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LotR and Foundation (Sci-Fi, I know) by Asimov.
Which Fantasy Book Series is Better?
- Thread starter Superevie
- Start date
as far as fantasy goes, i dont read much of it- but I do have a likeing for the dune "prequels", and yet no enjoyment for DUne itself...
"House Harkonen", in specifice the sub-sotry of the training of Duncan Idaho is one fo the most enjoyable (so is the Butlerian Jihad, that another great book as well)
"House Harkonen", in specifice the sub-sotry of the training of Duncan Idaho is one fo the most enjoyable (so is the Butlerian Jihad, that another great book as well)
At the risk of being called a heretic, i found LOTR to be really boring.
My vote for best fanatasy is LeQuins Earthsea trilogy. I've probably read it more than 10 times and I still get something new from each reading.
2nd place goes to Steven Donaldson's Thomas Covenent double trilogy with the notable exception of the 5th volume which was absolute crap. I enjoyed all the big words.
Don't like Asimov and the Wheel of Time Series is a scam ( but my wife is still addicted)
My vote for best fanatasy is LeQuins Earthsea trilogy. I've probably read it more than 10 times and I still get something new from each reading.
2nd place goes to Steven Donaldson's Thomas Covenent double trilogy with the notable exception of the 5th volume which was absolute crap. I enjoyed all the big words.
Don't like Asimov and the Wheel of Time Series is a scam ( but my wife is still addicted)
CurtSibling
ENEMY ACE™
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Tolkien is a master. For me there is no contest.
There are no other that have made me tearful with such a description of honour and glory as the final part of the ring saga.
There are no other that have made me tearful with such a description of honour and glory as the final part of the ring saga.
Yes it was annoying that the first 300 or so pages covered events before the end of the last book but there was still some progression and I think I will still be getting the next book in the series.
I would probably vot for Dune...
)
Bozo Erectus
Master Baker
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Hitchhikers Guide deserves a mention. Its right up their in the top 5.
Simon Darkshade
Mysterious City of Gold
Come now, Jack's work doesn't compare to the honour and glory of the real Ring Saga.
floppa21
Crusty Manhole
Many good ones mentioned above. I recently needed to start a new book and after hemming and hawing over my 60+ book pile of books to be read still, I decided to start the 'Song of Ice and Fire' series by George R. R. Martin. This is so much beter than anything I was hoping for. It may not have that 'timeless classic' status that LOTR has, and it may not have the hype that Hairy Pooter has, but it is a fantastic read. I'm finishing the second today and the third is waiting at home, but I must read a book for Grnmtnsun before I do that. THAT book may be considered fantasy by some also. 
Simon Darkshade
Mysterious City of Gold
The fact that he's mentioned it on about half a thousand occasions over the years?
Darkness
Shadow creature
Of those in the poll LOTR is definately the best, but I voted other because IMHO there are quite a few fanatsy series that are better than LOTR (my opinion of course 
)
1- Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
2- Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
3- Raymond Feist - his books about the world Midkemia (3 or 4 series)...
4- Robin Hobb - Farseer/Liveship Traders/Tawny man series
5- Jacqueline Carey - Kushiels Chosen/Kushiels Dart/Kushiels Avatar...
6- Roger Zelazny - Amber
7- The prequels to Dune, by Herberts' son.
8- George Martin - A song of fire and ice
And maybe some others I can't recall right now...
)1- Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
2- Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
3- Raymond Feist - his books about the world Midkemia (3 or 4 series)...
4- Robin Hobb - Farseer/Liveship Traders/Tawny man series
5- Jacqueline Carey - Kushiels Chosen/Kushiels Dart/Kushiels Avatar...
6- Roger Zelazny - Amber
7- The prequels to Dune, by Herberts' son.
8- George Martin - A song of fire and ice
And maybe some others I can't recall right now...
LOTR, of course! 
I first read it in 1968, and have re-read it roughly once a year, since.
Another fantasy series that deserves mention, IMHO, is Katherine Kurtz' Deryni stories.
I first read it in 1968, and have re-read it roughly once a year, since.Another fantasy series that deserves mention, IMHO, is Katherine Kurtz' Deryni stories.
allhailIndia
Deity
Come on!! Can ANYTHING be placed on an equal level with LOTR at all?!!!!!!
floppa21
Crusty Manhole
It would be interesting to see the results this poll and thread would bring up BEFORE the first LOTR MOVIE was made and released.
Why,
The films are visually spectacular, and a very good interpretation, but the books are still better.
[rant]
I can understand cutting scenes such as Tom Bombadil and the Barrowwights as otherwise the film would be so long, even though this sets up later events which will now seem somewhat disjointed, but WHY OH WHY did they add all those Arwen scenes that add nothing to the storyline, and the time could have been used to include some of the missed out scenes such as the gifts from Lothlorien. And another thing, why the elves at Helms Deep. The army of Rangers turning up made more sense.
[end rant]
The films are visually spectacular, and a very good interpretation, but the books are still better.
[rant]
I can understand cutting scenes such as Tom Bombadil and the Barrowwights as otherwise the film would be so long, even though this sets up later events which will now seem somewhat disjointed, but WHY OH WHY did they add all those Arwen scenes that add nothing to the storyline, and the time could have been used to include some of the missed out scenes such as the gifts from Lothlorien. And another thing, why the elves at Helms Deep. The army of Rangers turning up made more sense.
[end rant]
Bozo Erectus
Master Baker
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Julian May's Pliocene Exile books are right up there too, and her whole Galactic Milieu world in general also.
You are the second person to rate the prequels ahead of the originals... Did you read these first or something as I read the original Dune first so that could be why I didn't like the prequels as much. Really I felt Dune had a much better plot as the charactors were built up more.
Bozo Erectus
Master Baker
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The writing in the post-Frank Herbert books just isnt as good. To be fair, Herbert was one of the masters so it would be hard for anybody to walk in and fill his shoes. I would like to see the Dune universe opened to other authors like Philip Jose Farmers Riverworld and Nivens Known Space universe.
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