The best fantasy books?

[The Limper]

Glen Cook's Chronicles of the Black company are some the best fantasy novels ever concieved. Think the Malazan novels but about ten times better. Terse cynical prose that reads like a war journal and the most intensly badass wizards ever. Plus the books are short, always a plus.

[SkeleTony]

The best fantasy, for me, has to be the Elric of Melnibone' saga by Michael Moorcock. He has, since he leaped onto the scene, always been the antithesis to Tolkien. More original, darker, rife with political intrigue, Gothic romance, delicious irony and furious action. Plus Elric's sword "Stormbringer" is undeniably the coolest sword in all of fantasy fiction(and probably the most copied/imitated).

Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser books are also very good.

Howard's Conan stories(don't care for anything Jordan writes though) were fantastic as well.

The "Thieves' World" books were terrific!


I also like a lot of less cerebral 'junk fiction' as well though. The 'Dirshan the Barbarian' books("Sword for the Empire", "Man-eaters of Cascalon" etc.) were great fun. Chris Carlson's "Berserker" books. Various knock-offs of Conan and Tolkien(most of which I probably cannot remember the names of the books or even the main characters!) were also lots of fun.

I have a pretty decent collection of independent fantasy comic books as well. "Adventurers"(Books I-III and some spin-offs), "Elflord" by Barry Blair. "Elf Warrior" by Peter Hsu. "Maelstrom"(about a wandering headsman with an enchanted axe. Bounces between comedy and drama pretty fluidly) by Jim Somerville was magnificent! "Cuda", adult fantasy by Tim Vigil.

Going away from the strictly 'Fantasy' genre, my favorites are Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" tetralogy("Shadow of the Torturer", "Claw of the Conciliator" etc.). There simply is no writer from any time in recorded history that can match him. He is brilliant! Robert Silverberg's "Tom O'Bedlam"(he also wrote some great fantasy novels...the "Majipoor" chronicles("Lord Valentine's Castle" etc.). "Ringworld" by Larry Niven.

[Tavis]

I like lots of the stuff that's been recommended so far - Elric, the Book of the New Sun, Vance (the Demon Princes series is maybe my favorite), George R.R. Martin, Iain Banks, Terry Pratchett.

Some favorites that haven't been mentioned yet:
- the Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser stories, by Fritz Leiber. I like that KotC doesn't have thieves (neither does the 1974-edition D&D game I run in NYC - drop in if you're in town), but Lankhmar's Thieves Guild is pure awesome.
- Hugh Cook's Chronicles of an Age of Darkness. Paizo's Planet Stories is reprinting The Walrus & the Warwolf, but I've been able to find the first three (published in the US as four books) at Paperback Swap and they're probably even easier to find used if you're in the UK. I love the density of invention in these books, and the mix of cruelty and empathy; they remind me of Vance without being derivative.
- Nifft the Lean, by Michael Shea. Also similar to Vance, but with more of a horror writer's sensibility - the descent to the underworld is unforgettable. Later books in the series are worthwhile but this is the one that'll hook you.
- Bridge of Birds, by Barry Hughart. Comic fantasy in a China that never was; like an impossibly great game of Oriental Adventures D&D.

The Grognardia blog has been reviewing a lot of the books that were either specifically cited as influences on D&D by Gygax, or other examples of its pulp fantasy roots. I love reading Grognardia, and the book reviews are part of the reason why.

[SkeleTony]

I like lots of the stuff that's been recommended so far - Elric, the Book of the New Sun, Vance (the Demon Princes series is maybe my favorite), George R.R. Martin, Iain Banks, Terry Pratchett.

Some favorites that haven't been mentioned yet:
- the Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser stories, by Fritz Leiber. I like that KotC doesn't have thieves (neither does the 1974-edition D&D game I run in NYC - drop in if you're in town), but Lankhmar's Thieves Guild is pure awesome.

Ummm...in the post right above/before yours:

Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser books are also very good.

[Tavis]

D'oh!

[dastein]

These are my favourite fantasy books, what are yours?? If you like Dungeons & Dragons modules I'd also be interested in knowing which one is your favourite!

George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series: a great story of war, betrayal and power-hungry individuals. Hated to read about the demise of Robb Stark. Unfortunately Martin seems to have a hard time finishing the series.

Joe Abercrombie's The First Law series: another great story. Very similar to Ice and Fire. Inquisitor Glokta reminds me of Tyrion Lannister.

Martin and Abercrombie are my favourites as well. Too bad Dance with Dragons got pushed back into late 2010.
Just read 'Best Served Cold', which is set in the same world as the First Law trilogy. Even though the story plays out on a different continent, some old acquaintances pop up. Very enjoyable read!

[pravinshere]

"Luwan of Brida" the bestselling Fantasy Novel by Sarang Mahajan: Reviews on Flipkart and Amazon link.

[satishsharma]

Here is a good book named Luwan of Brida by Sarang Mahajan that I recently came across. It's a wonderful fantasy/adventure that reminds me of all the best books in the genre I have read. I am sure you will love this one especially if you loved books such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Eragon. Definitely worth reading. I came to know about it while searching for reviews of new books. Here is one of the reviews that helped me make my mind to read it. Go through it. I am sure you will want to buy the book. Do check out the trailer on flipkart as well.

http://otioseopinions.blogspot.in/2012/02/luwan-of-brida-by-sarang-mahajan.html

[deathknight1728]

Ive never read these books (The sword of truth series) but ive been watching the series made for tv. Its a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

[Essegi]

I'm reading the second volume of The Malazan Book Of The Fallen, not bad at all.
Recently i've read The Lies Of Locke Lamora, definitely a good read!