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Recommend me some fantasy novels with decent prose!
- Thread starter Doc Kelso
- Start date
I second this, and can say that the other books in the series are equally as engaging and dynamic.
If anyone has any recommendations for authors who write like Hobb, I'd love to read them. She's probably my favorite writer.
You're funny. But you're also right, because I probably should check out her other pseudonym!
Can y'all please define what you think "good prose" means? Especially those of you posting Sanderson and Hobb. Legit confused about that.
My top recommendations would be Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe, and then anything by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Just another post for N.K. Jemisin. I don't necessarily care for all of her work, but the first book of The Broken Earth trilogy, The Fifth Season, is phenomenally written.
First thing I thought of. I absolutely love the Book of the New Sun series, but that first read was pretty daunting. I had to constantly look up words I didn't understand, which were all actual real life words that went out of use hundreds of years ago, and not made up for the novels. But Wolfe's writing style is so amazing, and made it easier to imagine the world he created.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle has some of the most beautiful prose you'll find in fantasy. But it's very different in tone and theme than a lot of fantasy that's popular nowadays.
Here are the first three paragraphs.
Here are the first three paragraphs.
This. I'm no genre snob but Gene Wolfe is just on another level compared to... nearly anyone else in genre fiction.
I'm sure you've read them, but let's get the giants out:
Lord of the Rings, Tolkien
A Song Of Ice And Fire, Martin
Then go on to Discworld. Terry Pratchett is a treasure, and it only gets better and better and better.
Guards! Guards! is a good starting point - you don't really need to start with The Color of Magic \ The Light Fantastic, albeit the titles themselves should inform the quality of what you're going to be embarking on!
Lord of the Rings, Tolkien
A Song Of Ice And Fire, Martin
Then go on to Discworld. Terry Pratchett is a treasure, and it only gets better and better and better.
Guards! Guards! is a good starting point - you don't really need to start with The Color of Magic \ The Light Fantastic, albeit the titles themselves should inform the quality of what you're going to be embarking on!
Ah, a Tigana reference. Guy is one of my favorites, and Tigana is near perfection. NK is great too.
The Wizard Knight books by Gene Wolfe. Pay no heed to the title, Wolfe is a master and no one since Tolkien compares to him.
Guy Gavriel Kay is another master fantasy writer. His stories are occasionally a little too cloying for my taste, but when he hits there's almost nothing like it. Under Heaven is my favorite.
Guy Gavriel Kay is another master fantasy writer. His stories are occasionally a little too cloying for my taste, but when he hits there's almost nothing like it. Under Heaven is my favorite.
I will second this, with the pedantic caveat that BOTNS is more sci-fi than fantasy. Either way, you can't go wrong with Wolfe.
Vlad Taltos by Steven Brust, so far there are 15 novels in the series. In a series that long the quality will dip at times but I liked the first couple of books.
The Black Company by Glen Cook. I've read that this is the series that inspired all the dark fantasy that's gotten so popular in the last 15 years. The novels follow a mercenary company over a couple of decades.
The Black Company by Glen Cook. I've read that this is the series that inspired all the dark fantasy that's gotten so popular in the last 15 years. The novels follow a mercenary company over a couple of decades.
I agree, though I will respond with the caveat that many people do not realize it is Sci Fi until much later on. I generally tell people it is fantasy for this reason.
First post for the win. He's such an incredible writer, both his prose and just the absolute creativity with the setting, creatures, weirdness and everything else.
Will second this recommendation. A very refreshing Middle-eastern/Persian-themed fantasy with fun characters.
My man. These books are some of my favorite of all time, I think they are criminally underappreciated. My First experience with Matt Stover was the Blade of Tyshalle, and I think i've read the entire set 3 times now? Wait a year or 2 and they're golden again. Could not recommend them more, and I'm stoked to see them pop up here. the Acts of Caine seem to fly under most people's radar.
I actually wrote Stover a gushing mail after finishing them, which I never ever do :)
These books deserve way more recognition.
Maybe you can tell us what you found faulty with their writing styles?
