A Song of Ice and Fire

[kbtoy7891]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

To each his own. I get why people love Sanderson. I don't. I really do think he is the Tom Clancy of Fantasy. That's not an insult, but it does describe his approach to storytelling. It's not for everyone.

I never finished WHEEL OF TIME, but I have tried reading THE WAY OF KINGS a few times and just cannot get into it. But hey, to each his own.




It would be very hard for Goodking to finish this series. He died in 2020.

I had no idea about Goodkind! I used to read his books in the early 2000s. Ouch... Didn't realize he was up there in age.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by kbtoy7891

I had no idea about Goodkind! I used to read his books in the early 2000s. Ouch... Didn't realize he was up there in age.

He was only in his early 70s. Not exactly what I would call really old. I never heard exactly how he died, but I do know that in his later years, he did not look well at all.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

He was only in his early 70s. Not exactly what I would call really old. I never heard exactly how he died, but I do know that in his later years, he did not look well at all.

While we're on the topic of fantasy, since you don't like Sanderson, what are some of your favorite series and/or standalone books?

And... Anything you'd recommend? I don't care to read another LotR ripoff, or another "pilgrimage" to the "Land of Doom" or anything.
I enjoyed Demon Wars for what it was, specifically Salvatore's writing style. but similarly, looking for more than just another battle against a "Dark Lord." His Dark Elf Trilogy was a breath of fresh air.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

While we're on the topic of fantasy, since you don't like Sanderson, what are some of your favorite series and/or standalone books?

And... Anything you'd recommend? I don't care to read another LotR ripoff, or another "pilgrimage" to the "Land of Doom" or anything.

I enjoyed Demon Wars for what it was, specifically Salvatore's writing style. but similarly, looking for more than just another battle against a "Dark Lord." His Dark Elf Trilogy was a breath of fresh air.

I'm with you. I adore THE LORD OF THE RINGS. One of my all-time favorite books. But I too am tired of all the copycat clones. I forewarn you: I have some very particular quirks with my reading tastes. Nine times out of ten, I don't care for first person narrative. Anachronism makes me crazy. Some of my favorite reads in the Fantasy genre:

WATERSHIP DOWN. Yes, it is THE AENEID with bunny rabbits. Don't care. It's genius. Beautifully written, expertly paced, and with better characterization in the rabbits than I read in a lot of modern fiction.

Robert E. Howard's CONAN stories. Yes, Howard was the king of purple prose. His stories certainly would make many modern readers run to their safety spaces. But I enjoy the unapologetic primal power of his stories. The stories are not deep and never try to be. They are adventure stories and that's it.

I really liked THE WATERBORN and THE BLACKGOD by J. Gregory Keyes. I think this two-book series was seriously hurt by some seriously bad covers, but it was a great story that broke the mold of typical Fantasy settings.

The MEMORY, SORROW, AND THORN series by Tad Williams. Start with THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR. I will forewarn you that there is not much "original" here. I describe this series as the SILVERADO of Fantasy. It isn't original because it isn't trying to be. It is taking all the beloved tropes of the genre and just trying to do them well --- which Williams does. And in terms of quality prose, he is one of the best modern Fantasy writers out there.

I enjoyed Martin's SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series. At least the first three books, which are as far as I have read. Great characters. Probably the best pacing of any modern Fantasy author. I personally don't buy into his cynical post-modern worldview, but it doesn't spoil the soup for me. I don't think Martin will ever finish the series, but while you're waiting, go check out A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS collection. Wow, I love these. They actually remind me a lot of the TV shows I grew up watching where the hero would have a new adventure every week. Every novella in A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS does that. And which may surprise many GAME OF THRONES readers, Dunk and Egg are true heroes. Like stand up and cheer heroes.

I will confess the Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME series is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. I agree with everything the critics say. Jordan was not a particularly good writer of prose. His pacing borders on the turgid. He descriptions are repetitive, wordy, and repetitive. He writes relationships on a middle school level. There is definitely a mid-series "slog." But ... I still enjoyed it. Definitely a guilty pleasure.

And not really "Fantasy," but readers of Fantasy should certainly enjoy many of Rosemary Sutcliff's books. They were historic fiction and (I think) because she never went into gory detail on the sex and violence in the stories they tended to get classified as "Young Adult fiction." But the quality of her prose and depth of her characters were as good or better than anything you'll find amongst modern "adult" authors. I particularly recommend EAGLE OF THE NINTH, THE SILVER BRANCH, FRONTIER WOLF, and THE LANTERN BEARERS --- all of which are loosely connected, though not really a "series" per se. I also really liked SUN HORSE, MOON HORSE, though wow I am still shocked that book is recommended to children, because

Spoiler

the book ends with the main character being a willing human sacrifice

.