Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: wolverinehokie on November 03, 2009, 11:22:59 PM
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Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author and I have read all of his books. I have also read all of the WoT.
I used to like George Martin until he gave up writing books.
After Sanderson and Jordan, my next favorites are Rothfuss, Jennifer Fallon, and Brent Weeks.
But after those great authors, so many fantasy authors just can't seem to compare. Is there a great author out there I've missed? I never even heard of Sanderson until he was picked for WoT, but I'm so glad I know of him now. It just made me realize I could be missing someone else.
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I actually asked Brandon this, and he told me that since I enjoyed Alcatraz (his YA books) so much, that I should try Terry Pratchett, and start with either the Truth, or Men at Arms. I actually think this was asked online before, so let me see if I can find it....
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Pratchett is always a good choice. I've enjoyed Raymond Feist quite a lot, and he was my favorite author before I got my hands on Elantris and Mistborn. Start off with the Riftwar Saga (Magician, Master Magician, Darkness at Sethanon), and then just see what's next chronologically - there are quite a few books. The story might get a little repetitive after a while, but the language is beautiful enough to make up for it, I think. Language and characters. Oh, and cosmology. And a few other things I can't think of right now...
Another option would be Steven Eddings (sp?) and his Malazan Book of the Fallen. I've said it before, and I'll repeat - I think Brandon's style is somewhat dark, which is something I completely adore. Well, Eddings's style is horribly morbid at times. I think he is very much like Martin in some ways - killing his old characters off, because they are getting old, and then introducing new ones, and killing them too, because they are too new. Funstuff. If you do decide to go with Eddings, keep in mind that usually the first half of each book will look boring and alien, because all of this knowledge about the world is being dumped down on you, and there is very little explanation. And then the second half will make your jaw drop every second page.
And another option would be David Farland's Runelords. I really don't have a whole lot to say about them (because I rarely remember much of a book after I've read it only once), but they are good in pretty much every aspect of the fantasy literature.
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ArgentSun, i believe u are confusing two different authors. Steven Erikson is the name of the author who writes the Malazan books, and David Eddings is another author whom Brandon has also suggested at some point.
I would also try Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, and i am currently reading a book by another new Utah author named John Brown called Servant of a Dark God which so far is very good.
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Stay away form the other Terry's b/c as Steve puts it they are terribad!!!! Read Glen Cook's Black Company...it's an easy read and fun (dark fantasy)
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Recommending...
Naomi Novik's Temeraire series
S.M. Stirling's Dies the Fire series (has in-character homages to Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time)
Don't expect them to be as smashing as Mistborn or Wheel of Time, they're more on the order of Brent Weeks - well-done and very fun.
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Seconding The Black Company. They're such great books! Also try The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
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Everything by David Gemmell is pretty good. I would recommend starting with 'Legend' which is Gemmell's first book, or his Troy trilogy which begins with 'Lord of the Silverbow'.
I think David Gemmell was one of Brandon Sanderson's influences, but I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure he named a character Gemmell in one of his books as a tribute to him.
Other books that I would suggest is Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and the Warded Man by Peter V. Brett
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ArgentSun, i believe u are confusing two different authors. Steven Erikson is the name of the author who writes the Malazan books, and David Eddings is another author whom Brandon has also suggested at some point
Right. I was in the train this morning, thinking "Crap, I wrote Eddings instead of Erikson!". Unfortunately you caught me before I could fix it :)
David Eddings had... Belgariad? I can't remember the names, but they were also splendid books. More humorous than the epic fantasy I like, but good nonetheless. Mostly.
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Erickson = uber Eddings = good....bad mix up! Eddings isn't even in the same league as Erickson!
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Both of them start with an 'E'!
Have a little mercy for the poor foreigner :(
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I think David Gemmell was one of Brandon Sanderson's influences, but I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure he named a character Gemmell in one of his books as a tribute to him.
That's correct. Kelsier's mentor in Mistborn was named Gemmell, though he was never seen on-screen.
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i just couldn't deal with the fact that Erikson seemed not to care if his readers had any clue what was going on or not and so couldn't finish Gardens of the Moon the first time i tried. maybe i'll have to give it another try...
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Andrew, Steve, and I all concur that the Malazan series is BA
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Whats BA?
