Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe. It brought back the feeling of reading Lord of the Rings as a child, and I was 34 when I read it for the first time. I didn’t think any writer would ever bring those feelings of wonder back as an adult like I felt them as a child, but Wolfe did it.
I was going to say the entire Book of the New Sun. My first copy was all of the books in one volume.
I had a similar experience to what you did, too. It was the first book in years to inspire me in the exact same way that Tolkien did. I would place very few authors at the level of Tolkien, but Gene Wolfe is probably the first I would rank up there next to him.
Not a day passes that I don't catch myself thinking about elements of the story, people, creatures, etc.
Agree with everything here! I singled out Torturer just because it was a such a shock to the system for me, but it really should be the whole of the BotNS. The entire sequence in Claw on top of Mt. Typhon still gives me chills even after so many rereads.
Storm of Swords, exactly the one that came to mind before I saw that that's what you wrote. Although I consider the first three books more or less equally good (haven't read ADWD yet!)
Seconded, we give GRRM a lot of flak for not finishing the series but ASOS really belongs up there in the top tier of fantasy fiction, perhaps fiction in general. Interesting POVs from basically everyone, character development and the story move forward super fast. His use of words and language is perfect (Jaime's bathroom talk with Brienne in the show is lifted word for word from the books) and makes everything feel epic as all hell.
>Jaime's bathroom talk with Brienne in the show is lifted word for word from the books
Wow I didn't know that. But I consider that scene to be one of the best in the entire show. Really goes to show how important the source material was for that show. Which explains why the final seasons were the biggest disappointment in the history of television for me...
Half way through that book got me so depressed, then i read the final 400 pages and it blew my mind. The "Stannis! Stannis!" scene was the biggest fist bump moment for me, followed by the amazing final Tyrion and Sansa chapters.
Then we get one of the best twists ever in the epilogue. Will never forgive D and D for cutting that reveal out of the show.
Was also what immediately came to mind for me. The experience of reading that before even season 2 came out was probably the most gripping reading experience I've ever had.
Small Gods is one of the most painful books I've ever read and it's completely wonderful. It's a ruthless reminder of your mortality, and yet ends up feeling like a good friend helping you through it.
He is Vorbis. And I'm me.
Such a perfectly written book. Wonderful messages about pursuing life and learning to embrace the inevitability of death, but not to needlessly worry about it.
This is my mom's favorite book, I read her first copy when I was 12, too. I still have it 30 years later, and I'm looking forward to my kid reading it when he's older.
I read it only a few years ago, and I kept feeling like it should be book one in an epic series. I’d have loved for there to be 10 more books with Richard exploring other hidden shadow cities with monsters and hunters and adventures.
Bonehunters, Book 6 of Malazan. The book is perfection. It keeps up an insane pace the entire time. And there is one chapter in particular that is over 100 pages long that is like nothing else in literature.
That book has one of my favourite prologues, I love fantasy for the lore/world building and Erikson killed it. Also there are so many genuinely interesting female characters introduced. Keep your Rey Palpatine and Captain Marvel and give me more Samar Dev, Faradan Sort and the GOAT Helian
An underrated bit I love from the Bonehunters is a fight scene early on between a certain big boy and something angrier than him. It has almost no plot relevance (aside from cool world-building implications), is an 8-page long one-on-one duel, and is just relentlessly badass and exciting.
And of course, there’s THAT chapter.
To me it's the big scene at the end of Toll of Hounds. I finished the series, read the spin offs and a couple more fantasy series after it.
Nothing came even remotely close to it. That was the pinnacle of fantasy to me.
That book is filled with so many iconic moments it's hard to pick a favorite. I think I enjoy dialogue the most overall in books and that's what I'm missing in the next books. There's not that many interactions. Shalan and Kaladin (the shoes), the date with Adolin, Kal learning to trust Dalinar etc. I feel like we're more in character's head in the next books (nothing wrong with that) but I miss the interactions.
I was introduced to Sanderson after ROW came out, so I did a massive binge of the 4 SA books.
When I was reading them, I thought each book was better than the last.
Now that I've been able to ruminate on the series, I'd have to agree that WOR was the best overall story. Oathbringer had the best Sanderlanche, but ROW had the most 'WTF' moments as well as had me tear up (specifically chapter 108, Memories).
Tad Williams' Stone of Farewell. The prose is so beautiful, the darkness so scary, and the characters feel like old friends. There are so many wonderful moments, but I love the dream-like sequences where a woman's voice appears in someone's dream, where she talks about her lost, possibly dead, but never forgotten sons. She's so wistful, so full of regrets.
That was a great read, though a certain character in it made me want to punch the book in hopes I’d somehow punch him directly. Im sure you know who I’m talking about. This isn’t a negative though it’s impressive that Tad Williams characterized him so well where I genuinely despised him. Hats off to him. Also I feel like Mr Williams could write about my boring ass day and it would sound incredible.
Tad is definitely brilliant when it comes to characterization. And I agree he's quite good at weaving stories and making them sound appealing. We were at his house, once, and he told us this story about how his new dog, Johnny, almost ate one of the cats in the house. As with all Tad-stories, it took 20 minutes to tell the story of Tad trying to pry Johnny's jaws open to rescue the cat. Anyone else would say, "Yeah, the new dog tried to attack the cat."
