Author Topic: Books Recommendations As An Introduction to Fantasy? (Read 1428 times)

Stephen_Zuckerman · « **Reply #40 on:** August 03, 2006, 09:52:40 pm »

An introduction into fantasy?

There is no better than the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. It starts with On A Pale Horse.

Even Anthony haters love this series.

Chongo · « **Reply #41 on:** August 03, 2006, 09:56:38 pm »

Earthsea turned the tide for me. Lord of the Rings I had read before, but didn't get it all until I'd read a good bit more and grown up a bit. I read a lot of Piers Anthony as a kid, probably didn't get most of it, then read a lot of Brian Jacques... very easy to understand, but the stories that stick out are the Earthsea trilogy. I honestly don't know what it was, I need to read them again now that I'm reminded.

Thinking a little less symmetrically... I'm thinking that the idea is to get a person's brain thinking in less realistic terms, and generally sparking a creative thought process that has you a lot less inhibited about things in this subject area. For this, I have, and always will support all moderately intelligent people reading Dune. All of them. It's a step in that direction and is without competition in that realm of literature. Which is not so much fantasy... but it sure gets your brain going that way.

LordCove · « **Reply #42 on:** August 04, 2006, 12:05:11 am »

Well, Id say Most of the early Weis and Hickmans "DarkSword Triliogy", "DragonLance ( both trilogys ),"Rose of the Prophet", "DragonGate cycle"
....there was also an intresting series regarding "Planeswalkers", something to do with Mirza the Planeswalker....was intresting read, but dont remember the name.

Not much fantasy, but if you want a good adventure story " King Solomons Mines "......classic.

Philosopher · « **Reply #43 on:** August 04, 2006, 12:25:54 am »

Terry pratchett does some halarious books, really good at lightening you mood.

Ian Irvine - The view from the mirrior is a great series of books.

Hope this helps!

Edd.

LoganGrimnar · « **Reply #44 on:** August 04, 2006, 01:52:20 am »

its not very good for an "Introduction" but there a fun read. War of the Spider Queen books 1-6. I have read 1-4 i think, they took to long to get out so i moved on to something else in tell there all out, which i think they are now, so I'm reading them again. If you know nothing of Drow and all that it might be a bit much to read, but its a page turner for me.

All 20 or so Drizzt books by R.A. Salvatore are a good read as well. So is his series about the Cleric.. i cant recall the name, but the chars are very interesting and colorful, there is a dwarvish druid and his brother and.. oh man, there endless laughs. At one point there trying to get a big rock up into a tree to drop on some ones head but the one ends up dropping it on the other head and they go at it.. its just really funny.

Terry Brooks makes some very good books as well, the Shannara series.. alot of books based around the same world, it reminds me of LoTR, but it isn't i asure you a rip off. The time it takes place though is interesting, often in the books you will see hints that this is in fact the future, not some fantasy swords and shields age. But its far into the future after human blow themselves up... or at least thats what i came to see, others might have seen differently. Either way its alot of fun.

scotcar · « **Reply #45 on:** August 04, 2006, 05:44:02 am »

My favorite books:
Magician (I enjoy any books by RE Feist)
Thinking about it, the Empire Series he writes with Janny Wurts may be a great series to start off with. Strong female character, based roughly on a Asian type culture, lots on intrigue. A co-series with Magician (some of the same characters are present).

Terry Pratchett, has to be one of the best comic/fantasy authors (Mort is one of his best)
The Winter of the World - Michael Scott Rohan, 3 books The Anvil of Ice, The Forge in the Forest and The Hammer of the Sun. They are well worth reading. In fact I may go out and look for a copy now. The series is at my parents place....
The Cchronicles of Narnia, easy/childrens series to read but still very good.
Dragonlance, still liked the first series best.
The Plum Rain Scrolls, Japanese folklore but a great series. (I have not been able to find a copy since reading them in high school).
David Eddings, Salvatore and Robert Jordan are good as well. Took me about 3 books before I enjoyed Robert Jordans work.
The author of Pride and Preduce (forget her name). Great use of language.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, again a younger readers series (loved it as a child)
Spellsinger (Alan Dean Foster) was also a good book.. Didn’t read the rest of the series.

