help a reader out.

[Dead_Stark]

Basically the problem is I've never been a fantasy guy. I have an enormous appetite for books but it has always been true crime, history, biographies and authors such as Irvine Welsh, Thomas Harris and James Lee Burke that I have enjoyed most.

I have read Tolkein many times since I was a kid, but didn't enjoy his books anywhere near as much as George's. I am wondering if anyone can steer me towards a series similar in quality and themes to aSoIaF. More adult fantasy with more realistic violence and an interesting plot would be nice.

I like the idea or of reading Terry Pratchet also but really don't know where to start.

Right now I am on my fifth reread of aSoIaF and whilst I STILL notice new things and get a deeper understanding of the houses and kingdoms with each read I definitely need something else to keep me going until WoW.

any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Errant Bard]

First, if you have not read it yet (the links there are useful, really): http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/49703-before-you-start-a-thread-asking-for-recommendations/

Then:

About all the modern Fantasy meets your criteria, and "like ASOIAF" is not useful at all. Discworld, while being a great series has about nothing in common, yet you say you are interested? (Star by Small Gods, see what you think of it, then either begin by the beginning, the light fantastic colour of magic or maybe guards, guards!)

Anyway, still, if we take your earlier reads into account, I would suggest:

• Ash, a secret history by Mary Gentle
• The Folding Knife, KJ Parker
• The Monarchies of God, Kearney
• The Lions of Al-Rassan, GGKay
• The Long Price, Daniel Abraham
• City of Saint and Madmen, Vandermeer
• Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the Work, Haruki Murakami

Last two being to try something outside epic.

[Andrew Gilfellon]

There is the Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham. Well worth the read and closet to ASOIF with its low magic.

There is the Crossroads trilogy by Kate Elliot.

There is The Prince of Nothing by R Scott Bakker, in case you're interested in super horny villains.

If you want to start Pratchet start with the Colour of Magic. It's the first book, I think.

Also. Anything by Joe Abercrombie.

[Dead_Stark]

Thank you for the reccomendations. I am googling Abercrombie right now.

[polishgenius]

If you want to start Pratchet start with the Colour of Magic. It's the first book, I think.

It is, but I wouldn't start there. Discworld is largely non-sequential and the first two books are very unrepresentative of what is so good about the rest of the series, trying too hard to be a fantasy Hitchhiker's Guide rather than doing its own thing.

I usually recommend starting with Reaper Man or Small Gods.

[Tehol]

IMO Starters should not read Abercrombie at first, because ( again my opinion) he mocks grim dark fantasy by twisting it. So it helps if you read some fantasy where farm boy with destiny, prophecy, magical sword etc involved. You will appreciate the sarcastic tone Abercrombie uses.My two cents, go with finished series or stand alone fantasy books.

[Andrew Gilfellon]

Wasn't Abercrombie the reason why we call some fantasy Grimdark? rather than he was mocking it?

[wolverine]

EB mentioned Monarchies of God by Kearney, which I really enjoyed, but you might also try his Macht Trilogy starting with The Ten Thousand. It is more military and less political though.

Abercrombie certainly seems to fit your description and I think most of the tropes he plays with are known well enough already that you would be able to appreciate what he does. And if not, it is still good reading.

I would add Stover's Cain series to this list. Do not be put off by the turrrrible cover art on the first book Heroes Die. I have only read the first two so far, but they are fantastic.

[sologdin]

Abercrombie the reason

not really. martin, RSB, and others who pre-date abercrombie are associated with 'grimdark,' which is a name that arises out of the warhammer setting, apparently. some folks go back and associate moorcock, king's dark tower, glen cook with the label.

[Serious Callers Only]

You'll basically never know what you like until you actually like it (read it). Suggestions are all well and good, but they're often 'locally and temporally relevant'. This board for instance, might very well push Daniel Abraham or Baker hard on you, but might not push Bujold or Nuttall or Sagara or Mcleod (etc), even though you might like them just fine. There are many many readers that enthusiastically push their favorites, but they haven't actually read alot to nuance their personal preferences, so some stuff gets recommended because it gets recommended, if you know what i mean.