I find the description of the inner life of Hobb's characters very convincing so that might be what I'm thinking of. She can be a bit wordy but that just seems realistic to me since my mind is going on all the time. ;-)
To give an example from the books, I remember a particular section where a character's mind has fused with an animal that really wowed me.
Bumping this to thank the people that mentioned the broken earth trilogy. I just consumed it all over the past week and was enthralled by it.
Just absolutely amazing world building that sucked me in from the start. It reminded me of horizon ZD in so many ways, both in my addiction to finding out what happened and in themes.
Just absolutely amazing world building that sucked me in from the start. It reminded me of horizon ZD in so many ways, both in my addiction to finding out what happened and in themes.
Now read Nora's Inheritance trilogy and the Dreamblood dualogy. You won't regret it.
Just bought inheritance.
Now I'm feeling guilty though. I just remembered I own 6 Malazan books IRL and yet have only read 3 years ago and stopped. I wonder if I should attempt to tackle those again while I'm in this reading high.
Theyre just so fucking dense but I remember that the second and third had some of the most epic things I've ever read. Does anyone know a good wiki for I can follow for that series?
Pat Rothfuss may write poor characters and mediocre stories... but the prose is amazing.
read through his main books and a slow regard for silent things and you will not be disappointed.
...except in the story and characters, but the writing is almost poetic.
read through his main books and a slow regard for silent things and you will not be disappointed.
...except in the story and characters, but the writing is almost poetic.
I mean this is correct but... Gene Wolfe is more about sci fi I feel, even the things that appear fantasy at first 🤔
For anyone looking to read Malazan. This article is a good primer.
www.tor.com
I would avoid going to the wikki, you are going to spoil yourself.
A Beginner's Guide to Malazan Characters: Gardens of the Moon - Reactor
I’ll be honest: I’m one of the people who initially fell flat on my face the first time I tried to read Gardens of the Moon. The sheer number of new characters leaves many readers thumbing through the earlier chapters again and again, muttering all the while about maybe having missed something...
www.tor.com
I would avoid going to the wikki, you are going to spoil yourself.
Hard disagree on malazan. Terrible chore to read through and the payoff just isnt worth it. Series could have easily dropped several books and been better off for it
Yea I can see how it can be really hard to get into. Switching characters every book doesn't really do it any favors. I love the diverse cast though.
Yep. Massive fan of both books, I think they're really well written. I don't get the negativity around his characters, I think they're really well drawn. I might go and read them again now. Wish Doors of Stone would come out soon to complete the trilogy.
The Nonexistent Knight & The Cloven Viscount by Italo Calvino
Two short novels from Calvino collected together, each roughly ~120 pages. The first is about an empty suit of armour and the second a nobleman sliced in half (with one side good and the other evil). Calvino is a god-tier writer and both of these are extremely fun.
The Scar by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko
Russian fantasy that follows a man who kills another in a duel, and is then scarred by a wanderer (and driven to despair).
Two short novels from Calvino collected together, each roughly ~120 pages. The first is about an empty suit of armour and the second a nobleman sliced in half (with one side good and the other evil). Calvino is a god-tier writer and both of these are extremely fun.
The Scar by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko
Russian fantasy that follows a man who kills another in a duel, and is then scarred by a wanderer (and driven to despair).
Hah, first reply gets it. First author that came to my mind too. Robin Hobb has some nice prose sometimes too.
I'd also recommend The Vorrh, a sort of weird colonial African fantasy that has a really interesting and unique tone.
ha, are you me? the vorrh is fantastic, recommend it also.Hah, first reply gets it. First author that came to my mind too. Robin Hobb has some nice prose sometimes too.
I'd also recommend The Vorrh, a sort of weird colonial African fantasy that has a really interesting and unique tone.
Is it against the rules to bump this thread and check up on if you started reading any of these? I had a thought about this thread earlier and wanted to hear if the OP has any early impressions or thoughts if they did indeed check some of these out. Regardless, I hope you still have the time to enjoy a good read, Doc!