Well I’m craving something in this genre but I’m a bit overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. So many titles and yet I’m not sure what to read. Maybe you can help?

I’m looking for something in a high fantasy setting. I’m not too keen on heavy politics and war driven plots (though, I can read that ). What really gets me is interesting characters, good action and magical creatures.

I’ve loved anything Discworld and I’ve also enjoyed the First Law books by Abercrombie.

I’m finding that Tolkien, Sanderson and George RR Martin appear on every fantasy list I come across, so if you do recommend something I’d appreciate it be something other than that.

  • gramie@lemmy.ca
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    10 months ago

    It’s very polarizing, as in some people love it and some people absolutely hate it, but Stephen Donaldson’s “Thomas Covenant” books are among my favorite. Not so keen on the later volumes, but the first two trilogies are amazing.

  • corytheboyd@kbin.social
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    10 months ago

    Mistborn is great, less dragons and more alchemical science. Begins with a satisfying tale of overthrowing the government, and then tackles some of the “okay… now what” with tons more interesting stuff along the way

    • Mothra@mander.xyzOP
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      10 months ago

      I’ve read it an it’s not my cup of tea. The worldbuilding and premise were solid, but the characters fell flat and so did the plot by end of the book. I finished it and felt relieved it was finally over. I think I might try other authors before reading Sanderson again, that’s why I’ve listed him as a please don’t recommend.

  • kyle@lemm.ee
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    10 months ago

    I’ll add a +1 to some mentioned:

    • Cradle series - progression fantasy, basically DBZ or Naruto style progression with a magic system, intelligent beasts/dragons, demigods, etc.
    • Night Angel Trilogy - street rat turned assassin with magic. I feel like it leans pretty heavily into fantasy tropes, but they’re fun reads.
    • Kings of the Wild - this book is fucking hilarious. The main characters are basically a kickass D&D group but it’s 20 years later, they’re old and fat, and have to go on one last epic adventure.
  • lemmyvore@feddit.nlEnglish
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    10 months ago
    • Anne McCaffrey’s “Pern” series.
    • Naomi Novik’s “Temeraire” series
    • Tamora Pierce’s series spanning multiple mini-series: Lioness, Protector, Tricksters and Immortals.
  • Moonguide@lemmy.ml
    0·
    10 months ago

    Hm, not keen on heavy politics or war. Was gonna recommend Malazan: Book of the Fallen but the first book starts out in a war. Still, good book, you might enjoy it.

    Second book is a little different than what you’re describing. Fool Moon from the Dresden Files series. Pulpy magical detective noire set in modern times, where magic is sort of accepted as a real thing.

    • PsychedSy@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      I love these books so much. Well, Malazan is what I was referring to.

      Both are great series.

      The humor in Malazan reminds me of the first law. I hate politics for the most part, and war, but the war and politics aren’t really the focus. They’re kinda the setting for telling a lot of smaller stories.

  • FATMANinnaOVERCOAT@lemmy.ml
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    10 months ago

    The Name of the Wind By Patrick rothfuss.

    Still waiting on that third book 5o come out though. It’s only been 17 years. It’ll happen any day now. 🥲

    • runner_g@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      0·
      10 months ago

      At least we have a novella coming out in 2 weeks…

      But Rothfuss still owes us the full cast reading of the first few chapters of Doors of Stone. That he set as a fundraiser goal two years ago and promised would be available the following February!

  • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    10 months ago

    Have you considered Kate Elliott novels? Jaran was amazing if you like sci-fi/fantasy crossover, or King’s Dragon if you like pure fantasy. If you prefer easier reading check out the Dragonriders of Pern series.

  • ChiefSinner@lemm.ee
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    10 months ago

    Eyes of the dragon by Stephen King. Its an excellent fantasy novel … Not a horror novel. The antagonist, Flagg, is the same wizard in the dark tower series and the stand, though those don’t have dragons and such in them.

  • red_concrete@lemmy.ml
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    10 months ago

    So many suggestions possible with that prompt.

    I might suggest the Vlad Taltos series, starting with Jhereg, by Steven Brust. Reaslistic characters, snappy dialog, interesting premise of human’s status in the society, and a pretty far-out series of villains. It comes down to more or less a first person assassin- / intrigue-based plot with cleverly set-up who-dunnit elements here and there, and an overarching storyline, and a good sense of the universe.

    Some good suggestions in this thread. If you want even more options - I have been tapping into this Slashdot thread for a decade now, and it’s still giving me winners - which might not work for you, mind (e.g .“Little, Big” by Crowley, it led me to “To Reign in Hell” also by Brust, “Jack of Shadows” by Zelazny,)

  • ystael@beehaw.org
    0·
    10 months ago

    A few I’ve enjoyed that aren’t mentioned elsewhere so far:

    • Robin McKinley, The hero and the crown. If you’ve never read this, please, just go and do so, if you read nothing else on this entire thread.

    • Louise Cooper, Indigo (8 short books). Sealed ancient evil, cursed protagonist on heroic journey, talking animal companion. Just lots of fun all around.

    • Lois McMaster Bujold, The curse of Chalion series. Maybe a little more politics than you are looking for, but the divinity/magic system works well and I appreciate that the viewpoint characters are generally kind of old and busted. She is of course better known for the (excellent) Miles Vorkosigan military space opera series.

    • Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear, A companion to wolves et seq. Exactly what it says on the tin; the catch is that the viewpoint character of the first book becomes bonded to a female wolf, which radically changes how his culture sees him.

    • Elizabeth Moon, The deed of Paksenarrion. Basically what you’d get if you wrote down a really good D&D campaign (but mostly for only one viewpoint character). Formulaic in spots but enjoyable and well executed.

    Other replies have mentioned Steven Brust’s Vlad Taltos books, which I enjoyed a lot; and David (and Leigh) Eddings, which were my first big-kid fantasy novels (as for many other other American children of the 70s and 80s). Another long series in something of the same vein as Eddings is Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar saga; I haven’t read the entries after 2000, but before that it was a lot of fun.