Nr1Humanoid
Hank Scorpio
Is the #3 humanoid at best.
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Post by Nr1Humanoid on Nov 30, 2007 16:17:52 GMT -5
...that is NOT about a young man/boy who lives in a village and ends up going on a quest and becoming a hero.
Seems every book I find is about that.
I like fantasy with lots of war and politics and violence and magic.
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AriadosMan
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Your friendly neighborhood superhero
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Post by AriadosMan on Nov 30, 2007 16:22:22 GMT -5
His Dark Materials trilogy sounds like something you'd be interested in.
Based on your description of what you dislike, stay the HELL away from Eragon. I swear Chris Paolini just took the screenplay from Star Wars and changed various character names to write it.
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Nr1Humanoid
Hank Scorpio
Is the #3 humanoid at best.
Posts: 5,526
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Post by Nr1Humanoid on Nov 30, 2007 16:31:11 GMT -5
I've thought about His Dark Materials when I've seen it but have been expecting the usual and havent gotten around to it. I'll check it out.
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TRO
Tommy Wiseau
Just.... me, :D
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Post by TRO on Nov 30, 2007 16:35:13 GMT -5
...that is NOT about a young man/boy who lives in a village and ends up going on a quest and becoming a hero. Seems every book I find is about that. I like fantasy with lots of war and politics and violence and magic. Theres always the obvious LoTR ones... |
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AriadosMan
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Your friendly neighborhood superhero
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Post by AriadosMan on Nov 30, 2007 16:36:10 GMT -5
His Dark Materials isn't "the usual" in fantasy literature by any stretch of the imagination.
Also, you should give Grendel by John Gardner a try, if you can find it. It's my favorite version of the Beowulf legend, and provides a very unusual perspective and style of writing to one of the oldest stories in history.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2007 16:40:50 GMT -5
Anything by Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan.
The Lankmar series of books, about Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, by: Fritz Lieber
The Elric books by Michael Moorcock
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Phosphor Glow
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Is a real girl!
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Post by Phosphor Glow on Nov 30, 2007 19:37:21 GMT -5
Curse you for suggesting His Dark Materials before me! Seriously though, check it out, it is VERY far from the general conventions of fantasy series. It's my favourite series of books EVER.
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Post by 'Foretold' Joker on Nov 30, 2007 20:44:38 GMT -5
Terry Pratchett is usually good for something a bit different. (certainly funny) Terry Brooks is probably the kind of books your not looking for, although The First King is a fairly good read. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_King_of_ShannaraRobert Jordan's Wheel of Time is pretty much what you said you didn't want to read, but just in case his stuff is interesting. Harry Turtledove's worldwar series is a good 'What If' aliens invaded during the second world war series of novels. I'll try and dig up more later, although some of the Games Workshop novels can be quite good.Gotrek and Felix by William King, always amusing and certainly features lots of violence and magic. Reads like a fantasy novel in the style of 80s action films ;D |
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Post by Bob Schlapowitz on Nov 30, 2007 20:49:11 GMT -5
Slightly off topic, but what happened to the guy named FantasyAuthor who used to post here? The guy who shilled his book in his sig.
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Post by 'Foretold' Joker on Nov 30, 2007 20:58:24 GMT -5
I think he's still about but changed his sig.
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Post by Mister Pigwell on Nov 30, 2007 21:26:30 GMT -5
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Post by Widow's Peak on Nov 30, 2007 21:27:29 GMT -5
I second the Terry Pratchett recommendation. Pretty much anything of his is a good read, but if you want a good war satire try Jingo or Interesting Times.  |
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Post by Mr. Emoticon Man, TF Fan on Nov 30, 2007 21:32:01 GMT -5
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is pretty much what you said you didn't want to read, but just in case his stuff is interesting. But would the series as a whole count as a "village boy goes on a quest to become a hero" thing? I mean, yeah, a few of the main characters start as young men and women in a village, but by the end of the third book the main character isn't much of a village kid anymore. And there is plenty of war, violence, magic, and even some politics. |
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biafra
El Dandy
Biafra Who?
Posts: 7,617
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Post by biafra on Nov 30, 2007 21:37:54 GMT -5
My best friend has just gotten me started on The Wheel Of Time Series, and so far (about 60 pages into the prequel) I'm loving it.
Don't know how it fits with the definition of fantasy but everyone should read The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.(and ignore those who say the series falters at the end or the ending sucks.)