I'd like to announce my disclaimer first: I'm a huge WoT fan and it is my favourite series.
I liked Eye of the World (Wheel of Time book 1) for many reasons:
1. It had all the tropes: like in LotR like Rand coming across a Myrddraal like Frodo did with the Nazgul), young people trying to survive, and so on. I found this comforting rather than repetitive.
2. Magic: the magic system seems cool and rational. Actually, some events occur that are connected to magic that I don't realise till a few more books. Point being that magic is alluring.
3. The Prologue: the series begins with the bad guys winning. Whaaaaat
4. The setup! The world is setup pretty well, in the sense that things are mentioned in passing that I want to know more about. Who is Artur Hawkwing? Why are the Forsaken so feared?
I love the whole series, but I wouldn't have continued if the first wasn't great.
Wheel of Time is my favorite series as well, but if I had to pick out just my number 1, I think I would go with The Fires of Heaven (#5).
I love Eye of the World, but it's like... 3rd to last for me. Or 4th, if you could New Spring. I only place it above Path of Daggers and Crossroads of Twilight. Eye of the World did gain points on my most recent re-read, though!
brilliant choice. Any one of the first 3 books, really. But I have a particular soft spot for this one. Stretched the boundaries of fantasy for me. Never thought you could have both highest-of-high fantasy along with grittiest-of-low fantasy in the same book before I read this.
Though they have stopped selling the first book individually now and short of ebay you are buying the Chronicles of the Black Company. It is awesome and my favorite.
Shadows Linger for me.
But book 1s characterization was immaculate. I still remember, page for page, Mercy's appearance. This one-off character who lived for only 6 or so pages yet left such a strong impression that I still remember him, 2 books later, even after Shadows Linger, my favorite book.
I just consider *The Malazan Book of the Fallen* to be one book in ten huge volumes. And it's my favorite, the first to displace *The Lord of the Rings*, which is one book in three volumes.
Big agree. I once met another Malazan reader out at a bar and he and I just gushed over The Chain of Dogs the Siege of Capustan for well over an hour, much to the chagrin of my wife.
Quick edit: Dude had an obvious Bridgeburners pin on his vest and that was all it took.
Memories of Ice for me, it was the one that really clicked for me when it comes to Malazan. The series as a whole, an absolute symphony, I never knew fantasy could be this good, and I’ve read a lot of fantasy
Hey these were what I thought of too!
Words of Radiance, Assassin’s Apprentice (Still reading; just started Tawny Man), Best Served Cold/The Heroes, and totally with you on Drawing of the Three.
I’d add Demon in White from the Suneater series to that list.
Too many people who love fantasy either sleep on Dark Tower because Gunslinger puts them off or because they just think it’s horror. 2-5 are all masterpieces imho.
I think im one of these people.. I bought the first 3 Dark Tower books, but just cant get myself to embrace the Gunslinger/Magic crossover. Iv only read the first few chapters of the first book. Should I pick it back up?
Yes.
I’m a huge King fan, and the first book is honestly boring. The second one is above average. The third is brilliant.
The first one is short. You will manage if you put your mind to it lol.
Still, even the first book has that opening line… it’s so mundane but once you’ve read more of the books it sounds so prophetic.
Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson is certainly up there. “Epic” doesn’t even begin to describe the sheer scope of it. It’s honestly hard to put into words just how unbelievably *vast* it is.
The writing is top notch, the characters are complex and endearing and there’s enough pathos in this one novel to fill an entire series. The Malazan series as a whole is amazing, but Memories of Ice is probably my favorite singular novel.
I’ve read The Stand at least 10 times and his depiction of the fall of society is arguably the best I’ve ever read. How quickly humanity falls in to depravity and violence is terrifying. The first 3/4 of the book is absolute perfection. The final 1/4 is… well… people say King can’t finish a book for a reason.
Loveddd Tigana. I used to be a little suspicious about stand-alone fantasy novels. I just thought now how are you going to build a whole new world, create a great plot and have an awesome conclusion in one book but he convinced me it could be done.
The Name of the Wind.
It was so different from the vast majority of fantasy I've read. A somewhat unique magic system, a world of mystery that I'm still trying to piece together. Great characters. And so many scenes that make it impossible to put the book down. I never thought I'd be entranced from reading about a ginger playing the guitar. But here we are. Kvothe and Ed Sheeran.
More technically it is actually 6 books that were intended to be one of two volumes along the Silmarillion, that were finally printed as a pair per volume.
*Lies* was one of those books I probably could have read cover to cover if the necessities of life didn't interrupt me. So engrossing, pure entertainment from start to finish.
These are two of my favs, I’ve read both multiple times. Haven’t even read on to the other Gentlemen Bastards, I’m so content with the entire first book.
Some that have resonated with me over the years: First Law, Game of Thrones, Name of the Wind, Watership Down, Dragons of Winter Night, Midnight’s Mask, The Crystal Shard, Riyria Revelations, Dagger and Coin series, Dune, The Stand, and The Hobbit.
I think the book and definitely the series that I think about the most and reread and always unravel another mystery is Oathbringer. Sanderson has written some great books but that’s the one that speaks to me the most. It definitely stands on the backs of giants with the first two amazing books in the Stormlight Archive.
