Looking for a good epic Fantasy novel

[GrimShadow]

Could someone recommend me some good Fantasy novels. Please dont mention LOTR.

Some coming of age fantasy but with some cool fights and battles are nice too.

[SoulOnIce]

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=135

[Chiasm]

Epic in length and scope is the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Its very good although you can make a good point that its dragged on too long at this point.

This is both the best and potentially worst time to come aboard. Its a twelve book series and the first eleven are already out so you won't be like the rest of us waiting two years between books (I started reading the series in 1995 and those from the beginning go clear back to 1990 or so). Its potentially bad though because Robert Jordan (real name Jim Rigley) is terminally ill and may never get to finish the last book. He's in a desperate battle right now to slow down the onset of his disease to give him a few more years to live. Its still touch and go right now.

[Matthew E]

I hadn't heard that about Robert Jordan. That's too bad. I wish him all the best.

But I can't recommend his series. I tried to read it, oh, how I tried to read it. The first time, I got through two books without ever really getting into it. The second time, I got through a book and a little bit without ever really getting into it. The third time, I finished the first book and said, "Well, that was kind of stupid." It's overrated generic fantasy. The George R.R. Martin recommendation is much better, and I can add to that:

Greg Keyes 'Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone' series (third book of four is just out in hardcover, I think)

Anything by Guy Gavriel Kay

Tad Williams 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' series

There's more good stuff out there, but for straight-ahead epic fantasy, that'll do you.

[Inkthinker]

Yeah, I made it to book 10 with Jordan, but when I read that one and realised that nothing of particular significance had occured for nearly the entire brick, aside from a few events at the very end, I was so pissed that I've sworn off the series completely until he finishes it. When it's all done, however long that takes, I might borrow 'em from a library and read 'em then... or buy 'em used in paperback, maybe. But he lost me as a regular reader.

Martin, though... I buy him in hardbound, baby. He's too hot not to snap up the moment a new one hits the shelf.

I'll throw down another recommendation for Tad Williams. And for my own, I'll call out Dave Duncan's Kings Blades novels. There's about 8 or 9 of 'em, each one stands alone nicely, and they're chock full of kickass swordfighting (they're pretty much entirely ABOUT swordfighting, since each one revolves around a graduate of a school that regularly creates magically enhanced swordsmen for use as personal bodyguards). I'd start with the first one, The Gilded Chain, and just keep going if you like it.

If you want something in a gritty military vein, try The Black Company by Glen Cook. It's from the POV of a doctor in a band of vicious mercenaries, and it goes to some fairly epic lengths by the end of it all.

[Lee Kaye]

Tales of Thomas Covenant - Stephen Donaldson, takes a long time, ie a couple of books to get into, but very ambitious, and kind of grown up.

[Karl J. Barnes]

Try these:http://www.deryni.net/ or these:http://www.deverry.com/ both fantastic coming of age stories with great background or this one:http://www.eternalnight.co.uk/books/b/britainkristen/firstriderscall.html or for a more adult coming of age try:http://www.annebishop.com/

[Karl J. Barnes]

Tales of Thomas Covenant - Stephen Donaldson, takes a long time, ie a couple of books to get into, but very ambitious, and kind of grown up.

Second this series of trilogies though I got hooked quickly.

[The Mirrorball Man]

Robert Jordan has given me HOURS of great entertainment just by reading the reaction to his books on amazon.com. I really recommend it. I haven't read anything he wrote, though.

"Perdido Street Station", by China Mieville, is an excellent fantasy novel. It may not fit the textbook definition of "epic", but there's not doubt that it's epic in its scope.

[Matthew E]

The Thomas Covenant stuff... don't get me wrong; it's good. But the first trilogy is pretty heavy going, all kinds of stuff about guilt and leprosy and unbelief. Very depressing. The second trilogy, assuming you get to it, is a much less harrowing read. (He's started a third trilogy. I read the first book and will not be reading the rest.)

But the best thing the author has done is the two-volume 'Mordant's Need' series, consisting of 'The Mirror of Her Dreams' and 'A Man Rides Through'. Now that's good stuff.

