I agree, there's a lot boring and derivative Fantasy. I never went near the whole Dragonlance and other D&D stuff, or Jordan (I didn't want to begin a series I knew would deteriorate). I did read some Feist, his first Riftwar books were ok, and I enjoyed Edding's Elenium as Fantasy Lite, but the books on my keeper shelves are by authors like Guy Gavriel Kay, GRR Martin and Lois McMaster Bujold (not Beguilement, though, it's too heavy on romance for my taste). Weirdly enough, I like Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel books despite the fact I could slap Phèdre once a chapter - I love her world and her voice. And I have a soft spot for Sword & Sorcery, like the original Conan stories or David Gemmell.
I read little urban Fantasy but that could be due to the fact I need more besides romance to make a book work for me, and judging from the blurbs, they all have lots of romance (I do like Lynn Viehl's Darkyn, though, and maybe I should give the Dresden Files a try). I have some SF in my collection as well.
But historical fiction takes more space, from Bernard Cornwell's battle 'n action stories to Dorothy Dunnett's epic cycles (have you read her, btw? if not, you should give her a try).
There is more 'different' Fantasy these days; I've heard good things about Erikson's Malazan books, and Joe Abercrombie or Daniel Abraham, fe. I think I'll try some out when they are avaliable in mass market.
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Date: 1 Mar 2008 05:48 pm (UTC)I read little urban Fantasy but that could be due to the fact I need more besides romance to make a book work for me, and judging from the blurbs, they all have lots of romance (I do like Lynn Viehl's Darkyn, though, and maybe I should give the Dresden Files a try). I have some SF in my collection as well.
But historical fiction takes more space, from Bernard Cornwell's battle 'n action stories to Dorothy Dunnett's epic cycles (have you read her, btw? if not, you should give her a try).
There is more 'different' Fantasy these days; I've heard good things about Erikson's Malazan books, and Joe Abercrombie or Daniel Abraham, fe. I think I'll try some out when they are avaliable in mass market.