I’ve really been hurting for book selection lately and was curious if anyone here has any book suggestions? I am into the medieval fantasy type of books, but with so much out there I am not sure what is quality.
I’ve read The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind, nearly everything by R.A. Salvatore, A Tale of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin, and of course most of Tolkeins work. I just started reading The Sword of Shanara by Terry Brooks a few days back.
Any suggestions?
Is ‘mid-evil’ really a genre or do you mean ‘medieval’?
-Nate
Medieval. I don’t normally get pendantic about people’s spelling on forums, but this one drives me nuts. Medieval.
Turn to the classics, brother. T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King” is a brilliant piece of work. Reworking of the Arthurian legend.
Gillian Bradshaw’s trilogy was much lighter reading, “low fantasy”, and set during the suspected period of the historical Arthur (if he existed), but the Roman/Celt/Saxon conflict makes for a good story. “Hawk of May” is the first book. Can’t remember the other three.
Parke Goodwin’s books on Robin Hood are good historical fantasy. Some glaring historical errors (such as the way the Normans were armoured), but it’s a compelling read. The first is “Sherwood”, the second is “Robin and the King”. Set during the Conquest of England (1066 AD) and after.
Excellent writing that really brings the period and the historical figures alive. The Sheriff and Robin are the very personification of T-men.
Ursula Leguin’s (sp?) Earthsea trilogy is quite good.
I’m sure the actual genre is classified as Sci-fi Fantasy.
When you say Medieval or mid-evil or whatever, are you talking about sword and sorcery (S&S)? If so, you must read Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories. They are the yardstick by which all others are measured. His Bran Mak Morn and Cormac Mac Art series are excellent too. While Conan is set in a mythic Euro-Asia-Africa of thousands of years ago, the latter two characters are Brit-Pict and Viking type stories set in 500-1000 a.d. (I think…). You can also try the supernatural tales of Solomon Kane, the original “slayer”.
For more humor and a bit more sophistication Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser series is very, very cool.
If you can get through the first 50 pages of E.R. Eddison’s The Worm Ouroboros you’re in for a treat. It’s written in a sort of an Olde English.
Newer practioners of the form to check out would include Glen Cook (The Black Company series) and Robert Jourdan.
The most sophisticated of the modern S&S tales would be Gene Wolfe’s New Urth series. Shadow of the Torturer is where to start on that one. He has other series too. His writing is like poetry.
I highly recommend Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series.
You could also try David Eddings, L. E. Modesitt Jr. or Raymond E. Feist.
These along with Goodkind, Martin, Tolkein, Salvatore are the pillars of my Fantasy Library.
I’m currently reading all the Warhammer 40000 books I can find and have been pleasantly surprised with their quality.
[quote]dogwitch wrote:
I highly recommend Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series.
You could also try David Eddings, L. E. Modesitt Jr. or Raymond E. Feist.
These along with Goodkind, Martin, Tolkein, Salvatore are the pillars of my Fantasy Library.
I’m currently reading all the Warhammer 40000 books I can find and have been pleasantly surprised with their quality. [/quote]
Second the wheel of time by robert jordan suggestion.
any of the ‘chronicles of thomas covenant’ books
‘green angel tower’ series by tad williams
[quote]Ren wrote:
dogwitch wrote:
I highly recommend Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series.
You could also try David Eddings, L. E. Modesitt Jr. or Raymond E. Feist.
These along with Goodkind, Martin, Tolkein, Salvatore are the pillars of my Fantasy Library.
I’m currently reading all the Warhammer 40000 books I can find and have been pleasantly surprised with their quality.
Second the wheel of time by robert jordan suggestion.[/quote]
I, uh, third the wheel of time. Great series, better overall than Sword of Truth. I gave up on the genre years ago, but Sword of Truth and Wheel of Time are the only ones I still reread.
‘Wheel of Time’ by Robert Jordan is great. Also ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’ by David Eddings is excellent as well. I am glad you like R A Salvatore his books on Drizzt are awesome!
Thanks for the suggestions. I have read the first 4 of Robert Jordon, but after that it seemed to really slow down to a complete crawl. A lot of people suggest it to me, maybe I’m just a crazy man.
Also Jordon has some terminal illness where he has a short time to live. He may not finish the series.
Aye the R.A. Salvatore series is amazing. It is a little shallow, almost as if you are playing a video game while reading the book but I still absolutely love it. The Legacy of the Drow is the best.
Dragonlance (start with Chronicles by Wiess and Hickman). I really loved them when I was a kid, but its been a while. I hear they are making an animated movie… Should be pretty sweet.
[quote]Shaved wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions. I have read the first 4 of Robert Jordon, but after that it seemed to really slow down to a complete crawl. A lot of people suggest it to me, maybe I’m just a crazy man.
Also Jordon has some terminal illness where he has a short time to live. He may not finish the series.
Aye the R.A. Salvatore series is amazing. It is a little shallow, almost as if you are playing a video game while reading the book but I still absolutely love it. The Legacy of the Drow is the best.
[/quote]
it picks up again around books 7/8 if I remember correctly. Also the 2nd last book was released this past October, and from what I remember his publishers want the last one out within 2 years of that, so we will see…
Raymond E Fiest. His older stuff and newer stuff is good and doesnt seem like the same “formula” that is Wheel of Time and Sword of Truth.
Aragon and Eldhest by Christopher Piola are good especially when you consider he was 16 or so when he wrote the first one.
[quote]Northcott wrote:
Medieval. I don’t normally get [g]pendantic [/g]about people’s spelling on forums, but this one drives me nuts. Medieval.
[/quote]
How can you get pendantic? Hang off your own neck? 
Anyway, I’m surprised no one mentionned Robin Hobb. She’s one of the best. Belivable worlds with deep and intricate politics and well-rounded, truer than true characters. Go to amazon.com and see for yourself.
I highly recommend Thieves World by Lynn Abbey. Not your typical fantasy fare but well worth the read. I think there are eleven or twelve books in the series and would be worth the time tracking them down. Enjoy.
I know it’s not Fantasy…but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card and all of Ender’s “shadow” series.
The series is more of a sci-fi thriller but they are so good I wish everyone would read them.
Terry Brooks is great! I’ve read the entire Shannara series 3 or 4 times. Actually just started The Sword of Shannara Again.
“The Blade Itsel” Joe Abercrombie - best thing I’ve read in ages.
And the Wheel of Time is not only back on track in the later books, but hurtling towards a massive climax.