Altarial Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 I picked up Volume 1 of the Icewall Trilogy yesterday at the library and read it all last night. I had never heard of these books, but I really like them. I was looking the series up and found that there are tons of books. Any suggestions on what I should read next after I finish up this trilogy? I guess I've already started out of order, but I dunno how much that will really matter in the long run. Well, has anyone else even read these books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenith Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Chronicles... even though they are a 'simple read' (As an old friend of mine said, he wasn't a fan.) they are probably the best Fantasy books I have ever had a chance to lay my eyes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martok Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 ooo. Dragonlance! Raistlin!!!!! I suggest starting out with Spellforce (or spellbound?) It was written after most of the other Dragonlance books, but was written as a prequel to Dragons of Autumn Twilight. That was the first of the "good" Dragonlance books. *edit* Its Soulforge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhoach Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 I agree with Zenith. Chronicles is definitely the best place to start. Also probably the best series, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martok Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Ya'll liked the chronicles? Hrm... did not care for those as much..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altarial Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 Thanks guys, I'll look for the Chronicles after I finish up the Icewall trilogy. But I guess it depends mostly on what the libraries near me have in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 I managed to pick up Chronicles for five bucks at the book store since they were overstocked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumblebore Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Used book stores. Treasure troves just waiting to be opened. And you can usually get books there for real cheap. Other series I liked a Lot: The Adept Series by Katherine Kurtz. This is about the modern day world where "Adepts" exist, sort of Templars of old with mystical powers, but very subdued in ability and read like a detective novel most of the time. An interesting change from standard Fantasy fare. The Seventh Sword series by Dave Duncan (The Seventh Sword, The coming of Wisdom, the Destiny of the Sword) This is my favorite series of all time. It is a must read from book 1 to 3 in order. It starts as a "Transplant" series, where the hero comes from "our" world into "The World". He interacts with a Demi-god, has miracles performed for him, and is given as quest as a Swordsman(with all a swordsman's abilities) to complete. It starts as fantasy, but ends in book three as an entirely different genre, yet retains the Fantasy theme. This is one of those that to go into too much detail is to ruin the twist that takes place in the story and makes the ending so satisfying. However, many people I have spoken to about this didn't think as highly of it as I do. Oh well. Dennis McKiernan - Midgard Novels Too many here to list, but a good example of the series is found in the book The Dragonstone. Structurally, you start in a town with an elf and another woman/swordswoman looking for a specific man (with 1 eye). They find 2 who match that description and thus begins to unfold they are on a quest based on a rede (vision) that the elf received, and they are trying to gather the people in the vision to accomplish something with the Dragonstone. Finding it is one of the things they have to do. The book takes you through about 3 years of time (as I recall) and finding people, finding clues, figuring out what to do and where to go. It can get plodding at times, and the task seems hopeless because the path they need to take is so obscure. But in the end, they do arrive at the destination of the dragonstone, but only after you travel the world of Mithgar and visit places well created and distinct. I tried to read the books based on when they were first published and found that was a very good idea. The entire series actually takes place over thousands of years, and many characters are able to live that long, so there is a continuity to the stories. It is NOT required, but do not read SilverWolf, BlackFalcon until after you have read all others in the series. That book draws all the others to a conclusion. Just a few of my favorites.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altarial Posted July 22, 2004 Author Share Posted July 22, 2004 Thanks, Rummy, I'll look into those as well. The one I am reading atm (since I haven't been able to head to the library since I got the Dragonlance book) is called The Fifth Sorceress, by Robert Newcomb. It is the first book in a trilogy called The Chronicles of Blood and Stone. It's about good wizards and evil sorceresses, and is is a much longer read than the dragonlance book I got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martok Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 Don't forget about The Dark Elf Trilogy or the Icewind Dale Trilogy too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balandar Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Yes, I read the Dragon Lance books for about 4 or 5 years... until they no longer produced them as fast as I read them. Then I moved onto a much much better series of books. The Forgotten Realms. Dragonlance can't compete with FR. http://www.rasalvatore.com/bookstore.html?selection=4 (read them... well, maybe not in the following order, I would need to look that up again since there are around 20 books) The Dark Elf Trilogy The Icewind Dale Trilogy Drizzt & Friends Paths of Darkness The Hunter's Blades And that is just one fraction of the Forgotten Realms world (though the best noted fraction). I have read around 200 fantasy books total, almost all dragonlance and forgotten realms. The ones listed above I have read around 2 - 3 times each. For another good series of 7 books (8 now) is the Demon Wars Saga by Salvatore (read those 3 times each). There are 7 books and then an 8th he just released that is a prelude the other 7 (I just started reading this one last week). