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| Welcome to the Layonara forums!
Layonara is so much more than a game. We started off as a tabletop Dungeons and Dragons campaign more than a decade ago. Since then we have developed into a fantasy world with as much compelling and engrossing detail as you will find anywhere.
Our current showcase is a Neverwinter Nights version of Layonara, where our world comes to life in a finely polished persistent world which you can play free of charge. These forums are set up to support and accentuate our player's experiences, but it goes far beyond that.
After years of passionate effort, our world is so well developed, so detailed, so refined that any of the handbooks, maps, historical accounts, legends, descriptions of artifacts, creature reports, character biographies, short stories, novels, movies and original art which populate these forums can surely serve as resources or inspiration for your own fantasy endeavors, whatever they may be. And our world is endlessly evolving, so resources are frequently added and updated.
There are also years of sage advice and commentary on role-playing, gaming and online community development stored in these forums. If camaraderie is what you seek, we offer that too. Our community is as active and supportive as you're likely to find on the internet. In short, these forums are a resource for you to use for whatever purpose or project brought you here.
We're confident that you will find what you are looking for, and likely, substantially more.
Please be our guest and browse around the forums which are available to you. As you do, keep in mind that you are sampling only a portion of what Layonara has to offer. Membership in our community is free, and allows you to establish a Layonara identity to pose your questions and share your thoughts on the forums. When you join you'll also be able to communicate privately to other members (PMs), establish and respond to polls, upload and download content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. So please. join our community today!
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08-09-06, 07:43 PM
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#1 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia - Sydney
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|  Great Fantasy Books
Greetings all.
Lately I've been in reading mode and have been churning though many of my collections. God its been good.
In the last year or so I've re-read David Eddings, Raymond E Feist, Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks and Weise & Hickmann. I forgot how much I missed them, especially my favourite series Magician with good ole Pug and Thomas.
Anyway I've taken a break from Fantasy and jumped over to Dan Brown's Divinci and just started the Anne Rice's Vampire series. Whilst they are a great read I already miss Fantasy.
Can anyone out their add some titles that they believe are a Fantasy MUST READ??!!
Its about time I try a new author.
Others I've already read are, Cecilia Dart Thornton, Robin Hobbs and Steven Donalson to name a few.
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Alandric Vensk: "At times I receive contempt from those brazen enough to assume my allegiance. Their childish assumptions coupled with their feeble minds are bait for my antagonism. They hide behind gleaming armour, feel confident from their weaponry and temper their egos with mundane lesser god’s and weak ideologies. I revel in their sheepishness, the way my eloquence can baffle and confuse the most confident of assailants."
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08-09-06, 08:23 PM
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#2 | | Gamemaster Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Denmark
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
Stephen Erikson's series: "Malazan tales of the fallen". 6 books are out and 4 are in the coming.
The best fantasy I have read thus far. | | | | |
08-09-06, 08:27 PM
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#3 | | Project Team Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
Read David Gemmel (who sadly passed away earlier this month). I strongly suggest you start with 'Legend' which is a novel about the defense of a fortified pass. It is a brilliant book. It even spawned a computer game (which used to run on my vic 20! (for those of you who don't know what a Commodore Vic 20 is i suggest you look in history books)).
Anyway Gemmel has written loads of good books.
And if you want something beyond humourous then it needs to be Terry Pratchett | | | | |
08-09-06, 08:49 PM
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#4 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Jan 2006
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
David Gemmel rates as one of the scariest authors. Not for his writing, which was 'muscular heroic storytelling', but for his Author Picture and Biography. The man was a giant at 6'6, who really did look like he game from the wrong side of the tracks. But his characters really appealed to me.
And for something completely different from read:
Janny Wurts "Curse of the Mistwraith" Series... There are three trilogies in that series. Emotive stuff, if you can get past the overly flower language. She has improved greatly since the 'Daughter of the Empire' stuff.
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08-09-06, 09:54 PM
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#5 | | Beholder Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: England
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
Again -- Ian Irvine, a shadow on the glass series.
It's great to read how the characters develop, one of my character's personality is based on a character in that book.
Edd. | | | | |
08-10-06, 02:13 AM
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#6 | | Project Team Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
I suggest everyone check out the works of Lord Dunsany. If Tolkien is the father of fantasy then he is the grandfather. Most of his works can be found free online as the copyright has expired. His short stories are a great way of introducing anyone to fantasy.
If anyone reads his books and decides to name characters based upon them, please don't - I have already claimed that right a long time ago. 