[Expletive Deleted]

I'll agree about "Mordant's Need." The "Covenant" series isn't bad, but it's really hard to get past some of the main character's flaws.

[Karl J. Barnes]

I'll agree about "Mordant's Need." The "Covenant" series isn't bad, but it's really hard to get past some of the main character's flaws.

True, Covenant is not the most genial person to say the least. But I love the struggle of Thomas and alot of other characters to over come their flaws and in the end there is redemption; which I think , Donaldson captures very well.

[Jack]

Donaldson is an incredibly intelligent writer. That and the fact that he doesn't take shortcuts can make his books hard to read, but they're worth it.

The very first thing you should read is the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. Until you've read that, you have no right to call any fantasy series good. The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Longest Road. It's your typical epic fantasy, only done right and better than anyone else.

[Ryan Day]

"Perdido Street Station", by China Mieville, is an excellent fantasy novel. It may not fit the textbook definition of "epic", but there's not doubt that it's epic in its scope.

Seconded. The Scar may be even more epic in scope, and probably a bit better. Fantastic stuff that manages to avoid the whole "I'm gonna be just like Tolkien" trap that so much fantasy falls into.

[Matthew E]

The very first thing you should read is the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. Until you've read that, you have no right to call any fantasy series good. The Summer Tree, The Wandering Fire and The Longest Road. It's your typical epic fantasy, only done right and better than anyone else.

I have some problems with the Fionavar Tapestry. I don't think all the Arthurian stuff works, for one thing. But it does have a vitality that Kay's later books don't quite attain.

I like the later stuff better anyway. Tigana and the 'Sarantine Mosaic' series in particular, but Kay hasn't written a book (including the Fionavar series) that's any worse than 'very good'.

[GrimShadow]

Seconded. The Scar may be even more epic in scope, and probably a bit better. Fantastic stuff that manages to avoid the whole "I'm gonna be just like Tolkien" trap that so much fantasy falls into.

Thats good to hear. It's hard to actually get into a fantasy novel then you find out that the concept is taken straight out of Tolkien's work.

That is why I hardly enjoy the Dark Elf Trilogy. It's like Conan The Barbarian mixed with Lord of The Rings.

[Rabid Trekkie]

Haven't even got half way through it yet but I'm enjoying Mother of Kings by Poul Anderson. Viking epics rock.

[sheets]

Haven't even got half way through it yet but I'm enjoying Mother of Kings by Poul Anderson. Viking epics rock.

The Broken Sword is another one by Anderson that deserves reading.

[Afrika]

have read quiet a few fantasy books in past few years. Here is who I liked and didn't:

George RR Martin : Song of Fire and Ice. A wonderful story, great writing, only draw back is books come out slow.

Robert Jordan : Wheels of Time. A great story, what really got me back to reading Fantasy. Finally coming to end in near future if his health holds up.

Steven Erikson : Tales of Malazon Book of the Fallen. Hard to find but worth it. Huge story with tons of characters. If you can get all 6 books it is worth it.

Robin Hobb : Farseeir Trillogy. Fairly good series.

Terry Goodkind : The Sword of Truth series. Fairly good but lost interest after book 5.

Guy Gavriel Kay : The Summer Tree. I couldn't finish it, maybe other books are better but this book turned me off big time to fantasy.

If I remember others I'll post them but this is what read in past 2 years.

[Ottmeister X]

Another vote here for Greg Keyes. Pretty well done and fast-paced.

Another vote for Steven Erikson. However, I don't know that it classifies as "epic". Isn't each story self-contained and happens at a different spot in the timeline he has created? I thought I read somewhere that he would be jumping back and forth along that timeline with each book, and back and forth between each continent.

George Martin, of course, even though I thought the last book was the weakest of the bunch.

[Expletive Deleted]

Isn't each story self-contained and happens at a different spot in the timeline he has created? I thought I read somewhere that he would be jumping back and forth along that timeline with each book, and back and forth between each continent.Sort of. He's jumping around in space and time, but everything does intersect.