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[NecrosaroIII]

I would absolutely recommend OP avoids A Song Of Ice And Fire, as there's zero chance it's ever getting finished.

I'm not the biggest fan of ASOIAF. It's too cynical for me.

 

[cheststrongwell]

The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams.

https://www.amazon.com/Dragonbone-Chair-Memory-Sorrow-Thorn/dp/0886773849

It's probably been 20 or so years since I read them, but I remember really liking this story. A world spanning adventure with great characters. No snipey cynical shit.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I'm not going to recommend a book. Instead, I'm going to do you a favour and give you some advice.

Avoid Brandon Sanderson. Anybody who tells you his books are good is a liar or has poor taste.

You're welcome

Booo

The way of kings is utterly fantastic.

Op, that series fulfills your specs.

 

[Trogdor1123]

The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)

My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from …

www.goodreads.com

The first in the "Kingkiller Chronicle" stories. The first two books are excellent (peep the Goodreads ratings), the third kind of falls off a bit. It feels like a mixture of lighter fantasy elements than Forgotten Realms / Dungeons & Dragons, with a splash of Wheel of Time. Solid, non-pretentious, to the point prose.

These are awesome. I’ve only read the main two books though, not the little ones. I’d highly recommend them too, the third book is taking forever though.

Also, if you want something that’s a little different try the Eragon series. The author started them at like 16 years old or something. It’s not perfect but it’s fun.

 

[Fbh]

The Stormlight Archive Series from Sanderson is pretty fun.
The books have some issues with pacing and bloat but are overall really enjoyable with fun lore and magic systems.

Another series I enjoyed was The Divine Cities series.
It's not medieval fantasy but it deals with divine entities with godlike powers who were overthrown, and the world they left behind.

The Fifth Season was great too.
Really loved the setting, lore and most characters in these. Fantasy novels are fun but at some point a lot of them start to feel a bit samey, really enjoyed how fresh this felt in terms of setting and ideas.
Also this is a great example of how diversity should be made, if these big companies actually cared about it we should have gotten a billion dollar adaptation of this instead of a LOTR fanfic

Also slightly different but last year I really got into the Red Rising saga.
It's more sci fi than fantasy, though it's not really hard Sci Fi. I'd put it in the realm of "space fantasy" like Star Wars or Mass Effect.
The first book can be a bit misleading as it comes across as just another take on the battle royale genre, but from the second one onward I guess the author got the confidence to take things in his own way and it turns into this awesome space epic. The last books should be coming out this year, and I'm more hyped for it than any game this year lol.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I've read it 20 times.

So what’s keeping you from reading it again?

In my teens I dived into fantasy thanks to Terry Brooks’s Shannara novels. He isn’t the best in the field by a long shot and he became seriously boring with time, but the first two Shannara cycles (that’s 3+4 books) were good.

Then there’s Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. It’s its own thing, for when you’ve had your share of fantasy that takes itself too seriously and want something lighter. Not that Discworld is all about comedy. But it’s more grounded in the cynicism of a British man who’s had his fair share or bullshit and wants even fairy people to act and behave like everyday people. All the while cracking British jokes and wordplays. And it has the best Grim Reaper ever written, seriously.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

So what’s keeping you from reading it again?.

For clarity, I'm currently wrapping up my 20th reread. I'm about done with return of the king lol. So it was a bit premature to say I'd already done it. But I'm damn close.

 

[rackham]

Maybe the Drizzt series by R.A. Salvatore. It's Dungeons and Dragons set in the Forgotten Realms. There's like 20+ books. No need to feel overwhelmed to read them all. They follow a dark elf drow named Drizzt and take place over hundreds of years. Usually 3 books encompass an arc.

There's another series I listened to audio books of and it's called Mother of Learning which is actually really good. I won't spoil anything but it's basically about a young magician stuck in a time loop. This is the premise of the book so I don't consider it a spoiler.

 

[ÆMNE22A!C]

I'd recommend watching the news although it's not a novel. I'll let myself out.

I LOVED this one:

Ufo...Contact from Planet Iarga https://amzn.eu/d/fMfFWTB

 

[BadBurger]

These are awesome. I’ve only read the main two books though, not the little ones.

I read the novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things, which I think takes place between book two and the yet to be completed third? I didn't care for it that much, so IMO you didn't miss out by waiting for book three. Hard to believe it's been about thirteen years since the second book was published - I'm happy I only discovered the series last year. Hopefully my wait won't be much longer.

