The Best Fantasy Writer of this Generation......

[Sonoftheday]

I wrote it down, next trip to the library Im looking up George R.R. Martin.

I agree with brother. Wieland though, Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series is excellent. I am torn between it and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time as being my favorite. I have currently been reading Orson Scott Card's Ender's Saga it is scifi not fantasy like the other 2 series but it is keeping me interested.

The problem I have found with both Goodkind and Jordan's series is that come around book 5 or so I begin to lose interest.

 

[ChristianHedonist]

Hello Gentlemen,

I started Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time but quit halfway through the third book. The first book I really enjoyed and it showed a lot of promise. However, I got the sense it was less about the story and more about how many volumes he could squeeze out of the idea.

Nobody has come close to Tolkien.

I have read the first book by Graham in his Binding of the Blade series. It was ok. What I did appreciate was that his Reformed worldview was very evident. As such, even though it is rather light, I will read the next volume.

Because of this thread I will try George R.R. Martin. Someone once loaned to me A Game of Thrones, but I never started it and just returned the book.

Sincerely,

Brian

The "Binding of the Blade" books by L. B. Graham definitely get better each time. Both the story and the quality of Graham's writing improve, so I would recommend sticking with and finishing the series. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the final book of the series this summer. And I must agree that nothing comes close to Tolkien.

 

[etexas]

I wrote it down, next trip to the library Im looking up George R.R. Martin.

I agree with brother. Wieland though, Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series is excellent. I am torn between it and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time as being my favorite. I have currently been reading Orson Scott Card's Ender's Saga it is scifi not fantasy like the other 2 series but it is keeping me interested.

The problem I have found with both Goodkind and Jordan's series is that come around book 5 or so I begin to lose interest.

You will not regret it! Once you get halfway in the first chapter of Game of Thrones you will not be able to put it down! START ON A "LAZY" WEEKEND!

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

George R.R. Martin! I have read 5 (out of what will be 7 volumes) in the series: A Song of Ice and Fire. His writing is stunning! Finally some originality! No elves or orcs! Thank Heavens! I think Martin's work is as relevant to this generation as the works of the "other" RR to the past generation of readers. Anyone picked up his stuff? What do you think? (Those who have not read his stuff, Amazon up "A Game of Thrones" the first volume in the series. You WILL be hooked!

I have not read any of these. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll keep them in mind this summer for some light reading.

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

I am really liking Jordan right now. But I only started the Wheel of Time series recently (just finished volume 1). I liked Eddings's Belgariad quite a bit, although the later series were not as good. I have a really hard time with Brooks. He seems just a little ingrown to me. I think, despite all the negative hype about him, that Paolini will mature into a fine author as well, even though he needs to work on his originality.

Give Martin a glance Brother! I prefer him to Jordan, his is both more polished and mature.

I will certainly give him a shot. Fantasy lit is one of my favorite genres. So much scope for imagination. Tolkien still rules the roost in terms of all-time writers, though. Wouldn't you agree?

Tolkien was very good. It seems to me that a guy named Darwin wrote some pretty wild fantasy also. I think his fantansy must be better than Tolkien's because they now call his writing science!

I know.......but I couldn't resist!

 

[tdowns]

Great Thread!!!

I'll probably get some rotten tomatoes thrown at me for this but, I enjoy Piers Anthony myself. I find his use of puns humourous.

Don, I used to enjoy some of his stuff back in the 80's in fact I gave the first 3 of his Xanth novels a reread a few years back, and there was much to commend in his early stuff. He was a victim of his own success, in my opinion, I just felt like he was in a rut, gradually I just stopped reading him.

I love Fantasy!

Piers Anthony was awesome in the first three Xanth, I agree 1000% with your post. I read through prob. 7, then fell off.

Jordan, I loved his Conan series, fantastic. I loved the first couple in the "Wheel" series, then that series just fell off huge for me, got so bored I dumped it, it had its moments, but by book 7 I gave up.

E-texas, I'm looking for some new stuff, I'll check that guy out.

Great posts, great thread!

 

[Scott]

You Martin fans might want to check out the boardgame, A Game of Thrones , which is based on his books. It is supposed to be a pretty good game, although I have not played it myself. If you get it and are in the Dallas area let me know and I will try to play a game with you!

Scott

 

[Scott]

Martin's work was to crude and banal for me. Robert Jordan any day.

I have not read Jordan but I had a similar impression of Martin when I tried to read him. I did not finish the book.

