Ironworks Gaming Forum

Ironworks Gaming Forum (http://www.ironworksforum.com/forum/index.php)
-   Entertainment (Movies, TV Shows and Books/Comics) (http://www.ironworksforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=40)
-   -   Modern Fantasy Genre? Any ideas for a first read? (http://www.ironworksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38822)

Ronn_Bman 11-26-2001 09:28 PM

I'm looking for something modern to read in the Fantasy Genre. Any ideas as to what should be my first and why?

Djinn Raffo 11-27-2001 03:24 AM

Hi Ronn_BMan [img]smile.gif[/img]

hmmm...well i havent read this dude...but quite a few peeps on this board whose opinion on books i admire have been talkin about this guy called Robin Hobbs. My plate has been too full to check it out yet...but i know that the LoA and Jabidas both like there Hobbs...and im pretty sure that there not the only ones...!

I dont know how the series works, about a character called FitzChivalry ? i think...dont know which book is first etc. But hopefully those two or someone can tell you more...

Now some good sci fi you ask? ...hehehe! :D

Djinn Raffo 11-27-2001 06:44 PM

<H3><font color=silver>doesnt anyone have any ideas for Ronn_BMann</font></h3>

Desuma Malevois 11-28-2001 09:36 AM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Djinn Raffo:
<H3><font color=silver>doesnt anyone have any ideas for Ronn_BMann</font></h3><hr></blockquote>

I hear and obey, oh master [img]smile.gif[/img]

If you like humor with your fantasy, try Piers Anthony's 'Xanth" series or Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' series. Some here might recommend Glen Cook's 'Black Company' series, and, while I enjoyed it, I prefer his 'Garret, P.I.' stories instead. Try Stephen Brust's 'Vlad Taltos' stories, or his 'Phoenix Guard' tales for something that's a little more swashbuckling in nature. One of my personal favorites is Roger Zelazny's 'Amber' chronicles - although he's been dead for around 5 years I hope he's modern enough for you.

BALROGBANE 11-29-2001 10:35 AM

Thomas Covenant (The chronicles of) by Stephen Donaldson.
Riftwar Saga by Feist
Belgariad series by D. Eddings

all good but Donaldson is superb.

Zbyszek 11-29-2001 01:16 PM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Desuma Malevois:


If you like humor with your fantasy, try Piers Anthony's 'Xanth" series or Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' series. Some here might recommend Glen Cook's 'Black Company' series, and, while I enjoyed it, I prefer his 'Garret, P.I.' stories instead. Try Stephen Brust's 'Vlad Taltos' stories, or his 'Phoenix Guard' tales for something that's a little more swashbuckling in nature. One of my personal favorites is Roger Zelazny's 'Amber' chronicles - although he's been dead for around 5 years I hope he's modern enough for you.
<hr></blockquote>

I HAVE TO SAY - YES!!!
Zelazny and Amber, yes!! Glen Cook - serie about Garret - this is almost Chandler. Dark Company if you wish to know dark side of human nature.
Pratchett - more than fun, everyone should try :D :D :D
Eddings - Belgariad serie is good, next series are worse.

(OK, there are about 70 books above in these series :D :D )

Mouse 11-29-2001 02:52 PM

My stock answer is to borrow a couple of compilations of short stories by modern fantasy writers, get to know the styles and subjects they cover, then go for some of the full length novels.

Oh, and for my recommendation. Try Simon R Green especially the "Hawk & Slayer" series or a book called "Shadows Fall"

Happy hunting [img]graemlins/wavey.gif[/img]

Desuma Malevois 11-30-2001 05:21 PM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by BALROGBANE:
Thomas Covenant (The chronicles of) by Stephen Donaldson.
Riftwar Saga by Feist
Belgariad series by D. Eddings

all good but Donaldson is superb.
<hr></blockquote>

I agree with the Donaldson, but you might find it slow going through the first book and a half. After that it really picks up.

