skip Eddings. Sone stuff is coming to light that he and his wife tried fostering kids but abused them

YankeeAg05 said:

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People have suggested Sanderson already but keep in mind he improved dramatically over time. The first series he wrote are ok but after working Wheel of Time his most recent books have been fantastic. The Stormlight Archives is a new favorite. Actually most of these authors got better over time. Dresden files especially I recall the first two books being just ok but eventually getting to fantastic and often hilarious.

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this x100. read Stormlight first, before Mistborn, and there is a definite difference. Mistborn are quick reads though and still recommend them. but they are not nearly as epic as Stormlight. Sanderson is awesome and i will be going back and reading some more of his Cosmere.

i will also second Pierce Brown's Red Rising series. Its a little more "pulpy" that your Sanderson or Martin or Tolkien, but they are good entertaining reads and Brown is churning them out. A little more SciFi than fantasy though.

Rothfuss was great but I think i have finally come to grips that he is never going to finish (same with GRRM). 1st two novels are awesome though and worth the read. just dont expect the payoff of an actual ending...

Im very confused about Rothfuss as well. Seems like we've been waiting a decade for book 3 of his Trilogy. He seems enamored with the attention of book signings and the fact that they intend on making a TV series out of this. Finish the damn book guy!

I'll second the Drizzt recommendation. RA Salvatore is an excellent author. Look for his Forgotten Realms series.

Cook's Black Company is also excellent. He recently came out with a new one.

For old school I'd say Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber series is pretty good.

""The man in Black fled across the Desert, and the Gunslinger followed.""

spag.ag2003 said:

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Erickson's "Malazan" is probably the most epic series in recent memory. Ten massive tomes covering thousands of years across hundreds of characters and multiple storyline threads. Hard to get into but those who persevere generally have this at the top.

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My wife got these books on Audible, they are freaking awesome and Ralph Lister reads them beautifully!

"Hood's breath, woman!"

Listened to the Reckoners trilogy by Sanderson, and enjoyed it.
Currently reading the Stormlight Archive trilogy also by Sanderson.

Thanks for the Malazan tip, I started a few days ago and it grabbed me immediately

Codex Alera by Butcher is good. 6 books, not overly long, completed series.

Anything by Sanderson as others have said.

not fantasy but space navy stuff. I just learned yesterday that a new Honor Harrington book was released this month.

Another vote for Stormlight Archives. Fantastic series.

I'm surprised I haven't seen mention of Neil Gaiman yet. Maybe others would classify it as a different genre...

American gods is an absolute classic.
Neverwhere is my favorite, and a fantastic read for anybody who has spent any time in London.

I read Neverwhere years ago and thought is was great.
I keep thinking there needs to be more books to follow.

Might as wel add Scott Lynch to the never finishing the series group... but I love the Gentlemen *******s.

I'm currently listening to The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan and have really enjoyed them.

A good author not mentioned yet is Brian McClellan. He has a completed series called the Powder Mage. 3 novels and some novellas that flesh out characters without being necessary to read.

Most of the heavy hitters have been mentioned so I'll just give you a timeline/chronology of the highlights of what I've read over the years.

My beginner's books and what got me into the genre:
Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore
Magician books by Feist

If you've already gotten past that point here's the rest:
Farseer Trilogy by Hobb
ASOIAF (Game of Thrones) by GRRM
Malazan by Erikson - My personal favorite series. Was intersperesed with most of below list. Would def not recommend trying to marathon this series to prevent burnout
Name of the Wind by Rothfuss
Mistborn by Sanderson
Lies of Locke Lamora by Lynch
First Law Trilogy by Abercrombie
Night Angel Trilogy by Weeks

Most recently:
Prince of Thornes by Lawrence
Powder Mage by McClellan
Lightbringer by Weeks

I really liked Lightbringer by Brent Weeks. Very good series. Can't wait until the next book.

My ranking would have Dresden Files and Stormlight at the top. Next some of my favorites are Kingkiller, Red Rising, Night Angel, Blood Song (sadly only liked 1 book), Mistborn , Reckoners.

I also think Codex Alera was really good despite a somewhat lackluster end, every other book was great though. I did not enjoy the 2nd Mistborn trilogy that much. Felt pretty meh to me for being Sanderson.

Malazan beats anything else period

Thoughts on a couple authors I dont see mentioned as often.

