[Assail]

I'm just saying in general. I'm not singling out anyone, just asking that if you're going to recommend a book then do so, but if you want to go and spill the guts of the story, then maybe make another thread for it? Maybe it's just me, but I like to read this thread to find new stuff to read, not know the whole story before I even pick said book up.

[Menoth]

I recommend Troy and Greek series by David Gemmell

[Abyss]

 jitsukerr, on Apr 9 2009, 05:09 AM, said:

 Stradivarius, on Apr 8 2009, 09:23 PM, said:

Has any one read a feast of souls by celia friedman? thought it was a really good read. like to know other peoples opinions on it

Yes, I have! Am a huge fan of her writing (_The Madness Season_ is still my favourite story featuring vampires in space! And that isn't a spoiler!) _Feast of Souls_ was excellent, dark and conflicted in her best tradition. The sequel, _Wings of Wrath_ is also available in the US, and UK edition is coming soon AIUI.

Here's the thing with Celia... i enjoyed everything she wrote thru the Coldfire Trilogy... but THIS ALIEN SHORE was SO weak, so very very weak, that i'm reluctant to pick up her more recent stuff. How does FEAST compare? More like TAS or more like Coldfire?

 Leadslinger, on Apr 11 2009, 08:26 PM, said:

Anyone else read Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series? I thought they rocked out!

Back in the day when 'modern people get zapped to fantasy world, become their RPG characters' was still a novel idea (those days were about three months in the early 80s in case anyone missed them), Rosenberg's series was actually a clever and well written take on that subgenre. The first three are genuinely fun in a gritty way - he doesn't shun some of the more obviously nasty elements to a culture where slavery is a main industry, or the reactions that draws from 1980s americans. The next three less so but still readable for the characters. Then things devolve into satire. But i think Tor or Baen has some or all of them for free on their internutz sites and they are worth a read.


@Assail, there are a bunch of 'what should i read' threads throughout this forum, so pinning one over any other doesn't really help, plus the natuiral 'drift' means new discussions pop up re new books.


- Abyss, ...also notes fantasy books back in the 80s had great hair... and leg warmers... and lots of synthesizer music...

[Zhuangzi]

 Assail, on Apr 13 2009, 08:07 PM, said:

I'm just saying in general. I'm not singling out anyone, just asking that if you're going to recommend a book then do so, but if you want to go and spill the guts of the story, then maybe make another thread for it? Maybe it's just me, but I like to read this thread to find new stuff to read, not know the whole story before I even pick said book up.

Yah, its almost a "Do you love Gene Wolfe" thread.

BTW, if it hasn't already been said, The Republic of Theives by Scott Lynch is a must read. Two books out so far, Lies of Lock Lamora, and Red Seas Under Red Skies.

[Dolorous Menhir]

 Zhuangzi, on Apr 14 2009, 06:02 PM, said:

Yah, its almost a "Do you love Gene Wolfe" thread.

Well, do you?

Quote

BTW, if it hasn't already been said, The Republic of Theives by Scott Lynch is a must read. Two books out so far, Lies of Lock Lamora, and Red Seas Under Red Skies.

Loved the first book, thought the second was weak (individual elements excellent, overall storyline all over the place).

[Assail]

 Abyss, on Apr 14 2009, 10:02 AM, said:

 jitsukerr, on Apr 9 2009, 05:09 AM, said:

 Stradivarius, on Apr 8 2009, 09:23 PM, said:

Has any one read a feast of souls by celia friedman? thought it was a really good read. like to know other peoples opinions on it

Yes, I have! Am a huge fan of her writing (_The Madness Season_ is still my favourite story featuring vampires in space! And that isn't a spoiler!) _Feast of Souls_ was excellent, dark and conflicted in her best tradition. The sequel, _Wings of Wrath_ is also available in the US, and UK edition is coming soon AIUI.

Here's the thing with Celia... i enjoyed everything she wrote thru the Coldfire Trilogy... but THIS ALIEN SHORE was SO weak, so very very weak, that i'm reluctant to pick up her more recent stuff. How does FEAST compare? More like TAS or more like Coldfire?

