Fantasy romance novels

[Jaerv]

Okay, this is a bit embarrassing… *clears his throat, blushes*

Well, after a long period of celibacy I have decided to resurrect my interest in the opposite sex, i.e. women. From my bygone era of active romantic interactions with women I dimly remember that they often expressed rather strange (from my point of view) and obscure attitudes and expectations concerning the proper course of male-female interactions. For example, they demanded that we talk before having sex.

In order to re-align (or maybe first-align) my mind with the worldview of women, I would therefore like to read some romance novels, which hopefully reveal something about the ideal course of romantic interactions from a female point of view. Thus, I would be grateful for some recommendations.

Since I like fantasy, the ideal would be something like “fantasy romance” (if such a thing exists), but I am also grateful for other recommendations, as long as they can teach me something about women’s hopes and whishes with regard to, err, “love”.

Thanks a lot guys! ladies!

[Dracarys!]

Whatever you do, don't pick up Wheel of Time, it'll scare you away from women forever.

[Datepalm]

romance as a genre, or genre books with significant romantic elements? I think theres a significant difference, in terms of structure and genre expectations and such. (I would tend to say that neither is very likely to be representative of any random womans expectations in a relashionship, but i'm actually in no position to be criticizinfg anyones lovelife.)

Anyway, i'm drawing a bit of a blank on fantasy with lots of romance - Robin Hobb? Er...Dragonlance? ASOIAF, realky - its at least as prominent an element, just somewhat nastier. (Not like the others were all things nice though.)

SF rather than fantasy, but Walter Jon Williams Praxis trilogy had what I thought was an unusual and quite central love story.

[Spastic Plastic]

Maybe you should just spend more time hanging out with women, to re-align your mind with their worldview? Do you have a close female friend?

I hate to sound mean, but reading fantasy romance books isn't really going to increase your chances of getting laid.

[Renasko]

Hm, I'd really love a good book that I can read with my girlfriend, but I struggle to think of any that are currently out. So, I'll need to keep an eye on this thread.

[lady narcissa]

I read a lot of romance novels so I can totally help you out here. I just need to wait till I get home and can glance at my bookshelf to formulate a proper list.

However I will give you one book to start that is very popular with female romance readers - "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon. It's time travel with a lot of it taking place in Scotland leading up to the 1745 rebellion. It's the first book in a mega volume series but I don't think it is necessary to read all the books in the series. Not that the series is complete - DG is like GRRM when it comes to writing. Outlander came out in 1991 and we are still waiting for the series to be completed. Waiting 4 years in between books is normal with her.

Oh and DG has a story in GRRM's upcoming Warriors anthology (ETA) new anthology Songs of Love and Death.

[shortstark]

Bujold Vorkosigan books has elememts of romance in them, with the female characters(in the main) exhibiting quite modern sensibilities re male female interactions.

This also is sci/fi, but they should suffice, if the romantic elements is not up to scratch you wont lose out because they are cracking books.

[Renasko]

Maybe you should just spend more time hanging out with women, to re-align your mind with their worldview? Do you have a close female friend?

I hate to sound mean, but reading fantasy romance books isn't really going to increase your chances of getting laid.

First bit is good, but the second part, I'm not so sure of.

Jaerv, is this simply to help you get laid or to increase your chances of developing relationships with women in general?

[Liadin]

Juliet Marillier's books would qualify, and they're actually decently written. I can't recommend anything in the real romance genre though.

But I second the person who said this isn't going to help you with actual romance. Just because a romantic hero does something in a book, doesn't mean most real women want real men to behave like that. (Don't believe me? Rape-as-seduction used to be common in the romance genre. It isn't anymore, but the point stands.)

Watching romantic movies might be more helpful than reading books, but really, there's no substitute for actually getting out there and meeting people. Or, y'know, you could read threads related to relationships or find a blog about dating or something.

[murphy]

You might try John Grey's Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. It's non-fiction, but it might help your understanding of women.

[Ran]

Gabaldon's story, and Warriors, are already published. :)

Try Tanith Lee's The Silver Metal Lover? Superb book. SF rather than Fantasy, of course.

But ditto what others say about experience vs. reading. More action, less reading about action.

[lady narcissa]

I agree with what the others are saying about talking with woman and reading books on relationships. However, I'll continue with the romance novel suggestions because reading them certainly isn't a bad idea.

While I was thinking of it I wanted to add that one new book that seems to be getting a lot of buzz online in romance forums is "The Iron Duke" by Meljean Brook. It's being marketed as Steampunk Romance so there are fantasy elements to it. Most of the story takes place in an alternate Victorian like London with some adventures on the high seas along with zombies and pirates and a Kraken.

ETA:

Gabaldon's story, and Warriors, are already published. :)

Opps thanks, corrected that. Got my anthologies mixed up.

[Old Nan]

Maybe you should just spend more time hanging out with women, to re-align your mind with their worldview? Do you have a close female friend?

I hate to sound mean, but reading fantasy romance books isn't really going to increase your chances of getting laid.

