Is there anyone out there who have good recommendations that are NOT like the ones mentioned above?
I've tried reading books of the most popular fantasy authors. Didn't enjoy both the writing and the characters unfortunately. Also tried Tigana by Guy Gavriel. Didn't like it.
I really enjoyed: Peter Beagle (The Last Unicorn), Lies of Locke Lamora (for its writing), LOTR, and recently, Will of the Many (James Islington. I liked the writing and pacing). Also enjoyed the writing of Uprooted by Naomi Novik and Piranesi.
Any recommendations please?
by Fit_Detective_6891
14 Comments
Have you tried T. Kingfisher or Robin Hobb? I don’t care for Sanderson or Gwynne either but really loved both of them.
My bookshelf is filled with Jack Vance, witty, sometimes brutal and sometimes light but always twists., It’s a joy to read and follow his plot and setting in both SciFi and Fantasy
Lies of Locke Lamora for me had a ton of Sherlock Holmes vibes. I know that’s not fantasy but I read them as a teenager and when I started gentleman bastards it really felt almost nostalgic so you may want to give that a go.
You could try Abercrombie he mixes in a lot of humor and sarcasm. His schtick is largely extremely pessimistic which can at times feel a little over played but overall they’re really fun books.
I think you should give Robin Hobb a shot.
Her prose is excellent and her character work is some of the best out there, in my opinion.
I know The Realm of the Elderlings seems really intimidating because of its size, but originally she had only planned the first trilogy, so you can stop after the third book and still get a satisfying ending.
Earthsea is written in a similar style to LOTR, you may like that.
I immediately thought of Naomi Novick when I started reading your post! I’ve loved everything she’s written. She’s got a series that involves dragons in the British military during the Napoleonic wars, that wouldn’t normally have been up my alley but the partnership/friendship between the dragons and their riders is so lovely!
I just started the Adventures of Amina al-Sirafı, it’s about a lady pirate (and more ofc but I just started) and I believe it’s sapphic. It’s been very well received!
Nghi Vo is another author I love, her novels (and novels) tend to be disparate from each other, but she has such a strong voice in each.
I quite like Alix E Harrow as well, she’s more on the witchy side of fantasy, I love her characters and the worldbuilding contains enough diversity from one story to the next that they each feel quite novel.
Have you read any of the Southern Reach series by Jeff Vandermeer? I personally loved it although I do think it requires a certain amount of trust to be able to follow so long of a story that raises more questions about the setting and the plot than it answers.
Becky Chambers is also an incredible author! Her series that takes place in space is super cool with action but is also kind of cozy? It involves a true mix of alien races working together, and not with humans or humanoid races automatically centered.
That one Piranesi novel got me hooked on retellings of Greek+ stories. Medea – Eilish Quinn was really good. Essentially a take that questions the traditional way that Medea has been translated/written. Mother of Rome – Lauren j a Bear is another in this vein.
Seanan Maguire, Ursula leguin, and Octavia Butler are additional mentions that I personally know I need to read more of, and think would appeal to you too.
I think you will like Susanna Clarke- in particular Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell before any of her newer work. It’s a beautifully written book.
Steven Erickson
Joe Abercrombie
Glen Cook
Ken Liu
R.F Kuang
N.K Jemisin
Idk what to say about pacing if you liked LoTR but didn’t like Jon Gwynne.
you’re gonna love The Blade Itself – Abercrombie
Robin Hobb 💯
Terry Pratchett Discworld Books( I started with the Death Books , first one is called Mort. You can read them any way , not necessarily in any order )
The Bitterbynde Trilogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Cities of the Weft by Alex Pheby
Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake
The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O’Shea ( by far my favorite stand alone book. You will love it)
You must read The Once and Future King by TH White. It’s a pinnacle of fantasy alongside LOTR. It’s endearing and heart wrenching.
Michael J Sullivan, listen on Audible as his books are read by Tim Gerard Reynolds. The move on to The Blade Itself, by Abercrombie, and read by Stephen Pacey. Utter bliss.
Lois Macmaster Bujold.
NK Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy is one of my favorites of all time.
Other authors I recommend: Mark Lawrence (Book that wouldn’t burn), ML Wang (Sword of Kaigen), VE Schwab (Addie LaRue), RF Kuang (Babel), Pierce Brown (Red Rising series).
If you liked The Will of the Many, have you tried the Licanius Trilogy? Not as polished as his later work, but the plot is so riveting.