Janny Wurts writes some really good books as well.

Lastly, the Misplaced Legion - Harry Turtledove. The first book is the best, but they are all good reads.

And yes, I hate to read....

Slade8833 · « **Reply #46 on:** August 04, 2006, 06:09:57 am »

Robin McKinly

the blue sword and hero amd the crown

EdTheKet · « **Reply #47 on:** August 04, 2006, 10:08:11 am »

I agree with the series by David Eddings, that's what got me started.
I wouldn't give her any D&D books, as most take at least some basic knowledge of the D&D rules and universe for granted.

Rowana · « **Reply #48 on:** August 04, 2006, 01:56:19 pm »

Diana Gabaldon Outlander (also titled Cross Stitch) Dragonfly in Amber Voyager Drums of Autumn The Fiery Cross A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Also Try Elisabeth Moon, Piers Anthony's Xanth Series for funny romantic. Highly reccomend Mists of Avalon and most Marion Zimmer Bradley books (The Fire Brand, an awesome retelling of the Trojan war, again with a woman's perspective.). Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorites, she does lots of work with retelling of fairy tales lately that are very nice. Fire Rose is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast for example, very well done, very mature. Ursula Kroeber Le Guin's Earthsea is a great read as many have mentioned, only a little bit of romance in that series, but she has awesome stuff. I actually do not Reccomend Tolkien as a starter for a romance feed into fantasy, though Tolkien's works are wonderful after she's decided if she likes it or not. I have a couple of other suggestions haunting the back of my mind, but i will have to go raid the library and wade through to recall authors i should know off the top of my head.

As an asside, Ann McCaffery and Andre Norton are a must for later.

CHAzz · « **Reply #49 on:** August 04, 2006, 11:05:13 pm »

let's see, if you want to go the Forgotten Realms route, start with SpellFire. Then move into some of the other earlier TSR books, like Azure Bonds, or Pool of Radiance. These were written back when TSR was developing its novel publishing as a means to keep the RPG side afloat, well before they decided everyone who was going to read them had slung 20 siders. With Dragonlance, the Chronicles and Legends are both good series, but beyond those, you need to pick and choose, some are good and others are not. for other DL books, I would reccomend Weasel's Luck and Galen Beknighted. Whenever I read them I get a young Mathew Broderick in my head as Galen.

Moving on, again Piers Anthony's earlier stuff tends to be darker and heavier than his later stuff, it is almost like he realized that much of his audience was younger guys, say around 13 or so, and started to put waaaay to much emphasis on budding sexuality. However if she wants to avoid the heavy stuff, Xanth is fun, as long as you can handle the puns.

I cannot reccomend Steven Brust enough. My wife had been trying to get me to read his stuff for a while, but I didn't pick his stuff up until after meeting him at a con. His novels have the feel of reading short stories, not that there isn't broader plot or anything, but in that easily digestible way, yet with the heartiness of a good novel. I'd start with the Taltos books and note his detail to food, its incredible.

The problem with Tolkein as a romance is that it is implied more than shown. Peter Jackson decided that women viewers of his movies needed it brought more to the front to stay interested in the films, take from that what you will. The true romance stuff is in the Silmarillion, which I would not reccomend unless she has read the Hobbit and the LoTR first, and perhaps some of the other books that Chris Tolkein has put out as well. The Silmarillion has some beautiful work in it, but is dry at times and can be a bit of a turn off if you aren't willing to work at it.

Diamondedge · « **Reply #50 on:** August 07, 2006, 04:57:33 am »

Woman or not, you need to start with what I consider the bread and butter of fantasy novels.

"In a hole, in the ground, there lived a hobbit."

