides to start carving themselves out an empire?'

In more recent releases, PR's Kingkiller books are fantastic, but others I would straight up recommend are Richard K Morgan's Black Man, Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy, and Scott Lynch's Lies of Locke Lamora. A couple of good but less strong reads are Brent Week's Night Angel trilogy, and Peter V Brett's Demon Cycle trilogy. Honourable mention to Scott Sigler's Nocturnal, but Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) is definitely worth a read. (Cough. Read Wolf and Iron by Gordon R Dickson if you can find it. Cough.)

Finally, mentioning some personal favourites, though they are certainly not for everyone: Glen Cook's Black Company, Steven Erickson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing, and L.E. Modesitt's Corean Chronicles.

[Harroghty]

I second Cook's Black Company series. Mask turned me on to those a couple of years ago and I tore through the whole series (he's good for book recces). Imagine the script and characters from any Vietnam movie you've seen but dropped into a fantasy setting as it follows a mercenary company's exploits (except not like Stephen Pressfield's awful Afghan Campaign book which just seemed jarringly anachronistic).

For historical fiction, I'll add Harold K. Lamb's books. They were all collected and republished a few years ago by Bison books. They publisher organized them by subject matter, so Swords from the West is mostly stories with European protagonists, for example. Lamb was a pretty accomplished orientalist (what we used to call experts in the Near East and East) and writes with sound history mixed into his stories. Another guy writing the in old swords and sandals pulp fiction style, but with a big brain to back it up.

[hasryn]

Also by Jim Butcher is the "Codex Alera" Series. It's pretty awesome and set in a roman style era with it's bit's of fantasy. It's about five books long and just great!

The Furies of Calderon
The Academ's Fury
Cursor's Fury
Captain's Fury
Princep's Fury
First Lord's Fury


It will enthrall you!

[Jeanne]

A bunch, if you haven't read them:

White Gold Wielder
The Ladies of Mandrigyn
1984
Hagakure
Art of War
Eric
The Legend of Huma

[Liandria]

Ooh, White Gold Wielder. That brings back memories! That is actually the fifth book of the series, and the second book in the second trilogy.

I believe the first book is Lord Foul's Bane, it's a bit slow to get rolling but once you do, the series really gets you involved emotionally. You go on quite a roller coaster, sometimes loving the main character, other times hating him passionately.

[Jeanne]

Ooh, White Gold Wielder. That brings back memories! That is actually the fifth book of the series, and the second book in the second trilogy.

I believe the first book is Lord Foul's Bane, it's a bit slow to get rolling but once you do, the series really gets you involved emotionally. You go on quite a roller coaster, sometimes loving the main character, other times hating him passionately.

Actually (I'm pretty sure) WGW was the third in the first trilogy, after 'The Wounded Land' and 'The One Tree'.

Loved the second half of WGW.

[Liandria]

Hah we were both wrong, I looked it up! Its the third book of the second trilogy. Have you not read the first? It's a good read though, wherever it falls in the series.

1st Chronicle:
1. Lord Fouls Bane
2. Illearth War
3. Power that Preserves

2nd Chronicle:
4. Wounded Land
5. The One Tree
6. White Gold Wielder

Last Chronicle:
7. The Runes of the Earth
8. Fatal Revenant
9. Against All Things Ending
10. The Last Dark (2013!) <-- I didn't even realize that was published!

[Jeanne]

Hah we were both wrong, I looked it up! Its the third book of the second trilogy. Have you not read the first? It's a good read though, wherever it falls in the series.

1st Chronicle:
1. Lord Fouls Bane
2. Illearth War
3. Power that Preserves

2nd Chronicle:
4. Wounded Land
5. The One Tree
6. White Gold Wielder

Last Chronicle:
7. The Runes of the Earth
8. Fatal Revenant
9. Against All Things Ending
10. The Last Dark (2013!) <-- I didn't even realize that was published!

Ohhhh...you're right. I thought of it as the "first" series because it's the first one I read/noticed. Nevermind...

I don't think I did, or at least not much of them. The ending of 'White Gold Wielder' was just too good, IMPO. Anything related, after that, had to be a letdown for me.

[Xryon]

Just finished Bernard Cornwell's Arthur series. Definitely something you in particular should check out, if you haven't, Harroghty.

Beyond that, I've been steadily working my way through the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Also an amazing set of books, if you have a month or two to spare

[Gwain]

The Winter King!

[Ashbel]

I'm usually quite partial to 'old-school' fantasy. Fritz Leiber, for a start. His 'Lankhmar' books are wonderful- a kind of Adventurer's Guide on how -not- to do it. He is one of the early masters of fantasy writing, so I always like to mention him. I read a lot of H.P. Lovecraft, as well, but that tends to be simply horrifying in a pleasing way. Michael Moorcock is grand for the epic fantasy and arching storyline. I like Guy Gavriel Kay -so- much for 'The Lions of Al-Rassan', where he manages to blend history with fiction in a wonderful fantasy story. I agree that 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' is absolutely stunning and Scott Lynch is amazing. I have been swept up by the lovely 'Night Circus' by Erin Morganstern, for the sheer beauty and wonder of her writing, and the story. Lastly, I guess I'd say that Keith Roberts' 'Pavane' is probably the best I have read in a long while. He manages to combine an alt-history with the very best of stories, and the overall book is wonderful beyond description.

With any luck, I'll be recommending my own book in a few months.

[Roderick]

Just want to throw a quick 'thank you' to Harroghty (and indirectly to Mask) for the recommendation of Deeds of Paksenarrion. I am a sucker for the 'rise from nothing to something more than nothing' story lines so it was no surprise to me that I devoured the book in a couple of weeks. It was an excellent book and kept me very much engaged throughout.

Funny side note - for some reason I could never frame how Paksenarrion would be pronounced (SPOILER ALERT - she is referred to as Paks for almost the entire book thank goodness) so I started referring to the book as 'Deeds of Paks-cinnamon' when those around me would ask what I was reading. My wife was thrilled because I think she thought I was reading a very lengthy cookbook.

[Kivore]

Hey everyone, I'm actually seeking a couple book recommendations. Firstly what would you recommend for the Forgotten realms books? I've read the drizzt tales up, taking mithril hall is hazy in my mind, and I've also read Servant of the shard! As for the second set of recommendations, things along the lines of 1984 and The giver?