Which Fantasy Book Series is Better?

[Serutan]

LOTR, even though I haven't been able to take it seriously since
I read the "Bored of the Rings" parody.

And even though it's strictly mind candy, I think Burroughs Mars books deserve a tip of the hat, becuase it's *good* mind candy.

@Polymath: I had almost forgotten about Earthsea. You're right about it.

 

[Thadlerian]

I've only read Discworld (half-way in it), LotR and HP yet. But I'll start with Wheel of Time soon.

Several people seem to mention Dune. Does it qualify as Fantasy or Sci-fi? I tend to keep these terms separated. First book was great, anyway. Didn't like Preludes or Butlerian Jihad.

 

[Hergrom]

In no specific order:

Lord of the Rings (Original...) - Tolkein
Thomas Covenant (5th book IS painful) - Donaldson
Dune (1st book only. Politcal intrigue is not intrigueing) - Herbert
Shanara (1st book great, the rest merely ok) - Brooks
Song of Ice and Fire (great plot twists) - R.R. Martin
Black Company (gritty realism, uh, if magic were real...) - Cook
The Belgariad (great world and characters)- Eddings
(you're gonna laugh at me but....)
Xanth Series (1st 5 or 6 books rock) - Anthony

Probably my favorite is the Black Company books. Just awesome.

Hergrom

 

[Lord_Vetinari]

For me there's no contest: Discworld all the way!

 

[Dell19]

Btw I like the Dune books that come after the first one, at least the next two anyway as its an interesting turnaround...

 

[onejayhawk]

Originally posted by Simon Darkshade
Come now, Jack's work doesn't compare to the honour and glory of the real Ring Saga.

Jack was CS Lewis, but we get the point.

Have you ever tried SR Donaldson's "Gap" SF series, based in part on the Ring of Neblung cycle? Interesting, but not for everyone.

I note that Amber and Belgarath have been mentioned. For the lighter side of things, both are good.

J

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Yes, but it also refers to Jack Tolkien. I like to keep things informal, as well as infernal.

No, haven't tried that one. Probably doesn't have the same musical kick to it.

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

Discworld

When registering here I very almost used "Captain Vimes" as my user name, hehe.

I have read LotR, and loved it, but nothing else in the genre, so ive got nothing to compare it to, but the general vibe seems to be that LotR is the, ahem, Lord of the Genre. Hehe.

The Harry Potter books are a good read, but not in the same league as LotR.

 

[bigfatron]

The Daughter of the Empire series (I know its linked to the riftwar but it also stands alone) is very good, better than Magician for me.

Also not yet named but among my favourites is CJ Cherryh's series Chronicles of Morgaine

Otherwise I agree with many - Narnia, Dune, Covenant the Unbeliever are all good.

On a lighter note, Discworld, The Belgeriad, Hitchhiker's Guide (but the TAPES not the books!), Foundation, Riftwar, and one not yet mentioned - the original chronicles of Pern - are all entertaining and not too taxing, like HP really.

LOTR is still THE best fantasy in creation....

 

[Mariusz]

I'm very surprised that nobody mentioned Steven Erikson's "Tales Of The Malazan Book Of The Fallen". These books are definetely the best fantasy I've ever read.

 

[Noldodan]

Well, for me there are basically 3 fantasy series in existence. LOTR, Dune and the Wheel of Time. I know, fairly mainstream, but my book budget is rather low. And for all those griping about how BORING WoT has gotten, check this out!

 

[Ossric]

fantasy series: (title- author- number of books)
Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan) 11+
Farseer + tawny man trilogy's (Robin Hobb) 3+3
Memory, sorrow & thorn (Tad Williams) 3
Riftwar saga (R. Feist)
Amber (Roger Zelazny) 5 (actually 10 but i got them rapped in 5 books)

although i have not read him yet, everybody seems to be extatic about George R.R.Martin with his "A song of fire & ice" series

personally, i hate all the books from David Eddings, they are written for children younger then 10! (no offense)

Sci-Fi:
Dune (Frank Herbert) 6
Exiles/galactic milieu (Julian May) 4+(2+3)
fenix rebellion (M.K.Wren) 3

 

[Tathlum]

LOTR
if for no other reason than it made me fall in love with Reading. Before that I was a remedial learner reading wise and didnt care less. Then a teacher gave me THAT book. I actually read the two towers first (coz that was the part the teacher gave me) and fell in love at the battle of helms deep. Didn,t know what an Orc was, but I knew it was bad. After that I fell in love with school too and shot up to top of the class. That book changed my life. I re-read it about every 6 months and it can still make me cry. C'mon what else can come close?

well-
the Foundation books,
Magician and Faerie tale by Feist,
Katherine Kerr novels (daggerspell etc),
First and last men and Starmaker by Olaf Stapeldon,
Black Company (dont even like the writing style, but somehow I cant put them down)
Discworld ( though not mad on the last couple)
Elric
Burroughs Mars series

And a load more I've probably forgotten. Keep reminding me guys.

BTW I HATED the wheel of time. Couldnt even finish the first one! Am I glad I didnt get hooked on those. Also hated the Exiles series (many coloured land etc..) but most of my friends loved it.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Hyperion Cantos - Dan Simmons

 

[Mark Young]

Originally posted by polymath


Thomas Covenant ones - yes, OK, I see that, but a lot of the time Donaldson is just showing off with big words which add nothing. Hands up who knows the meaning of 'sapid', 'jerid' or 'clinquant' without looking at a dictionary? I remember the phrase 'hurled like a jerid'. What does that tell you? I used words like that when I was 16 and trying to show off. See, when something annoys me like that it really gets under my skin.

I was going to mention Thomas but you beat me too it
I partculary enjoyed the descriptiveness of his writing, how you felt like you were right there with him. Though I didn't understand his dilemma of being a leper and him trying not to accept the fact that he was not imagining things.

I found the lotr to be more jovial in the books then the movie and I was dissapointed not to see Tom Bombadill in the movie.

 

[Gladinia]

1st. JRRT's Lord of the Rings all the way!
2nd.David Eddings 4 series of books
3rd. Brian Jacques Redwall series

I also wish that Tom Bombadill was in the movie.

 

[superslug]

LOTR is the obvious choice. The Narnia chronicles get a bad rap quite often for having been written by CS Lewis, but I (hope) that over the years they've served as a gateway series, exposing younger readers to the larger world of fantasy.

Harry Potter? No comment...

 

[S.P.Q.R.]

My favourite is Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire...
followed by Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

 

[zippy]

Originally posted by bigfatron

Also not yet named but among my favourites is CJ Cherryh's series Chronicles of Morgaine

Not quite the first to mention this, check out the first page of this thread

I actually prefer this to LotR, as Vanye is a much more believable character than Aragorn etc IMHO.

 

[Xen]

Originally posted by zippy
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]

A)ELves, even those pansy wood elves (not the ever glorious high elves ) look at lot cooler then some rag-tag mob of rangers standing up againts soem of evils finest

B)considering I'm not sure what a ranger is supposed to be, I figure most other guys wouldnt know either- we all know about the elves, and there inherent kick ass-ness from the opening scene of the first movie...

C)I think they wanted an excuss to use more expensive, flashy classical based armor designs in conjunction to the viking look a-likes