You should start with The Hobbit. It has it's slow bits and it's fast confusing bits, but all in all, it is the grand-daddy of all fantasy genres coming after it's release. It is an easy, light read, deemed 'children's literature' or 'young adult's literature' although all people dearly love the book.

After reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, it is safe to move on to the Lord of the Rings, if you have a good long time to read. The story is told as if in Ent-speak.

After the Lord of the Rings trilogy, you can go in any one of several directions. I have never read a DragonLance book, and it's very likely that it'll be a long, long time before I do, so I can't really recommend reading them or not.

What I read directly following the Lord of the Rings trilogy was the Elminster saga. The first one, "Elminster: The Making of a Mage" is, in my opinion, one of the absolutely best D&D-based books ever written. Ed Greenwood is a talented and wonderful author whom does not get nearly enough credit for his amazing works these days, as R.A. Salvatore seems to be stealing the show.

I would not recommend the Dark Elf trilogies until you've got yourself acquainted with the Elminster saga. I'd at least read the first three books were I a newcomer to the fantasy realm, since, well, that's exactly what I did. Once you have read the saga, if you follow the road I have taken, move on to the Cleric Quintet. It is a wonderfully charged set of books that keeps moving at a good pace. Salvatore wrote them in what I consider to be 'his prime', after his first several books, when his style had become fairly founded.

After the Quintet, I would advise reading the Drizzt books; prepare yourself for stomach-cramping goody-goody drowness.

The Drizzt books gave major birth to a huge following that is even evident upon Layonara: Good Drow Renegades, Turned Away From Their Homeland's Wicked, Vile Ways.

After the whole goody goody drow book, it's perfectly safe to move on to whatever's next. Y'know. I hear Terry Goodkind is good, although I couldn't force myself to read through her novel. I believe I read somethin by Harry Turtledove when I was younger, something of a parody of World War II if it had taken place in a fantasy-like realm. A dark series of books, but very inventive. No sword swinging, unfortunately, but rather, sticks charged with magical energy which I assume could be compared to rifles.

Beyond what I have listed lies a vast, vast realm of books for your enjoyment. These are only a few that I have 'put forth' for your leisure.

crazedgoblin · « **Reply #51 on:** August 07, 2006, 05:06:30 am »

Quote

Diamondedge - 8/7/2006 12:57 PM Woman or not, you need to start with what I consider the bread and butter of fantasy novels. "In a hole, in the ground, there lived a hobbit." You should start with The Hobbit. It has it's slow bits and it's fast confusing bits, but all in all, it is the grand-daddy of all fantasy genres coming after it's release. It is an easy, light read, deemed 'children's literature' or 'young adult's literature' although all people dearly love the book. After reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein, it is safe to move on to the Lord of the Rings, if you have a good long time to read. The story is told as if in Ent-speak. After the Lord of the Rings trilogy, you can go in any one of several directions. I have never read a DragonLance book, and it's very likely that it'll be a long, long time before I do, so I can't really recommend reading them or not. What I read directly following the Lord of the Rings trilogy was the Elminster saga. The first one, "Elminster: The Making of a Mage" is, in my opinion, one of the absolutely best D&D-based books ever written. Ed Greenwood is a talented and wonderful author whom does not get nearly enough credit for his amazing works these days, as R.A. Salvatore seems to be stealing the show. I would not recommend the Dark Elf trilogies until you've got yourself acquainted with the Elminster saga. I'd at least read the first three books were I a newcomer to the fantasy realm, since, well, that's exactly what I did. Once you have read the saga, if you follow the road I have taken, move on to the Cleric Quintet. It is a wonderfully charged set of books that keeps moving at a good pace. Salvatore wrote them in what I consider to be 'his prime', after his first several books, when his style had become fairly founded. After the Quintet, I would advise reading the Drizzt books; prepare yourself for stomach-cramping goody-goody drowness. The Drizzt books gave major birth to a huge following that is even evident upon Layonara: Good Drow Renegades, Turned Away From Their Homeland's Wicked, Vile Ways. After the whole goody goody drow book, it's perfectly safe to move on to whatever's next. Y'know. I hear Terry Goodkind is good, although I couldn't force myself to read through her novel. I believe I read somethin by Harry Turtledove when I was younger, something of a parody of World War II if it had taken place in a fantasy-like realm. A dark series of books, but very inventive. No sword swinging, unfortunately, but rather, sticks charged with magical energy which I assume could be compared to rifles. Beyond what I have listed lies a vast, vast realm of books for your enjoyment. These are only a few that I have 'put forth' for your leisure.