 Leadslinger, on Apr 11 2009, 08:26 PM, said:

Anyone else read Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series? I thought they rocked out!

Back in the day when 'modern people get zapped to fantasy world, become their RPG characters' was still a novel idea (those days were about three months in the early 80s in case anyone missed them), Rosenberg's series was actually a clever and well written take on that subgenre. The first three are genuinely fun in a gritty way - he doesn't shun some of the more obviously nasty elements to a culture where slavery is a main industry, or the reactions that draws from 1980s americans. The next three less so but still readable for the characters. Then things devolve into satire. But i think Tor or Baen has some or all of them for free on their internutz sites and they are worth a read.


@Assail, there are a bunch of 'what should i read' threads throughout this forum, so pinning one over any other doesn't really help, plus the natuiral 'drift' means new discussions pop up re new books.


- Abyss, ...also notes fantasy books back in the 80s had great hair... and leg warmers... and lots of synthesizer music...

But it would help my ego oh so much Where is your loyalty to a member of the Abyssmal army?! I am discouraged

Haha, fine then. Don't pin my awesome thread!

[Chris]

 Aptorian, on Apr 13 2009, 02:24 PM, said:

 Chris, on Apr 13 2009, 08:52 PM, said:

K.J. Parker's Engineer Trilogy is a must read. I really enjoyed the focus on the technology of war and how it can be the deciding factor in a battle. No magic/elves/hobbits which someone asked for in an earlier post.

I have to disagree. I read the first book in the trilogy. It is possibly the most boring fantasy book I have ever read. The only thing "fantasy" about it is that it takes place in alternate world than our earth. For all intents and purposes its a book about some european citystates, politics and some machievelian machinations by the manin character the engineer.

The story is extremely slow, predictable and boring. The characters are likeable but really, I couldn't care less if any of them live or die. The whole story is apparently about the Engineer getting revenge, but since I never got even the slightest clue during the first book as to what the engineers plan is, that 700 hundred pages of evasion right there, I have no interest in finding out what comes next.



EDIT: And what technology? The only technology featured is a Scorpion type ballista and mention about some foundries and advanced engineering techniques in a place far far away. I originally picked the book up because I usually like technology in fantasy. I was originally into sci-fi, and mixing in machines in fantasy always excites me. I wasn't necessarily expecting steam-punk or anything, but this book laughable.

Wow, so you're saying you didn't like the book? I was just trying to offer an example of a non-magic/elves/hobbit fantasy book that I enjoyed. I would recommend going back and rereading the first book in the trilogy and the actually read the rest of the trilogy--you might end up with a different opinion. Maybe taking the magic/elves/hobbits out of the story means it isn't "fantasy" but I would say that a story taking place on an alternate world about some european citystates, politics and some machievelian machinations by the main character counts as "fantasy" under most people's definition.

I would count the technology as the detailed engineering specifications that are discussed with respect to the ballista you mentioned, armor, swords, machine tools including lathes and trip hammers, the inner workings of a foundry and machine shop, sheet metal, bar stock, not to mention the intricate descriptions of the devices that make up the machines discussed. But I guess you laughed your way past all of that.

There is a broad range of technology that is glossed over or ignored in most fantasy literature. The Engineer Trilogy discusses this range in depth, which I think adds a lot to the reading experience. Because of the presence of magic or some other supernatural power in most fantasy, the technological evolution of arms and armor, as well as manufacturing and farming, gets ignored. A battle can turn on who is better equipped and why they are better equipped. I would count a discussion of why one society's chain mail is of higher quality than the chain mail used by another society as a discussion of "technology," and also as one that I wouldn't expect to find in most fantasy literature.

[Aptorian]

This is the recommended fantasy thread, so I was just giving who ever read your post my view, which I think we can agree is the other side of that coin

When you have pages and pages of detailed engineering specifications. You're not being entertained, you are being schooled. ANd it's a fantasy book, so I don't even know if Parker is just making stuff up or if its real. If I want to learn more about how to make a cog to a perfect gradiant I'll take a course on machinery.

