Top 12 Fantasy Authors/Series of all Time (was top 10 but i forgot 2 series)

[astrosfan64]

Steven Erickson -- A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen Series (still in progress)
George RR Martin -- A song of Ice and Fire (still in progress)
Robert Jordan -- Wheel of Time (still in progress)
Scott Bakker -- Prince of Nothing
C.S. Friendmens -- Cold Fire Trilogy
Robin Hobb -- Farseer Trilogy
Tad Williams -- Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Chris Bunch -- Seer King, Demon King, Warrior King
Raymond Feist -- Entire Krondor Series (ongoing)
Sean Russle -- The Swans War (still in progress)
J.R.R. Tolken -- Lord of the Rings
Various Prophets and Disciples -- The Bible (sorry couldn't resist) the bible has some rocking stories in it and I happen to believe most are fantasy or lore.


Erickson's imagination is simply fantastic.

[Vince]

While it's not on the same level as some of these in terms of quality of writing, I'd put Margaret Weis' and Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles up there somewhere, as well as David Eddings' Belgariad. My personal top five:

1. George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire
2. Weis and Hickman, Dragonlance Chronicles
3. David Eddings, The Belgariad
4. Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time
5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

[Peregrine]

Didn't we just finish this discussion recently?

Yes, we did.

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=60060

[astrosfan64]

Didn't we just finish this discussion recently?

Yes, we did.

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=60060

Sorry, I missed it.

[astrosfan64]

While it's not on the same level as some of these in terms of quality of writing, I'd put Margaret Weis' and Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles up there somewhere, as well as David Eddings' Belgariad. My personal top five:

1. George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire
2. Weis and Hickman, Dragonlance Chronicles
3. David Eddings, The Belgariad
4. Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time
5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Ahh David Eddings, yes most excellent.

I loved the Dragonlance Chronicles, but now that I went back and reread them the quality of writing just isn't as good as I remember it. It was probably 15 years ago when I first read them.

[Peregrine]

Sorry if I came off a bit harsh, obviously anyone can miss a thread.

Just to contribute, in no particular order.

JRR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings
Gene Wolfe, The Book of the New Sun
Katherine Kurtz, The Deryni Chronicles
Glen Cook, The Black Company series
Roger Zelazny, The Chronicles of Amber
Terry Pratchett, Discworld
Guy Gavriel Kay, The Fionavar Tapestry
Tad Williams, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
Lloyd Alexander, Chronicles of Prydain (sure they're for younger readers, but they are really amazing)

Plenty more if we included SF series also

[Vince]

Ahh David Eddings, yes most excellent.

I loved the Dragonlance Chronicles, but now that I went back and reread them the quality of writing just isn't as good as I remember it. It was probably 15 years ago when I first read them.

Exactly. The quality isn't as good...but I still love the story - probably more nostalgia than anything else. The series was epic to me when I was 13 or 14 (or whenever I first read them).

I love these threads though, because they always give me new reading material.

[path12]

Maybe it's just me, but I just started the first Wheel of Time book about a week ago and was really surprised by how poor the writing was. Now that I'm into the story it's not as big a deal, but I damn near put it away after the first 50 pages.

[Eaglesfan27]

Maybe it's just me, but I just started the first Wheel of Time book about a week ago and was really surprised by how poor the writing was. Now that I'm into the story it's not as big a deal, but I damn near put it away after the first 50 pages.

I think almost everyone almost gives up on it within the first 50-100 pages. After about 75, I was ready to give up, but my college roommate insisted that I give it 75 more pages.. by then I was hooked.

[Peregrine]

Maybe it's just me, but I just started the first Wheel of Time book about a week ago and was really surprised by how poor the writing was. Now that I'm into the story it's not as big a deal, but I damn near put it away after the first 50 pages.

Yeah this is not surprising. Personally I think Robert Jordan is a hack. I finally managed to force myself through five books before collapsing in a heap. Of course not everyone shares that opinion.

