The finished trilogy is certainly better. As I said in a previous reply, she's really irritated that Martin isn't done.
When you say "dark fantasy," does that mean heavy in the fantasy elements or just not naive and elf-happy? Either variant would be good but the more gritty and edgy the more likely it's going to go over well. She isn't squeamish unless the book illustrates what it writes about (though excessive description of, say, maggots eating someone alive from the inside and burrowing out of their eyes, etc., might be a bit too much).
I'm curious as to the reasoning for the statement that your recommendations are better than everyone else's but I'm not asking for an explanation.
When you say "dark fantasy," does that mean heavy in the fantasy elements or just not naive and elf-happy? Either variant would be good but the more gritty and edgy the more likely it's going to go over well. She isn't squeamish unless the book illustrates what it writes about (though excessive description of, say, maggots eating someone alive from the inside and burrowing out of their eyes, etc., might be a bit too much).
I'm curious as to the reasoning for the statement that your recommendations are better than everyone else's but I'm not asking for an explanation.
By "dark" I mean that the characters go through some dark mental places. I really like it when they are tortured (not necessarily physically) and conflicted. These are underrated authors, not as widely known, but highly praised. The writing is good and character-driven. I wasn't able to put them down when I read them, and everyone I recommended them to really liked them. (Although I have more confidence making recommendations to women.) I've also read some of the other books recommended here (just say no to Tad Williams' Otherland, for example, I read the 1st book - it was a brick and not fulfilling at all, and not the sort of a thing that you're looking for. Lies of Locke Lamorre was fluffy and not memorable. Erikson - absolutely not. I read the 1st book and half of the 2nd, at which it was supposed to be great, and it's a waste of time. Abercrombie I haven't read, that may be a good rec, what kept me away from it is that it seems to be more focused on violence than character development. Jennifer Fallon - probably a good rec, I read one book of hers, and it was solid. Guy Gabriel Kay - you haven't read him? I think of him as the successor to Tolkien. He's really good, his stuff is historical/romantic fantasy. He's worth reading. Lights of War and Shadow by Janny Wurts - I put the 1st book down 200 pages away from the end. Eh.)
Daughter of the Empire is not dark, and it has more of clever plotting / political intrigue.
This message last edited by Aeryn on 24/01/2010 at 05:53:52 PM
Recommendations for a fantasy series
22/01/2010 03:27:38 AM
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Has she read Erikson/would war-based fantasy put her off?
22/01/2010 03:30:36 AM
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What she liked about Martin was the political intrigue and realism.
24/01/2010 03:07:34 AM
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The trilogy of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams.
22/01/2010 04:07:26 AM
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What is the basic idea of the trilogy, if you don't mind my asking?
24/01/2010 03:08:12 AM
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It's a mix of quest fantasy and political intrigue.
24/01/2010 04:28:03 AM
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If she doesn't like all the fantasy races and all much, though...
24/01/2010 11:58:45 AM
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Otherland is also good, but it meanders a lot more than MS&T. Also, it's more sci-fi than fantasy. *NM*
24/01/2010 05:11:16 PM
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thats one of the most beautifully written fantasies I've ever read
24/01/2010 09:49:40 PM
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Scott Lynch, though the series is no wheres near complete, the Lies of Locke Lamora is damn good. *NM*
22/01/2010 05:13:14 AM
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^ This.
23/01/2010 04:16:53 PM
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If the series isn't done she won't read it.
24/01/2010 03:09:02 AM
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It's not so much a series as a "oh, people liked my book, I'll start writing sequels".
24/01/2010 11:55:47 AM
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i've been digging the hell out of the incarnations of immortality series by piers anthony
22/01/2010 05:26:07 AM
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thats one of Anthony's series I actually think is good
24/01/2010 09:54:55 PM
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I think you're right about a new Incarnations book; I seem to recall seeing something in passing.
25/01/2010 10:55:36 AM
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The Empire series by Feist and Wurtz?
22/01/2010 12:47:50 PM
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This is getting to be information overload
24/01/2010 03:11:18 AM
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well, in this section of the thread, I'd say Empire series, but for the other sections:
24/01/2010 09:59:42 PM
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Abercrombie or maybe Guy Gavriel Kay. *NM*
22/01/2010 03:14:03 PM
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Seconded
22/01/2010 09:07:44 PM
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I'd suggest Stephen King's Dark Tower series. *NM*
22/01/2010 03:21:12 PM
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She wouldn't like it. I'm sure of that. *NM*
24/01/2010 03:12:43 AM
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Well that sucks. It's a great series. Even The Gun Slinger has its good parts. *NM*
24/01/2010 03:50:20 AM
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Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince and Dragon Star Trilogies
22/01/2010 04:29:43 PM
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The heavy emphasis on the word "Dragon" in both series makes me wary
24/01/2010 03:15:52 AM
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Series are hard.
22/01/2010 08:10:30 PM
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Sapkowski is translated into Russian (Polish to Russian almost doesn't require thought)
24/01/2010 03:18:37 AM
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Latro in the Mist or the two omnibi that comprise The Book of the New Sun
24/01/2010 03:33:39 AM
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Yes, what he said. Avoid the Wizard/Knight books if faeries are off limits, though. *NM*
24/01/2010 06:09:02 PM
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Does she like Lovecraft any?
23/01/2010 12:06:48 AM
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Carol Berg's Transformation, C.S. Friedman's Feast of Souls
23/01/2010 01:27:53 AM
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Dark Fantasy may be good.
24/01/2010 03:23:31 AM
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I don't remember thinking of Transformation as dark fantasy...I am not sure that everybody is
24/01/2010 04:26:31 AM
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Re: Dark Fantasy may be good.
24/01/2010 05:45:35 PM
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Jennifer Fallon - Second Sons
23/01/2010 12:59:10 PM
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I haven't read that one but the Demon Child series sure was a fun ride. *NM*
24/01/2010 04:29:37 AM
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What else has she enjoyed and how long has she been reading fantasy? *NM*
24/01/2010 04:30:21 AM
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