Recommend me some epic fantasy

[Skeptic Guy]

If you have read Howard's original Conan stuff, there is a recent republication of all the old stories and at least one novel. It is pretty good and has a some background on him as well as some drafts of the stories.

 

[MikeSun5]

Eye of the Dragon by Stephen King was really good.

I was expecting a horror/thriller novel. Surprised the hell out of me.

 

[Praktik]

and if we're on King, there's the Dark TOwer series of course..

 

[kmortis]

I don't know if it's strictly fantasy, but I'm in the middle of "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson. It's a good mix of SF & fantasy.

I will warn you though, it can be used as a substitute for a hammer to drive 16 penny nails.

 

[Worm]

You can always try Memory, Sorrow & Thorn by Tad Williams, too. The prose is some of the best in fantasy out there, and it actually inspired GRRM to write fantasy.

Good call! Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is a firm favourite of mine, and one I keep meaning to re-read.

It may not qualify as "epic", but what about Ursula Le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea series? I still go back and re-read that one every few years.

I quite agree. Not sure 'Epic' applies, but it's a good solid series.

Eye of the Dragon by Stephen King was really good.

I was expecting a horror/thriller novel. Surprised the hell out of me.

Ditto. I must re-read it actually, because I was pretty impressed.

 

[skbuncks]

The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead is pretty good for an alternative look at Arthurian legends. Thanks to this thread I now find there are three books in the series I was unaware of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendragon_Cycle

The Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr is a series of Celtic fantasy novels stretching over several hundred years which follows a few souls through several reincarnations. Again I now find the series carried on from where I thought it had finished after Days of Air and Darkness

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deverry_cycle

skb

ETA: I also third anything by Guy Gavriel Kay and Memory Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams. If you want something a bit different there is also Tail Chasers song, again by Tad, which is about a cat and his funky adventures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailchasers_song

 

[ZirconBlue]

The Deverry Cycle by Katherine Kerr is a series of Celtic fantasy novels stretching over several hundred years which follows a few souls through several reincarnations. Again I now find the series carried on from where I thought it had finished after Days of Air and Darkness

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deverry_cycle

One of my favorites. I read Daggerspell when it first came out in 1986, and have been following the series ever since. I believe the final book in the series is supposed to be out this year.

ETA: It's Katharine Kerr, by the way.

ETA: I also third anything by Guy Gavriel Kay and Memory Sorrow and Thorn by Tad Williams. If you want something a bit different there is also Tail Chasers song, again by Tad, which is about a cat and his funky adventures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailchasers_song

I've read both Tailchaser's Song, and The Dragonbone Chair, and neither really held my interest. They weren't bad, but the pacing is just. . . very. . . slow. That's not meant as a criticism, but just a warning for anyone else who may have difficulties getting engaged by slower-paced works.

 

[3point14]

I'm not sure that it falls into the 'Epic' catagory, but I've always been very partial to David Gemmell, particularly the Drenai books.

 

[Praktik]

I'm not sure that it falls into the 'Epic' catagory, but I've always been very partial to David Gemmell, particularly the Drenai books.

Hehe indeed. Not every book needs to be a literary achievement - Gemmell's books are fun, and thats good enough for me sometimes when I want some fantasy and some popcorn by my side.

Havent read em all but they were entertaining!

 

[Fireshadow]

Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny

I liked the first half of the series, but the second half was just sorta OK for me. Tomwaits, you don't have to read all 10, there is a definite break between the two halves.

I agree with this. The second pentad seemed designed to capitalize on the success of the first (not that that's a bad thing), but just wasn't as well done.

 

[Giz]

I agree with this. The second pentad seemed designed to capitalize on the success of the first (not that that's a bad thing), but just wasn't as well done.

I'd agree with that as well. It started out amazingly but towards the end I felt almost as if I were finishing out of respect for the story it could have been.

The best thing of Zelazny's that I have ever read (and is fantastic IMHO) is Lord of Light. I found the first couple of chapters hard to get into but then then world started to make sense for me and I fell into it... when the chonology and the history begins to make sense to you the book is magical.

 

[tuc0]

I don't know if it's strictly fantasy, but I'm in the middle of "Anathem" by Neal Stephenson. It's a good mix of SF & fantasy.