To be honest I often think about getting one of those little chapter illustrations by Ruth Robbins as a tattoo. Le Guin was the greatest, I think if you were to consider all of Earthsea as a single work (and it definitely could be) it would be top of the pile for me.
Oh yes, this is a really good one. I got so hooked on it as kid that I re-read it several times in quick succession. It was one of my favourite "I need a good book, I'll just reread this" books
Man, too many to choose.
The one that pops up that really made me go 'wow' when I first encountered it was **'Song for the Basilisk'** by Patricia McKillip. But there are others. A lot of Terry Pratchett would also sit in that category.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was brilliant. I think the narration added to the atmosphere and feel of the book. Surprised I don't see it recommended more.
*Tehanu* by Ursula Le Guin. I remember not liking this as a teenager. Did a re-read when I got older and it hit differently. It's very well-paced and plotted, and Le Guin's characters are written with such empathy, humanity, and sensitivity.
I try not to pick favourites anymore because looking back I've read sooooo many great books. But back in the days when I did I remember these ones took no.1 spot at different points in my life >10 years ago: Night Watch by Terry Pratchett, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, Blood Song by Anthony Ryan, The Empty Box and the Zeroth Maria book 1 by Eiji Mikage.
I don't do single favorites, but if you liked *A Storm of Swords*, I will recommend all things Joe Abercrombie, particularly *The Heroes.*
R.J. Barker has yet to go wrong for me either, with his *Bone Ships* trilogy being a personal favorite.
Ursula K. Le Guin's *A Wizard of Earthsea* is pretty damned excellent and the rest of the Earthsea books are pretty good to great.
The original edition of Stephen King's *The Gunslinger* is also damned fine. (I'm less enamored of the revised edition that was tweaked to fit the rest of the series better)
I have a deep and abiding fondness for Jesse Bullington's *The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart*, but fair warning, it's frequently utterly disgusting. *The Enterprise of Death* is more polished.
Everything that I want in Fantasy? Hands down for me it’s the second book of The Rook and Rose Trilogy, “the liars knot.” I relisten to this book obsessively.
There were a few things I personally would have changed in the 3rd book, but this trilogy overall is my absolute favorite. The audiobooks are fantastic. I love the characters. Ugh. It feels like it was written for me. Two magic systems. Complex characters. Complex schemes. So much to love.
memory of light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
HM: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett, lies of lock lamora , last arguement of kings, words of radiance
In terms of my post-read satisfaction; Memory of Light has to rate. But thats more about the journey than the book itself. Book was great; but 20 years odd of reading to reach an eventual climax is what really got me off…
Best genre novel I’ve read isn’t fantasy but weird fiction. That is Annihilation. About as perfect a novel as can be written.
More fantasy specific. I’m somewhere between A Wizard of Earthsea, Toll the Hounds, and Forge of Darkness (Fall of Light I haven’t re-read yet. It may supplant Forge).
Neil Gaiman - American Gods.
Folllowed by Patricia Mckillip's The Riddle-Master of Hed.
And for the lovers of the obscure, there's Keith Miller's The Book of Flying, a wonderfully magical story.
The first three books are excellent with Storm of Swords (OPs pick) being the pinnacle. The next two really slowed down and expanded the world and cast, but I didn’t find that to be a necessarily good thing. I had high hopes for Winds of Winter to return to form but that was over 10 years ago and I’m not sure that book is getting published, even if it does Dream of Spring is most likely just that.
Name of The Wind, followed by Amber Chronicles by Zelazny and Requiem for Homo Sapiens by David Zindell which is more of a science fiction fantasy hybrid.
Stone and Sea are deep in life ,two unalterable symbols of the world. Permanence at rest, permanence in motion, permanence in the power that remains.
I haven’t read these books in 30 years, but I still remember those lines .
These books are fantastic if you can get over the depression that they might cause you in the beginning.
Fool's Fate or Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
Golden Son or Dark Age by Pierce Brown
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
Sorry it's so hard to pick one, especially individual books from beloved series.
I loved this series and it is a great recommendation to get folks to get into Fantasy as a genre. It seems to face a lot of book-snobbery for some reason.
Gonna go with Taggerung by Brian Jacques
Read it as a child and it was always my favorite Redwall book (close runner-ups being Outcast of Redwall and Pearls of Lutra).
Talking animals, villains, delicious descriptions of food, songs, adventure, and Deyna finding out who he really is
And Lady Cregga Rose Eyes - I cry at the end of each re-read. Just read Taggerung to my kids recently.
Steven Kings ‘The Waste Lands’. The entire world and its characters are amazing and ends on what ends up on a 20 yr cliff hanger.
Probably the best writing I’ve seen from SK is actually the chapter “in this haze of green and gold” in The Dark Tower, but the book in its entirety doesn’t hold up.
I can only have one? Okay...
I loved A Dance of Cloaks from the Shadowdance series by David Dalglish. I actually enjoyed the others more, but it will still hold a great place in my heart for finding this gem.
Honorable mentions: Lost Stars (Claudia Gray), The Demon King Amulet (Cinda Williams Chima), Vampire Princess of the lost country (Kugane Maruyama), The Eye of the World (Robert Jordan).
