Book recommendation, please!?

[Levitas]

This is as good of place as any I suppose. I want to know what my local vapers are reading! I need a new Fantasy series to read, preferably something dark and gritty. Adult themed, if possible (does not have to have rape and sexual context), but I am a big fan of battle scenes and main protaganists dying.

I've read a little so far, based off of what I have, can anyone recommend something for me? Thanks in advance!

Dragonlance Weis & Hickmann
Nearly all of them, the original 3, the twins series, all of the way building up through the War of Souls series. Every book with Raistlin in it

Drizz't Do Urden Salvatore
All of them, that are currently out.

Monarchies of God Paul Kearney

Shannara Series Brooks
Most of them, the original 3 and the 3 with the later ancestors.

Coldfire Trilogy Friedman

Riftwar Saga Feist
All of them, including the 2 after dealing with Arutha's sons.

Wheel of Time Jordan
I've only read the prelude, or prequel of the first book, called New Spring

The Black Company Cook
Only the first book.

Lord of the Rings Tolkein
All, including the Hobbit


And, that's about it. I might have read something else and forgot about it, lol! Based off of these titles, does anyone have any suggestions for me? I really enjoyed Kearneys work, and Feist was really enjoyable as well.

It doesn't have to be overly complex, but it can be! I like detail, but I love action and MAGIC! Any help is indeed appreciated!

 

[Tasselhoff]

Hi Levitas; Try this.
Amazon.com: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) (9780553573404): George R.R. Martin: Books

 

[Streetrat]

Necroscope series by Brian Lumley

Magic : the gathering series.. Various authors..starting with Artifacts Cycle

Deathgate series..another Weis Hickman series outside the Dragonlance universe

 

[usamare]

The wheel of Time Series. Great story. Gets a bit drawn out after book five (The Fires of Heaven) but it draws you in and is very long.
--The audio books for this series are very well narrated, so keep that in mind as an option.

A Story of Ice and Fire. A game of thrones, A clash of Kings, Storm of Swords. Very complex story and writing. Very little magic, but it does well as is. Loosely based on the historic war of the roses.
--The audio books for the first three are very well narrated. For book four A feast of Crows, there is a different narrator, so just read that one when you get to it.

The First Law series. Begins with The Blade Itself. A trilogy with good story, blood, and profanity.
--The audio books for this trilogy are the best I've heard, well worth the trouble to get your hands on them.

I have an ebook reader that I put to good use, but the audiobooks for these series are done so well that I have to recommend giving a listen as well.

 

[cappadoc]

WE have very similar tastes in books.

I agree with Game of Thrones. Excellent story.

Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince is decent.

I love Katherine Kurtz's Camber of Culdi and Deryni books were good, but I read them a long time ago.

Raymond Feist's Conclave of Shadows and Serpentwar saga books are god as well.

 

[Streetrat]

I have to 2nd The First Law series as well....really good trilogy

 

[Levitas]

Wow, I was not expecting this many results so quickly! Thank you all!

Man, I've had my eye on Martin's Song of Fire & Ice for literally years. I don't know why I just don't try it! Adding it to the list of future purchases.

I just read the description of the first book in the Necroscope series, it does sound pretty interesting. I'm adding that to the list as well.

Kurtz was another one that I have been looking at for years now. In fact, the last time I went to purchase a book (which was a while ago), I was stuck between Kurtz and Friedman and obviously, I bought the Coldfire Trilogy, which is fantastic by the way. I am adding Kurtz to the list.

Well, I did really enjoy the Riftwar Saga, so there's no reason why I don't already own those other workings of Feist, on the list they go!

I've got 2 for 'The First Law' series, so on the list it goes.

This is awesome! Thanks guys, really, I appreciate it! I've no idea which I'll buy first? I might start off with the Feist titles, since it's an author I am already familiar with. But, I've had Song of Fire and Ice in my sights for so long. Either way, I'm getting something!!!

Keep em coming! I read a lot! Mostly the same stuff over and over again, lol.

 

[Streetrat]

I suggest an e reader of some sort as well... I have about 600 books on my Nook color... I rarely go anywhere without it.

 

[incantius]

all 3 series Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson are awesome Amazon.com: thomas covenant: Books as are the Belgariad & Mallorean series by David Eddings Amazon.com: david eddings: Books

 

[Levitas]

I suggest an e reader of some sort as well... I have about 600 books on my Nook color... I rarely go anywhere without it.

Call me old fashion, but, I cannot see myself using one of those things. I LOVE the smell of a new book, lol! There's just something about holding the book and flipping the pages that makes it more appealing to me. Guess I am just old fashioned afterall.

all 3 series Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson are awesome Amazon.com: thomas covenant: Books as are the Belgariad & Mallorean series by David Eddings Amazon.com: david eddings: Books

What are they about, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[cappadoc]

DOH!
I forgot about David Eddings. His books are great. They are about an immortal wizard and his daughter who are trying to put balance in the world. They wait centuries for a boy to be born who will unite their world. They are wonderful! He has several series. I have read The Mallorean and The Belgariad. I also really liked The Redemption of Althalus.
Steven Donaldson is more of a Christian themed fantasy. Long time since I read them. Good, but not great, IMHO.

