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Opinions on some of my book choices

Discussion in 'Booktalk' started by Enagonios, Oct 5, 2006.

  1. Enagonios Gems: 31/31
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    [​IMG] Hey guys, as I mentioned in some other threads, SP is blocked by the internet filter at work, so I've made do by going around fantasy novel forums (particularly the science fiction and fantasy site, www.sff.com) and amazon. Anyway, my mom's going to the US in a month and I'm planning to order some stuff on amazon. I've made a list of around 30 novels, some are pretty well-known I believe, while others are less so. Please give me any input you have on these titles, particularly if you have read them. I'll be giving your opinions major weight in deciding whether or not to pick these books up. Also, if you see a trend among the novels I list and have some recommendations of your own, please throw them in. Here goes:

    1) The Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem

    2) I, Claudius by Robert Graves

    3) Isle of Stone by Nicholas Nicastro

    4) In Kithairon's Shadow by Jon Edward Martin

    5) Men of Bronze by Scott Oden

    6) Firelord by Parke Godwin

    7) Winter King by Bernard Cornwell

    8) Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell

    9) Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell

    10) Song of Troy by Colleen McCullough

    11)Pages of Pain by Troy Denning

    12) Tigana/A Song for Arbonne/Lions of Al-Rassan
    by Guy Kavariel Kay (which is the best? I'm only
    getting one)

    13) The Gift by Patrick O'Leary

    14) To Reign in Hell by Steven Brust

    15) The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll

    16) 3 Hearts and 3 Lions by Poul Anderson

    17) Magician by Raymond Feist

    18) Creatures of Light and Darkness by Roger Zelazny

    19) Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

    20) A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger
    Zelazny

    21) Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees

    22) Sir Apropros of Nothing by Peter David

    23) Woad to Wuin by Peter David

    24) Tong Lashing by Peter David

    25) Banewreaker by Jaqueline Carey

    26) Godslayer by Jaqueline Carey

    27) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

    28) Ash by Mary Gentle

    29) Mask of the Sorcerer by Darrell Schweitzer

    30) The Gilded Crown by Dave Duncan

    31) The Cursed by Dave Duncan

    32) Talion: Revenant by Michael Stackpole

    Whew! That's the lot! What do you guys think? If you notice, the first 10 are more of historical fiction than fantasy. I enjoy historical fiction and am trying to find another novel similar to Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire. The other titles are, I believe, pretty popular like the ones written by Feist and Zelazny, while others are not, such as those written by David or Duncan, who I'd never heard of before today.

    Any opinions, suggestions or advice that you guys give will be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.
     
  2. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Magician is the first book of a trilogy, so I'd guess you'd want to get them all...
     
  3. Daie d'Malkin

    Daie d'Malkin Shoulda gone to Specsavers

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    Magician is awesome; I, Claudius was good; bernard Cornwall is a great author, and Ash freaked me out the first time I read it, but I was 12 at the time. I'll re-read it eventually...
     
  4. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Reading "Ash" now and it is very entertaining.
     
  5. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I have only read one of those books so am not much help, but I can say that "Magician" is a pretty average book at best. The characters are nothing to get excited about and the story is pretty mediocre. But it is a "seminal" work in the history of fantasy fiction, so may be worth reading for the reason alone.
     
  6. Avarahtar Gems: 7/31
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    If you are going to read any Guy Gaverial Kay, Lions of Al-Rassan is probably his best. Though you stipulated that you were only buying 1 Kay book, I enjoyed the Sarantine Mosiac Duology just as much as Lions of Al-Rassan. I didn't like A Song for Arbonne at all. It seemed rather whiny.

    I rather enjoyed reading Magician, though it has been years since I've read it. I'd recommend it.

    Elantris was a surprisingly good read considering it's the authors first book. Nothing overly outstanding but I didn't feel like I wasted my money on it.

    I really like Talion: Revenant, though again it's been years since I first read it, and rereads probably skip over all the parts that were boring or I don't like. I don't recall consciously skipping over much, but I'm sure it happens.

    As for Dave Duncan, I don't believe I've read those particular books, but I have read his Chronicles of the King's Blades and I wasn't overly impressed. There was something missing from the stories that made it a boring read. Maybe the characterization since I didn't like any of the characters.
     
  7. AMaster Gems: 26/31
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    Definitely get the stuff from Jacqueline Carey. Essentially, think "the lord of the rings" from the perspective of Sauron + pals. And make Sauron + pals sympathetic characters. While keeping the good guys sympathetic as well.

    I haven't read Stackpole's Talion: Revenant, but I have read some of his other fantasy....

    um. If you like Salvatore, you'll like Stackpole. If you think Salvatore's a repetitive hack, pass on Stackpole.

    The Peter David stuff is hilarious. The second book starts off with a parody of lord of the rings to the effect of "One Thing To Rule Them All" the thing is...what you'd expect, on a man, and "them all" is "women". If that sounds amusing, go for it. If it doesn't, give it miss (mind, that's only the focus of the early segment of the book).

    Probably don't want Pages of Pain--at least, I wasn't impressed by it. Plus, I don't think it's in print these days (being a Planescape novel and all).