 

[_Idea_of_Evil_]

Already been posted, but The Kingkiller Chronicle is S-tier fantasy. Part 1 (The Name of the Wind) and 2 (The Wise Man's Fear) are out.

Part 3 (The Doors of Stone) is not out yet.

 

[IDKFA]

Alright OP, I'll recomend a series.

Red Rising (currently six books long)

It's fantasy, but sci-fi fantasy, but it's incredible. It's the only book series I've read where each new book is better than the one that came before it. This series also has some of the most intense and violent action scenes I've ever encountered. Trust me on this one. It'll blow your nuts off.

 

[Ozriel]

Pick up the Cradle series from Will Wight.

Top tier Progression Fantasy. Thank me later

 

[Dithadder]

The Black Grail

Avon Books, 1986. Paperback original. Time travel, a sw…

www.goodreads.com

This book takes me back to my childhood, not in a nostalgic but in a depressing way. It's colorful, confusing, unpleasant and pessimistic but it gave me something to think about. It's maybe not a great book but it's unique.

The Hero and the Crown is a children's book but id reread it if i had a copy.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey is pretty great.

 

[John Marston]

Alright OP, I'll recomend a series.

Red Rising (currently six books long)

It's fantasy, but sci-fi fantasy, but it's incredible. It's the only book series I've read where each new book is better than the one that came before it. This series also has some of the most intense and violent action scenes I've ever encountered. Trust me on this one. It'll blow your nuts off.

Was looking for something new thank you!
Ordered the 1st book from Barnes & Noble

 

[Dynomite]

The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)

My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from …

www.goodreads.com

The first in the "Kingkiller Chronicle" stories. The first two books are excellent (peep the Goodreads ratings), the third kind of falls off a bit. It feels like a mixture of lighter fantasy elements than Forgotten Realms / Dungeons & Dragons, with a splash of Wheel of Time. Solid, non-pretentious, to the point prose.

There are only two books in the main series. He has released two side stories.

 

[gaming_again]

Anything by Glen Cook. Particularly the Black Company. Big boy fantasy.

If you like the vibe of Witcher 3 then check out The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan. The best modern fantasy I've read in years.

Avoid Mazlan, Joe Abercrombie etc.

 

[Sushi_Combo]

As dorky as it sounds , I am currently reading Runescape: Betrayal at Falador and really enjoying it.

 

[IFireflyl]

• King's Dark Tidings series by Kel Kade
  • The main character is OP, and he is awesome.
• The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington
  • This has some crazy fantasy, and I think James Islington is an amazing new(ish) writer who should be reviewed by anyone who loves fantasy novels.
• Will of the Many by James Islington
  • This is a new trilogy and the second book should come out this year.
• Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Crenshaw
  • This is part of a quadrilogy, but the author has had a lot of health problems which has impacted his ability to get out the second book. The book is amazing, but this is both sad and frustrating.
• Benjamin Ashwood series by AC Cobble
• The King's Ranger series by AC Cobble
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
  • I just think this is a classic series, even with its fairly simplistic writing style.

 

[Rocinante618]

• The Books of Earthsea by Ursula Guin
• Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
• Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
• Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
• The Once and Future King by TH White
• Riddle-Master, Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip
• Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun
• Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (a trilogy ) (not exactly adult but still delightful)

Literature recommendations which stretched do feel like fantasy:

• The Buried Giant, Kazuo Ishiguro
• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
• The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
• Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
• Cloud Atlas, Bone Clocks, etc by David Mitchell
• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Other rec which are not exactly fantasy/high fantasy:

• The Expanse series (sci-fi but real good sci-fi-fantasy)
• Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett books.

 

[ahtlas7]

Sword and sorcery style fantasy: Robert E. Howard’s Conan The Barbarian. You can get all of the stories in one book. I read it earlier this year and it’s just great fun.

damnit! WitchHunter beat me too it.

I am remind, though poorly written, the first few books of The Witcher is fun.

 

[BadBurger]

There are only two books in the main series. He has released two side stories.

Yea I mentioned it in a later post

 

[jufonuk]

-The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.
-The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
-Malazan Book of the Fallen series (Do some google research first to see if it might interest you).

