Fantasy books you suspect no one else on the board has read

[Liadin]

Inspired by the SFF progression thread. List some books you have never, ever seen discussed here. (If you've been around awhile you don't have to use the search function to try to prove yourself wrong--just based on what you've seen.) See if you've read anybody else's super-obscure books!

Stuff I read as a kid:

Jerlayne by Lynn Abbey. Not bad, unusual take on elves.

Watershed Trilogy by Douglas Niles. A not-very-intelligent Tolkien knockoff. Liked it at the time for being fast-paced though.

To Fall Like Stars by Nancy Asire. I don't know what the hell this was. Apparently it was a later book in a series, but not marked that way. Not very good.

The Sword, the Ring and the Chalice by Deborah Chester. Typical mediocre fantasy.

Lords of the Sky by Angus Wells. More mediocre fantasy.

In Legend Born by Laura Resnick. Loved it at the time. I think it's somewhat above average, but not something you'd re-read.

And now some recent stuff that's really good:

Firethorn and Wildfire by Sarah Micklem. I'm going to keep pimping these books till someone reads them, dammit!

The Secrets of Jin-Shei and The Embers of Heaven by Alma Alexander. Excellent historical fantasy about women in alt-China.

Anybody read any of this? What really obscure stuff have you read?

[Datepalm]

I swear i've read something by Angus Wells, though i'm not sure its this book.

[williamjm]

Watershed Trilogy by Douglas Niles. A not-very-intelligent Tolkien knockoff. Liked it at the time for being fast-paced though.

I've not read that series, but I did read a few of Niles' Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance books when I was about 12 or 13, I read the two Celtic-themed Moonshae trilogies, the Maztica (a retelling of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs). I seem to remember I quite liked the Moonshae books at the time, but I suspect they wouldn't stand up to a re-read.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I don't remember anyone else here or anywhere else mentioning Antony Swithin's Perilous Quest for Lyonesse series. At the time (early-mid 90s) I did like the series. The basic premise is that Swithin created an extra mid-Atlantic continent called Rockall populated by a number of indigenous civilisations and various European colonies. The young protagonist sets off from England to Rockall to try to find his father and elder brother who fled to the English colony of Lyonesse after ending up on the losing side of the early 15th Century Battle of Shrewsbury. He then ends travelling through most of the continent trying to find Lyonesse having various adventures with attempted coups, rebellions, stereotypical barbarian horsemen and so on. The world-building was impressively detailed (it felt as if it was a series where he'd probably spent many years developing the background), although Swithin occasionally spent a bit too much time explaining the various languages and so on. I seem to remember the plot was reasonably good with more of an emphasis on political intrigue rather than pitched battles and there was very little magic for a fantasy novel. Characterisation was OK, but maybe a bit bland. It's been so long since I read it, I can't comment on the quality of the writing, from what I remember it was better than a lot of the stuff I was reading at the time, but probably fairly unexceptional.

[Xenophon]

Not sure how unusual this is, but I've read a good portion of Lord Dunsany's writings. Some of the more obscure books were bloody hard to get via inter-library loan at the time, so maybe there's something there.

It's not all up to the standards of The King of Elfland's Daughter and his other great works, but if Dunsany wrote it, it's almost certainly worth reading, IMO.

EDIT: An extra bonus: some are available for free on Project Gutenberg.

[Ranzadule]

I suspect not many of you here have read the Clan War novels based on the Legend of the Five Rings CCG/RPG. The Unicorn book is awful, but the Scorpion, Lion and Phoenix are great and the Crane and Dragon books are nearly great.

[Liadin]

I swear i've read something by Angus Wells, though i'm not sure its this book.

Feel like I've heard something of his mentioned around here, but definitely not that.

And how could I forget, this one was recent--In the Eye of Heaven by David Keck. It's one of those books where the main character is a raging asshole (and self-pitying to boot) but the author clearly thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. I can see why it never caught on.

[Demonic Weasel]

In Legend Born by Laura Resnick. Loved it at the time. I think it's somewhat above average, but not something you'd re-read.

Anybody read any of this? What really obscure stuff have you read?

As I recall, the follow up novels progressively improved, but it's been years since I picked up those books. I am surprised to see Resnick mentioned, though; I doubt I would have remembered to post her in the thread.

[jurble]

The Sword, the Ring and the Chalice by Deborah Chester. Typical mediocre fantasy.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

When I read the title, I immediately thought of this series, and replying to this thread with it. IT SEEMS WE ARE BOTH WRONG.

[Liadin]

As I recall, the follow up novels progressively improved, but it's been years since I picked up those books. I am surprised to see Resnick mentioned, though; I doubt I would have remembered to post her in the thread.

