qlilac Posted December 26, 2015 Report Share Posted December 26, 2015 Any suggestions for fantasy novels, preferably the more knights and medieval type than sci-fi? Stuff Renaissance Fairs are inspired by. I'm just at the end of Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence, it took me a few chapters to really get into it but I'm liking it so far. The main character is definitely an anti-hero brat who keeps reminding you that he's really not that good of a person. I would recommend it so far. If you don't mind edging into the lesbian romance category a bit, Lady Knight by L J Baker was an amazing read and I will shout recommendations of that til my voice gives out. I can't recommend the books yet but I'm in LOVE with the Legend of the Seeker show, and the Sword of Truth series it's based on is on my future reading list. They're very different though so we'll see which I end up liking better. 1 Quote Link to comment
trailgirl Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 I'll check out Prince of Thorns and Lady Knight, those sound right up my alley! I would recommend all the books by Tamora Pierce. Start with the Song of the Lioness quartet and move forward from there. They all feature intelligent, badass female protagonists in a fantasy medieval setting. Each series adds a few more layers to the world of Tortall, and they're a fun read. Enjoy! 4 Quote Link to comment
wooflee90 Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 In my opinion, one of the best series ever written was the Arthurian saga by Mary Stewart: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, and the Last Enchantment. It is a complete retelling of the Arthurian legends through Merlin's point of view. They're not out on the Kindle or in electronic format, but you can get the books through Amazon or in most book stores. 1 Quote Link to comment
Toshimi Posted December 28, 2015 Report Share Posted December 28, 2015 Pendragon cycle- Steven lawhead Mage wars- Dixon and Lackey (black Gryphon is the first book) Mist of Avalon (zimmer bradley) Arthurian legend from the women in the story's point of view I might update later when I can look at my books at home. I know there are some i'm missing 1 Quote Try not, do or do not- Yoda Link to comment
Kes Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 If you don't mind edging into the lesbian romance category a bit, Lady Knight by L J Baker was an amazing read and I will shout recommendations of that til my voice gives out. I don't have any recommendations to give, but after reading this thread I picked up Lady Knight and read it the other day. It was good, but Holy shit, that ending. It felt gross enough with Eleanor being forced into marriage with that nasty asshole, but the rape was just the cherry on the uber-yucky-why-am-I-reading-this cake. Sexual assault (or the threat of it) comes up so often in lesbian romance novels, and while I get that it's the reality we live in I really don't get why it's such a theme in escapist fantasies. Especially in this book, where there was already a huge heaping amount of sexist crap they were wading through and there was enough tension and difficulty surrounding the relationship that it was totally unnecessary to add any more. At the end, Eleanor's been through a horrifically traumatic and life-changing event, and the book ends before we see how it plays out. So it feels like the book wasn't even finished, it just left Eleanor's situation hanging. And there's no sequel, so we don't get to watch her overcome this! Ugh. Okay, mini-rant over. 1 Quote Link to comment
Girl-Meet-World Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 Ooh, that reminded me, but the Tamora Pierce books are really really good. Quote Panda Hobbit | Drifter | Level 3 STR 6 | DEX 5 | STA 2 | CON 5 | WIS 7 | CHA 2 "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself" -- Tolstoy Training | Challenge 1 2 3 4 | Epic Quest Link to comment
Artemis Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 The Red Knight by Miles Cameron is a dark medieval fantasy that is quite good and the next two books in the series are equally well written (series is currently incomplete). The novels take place in an earth-like world with similar themes (religions, etc), but more magic.Michael J. Sullivan's Ryiria Revelations Trilogy is also great fun, and a lot more lighthearted than The Red Knight. These novels are set in a more fantastical world where elves and dwarves exist.Tamora Pierce's novels generally fit your requirements, just know that they're written for more of a YA audience. 2 Quote "Fairy tales are more than true not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten" -Neil Gaiman Mandalorian Assassin: Level 5 Current Challenge - Artemis becomes Mandalorian Overall Weight Loss Journey: Starting Weight - Current Weight - Goal -160lbs Link to comment
