New member needs guidance

[Abouna]

Hello all,

I am a new member hoping for some advice on what to read.

I am a long time yet sporadic fantasy reader. I am looking for something new but don't have any idea where to start. I can only hope that listing what I have read, at least some of it, may help with suggestions:

Short list:
Tolkien
All Eddings books
Dragonlance, the first trilogy
Lloyd Alexander (young but good)
Some of the Thomas Covenant stuff (liked the writing but not the character)

These are the types I am looking for. I have no idea what I might like. I thought of trying some Terry Brooks but have seen mixed reviews. I also thought about about some Salvatore but skimmed through the beginning of one of his books and it seemed too simple.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Litany]

George R R Martin (bet none of you saw that one coming ).

Seriously, his Song of Ice and Fire series is the best fantasy out there at the moment. You certainly won't find it too simple. The first book in the series is A Game of Thrones. I've sent so many people off to read these books, and I've yet to have anyone not enjoy them. My bf hates fantasy with a passion and even he enjoys these books. It's epic in the way that all good fantasy should be. It's got politics, war and mean old scary monsters.

If you'd like to read something a bit weird, then you could try China Mieville. Either Perdido Street Station or The Scar. PSS is first, but it doesn't really matter which order you read in. They're set on the same planet, and there's a small link to them, but it's nothing you'd be missing out on. So if you prefer a lot of beautiful, descriptive prose then go for PSS, but if you prefer pirates (and let's face it, who doesn't?) go for The Scar. They're Steam Punk books, set in a world populated by a lot of very bizarre creatures, and if there's one criticism I would level at the books, it's that it's not always easy to picture the critters as he describes them. Science goes hand in hand with magic, with the end result of some very strange inventions. It's wonderfully done, and no matter how weird it gets you're never left with the feeling that it's overdone at all.

There are lots of other books that I'd be happy to recommend, but these two authors are the best out there at the moment in my not so humble opinion. Anyone who disagrees with me gets a spork up the botty.

 

[Oponn]

I'll second Litanys' suggestions, firstly because they are two great sets of books and secondly for fear of my oh so precious botty.
Anyway, some other ideas:
I'm not a massive fan of Tad Williams, but from what you've said of what books you have liked, you should give him a go. He's a bit long-winded and has some trouble with his endings, but he is a good author of traditional fantasy. The first book in his best series is called the Dragonbone Chair.
For something a little different (but not quite as plain weird as Meiville) try Roger Zelazny's First Chronicles of Amber (the second set of books was very disappointing, seemed to set-up to a third series that never arrived), but the first five books are a classic and they do tell a complete story with a great plot and some very interesting ideas.
Also Stephen King's Dark Tower series is one of the greatest things happening in fantasy today. The books have been getting better and better with each book and I'm so pleased I found this series. The first book, The Gunslinger, is very odd, though still good, and after that you get to the great stuff.
Steven Erikson, one of my favourite authors, has a awesome series called Malazan Tales of the Fallen. The first book is called Gardens of teh Moon. It's very heavy going, but if you persevere, you'll be rewarded.

 

[Halo]

Also Stephen King's Dark Tower series is one of the greatest things happening in fantasy today. The books have been getting better and better with each book and I'm so pleased I found this series. The first book, The Gunslinger, is very odd, though still good, and after that you get to the great stuff.

I'd agree entirely with all of that. I'm currently waiting very impatiently for Wolves of the Calla to come out in paperback.

 

[Oponn]

You're going to be waiting for awhile, not out till 2005 I got it out of the library so I wouldn't have to pay the full whack. And I don't like hardbacks.

 

[Themistocles]

I'm not an avid reader of fantasy, but I adore Tolkien's work and so I'll give you the few fantasy titles that I have read and really enjoyed.

First and definitely foremost is Robin Hobb's Fitz series - The Farseer Trilogy and The Tawny Man. Wonderfully-written books combining political intrigue, espionage, warfare and an interestingly different slant on the magical element with your more typical fantasy quest, they are also emotionally engaging and set in a world with almost as much character as Middle Earth/Beleriand.

Ursula le Guin's Earthsea books are also worth a look, though I found the Tombs of Atuan (the second) very boring, the first is still excellent.

Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind: So it's a future-fantasy manga, and so not technically a novel. It's still one of the greatest works of literature that you will ever read. As an attempt to understand human motivation and the desire for power, an ecological cautionary tale, a poignant moral interrogation or simply a wonderful yarn, it's four books of unadulterated beauty.

 

[Halo]

You're going to be waiting for awhile, not out till 2005 I got it out of the library so I wouldn't have to pay the full whack. And I don't like hardbacks.

Aaaaaarrrrggghhh! I remember the good ol' days when as soon as a new King book came out in hardback, the previous one would be released in paperback. That doesn't seem to be happening now for some reason.

Apologies for going off on a tangent - now back to the thread.