I will warn you though, it can be used as a substitute for a hammer to drive 16 penny nails.

I'm right in the middle of Anathem, too.

I don't think there are too many fantasy elements and it's definitely not "medieval fantasy", but I love it. It could be described as Book Of The New Sun with scientists instead of torturers. Absolutely brilliant and I think Stephenson is one of the best writers today.

That's why I'd recommend the Baroque Cycle. Not fantasy and not medieval, but you can't get more epic than that and it's insanely interesting and entertaining. A+++++

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_cycle

EDIT: http://nealstephenson.com/quicksilver/reviews.htm - I know it's kinda corny to post this... but they're right

 

[joobz]

How do you know it's "much more" enjoyable, since you can't have unread it and then read it again in the right order?

I was comparing to my ... my...uh.....
DANG YOU, PENDANTIC SUPERLATIVES!!!!!

 

[wolfgirl]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, since I'm not much of a fantasy reader, but I recently read The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan, and I loved it! I'm a huge fan of Morgan's science fiction, but when I learned his next novel was a fantasy, I almost didn't bother. I went ahead and gave it a shot, though, and it's great. It's going to be a trilogy. I can't wait for the next...

 

[kmortis]

I'm right in the middle of Anathem, too.

I don't think there are too many fantasy elements and it's definitely not "medieval fantasy", but I love it. It could be described as Book Of The New Sun with scientists instead of torturers. Absolutely brilliant and I think Stephenson is one of the best writers today.

That's why I'd recommend the Baroque Cycle. Not fantasy and not medieval, but you can't get more epic than that and it's insanely interesting and entertaining. A+++++

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_cycle

EDIT: http://nealstephenson.com/quicksilver/reviews.htm - I know it's kinda corny to post this... but they're right

I agree on the Baroque cycle too. It's almost medieval .

So, tomwaits, you've gotten quite a few suggestions, now get out there and start reading. I want three reviews by Wednesday next. Chop, chop!

 

[Morrigan]

Oh and its not quite as large in scope as Erikson or Martin but I really did enjoy Lynn Flewelling's The Tamir Triad.

Give "The Bone Doll's Twin" a try and see how you like it - a very mature and interesting world.

I read that one and thought it was pretty good, but I haven't gotten around to reading the other two yet and I heard they were terrible. Is that true?

I read Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series, and it was kind of meh. The novelty of having a gay dude as a hero kind of wore off and didn't help an otherwise rather average plot.

 

[Praktik]

To be honest I enjoyed the next two almost as much! So did my roomie, we're the only two I know who've read em.

Wasn't gonna try the nightrunner series - they were her first so I thought maybe the Tamir Triad would represent the more evolved work.

Though looks like her latest were in the nightrunner series after the triad was finished.

 

[Olowkow]

This probably doesn't fit your request, but Wilbur Smith's African adventure series is just amazing writing.
http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/home/index.html

In particular the Courtney novels:
http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/novels/index_courtney.html

will keep you busy for quite a while. You have to start at the beginning, 18th century, and you will not be able to quit. My wife and I spent many hours listening to the books on CD. I have read several others by him as well. I have Assegai, the new one. coming.

 

[Wudang]

One of my favourites is Paul Edwin Zimmer's Dark Border books - The Lost Prince and King Chondos' Ride. He brought his knowledge of sword fighting to his books with good result. His character Istvan deVega is one of the better realized fantasy characters.
I didn't enjoy Ingulf the Mad.

 

[Ducky]

If you hate everything by Eddings and Feist, think that Jordan jumped the shark in his fourth book and find yourself completely unable to care about what happens to anyone or anything in the Malazan books, you might enjoy C.J. Cherryh's Rusalka series or her Morgaine series.

Funny story:

I was sitting in my chair one evening perusing CNN on may laptop, and my wife was knitting something while we listened to NPR. I read on CNN Jordan had died and said it aloud, with a tone of "oh, sorry to hear that."

My wife, the ardent Jordan fan sat bolt upright upon news of Jordan's death and almost shouted with angst "DID HE FINISH THE SERIES?!!?!!!!"

To which I replied without even looking up:

"Yes dear. Book four."


I slept on the couch that night. Totally worth it.