qlilac Posted January 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 Kes I agree, I think the book would have been a lot better without that happening. It made the sexism point long before, it didn't need to go there. Sword of the Guardian by Merry Shannon might be a good book for you to pick up too, it's about a woman who has to masquerade as a man to guard a princess and protect her sisters. It's been a while since I read it... but I don't believe it ever gets as dark as Lady Knight did. She just released the second book in the series, Prayer of the Handmaiden which is about one of the side characters in the first one. Haven't picked it up yet though. Aaand.... she has a pirate novel that I know I enjoyed but can barely remember anything about it. 2 Quote Link to comment
thatBrownCat Posted January 9, 2016 Report Share Posted January 9, 2016 I'll check out Prince of Thorns and Lady Knight, those sound right up my alley! I would recommend all the books by Tamora Pierce. Start with the Song of the Lioness quartet and move forward from there. They all feature intelligent, badass female protagonists in a fantasy medieval setting. Each series adds a few more layers to the world of Tortall, and they're a fun read. Enjoy!I second this! Her books are easy and entertaining to read! I never expected it. My friend load it to me during our elementary years, It was the a hardbound version of "In the Hand of the Goddess". I finished it in a day! 1 Quote Link to comment
Twibbly Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 If you're willing to lean more fairy tale-esque, I love Melanie Dickerson's Fairytale Romance books. The Healer's Apprentice is the one that got me hooked. The heroes are handsome, the heroines are witty, and the stories are intriguing spins. Spindle's End (and the other fairy tale books) by Robin McKinley is also awesome. Definitely a different twist. Quote As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists. - Joan Gussow If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. - Cicero Current Quest Previous 1 2 3 4 (formerly known as Twibble) Link to comment
SkiBlue Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Michael J. Sullivan's Ryiria Revelations Trilogy is also great fun, and a lot more lighthearted than The Red Knight. These novels are set in a more fantastical world where elves and dwarves exist. I second this endorsement. Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles became one of my all-time favorite books series within the span of a year. Sullivan is awesome. 2 Quote LEVEL 1 REBEL Link to comment
calanthrophy Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 I recommend The Briar King (and subsequent books in the series) by Greg Keyes, but I didn't much care for Prince of Thorns so your mileage may vary. Quote My band -- My acoustic stuff -- Blog -- Instagram Link to comment
Gainsdalf the Whey Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Second Lawhead, his historically more accurate Robin Hood series is pretty cool. 1 Quote Massrandir, Barkûn, Swolórin, The Whey Pilgrim 500 / 330 / 625 Challenges: 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 34 35 36 39 41 42 45 46 47 48 49 Current Challenge "No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. What a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. " ~ Socrates "Friends don't let friends squat high." ~ Chad Wesley Smith "It's a dangerous business, Brodo, squatting to the floor. You step into the rack, and if you don't keep your form, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." ~ Gainsdalf Link to comment
qlilac Posted February 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2016 I recommend The Briar King (and subsequent books in the series) by Greg Keyes, but I didn't much care for Prince of Thorns so your mileage may vary. I think I may be revoking my recommendation of Prince of Thorns, the ending left me feeling... off about it.And I've been on the first chapter of King of Thorns for weeks now, I just keep rereading the same page. We'll see how it is once I finally power through. I heard about The Briar King on a list of recommendations somewhere and it sounded pretty good, I think I might go pick that up. Quote Link to comment
Vilkacis Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 I think I may be revoking my recommendation of Prince of Thorns, the ending left me feeling... off about it. And I've been on the first chapter of King of Thorns for weeks now, I just keep rereading the same page. We'll see how it is once I finally power through. I heard about The Briar King on a list of recommendations somewhere and it sounded pretty good, I think I might go pick that up. Did you finish the King, yet? I read the trilogy, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire journey. I will say that the format for King of Thornes (which carries thru to Emperor) was a bit confusing and hard to follow at first, but once I grasped it, i found it a quick read. Your opinion? Quote Level 2 Lycan "A wetboy has a deader, an assassin has a target, because assassins sometimes miss." -Durzo Blint Work in progress: https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/87730 Link to comment
ZachPSU Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Joe Abercrombie has a great trilogy someone recommended to me about 6-7 years ago, look him up I believe it is called "The First Law" trilogy. 1 Quote Training Log/Progress Pics: Harder to Kill Current Challenge: Zach from Water, to Water Challenge History: 1 2 3 4 Link to comment