Don't get me wrong, the ... uhm, engineer people, can't remember that citystates name, were very interesting. A people dedcated to raising technology to a religion and their obsession with perfection and schematics were very cool. I haven't stumbled onto anything quite like that before.

But so very little happens in that book. And you don't learn anything important about the plot.

Also the main character is a complete asshole. And not in the cool sense, he's just a manipulative prick, being nice to people and then screwing them over. He was going to get 250.000 people killed just so that he could get influence under another lord? What?

I read the first book some 6 or 8 weeks ago and I certainly have no interest in ever picking those books up again. I'd rather read Goodkind, way worse writting but much more entertaining but before that I would probably just jam a fork in my eye.

[Assail]

 Aptorian, on Apr 16 2009, 01:15 AM, said:

This is the recommended fantasy thread, so I was just giving who ever read your post my view, which I think we can agree is the other side of that coin

When you have pages and pages of detailed engineering specifications. You're not being entertained, you are being schooled. ANd it's a fantasy book, so I don't even know if Parker is just making stuff up or if its real. If I want to learn more about how to make a cog to a perfect gradiant I'll take a course on machinery.

Don't get me wrong, the ... uhm, engineer people, can't remember that citystates name, were very interesting. A people dedcated to raising technology to a religion and their obsession with perfection and schematics were very cool. I haven't stumbled onto anything quite like that before.

But so very little happens in that book. And you don't learn anything important about the plot.

Also the main character is a complete asshole. And not in the cool sense, he's just a manipulative prick, being nice to people and then screwing them over. He was going to get 250.000 people killed just so that he could get influence under another lord? What?

I read the first book some 6 or 8 weeks ago and I certainly have no interest in ever picking those books up again. I'd rather read Goodkind, way worse writting but much more entertaining but before that I would probably just jam a fork in my eye.

Yes.. yes... I am making progress!

[Use Of Weapons]

 Abyss, on Apr 14 2009, 06:02 PM, said:

Here's the thing with Celia... i enjoyed everything she wrote thru the Coldfire Trilogy... but THIS ALIEN SHORE was SO weak, so very very weak, that i'm reluctant to pick up her more recent stuff. How does FEAST compare? More like TAS or more like Coldfire?

Hmm. I agree that _This Alien Shore_ was weaker than her others, but for me, _Feast of Souls_ and the resulting trilogy/series (still not sure which it will end up being) is on a par with The Coldfire trilogy. Having said that, I am much more a fan of her science fiction than her fantasy. I would put FOS up there with _In Conquest Born_, but not with _The Madness Season_ (which has no rivals in her writing, AFAIC).

[Puppet Master]

i can recomend a few serieses
the belgariad
th mallorean(after the belgariad)
the elenium
there are many more from david eddings that i cannot remember. they are all very good
ps. belgarath the xcrocerer and polgara the scorceress(read thm afer the belgariad and mallorean)

[Aptorian]

 Puppet Master, on Apr 17 2009, 02:07 PM, said:

i can recomend a few serieses
the belgariad
th mallorean(after the belgariad)
the elenium
there are many more from david eddings that i cannot remember. they are all very good
ps. belgarath the xcrocerer and polgara the scorceress(read thm afer the belgariad and mallorean)

Are you recommending Eddings first works because you think they are a great start on reading fantasy, classic books, special story, etc? Because I can hardly imagine them standing up against the level of quality of todays best fantasy writers and series.

My impression from what I've heard from other people, is that Eddings certainly isn't something you should pick up if you're expecting the level of quality of say... Erikson, GRRM, Mieville, Rothfuss, etc.

[Salt-Man Z]

Yeah, Eddings is about 5 steps backward if you're already reading the likes of Donaldson, Erikson, Martin, et al.

I'd maybe recommend them for the under-13 crowd, but that's it. Myself, I refuse to ever read another book by Eddings.

[waydoug]

 Salt-Man Z, on Apr 17 2009, 02:25 PM, said:

Yeah, Eddings is about 5 steps backward if you're already reading the likes of Donaldson, Erikson, Martin, et al.