Honestly I find his work work far from crude (there is more realism than some current writers and I will even grant that sometimes this approach will set elements which a few people might find offensive at some level) that said I do not equate elements of "literary realism" with being crude. as far as being banal, there is a great depth in his writing, in point of fact, many literary critics (who are not even fantasy buffs) have commended the scope and intensity of his writing, despite not liking the genre.

Maybe I did not give it enough of a chance.

 

[bookslover]

George R.R. Martin! I have read 5 (out of what will be 7 volumes) in the series: A Song of Ice and Fire. His writing is stunning! Finally some originality! No elves or orcs! Thank Heavens! I think Martin's work is as relevant to this generation as the works of the "other" RR to the past generation of readers. Anyone picked up his stuff? What do you think? (Those who have not read his stuff, Amazon up "A Game of Thrones" the first volume in the series. You WILL be hooked!

George R. R. Martin was born in Bayonne, New Jersey on September 20, 1948. Who knew a Jersey boy could write like that?

 

[Southern Presbyterian]

What about Fred Saberhagen? I thought his Book of Swords series was thoroughly entertaining. I will admit that is probably geared toward a 18-20 year old audience, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Besides, who wants to grow up anyway?

 

[bookslover]

Now, if you like fantasy with lots of history thrown in, there's the wonderful Neal Hutchinson...

 

[Augusta]

What about Fred Saberhagen? I thought his Book of Swords series was thoroughly entertaining. I will admit that is probably geared toward a 18-20 year old audience, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Besides, who wants to grow up anyway?

I enjoyed the Sword books Saberhagen also when I was younger. His Sci-Fi Berserker series was even better.

 

[Witsius]

Hello all:
Read Fantasy (and some SF) for many years (still have c.4,000), but basically stopped in '97, as it was becoming a major distraction.
Tolkien of course is/was the best.
Jordan...well, I read the first five, and was really intrigued when he began to mix in the sf, but I just don't see the value in 1,000 pp novels that seem to never end (my son, howev er, has read up to v.10!).
Donaldson, I really enjoyed in high school, and quoted him in my Social Studies essays. I really liked the leporsy/land motif. I only read the first set, however, and have no interest in the rest.
Goodkind (v.1) was a pleasant read, but seemed too outre, and I just couldn't get into another neverending series (and I used to be a Ayn Rand afficianado and never saw the connection?).
Eddings (I read both initial sets) was forgettable fantasy-lite but fast reads (which I appreciate, eg. in suspense, etc. like Crichton).
My favourite - in my younger years - was heroic fantasy (a la Lin Carter, Burroughs, Howard, etc.) and classical stuff like Lord Dunsany, William Morris, A. E. Merritt, etc. (and Andre Norton in sf).
Michael Moorcock was also a favourite in my younger years, when I read all of his that I could get my hands on (I enjoyed his hero being incarnated in various aspects of the multivberse - esp. Hawkmoon, and Corum - c.40 titles), as well as Roger Zelazny (Amber, first five, and other non-series). In my second phase, I liked the Philip Jose Farmer version which linked all his heroes back to an asteroid crash - Tarzan, Riverworld, Tiers, etc., - think: League of Extraordinary Gentleman). While my later true appreciation fell on C. J. Cherryh (mostly sf), an extraordinary writer. I also appreciated David Weber, and D. Feintuch, Harry Turtledove, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Julie (J.V.) Jones, Julian May, Barbara Hambly, and Cheryl Franklin among the newer ranks.
As for George Martin, he originally wrote sf, so though I looked at A Game of Thrones, I never tried it out. Thanks for the heads-up on him, etexas, I'll see if I have the time and resources to try him out.
(btw, your description of his work sounds like the recommendation I have heard for Gene Wolfe's stuff, which I had a hard time with.)

 

[Grymir]

Wowee Etexas, I haven't read in years this kind of stuff. Philosophy has been my forte'. But maybe it's time again. CalvinandHodges, your post interested me. Ayn Rand is perhaps my favorite philosopher to read, and your mention of Tery Goodkind got me thinkin' it time again to read. And with her novels, ie Atlas Shrugged, does that count as fantasy?

Etexas, I really enjoyed Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné series, also his Corum, though not as good as Elric. Roger Zelazney's The Chronicles of Amber series was also very good. Lesser favorites were the Camber of Culdi series by Katherine Kurtz, of which I only read the first 3 with interest, by the 5th book it became lame, the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant 6 book series by Stephen Donaldson, and of course the Sword of Shanara series. But Elric was my favorite next to Tolkien. I must be showing my age, as these are older books.

Good topic!

