quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis


Don't my threads/polls [Who Should Wear the Crown and Rising Stars] touch on this?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

Maybe just go for the positive experiences?

I think there's been a number of threads which have turned quite negative, towards authors, recently.

Just my personal opinion.

If anyone could point me in the direction of an author similar to George R R Martin that would be appreciated.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

Maybe just go for the positive experiences?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

Maybe just go for the positive experiences?

---

Quite difficult [if not impossible]. Not everyone has the same tastes. And going by your example, not everyone likes GRR Martin.

I've heard Patrick Rothfuss and Brandon Sanderson being compared to Martin, in both positive and negative ways. For me, like Martin, Sanderson tends to be unnecessarily verbose, sometimes to the point of being unbearable. However, they are great world-builders, and they've created some of the most interesting characters in the fantasy firmament.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis

I've heard Patrick Rothfuss and Brandon Sanderson being compared to Martin, in both positive and negative ways. For me, like Martin, Sanderson tends to be unnecessarily verbose, sometimes to the point of being unbearable. However, they are great world-builders, and they've created some of the most interesting characters in the fantasy firmament.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis

I've heard Patrick Rothfuss and Brandon Sanderson being compared to Martin, in both positive and negative ways. For me, like Martin, Sanderson tends to be unnecessarily verbose, sometimes to the point of being unbearable. However, they are great world-builders, and they've created some of the most interesting characters in the fantasy firmament.

---

Thanks Dennis and entreri3478 for your suggestions.

I only meant that if the thread was in regards to, "If you like X then you might like Y", and not, "If you hate X then give a big swerve to Y"

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Markustay

This doesn't work, as the other thread testifies to. Everyone's taste is different.

For instance, I hated Shanarra, but loved The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - no two people are going to agree 100% of the time.

And look at the OP - if an editor edited it, and a publisher published it, don't you think a new author would have never made it that far if someone didn't think it was good?

Now, known authors have some leeway, and can produce a lemon every once in awhile (so long as it isn't their first, because it's doubtful there will ever be a second in that case).

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Markustay

Robert Jordan is a tough one - I loved the series, but grew bored with it after 6th book or so - he never brings ANYTHING to a conclusion.

Sword of Truth is VERY similar (suspiciously so), but too preachy for most. The first book was great, but once he got some acclaim Terry Goodkind used his books as a soapbox for his personal views (not my opinion - its what most critics say about him).

I heard Eragon was good, but I thought the movie was boring, so I probably won't read it. I know that is unfair, but first impressions tend to color the rest of our judgements.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

If anyone could point me in the direction of an author similar to George R R Martin that would be appreciated.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arcanus

Anybody read 'Grunts', by Mary Gentle? One of my all time favourite books. Fantasy with attitude!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Quale

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

If anyone could point me in the direction of an author similar to George R R Martin that would be appreciated.

---

Joe Abercrombie is very similar, also Bernard Cornwell (doesn't have magic), Jack Vance, Paul Kearney, even Robert Graves (the intrigue), Poul Anderson maybe.

Tad Williams and Robin Hobb as well, tough they become boring after reading asoiaf.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arcanus

Anybody read 'Grunts', by Mary Gentle? One of my all time favourite books. Fantasy with attitude!

---

No, I read ''Ash'', can't wait to read more

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arcanus

quote:

---

Originally posted by Quale

quote:

---

Originally posted by Farrel

If anyone could point me in the direction of an author similar to George R R Martin that would be appreciated.

---

Joe Abercrombie is very similar, also Bernard Cornwell (doesn't have magic), Jack Vance, Paul Kearney, even Robert Graves (the intrigue), Poul Anderson maybe.

Tad Williams and Robin Hobb as well, tough they become boring after reading asoiaf.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Arcanus

Anybody read 'Grunts', by Mary Gentle? One of my all time favourite books. Fantasy with attitude!

---

No, I read ''Ash'', can't wait to read more

---

It's not for the faint of heart- one of the most memorable quotes is;
"Pass me another elf sergeant, this one's split".

