What's a good fiction series?

[LagunaX]

I would go way old school if you haven't before to the lesser known foundations of fantasy novels (other than Tolkien's LOTR or Robert E. Howard's Conan series). You'll find interesting heroes in Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and anti-hero in Elric of Melnibone:

Fritz Leiber:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fafhrd_and_the_Gray_Mouser

Michael Moorcock:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elric_of_Melnibone

These plus Tolkien and Howard are the original books that inspired E. Gary Gygax and his crew for the creation of Dungeons and Dragons back in the 70's.

 

[infoiltrator]

Baen books has a good selection, sample chapters and a free library.
David Weber
David Drake
John Ringo
are all very good, with varied content.

 

[IronWing]

Donaldson is the master of anti-heroes. If you can stick with them it's some of the best fantasy you will ever read. But it might not be for everyone.

I finished the series, I just didn't like Thomas.

Spoiler

His conception of the Blood Guard was quite good.

 

[sdifox]

So raking in money = quality? By that logic, McDonald's hamburgers are quality. Casinos are quality. Taxes are quality.

How many other work of fiction started wars and have people believing it is the absolute truth?

 

[IronWing]

How many other work of fiction started wars and have people believing it is the absolute truth?

Almost every war was started by a work of fiction.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Robert Redick "The Red Wolf Conspiracy"
Three books out so far in that series. Really liked the first two but the third was a bit weak.

Naomi Novik "His Majesty's Dragon"
Not really sure this is really fantasy but there be dragons so good enough. This is an alternate history/universe series were dragons exist on earth and are being used a bombers/fighters during the Napoleonic wars. Seven books in this series so far and I really enjoyed the first 5.

Jane Lindskold "Through Wolf's Eyes"
Blue blood Girl raised by wolves re-enters royal society. If you like fantasy books were some animals have human level intelligence this is a good one, one of the characters is a wolf. Six book series.

E. E. Knight "Dragon Champion"
This series takes place from the dragon's point of view which was pretty cool. Each of the first three books in this series are from the point of view of a different sibling and what happens to them after they are separated shortly after birth. The next three are them coming back together and the last books sucks but overall it is a fun series.

Some of the better ones I've read that haven't been mentioned already. Anne McCaffrey's Pern books have been mentioned already but I will say if you read those don't bother reading Todd's Mcaffrey's Pern books. They are horrible.

 

[mcurphy]

marked

 

[thirdeye]

Lots of good suggestions. I've read the first 4 Song of Fire and Ice novels and stopped about 1/3 through the 5th. It just couldn't keep me interested enough to want to read any more.

The King Killer Chronicle books (Patrick Rothfuss) are quite awesome as well. Of all the people I know that read, they've read them and almost unanimously agree they're some of the best books they've ever read.

 

[FerrelGeek]

You might like Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I alternated between liking it and wanting to kill the main character and the author...

Off of the scifi/fantasy trail, the Travis McGee books are generally a good read, a private eye sort of thing.

Donaldson is the master of anti-heroes. If you can stick with them it's some of the best fantasy you will ever read. But it might not be for everyone.

+1 on the Thomas Covenant series. But those books are about as far form Harry Potter as you can get. Donaldson tortures you with his characters, and you'll have your vocabulary expanded a good deal as well.

Another good read by Donaldson is the 2 book series "Mordant's Need".

 

[CZroe]

Best selling fiction of all time is The Bible.

Only took 7 replies.

How many other work of fiction started wars and have people believing it is the absolute truth?

DMSMH is close. All they need is a war with a few more casualties than the war with Anonymous.

 

[Pheran]

+1 on the Thomas Covenant series. But those books are about as far form Harry Potter as you can get. Donaldson tortures you with his characters, and you'll have your vocabulary expanded a good deal as well.

Yeah, if you look at the link I posted above, they are at opposite ends of my classification of the fantasy spectrum.

On the scifi side, Donaldson's character in The Gap series is even more of an anti-hero than all of his others.

 

[Naeeldar]

Lots of good suggestions. I've read the first 4 Song of Fire and Ice novels and stopped about 1/3 through the 5th. It just couldn't keep me interested enough to want to read any more.

The King Killer Chronicle books (Patrick Rothfuss) are quite awesome as well. Of all the people I know that read, they've read them and almost unanimously agree they're some of the best books they've ever read.

I really have to agree on the king killer chronicles. The problem is they are so good I would almost recommend not reading until we get closer to the release of the 3rd book. The wait is killing me and it doesn't appear that it will be released anytime soon.

 

[zebano]

I really have to agree on the king killer chronicles. The problem is they are so good I would almost recommend not reading until we get closer to the release of the 3rd book. The wait is killing me and it doesn't appear that it will be released anytime soon.

Join the club. If I weren't getting a new Gentelman Bastard novel this year I don't think I would be able to stand it.

 

[AFurryReptile]

I loved loved loved the Ender's Game series. It presents some very interesting moral dilemmas to think about.

 

[DestinyKnight]

Memory, Sorrow, Thorn series by Tad Williams. You'll either love it or hate it.

 

[Druidx]

Vampire Earth series by E.E. Knight

 

[zebano]

Vampire Earth series by E.E. Knight

The first four of these were really really good. It felt like it jumped the shark after that however.

 

[thraashman]

Well it seems the ones I came in to say have largely been said, but I'll do it anyway.

Stephen King's The Dark Tower (7 books. First four are much better than the final 3. Fourth book is best in series. A lot of people hated the ending, but I think it's about the only right way he could've ended it)

The Dresden Files (At 14 books currently. Author has said he expects to go to about 24. Everybody I know whose read them is addicted.)

R.A. Salvatore's books in the Forgotten Realms (D&D campaign setting)
Mostly he's written about Drizzt Do-Urden and has over 20 books now I believe involving Drizzt. First book written and published was The Crystal Shard. First book chronologically for Drizzt story is Homeland.
There's also The Cleric Quintet, a 5 book series about a cleric in the Forgotten Realms. I very much enjoyed it. The main character from here does make it into the later Drizzt stories.
The Sellswords - Two side characters from Drizzt storylines get a 3 book series. Very fun.