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Post by Mr. Emoticon Man, TF Fan on Nov 30, 2007 21:39:01 GMT -5
My best friend has just gotten me started on The Wheel Of Time Series, and so far (about 60 pages into the prequel) I'm loving it. Don't know how it fits with the definition of fantasy but everyone should read The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.(and ignore those who say the series falters at the end or the ending sucks.) The Wheel of Time series rocks. It's a shame the author died recently. |
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Post by 'Foretold' Joker on Nov 30, 2007 21:39:14 GMT -5
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is pretty much what you said you didn't want to read, but just in case his stuff is interesting. But would the series as a whole count as a "village boy goes on a quest to become a hero" thing? I mean, yeah, a few of the main characters start as young men and women in a village, but by the end of the third book the main character isn't much of a village kid anymore. And there is plenty of war, violence, magic, and even some politics. True, but the Wheel of Time series you really have to start from book one (Which is typical village boys and girls go on to become heroic). I probably need to re-read them again as I originally went trhough them when I was bout 15. If you start at book 6 or 7 your in for a real headache lol. |
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biafra
El Dandy
Biafra Who?
Posts: 7,617
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Post by biafra on Nov 30, 2007 21:42:03 GMT -5
My best friend has just gotten me started on The Wheel Of Time Series, and so far (about 60 pages into the prequel) I'm loving it. Don't know how it fits with the definition of fantasy but everyone should read The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.(and ignore those who say the series falters at the end or the ending sucks.) The Wheel of Time series rocks. It's a shame the author died recently. I know, my best friend was heart broken; kind of how I would have been had King been killed by that mini van and the Tower never finished... Apparently he left enough notes and instruction to enable the last book to be completed. |
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Post by Mr. Emoticon Man, TF Fan on Nov 30, 2007 21:42:16 GMT -5
But would the series as a whole count as a "village boy goes on a quest to become a hero" thing? I mean, yeah, a few of the main characters start as young men and women in a village, but by the end of the third book the main character isn't much of a village kid anymore. And there is plenty of war, violence, magic, and even some politics. True, but the Wheel of Time series you really have to start from book one (Which is typical village boys and girls go on to become heroic). I probably need to re-read them again as I originally went trhough them when I was bout 15. If you start at book 6 or 7 your in for a real headache lol. Thats true. There's so many characters that trying to pick it up in the middle just leaves you lost. Or, that's how it is for me anyways. Still, the Wheel of Time series may start off in a typical manner, but I think it's a bit more of a violent and political read than something like the Shannara series (which I'm also a big fan of, by the by). Of course, the whole "goes on to become a hero" part is kinda tainted by the "oh, by the way, you're gonna go insane and die" aspect. Or it was until the last few books, anyways. |
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Post by Mr. Emoticon Man, TF Fan on Nov 30, 2007 21:44:36 GMT -5
The Wheel of Time series rocks. It's a shame the author died recently. I know, my best friend was heart broken; kind of how I would have been had King been killed by that mini van and the Tower never finished... Apparently he left enough notes and instruction to enable the last book to be completed. Yeah, but it still hasn't been confirmed that his wife or whoever is going to let someone finish it. Until I see an announcement of some kind saying that someone IS working on it, I'm going to try to keep my hopes from getting too high. I can sympathize with your friend. I didn't even hear about it until a few weeks ago, months after it had happened. I was talking to my ex and mentioned the series, and she started taunting me with his death. |
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biafra
El Dandy
Biafra Who?
Posts: 7,617
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Post by biafra on Nov 30, 2007 21:45:18 GMT -5
True, but the Wheel of Time series you really have to start from book one (Which is typical village boys and girls go on to become heroic). I probably need to re-read them again as I originally went trhough them when I was bout 15. If you start at book 6 or 7 your in for a real headache lol. Thats true. There's so many characters that trying to pick it up in the middle just leaves you lost. Or, that's how it is for me anyways. Still, the Wheel of Time series may start off in a typical manner, but I think it's a bit more of a violent and political read than something like the Shannara series (which I'm also a big fan of, by the by). Of course, the whole "goes on to become a hero" part is kinda tainted by the "oh, by the way, you're gonna go insane and die" aspect. Or it was until the last few books, anyways. Having just started reading the prequel I don't see it being as typical as described...I mean the hero in most books probably isn't mortally feared because a prophecy deems he will have to break the world in order to have a chance to save it... |
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