fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2104 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2104 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

__________________________________________________

02.

__________________________________________________

03.

__________________________________________________

04.

__________________________________________________

05.

__________________________________________________

06.

__________________________________________________

07.

__________________________________________________

08.

__________________________________________________

09.

__________________________________________________

10.

__________________________________________________

11.

__________________________________________________

12.

__________________________________________________

13.

__________________________________________________

14.

__________________________________________________

15.

__________________________________________________

16.

__________________________________________________

17.

__________________________________________________

18.

__________________________________________________

19.

__________________________________________________

20.

__________________________________________________

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 06 pages, 129 secrets from Secret Submission Post #301.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 2 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 1 - repeat x 3 (NS to begin with)], [ 1 - unreadable ], [ 1 - secret posted as text ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've only read a few heroic fantasy books (almost all of Robin Hobb has written and A Song of Ice and Fire) but I really liked them and now I want more. Thing is whenever I step inside the fantasy section of the bookstore I get overwhelmed and nothing really sticks out :/. So what does F!S recommend?

Right now I am rereading the Acacia series (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/565335.Acacia). I would describe it as like ASOIAF, but it has the human feelings in it that I think Martin occasionally forgets to include.

Otherwise if you are interested in fantasy books with a little bit of M/M or Boy who is actually a girl I can't recommend these series enough:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/74270.Luck_in_the_Shadows

and

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/671560.The_Bone_Doll_s_Twin

I just read The Bone Doll's Twin (and rest of the Tamir trilogy) a couple of months and +1 to the rec. While I don't think it had the most shocking twists, the writing was beautiful and kept my interest to the end.

I am just finishing the third book, and I agree there aren't a lot of twists, but it's so wonderfully written, I have to suggest it to everyone. I can't explain how much I love everything about the books.

I'd recommend the Mistborn trilogy, and The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Possibly Elantris, too.

The Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky is also worth checking out.

+1 Mistborn rec

This may get long, but here goes. Recommendations from my bookshelf across the room, with small summaries/you may like this if:

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: First person narrated, rather lyrically written trilogy (Name of the Wind is the first book, trilogy is the Kingkiller Chronicle), but only the first two of three books are out, and the next one's probably not gonna be out for another couple years, although if you like ASoIaF, then that's probably not a deal-breaker.

Codex Alera by Jim Butcher: Started out as a bet to combine two bad ideas and make them work. The bad ideas? The lost roman legion, and Pokemon. And yes, it does work. Full of crazy-awesome characters, and a refreshingly unique pseudo-Roman rather than pseudo-Medieval setting. The first book is called Furies of Calderon.

Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson- super epic, cast of thousands and history of hundreds of thousands of years put into the world. It starts off a bit more heroic fantasy, but does get at bit more about the conflict of gods and worlds itself rather than the characters involved. Also, characters die. A lot. Just a warning. The first book is Gardens of the Moon, which seemed fine to me, but I've heard people recommend starting with Deadhouse Gates and then going back.

Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujould- a bit less epic in scope than the others, but a fun story with magic and political intrigue and quests.

The Deverry novels by Katherine Kerr- if you like Celtic mythology, these are pretty good. Reincarnation and trying to stop a cycle of horrible events from past lives. Although as a disclaimer, I read the first few books ages ago, and haven't gotten around to finishing the series, so I can't say how well it would age or if it ends at all well.

Hope that makes for a good starting point!

+1 for Name of the Wind. I've just started on Malazan Book of the Fallen myself, and am really liking it so far. It throws a lot of stuff at you rather fast, but in a structured way, so it creates a sense of depth and mystery rather than confusion (in my opinion, at least).

My friend lent me the Magister trilogy by C.S. Friedman over the summer (Feast of Souls, Wings of Wrath, and Legacy of Kings), and I loved it. Including several strong female characters, mixed with sacrificial magic, politics, and the clash of ancient, strong beliefs, the books made for a thought-provoking read. As I told my friend when I returned the books, my favorite parts were the carefully constructed and gradual reveals that rewarded you for reading carefully but also didn't bash you over the head with the information once the characters themselves figured it out in canon.

Darkfall series by Isobelle Carmody.
Everworld by K.A. Applegate (this one's YA).
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett - these are def. satirical rather than heroic.

Ooh! Darkfall and Everworld. I read them so long ago I don't even remember. And yay for Pratchett!

Lois McMaster Bujold! I like her fantasy a whole bunch. Her Chalion books are pretty good, especially Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. Very much historical Europe with a really interesting magical system and some really fun characters.

Old skool epic/high fantasy:

Maggie Furey's Aurian series.

Kristen Britain's Green Rider

Sara Douglass's... um. Fuck, I forget the name of the series, but it's her first one.

If you have one of those paperback used bookstores that carries tons and tons of old-as-fuck SFF, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword & Sorceress anthologies are excellent for short stories.

Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar though it's more high fantasy than epic. I particularly like the books about Tarma and Kethry, which are more towards heroic. Um, TW for rape in some of the books but I don't recall it being overly graphic.

Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series. It's YA but FANTASTIC. The last book comes out this month! *rubs hands gleefully*

Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion, which is an excellent set abt a female paladin. HOWEVER this one should come with a trigger warning w/ rape for the third book.

Gail Z. Martin's Necromancer chronicles. THESE ARE AWESOME.

Amanda Downum's series, which is especially awesome for having lots of GBLT (... including the T) characters, and a Middle Eastern setting.

NK Jemisin's books, any of them.

Brent Weeks' Night Angel series. They are awesome. And Vi... just, Vi. (I can't say more without spoilers but this character is win.) TW for reference to rape but I don't remember how explicit.

Out of print but findable at used bookstores, Carol Berg's Rai-Kirah books. Particularly if you have a thing for m/m subtext, it is lovely.

Anne Bishop's Black Jewels books, although with major major trigger warnings for rape on this one. Love'm but they are dark up there with Song of Ice and Fire (... except Anne does not have a fetish for killing off EVERY CHARACTER EVER).

CE Murphy's Inheritors books... with the caveat that it is an unfinished trilogy and the publisher refused to put out the third book because sales. I am still glad I read them, the heroine is bisexual, and probably one of the most likeable-unlikaeble heroines I have read. I'm hoping the author may get back to it now she's branching out into self-publishing if her contract doesn't prohibit.

Tamora Pierce's Tortall books (the Circle books are good too but less heroic fantasy imo). Again YA, and the first one is a bit rough, but they are still really good.

Barb & JC Hendee's Dhampir series. Lots of heroic fantasy tropes + half vampire heroine.

Diana Pharoah Francis's Path books. (Which reminds me I need to go look up her following series which I've heard is better. TOO MANY BOOKS.)

Lisa Shearin's Raine Benares books.

Oh... wow. Not the OP, but I had this open in a tab as a reminder to bookmark it, and refreshed before I saved it. Thank you for the extensive list! :D

[ SECRET POST #2104 ]

Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations

Re: Heroic fantasy recommendations