 

[incantius]

the Thomas Covenant series start with a Leper named Thomas Covenant that is transported into "The Land" where health & magic exist together as a force and life used by the people of the Land. Thomas Covenant is received as being a reincarnation of Berek Halfhand, one of the Land's most beloved forefathers and the first of the people to use Earthpower and it's magic.

the David Eddings' series begin with the fulfilling of a prophecy regarding the return of the last King of the Isles (which I won't get into since there's a nice plot that begins the story.).

needless to say both of these are fantasy genre and well worth the read. one of my other favorite authors is Piers Anthony. if you don't like the fun-filled, pun riddled Xanth series, he has written several other more serious fantasy series (i.e. the Adept series & the Tarot series). check them out. if you like Feist, there's almost no way you wouldn't like these (i'm a big fan of Feist's Krondor series )

 

[webgeek]

I'll second Steven R. Donaldson and George R.R. Martin for gritty, especially Martin. Tad Williams is another good one; just finished the Shadowmarch trilogy, and it's pretty good. Donaldson also wrote two books called, I think, A Man Rides Through and The Mirror of Her Dreams. Can't remember which ones first, but they're good. Less grim than most of Donaldson's other stuff. The guy who's finishing The Wheel of Time is Brandon Sanderson. He's got several other books out and they're excellent. Last one I'll mention is Terry Goodkind. I'm ambivalent about his series, The Sword of Truth, myself, but lots of people like him. Too much objectivist preaching for me in the latter books. Got old.

 

[Tendril]

Lord of the Rings Tolkein
All, including the Hobbit

Wait wait wait wait wait - You're looking for more to read and all you've read of Tolkien is The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit?? I suggest checking out Children of Hurin, which should spark your interest in The Silmarillion and maybe soon-enough you'll find yourself so far down the rabbit-hole you're reading book twelve of The History of Middle Earth But also, he has some wonderful translations of semi-ancient lays from the far-north

 

[Chemcat]

I'm a big fantasy reader myself. I'd have to agree with the "Song of Ice and Fire" series by George R. R. Martin and The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie, very, very good. I also like Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Shadows of the Apt" series, Jacqueline Carey's "Kushiel Leagacy" series, Matthew Stover's "Acts of Caine" series (awesome!), Brent Week's "The Night Angel Trilogy" and Patrick Rothfuss's "The Kingkiller Chronicles".

If you like urban fantasy you might want to check out Jim Butcher's "The Dresden Files" (the TV series sucked but the books are terrific), and Kim Harrison's "The Hollows" series (very funny and entertaining series about a modern witch with a vampire roommate and a badass pixy bodyguard)

 

[Levitas]

Wow, this is fantastic!

I was actually looking to try out that David Eddings series, but I have to wait until funds are better. I've got so much stuff to try out! I will pick them apart from what might tickle my fancy the most and move on to the next and so on.

Thank you to everyone who contributed and don't hesitate to add more! I always want a good book to read

 

[webgeek]

I'll second Chemcat's Rothfuss suggestion. The Kingkiller Chronicles is excellent. The Eddings stuff is pretty good, but I found it a bit young-ish when I read it as an adult. Neil Gaiman has several modern fantasies that are very good. The Anansi Boys and American Gods. Since you've already read some of Terry Brooks, I'll offer up the Knight of the Word trilogy; modern fantasy. McAffrey's Dragonriders of Pern (at least the first three) are good, too. A couple of classics that I can think of that are good reads are T.H. White's Once and Future King and anything Lovecraft.

 

[Loveridden]

If u like adult themed fantasy, you may want to check out Laurell K. Hamilton's series, especially the Meredith Gentry series....love it...

Also check out the Otherland series by Tad Williams.....another fav...

 

[Cassie]

Laurell K Hamilton FTW! She lives here in St. Louis, out in West County. I've read all her books! I love the Anita Blake : Vampire Executioner books and the Meredith Gentry ones too. Love both series =) The first Anita book is pretty mild as far as "adult situations" go but after that its a pretty wild ride LOL
Lots of Fae and magic in the Meredith Gentry Series.
All her books are based here in St Louis as well so It's really cool when she mentions different areas =)

If u like adult themed fantasy, you may want to check out Laurell K. Hamilton's series, especially the Meredith Gentry series....love it...

Also check out the Otherland series by Tad Williams.....another fav...

 

[Dirgon]

+1 for Song of Ice and Fire

I started reading them about a month ago and COULD NOT put them down until I finished the 5th. The downside is, except for the 3rd book, the author (George R.R. Martin) has taken 5-6 years between books, and there's still two more before the series is finished.

That's actually a HUGE downside if you get into the story, because once you start you won't want to put it down until you've seen the conclusion.

The story, the characters, the world... you can tell the author has put a LOT of time and effort into it all. The characters are so diverse and real, the things they do, their secrets and hidden back stories, you'll either love them or hate them early on and later on you may completely reverse your feelings. The books feel REAL. The hero doesn't slay the dragon and get the girl and the world is put to rights, it's a brutal, harsh reality and bad stuff happens CONSTANTLY.

I've heard great things about the first three Kushiel books (but heard the following 3 aren't that good) and they're on my nook, but I haven't read them yet. Working on The Hunger Games trilogy, which is a young adult fantasy/sci-fi series and it's actually really, really bad, I'm not sure if I'm going to bother finishing it.

The Ender series isn't bad, either. Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind. Then you can also look into the Bean series, the first being Ender's Shadow, which is a retelling of Ender's Game from the perspective of another character, named Bean, and followed up with events immediately after Ender's Game involving Bean, where as Speaker through Children of the Mind takes place thousands of years following Game.

I personally loved Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, but Speaker through Children was too preachy and religious for me. ymmv


Harry Potter books are really good, too. I know they're young adult/teen lit, but I enjoyed them. Then again, I was a kid when the first one came out and I started the series, sooo.... yeah.