Seems like they weren't all out when I read them and I only read the first two. Lately tried to re-read based on how much I remembered liking them, but found the beginning of the first dull. But then, I'm not much of a re-reader anyway.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

When I read the title, I immediately thought of this series, and replying to this thread with it. IT SEEMS WE ARE BOTH WRONG.

:lol:

[Larry.]

Michael Cisco, The Great Lover

Ferenc Karinthy, Metropole

Stepan Chapman, The Troika

Zoran Živković, Писац у Најам

Salvador Plascencia, The People of Paper

I think those five at least have very few, if any, readers of those who frequent this forum.

[Procrastimancer]

Michael Cisco, The Great Lover

Ferenc Karinthy, Metropole

Stepan Chapman, The Troika

Zoran Živković, Писац у Најам

Salvador Plascencia, The People of Paper

I think those five at least have very few, if any, readers of those who frequent this forum.

I'd have said The Narrator by Michael Cisco, but I know you've read it. Not sure if anyone else on the board has. As for The Great Lover, I will be getting that as soon as I start getting a steady paycheck.

[Shryke]

Watershed Trilogy by Douglas Niles. A not-very-intelligent Tolkien knockoff. Liked it at the time for being fast-paced though.

I've read this too!

YOU LOSE!

[Shryke]

As for ones I think only I may have read?

Serpent's Blood

Salamander's Fire

Chimera's Cradle

By Brian Stableford

Haven't read it in ages, can't remember a thing about anything but the first book and only own the first one, but I remember it being interesting and that it got kinda crazy by the end. God knows if the prose or the like was any good, since I haven't read it since I was like 15.

It's technically Sci-Fi the way Pern is technically Sci-Fi. Rather interesting setup and everything though.

[Demonic Weasel]

Seems like they weren't all out when I read them and I only read the first two. Lately tried to re-read based on how much I remembered liking them, but found the beginning of the first dull. But then, I'm not much of a re-reader anyway.

That sounds about right. Although my memory is a bit hazy, it seems to me that right after I started reading some really good fantasy series (Resnick was one of my earliest forays) it became immediately apparent that while she had a decent plot and some interesting characterizations, her exposition was as dull as tasteless frogs. And I seem to remember that she either exposited a lot or kept repeating the same exposition... Might have to crack them open again to see if there are any of the redeeming qualities I remember.

[SkynJay]

Wow. I almost started a thread just like this the other day, but couldn't figure out how to title it.

I only have one, The Circus of Dr. Lao, Charles G. Finney. Written in the 30's, and I swear if you told me it was a new book by Gaimon I would have believed you. Urban fantasy before it was a genre. Loved it.

Pick it up and read it people!

And ill check Sarah Micklem out at the library, cause your recs are usually pretty good (except for the Magicians, which I had unfortunately already read).

[Larry.]

Wow. I almost started a thread just like this the other day, but couldn't figure out how to title it.

I only have one, The Circus of Dr. Lao, Charles G. Finney. Written in the 30's, and I swear if you told me it was a new book by Gaimon I would have believed you. Urban fantasy before it was a genre. Loved it.

Pick it up and read it people!

And ill check Sarah Micklem out at the library, cause your recs are usually pretty good (except for the Magicians, which I had unfortunately already read).

I've read both that and The Unholy City, but yes, it does feel as though it could have been written recently.

[Liadin]

And ill check Sarah Micklem out at the library, cause your recs are usually pretty good (except for the Magicians, which I had unfortunately already read).

I never said The Magicians was for everybody. :P

I've read this too!

YOU LOSE!

But has anyone read the Nancy Asire, other than me? Hmm?

[Grack21]

I suspect not many of you here have read the Clan War novels based on the Legend of the Five Rings CCG/RPG. The Unicorn book is awful, but the Scorpion, Lion and Phoenix are great and the Crane and Dragon books are nearly great.

I read and own all of them. And almost all of the RPG source books too. I'm missing 4 or 6 still.

And I did buy Firethorn not too long ago! It's in the queue!

[Stego]

A Dance With....... just kidding.

I have no idea what people have read. I've read a few on these lists, but no one has mentioned a good book yet. Sorry, Larry.

Not many have read John M. Ford, and he's stellar. The Dragon Waiting. The Last Hot Time. Stellar. Anno Dracula by Kim Newman needs more readers.

Most books that no one has read suck ass. But there are a few that slip through the cracks.

[Grack21]

Feel like I've heard something of his mentioned around here, but definitely not that.

And how could I forget, this one was recent--In the Eye of Heaven by David Keck. It's one of those books where the main character is a raging asshole (and self-pitying to boot) but the author clearly thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. I can see why it never caught on.

Heh, I like those books, but they're WEIRD. I don;t remeber the main character being an asshole though, just having a really shitty day. But again, those books are just WEIRD. Someone here once described it to Boormman's Excalibur movie, which I think is pretty spot on.