Looking for New Fantasy Series

[QwertyCookie]

Hey guys!

 

Title says it all really, I finished reading Game of Thrones a year ago and since then I haven't had much time to read!

 

Basically I want to get back into reading but I'm looking for a good fantasy novel or series to read! Preferably similar to Game of Thrones (political aspects etc.) but really throw anything at me! I'm a fast reader

 

 

[Robpocalypse]

I tend to like Epic, gritty fantasy with war and politics, aka Game of Thrones.

I very highly suggest the following:

Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson.

First Law series by Joe Abercrombie

The Black Company by Glen Cook

The Jack of Nar by John Marco

The Dragoncrown War Cycle by Michael Stackpole

Darkness series by Harry Turtledove

These are all complete series, so you won't have to wait for the endings. Most have strong levels of violence (and sexual situations) which should not be shocking if you have read GoT. All are epic, political fantasy but several are slanted more towards the military fantasy genre.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I have nothing to contribute as I typically go high fantasy (drizzt books, LoTR) or sci fi (ender's game, star wars), but will be hanging out to see the recommendations.

[RisenPhoenix]

Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy was amazing.  Book 1 has a bit of political works, but is a bit more of a caper, Book 2 is definitely pretty political, and Book 3 is all out war epic plus politics.  Really good for plots is his book Elantris.  Really as of yet I haven't been disappointed in anything Sanderson writes.

[QwertyCookie]

I tend to like Epic, gritty fantasy with war and politics, aka Game of Thrones.

I very highly suggest the following:

Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson.

First Law series by Joe Abercrombie

The Black Company by Glen Cook

The Jack of Nar by John Marco

The Dragoncrown War Cycle by Michael Stackpole

Darkness series by Harry Turtledove

These are all complete series, so you won't have to wait for the endings. Most have strong levels of violence (and sexual situations) which should not be shocking if you have read GoT. All are epic, political fantasy but several are slanted more towards the military fantasy genre.

 

I literally was at local comic book shop today and he was reading Joe Abercrombies series and we were chatting about it Might try that first

[QwertyCookie]

I have nothing to contribute as I typically go high fantasy (drizzt books, LoTR) or sci fi (ender's game, star wars), but will be hanging out to see the recommendations.

 

I like high fantasy and I dont mind sci fi either (feel free to PM me recommendations fo both ) but nothing has gripped me in a while like GoT or thriller/crime books (but Ive read lots of them and need a change ) so thats why I started this thread!

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I love GoT, that's why I'd like to read more like it. I read the series 2-3 times before the show was ever announced. I actually have an e-mail from GRR Martin as a reply to pointing out a fan map to him that is rumoured to have inspired the re-doing of the maps for ADwD, so I might have had a small butterfly effect on the books.

[Exsur]

I have not read a book by Brandon Sanderson or Brent Weeks that I have not enjoyed thoroughly. My favorite series by Brandon Sanderson is the Mistborn Trilogy and for Brent Weeks is the Night Angel Series (Although I am currently reading The Lightbringer Series by him and it is also very good)

[Hong WeiLoh]

Black Company, Black Company, and some more Black Company. I've read Abercrombie's first book. It failed utterly to inspire me to continue the series. The Black Company on the other hand... WOW. Now we're talking not only good, original writing, but something that completely obliterates the typical fantasy formula and pretty much turns the genre on its head. If you like the fantasy formula, and just want "more of the same", sure, go for Abercrombie. If you're looking for a big change, go with Cook.

 

If you want something really formulaic and clearly birthed from the Fantasy Genre puppy-mill, try Chris Evans' Iron Elves series.

[jdanger]

Another vote for Black Company, great great stuff. Also might be interested in The Second Apocalypse series by Scott Bakker and The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemison.

 

On the sci-fi side if you haven't read any of The Culture books by Iain Banks, you're missing out.

[Rugbymomma]

Now hear me out before you judge...

I recently read a Christian series by Frank Peretti. Fantastic reads in my opinion, and I am a true fan of GoT and LotR. The books are This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. Interesting take on the battle between good and evil, unseen.

[Magess]

Kushiel's Dart is one of my favs. Anything by Jacqueline Carey is a good read. Also Fire Logic and its sequels, Sabriel and its sequels, and anything by Sarah Monette.

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[Artemis]

Another vote for anything by Brandon Sanderson.  If you want larger novels by him, try the Stormlight Archive novels.  I cannot recommend them enough, though I should warn you that only the first 2 books of what is sounding like a 10 book series are published.  On the bright side, he is much more prolific than Martin and tends to churn out a novel several times a year, so the wait won't be as bad as that of GoT.

[nemers]

You shouldn't go past Joe Abercrombie as robopocalypse suggested, as good as GoT or better. I highly recommend the audio version also, narrated by Stephen pacey, amazing!

[Einar]

Check out the Marching with Caesar series by R.W. Peake.  Not so much sci fi/fantasy but has some good political intrigue mixed in with the life of a Roman legionary

[QwertyCookie]

Thanks guys loads of great suggestions Now I have to get reading all of these

[Razzy]

Well I'm totally going to be a rebel and INSIST you start reading the Dresden Files.

 

Posthaste. Urban fantasy, main character is a wizard named Harry and it ISN'T about a coming-of-age crisis. Jim Butcher is an excellent writer with a lot of humor, sass, grittyness where it counts and a darn good mystery to boot. The fights are fun, the characters are like good friends to me and the bad guys are downright scary. Also, if you like mythology and are versed in our world's lore, you will immensely appreciate these books. It isn't just about vampires and werewolves. The entirety of fantasy creatures is found in these books, from fairies and centaurs and Sidhe; to dragons and trolls and even a god or two. (Like Hades and Odin.) Valkyries, fallen angles, LOTS of politics with the different vampire courts (yes, there isn't just ONE 'type' of vampire. There are at least 4 and they're dangerous) and sasquatches, oh my!