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Markustay

I heard Eragon was good, but I thought the movie was boring, so I probably won't read it. I know that is unfair, but first impressions tend to color the rest of our judgements.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

I'm sure most of us have read the Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends trilogies... I also rather like some of Weis & Hickman's other books, like The Death Gate Cycle, the Darksword books, the Rose of the Prophet trilogy... Weis & Hickman are among the few authors that can sell me a book by putting their name on it.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Sage

I really need to read these "Malazan" books. Every time I hear them mentioned in conversation about fantasy authors, I'm left wanting to know more.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Except it wasn't as enjoyable.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

I'm sure most of us have read the Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends trilogies...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mandarb Carai an Caldazar

I like Terry Brooks' works a great deal, I don't want to spoil anything: I figured out his stuff was post-apocalyptic many years ago. If you read chronologically he manages to continually create interesting characters without them becoming driving forces in the world. The magic in his books is appropriately ballanced between power and cost so as to not be a nuclear missle in everyone's possesion and the relative area his "world" covers continues to grow over time so there is a nice thread of discovery in there as well.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis


Nah. The paperback edition of Erikson's books are newspaper quality. Grab the hardbound instead.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Sage

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis


Nah. The paperback edition of Erikson's books are newspaper quality. Grab the hardbound instead.

---

Hardcovers aren't really an option for me, especially when they're still so heavily priced here in Australia.

It's almost always paperbacks... unless they're authors I particularly favour, like Ed Greenwood, Terry Pratchett, or Neil Gaiman. Then I'll pay the often ridiculous price-tags for hardcovers.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mandarb Carai an Caldazar

I'll try to avoid author comparisons and just list the people I like and why that way everyone can make their own decisions.

I agree with Sage and Wooley, Weis and Hickman on the cover will get the book to the top of the "Ooooo let's read a couple of chapters" list and then I go from there.

Robin Hobb writes some compelling characters though I much prefered the Farseer books to her other works, mainly because of the characters.

I like Terry Brooks' works a great deal, I don't want to spoil anything: I figured out his stuff was post-apocalyptic many years ago. If you read chronologically he manages to continually create interesting characters without them becoming driving forces in the world. The magic in his books is appropriately ballanced between power and cost so as to not be a nuclear missle in everyone's possesion and the relative area his "world" covers continues to grow over time so there is a nice thread of discovery in there as well.

The final Wheel of Time book is finally on its way so my fingers are crossed that enough of the story gets resolved that I don't jump up in rage and throw the book through the nearest window. While highly character driven, the series tantalizes so much backstory that if Harriet (the late James Oliver Rigney's wife) were to allow it there could possibly be dozens more novels in the future based on different eras.

However, in between waiting for my most anticipated Realms novels my 2 favourite authors right now are Steven Erikson and his Malazan Book of the Fallen and Ian Cameron Esslemont and his Malazan Empire books. While related, the two series don't really interact as the purpose and driving force for each are different. If you're looking for something heavily character, philosophy, and pathos driven with immense ammounts of detail about the fictional universe and an interesting magic system I would go there.

Just my 2 coppers.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Sage

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis


Nah. The paperback edition of Erikson's books are newspaper quality. Grab the hardbound instead.

---

Hardcovers aren't really an option for me, especially when they're still so heavily priced here in Australia.

It's almost always paperbacks... unless they're authors I particularly favour, like Ed Greenwood, Terry Pratchett, or Neil Gaiman. Then I'll pay the often ridiculous price-tags for hardcovers.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Sage

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dennis


Nah. The paperback edition of Erikson's books are newspaper quality. Grab the hardbound instead.

---

Hardcovers aren't really an option for me, especially when they're still so heavily priced here in Australia.

It's almost always paperbacks... unless they're authors I particularly favour, like Ed Greenwood, Terry Pratchett, or Neil Gaiman. Then I'll pay the often ridiculous price-tags for hardcovers.

---

Hardbound are also ridiculously priced here in the Philippines. But I still go for it, because paperbacks don't last that long, no matter how much I take care of them. I already replaced five FR paperbacks [and more than a dozen other books] because the spines were so wrinkled that the titles could hardly be read and the pages started to come loose.

However, if I am not sure that I will really like a book, [if it is just for sampling an author's work], I tend to grab its paperback edition. Which at times prove to be a more expensive habit because when I end up liking it, I would buy the hardbound edition after.

As for Erikson, it's worth buying hardbound.

---