THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Fun Stuff => ENJOY => Topic started by: Neskah on 22 Jan 2009, 19:40
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I have a large ecclectic reading collection, all doggy eared and well loved/worn.
Now. I've gotten my BF into reading. Gamer/anime/IT/Rugged outdoors boy. When he helped me move into my flat he picked up Assassins Apprentice, and I guess he thought it was something other then it was, with a lot more gore and killing. None the less hours later i still couldn't pull him away from it. Many months have since passed and he's read the Farseers, Liveship Traders, and The Golden Man trilogies. He's also completed the Soldier Son series.
And I don't know what else to recommend him.
I know I WANT him to be Pratchett fan, but I'm hesitent to push it on him, as if you enter the series with the wrong expectations it could ruin it. I think he's like Bryce Courtney but thought I'd keep him moving on the fantasy vein to begin with. I doubt he's tolerate Robert Jordan tho, I'm not sure about Raymond Feist, I think he'd like Matthew Reilly for a giggle, but not sure....
So If you've Read Hobb, what else have you enjoyed?
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He might enjoy George R.R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Very well written fantasy that combines politics, brutal warfare and generally believable characters. No elves or anything like that.
And if you do try and get him into Pratchett, then start with the City Watch books, I reckon.
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I agree with the city watch recommendation. Those are my favorites, especially Night Watch, but you could probably figure out which of those he would like best.
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Dune?
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Oh! Dune!
Yeah he's mentioned Dune before. Not the reading, I think maybe he grew up on the games or movies. Yeah the books might be good. Not to heavy tho. YOu gotta understand he's only really just discovered reading for pleasure this past year, I dont' want to scare him off hehehe
I've heard of the Song of Ice and Fore series, but haven't read it myself. Sounds good though. Even I get tired of the Magic elf theme.
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Possibly Lynn Flewelling? I've only recommended that in the opposite direction (people who like Lynn should read Robin), because Robin Hobb books are like Lynn Flewelling books but better. Still, if he was really into the Robin Hobb, Lynn Flewelling is really similar (and gets better as she goes along).
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Brent Weeks' Night Angel trilogy was very good; Kristen Britain is also very good, and recently released the third book of a story she started several years ago, so she shouldn't be hard to find.
I haven't read Lynn Flewelling (although I'm going to, now) but I second all of the previous recommendations.
I also recommend Neil Gaiman's American Gods as a good starting point on him, then Good Omens to get him into Pratchett (it worked for me, but in the opposite direction, Pratchett, then Gaiman).
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Ehhh.
I like Robin Hobb a lot. I absolutely loathe Robert Jordan and can't believe I wasted so many hours reading his misogynistic drivel. Robin Hobb is, in fact, the only "fantasy" author I can think of that I genuinely like these days, unless you count Michael Swanwick. If he liked Hobb for the weirdness and non-traditional fantasy writing she has going, then definitely throw him The Iron Dragon's Daughter and its sequel, and Stations of the Tide and Jack Faust too.
I can't imagine anyone who likes reading seriously disliking Pratchett, so I have no idea why you're apprehensive about getting him to read any. It's funny and poignant and completely without pretension; what's NOT to like about Pratchett? The question really is, is he prepared to get into an author where he'll end up wanting/needing to read 40+ novels?
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Pratchett's an easy read, but be aware that the early discworld novels are significantly different from the later. The early novels are dark parodies. The later novels are much more philosophical and yet, almost paradoxically, lighter in tone.
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Fiona Mackintosh is pretty good as well. I've only read one of her books but I enjoyed it immensely and have been looking to buy more, but alas, I have no money for buy books.
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Piers Anthony's first Xanth book: A Spell for Chameleon is an easy and good read...
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Steven Erikson's Malazan books are pretty damn good. Epic fantasy.
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I'll second (third?) Martin's Song of Fire and Ice. It's a bit different from Hobb, what with the different character's perspective each chapter, but it's extremely well done.
I'll also hold up Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy. Third one just came out. I thought it was exceptionally well-characterized, especially for a first series. And this all in spite of his last name.
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Robin Hobb, fuck yeah.
Try some stuff by Stephen Donaldson. Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Mordant series (completely forgot what it's called). Excellent stuff and relatively atypical for fantasy.
Matt Reilly would be better off writing movie scripts, but he's still a pretty enjoyable guy to read, for sure.
Re: Pratchett.. I really can't seem to enjoy him? I know that I should, but find it pretty much impossible.
For strange, entertaining Sci-Fi: "All of Saturn's Children" by Charlie Cross. A pretty cool book.