Recommend books to a hater

[sologdin]

I hate everything.

try mieville, gene wolfe, mervyn peake.

if those fail, it's time to start writing your own epic serial fantasy. correct the genre's errors, &c.

[Martin Silenus]

I hate everything.

try mieville, gene wolfe, mervyn peake.

if those fail, it's time to start writing your own epic serial fantasy. correct the genre's errors, &c.

Busting out with the Mervyn Peake! I have a suspicion Grumpy Smurf hates gothic mannerpunk.

Someone mentioned Angela Carter. Warren Ellis. All highly recommended as well. I can't vouch for Wolfe or Mieville but they aren't exactly pushing fictionware a la Terry Fillintheblank.

Let us know what you dig damn it!

[Foreverlad]

The lack of Daniel Abraham in this thread disturbs me.

Long Price Quartet. Each book improves on the one before it. Skinny books. Convention defying. No filler. All characters are shades of gray. Very unique system of magic. Soft economic porn.

[murf99]

Try Brian Ruckley's Godless World Trilogy. Also Peter V Brett is really good.

[sargraf]

The lack of Daniel Abraham in this thread disturbs me.

Long Price Quartet. Each book improves on the one before it. Skinny books. Convention defying. No filler. All characters are shades of gray. Very unique system of magic. Soft economic porn.

I'm not the OP, but your description of this series has intrigued me.

[sologdin]

Grumpy Smurf

someone just earned a custom title. good job! too bad n00bs can't set that shit.

[The Evil Hat]

My main recommendation would be VanderMeer's City of Saints and the Madmen. Totally different from anything else out there, and a mind blowing read to boot. Definitely also do China Mieville and Mervyn Peake.

[moirne]

I can definitely relate to this thread. I read mostly Young Adult fantasy because after GRRM, adult fantasy just doesn't cut it for me. Here's some good series I've come across:

Incarceron- Catherine Fisher(book 2 coming out in December)

The Alchemyst- Michael Scott (book 4 coming out this month)

You might also try some fantasy series by Diana Wynne Jones.

As for Neil Gaiman, I didn't like Neverwhere either. Stardust, Coraline, Interworld, and The Graveyard Book are interesting though. I liked a lot of his short stories too.

If you like classic lit and fantasy, I would recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel- Susanna Clarke. She also has short stories The Ladies of Grace Adieu that were very good too. Jasper Fforde also combines lit and fantasy with his Thursday Next series.

The Book of Lost Things- John Connolly is one of my favorite stand alone fantasy novels.

[fall787]

Summary so far:

-Once and Future King - will read ( i love standalones, sceptical of series)

-Gomenghast - a maybe

-Long Prince Quartet - probably not - don't like what I'm seeing in reviews

-Godless World - not going to bother with another series

-Mieville - not sure I'm into this type of books, but might give a shot to select 1

-Wolfe - read a few, do not want

-Brett - do not want "demons"

-Cromwell - a maybe

-Will check on the rest of suggestions later

After the 20+ drivel debut books I've read in the last little while, I am very cautious of new authors. Basically, I'd like to see a solid standalone before taking up a series. Not sure if that makes sense.

[Datepalm]

Summary so far:

-Once and Future King - will read ( i love standalones, sceptical of series)

-Gomenghast - a maybe

-Long Prince Quartet - probably not - don't like what I'm seeing in reviews

-Godless World - not going to bother with another series

-Mieville - not sure I'm into this type of books, but might give a shot to select 1

-Wolfe - read a few, do not want

-Brett - do not want "demons"

-Cromwell - a maybe

-Will check on the rest of suggestions later

After the 20+ drivel debut books I've read in the last little while, I am very cautious of new authors. Basically, I'd like to see a solid standalone before taking up a series. Not sure if that makes sense.