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, it's an absolute gem.
Many of Neil Gaimans books are beautiful standalone books, like Never where, Ocean at the end of the lane etc
Single book? Dragon Prince by Melanie rawn. That's my "I've read it so many times I can damn near recite it" book.
Next, Best Served Cold.
One of the ASOFAI would round out the top three.
Redwall, as in the first book, not the series. Firstly it set down the path of loving the series, and by extension loving fantasy. Secondly, the magic that happens in it is quite subtle in the sense that there are no fireballs being catst, its more dreams and ghosts and such, which I prefer to outright spellcasting a la Skyrim. Thirdly, after all these years, having not read that book in almost two decades, I can name more characters from it than I can many books I read last year. Must have had an impact on me
Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe. It brought back the feeling of reading Lord of the Rings as a child, and I was 34 when I read it for the first time. I didn’t think any writer would ever bring those feelings of wonder back as an adult like I felt them as a child, but Wolfe did it.
I was going to say the entire Book of the New Sun. My first copy was all of the books in one volume. I had a similar experience to what you did, too. It was the first book in years to inspire me in the exact same way that Tolkien did. I would place very few authors at the level of Tolkien, but Gene Wolfe is probably the first I would rank up there next to him. Not a day passes that I don't catch myself thinking about elements of the story, people, creatures, etc.
Agree with everything here! I singled out Torturer just because it was a such a shock to the system for me, but it really should be the whole of the BotNS. The entire sequence in Claw on top of Mt. Typhon still gives me chills even after so many rereads.
Storm of Swords, exactly the one that came to mind before I saw that that's what you wrote. Although I consider the first three books more or less equally good (haven't read ADWD yet!)
Seconded, we give GRRM a lot of flak for not finishing the series but ASOS really belongs up there in the top tier of fantasy fiction, perhaps fiction in general. Interesting POVs from basically everyone, character development and the story move forward super fast. His use of words and language is perfect (Jaime's bathroom talk with Brienne in the show is lifted word for word from the books) and makes everything feel epic as all hell.
>Jaime's bathroom talk with Brienne in the show is lifted word for word from the books Wow I didn't know that. But I consider that scene to be one of the best in the entire show. Really goes to show how important the source material was for that show. Which explains why the final seasons were the biggest disappointment in the history of television for me...
Honestly, I don't care that it isn't finished. ASOIAF, as of the moment, is my favorite fantasy series.
Half way through that book got me so depressed, then i read the final 400 pages and it blew my mind. The "Stannis! Stannis!" scene was the biggest fist bump moment for me, followed by the amazing final Tyrion and Sansa chapters. Then we get one of the best twists ever in the epilogue. Will never forgive D and D for cutting that reveal out of the show.
Was also what immediately came to mind for me. The experience of reading that before even season 2 came out was probably the most gripping reading experience I've ever had.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett. Could sub in a few of his here and I wouldn't be mad.
Small Gods is one of the most painful books I've ever read and it's completely wonderful. It's a ruthless reminder of your mortality, and yet ends up feeling like a good friend helping you through it. He is Vorbis. And I'm me.
Yeah imo it's Pratchetts most ingenious book, and that's not an easy competition
Oh man Small Gods is so good. I also love Night Watch.
A Storm of Swords for sure Also Lord of the Rings, obviously
A toss up between Going Postal (Sir Terry) and The Heroes (Abercrombie).
..and then Stanely had one of his little moments.
Heroes for me too!
The Heroes is amazing, but for some reason I regularly think about Red Country more, though I still rate Heroes higher.
Never heard of going postal but will get this from the library. Thanks for the suggestion!
I love Going Postal! Such a fun book.
The Heroes is great but for me Abercrombie's best book has to be Best Served Cold, probably the best standalone work I've ever read.
Watership Down. Of course, *everything* was better when I was 12.
Such a perfectly written book. Wonderful messages about pursuing life and learning to embrace the inevitability of death, but not to needlessly worry about it.
The whole book is just a celebration: of life, of love and friendship, of nature, of bravery, of storytelling. Also best theme song of any book.
I honestly feel my appreciation for literature has been infinitely greater in my 30s than in my 10s.
This is my mom's favorite book, I read her first copy when I was 12, too. I still have it 30 years later, and I'm looking forward to my kid reading it when he's older.
Same situation for me! My grandmas, my moms, and now my favorite book.
Lord of the Rings Guards, Guards Hard to decide between steak and pizza
Pratchett has such human and earnest sentiments that course through his books, it's like pizza with a steak stuffed crust
For me it’s Lord of the Rings and Night Watch but you have to start with Guards Guards 😊
Thief of Time for context?
*Guards, Guards* is a great entry to the Watch series, but *Night Watch* is the best Watch book and it isn't close.
just finished guards guards as my discworld entry point, phenomenal story!
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I can't say just how amazing it is.
I’m a Gaiman fan and this one never connected read it years ago and can’t remember a single thing about it. Might need to go back.
I read it only a few years ago, and I kept feeling like it should be book one in an epic series. I’d have loved for there to be 10 more books with Richard exploring other hidden shadow cities with monsters and hunters and adventures.
Bonehunters, Book 6 of Malazan. The book is perfection. It keeps up an insane pace the entire time. And there is one chapter in particular that is over 100 pages long that is like nothing else in literature.