I would strongly recommend Robin Hobb for a prolific reader, especially those set in the Realm of the Elderlings (listed below). There's a huge number of volumes, comparable to something like Wheel of Time or Malazan in length, but broken up into way more interesting and manageable chunks, and they mostly feel like a fresh story within each set of books

Farseer Trilogy
Liveship Traders Trilogy
Tawny Man Trilogy
Rain Wilds Chronicles
and Fitz and The Fool Trilogy

I would also recommend The Demon Cycle by Peter V Brett (5 books, completed series)

Other thoughts on other things mentioned in this thread already.

I can't recommend the Inheritance Cycle. The first couple of books I would say were promising Young Adult books written by a very young author, but you really didnt see a lot of improvement or progress when he was 27 or so writing the 4th book as when he was just a kid writing in the 1st. It still felt like it was written by a teenager. I think he's got some kind of short story anthology coming out at the end of the year, I'm curious to see how his writing looks now.

Can't recommend Rothfuss. Overrated, and it doesnt have an ending with no resolution in sight.

Wheel of Time/Robert Jordan, recommend only if you're prolific enough of a reader to get through it all.

Malazan Empire/Erickson. Same as above, but this likely also has a specific sort of reader.

Brandon Sanderson, like others can't recommend more strongly. I would not start with Stromlight Archive, thats another unfinished series planned to be a very long slog. Highly recommend Mistborn trilogy, which is shortish, and finished, and highlights all of the Sanderson strengths.

I have enjoyed Lightbringer. It's solid (yet unfinshed).

I recently finished the Dark Tower series. Meh

JJxvi said:

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Thoughts on a couple authors I dont see mentioned as often.

I would strongly recommend Robin Hobb for a prolific reader, especially those set in the Realm of the Elderlings (listed below). There's a huge number of volumes, comparable to something like Wheel of Time or Malazan in length, but broken up into way more interesting and manageable chunks, and they mostly feel like a fresh story within each set of books

Farseer Trilogy
Liveship Traders Trilogy
Tawny Man Trilogy
Rain Wilds Chronicles
and Fitz and The Fool Trilogy

I would also recommend The Demon Cycle by Peter V Brett (5 books, completed series)

Other thoughts on other things mentioned in this thread already.

I can't recommend the Inheritance Cycle. The first couple of books I would say were promising Young Adult books written by a very young author, but you really didnt see a lot of improvement or progress when he was 27 or so writing the 4th book as when he was just a kid writing in the 1st. It still felt like it was written by a teenager. I think he's got some kind of short story anthology coming out at the end of the year, I'm curious to see how his writing looks now.

Can't recommend Rothfuss. Overrated, and it doesnt have an ending with no resolution in sight.

Wheel of Time/Robert Jordan, recommend only if you're prolific enough of a reader to get through it all.

Malazan Empire/Erickson. Same as above, but this likely also has a specific sort of reader.

Brandon Sanderson, like others can't recommend more strongly. I would not start with Stromlight Archive, thats another unfinished series planned to be a very long slog. Highly recommend Mistborn trilogy, which is shortish, and finished, and highlights all of the Sanderson strengths.

I have enjoyed Lightbringer. It's solid (yet unfinshed).

I recently finished the Dark Tower series. Meh

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Have to disagree on WoT, it's such a classic that you have to read it. Even if it takes slogging through books 6-11 you need to experience every braid tug, weird Fayle mood swing, Perrin misunderstanding and Rand brood, because it's a masterpiece of High Fantasy

And 12-14 are so damn good by Sanderson

I know several people that quit in the middle. I mean it's kind of a wasted recommendation for them even if I think it's worth it.

I'll second Joe Abercrombie's First Law series, and also the Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell.

Bernard Cornwell is one of my favorite authors. Historical fiction, not fantasy.

His series about Richard Sharpe is awesome. It's about British infantry soldier during the Empire days in India who gets commissioned and sent on to the Napoleonic Wars as a rifle company officer.

He has other good series but the Sharpe series is the bees knees.

Warlord Chronicles isn't heavy on the fantasy elements, but there's just enough there that I think it qualifies as a fantasy series. And it's great.

As are the Sharpe and Uhtred series.

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I'll second the Drizzt recommendation. RA Salvatore is an excellent author. Look for his Forgotten Realms series.

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The Dark Elf Trilogy is one of the best I have read. Very cool stuff and Salvatore's story telling and character development are top notch!

I was listening to Monster Hunter: Legion and Correia had a reference to Johnny Football!

Johnny Football sports bar in Vegas.

Sullys Guy said:

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Malazan beats anything else period

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If I win the lotto I'm personally funding an animated adaptation on Netflix

The Farseer books were great, but they are so depressing.

Do you mean just the first three?