Off Topic Book club

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FellTop said:
Here goes mate.

Malazan book of the fallen, as I have already mentioned. A labour of love at 10 books in the core series. But is in mind blowing in scale and scope. Imagination required. Probably the most complete fantasy to date.

Kingkiller Chronicles. Isnt Epic on the grand scale, the writing, characters and atmosphere is stunning. Brilliant reading.

Mistborn. This is quite unique I find, a very different approach to magic. It isnt too hard to penetrate either (Malazan for example can be). Sanderson is the big boy of the genre now. He finished wheel of time. And has his own epic on the go.

The First Law series. This is just gritty, brutal, and laugh out loud funny at once. Makes you love hard characters and their approach to the world. Abercrombie is a gem of a writer, no pace too quick.

Way of Kings. Sandersons own opus magnus. First books are magnificent. The rest will be too. Worth waiting to read them in one go, easy to forget the nuance. Unlike Martin he is on a schedule.

A song of ice and fire should be in. The TV series though have become all encompassing. I havent watched them, the first 4 books are magnificent but I fear Martin has lost his way a bit.

Prince of Nothing series. I liked this, very dark and demanding of the reader. I am in a bit of a minority having this on a list of modern fantasy. For me the characters make it. Worthwhile just to get to know them, dark as they may be.

A shout out to my favourite of all, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and far from modern. Now oddly a series of 9 I think, probably over 20 years or more. Written by the same author as the brilliant gap series, Stephen Donaldson. The Covenant books split the fantasy nerds like me down the middle. They certainly arent intellectual fantasy, very much old school, up until the final couple of books at least. But I have never known an author create a world so beautifully (inlcuding middle earth) or have such a breadth of characters you love. NOTE - the principal is an anti-hero and many hate him NO SPOILER. It is a series that hasnt aged well, but has had recent additions in the final trilogy that are modern. I love it, but never recommend it, you need to find your own way to this one.
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I've had a little Google of those and the Kingkiller Chronicles and First Law series are probably the ones that sound most appealing to me. If I was to add one to my Amazon wishlist, which one of those two would you recommend?
 
The Norton Cat said:
I've had a little Google of those and the Kingkiller Chronicles and First Law series are probably the ones that sound most appealing to me. If I was to add one to my Amazon wishlist, which one of those two would you recommend?
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Tough one. Kingkiller is awaiting the third book so not a complete series yet. That makes me suggest First Law. If you enjoy the cultures and the setting there are other books that follow the first trilogy too.
 
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FellTop said:
Here goes mate.

Malazan book of the fallen, as I have already mentioned. A labour of love at 10 books in the core series. But is in mind blowing in scale and scope. Imagination required. Probably the most complete fantasy to date.

Kingkiller Chronicles. Isnt Epic on the grand scale, the writing, characters and atmosphere is stunning. Brilliant reading.

Mistborn. This is quite unique I find, a very different approach to magic. It isnt too hard to penetrate either (Malazan for example can be). Sanderson is the big boy of the genre now. He finished wheel of time. And has his own epic on the go.

The First Law series. This is just gritty, brutal, and laugh out loud funny at once. Makes you love hard characters and their approach to the world. Abercrombie is a gem of a writer, no pace too quick.

Way of Kings. Sandersons own opus magnus. First books are magnificent. The rest will be too. Worth waiting to read them in one go, easy to forget the nuance. Unlike Martin he is on a schedule.

A song of ice and fire should be in. The TV series though have become all encompassing. I havent watched them, the first 4 books are magnificent but I fear Martin has lost his way a bit.

Prince of Nothing series. I liked this, very dark and demanding of the reader. I am in a bit of a minority having this on a list of modern fantasy. For me the characters make it. Worthwhile just to get to know them, dark as they may be.

A shout out to my favourite of all, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, and far from modern. Now oddly a series of 9 I think, probably over 20 years or more. Written by the same author as the brilliant gap series, Stephen Donaldson. The Covenant books split the fantasy nerds like me down the middle. They certainly arent intellectual fantasy, very much old school, up until the final couple of books at least. But I have never known an author create a world so beautifully (inlcuding middle earth) or have such a breadth of characters you love. NOTE - the principal is an anti-hero and many hate him NO SPOILER. It is a series that hasnt aged well, but has had recent additions in the final trilogy that are modern. I love it, but never recommend it, you need to find your own way to this one.
Click to expand...
Thomas Covenant books - the first three books were excellent. Second three ok. They’ve gone to a charity shop now along with all the Dark Tower series from Stephen King. Again just ok. Disappointing in the end. Books I’ll never read again.
I seem to have collected a 1000 books over the last 60 years and I’m working through them in retirement.
Just read The Chrysalids again. Now onto Prelude to Foundation. Great fan of Asimov.
Next up Gormenghast.
 
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Brainman said:
Thomas Covenant books - the first three books were excellent. Second three ok. They’ve gone to a charity shop now along with all the Dark Tower series from Stephen King. Again just ok. Disappointing in the end. Books I’ll never read again.
I seem to have collected a 1000 books over the last 60 years and I’m working through them in retirement.
Just read The Chrysalids again. Now onto Prelude to Foundation. Great fan of Asimov.
Next up Gormenghast.
Click to expand...
The Covenant books ended up at 10. I agree the second three werent great. The last 2 really brought everything to a nice closure though.

Gormenghast has a big thumbs up from me.
 
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