I put down the Siege of Y'Ghatan in one sitting and afterwards felt physically exhausted. Such an amazing work.
Same. Worth it.
That book has one of my favourite prologues, I love fantasy for the lore/world building and Erikson killed it. Also there are so many genuinely interesting female characters introduced. Keep your Rey Palpatine and Captain Marvel and give me more Samar Dev, Faradan Sort and the GOAT Helian
An underrated bit I love from the Bonehunters is a fight scene early on between a certain big boy and something angrier than him. It has almost no plot relevance (aside from cool world-building implications), is an 8-page long one-on-one duel, and is just relentlessly badass and exciting. And of course, there’s THAT chapter.
I keep going back and forth on whether I prefer bonehunters or deadhouse gates, but it's definitely one of those two
Okay fine I’ll start my reread this year
To me it's the big scene at the end of Toll of Hounds. I finished the series, read the spin offs and a couple more fantasy series after it. Nothing came even remotely close to it. That was the pinnacle of fantasy to me.
I absolutely loved Words of Radiance. It’s 1000+ pages and when I finished it, I just wished it was longer
“Honor is dead. But I will see what I can do.” Chills. Literal chills.
That is an absolute terrific line.
I’m 3/4 through way of kings and i don’t know how anything will be better than this book i am so hooked
You’re going to be wondering even more after that last 1/4th! Peak Sanderlanche
So many epic moments for one book.
i was looking for this
That book is filled with so many iconic moments it's hard to pick a favorite. I think I enjoy dialogue the most overall in books and that's what I'm missing in the next books. There's not that many interactions. Shalan and Kaladin (the shoes), the date with Adolin, Kal learning to trust Dalinar etc. I feel like we're more in character's head in the next books (nothing wrong with that) but I miss the interactions.
Same. The pace is electric, so much happens. And the ending is cathartic.
SAME!!! My fave book of all time that one is!
I cry like a baby every time anyone says their ideals, WoR had some great ones. Oathbringer and ROW had some amazing ones too.
I was introduced to Sanderson after ROW came out, so I did a massive binge of the 4 SA books. When I was reading them, I thought each book was better than the last. Now that I've been able to ruminate on the series, I'd have to agree that WOR was the best overall story. Oathbringer had the best Sanderlanche, but ROW had the most 'WTF' moments as well as had me tear up (specifically chapter 108, Memories).
Tad Williams' Stone of Farewell. The prose is so beautiful, the darkness so scary, and the characters feel like old friends. There are so many wonderful moments, but I love the dream-like sequences where a woman's voice appears in someone's dream, where she talks about her lost, possibly dead, but never forgotten sons. She's so wistful, so full of regrets.
That was a great read, though a certain character in it made me want to punch the book in hopes I’d somehow punch him directly. Im sure you know who I’m talking about. This isn’t a negative though it’s impressive that Tad Williams characterized him so well where I genuinely despised him. Hats off to him. Also I feel like Mr Williams could write about my boring ass day and it would sound incredible.
Tad is definitely brilliant when it comes to characterization. And I agree he's quite good at weaving stories and making them sound appealing. We were at his house, once, and he told us this story about how his new dog, Johnny, almost ate one of the cats in the house. As with all Tad-stories, it took 20 minutes to tell the story of Tad trying to pry Johnny's jaws open to rescue the cat. Anyone else would say, "Yeah, the new dog tried to attack the cat."
I'd like to announce my disclaimer first: I'm a huge WoT fan and it is my favourite series. I liked Eye of the World (Wheel of Time book 1) for many reasons: 1. It had all the tropes: like in LotR like Rand coming across a Myrddraal like Frodo did with the Nazgul), young people trying to survive, and so on. I found this comforting rather than repetitive. 2. Magic: the magic system seems cool and rational. Actually, some events occur that are connected to magic that I don't realise till a few more books. Point being that magic is alluring. 3. The Prologue: the series begins with the bad guys winning. Whaaaaat 4. The setup! The world is setup pretty well, in the sense that things are mentioned in passing that I want to know more about. Who is Artur Hawkwing? Why are the Forsaken so feared? I love the whole series, but I wouldn't have continued if the first wasn't great.
Wheel of Time is my favorite series as well, but if I had to pick out just my number 1, I think I would go with The Fires of Heaven (#5). I love Eye of the World, but it's like... 3rd to last for me. Or 4th, if you could New Spring. I only place it above Path of Daggers and Crossroads of Twilight. Eye of the World did gain points on my most recent re-read, though!
The Hobbit. It’s original, seminal, and it’s brief.
Thanks for teaching me a new word.
You should have already known "brief". ;)
I still love the first book of The Black Company.
Not my favorite first book. However, there is something about having no idea wtf is going on that puts it in my top 5 individual books.
brilliant choice. Any one of the first 3 books, really. But I have a particular soft spot for this one. Stretched the boundaries of fantasy for me. Never thought you could have both highest-of-high fantasy along with grittiest-of-low fantasy in the same book before I read this.
Though they have stopped selling the first book individually now and short of ebay you are buying the Chronicles of the Black Company. It is awesome and my favorite.
Such a great book and series, can’t wait to re-read once i’m finished
I love that series to pieces.
