I like epic fantasy. I just don't like his epic fantasy.
Books Fantasy Reads
- Thread starter Alock1
- Start date
I really loved the first book, found the sequel decent but not great. However, the third book is easily the worst fantasy book I have ever read. My recommendation is to stop reading the series, the first book acts well as standalone (in fact, it was meant to be standalone).
I liked it but can see why you don't like Sanderson.
Yeah, he's awful. His books are the 50 Shades of the fantasy world. Atrociously written yet still sell like hotcakes. I really don't understand it myself but lots of people rate his books very highly so I do wish I could read through them. I kinda feel like I'm missing out on the story that everyone raves about.
Just finished Blackwing by Ed McDonald. I originally started this book a little while a go but gave up a little way in as it's all in first person and I'm not usually a fan. Gave it a second go yesterday and I'm glad I did.
I finished it in 24 hours which I think says a lot about the book. Has just enough humour, swearing and blood that I like from my fantasy.
The first person actually works well for the story as well and you quickly forget all about it. Recommended.
I finished it in 24 hours which I think says a lot about the book. Has just enough humour, swearing and blood that I like from my fantasy.
The first person actually works well for the story as well and you quickly forget all about it. Recommended.
I had no idea that the Kingkiller Chronicles final installment hadn't been released yet, with no release date set either, FML. I feel so empty inside now 
I find the book stylistically similar to Wheel of Time. Did you guys like WoT?
I liked it to begin with but ended up quitting around book 6 or 7.
I read WoT last year. Absolutely loved it but there are definitely peaks and troughs. Around the middle of the series it definitely dips a bit, feels like not so much is happening but i think it probably all helps to set up the ending and the last four or so books.
I started The Way of Kings after i finished WoT and got halfway through. Still not sure how i feel about it, still have that odd feeling like i'm not 'in' it yet if you know what i mean. I've put it to the side for now but may come back to it.
I started The Way of Kings after i finished WoT and got halfway through. Still not sure how i feel about it, still have that odd feeling like i'm not 'in' it yet if you know what i mean. I've put it to the side for now but may come back to it.
I have the same feeling towards Sanderson. He does read like a knock off Jordan without that knack for the occasional stunning turn of phrase or scene. Jordan had plenty of flaws but his highs were pretty damn impressive. Credit to Sanderson for taking on the responsibility to finish WOT but it does feel like high end fan fiction, not sure it could be otherwise to be fair.
He did a stellar job tbh. The last 3 books were really good and Memory of Light was a fitting end to the series.
Writing in WoT (at least until Jordan lost it) was very superior compared to anything Sanderson has ever wrote. Additionally, the characters had far more depth, while being many more named characters.
I think that the stories are kind of similar, and both are very heavy on magic, but WoT is much superior to Stormlight. He also tries to over-complicate things, making too many twists and too many subplots that you forget the moment you read them.
It is still very good, but can totally understand people who don't like it.
Finished the Gentleman Bastard trilogy published so far. A very worthwhile break from the everyday sword and sorcery fantasy that dominates the field. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Very highly recommended. Now on to the Iron Druid series.
RJ had the knack of giving you the feeling that even minor characters he only spent a paragraph on were their own people with their own stories. He was also far better at writing intelligent characters and humor than Sanderson. I think Sanderson's fine but his work doesn't begin to compare with Jordan's.
No, and Jordan was a terrible writer(with some bizarre ideas about the sexes), but the early WoT books weren't near as boring as anything by Sanderson
Yep. Characters in WoT feel real (although the sex reversal while being an interesting idea was done wrongly) while in Sanderson's books, bar the top 10 or so characters, all others feel like NPC. To be fair, you can argue that in most of sagas, you have less than a dozen 'real' characters, but then most of the sagas don't have near as many characters as Stormlight, and neither had as a complicated plot.
I wouldn't say stellar, but he did improve over the last 2. Just grateful that he took it on, even if was not quite the same as RJ. I started reading WOT in the mid 90's at 14/15 and even though the flaws became very apparent as I matured I still that residual attachment to his story and characters.
Still holding hope that GRRM will eventually find the enthusiasm to finish ASOIAF. Think he has committed artistic heresy by allowing another medium to adapt and continue his work before he completes his version, but i still want his characters and world back rather than the versions of it on TV.
