Favorite Fantasy Series (High or Low)?

[Wudang]

Wizard's First Rule (the first book in the Sword of Truth series) is without question the worst book I have ever read. Just jaw-droppingly awful.

Not the absolute worst but bloody close.

 

[Brian-M]

hmmm... nope, can't figure it out! What's "wp"? I know when people put a superscript "tm" it's a satirical reference to "trademark" (unless it's real of course ) but I can't think what "wp" would be.

The "wp" was a Wikipedia link. All you had to do was click on it to find the information.

The forum has special tags for this. If I wrap the word Wikipedia in these tags I get: Wikipedia^WP

The WP superscript is added automatically, linking to the Wikipedia page on whatever words are wrapped in the tag.^WP

The WP superscript is added automatically, linking to the Wikipedia page on whatever words are wrapped in the tag." target="_blank">WP

 

[catsmate]

So far I can't help but notice the distinct absence of Terry Goodkind's 12-book Sword of Truth series, and Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)'s 15-book Wheel of Time series. No love for these major, best-selling, generation-crossing fantasies?

Damn all. Especially Goodkind's multi-book rant.

 

[asydhouse]

The "wp" was a Wikipedia link. All you had to do was click on it to find the information.

The forum has special tags for this. If I wrap the word Wikipedia in these tags I get: Wikipedia^WP

The WP superscript is added automatically, linking to the Wikipedia page on whatever words are wrapped in the tag.^WP

The WP superscript is added automatically, linking to the Wikipedia page on whatever words are wrapped in the tag." target="_blank">WP

Aha! Thanks for the explanation. There must be loads of things like that of which I'm ignorant. Is there anywhere to learn such stuff? On this site, I mean? A beginning user's guide or something?

I haven't noticed anything like that, but then I haven't really looked... I just tend to check the New Posts page for interesting looking threads... bit lazy I guess. ^{" target="_blank">WP}

 

[Wudang]

Forum help http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16

Read carefully, we may be asking questions.

 

[asydhouse]

Forum help http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16

Read carefully, we may be asking questions.

Thanks Wudang! I've been and looked, but most of it will probably never come up in my simple usage! My main problem is how to produce a 100 by 100 pixel image that looks decent as an avatar! I do have Aperture, but I haven't started using it yet, as I've been too busy learning Final Cut Pro and Motion, and doing an MA for the last three years (which I got into after being made redundant). I hope to get to it soon!

Cheers, a Syd

 

[Wudang]

I use Irfanview with the Riot plugin, all free.

 

[fleabeetle]

Going to submit one -- don't know whether in a purist's eyes, he qualifies as "proper" fantasy -- anyway, an author for whose stuff I have overall much fondness: Harry Turtledove. Divides his attention between alternative history, and what for some anyway, counts as fantasy.

Two "universes" of his under the latter heading, which I like: one is, the "Videssos" books -- a fantasy world with many resemblances to "this world" 's Byzantine Empire; only in the Videssos universe, magic is an everyday tool and technique to accomplish all manner of tasks. I gather that much plot material in the Videssos books, is "lifted" wholesale from "real" Byzantine history -- am perhaps lucky here, in knowing almost nothing about Byzantine history, so that isn't a thing that can grate on me.

The other: his "Darkness" series -- chronicling a lengthy, catastrophic war patterned on World War II, but happening in a fictional universe which is quasi-medieval; and where -- once again -- most technology as known in our world, is replaced by magic.

This stuff is far from everyone's cup of tea, even among people who are keen fans of other material by Turtledove. "Darkness", in particular, is more reviled than praised. Oh, well -- as regards both these of the author's creations: I like 'em -- so shoot me.

 

[Nogbad]

Tolkein, Le Guin, Pratchett and I am partial to a Robert Rankin or two as well Apocalypso is worth a read.

Some of the old fantasy books like Phantasies or Lilith by George MacDonald are also very good.

If it includes sci fi then I really like Iain M Banks' Culture series.

 

[PixyMisa]

Going to submit one -- don't know whether in a purist's eyes, he qualifies as "proper" fantasy -- anyway, an author for whose stuff I have overall much fondness: Harry Turtledove. Divides his attention between alternative history, and what for some anyway, counts as fantasy.

Thanks, I was going to mention Turtledove's Videssos books but they slipped my mind. Very well-realised fantasy / alternate history.

 

[asydhouse]

Tolkein, Le Guin, Pratchett and I am partial to a Robert Rankin or two as well Apocalypso is worth a read.

Some of the old fantasy books like Phantasies or Lilith by George MacDonald are also very good.

If it includes sci fi then I really like Iain M Banks' Culture series.

Actually my favourite fantasy is that I wish I could live in The Culture!

 

[Chaos]

Wizard's First Rule (the first book in the Sword of Truth series) is without question the worst book I have ever read. Just jaw-droppingly awful.

Then be grateful you didn´t read the next couple of books in that series, because they are worse.

 

[Akri]

Let me guess: Malta?

Yup

So far I can't help but notice the distinct absence of Terry Goodkind's 12-book Sword of Truth series, and Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)'s 15-book Wheel of Time series. No love for these major, best-selling, generation-crossing fantasies?

I'm an SoT fan. Never got into WoT (but I'm considering it just so I can read Sanderson's contribution to the series).

 

[Wudang]

Overall I liked WoT and I think if Jordan's estate ever endorsed a condensed edition there would be a market for it. So many chapters in so many books are just bloat. Sandersen does pick up the pace well and does a good job, apart from one character (Mat) and a poorly-executed ending.

 

[Darth Rotor]

Then be grateful you didn´t read the next couple of books in that series, because they are worse.

You are too kind. Not fit for firestarter ...

WoT began well and then wandered off into mush.

Is it finally over?

Might head over to second hand books to see how it all turned out.

Dear Mr Martin: Please Don't Jordan Me!


(Riff from Nazereth song "Please don't Judas Me ... )

 

[arthwollipot]

What? No love for Gor?

 

[Astreja]

What? No love for Gor?

Ew. Pass the brain shampoo, please...

 

[Darth Rotor]

What? No love for Gor?

Art, when I was a junior in High School, Gor's first few books were sorta OK as a different take on the John Carter series. But it got old pretty fast, in terms of predictable dialogue. Flying about on that big old bid, the Ubar of the Skies, was a neat device that ended up in a few D & D campaigns I was in with Rocs or Giant Eagles as the steeds ...

 

[asmodean]

Malazan Book of the Fallen,
Farseer trilogy and The Tawny Man trilogy.
A Song of Ice and Fire
The Wheel of Time (yeah, the series got a bit mushy at the end, before it picked up the pace again but I do enjoy the world building)
Winterlands series by Hambly (Dragonsbane, Dragonshadow, etc)

 

[Daald]

WoT (Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan) is my most favorite fantasy novel. I have read a lot of the others listed here and WoT is probably the only series I have re-read around 6-8 times. Everything else (except Harry Potter) has gotten only one read.

Also I find the Sword of Truth series to be the absolute worst. After reading the first 5-6 books...I started skimming the rest of them just to see how it ended but in my opinion they really sucked.