The Sword and Laser discussion

so I read lord of the rings many years ago. I love the story. I hate the writing.
anyone have epic fantssy recommendations that arent gritty that read like the lotr movies?

Well, what is it about the writing you hate? Just too much description of stuff, too much history/backstory, or what?

Raymond E. Feist's Midkemia series is excellent. My number one rec for Tolkien-ish, but very readable.

David Edding's Belgariad/Mallorean.

Terry Brooks' Shannara.

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is great, but a huge investment in time.

Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series - has some romance.

Katherine Kurtz's Deryni stuff.

Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy.

Stephen R. Lawhead's Arthurian series.

I'd recommend Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn but it may be too much like Tolkien. And there's Jack Vance's Lyonesse - very flowery language.

Oh I forgot Elizabeth Moon's Paksennarrion trilogy

How about Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Revelations?

The Hobbit?

Brandon Sanderson's stuff is pretty classic epic fantasy written for a modern audience IMO. (In tone and theme, his worldbuidling is completely unique and different to Tolkien's stuff.)

KevinB wrote: "Brandon Sanderson's stuff is pretty classic epic fantasy written for a modern audience IMO. (In tone and theme, his worldbuidling is completely unique and different to Tolkien's stuff.)"

This is true. Sanderson doesn't steal from Tolkien, he rips off Jordan, Moorcock and Dungeons & Dragons.

Gene Wolfe's Wizard Knight duology, based on Norse and Arthurian mythology.

As Kevin said, you may consider finishing Mistborn then try Way of Kings.

Maybe Runelords....maybe.

Wheel of Time.

I don't see any Joe Abercrombie on your list. People that like Game of Thrones seem to like him.

Abercrombie is great but gritty - he asked for non-gritty.

Sanderson's Mistborn is pretty good, haven't read his other stuff.

Ah yes. Quite so.

Well there's David Gemmell with Legend, Waylander, etc. I've never read him but he has an award named after him. But then so could I if had the money to.

Earthsea?

As others have said, knowing what you liked about the LotR movies would be helpful.

OK, to clear the situation.
I loved the rich world of tolkien, the story the books told, and i don't much care who stole what from where.
The problems i had with the books were the writing style. Now, i haven't read them since i was 12 years old, so i have matured a bit since then. perhaps i am more patient with books now then i was then, with regards to speed of the plot, but i was annoyed that it took 100 pages for frodo to leave the shire.
I've read GOT and Joe Abercrombie's stuff, and they are great, but i am in the mood for something less gritty (thanks michelle for seeing that).
I also don't mind authors who aren't wholly original.
In fact, in this case, i wouldn't mind something in a very classic high fantasy setting. You all have given me a lot of suggestions so far, and i am interesting in getting into those.

Trike wrote: "KevinB wrote: "Brandon Sanderson's stuff is pretty classic epic fantasy written for a modern audience IMO. (In tone and theme, his worldbuidling is completely unique and different to Tolkien's stuf..."

Oh gee, what terrible thing did Sanderson do to you, since you have to express your dislike for him every time he's mentioned in a thread? Why don't you suggest a novel instead? ;)

Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance books. I think they're sometimes underrated just because they're game-based fiction. But they're decent epic fantasy. Dragonlance might end up feeling a bit dated because almost every succeeding fantasy writer was influenced by them, whether they admit it or not.

I never got into any of the Forgotten Realms books, but a lot of other people find them enjoyable, and most of their books are "group of companions on epic quest" stories.

Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry trilogy.

Another one nobody has mentioned yet - Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind.

Nixi wrote: "Oh gee, what terrible thing did Sanderson do to you, since you have to express your dislike for him every time he's mentioned in a thread? Why don't you suggest a novel instead? ;)"

You mean both times I did it? Two times which were actually on topic?

Exaggerate much?

Trike wrote: "Nixi wrote: "Oh gee, what terrible thing did Sanderson do to you, since you have to express your dislike for him every time he's mentioned in a thread? Why don't you suggest a novel instead? ;)"

Y..."

It's more in the way you say it, not in how often you say it.

So you're saying I'm a terrific writer because my stuff is memorable and powerful?

Thanks, man. I appreciate that.

Trike wrote: "So you're saying I'm a terrific writer because my stuff is memorable and powerful?

