Re: Dark Fantasy may be good. - Edit 4
Before modification by Aeryn at 24/01/2010 05:53:52 PM
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.)
Daughter of the Empire is not dark, and it has more of clever plotting / political intrigue.