 

[CalvinandHodges]

Wowee Etexas, I haven't read in years this kind of stuff. Philosophy has been my forte'. But maybe it's time again. CalvinandHodges, your post interested me. Ayn Rand is perhaps my favorite philosopher to read, and your mention of Tery Goodkind got me thinkin' it time again to read. And with her novels, ie Atlas Shrugged, does that count as fantasy?

Etexas, I really enjoyed Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné series, also his Corum, though not as good as Elric. Roger Zelazney's The Chronicles of Amber series was also very good. Lesser favorites were the Camber of Culdi series by Katherine Kurtz, of which I only read the first 3 with interest, by the 5th book it became lame, the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant 6 book series by Stephen Donaldson, and of course the Sword of Shanara series. But Elric was my favorite next to Tolkien. I must be showing my age, as these are older books.

Good topic!

Hi:

Goodkind is an intelligent read. Richard, the protagonist, is on a par with Howard Roark, and, especially, John Gault. As the series progresses the Randian influence becomes more apparent. A major figure who appears is the Emperor Jagang (one whom Rand would label as a brute, a "mystic of muscle"), and Brother Narev (Rand would label him a witch doctor, a "mystic of spirit"). As I read Rand it is the witch doctor (one who represents organized religion) who gives power to the brute. Consequently, enslaving the whole human race under the illogical premises of altruism:

What is the moral code of altruism? The basic principle of altruism is that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that service to others is the only justification of his existence, and that self-sacrifice is his highest moral duty, virtue and value, - Ayn Rand.

As products of the split between man's soul and body, there are two kinds of teachers of the Morality of Death: the mystics of spirit and the mystics of muscle, whom you call the spiritualists and the materialists, those who believe in consciousness without existence and those who believe in existence without consciousness. Both demand the surrender of your mind, one to their revelations, the other to their reflexes. No matter how loudly they posture in the roles of irreconcilable antagonists, their moral codes are alike, and so are their aims: in matter - the enslavement of man's body, in spirit - he destruction of his mind. - Ayn Rand.

I think Rand considered her novels to be fiction and not fantasy. If you take up Wizard's First Rule you will not be dissappointed.

Blessings,

-CH

PS. Raymond Feist has a good series out, and I enjoyed Ann McCaffery's Dragon series as well - though the titles of both escape me.

-RPW

 

[Grymir]

Oh yea, The Dragon Riders of Pern. Oh the memories that are being dragged up! Thanks CalvinandHodges for the analysis. I'll 'pick up and read'

 

[ANT]

I'll probably get some rotten tomatoes thrown at me for this but, I enjoy Piers Anthony myself. I find his use of puns humourous.

At one point in my life ... I think I owned over 50 Piers Anthony books ... I always enjoyed his writing ...

 

[Wannabee]

What about Fred Saberhagen? I thought his Book of Swords series was thoroughly entertaining. I will admit that is probably geared toward a 18-20 year old audience, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Besides, who wants to grow up anyway?

I did too... about 20-something years ago.

I enjoyed Eddings as well. It's been a while, but I couldn't put them down back then.

"Camber of Culdi series by Katherine Kurtz" was fun and had a somewhat new twist to it with all the religioucity.

The Sword of Shanara series was good as well.

I found the Dragonriders of Pern series too pessimistic for some reason. I couldn't put a finger on it, but always came away from the books with a somber attitude.


I had forgotten many of these. It's been a long time since I read much fiction, except for a couple of G. A. Henty books with the family. Thanks for the ride down memory lane. Hmmm, I didn't know I was old enough for a memory lane...

 

[etexas]

I have not read Jordan but I had a similar impression of Martin when I tried to read him. I did not finish the book.

Honestly I find his work work far from crude (there is more realism than some current writers and I will even grant that sometimes this approach will set elements which a few people might find offensive at some level) that said I do not equate elements of "literary realism" with being crude. as far as being banal, there is a great depth in his writing, in point of fact, many literary critics (who are not even fantasy buffs) have commended the scope and intensity of his writing, despite not liking the genre.

Maybe I did not give it enough of a chance.

Hi Scott! I really DO think you should give Martin another shot! See if Novel 1 :"A Game of Thrones" is in a local Library, don't even check it out! Just read the Prologue and Chapter one with an open mind and tell me if you can walk out without the book in your hand!

 

[Kenneth_Murphy]

I am avoiding reading Martin as I don't like stories where everyone is morally gray, which is what I've heard about his series.