i agree, the hobbit is a very good book to start with ive read it many times myself

Wraithdur · « **Reply #52 on:** August 07, 2006, 07:38:46 am »

i agree with the aformentioned riftwar saga (magician,silverthorn,a darkness at sethanon) written by Raymond E Feist, a great read.
also for the reader who prefers darker, more grown up literature; i recommend song of ice and fire by George RR Martin, allthough some people may not like it (no real magic/wizards etc.) but worth a look at the sinopsis before forming an opinion

Wraithdur · « **Reply #53 on:** August 07, 2006, 07:44:06 am »

oh i just remembered.
any Raymond E Feist fans in the uk; he's doing a book signing at Forbidden planet in september, here's more info http://www.forbiddenplanet.com/Event.shtml

HooD!uM · « **Reply #54 on:** February 20, 2009, 03:14:00 am »

if considering forgotten realms books..go for the very first trilogy..the moonshae trilogy, which are darkwalker on moonshae, black wizards, darkwell.

also another series would be the pools series, but my favorites other than R.A salvatores dark elf adventures would be the maztica trilogy.

Link092 · « **Reply #55 on:** February 20, 2009, 05:26:41 pm »

not sure if it's been said, but the Terry Goodkind "Sword of Truth" series... I just finished the whole series several months ago.

Lord Dark · « **Reply #56 on:** February 20, 2009, 06:41:25 pm »

Definitely Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series... but Robert Jordan passed away before the 13th book was finished (I'm not sure if he had it written and just needed to be edited or revised, or just didn't finish it), so if you want to read 12, 600+ page books and not know the ending (even though you never know the ending, it's a really good story through out), it's something to read.

Once you get started, it sucks you in so you're right there and you won't want to put them down! also, it switches points of view so often such as it being Rand's view, and then switches to Mat's view and then Moiraine's, Lan's, Egwene's, Nynaeve's, Perrin's... so it's difficult to follow along sometimes, but I still recommend them!

Thief Of Navarre · « **Reply #57 on:** February 20, 2009, 07:05:02 pm »

This is some serious necroposting, 2006? by all that is holy!

EdTheKet · « **Reply #58 on:** February 20, 2009, 08:25:08 pm »

Quote from: Lord Dark

Definitely Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series... but Robert Jordan passed away before the 13th book was finished (I'm not sure if he had it written and just needed to be edited or revised, or just didn't finish it), so if you want to read 12, 600+ page books and not know the ending (even though you never know the ending, it's a really good story through out), it's something to read.

Once you get started, it sucks you in so you're right there and you won't want to put them down! also, it switches points of view so often such as it being Rand's view, and then switches to Mat's view and then Moiraine's, Lan's, Egwene's, Nynaeve's, Perrin's... so it's difficult to follow along sometimes, but I still recommend them!

As introduction to fantasy, it's a bit too wide in scope I think.

Quote

This is some serious necroposting, 2006?

cbnicholson · « **Reply #59 on:** March 19, 2009, 02:02:57 pm »

For a mature fantasy read try any of these by Lois Mcmaster Bujold. Amazon.com: Lois Mcmaster Bujold: Books

Nehetsrev put me onto her and I was very surprised. Paladin of Souls and Curse of Chalion will really make your head spin regarding dieties and how they work through mortals.