[TheReal_Rebel]

I also recommend picking up short story collections like the one Gardiner Dezois & GRRM edit ie. Rogues, Dangerous Women to kind of dip your toe into before committing to a volume or series. Also before knowing if you will enjoy a particularly writers voice.

[sj4iy]

If you want to start with Terry Pratchett, read "Small Gods". It's one of his best, and needs no prior knowledge of the series. I also recommend "Night Watch", which is my personal favorite...it's a bit darker than Pratchett's normal fare, but is an absolutely spectacular read. Discworld doesn't have to be read in order, and I wouldn't recommend "Color of Magic" because it's honestly one of his weaker books. His writing gets much stronger as he finds his tone, and many of his best books come later, such as the ones I mentioned above.

[wolverine]

You'll basically never know what you like until you actually like it (read it). Suggestions are all well and good, but they're often 'locally and temporally relevant'. This board for instance, might very well push Daniel Abraham or Baker hard on you, but might not push Bujold or Nuttall or Sagara or Mcleod (etc), even though you might like them just fine. There are many many readers that enthusiastically push their favorites, but they haven't actually read alot to nuance their personal preferences, so some stuff gets recommended because it gets recommended, if you know what i mean.

So don't worry, since recs are pointless, you just need to read everything and then you will know what you like.

[Serious Callers Only]

exactly

edit: even disliking a author book is no guarantee that you won't like another book (for instance, witness the people badmouthing Sarah Monette, for that rape-with-wolves book and then not reading something which is practically young adult heterosexual by the same author like The Goblin Emperor, or the - very good - Bone Key collection)

even subgenre occasionally lies, if you use that to guide you

[polishgenius]

If you want to start with Terry Pratchett, read "Small Gods". It's one of his best, and needs no prior knowledge of the series. I also recommend "Night Watch", which is my personal favorite...it's a bit darker than Pratchett's normal fare, but is an absolutely spectacular read.

Discworld doesn't have to be read in order but, although it's perfectly readable on its own, I wouldn't say to read Night Watch first, because I think it works much better when you've read at least some of the earlier Vimes novels, since it's filled with so many injokes and things to the history of the Watch.

[sj4iy]

Discworld doesn't have to be read in order but, although it's perfectly readable on its own, I wouldn't say to read Night Watch first, because I think it works much better when you've read at least some of the earlier Vimes novels, since it's filled with so many injokes and things to the history of the Watch.

It was the first Watch book I read, actually...yes, there are some in-jokes, but Pratchett does a good job of making his books stand-alone. But I suggested it because I think it is one of his best.

I guess another book that would be great to start with would be "Going Postal".

[Michael Seswatha Jordan]

No one says it but Malazan Book of the Fallen is about as fantasy as your gonna get. Some people have a tough time with Gardens of the Moon (book 1), but I've really enjoyed it.

Also, I'd recommend Bakker's A Prince of Nothing trilogy and if you like that, there's a second unfinished trilogy after that. I'm doing a re-read of it in between Malazan and I'm consuming so much more this second go around.

The others recommended I don't know a whole lot about. But, there are some really knowledgeable poster's around here.

[Toblakai]

Yeah, Malazan is definitely adult fantasy, but it is also fantasy on crack, so be prepared for tons of magic. As just mentioned, the first book is tough to read, and while the series always stays challenging (one reason it is so loved), it doesn't hit its proper voice until the second book. This is because the first book was written many years before Erikson began the rest of the series. If you give it a shot, I would recommend you wait until finishing the second book before deciding if it for you or not.

[Darth Richard II]

Eh, I don't read give Monette a second chance because I found her book and views offensive. There have been plenty of other authors I've given second chances to even after reading a book by them I thought kind of sucked.

[Serious Callers Only]

Ahah, i see people all the time reading (and recommending) habitually sexually violent trash like Mercy Thompson but read a book that is purposefully provocative by a author you consider 'serious' and you get all bent out of shape.

I even read that they 'won't read Elizabeth Bear' (since she co-authored the book), one of the most inoffensive sci-fi/UF authors ever.

You know what also works? Not reading a rape-with-wolves book from reading the synopsis, which is what i did.