Desuma Malevois 11-30-2001 05:25 PM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Zbyszek:


I HAVE TO SAY - YES!!!
Zelazny and Amber, yes!! Glen Cook - serie about Garret - this is almost Chandler. Dark Company if you wish to know dark side of human nature.
Pratchett - more than fun, everyone should try :D :D :D
Eddings - Belgariad serie is good, next series are worse.

(OK, there are about 70 books above in these series :D :D )
<hr></blockquote>

Y'know, Zbyszek, I've noticed in your posts that you and I have a lot of the same tastes in reading materials. I congratulate you on your good taste [img]smile.gif[/img]

Desuma Malevois 11-30-2001 05:36 PM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Mouse:
...Oh, and for my recommendation. Try Simon R Green especially the "Hawk & Slayer" series or a book called "Shadows Fall"

Happy hunting [img]graemlins/wavey.gif[/img]
<hr></blockquote>

Actually, it's Hawk and FISHER, although, with those two, you could also say 'Slayer & Slayer' [img]smile.gif[/img]

This is also an excellent choice - the H&F novels that Green wrote around ten years ago were recently collected into two paperback omnibuses. If you get them, make sure you also pick up his two 'Blue Moon' novels (you'll find out why! ;) )

Mouse 11-30-2001 06:43 PM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Desuma Malevois:


Actually, it's Hawk and FISHER, although, with those two, you could also say 'Slayer & Slayer' [img]smile.gif[/img]

<hr></blockquote>

Guess that will teach me to rely on my increasingly unstable old memory....errrr - where am I? whose house is this?? what is this strange TV thing with a keyboard in front of me??? HELP!!! [img]graemlins/1drool.gif[/img]

Wulfere 12-03-2001 08:21 AM

Roger Zelazny's "Chronicles of Amber" is a definate must read.
Dean Koontz "Fear Nothing" and then "Sieze the Night" not Fantasy but very good stuff.
Morgan Llywelyn is also very good. "Red Branch" and Finn Mac Cool"
I read Finn Mac Cool in one night. I could not put it down literally.
Karl Edward Wagners Kane books...if you can find them.
"Night Winds", "Dark Crusade", "Darkness Weaves" and "Bloodstone".

red45 12-04-2001 09:49 AM

IMHO Cook is the best, Eddings and Pratchett, too. Zelazny - classic. But You also should try John Morressy ['Kedrigern serie'] and Terry Goodkind.

Barry the Sprout 12-04-2001 10:21 AM

There is another thread on this somewhere that I started but I don't think you can go far wrong with Robert Rankin. He is more Sci-fi than fantasy but check out the website I posted a link to. See what you think.

Saltheart Foamfollower 12-04-2001 08:52 PM

Donaldsons series is epic, and very thought provoking.

As for 'modern', try David Gemmel. His Waylander series is out of this world. Druss the Legend is incredible...

Tad Williams is also another 'new' writer that has created a fine fantasy series.

Chronicles of Amber was absolutely riveting and worth several reading to catch everything Zelany wrote..

There are so many good authors and books out there, I just go to the book store and wander thru the isles until something new catches my eye. That is the best way to discover new books and series to read

Desuma Malevois 12-05-2001 06:57 AM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Wulfere:
...Karl Edward Wagners Kane books...if you can find them.
"Night Winds", "Dark Crusade", "Darkness Weaves" and "Bloodstone".
<hr></blockquote>

All right!!! Somebody else likes/knows about Kane! These are definitely worth finding, especially if you like Conan/Elric style swords & sorcery. In fact, IIRC, the last Kane story ever written appeared in an Elric anthology published by White Wolf - it was a crossover between the two characters.