How about some Witcher books?
I'm halfway through Sword of Destiny & it's good stuff

love the first law trilogy. first book sets the story but takes a while. by the second and third its moving fast

 

[John Marston]

love the first law trilogy. first book sets the story but takes a while. by the second and third its moving fast

I also bought "The Heroes", "Best Served Cold" & "Red Country" which I have yet to read

 

[jufonuk]

I also bought "The Heroes", "Best Served Cold" & "Red Country" which I have yet to read

I have best served cold. (I have the first law trilogy on audiobooks) the narrator is excellent he does voices for characters and its great to listen to. I have to get back into this world. After I finish this audio book I will get back on it.

 

[jason10mm]

I'm gonna throw some old school stuff out there, though I also strongly support Eddings and the Belgeriad, Erickson and the Malazan novels, elric of Melnibone, and Tadd Williams' Green Angel Tower.

An oft overlooked, but in my opinion TOP TIER fantasy author straight from the Tolkein style (to straight, as Silver Call was basically a "what if the dwarves came back to reclaim Moria after defeating Sauron?" what-if novel) is Dennis McKiernan. His main series Iron Tower and Silver Call is a reworking of LOTR leading into the aforementioned retaking of Moria. But don't let that dissuade you, he has a very unique voice and really visceral writing . The old novel covers were OUTSTANDING in visualizing his words.

I recommend Iron Tower first, though my understanding was he wrote Silver Call first, then the publisher asked him to do his spin on LOTR to be published first. His other Novels are largely standalone prequels and all are fun.

Another, very non Tolkein, fastandy series is from Erik Van Lustbader, mostly known for sexy modern ninja novels. But he has some great fights and isn't so tied to the heroes journey/big bad.

There are actually 5 novels in this, and they are all fast reads.

Last rec for now is John Normand GOR series. These are controversial for his "men are men and women love being subjugated" philosophy but it is a bit deeper than that and the first half dozen novels are.much more of a swashbuckling nod to Burroughs and Howard than anything else. Just stop when you roll your eyes too much

This brings me to my final thought, which is the absolute DEATH of exquisite, evocative cover art these days. We either get no art 'Cause it is a Kindle book, or some sort of abstract shit, or worse, a really bad 3D rendered atrocity. But a classical painting with strong characters, fantastic imagery, and immersion details is such a better way to go, it's probably my biggest sense of loss when browsing books today versus the 80s-90s.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

I did read them and they were ok/good, but i felt Raymond E Feist did a Gun's N Roses/Appetite for Destruction at the time, and didn't get near the height of the original trilogy for me, although i haven't read a lot of his Rift Cycle books since the mid 90's, so i don't know how they are afterwards, and he co wrote them i seem to remember as well, i wanted more Valheru stories to be honest lol.

Have you ever played the Krondor games? Both of them are official and canon games in the Riftwar saga.

 

[poppabk]

Should also reccomend some Michael Moorcock. His stuff is a weird mix of fantasy, Sci fi, with the old testament and multiverses thrown in.
I like the Von Bek stuff the best but there is decent stuff throughout the eternal champion 'collection'. He is definitely hit or miss, and his works are generally loosely tied together.

 

[jason10mm]

Should also reccomend some Michael Moorcock. His stuff is a weird mix of fantasy, Sci fi, with the old testament and multiverses thrown in.
I like the Von Bek stuff the best but there is decent stuff throughout the eternal champion 'collection'. He is definitely hit or miss, and his works are generally loosely tied together.

My best advice for moorcock is to NOT try to blitz through one of his omnibus, you gotta space him out. Much like Howard, Lovecraft, Burroughs, and those older authors, you mix them up in rotation lest they get stale and repetitive.

 

[Guiding Moonlight]

One series that I never see recommended is The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. LOTR is my all time fave and I grew up on Narnia as well so if those are up your alley this is a slightly darker Narnia with not quite as much depth as LOTR but with fantastic characters and a very meaningful story told across 3 short books.

I mean just look at the cover art. Read this instead of Sanderson please.

The books are called The Summer Tree, The Wondering Fire, and The Darkest Road.

 

[Gp1]

the biggest fantasy of all

 

[Laptop1991]

Have you ever played the Krondor games? Both of them are official and canon games in the Riftwar saga.

No i didn't, i was playing too many FPS, RTS and Tomb Raider games at the time, it was the original book trilogy i read a lot of, the games never came on my radar back then.