Hi,
I've recently finished reading Wheel of Time (the whole 12k pages, 14.5 book series), and I'm in need of a good read to sate my soul.
I would be very glad to hear recommendations for epic fantasy, a finished series, with 2000 pages at least (split into 2-3 books, of course [or more]).
I keep an open mind about sci-fi as well.
Thanks :)
Dragonlance series should keep you busy for alittle while. :)~
Inheritance series is really good.
(Brandon Sanderson) Mistborn Trilogy and its spin off are amazing as well.
Artemis Fowl series is a hilarious fantasy series.
I got the Mistborn trilogy, looks promising.
Inheritance, there are 3 series with that name according to wiki, 2 fantasy and one sci-fi, which did you mean?
Thanks, looks nice.
Flesh & Bone Trilogy, The first book is called Necromancers Gambit. It's a really good series definitely worth a read.
I'll check it, thanks.
If you are speaking of Brandon Sanderson, his Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive) is a very decent one to look at. Brandon Sanderson is a great middle ground for any reader as he has everything that most authors wish they had. A new take on writing and world building that can even make cliches feel new and inviting, as well as very good character progression. His novellas are amazing reads and I haven't found any books that proves otherwise.
Steven Erikson's Book of the Malazan Fallen series: (Completed)
Very detailed and character rich environment. Just as dark and brooding as George R.R. Martin, but a different take in story telling. As Martin focuses more on an immediate point of view perspective (inside->out), Erikson is more of a switch (outside->in) in how focus towards the plot goes. Erikson is actually further reaching and encompassing than Jordan's masterpiece but is also technically harder of a read. I personally found it amazing, but the first novel, Gardens of the Moon, might be a hard book to start on. I suggest it heavily as a favorite, but such points are subjective.
Series completed, one novella series that acts as a standalone, another series by his co-creator of the world in question, Ian C Esslemont, and an extra trilogy (currently writing) that delves into the past by a few thousand years. The quality of the books holds true throughout.
Patrick Rothfuss, Name of the Wind (Incomplete 2/3)
He has two books in the trilogy out, and the only thing you will hate me for suggesting this is when you are impatiently waiting for his third book once you read the first two. It is a magnificent book that completely belies the fact that it was his first. Read the reviews and you will see what I mean. It is like a high rated IMDB movie, it took the attention of many for very decent reasons. Good story, inventive setting, characters and magic systems, and very nice pacing and progression.
Jim Butcher, Codex Alera series (completed)
Writer of the well known Dresden files. His first two books of the Dresden files were hard reads as he was learning and progressing as a writer. In Codex Alera, he took everything he learned and delved into a sensible fantasy story that was well fleshed out and very decent. A very good series to read and enjoy.
Adrian Tchaikovsky: Shadows of the apt (Incomplete, but well into the series)
British author with a decent number of books in the series, but not enough to stop you from trying. Very decent story with good characters and an interesting concept. It is not my absolute favorite, but the series was very enjoyable
I have more I can suggest, but I think I will stop for now. Hope any of them picks your fancy.
Thanks for the detailed reply!
I very much appreciate it!
I will look into the completed ones first, tired of waiting years and years.
Just started Mistborn, I think I will mix it up, read several things at once.
I will check all your recommendations. I started Sword of Shadows by J V Jones (someone else recommended), read a couple of chapters, but its very violent, very quickly, and I'm a bit deterred, not into the violence for the sake of violence, and really, I know none of the characters yet, it's just the start. But I might continue, there's something promising about it.
I think I'll check Malazan Fallen first, sounds interesting.
The malazan one is violent, but is also quite human and humane. It isn't nasty just for the sake of being nasty, as Martin and others like to be, but in a more whimsical but dark/realistic way. For me it delves more into human nature, more so than most authors I have read. Just be forewarned, first book can be difficult to follow, but the more you read, the easier it comes to you. I can't really promise you will like it, but when you get into it, it won't let you put it down. (edit/ps forgot to mention that the first third of book 3 or 4 or so was very hard to stomach as you read in the person's pov, and you don't get any more dark and twisted than how that started, so be forewarned that parts will make you uncomfortable in certain parts of the series).