[astrosfan64]

The Scott Bakker series Prince of Nothing series is a killer. If you guys haven't read that you really need to try it.

But Erikison to me is really the king of Epics now. I mean it is Part Martin and Part Black Company.

Which is another series I left off the list. Black Company was a good one.

Have any of you read the the Erikison series?

Jordan's series has had its ups and downs, but Matt has always been one of my favorite characters of all time.

Peregrine: no worries, I shouldn't be so sensitive. I was just up last night talking with my wife about the new Erikson series. I was telling her how I thought Tolkien isn't the best of all time. She is hooked on Lord of the Rings MMO.

So i went in and tried to create my list. I also like these lists because you can find some good series you might of missed.

[Bad-example]

Yeah this is not surprising. Personally I think Robert Jordan is a hack. I finally managed to force myself through five books before collapsing in a heap. Of course not everyone shares that opinion.

+1

The guy desperately needed a good editor. He had a fertile imagination but every 10 pages or so I found a sentence so poorly constructed it made me want to punch him in the face.

[Jonathan Ezarik]

Have any of you read the the Erikison series?

I tried to read Gardens of the Moon, but the way he drops you into the story made it impossible for me to get into it. I'll give it a try again in the future because I've heard great things about the series, but it didn't work for me the first try through.

I'm with you on Bakker, though. Excellent series.

[astrosfan64]

I tried to read Gardens of the Moon, but the way he drops you into the story made it impossible for me to get into it. I'll give it a try again in the future because I've heard great things about the series, but it didn't work for me the first try through.

I'm with you on Bakker, though. Excellent series.

You really have to read and reread his book. Stuff that is mentioned in book 1 comes to light in book 4. I really can't explain how excellent this series is. But, it is probably one of the most difficult series I've ever read.

[Schmidty]

I'm not posting in this repeat thread.

Damnit!!!!

[sabotai]

The Scott Bakker series Prince of Nothing series is a killer. If you guys haven't read that you really need to try it.

I actually just started reading the first book on this series. So far I'm liking it, but I'm only about 50 pages in or so.

[Malificent]

Kingdom of Briar and Thorn - Greg Keyes

Keyes is terribly underappreciated but all his stuff has been fantastic.

[Schmidty]

Kingdom of Briar and Thorn - Greg Keyes

Keyes is terribly underappreciated but all his stuff has been fantastic.

YOU COPIED ME!!!


Seriously though, it's nice to hear another person mention him. He makes you care about his characters more than just about anyone else out there right now. His books play out like a movie in my mind, with life-like characters, exciting action sequences, and very good plot development.

[JPhillips]

Until he fucked it up by adding books after the death of the protagonist, Moorcock's Elric series always was a good read for me.

I also loved Piers Anthony's series where each Deity had a book. Can't remember the name of those books, though.

And just as a question, what about Harry Potter?

[Peregrine]

Harry Potter is an entertaining read, but it doesn't even make the top of my young adult series, Alexander's Prydain books are far superior, as are Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising books.

[spleen1015]

Xanth.

[MrDNA]

Crap. This thread reminded me that in another of these type of threads I heard about something I wanted to read and now I forget what it is.

EDIT: I think it was Gene Wolfe. All better.

[path12]

I also loved Piers Anthony's series where each Deity had a book. Can't remember the name of those books, though.

Incarnations of Immortality? I liked those also.

[JPhillips]

Incarnations of Immortality? I liked those also.

Yes! I remember devouring those books when I was younger. Just the right blend between fantasy and humor.

[path12]

I might have to reread those. They were lots of fun as I recall.

Would the compilations of Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions count as a series? Both of those rocked, but I am a short story fan.

[KWhit]

Read this series. It is outstanding.

http://www.amazon.com/Amulet-Samarkand-Bartimaeus-Trilogy-Book/dp/0552550299/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-1202138-5060146?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190436014&sr=8-2

It owes a lot to Harry Potter, but it's a bit more adult.

[sachmo71]

Jordan is a hack? To each his own, I guess, but that seems a shocking overstatement to me.