Thanks, man. I appreciate that."

Well, I'm sure someone thinks that. Personally I think you come across as petulant and with an axe to grind. If that's your intention then whatever, but otherwise you might consider this little nugget:

The failure mode of "clever" is "asshole". - Scalzi

Are you Sanderson? If not, why are your panties in a twist? I didn't say anything bad about your writing.

And, for all you negative nellies, I will point out that I also said positive things about him, as well. You guys only seem to focus on the negative, though. Yet I'm not calling you an asshole.

Bad Sword and Laser forum !!

I woke up to troll thread, not cool people !! Think of all the European people that have different timeline when you do that....

Save our mornings, don't troll late evening !!

I'm in New Hampshire. Sleep is for sissies.

Thank you so much for the recommendations guys. Michelle you are just on the ball. Sadly it looks like no ebook or audible for many of your choices... i have to go to the..... BOOKSTORE... weird. hehe. j/k.

And please stop using this thread as a troll forum. please take the comments elsewhere. I was just looking for recommendations. Stating you hate an author's work is not the same as offering a suggestion. When i get my email stating someone else posted here, i am always hoping it is some other book i've never read, but that hasn't happened for 3 days.

@Tastykimchi If you do consider the Riyria Chronicles, the audio book is the way to go in my opinion. Tim Gerard Reynolds is an EXCELLENT reader.

All of the books are audible at least.

Kind of hard to control the internet. Might as well try to keep the tide from coming in with a broom.

I'll strongly echo Michelle's recommendation of Katherine Kurtz's Deryni Chronicles. The first book in the series is Deryni Rising.

The best epic fantasy I've read recently is Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle. there are three books so far: The Warded Man (aka The Painted Man), The Desert Spear and The Daylight War. Apparently two more are coming, but he's moving right along with them.

I haven't read Michael Sullivan's Ryira Revelations, but they are in my to-read pile because the first chapter hooked me.

For pre-Tolkien epic adventure, try Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser tales. See also: Conan, Kull and Bran Mak Morn by Robert E. Howard. Those were the days of high adventure, indeed.

If you are in the mood for some classic high style fantasy then I would echo Michelle with the Belgariad and Mallorean series from David Eddings. Or you could try The Redemption of Athalus by the same author. 1 off book that was pretty good IMO.

Tastykimchi wrote: "Thank you so much for the recommendations guys. Michelle you are just on the ball. Sadly it looks like no ebook or audible for many of your choices... i have to go to the..... BOOKSTORE... weird..."

@Tastykimchi Don't ignore your local public library. my two local libraries have tens of thousands of ebooks and audio books each. I just download from home or directly to my phone.
Also if you are just checking out to see if you like an author it is ideal. Pick up a few books, give them a try. If you enjoy them, great. If not, you haven't spent anything. The librarian may also have suggestions on what to read next, an author's best or most representative work, the start of a series and other info.

I dont do libraries. I love them as a concept and I dont mind spending tax dollars to make sure they exist because they are important to have, but I never use them. I always buy books. electronically or paper- I love owning them and paying money to everyone down the chain from author to bookstore.

There's a YA book published in 1970 called Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant that I've seen compared to LOTR in the reviews. It's short though, 268 pages, but that could be considered a good thing, that way if you end up disliking it, you don't have to drag yourself through hundreds of pages of a book you don't like.

Fuschiaflashdance wrote: "There's a YA book published in 1970 called Red Moon and Black Mountain by Joy Chant that I've seen compared to LOTR in the reviews..."

Thanks for reminding me about that book, I've not thought of it in years. At the time it was published I thought a great read. I'm not sure if I still would. I'll put it on my reread list. It was the start of a trilogy. The other titles were The Grey Mane of Morning and The High Kings.

The third in the series of books she wrote set in that land is When Voiha Awakes. The High Kings is a nice walk through Celtic oral tradition but separate.

Perhaps you would enjoy Elizabeth Haydon's Symphony of Ages series which begins with the novel Rhapsody: Child of Blood.

I'll suggest you pick up The Two Towers and restart your Tolkien read from there. Frodo is out of the shire (and not in the narrative for the first half), you get the orc chase stuff and Fangorn, and since you've seen the movies you already know what's happened in the first book. The major difference is Aragorn's backstory, which you can pick up if needed.