I've been reading through the Wheel of Time books. They're low-medium magic fantasy (the people who can use magic are VERY powerful but rare). I'm on book 3 and loving it! It's a big commitment (14 very long books and a prequel), but very good!
this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2023
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I've read all of the WOT books twice now (but multiple attempts...) And while they hold a special place in my heart and are instrumental in helping shape the modern epic fantasy scene, I'm kinda iffy of recommending them to people, especially those just getting into the genre. Be interested to hear your (and others!) thoughts on this as you get deeper into the series.
Yeah, I definitely wouldn't recommend them to anyone new into fantasy. I've been craving a dense world to dive into, so WoT was perfect (and I picked up the entire collection for like $60)
Couldn't make it through the second one. It had some interesting parts and a cool world but the actual characters are insufferable. And so much travelling...
That's fair. I've been getting through them slowly. It's definitely picked up a lot in the third book (and started focusing on Perrin more, which is great cause he's me favorite character)
Book 2 took me longer than book one to get through cause, as you said, it's a lot of traveling. Book 3 has a lot of travelling too (as does the whole series to my understanding), but I'm enjoying the character development as well as >!the girls time at Tar Valen!<.
I made it to book six then had to wait for seven to be published, read it immediately, then drited away from the series by the time eight came out. I was stunned to learn it had gotten to 14 books when the TV show aired. It's not even done and the original writer is about to die (or already dead?) so Brandon Sanderson taking over? Man crazy!
The series is done, but Robert Jordan passed away before he could finish the last 3 books, so Brandon Sanderson finished them.
Ever read the Discworld books? Been struggling to find a way to describe them. Once I read my first one, I plowed all 41 books in a couple of months.
They're laugh out loud funny at times, but there's plenty of punch as well. So many references and puns and jokes, it's impossible to catch them all on a single read. Lots of fans read them over and over again, and have done do for decades. We still find something new. Just can't grasp how Terry Pratchett could have been so brilliant.
I would highly recommend the "Mistborn" series by Brandon Sanderson. (Trilogy) - not exactly magic
There's also "Sword of change" series by Patricia bay (Trilogy) - lightly magic
"Sword of truth" series by Terry Goodkind (12 books-ish) - plenty of magic
not exactly magic
I'm not sure how much Sanderson you've read, but there's a conversation in one of the Era 2 Mistborn books where 2 characters from different magic systems are arguing that what they use isn't magic, it's just normal "how the world works" stuff and the other is flabbergasted that they can't see the insane things that the other does is magic. One of my favorite light moments from his books.
I will withhold my opinion of the "Sword of Truth" series. I bought the first 3 because I'd heard good things. I read the first and decided to just donate all three instead of continuing to read.
I really wish I had skipped the Sword of Truth series.
Let me recommend the Gentlemen Bastards series starting with Lies of Locke Lamora. They're fantasy heist books.
I mean, I really liked the first 90 pages or so. Goodkind clearly can write well. He'd occasionally forget himself and start doing some real character work or the characters would sit and talk a bit and do some world building. But then he's realize he needed to move the story along and he clearly doesn't know how to do that so he'd have a wizard pop out of the bushes (literally at least once) and just say "hey, we got to move this story along. Let's go do this thing now." He can write, but he doesn't know how to tell a story. Don't even get me started with how he shoehorns in the call to action for the hero in the first book. It's like papers I'd write in college where I had a bunch of good parts but it's no cohesive so I'd half-ass some connecting bits to frankenstein it together. It's technically passable, but not a good overall work.
And I've heard the Gentlemen Bastards series mentioned a few times recently so I'll need to put it on my list. I'm working my way through Raymond E. Feist right now. The first series just feels so much like a DnD campaign (because it literally is) and I love it.
I only heard of Sanderson when he started on the Wheel of Time. Is Mistborn the best place to start reading him?
I do believe the Mistborn series is exemplary in showcasing his writing. He's great with interacting with the world and making characters "discover" it in a way few authors do. Mostly by making them question and want to learn. I.E. "I got this ability, but what can I do with it"
The series is also pretty standalone and was my first experience with him. It encouraged me to read more of his material, so hopefully, it will for you as well!
Awesome, thanks for the recommendation. I know what I'm getting myself for Christmas now 🌝
I loved ITSOL! Just reread it last month actually. I remember just being on the edge of my seat for the last third of the book If you enjoyed that I would recommend The Powder mage Trilogy by the same author, he does a good job of mixing a mystery investigation POV and a more action oriented one, just like in ITSOL, and I find it very engaging. Also The First Law Series. I think you'll enjoy the tone and mix of Known and Unknown Magics in those series similar to ITSOL.
I can also recommend The Will of The Many and The Blacktongue Thief, which were two of my books of the year for their releases, if you're looking for fantasy with a different tone than your standard, run of the mill sword and magic series