Started the Broken Empire trilogy (Mark Lawrence) instead of the Iron Druid Chronicles, which I'll read after. In the middle of Book 1 in the trilogy, Prince of Thorns. Good read so far, a dark gritty series that should appeal to Abercrombie fans.
Started this this week, enjoying the dialogue so far though finding myself glossing over the exposition of the world a little (though I do this with most books). Hopefully it continues to be good, was a bit starved from fantasy after having The Blade Itself on my bookshelf for about half a year and never really being able to get past the opening chapter.
Might be some new options in here for some of you (along with the obvious).
https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/fiction/books-like-game-of-thrones
https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/fiction/books-like-game-of-thrones
Whoever was the publisher of Hyperion can feck right off.
Starting The Fall of Hyperion now.
Starting The Fall of Hyperion now.
Cheers, that was timely and got a couple of ideas out of it. I just finished the last book of the Noble Dead saga that I've been reading for around a decade. Kind of weird finishing books that I've been reading so long, it will probably feel the same if GRRM ever finishes ASOIAF.
Might give Farseer another go, I was almost halfway through the first book and just wasn't feeling it.
I finished the first book but really didn't care for it.
I keep thinking I missed something or need to give it more time as I see people raving about the series, but I just wasn't getting anything special from it and wasn't connecting with the characters.
I do have other options, another book in either WoT or Gentleman Bastards are options and that Otori series looks interesting.
I don't think you were missing anything. I bought The Painted Man by Peter Brett off of a Joe Abercrombie recommendation. Haven't started it yet.
The Painted Man is a great book. Unfortunately the series does go progressively downhill IMO and the last book is the worst of the lot.
I really wish you hadn't said that.
Isn't it usually the way? It's still worth a read, though it probably should have just been a trilogy.
You killed my motivation to read it entirely.
I just finished Kingkiller 2 this morning. I liked it but there were parts I found tedious. Frustration. Anger.
The best part was when he
I just finished Kingkiller 2 this morning. I liked it but there were parts I found tedious. Frustration. Anger.
The best part was when he
was on the receiving end of a hugely deserved kicking.
I've just started rereading the first one.
Will probably have time to read them both multiple times before the 3rd one comes out.
I read comments from the author saying that it's unlikely to be done for another 3 or 4 years.
Ugh ...
I've read both twice and will read them again if he ever releases the last part.
I loved them
Ugh ...
I've read both twice and will read them again if he ever releases the last part.
I loved them
Yeah been some years since I first read them so don't mind doing it again.
I won't even consider doing it again though unless there is a firm release date.
It probably won't ever be done. Rothfuss seems to have lost any will on writing books. I still have hope that we will see a new ASOIAF book, but I have given up on Kingkiller.
Winds may be published in a year or two but like Kingkiller I doubt the series will be completed.
If you’re not feeling it now I wouldn’t recommend continue with the series really. It’s my favourite trilogy in fantasy but it’s not for everyone. The books plod along at a wandering pace - which I think is great - but for some people it doesn’t have enough actions. They are as much about the development of Fitz as a character as it is the events that unfold.
Yeah think I'll keep it on the back burner. Usually slow and plodding isn't a problem for me, I just couldn't get into it.
Found one already on my Kindle that I got for free a few weeks ago called The Elven, seems to be translated from a popular German series. First chapter was pretty good and reminded me a bit of the The Witcher in some ways. I'll stick with that and see how it goes.
Fair enough, it's not for everyone.
Not heard of it but let me know how it goes. Read it @Edgar Allan Pillow? You seem to have read everything else
Completed the first two books of the Broken Empire trilogy. The series started okay, but the more it went on the more unrelatable the main character became. It is rare to find in fantasy a protagonist whose driving characteristics are revenge and ambition, and who is willing to commit any atrocity to achieve his ambitions. So I intend to continue reading to see just how it all turns out. But my major issue with the series is the constant real life references (direct references to the Pope, Greeks, Africans, ..., villagers singing Don McLean's American Pie for feck's sake!).
Seriously?
I think you are missing something, something very big. Take a breath, and think where does the Broken Empire trilogy takes place? Or better, when does it take place?
Anyway, the third book is the best in the series IMO.
I've rarely read new books. Perhaps @Revan did and he reads more than me.