Y'know, its not strictly illegal, or even immoral to put down a book. Libraries are your friend. So far the only things you categorically like are ASOIAF and Amber, correct? So complicated characters, a fair amount of badassery, 'gritiness', and not necesarrily standard, linear storytelling:

I'll second Meiville, Whittemore, Valente, Donaldsons Gap and Mary Gentles Ash, as well as Dan Simmons - Hyperion or the Terror. All are standalones or completed series, and

[Barnes]

I'd like to hear of a few more books you did like, if there are any?

[peterbound]

So complicated characters, a fair amount of badassery, 'gritiness', and not necesarrily standard, linear storytelling:

Again, Kearney fits all those pre-reqs. And just for the record, anyone that hasn't recommended him should go out and read him as well. The 10,000 is a stand alone if that's your bag. But you should search around for the Monarchies of God books, it's got freaking were-wolfs raping people man! That's not something you see everyday.

[fall787]

I'd like to hear of a few more books you did like, if there are any?

Sure, but we're talking about fantasy here, aren't we? Or do you mean it'd help if I listed which non-fantasy I like?

[Datepalm]

Again, Kearney fits all those pre-reqs. And just for the record, anyone that hasn't recommended him should go out and read him as well. The 10,000 is a stand alone if that's your bag. But you should search around for the Monarchies of God books, it's got freaking were-wolfs raping people man! That's not something you see everyday.

Charming, I've no doubt.

Sure, but we're talking about fantasy here, aren't we? Or do you mean it'd help if I listed which non-fantasy I like?

Sure, why not? Fantasy has its myriads of subcategories, but I think whether someone likes a book still usually comes down to whether the style of plot/setting/characterization/prose/theme are somethign they enjoy rather than whether its percisely a steampunk space opera or a low epic secondary world supernatural.

[a2t]

Jeff Vandermeer: Shriek: An Afterword

Matthew Woodring Stover: Heroes Die

Jack Vance: The Eyes of the Overworld, Cugel's Saga

Gene Wolfe: The Knight, The Wizard

Kelly Link: Magic for Beginners

Haruki Murakami: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Mikhail Bulgakov: The Master and Margarita

Carlos Ruiz Zafón: The Shadow of the Wind

No particular order here. I only realized in making this test I probably have a 70/30 pref. for scifi.

Edit:

I read above: "So complicated characters, a fair amount of badassery, 'gritiness', and not necesarrily standard, linear storytelling:"

I recommend Heroes Die, which is not really a series. Each book stands on its own, and I like the first best anyway.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

But you should search around for the Monarchies of God books, it's got freaking were-wolfs raping people man! That's not something you see everyday.

In the first place, no you shouldn't, because at some point they're going to release a revised and, one hopes, improved version of the series. This year, theoretically.

In the second place, could you try to be slightly less creepy? :P

[RedEyedGhost]

In the first place, no you shouldn't, because at some point they're going to release a revised and, one hopes, improved version of the series. This year, theoretically.

In the second place, could you try to be slightly less creepy? :P

July 27th for part 1 - Hawkwood and Kings

August 31st for part 2 - Century of the Soldier

(amazon has the covers posted backwards)

Corvus is due October 26th.

And this might just be the perfect game for peterbound, enjoy ;)

[figment]

If you didn't like Wolfe then I'm not sure you will like Mieville but try Perdido Street Station if you try anything. Regarding Kay, Lions is my favorite of his with the Sarantium duo under that. I did not really like Tigana after the first quarter of the book.

I suppose I might raise Jackal of Nar by J. Marco but only halfheartedly since I thought it was uneven military fiction but it was frequently brought up in the same breath as Martin 10 years ago.

[Serious Callers Only]

Dune is a good series for people who are profoundly cynical (except perhaps the Deus Ex Teg at the end of book 5).

[Sheep the Evicted]

The lack of Daniel Abraham in this thread disturbs me.

Long Price Quartet. Each book improves on the one before it. Skinny books. Convention defying. No filler. All characters are shades of gray. Very unique system of magic. Soft economic porn.

IMO if he didnt like Hobb he won't like Abraham. Also i agree with everything you said except no filler - i thought it had filler in spades, particularly in the first two books.