Merkin 12-06-2001 02:34 AM

No one has mentioned Charles DeLint! I think he's the best modern fantasist around, by a pretty big margin. Try "Yarrow", "Moonheart" or "Dreams Underfoot" Dreams Underfoot is my personal favorite, a collection of interwoven short stories set in a modern fictional city called Newford. He has an amazing talent for getting the reader to believe that magic exists, and that you just might see an elf ducking down an alley in your town. His prose is fluid, his characters believable, his stories are warm and full of heart, and his books are just plain fun!

catzenpewters 12-07-2001 03:54 PM

Well, I haven't read a lot of fantasy yet but Robert Asprin's books are HILARIOUS and I've really enjoyed Piers Anthony and Joel Rosenberg. I've also heard Anne McCaffrey is good (at least, she's very popular!).

My preference is not too heavy stuff in fantasy (yet) and I'm always looking for new authors to try too

huma 12-11-2001 06:45 PM

Stephen R Donaldson.The chronicles of thomas covenant, a 6 book series
is alot of reading but is one of my personal favorites.Someone else mentioned Terry Goodkind.His The Sword Of Truth series is truly an epic fantasy series and was a bestseller.

Lifetime 12-12-2001 11:43 AM

I'd suggest Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Its really good, believable(so far as fantasy can go) stuff. Pretty much one of the books I've been most hooked on to reading.

Urien 12-16-2001 05:06 AM

Yes, take Wheel of Time, it's just GREAT. I can also recommend David Gemmel and Terry Pratchet...

Lothar 01-04-2002 03:15 AM

Id recommend something but it seems that all my ideas were posten many, many , many times already [img]smile.gif[/img]

Cerek the Barbaric 01-04-2002 10:25 PM

Not even one single mention of R.A. Salvatore??? You've got to be kidding me.

Maybe he isn't considered "current" but he is my far and away my favorite author.

His Icewind Dale Trilogy and Dark Elf Series are both in "compilation hardback" form (my term, means that all three books are published together).

While these are his most famous works, he has written MANY other series outside of the Forgotten Realms. I've read the Crimson Shadow series. It was excellent. One of the main characters was a halfling duelist that was extremely entertaining. Once again, Salvatore establishes an unorthodox race/class mixture and makes it believable.

There is also the Demon War Saga. I have all three books, but have not started reading any of them yet. But, in an interview on his home website, R.A. Salvatore said that he felt the main character in that series was "the most real character he had ever created".

So - in case you haven't guessed - R.A. Salvatore gets my vote for a new author to explore. All of his books are well written and read very quickly.

Wulfere 01-06-2002 07:56 PM

I tried to read "Spine of the World" and put it down in disgust.
I just did not like it at all.

Kresselack 01-08-2002 10:10 PM

I think that Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is a very nice book to read, short and interesting. It takes place in modern London too.

__________________________________________________ ____________________

Sneeki Two 01-13-2002 03:18 AM

George R. Martin's Sword of Fire and Ice series (I believe thats the name of the series). They are big and hefty but you'll love every page of them.

Just my 2.

Thoran 01-14-2002 07:29 PM

a big second to George R Martin. I'm chomping at the bit for the next book.

Jordan - absolutely will keep you reading... and reading..... and reading (7000 pages or so now)

Lord of Alcohol 01-16-2002 08:09 PM

Well as Djinn Rafao said I thoroughly recomend Robin Hobb, starting with the Farseer trilogy. First book is Assassins Apprentice, absolutely a great series!
Game of Thrones-George R.R. Martin- Starts the series, and its utterly riveting, awesome books
Piers Anthonys Battle Circle is good, although its more a futuristic feudal system
Michael Moorcocks Elric series are very good! Also his Chronicles of Corum! Old D&D players would recognise a few things taken from the books and put in the game. Ok, a LOT of stuff.

[ 01-19-2002: Message edited by: Lord of Alcohol ]</p>

Warhammer 02-19-2002 07:15 AM

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Sneeki Two:
George R. Martin's Sword of Fire and Ice series (I believe thats the name of the series). They are big and hefty but you'll love every page of them.

<hr></blockquote>

My vote goes to George R. R. Martin too. A Song of Ice And Fire.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:34 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
©2024 Ironworks Gaming & ©2024 The Great Escape Studios TM - All Rights Reserved