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhoach Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 I actually felt the opposite way. Read FR first, liked 'em ok. Then read Dragonlance that, in my opinion, blew FR away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balandar Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 I actually felt the opposite way. Read FR first, liked 'em ok. Then read Dragonlance that, in my opinion, blew FR away. I should have clarified better. The DL stories are good, but the writing skills of the authors suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhoach Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Well, I disagree, as how good the story is depends on the author in the first place . But here is not the place to discuss FR vs. DL, lest we hijack the thread. I'll say no more about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altarial Posted July 24, 2004 Author Share Posted July 24, 2004 Haha, well I like hearing what you guys have to say about those books. On with the hijacking! I did notice that the DL book I read went by VERY fast. I liked the story, but there was a definite lack of detail that I am used to. I've read all the Tolkien books, so those books kind of set my standard for fantasy books, which is a pretty high standard I am really impressed with that other book I mentioned, though, The Fifth Sorceress, by Robert Newcomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonjam Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 i have read almost all of the books..heehehe tanisvan is named after tanis the elven ranger...the dark elf trilogy is by far the best and ive read them all..dritzz rocks...the original chronicles were nice but i found the story of raistlin and the whole dragon war saga a little dark for my tastes..i recommend raymond e feist..or david eddings..excellent authors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meffio Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Another great set to read the the Dragon Prince and Sunrunner from the author Melinie Rawn. Gives a whole new twist on magic and has a great story line. They are some good reading and they are not small books....shortest book is 580 pages long. She is one of mty favorite authors and will give ya a few good days of reading enjoyment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumblebore Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 While many series are written and many authors offer variety - these are series I recall and would recommend, not just as mental fare, but some as just plain fun - Sci-Fi or Fantasy, or both! Jack Chalker: Demons at Rainbow Bridge (90’s)– Sci FI – 3 different political forces in the galaxy, each with its own pool of Psi-talents, receive a distress call saying “Demons at Rainbow Bridge”. It is an interesting series of how each competitive Poli-forces uses the races from within their portion of the galaxy with Psi Talent to uncover what this message means and confront the power of these “Demons”. And the "demons" are nasty buggers. River of the Dancing Gods (80’s)– Not a head thumper, but it is another transplant book. Joe and Marge are brought across the river of dreams to another world, where magic is real and run by rules. Huge volumes of rules. Joe becomes a warrior, and marge……. Well – she changes quite a bit. Together, they set out in each book to stop something. The humor in this series includes a thief who gets addicted to Gilligans Island, and falls hopelessly in love with Mary Ann……… (This is just fun reading, and the rules can drive you batty). 4 Lords of the Diamond (70’s)– Sci Fi – 4 worlds are discovered in deep probe, and they are settled. Only to find that each world has a specific microbe that permanently alters the physiology of the humans settling there, and to leave the planet for even a short period of time kills the people. Once you are there, you are there for life. On one world, you can manipulate matter to differing degrees, on another, you swap minds, on another, magic-like effects are possible, etc. A spy is sent in on a one way mission – to EACH of the 4 worlds! He is to uncover a growing suspicion that the 4 Lords of the Diamond are moving to take over the government of the human collective! David Farland The Runelords – Fantasy – Relatively new series - Magic comes in different forms. The main focus of these stories is how individuals can “bequeath” stamina, senses (eyesight, smell,) vitality, strength, Mind, etc to others, but the process renders the giver impotent with that ability. People who give endowments of Mind become drooling vegetables. Givers of Strength become too weak to do anything. Givers of vitality become susceptible to any disease or cut. When these givers die, the endowment ceases. So maintaining the lives of those givers is essential. War has come to the land and armies of endowed people ravage each other. Chief among the opponents is one man with literally THOUSANDS of endowments. The magic of nature is also being disrupted by another force, and the world stands on the brink of destruction. This series is not like others in that the endowments make an almost sci-fi kind of factor, while all the other forces and creatures out there are “magical”, even the bugs exude chemical and pheromonal effects that produce a field of “magic”. Quite a different way of looking at what magic is. Don’t be surprised, because there is “normal” magic in the world too. A developing story that I am following. Terry Goodkind The Sword of Truth - Fantasy – Pure fantasy, with only a precious few mages left. This series keeps making things harder and harder on the main characters, and they have to go through a hell of a lot to come out the other side. Each book is 1000+ pages in paperback. Start with book 1 and read them through. J.V. Jones The Book of Words trilogy - Fantasy – Magic abounds as the Bakers boy seems to get caught up in things way over his head. But he has no magic, yet seems fated to be present at the final event. How can he make any kind of difference? This was just another fantasy series, but I found it good at the time. I havent returned to it yet. The Baker's Boy A Man Betrayed Master and Fool Guy Gavriel Kay The Fionavar Tapestry - Fantasy – Arthurian Legend-based, Bad things happen to good people. Read these anyways. Julian May The Saga of the Pliocene Exiles (80's) - SCI-FI - A one-way door to the Pliocene Era of the past has been uncovered and exploited, and undesirables from the future world in which this door exists are sent there, only to discover that the world is NOT uninhabited. A race exists back there, and they like their society the way it is…….Yet some few people with mental ability seem to be able to adapt to this world, while others…do not. This series also ties in with another series about people with mental abilities who seem intent on taking over the future world. – I do not recal the name of that series. The Many-Colored Land The Golden Torc The Nonborn King The Adversary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vexica Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 I have read lot of the dragonlance books, almost all of them. I have to say though that there is some better stuff out there. I dont care for much of the stuff that is not done by Weiss and Hickman. If you are looking for a great read that is non-dragonlance if you like twists and turns, the seires is called "a song of fire and ice". I dont think that this is an "easy read" at all. The first book is called "A Game of thrones" if I remember right. It's by George RR Martin. He takes forever to put out a new book but it is well worth the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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