 

And those are just the beasties I can think of off the top of my head. Give me another two minutes and I'm sure I'd come up with more. Excellent reads, every single book.

[gatorsong]

I know they're not exactly new, but I really enjoy David Eddings,  The Belgariad and The Mallorean series particularly.  I've read all of his works and they're just good fun reads. 

[TurtIe]

If you're looking for some long term readibility- The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (and completed after his death by Brandon Sanderson) is pretty epic. Fourteen books covering one massive story arc and each book is pretty hefty. I've read it through twice and it's definitely my favourite fantasy series.

[Elfhelm]

Hey guys! First post in these forums, so I thought I'd go with my passion...

 

First of all, if you haven't already read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, that is a fundamental staple for the fantasy genre, and gives a ton of context to all of the derivative and inspired works out there now (I would personally also recommend The Hobbit and his other works set in Middle Earth - i.e. the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Children of Hurin). Other older classics that are great as well are C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and Alexander Lloyd's Chronicles of Prydain. Reading Greek or Norse myths is also excellent, for either context or enjoyment.

 

If you're looking for something kid-friendly to read with kids and still enjoy, Chronicles of Narnia or Brian Jacques's Redwall novels (all standalone, but related) are good choices. The Harry Potter books should also speak for themselves, and should be your first read if not already completed in childhood.

 

I echo the Sanderson comments and also that the Wheel of Time 14-book series (now complete) is excellent and will provide reading material for a very long time. It also has plenty of politics and military strategy, though with much more magic than Martin uses. The Drizzt novels are an excellent starting point for your general sword and sorcery subgenre. Paolini's Inheritance Cycle is a good modern high fantasy series, and a great example of a young writer who broke into the field.

My favorite current voice in fantasy fiction would have to be Patrick Rothfuss, who has a masterful grasp of both language and storytelling. His series is the Kingkiller Chronicles, of which Name of the Wind is the first book.

 

Hope that helps!

[QwertyCookie]

Hey guys! First post in these forums, so I thought I'd go with my passion...

 

 

 

First of all, if you haven't already read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, that is a fundamental staple for the fantasy genre, and gives a ton of context to all of the derivative and inspired works out there now (I would personally also recommend The Hobbit and his other works set in Middle Earth - i.e. the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Children of Hurin). Other older classics that are great as well are C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia and Alexander Lloyd's Chronicles of Prydain. Reading Greek or Norse myths is also excellent, for either context or enjoyment.

 

 

 

If you're looking for something kid-friendly to read with kids and still enjoy, Chronicles of Narnia or Brian Jacques's Redwall novels (all standalone, but related) are good choices. The Harry Potter books should also speak for themselves, and should be your first read if not already completed in childhood.

 

 

 

I echo the Sanderson comments and also that the Wheel of Time 14-book series (now complete) is excellent and will provide reading material for a very long time. It also has plenty of politics and military strategy, though with much more magic than Martin uses. The Drizzt novels are an excellent starting point for your general sword and sorcery subgenre. Paolini's Inheritance Cycle is a good modern high fantasy series, and a great example of a young writer who broke into the field.

 

My favorite current voice in fantasy fiction would have to be Patrick Rothfuss, who has a masterful grasp of both language and storytelling. His series is the Kingkiller Chronicles, of which Name of the Wind is the first book.

 

 

 

Hope that helps!

 

Yes I've read the LOTR, Hobbit and Silmarillion, all excellent fantasy classics I loved Greek and Celtic mythology when I was a child! Aswell as Narnia and the Harry Potter, and Inheritance books

 

I've heard alot of good stuff about Wheel of Time and I know 14 books means Ill have alot of reading material but Im actually intimidated to start a book series that long I dont know why xD

[Mekong]

I haven't read this series, but I see Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy mentioned a lot in "If you like Game of Thrones, you'll like these books" type articles and forums. 

 

Also, I would highly recommend Bernard Cornwell, especially his Saxon Tales and Warlord Chronicles series.  These fit more squarely into historical fiction with some mythological elements sprinkled in, but they're fast-paced and the politics are engrossing, if not as elaborate as ASoIaF.  I don't remember where, but I think I read somewhere that GRRM drew a lot of inspiration from Cornwell's literary style and fighting scenes.

[Ambisagrus]

I also prop Sanderson, but would be remiss if I didn't mention Neal Stephenson. Anathem, in particular (though it's not a series) is a great fantasy read. It's not the classic sword and sorcery, but takes the premise that math is a religion and there is such a thing as a mathic monastery. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Kevin Mack]

I'm 2/3 of the way through the Mistborn trilogy right now and absolutely recommend it.

[Anim07734]

I gave up on Wheel of time after book 6, when nothing of any importance happened in something like 800 pages.  When I mentioned to some friends that I was thinking about restarting, they assured me that book 6 is action packed compared to 7 and 8 (which are longer, iirc).  That said, the first book can stand alone and is well worth the read.

 

I just started rereading Fred Saberhagen's Book of Swords series (which is followed by the Book of Lost Swords series for a total of 9 books) and it's just as good as I remember.  I'll also second the Belgariad/Mallorean series.  And if you feel like a more modern fantasy, Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality series is really good, if on the shorter side.