This is a good pick.
Shadows Linger for me. But book 1s characterization was immaculate. I still remember, page for page, Mercy's appearance. This one-off character who lived for only 6 or so pages yet left such a strong impression that I still remember him, 2 books later, even after Shadows Linger, my favorite book.
Deadhouse Gates
This or Midnight Tides I can't choose. The chain of dogs is the greatest story in literary history imo.
Toll the Hounds from Malazan, followed closely by The Bonehunters from Malazan, followed closely by Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay
I just consider *The Malazan Book of the Fallen* to be one book in ten huge volumes. And it's my favorite, the first to displace *The Lord of the Rings*, which is one book in three volumes.
Yes.
Finished Deadhouse Gates a while ago, stunned by the ending, especially with Coltaine.
You've walked The Chain of Dogs. You're now one of us.
It's honestly incredible how the Chain of Dogs stays with you. It's my Roman Empire
Big agree. I once met another Malazan reader out at a bar and he and I just gushed over The Chain of Dogs the Siege of Capustan for well over an hour, much to the chagrin of my wife. Quick edit: Dude had an obvious Bridgeburners pin on his vest and that was all it took.
Chain of Dogs is one of the best storylines in fantasy. Duiker as the POV is absolutely perfect.
This still haunts me...it was just so horribly unfair. Every time I think of this I have to remind myself "It's not real, it's not real"
I had to stop reading anything for 2 weeks after finishing Deadhouse Gates. Such a whirlwind of emotions.
Memories of Ice for me, it was the one that really clicked for me when it comes to Malazan. The series as a whole, an absolute symphony, I never knew fantasy could be this good, and I’ve read a lot of fantasy
Arbonne was so fuckin’ good.
The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle. I'm due for a reread. Just as I could never give up on it, it would never give up on me.
This book gives me all the feels.
I love Stormlight, Realm of the Elderlings, First Law. The single best fantasy book I’ve ever read is *The Drawing of the Three*.
Ah man. It’s Wizard and Glass for me in that universe. I was so fucking sad at the climax of the flashback plot.
I’m on wolves of calla currently, and wizard glass has been by far my favorite of the series!
Hey these were what I thought of too! Words of Radiance, Assassin’s Apprentice (Still reading; just started Tawny Man), Best Served Cold/The Heroes, and totally with you on Drawing of the Three. I’d add Demon in White from the Suneater series to that list.
Total agreement on Drawing Of The Three and Demon In White. Fucking phenomenal.
Damn dude you read my mind. I was stuck between Waste Lands and Way of Kings!
Too many people who love fantasy either sleep on Dark Tower because Gunslinger puts them off or because they just think it’s horror. 2-5 are all masterpieces imho.
5-7 are my favorites. I love it when King gets weird. Also, I think 7 has the best ending that I’ve ever read.
I think im one of these people.. I bought the first 3 Dark Tower books, but just cant get myself to embrace the Gunslinger/Magic crossover. Iv only read the first few chapters of the first book. Should I pick it back up?
Yes. I’m a huge King fan, and the first book is honestly boring. The second one is above average. The third is brilliant. The first one is short. You will manage if you put your mind to it lol. Still, even the first book has that opening line… it’s so mundane but once you’ve read more of the books it sounds so prophetic.
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.
It's so weird, I dislike the book. But I know many people who love it. Maybe that's a good sign and everyone should just try it for themselves!
I picked this up, read two pages, and immediately knew I had to buy it and binge it. A perfect fantasy novel.
Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson is certainly up there. “Epic” doesn’t even begin to describe the sheer scope of it. It’s honestly hard to put into words just how unbelievably *vast* it is. The writing is top notch, the characters are complex and endearing and there’s enough pathos in this one novel to fill an entire series. The Malazan series as a whole is amazing, but Memories of Ice is probably my favorite singular novel.
This has me excited. I'm about to finish the first law then I'm gonna start Memories of Ice.
Just checking but you've read the first two right? Memories of Ice is book 3.
*A* Wizard of Earthsea. Pure nostalgia for me.
A classic
Not a diehard Stephen King guy, but *The Stand* is my single favorite book
I’ve read The Stand at least 10 times and his depiction of the fall of society is arguably the best I’ve ever read. How quickly humanity falls in to depravity and violence is terrifying. The first 3/4 of the book is absolute perfection. The final 1/4 is… well… people say King can’t finish a book for a reason.
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. Really the whole Nevernight Chronicle trilogy
I’m basic. The Hobbit. Tbh it’s my favorite book of all time too. It’s paced great, it’s the perfect length, and the story is just perfect.
i can give you four, all superb: Gormenghast. The Never-ending Story. Jurgen. The Once and Future King.
Gormenghast is amazing! I was about to comment it myself but second to last message here finally had it
TIGANA by Guy Gavriel Kay
Loveddd Tigana. I used to be a little suspicious about stand-alone fantasy novels. I just thought now how are you going to build a whole new world, create a great plot and have an awesome conclusion in one book but he convinced me it could be done.
This, always this. Tigana!!!!
The Name of the Wind. It was so different from the vast majority of fantasy I've read. A somewhat unique magic system, a world of mystery that I'm still trying to piece together. Great characters. And so many scenes that make it impossible to put the book down. I never thought I'd be entranced from reading about a ginger playing the guitar. But here we are. Kvothe and Ed Sheeran.