    You need Steven Erikson :p
     
  8. Rallymama Gems: 31/31
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    You can't go wrong with anything by Zelazny. Many of his works are anthologies of short stories, which might be just what you need for reading at work.
     
  9. SatansBedFellow Gems: 7/31
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    Lud-in-the-Mist is an absolute 'must have' and is a major influence on modern Faerie fantasy like Neil Gaiman's Stardust etc. Three Hearts and Three Lions is another seminal work and despite being rather short still trumps most fantasy books twice the length. However, The Broken Sword is probably the best book Anderson ever produced and should be on your shopping list if you don't already own a copy.
     
  10. Enagonios Gems: 31/31
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    Thanks for the suggestions guys. Right now everything you guys backed up has been placed in the "get for sure" category and Dave Duncan's stuff is tentatively out (never heard of him before anyway :/)

    also, magician is a trilogy? isn't there just apprentice and master? also, if I buy only those, will that be ok? or will i be compelled to get the rest of the riftwar saga?
     
  11. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    More likely you will read Magician and be disappointed and not want to bother with anything else by Feist.
     
  12. Rotku

    Rotku I believe I can fly Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    I loved the Magician when I read it years ago. There's quite a large series off books based in that world. My favourite of Feist's books were the Empire series, a stand along series he co-authored, starting with Daughter of the Empire. It's based in the world that... well, if you read the Magican you'll know (don't want to give anything away). They're really good books - a nice light, fun read.
     
  13. Enagonios Gems: 31/31
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    @HB

    That bad? The only thing I've read of his is Faerie Story and I loved it. How does it compare to that?
     
  14. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Given that Magician was so mediocre, I didn't bother reading anything else by Fiest, so I have no idea how it compares to anything else he has written.

    I class Magician in the same general boat as those Salvatore DnD books. They're OK, but pretty lightweight, with mostly one dimensional, predictable characters. Not in the same league as stuff like George Martin, Robin Hobb, or Steven Erikson.
     
  15. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Actually, Magician:Apprentice and Magician:Master are the original first book of the trilogy split into two for the paperback release.

    If you only read Magician, you missed most of the story I think. It has been several years though, so I could be misremembering.
     
  16. el timtor Gems: 13/31
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    @Enagonios

    I'm going to jump back to Roger Zelazny--put Last Defender of Camelot on your list.

    It's one of his anthologies, and it contains two of the best (IMO) short stories he's written: "For A Breath I Tarry", and "24 Views of Mt. Fuji by Hokusai".
     
  17. Enagonios Gems: 31/31
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    Hey all, here was the final list that I sent to my mom. She's going to leave it at a local 2nd-hand bookstore. Which of these do you think will turn up? And which do you think are highly unlikely to?

    1) The Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem

    2) I, Claudius by Robert Graves

    3) Isle of Stone by Nicholas Nicastro

    4) In Kithairon's Shadow by Jon Edward Martin

    5) Men of Bronze by Scott Oden

    6) Firelord by Parke Godwin

    7) Winter King by Bernard Cornwell

    8) Enemy of God by Bernard Cornwell

    9) Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell

    10) Song of Troy by Colleen McCullough

    11) Pages of Pain by Troy Denning

    12) Anything by Gregory Macdonald except: Fletch, Confess, Fletch, Fletch’s Fortune, Fletch and The Man Who

    13) The Gift by Patrick O'Leary

    14) To Reign in Hell by Steven Brust

    15) The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll

    16) 3 Hearts and 3 Lions by Poul Anderson

    17) Sword of the Demon by Richard Lupoff

    18) Creatures of Light and Darkness by Roger Zelazny

    19) Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

    20) A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger
    Zelazny

    21) Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees

    22) Sir Apropros of Nothing by Peter David

    23) Woad to Wuin by Peter David

    24) Tong Lashing by Peter David

    25) Banewreaker by Jaqueline Carey

    26) Godslayer by Jaqueline Carey

    27) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

    28) Ash by Mary Gentle

    29) Mask of the Sorcerer by Darrell Schweitzer

    30) The Gilded Crown by Dave Duncan

    31) The Cursed by Dave Duncan

    33) Declare by Tim Powers

    34) Little, Big by John Crowley

    35) Bone Dance by Emma Bull

    36) The Stress of her Regard by Tim Powers

    37) Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe

    38) The Wizard-Knight by Gene Wolfe

    39) The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford

    40) The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

    The following are all by Terry Pratchett:

    41) The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents

    42) Mort

    43) Wyrd Sisters

    44) Eric

    45) Reaper Man

    46) Witches Abroad

    47) Men at Arms

    48) Jingo

    49) Carpe Jugulum

    50) The Truth

    The following are all by Steven Erikson:

    1) Gardens of the Moon

    2) Deadhouse Gates

    3) Memories of Ice

    4) House of Chains

    5) Midnight Tides

    6) The Bonehunters

    The following are all by Barry Hughart:

    1) Bridge of Birds

    2) The Story of the Stone

    3) Eight Skilled Gentlemen
     
  18. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Holy Bibliotheque, Batman! It would take the rest of your life to read all those books!

    I'm sure the Pratchett ones should be pretty easy to find (internet auction sites are full of them), but maybe not the Erikson ones because they seem to be so uncommon in the USA (but you should find a way to get them anyway, because they rock).
     
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