Not that I object to romance novels in general or fantasy romance novels in particular, but this is the advice you should be taking with regards to your... problem.

[Jaerv]

Okay, irony on the internet is difficult, obviously, and I should have made it clearer that I am not a recluse nor 100% socially inept. So I know the absolute basics (women are the ones with glasses, no?). Thus, no general dating advice needed, thanks :)

But I have never in my life read any novel from the romance genre, at least not consciously, and at the same time this genre is among the best-selling ones in the book market, bought by women. So, there is obviously something depicted in these books that touches a chord in the souls of women. And I am interested in this something, that’s all. So lets stick to book recommendations please, fictional books!

Gabaldon, Lee, Marrilier, and Brook appear to be very interesting, thanks! Bujold and Hobb I know already, and I love them. But they are not really romance, are they?

[AverageGuy]

Okay, irony on the internet is difficult, obviously,

Don't worry, I'm at least one person who got it :)

But I have never in my life read any novel from the romance genre, at least not consciously, and at the same time this genre is among the best-selling ones in the book market, bought by women. So, there is obviously something depicted in these books that touches a chord in the souls of women. And I am interested in this something, that’s all. So lets stick to book recommendations please, fictional books!

Twilight. No, seriously, Twilight. If you're trying to look for an example of books where something about the romance strikes a chord in a large number of women which also contain fantasy elements, this will probably be one of the best examples you can get. Brace yourself, though, because most of the bad stuff you've heard about the series is probably true. It's more or less spawned an entire subgenre, Paranormal Romance. Speaking of which, per wiki:

Authors such as Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Kresley Cole, Linnea Sinclair and Christine Feehan have written under this genre and won P.E.A.R.L. awards.

Those authors might be another place to start. I haven't tried any of them, though.

The Outlander books have also been mentioned, and that was actually the first example that popped into my head. I think it has a couple things in common with Twilight in the average-but-not heroine suddenly taken out of her boring, everyday life as well as the non-threatening male major character.

[RobMRobM]

Outlander and the seven or so follow up novels for the win! Very romantic and lots of R rated descriptions to boot. (Note that her contributions to Warriors and the upcoming collection are about Lord John and also involve romance, albeit of the same sex variety.)

Agree that Vorkosigan also would serve, especially Shards of Honor and Barryar (about the love of Cordelia and Aral) and Komarr and A Civil Campaign (about Miles and his preferred intended).

Yes, the Robin Hobb Farseer and Tawny Man books also would serve, although the course of true love for Fitzchivalry doesn't run smooth in these books (but you get a couple of outstanding fantsy series to read to boot).

[Edda van Heefmstra Ruston]

I quite like Jaran, which I am biased about because I am re-reading it right now. However, it definitely falls into the "fantasy with heavy romance subplot". No explicit sex in this one, though.

[LugaJetboyGirl]

Dude. The Bitterbynde Trilogy. Love it! I go back and re-read it when I'm feeling some sentimental romantic longing. It does the trick every time.

Plus it's just a neat story.

And Juliet Marrilier, like others have said.

[Liadin]

Well, at least I can say that nobody else who posted before you explained got it either.... :blushing:

Yes, the Robin Hobb Farseer and Tawny Man books also would serve, although the course of true love for Fitzchivalry doesn't run smooth in these books (but you get a couple of outstanding fantsy series to read to boot).

Okay, I haven't read Tawny Man, but have read Farseer....

And I love (read: hate) it when people call books with minor romantic subplots "romance novels."

If Farseer represents the level of romance the OP wants to encounter in his fiction, all he has to do is avoid the most testosterone-fueled of thrillers and the geekiest of tech-driven SF. The fact that the hero has a love interest, gets together with and has a few scenes with her and sometimes thinks about her when she's not there does not make the book a romance. (Rule of thumb: if the two lovers are not the two most important characters in the book, I can pretty much guarantee you that it's not a romance. It still may not be a romance if they are the most important characters, but it certainly isn't when the boy/girlfriend is minor.)

[lady narcissa]

Authors such as Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Kresley Cole, Linnea Sinclair and Christine Feehan have written under this genre and won P.E.A.R.L. awards.

Nora Roberts is probably the #1 best selling romance novelist in existence at the moment. She is also an extremely prolific author with multiple publications every year. A big chunk of her books are straight romance or romantic suspense.

Of all her books I'd probably recommend her In Death series published under the name J.D. Robb. The first book in the series is Naked in Death. The series is set in mid 21st century NYC so lots of futuristic elements like flying cars and casinos in outer space. A lot of the crimes investigated in the series are hard core murder with some graphic details. But the focus of the series is the relationship between a NYC police detective and the wealthiest man in the world so you've got your romance aspect.

Nora Roberts also has a few trilogies with fantasy elements to them. An example would be her "Born In" and "Ardmore" trilogies which are much more traditional romance novels with a slight fantasy element to them - fairies. Later trilogies got a bit more paranormal with things like vampires and include her "Sign of Seven" and "Circle" trilogies. You can find more information about her trilogies here: http://noraroberts.com/books/trilogies.html