Also everyone who has reader happy fluffy fantasy like Dragonlance should go and look at The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen Donaldson. Many people have commented on the fact the Lord of the Rings is a harsh dark series of books. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever maks LotR look like the care-bears picnic of cuteness! The hero can't even claim to be a anti-hero and at the start of series has no saving graces at all. These books rock! | | | | |
08-10-06, 02:56 AM
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#7 | | World Leader Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Keystone State
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
Barbara Hambly's Winterlands series.
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My imagination is a monastery and I am its monk.
~John Keats | | | | |
08-10-06, 10:21 AM
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#8 | | Game Master Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
<petty>Visceral.</petty>
Also, my recommendation of Guy Gabriel Kay, Rick Cook, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.  | | | | |
08-10-06, 01:02 PM
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#9 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia - Sydney
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
Actually I might try those other Stephen Donaldson chronicals. The ones I've read are, 'A man Rides through it' and 'mirror of her dreams'. They were fantastic concepts and well written.
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Alandric Vensk: "At times I receive contempt from those brazen enough to assume my allegiance. Their childish assumptions coupled with their feeble minds are bait for my antagonism. They hide behind gleaming armour, feel confident from their weaponry and temper their egos with mundane lesser god’s and weak ideologies. I revel in their sheepishness, the way my eloquence can baffle and confuse the most confident of assailants."
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08-10-06, 01:06 PM
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#10 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia - Sydney
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
Oh and while we're on a favorite books, how about favorite characters.
I'm a mage fan over warriors so it would have to be a contest between Pug (Milamber) from the Magician series, Nakor again from the Magician collection or Raisltin from Dragonlance. I think Raistlin however is my number 1.
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Alandric Vensk: "At times I receive contempt from those brazen enough to assume my allegiance. Their childish assumptions coupled with their feeble minds are bait for my antagonism. They hide behind gleaming armour, feel confident from their weaponry and temper their egos with mundane lesser god’s and weak ideologies. I revel in their sheepishness, the way my eloquence can baffle and confuse the most confident of assailants."
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08-10-06, 02:45 PM
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#11 | | Adamantium Golem Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: United States
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
I'm old school...I still like curling up with my old Robert E. Howard "Conan" books...anything by Piers Anthony...The "Pern" series...the "Shannara" trilogy...and for a twist, try "Eyes of the Dragon" by Stephen King...yes, King wrote a purely fantasy story!
OH! And never let me forget the Nehwon Mythos stories...Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are the greatest!!
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"All that is necessary for Evil to succeed is for good men to stand by and do nothing."
"May it be a evening star
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your heart will be true."
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08-10-06, 07:43 PM
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#12 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Australia - Sydney
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
Actually the Shannara books are one of those series that I'm missing books randomly. I might have to pick that one up again and complete it.
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Alandric Vensk: "At times I receive contempt from those brazen enough to assume my allegiance. Their childish assumptions coupled with their feeble minds are bait for my antagonism. They hide behind gleaming armour, feel confident from their weaponry and temper their egos with mundane lesser god’s and weak ideologies. I revel in their sheepishness, the way my eloquence can baffle and confuse the most confident of assailants."
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08-10-06, 11:00 PM
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#13 | | Orc of the Black Hand Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Eternal void of nothing
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
if you want a bit of D&D try The three swords by Fritz leiber
or you can go for Piers anthony's Xanth books Swell Foop is best iv read so far book 25, but so you dont get confused, start with #1 A spell for chameleon | | | | |
08-11-06, 06:23 AM
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#14 | | Mind Flayer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Great White North eh?
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
You should defintely read the "Nine Princes in Amber" series by Roger Zelazny. These novels were so imaginative, surprising and filled with rich characters. Highly entertaining and thought provoking. Two thumbs way up. | | | | |
09-13-06, 05:54 PM
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#15 | | Gamemaster Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Re: Great Fantasy Books
I can't believe no-one has mentioned either Stan Nicholls or George R.R. Martin.
Must agree with Nibor21 with David Gemmell being number 1.
Yes, must accept Conan as being no 1.
If you have time to hunt out some more, i'd also recommend early Joel Rosenberg, Kenneth C. Flint, Jack Whyte (more historical fiction than fantasy but still good). . .
Favourite characters from fantasy books?
Conan as the quintessential barbarian
Tark (of the Golden Tide)
Harald Swiftaxe
Waylander
Raistlin Majere
Silk or Mandorallen (tough call)
Fafhrd and Grey Mouser
Jarlaxle (Artemis gets his @rse kicked every time!)
Druss
Mmmmmmm, maybe Elric?
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09-14-06, 06:58 AM
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#16 | | Adamantium Golem Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Void
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| RE: Great Fantasy Books
George R.R. Martin's "song of ice and fire"
good times.......goooood times
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