I've enjoyed a lot of the authors mentioned here so far. I've also enjoyed the first Dragonlance Novels and especially the Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman. I also have enjoyed Salvatore's Drizzit character and Edding's stories about Sparhawk the grumpy knight.

 

[etexas]

I am avoiding reading Martin as I don't like stories where everyone is morally gray, which is what I've heard about his series.

I've enjoyed a lot of the authors mentioned here so far. I've also enjoyed the first Dragonlance Novels and especially the Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman. I also have enjoyed Salvatore's Drizzit character and Edding's stories about Sparhawk the grumpy knight.

Morally Gray? Don't belive everything you hear.

 

[ChristianHedonist]

I am avoiding reading Martin as I don't like stories where everyone is morally gray, which is what I've heard about his series.

I've enjoyed a lot of the authors mentioned here so far. I've also enjoyed the first Dragonlance Novels and especially the Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman. I also have enjoyed Salvatore's Drizzit character and Edding's stories about Sparhawk the grumpy knight.

If anyone wants to read good fantasy that is not morally gray but is written with a reformed Christian world view, you definitely have to check out L. B. Grahams "Binding of the Blade" series, it is my favorite second only to The Lord of the Rings.

 

[Scott]

Honestly I find his work work far from crude (there is more realism than some current writers and I will even grant that sometimes this approach will set elements which a few people might find offensive at some level) that said I do not equate elements of "literary realism" with being crude. as far as being banal, there is a great depth in his writing, in point of fact, many literary critics (who are not even fantasy buffs) have commended the scope and intensity of his writing, despite not liking the genre.

Maybe I did not give it enough of a chance.

Hi Scott! I really DO think you should give Martin another shot! See if Novel 1 :"A Game of Thrones" is in a local Library, don't even check it out! Just read the Prologue and Chapter one with an open mind and tell me if you can walk out without the book in your hand!

I believe I read several chapters before putting it down. That was the book I had.

 

[A5pointer]

Did anyone say David Hunt?

 

[RamistThomist]

Terry Brooks was good, but sort of told the same story every novel.

Eddings was an excellent intro.

Tad Williams is good, relatively creative. Not much cussing. Does'nt objectivy women. Not perfect read, though.

Big Robert Howard fan here.

 

[RamistThomist]

Maybe I did not give it enough of a chance.

Hi Scott! I really DO think you should give Martin another shot! See if Novel 1 :"A Game of Thrones" is in a local Library, don't even check it out! Just read the Prologue and Chapter one with an open mind and tell me if you can walk out without the book in your hand!

I believe I read several chapters before putting it down. That was the book I had.

I felt the same way (read the same amount). Everyone seemed sexually active (the authors' descriptions didn't leave much to the imagination). I browsed through a few later novels and the language didn't get any better.

 

[Grymir]

Conan!!!

And just think, the books were better that the movie!! Perhaps the best fantasy movie ever!

 

[Scott]

Hi Scott! I really DO think you should give Martin another shot! See if Novel 1 :"A Game of Thrones" is in a local Library, don't even check it out! Just read the Prologue and Chapter one with an open mind and tell me if you can walk out without the book in your hand!

I believe I read several chapters before putting it down. That was the book I had.

I felt the same way (read the same amount). Everyone seemed sexually active (the authors' descriptions didn't leave much to the imagination). I browsed through a few later novels and the language didn't get any better.

Yeah, I think I quit at some point where a brother was threatening to submit his sister to gross sexual humiliation.

 

[etexas]

I believe I read several chapters before putting it down. That was the book I had.

I felt the same way (read the same amount). Everyone seemed sexually active (the authors' descriptions didn't leave much to the imagination). I browsed through a few later novels and the language didn't get any better.

Yeah, I think I quit at some point where a brother was threatening to submit his sister to gross sexual humiliation.

Without giving too much away....yes there was an unholy brother sister relationship, (there is NO description) they produce an "heir" this is actually a plot element, as both of these POV characters are evil (esp. the sister) who wishes the product of the union to take the Throne, the efforts to do this, keep the ungodly secret (described as ungodly in the novel itself) leads to murder, mayhem,madness and war, it is actually an accurate feel of sin and evil that has spiraled out of control.

 

[Scott]

For those of you interested in fantasy, you might be interested in the free reading of Michael Stackpole's fantasy novel Fortress Draconis, available throughiTunes. It is read by the author. Stackpole is a NY Times bestselling author. I did not get into the Fortress Draconis novel after giving a few chapters but it sounds like some of you guys might like it.

Just go to the iTunes stores and do a search for Fortress Draconis.