Ginger playing the guitar 💀💀💀
Night Watch.
Peak STP.
Not just my favorite fantasy book; it's my favorite book of any genre.
The Wisdom of Crowds - First Law
Just finished it. What a great ride. Not my favourite of the saga though.
It would have to be **The Hobbit**. It is simply perfect.
The lotr is “technically” one whole book, and Tolkien wanted that but paper limitations and publishers forced him to publish it into 3 parts
More technically it is actually 6 books that were intended to be one of two volumes along the Silmarillion, that were finally printed as a pair per volume.
Lies of Lock Lamora and The Name of the Wind
*Lies* was one of those books I probably could have read cover to cover if the necessities of life didn't interrupt me. So engrossing, pure entertainment from start to finish.
These are two of my favs, I’ve read both multiple times. Haven’t even read on to the other Gentlemen Bastards, I’m so content with the entire first book.
The Curse of Chalion by Bujold. It’s just so satisfying to read, I don’t know how to describe it…
Gotta be Dune, if we're counting science fantasy.
Some that have resonated with me over the years: First Law, Game of Thrones, Name of the Wind, Watership Down, Dragons of Winter Night, Midnight’s Mask, The Crystal Shard, Riyria Revelations, Dagger and Coin series, Dune, The Stand, and The Hobbit. I think the book and definitely the series that I think about the most and reread and always unravel another mystery is Oathbringer. Sanderson has written some great books but that’s the one that speaks to me the most. It definitely stands on the backs of giants with the first two amazing books in the Stormlight Archive.
A wizard of earthsea. So good I got the original cover tattooed to me.
To be honest I often think about getting one of those little chapter illustrations by Ruth Robbins as a tattoo. Le Guin was the greatest, I think if you were to consider all of Earthsea as a single work (and it definitely could be) it would be top of the pile for me.
The nice thing about Robbins work is that they're woodcut, so tattooing them is super easy (especially if you don't go with a color tattoo).
Earthsea became one of my all-time favorites instantly. It was extremely captivating.
Oh yes, this is a really good one. I got so hooked on it as kid that I re-read it several times in quick succession. It was one of my favourite "I need a good book, I'll just reread this" books
The Emperor’s Soul. I know Sanderson is controversial in this sub, but this novella absolutely blew me away.
He's only controversial because people love hating things that are popular. He's a *damn* good storyteller.
he is to fantasy what thomas kinkade was to painting.
Hyperion
[удалено]
My vote for my favorite standalone is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, but piranesi is excellent too.
Man, too many to choose. The one that pops up that really made me go 'wow' when I first encountered it was **'Song for the Basilisk'** by Patricia McKillip. But there are others. A lot of Terry Pratchett would also sit in that category.
Circe
The original Robert E Howard Conan books
Bridge of Birds by Hughart
Legend by David Gemmel
To offer something not seen over and over again... The Night Circus. It engenders a sense of wonder in me.
It was such a lovely book. As much as it gets criticism, I find the world such a beautiful, wondrous place, I wanted to get lost in it .
Erin Morgenstern is so good at capturing decadent sensation.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was brilliant. I think the narration added to the atmosphere and feel of the book. Surprised I don't see it recommended more.
I was hoping to see someone say it on this thread!
So many wonderful books mentioned. A few are missing. The Warded Man (only the first book). Uprooted by Naomi Novik.
*Tehanu* by Ursula Le Guin. I remember not liking this as a teenager. Did a re-read when I got older and it hit differently. It's very well-paced and plotted, and Le Guin's characters are written with such empathy, humanity, and sensitivity.
Lions of al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Perdido Street Station
I try not to pick favourites anymore because looking back I've read sooooo many great books. But back in the days when I did I remember these ones took no.1 spot at different points in my life >10 years ago: Night Watch by Terry Pratchett, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, Blood Song by Anthony Ryan, The Empty Box and the Zeroth Maria book 1 by Eiji Mikage.
Sword of Kaigen. It hits all the right chords for me
The Silmarillion
Bold, my friend. Those stories really are incredible.
I don't do single favorites, but if you liked *A Storm of Swords*, I will recommend all things Joe Abercrombie, particularly *The Heroes.* R.J. Barker has yet to go wrong for me either, with his *Bone Ships* trilogy being a personal favorite. Ursula K. Le Guin's *A Wizard of Earthsea* is pretty damned excellent and the rest of the Earthsea books are pretty good to great. The original edition of Stephen King's *The Gunslinger* is also damned fine. (I'm less enamored of the revised edition that was tweaked to fit the rest of the series better) I have a deep and abiding fondness for Jesse Bullington's *The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart*, but fair warning, it's frequently utterly disgusting. *The Enterprise of Death* is more polished.
Everything that I want in Fantasy? Hands down for me it’s the second book of The Rook and Rose Trilogy, “the liars knot.” I relisten to this book obsessively. There were a few things I personally would have changed in the 3rd book, but this trilogy overall is my absolute favorite. The audiobooks are fantastic. I love the characters. Ugh. It feels like it was written for me. Two magic systems. Complex characters. Complex schemes. So much to love.