To give you a taste, the bauchelain and korbal broach novellas might be an interesting start to give you a taste of his prose and train of thought. Premise follows a determinately sophisticated demonologist and a necromancer/serial-killer eunuch with child like tendencies as they gallivant across the world (that takes place in the Malazan universe/story) doing what they wish.
Another suggestion I would give is one that isn't as much series based. This would be novels by Robert Heinlein. Writer of Starship Troopers, Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land, etc. My personal favorite is Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It has a very unique point of view and written dialect/sling that increases immersion.
What makes the old guard of science fiction so interesting is that they were great thinkers, writers, and were also politically savvy before people were horribly politically biased and arrogant on average. Most of his novels, particularly mid to late, were concerning how society can turn or go wrong. His early books were more young adult based (and no, no twilight-like y.a.), his middle writings were his classics, and his later books were... well he was near end of life and quite cooky. I would stop at around starship troopers towards stranger in a strange land and don't waste your time with cat who walks through walls.
The next on that list is the most well known Isaac Asimov, the I robot series, as well as the Foundation series. Very decent books, in story, in characters, as well as politically and theoretically engrossing.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/David-Gemmell/e/B000AQ70T8/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Almost all of them are good reads, he had a gift for thinking big.
Almost forgot to mention the Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore. (long series, but somewhat standalone per set)
Quintessential fantasy, forgotten realms.
Robin Hobbs' series is also well known. (three of four trilogies completed)
I don't mind violence in books, I've read Ice and Fire, specifically in this J. V. Jones book (A Cavern of Black Ice, the first book in the Sword of Shadows series), it starts with someone being imaginatively tortured to death (from that character's pov), then switches to a girl being molested by her foster father, from her perspective... and that's how we're introduced into the book, you don't know the characters, you don't know the world, you're not invested in the series, just violence. So, gets you thinking if this is how it starts, what do we have to look forward to here.
I like the scale on the Erikson series, it's properly long (after coming from Wheel of Time), so I will check it out, and bare in mind your warnings, slow start, violent.
I have read a couple of Heinlein books, Time Enough for Love, and I Will Fear No Evil. The first was great, the latter not so much. Always meant to read more, perhaps his classics are the a good choice, been meaing to read Mood is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land.
I bought the Foundation books some years ago, intending to read them, but never got to it, I think Asimov will have to wait though, for now.
The one by Christopher Paolini. There are 4 books in the series.
I read 14 of Salvatore's Drizzt books, starting with Homeland, into Ice Wind Dale, and ending with Sea of Swords, when I finally gave up on it. Homeland is the best, with a few more excellent novels in the mix, mostly though, they were average, and
*SPOILERS SPOILERS*
I waited 14 books for that girl he saved in book 1 to come back, and when she finally does, he killed her, so I threw up my hands with RA Salvatore after that. That and that human villain who somehow is as good as Drizzt is (who himself is the best of all the dark elves), and that reluctance to kill him, cause, I dunno, he couldn't think up a better, new character (?!), that annoyed me some... sorry, ranting here.
END OF SPOILERS
As for Robin Hobb, I read all her books except for the Rain Wild series, including her latest, even though it's the first of a new trilogy. I needed a quick familiar read after WoT, and that fit the bill. Generally, I can say it's really nice, though has a dissatisfying taste, with her tormented hero, always suffering and never getting the credit. Still, there were some great scenes in there, and
*SPOILER
the scene in the latest book where that character dies told through the child's pov, that's one of the best reads I've had lately, deeply satisfying.
Cool, thanks!
I'll check it out.
Umm, looks interesting, thanks :)
My nomination has got to be the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. Truly one of the best and most interesting series I've ever had the privilege of reading. There are 8 novels in the series so roughly 4,500 pages I'd guess. Here is a link to the Wiki page on the series if you want a bit of detail on the world and setting of the novels.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Tower_%28series%29
Thanks. I'll keep it in mind, though right now I've got a few books on the horizon.
MistBorn, Sword of Shannara, anything by Orson Scott Card, War of the Flowers, WarBreaker, and pretty much anything by Brandon Sanderson.