qlilac Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 On 3/28/2016 at 9:45 AM, Vilkacis said: Did you finish the King, yet? I read the trilogy, and thoroughly enjoyed the entire journey. I will say that the format for King of Thornes (which carries thru to Emperor) was a bit confusing and hard to follow at first, but once I grasped it, i found it a quick read. Your opinion? Interests switched pretty quickly to reading a few non-fiction books so I have it on the backburner for now, I picked up Level Up Your Life of course and I'm also reading a book about economics which is a huge switch from my fantasy types haha. The letters/diary format in the first or second chapter threw me off and I put it down and haven't had the mojo to pick it back up yet. I probably will once I finish these books though. Quote Link to comment
Vilkacis Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 2 hours ago, qlilac said: Interests switched pretty quickly to reading a few non-fiction books so I have it on the backburner for now, I picked up Level Up Your Life of course and I'm also reading a book about economics which is a huge switch from my fantasy types haha. The letters/diary format in the first or second chapter threw me off and I put it down and haven't had the mojo to pick it back up yet. I probably will once I finish these books though. I was actually interested in grabbing LUYL. Is it worth grabbing in your opinion? I've heard mostly praise, but have heard a few negative reviews, so gathering as much as I can before I purchase. haha Quote Level 2 Lycan "A wetboy has a deader, an assassin has a target, because assassins sometimes miss." -Durzo Blint Work in progress: https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/87730 Link to comment
Twibbly Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 3 minutes ago, Vilkacis said: I was actually interested in grabbing LUYL. Is it worth grabbing in your opinion? I've heard mostly praise, but have heard a few negative reviews, so gathering as much as I can before I purchase. haha Abso-freakin'-lutely. I'm about 60 percent through. It doesn't really focus on what you should be doing, but how to set goals, then work towards them in a manageable way. Quote As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists. - Joan Gussow If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. - Cicero Current Quest Previous 1 2 3 4 (formerly known as Twibble) Link to comment
Vilkacis Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 1 minute ago, WellBS said: Abso-freakin'-lutely. I'm about 60 percent through. It doesn't really focus on what you should be doing, but how to set goals, then work towards them in a manageable way. Excellent! Thanks for your input, I will definitely take it into consideration! Quote Level 2 Lycan "A wetboy has a deader, an assassin has a target, because assassins sometimes miss." -Durzo Blint Work in progress: https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/87730 Link to comment
Vilkacis Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Though I suppose I shouldn't hijack this thread anymore.. Haha Howled Into The Night Quote Level 2 Lycan "A wetboy has a deader, an assassin has a target, because assassins sometimes miss." -Durzo Blint Work in progress: https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/87730 Link to comment
qlilac Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 40 minutes ago, WellBS said: Abso-freakin'-lutely. I'm about 60 percent through. It doesn't really focus on what you should be doing, but how to set goals, then work towards them in a manageable way. Agreed, it's a pretty neat book and Steve's got a way with getting people inspired Quote Link to comment
fengor Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Malazan Book of the Fallen series was pretty epic fantasy Quote There is one rule, above all others, ... Whatever comes, face it on your feet. Robert Jordan, The Great Hunt Lvl 2 Half-Elf Ranger STR:4 | DEX:2.5 | STA:5 | CON:3 | WIS:5 | CHA:3 Daily Grind Story of a Ranger: 1st chapter, 2nd chapter, 3rd chapter, 4th chapter Link to comment
NemoG Posted November 11, 2016 Report Share Posted November 11, 2016 I very much enjoyed the Throne of glass series by Sarah J. Maas. no magic till 2 books down the line. Same goes for Graceling by Kristin Cashore. (she has 3 books in the same "world") if you want to read them in order it's Fire-> Graceling -> Bitterblue But Graceling was the first published and the best one of the lot. no magic but, some super powers like super strenth or super hearing, eyes etc. Bit more kiddy but enjoyable I liked Ergon by christopher paolini. but it's more magic, and elves, and dragons... Quote Challanges; #1, #2, #3 Battle Log | Epics Link to comment
Bighara Posted January 3, 2017 Report Share Posted January 3, 2017 I was going to recommend Sullivan's Ryria books as well, but apparently that's been covered. His new First Empire series is promising. I also liked his time-travel "Hollow World" novel. Patrick Rothfuss' Kothe books are good too (though #3 is still awaited). Quote Link to comment
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