[acesn8s]

I was just re-watching Fellowship of the Ring and seeing the Mines of Moria reminded me how much I really like the concept of the vast Dwarven Fortress.

I've read Tolkien, most of the old TSR novels, and even found McKiernan's Silver Call series a decent read (and less of a direct rip off of Tolkien than his Iron Tower series was).

Can anyone recommend some titles along that feature Dwarven Kingdoms?

[Salt-Man Z]

Feist's Magician basically has Tolkien dwarves (and elves.)

[QuickTidal]

James Enge's Morlock books have Dwarves that are Tolkien-ish.

[Use Of Weapons]

Try Pratchett! _Thud!_ has great dwarves. And most of the Guards books have dwarf references.

[D'iversify]

There' s a great Moria tribute in Bakker's The Judging Eye, though his Nonmen are more elven than dwarven.

Pratchett's dwarves are good fun, though most of the charcaters live in Ankh-Morpork rather than the Ramtops.

[Abyss]

Chandler's ANCIENT BLADES trilo has its faults, but his dwarves are awesome fun. They are a minor part of the first book, a bigger part of the second and third. They're never a major part of the story, but they steal the scene every time.

I'm reluctant to go this far old school, but Weiz and Hickman's DEATHGATE CYCLE had some good fun drawves. Relatedly i always liked the dwarf character in the original DRAGONLANCE trilo. That said dwaves as a race are not a major part of that story. In a similarly dated vein, one of my all time favorite dwarves is Ahira Bandylegs in Rosenberg's GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME series, but he's a human in a dwarf body and dwarves as a culture or whatever play zero part in the story.

There's a series called 'THE DWARVES' by a Markus Heitz, but i haven't read it.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 29 January 2013 - 03:32 PM, said:

There's a series called 'THE DWARVES' by a Markus Heitz, but i haven't read it.

Be careful of this one as I've heard scattered reports that it's VERY bad. But I haven;'t read it so I can't confirm either way.

[McLovin]

Abyss, on 29 January 2013 - 03:32 PM, said:

Relatedly i always liked the dwarf character in the original DRAGONLANCE trilo.

Hah, I was thinking the same thing when I read the OP. The one thing Weis & Hickman got right. Tho iirc the gully dwarves were a bit painful to read.

By and large dwarves just serve supporting roles in fantasy, so I can't think of any series that prominently features them.

If you want a book that prominently features dwarves that was halfway decent, Gordon R. Dickson did one set in 19th-century Canada, where this guy finds a dwarven kingdom (tho I can't remember if they call themselves that) and is forced to serve as a Steed for one of their lords or something. I'm blanking on the title (EDIT - I think it was THE EARTH LORDS), but it was interesting, tho maybe not what you were going for.

This post has been edited by McLovin: 29 January 2013 - 04:27 PM

[QuickTidal]

McLovin, on 29 January 2013 - 03:48 PM, said:

Abyss, on 29 January 2013 - 03:32 PM, said:

Relatedly i always liked the dwarf character in the original DRAGONLANCE trilo.

Hah, I was thinking the same thing when I read the OP. The one thing Weis & Hickman got right. Tho iirc the gully dwarves were a bit painful to read.

By and large dwarves just serve supporting roles in fantasy, so I can't think of any series that prominently features them.

If you want a book that prominently features dwarves that was halfway decent, Gordon R. Dickson did one set in 19th-century Canada, where this guy finds a dwarven kingdom (tho I can't remember if they call themselves that) and is forced to serve as a Steed for one of their lords or something. I'm blanking on the title, but it was interesting, tho maybe not what you were going for.

Weren't they Gully Gnomes?

[Macros]

Abyss, on 29 January 2013 - 03:32 PM, said:

There's a series called 'THE DWARVES' by a Markus Heitz, but i haven't read it.

I've read the first two of these, and I'd recommend avoiding them. Unless you library them or get them as a gift don't bother, they aren't worth your money.

Really really read like an rpg with characters practically leveling up at certain points of the books. Predictable, poorly characterised and that really iritating trope of "people from here do this" non spoiler, there's 5 dwarven kingdoms, all with their own place in the world. Its just a, well,blegh story with plot holes that glare you in the eye.
don't bother, they don't add anything to dwarvendom.

This post has been edited by Macros: 29 January 2013 - 04:11 PM

[blackzoid]

Warhammer Fantasy. Lots in that.

[McLovin]

QuickTidal, on 29 January 2013 - 03:52 PM, said:

Weren't they Gully Gnomes?

Since they were only slightly less annoying than the kender, who gives a shit?

[McLovin]

blackzoid, on 29 January 2013 - 04:17 PM, said:

Warhammer Fantasy. Lots in that.

Oh yeah I bet they would. The Warhammer game had some pretty awesome dwarf class options.

[blackzoid]

Salt-Man Z, on 28 January 2013 - 11:09 PM, said:

Feist's Magician basically has Tolkien dwarves (and elves.)

Just recalled that Feist's dwarves don't go in for the mountain fortress deal. They are sheep farmers in the hills. I think.

Edit:
According to wikipedia

Dwarves are a long-lived race, living to be hundreds of years in age. The main Dwarves found in Feist's works are the dwarves of the West. Most often the Grey Tower dwarves led by Dolgan, of Tholin's line, at village Caldara. There is another dwarven kingdom in the West; the Stone Mountain dwarves, led by Harthorn, of Hogar's line, at village Delmoria. In the east, the dwarves make their home at Dorgin, under the banner of King Halfdan. There is also mention of a dwarven city, Sarakan, across the sea on the continent of Novindus, found in the Ratn'gary Mountains.

[Salt-Man Z]

All I remember is that they lived deep down in a maze of caves. (I didn't particularly like Magician.)

[blackzoid]

They were mostly in Magician. Thomas hung out with them a lot. Salt-Man Z, I think that the maze of caves that we first encounter them was a Valheru construction, rather then a Dwarf. Though I'm trying to remember if they fight Tsurani later on in caves that the Dwarves mine part-time while still been sheep farmers in the hills.

[Obdigore]

Salt-Man Z, on 29 January 2013 - 08:22 PM, said:

All I remember is that they lived deep down in a maze of caves. (I didn't particularly like Magician.)

No they didn't. They live in the high mountain valleys where they herd their animals and drink in their longhouses during the 6 months of snow a year. They are pretty much short Nords who love mining.

They do delve into mines for metals, but they don't (at least those in the grey towers) actually live underground.

This post has been edited by Obdigore: 30 January 2013 - 07:45 AM

[Macros]

Obildebore is correct.
although the ratngari mountain dwarf kingdom described as a fortress iirc. But we never actually meet any of them, so its mining sheep farmers who love a fight for feist.

[acesn8s]

It's been a long time since I read any Feist. I couldn't recall them either.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'll have to check out the Warhammer novels. I should have my beard cut for not checking the big book of grudges.

James Enge and David Chandler show promise as well.

[Use Of Weapons]

When Pug and Tomas are on the way to Elvandar, they get separated underground when the party is attacked by a wraith (the only appearance of wraiths in the entire series, AFAIR). Tomas then finds the Valheru armour, and is found by the dwarves who are leading them through the cave system.