(farewell for a while)So you read LOTR and want more story-may I suggest.......

[TrevorNasko]

....The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, a story that is strikingly similar to LOTR style and was so good it kept me away from CPF for Over 24hours and I was up reading it at 3AM ! I only came on to tell you of this great chronicles(what are 7 books in a series called?) and plan on going back to it as soon a I can and may not be back on for a week or so until I can finish all the books. I may check in to say hi but not for long - these things are gripping!

 

[Silviron]

I read the books when they first came out, and again a couple of years ago.

To me, reading Thomas Covenant was kind of like "picking at a scab".... You keep reading to see if the "hero" will ever become any more than a weak, sobbing, self-hating sissy. (occasionally he does). What made me like the books is the quality of the "supporting characters", most of whom are wonderful.

I actually knew the author(not well)- Stephen R. Donaldson- He belonged to a writers group that a friend of mine was in. Very nice guy, shy, and a man of few spoken words- I guess he saved them for print.

Went to his house once and met another Sci-Fi writer - Fred Saberhagen who has turned out some pretty decent stuff- I like the "Empire of the East" series, and especially the two "Books of Swords" series.

You probably haven't gotten that far yet, and I hope this doesn't spoil anything for you, but my favorite single line in the whole Thomas Covenant series consisted of three letters: "Nom."

The moment for me was the emotional equivalent of when Darth Vader picked up the Emperor and threw him down the shaft in Star Wars.

For fantasy though, George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice And Fire" series and Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series are the best. It may be Sacrilege, but I prefer both to Lord of the Rings.

 

[Saaby]

I read non-fiction...it'd probably bore most of you though, it's truly unique stuff

(338 section, that is)

 

[TrevorNasko]

Have not got that far. Yes I prefer LOTR but I have an annoying habit of remembering what I read thus rereading is never an option.

 

[TrevorNasko]

Ah yes an epic is a good thing.

 

[Silviron]

Aww, Saaby- You gotta read some good Fantasy stuff sometime. Non-fiction to learn something useful, A good epic Fantasy to enjoy.

I've done a lot of pretty exciting things in my (past) life, but I'd be bored out of my mind now if I couldn't escape into someone else's adventures.

Read too much non-fiction and your head will explode from all that knowledge. Trust me, I know- that is how I lost my first head

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I read quite a bit of SF & fantasy, and I'll agree with most of what's been said so far. Except, I tend to find Jordan pretty wordy, and sometimes only barely readable (he has gotten better in the later books). Martin's stuff is very good, however.

But the best contemporary writer of fantasy is, IMHO, is Guy Gavriel Kay. Sailing to Sarantium, and its sequel are both top notch, as are his previous two novels. Sort of alternate historical/fantasy, but set in a different (but similar) world.

For pure light entertainment (with some emphasis on character), it's hard to beat Dave Duncan, who's written quite a few books over the last 15 years or so, mostly fantasy.

And Steven Brust's Jhereg series is simply terrific, and...

 

[sunspot]

If you like epics, try Peter Hamilton's six book run. Reality Dysfunction, The Neutronium Alchemist and Naked God.
Then try Dan Simmons four book. Rise of Endymion, Endymion, Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion.

 

[Wits' End]

I read The Chronicles quite a while ago but I think only read three. Maybe I'll hunt them up again.
Just read The Age Of Unreason series last book not available yet

. It was good sort of a hard science fantasy.

Anybody read Nero Wolfe series? Not as enthralling as SF & F but good.