I'd maybe recommend them for the under-13 crowd, but that's it. Myself, I refuse to ever read another book by Eddings.

I'm not sure about the under 13 crowd but maybe as a first series of books. At whatever age.

[polishgenius]

I reckon he's actually David Eddings.

[Assail]

 Aptorian, on Apr 17 2009, 08:02 AM, said:

 Puppet Master, on Apr 17 2009, 02:07 PM, said:

i can recomend a few serieses
the belgariad
th mallorean(after the belgariad)
the elenium
there are many more from david eddings that i cannot remember. they are all very good
ps. belgarath the xcrocerer and polgara the scorceress(read thm afer the belgariad and mallorean)

Are you recommending Eddings first works because you think they are a great start on reading fantasy, classic books, special story, etc? Because I can hardly imagine them standing up against the level of quality of todays best fantasy writers and series.

My impression from what I've heard from other people, is that Eddings certainly isn't something you should pick up if you're expecting the level of quality of say... Erikson, GRRM, Mieville, Rothfuss, Goodkind etc.

Fixed for truth.

[Wry]

 Assail, on Apr 18 2009, 02:40 AM, said:

 Aptorian, on Apr 17 2009, 08:02 AM, said:

 Puppet Master, on Apr 17 2009, 02:07 PM, said:

i can recomend a few serieses
the belgariad
th mallorean(after the belgariad)
the elenium
there are many more from david eddings that i cannot remember. they are all very good
ps. belgarath the xcrocerer and polgara the scorceress(read thm afer the belgariad and mallorean)

Are you recommending Eddings first works because you think they are a great start on reading fantasy, classic books, special story, etc? Because I can hardly imagine them standing up against the level of quality of todays best fantasy writers and series.

My impression from what I've heard from other people, is that Eddings certainly isn't something you should pick up if you're expecting the level of quality of say... Erikson, GRRM, Mieville, Rothfuss, Goodkind etc.

Fixed for Truth.

More Fixed

[Assail]

 Wry, on Apr 17 2009, 06:43 PM, said:

 Assail, on Apr 18 2009, 02:40 AM, said:

 Aptorian, on Apr 17 2009, 08:02 AM, said:

 Puppet Master, on Apr 17 2009, 02:07 PM, said:

i can recomend a few serieses
the belgariad
th mallorean(after the belgariad)
the elenium
there are many more from david eddings that i cannot remember. they are all very good
ps. belgarath the xcrocerer and polgara the scorceress(read thm afer the belgariad and mallorean)

Are you recommending Eddings first works because you think they are a great start on reading fantasy, classic books, special story, etc? Because I can hardly imagine them standing up against the level of quality of todays best fantasy writers and series.

My impression from what I've heard from other people, is that Eddings certainly isn't something you should pick up if you're expecting the level of quality of say... Erikson, GRRM, Mieville, Rothfuss, Goodkind etc.

Fixed for Truth.

More Fixed

Lmao you are my favourite person Wry.

[monkeydog]

Here are a few others I've enjoyed

Steven Brust - the Vlad Taltos series, the first book in the series especially, Jhereg, I wore it out. Also, the other series of five books that predate the taltos run is quite good.
Roger Zelazny- Amber Chronicles, especially the first half
Charles Stross- Merchant Princes, very different, four books strong and going, great characters
Sean McMullin- Moonworlds Saga, also he has a very good steampunk type series
Wm. Mark Simmons- One Foot in the Grave, Dead on My Feet, Habeas Corpses. the fourth one is a bit of a stinker.
Alan Campbell- Scar Night was an interesting read, although the second in the series was a little disappointing
Mick Farren- Kindling was fun and seemed destined for further adventures

[Thelomen Toblerone]

I recommend Philip Jose Farmer if you want some mad shit that's very entertaining. One thing I do NOT recommend is Tad Williams, though. God help me I've tried, I've tried several times, to read the Otherland series. Awful, awful stuff. Don't do it.