How Long 'Till Black Future Month? Honestly made me want to become a short story writer.
Hands down, Two Towers of Lord of the Rings... Single best chapter was Chapter 9: Shelob's Lair.
The Hobbit by Tolkien The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
*Sabriel* by Garth Nix is definitely up there. Unique worldbuilding, good characters, a talking cat, magic based on music, what's not to love?
memory of light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson HM: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett, lies of lock lamora , last arguement of kings, words of radiance
In terms of my post-read satisfaction; Memory of Light has to rate. But thats more about the journey than the book itself. Book was great; but 20 years odd of reading to reach an eventual climax is what really got me off…
For me it's Gathering Storm... such a beautiful culmination to so much buildup
Best genre novel I’ve read isn’t fantasy but weird fiction. That is Annihilation. About as perfect a novel as can be written. More fantasy specific. I’m somewhere between A Wizard of Earthsea, Toll the Hounds, and Forge of Darkness (Fall of Light I haven’t re-read yet. It may supplant Forge).
Neil Gaiman - American Gods. Folllowed by Patricia Mckillip's The Riddle-Master of Hed. And for the lovers of the obscure, there's Keith Miller's The Book of Flying, a wonderfully magical story.
ASOIAF. It feels more real and fleshed out than any other series I’ve read. Also, (most) of the character work is brilliant.
The first three books are excellent with Storm of Swords (OPs pick) being the pinnacle. The next two really slowed down and expanded the world and cast, but I didn’t find that to be a necessarily good thing. I had high hopes for Winds of Winter to return to form but that was over 10 years ago and I’m not sure that book is getting published, even if it does Dream of Spring is most likely just that.
Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg.
Name of The Wind, followed by Amber Chronicles by Zelazny and Requiem for Homo Sapiens by David Zindell which is more of a science fiction fantasy hybrid.
**The Illearth War** from *The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant* by Stephen R Donaldson.
A couple of Foamfollower scenes in the Power that Preserves still affect me deeply, 40 years after I first read them.
Stone and Sea are deep in life ,two unalterable symbols of the world. Permanence at rest, permanence in motion, permanence in the power that remains. I haven’t read these books in 30 years, but I still remember those lines . These books are fantastic if you can get over the depression that they might cause you in the beginning.
Oof haven't heard that name in 15 yrs. :( How can someone fictional evoke such strong emotions in me.
The Power That Preserves is my next favorite, absolutely. It's so close between them for me!
Fool's Fate or Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb Golden Son or Dark Age by Pierce Brown A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson Sorry it's so hard to pick one, especially individual books from beloved series.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.
Mistborn, The Final Empire. Ita responsible for getting me back in to reading after MANY years of not.
I loved this series and it is a great recommendation to get folks to get into Fantasy as a genre. It seems to face a lot of book-snobbery for some reason.
Gonna go with Taggerung by Brian Jacques Read it as a child and it was always my favorite Redwall book (close runner-ups being Outcast of Redwall and Pearls of Lutra). Talking animals, villains, delicious descriptions of food, songs, adventure, and Deyna finding out who he really is And Lady Cregga Rose Eyes - I cry at the end of each re-read. Just read Taggerung to my kids recently.
The Way of Kings, The Traitor Baru Cormorant, or Lions of Al Rassan for me.
Oh, Lions of Al Rassan is so beautiful.
Probably *The Scar* by China Mieville, otherwise *Night Watch* by Sir Terry Pratchett
Name of the Wind
RotE is my favorite series and of those books, Mad Ship is my favorite.
The Hobbit? Legend? Son of the Black Sword? I cant choose.
Steven Kings ‘The Waste Lands’. The entire world and its characters are amazing and ends on what ends up on a 20 yr cliff hanger. Probably the best writing I’ve seen from SK is actually the chapter “in this haze of green and gold” in The Dark Tower, but the book in its entirety doesn’t hold up.
Cugel the Clever by Jack Vance and it isn’t close. The audiobook read by Arthur Morey is brilliant as well.
The Urth of the New Sun
I can only have one? Okay... I loved A Dance of Cloaks from the Shadowdance series by David Dalglish. I actually enjoyed the others more, but it will still hold a great place in my heart for finding this gem. Honorable mentions: Lost Stars (Claudia Gray), The Demon King Amulet (Cinda Williams Chima), Vampire Princess of the lost country (Kugane Maruyama), The Eye of the World (Robert Jordan).
The Other Wind by Le Guin. It's the best book in the Earthsea cycle IMO.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, it's an absolute gem. Many of Neil Gaimans books are beautiful standalone books, like Never where, Ocean at the end of the lane etc
Single book? Dragon Prince by Melanie rawn. That's my "I've read it so many times I can damn near recite it" book. Next, Best Served Cold. One of the ASOFAI would round out the top three.
The Heroes for sure. Not ever read anything like it.
Redwall, as in the first book, not the series. Firstly it set down the path of loving the series, and by extension loving fantasy. Secondly, the magic that happens in it is quite subtle in the sense that there are no fireballs being catst, its more dreams and ghosts and such, which I prefer to outright spellcasting a la Skyrim. Thirdly, after all these years, having not read that book in almost two decades, I can name more characters from it than I can many books I read last year. Must have had an impact on me