Regardless, Steven Erickson is one of the Great Ones.
(And I have to say after WoT 12, Sanderson is one too).
One not mentioned in this thread: R. Scott Bakker (http://www.amazon.de/Darkness-That-Comes-Before-Nothing/dp/1841494089/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books-intl-de&qid=1257417164&sr=1-1)
[edit:]
Almost forgot:
Jim Butcher (http://www.jim-butcher.com/)
He has two series on "classic" fantasy (Alera books), another urban fantasy (Harry Dresden books).
If you dont want to wait for new books I would recommend his Alera books (the last on comes out next(?) month.
If you want more to read take his Harry Dresden books.
[second edit:]
There are sample chapters of his books on his Homepage.
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Bad A**
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What!? What's wrong with you people? Nobody's plugged The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie? Start with The Blade Itself. Easily the best thing I've read in years...
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I suggest going to the book review blog I run with my friend Nick. We have several dozen books and series you should start reading. And now that we are back--though a little bleary-eyed--from our individual vacations, we have an absurdly awesome selection of reviews coming up. Go over to the "Books" forum where we always discuss the stuff on this thread. I would link it, but I'm half-asleep...
And yes, Erikson is awesome. He is even more awesome in person.
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What?!!!! I hate you Steve, you got to meet Erickson?!!!! Congrats.... and it's good your back
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A finished series I like is the Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone by Greg Keyes. Begins with "The Briar King".
It's like if George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan had a baby.
Picture Elayne, from the WoT series, with no Rand to moon over, and she makes pacts with evil devil fairies for a superpowers and goes to train with a bunch of religious assassins. Meanwhile, she's on the run with a bunch of human-sacrifice loving villains who can possess other people's bodies.
I second Dave Farland and R. Scott Bakker. Although be warned that R. Scott Bakker is vulgar and explicit in deliciously evil ways. I don't like the second trilogy he's writing as much as the first.
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I would second the Dresden Files motion but they're a totally different genre than the epic fantasy Brandon and Mr. Jordan have created. But if you even remotely like Urban Fantasy then Dresden Files is a MUST! Butcher's Alera series is . . . okay . . . I wasn't thoroughly impressed with it. But I must point out that the book I read right before the first Alera book was Hero of Ages. Alera couldn't even come close.
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Well for a dare its very good.
Use 2 overused cliches and make an good book-series,
well its one overused cliche, I dont think pokemons came very often into fantasy books.
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Another good author is L. E. Modesitt Jr.
His "Saga of Recluse" is good if you can handle weird writing techniques. When not narrating for the main character (1st person past tense), he writes in 3rd person present tense (He goes to the store and sees his friend there). It gets a little annoying but the magic system is pretty cool. It's based one the balance between order and chaos.
Also, Modesitt's "Imager" series is good. I'm in the middle of the first one, Imager, but it's still pretty good. a believable magic system.
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I am sorry, but I'll disagree. As far as worldbuilding goes, I think Modesitt is decent. However his writing style was absolutely horrid to me. I read the first two books, because a friend whose opinion I value a lot recommended them to me. I ended up in a situation where I would read, and read, and read, hoping that the writing will get better. It didn't.
It might be that I am overreacting, but there were times when I couldn't read more than 10 pages in one sitting.
Oh, and the sound effects. He wouldn't say that a horse whinnied. He would type the sound the horse would produce. It was extremely annoying to me...
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Onimonapeas are a greater sin than Chaos worship! (you should worship me instead)
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I know a lot of Fantasy lovers dislike him, but I suggest Terry Brooks and the Shannara Series. Did LotR influence his first book heavily, yes, but it's still a pretty good piece of work and he completely evolved the series from there into something entirely his own. "The Word and The Void" was a very dark and interesting read.
If you're looking for something way shorter I suggest C.S. Lewis. He's a great story teller and I enjoyed his books a lot. Or if you like "Alcatraz" you'll probably like Patricia C. Wrede and her "Enchanted forest Chronicles." They're hilarious!
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You should also check out Robin Hobb starting with The Farseer Trilogy. Those three are her first, and best, books.
The next two trilogies are set in the same world and are also very good (The Liveship Traders, and The Tawny Man).
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I've read a little of Hobb and it's not for everyone.... like those easily depressed