Searching with no luck. (new books)

[Sublime]

Hello everyone, I am having an issue, I have read and reread everything Brandon Sanderson has created multiple times now. 

 

-Elantris 2x

-Mistborn trilogy 3x

-Way of kings 4x

-Words of Radiance 2x

-Alloy of law 2x

-Shadows of self 1x (just finished)

-And all of his other works at least 1-2 times each. 

I actually Just finished "Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" which was great as well.

 

I have also read The Wheel of Time series 2x through and The Eye of the World at least 10x. There is something about tEotW that brings comfort to me. I can't say I enjoy the story as much as most of Brandon's works, but I really love being in the world Robert Jordan created. I have a yearly tradition where I will wait until a cold winter night, start a fire,and read the Eye of the World for as long as I can, and try to finish it in one weekend.

 

I have read Terry Goodkind, Patrick Rothfuss, Jim Butcher, Brent Weeks, Tolkien, James Islington, and Scott Lynch. (everything they have written) one time each. I enjoyed all of these but they fall WAY short of Sanderson in every way possible. (imo)

 

I have read some Orson Scott Card (loved Ender's game and Ender's shadow, the rest was meh for me) and I have read George R R Martin which i really did not enjoy. I have read the first 3 books in asoiaf, couldn't get through the rest. I know I know, most people will consider me insane for not LOVING this series.

 

Now that I laid out my history, I beg for help. Is there anything out there in the world of Fantasy or Sci Fi that can be as half as good as Mistborn, or Stormlight Archives? I am specifically looking for a world I can get lost in. A world with interesting characters, and unique magic systems. A world with mysteries, honor, love, betrayal, friendships, and everything else that makes a great fantasy story. A world with a history, and a future? I would love something either insanely long like the Wheel of time Series, or a bunch of different books set in the same universe or something like the Cosmere. I should mention that I am looking for something to download on audible. I work alone and have multiple hours a day to enjoy audio books.

 

As it has been 5-6 years since my last read of Elantris, I was thinking of going back to it again for another read through, but I wanted to see if anyone could recommend anything new to me first?

 

Thanks guys.

 

ps: I know about the search bar, I have tried using it multiple times. I have read the threads about "what are you reading" and about each individual book, but most of these are about a good story, not a world to get thrown into. I have Googled top fantasy books, and tried most everything on the lists. Some authors I can't even get half way through their books, like Roger Zelazny and Lev Grossman, Terry Brooks, and Stephen King. I am not trying to offend anyone, I just can't seem to get in to some stuff, It's probably a fault in my tastes.

 

Thanks for any help, I appreciate it.

[Briar King]

Look up Malazan Book of the Fallen and Shadows of the Apt on Amazon. Both 10 bks but Malazan has more out from co author/creator. Apt may not seem worthy from bk 1-4, but 5-10 ramp this up epicly.

[Haelbarde]

I have read Terry Goodkind, Patrick Rothfuss, Jim Butcher, Brent Weeks, Tolkien, James Islington, and Scott Lynch. (everything they have written) one time each. I enjoyed all of these but they fall WAY short of Sanderson in every way possible. (imo)

 

I have read some Orson Scott Card (loved Ender's game and Ender's shadow, the rest was meh for me) and I have read George R R Martin which i really did not enjoy. I have read the first 3 books in asoiaf, couldn't get through the rest. I know I know, most people will consider me insane for not LOVING this series.

 

Now that I laid out my history, I beg for help. Is there anything out there in the world of Fantasy or Sci Fi that can be as half as good as Mistborn, or Stormlight Archives? I am specifically looking for a world I can get lost in. A world with interesting characters, and unique magic systems. A world with mysteries, honor, love, betrayal, friendships, and everything else that makes a great fantasy story. A world with a history, and a future? I would love something either insanely long like the Wheel of time Series, or a bunch of different books set in the same universe or something like the Cosmere. I should mention that I am looking for something to download on audible. I work alone and have multiple hours a day to enjoy audio books.

Have you come across Raymond E Feist's Riftwar Cycle? I believe that's the title of the overarching story across all of his books. It's a 30 book 'series', told across 9-10 series that are each 2-4 books long. The entire series is told over a good couple hundred years. I would highly recommend you checking them out. The first book (Magician) is my #1 favorite book, with the trilogy it's apart of (Riftwar Saga) being my favorite series ever. Krondor's Sons (Prince of Blood, and King's Buccaneer, the 4-5th books) are also pretty good. The Empire Trilogy is also great. So if you like Magician, at the very least read those 8 books. The rest are sorta average, so read them if you want. 

[Sublime]

Thank you guys for the recommendations! I'll check them out. Haelbarde, I am so sorry. I fat fingered the like button and accidentally down voted you. I don't see a way to change it, but I will look up some of your other posts and like 2 of them to offset it. I appreciate the help guys.

[Left]

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is a fantastic trilogy by Tad Williams.

[Delightful]

Terry Pratchett?

[Sublime]

Terry Pratchett?

I tried discworld but the first book wasn't on audible. I tried reading a summary of book one then listening to book two and had no luck. I was lost and couldn't focus on what was happening. Would it be worth going back and reading book one then continuing on with the series in audio format from there? I was looking for more of a serious series. This one seemed a little goofy and odd to me. Is my assumption wrong? I'm having a hard time deciding on the ones that were recommended to me

[Left]

I tried discworld but the first book wasn't on audible. I tried reading a summary of book one then listening to book two and had no luck. I was lost and couldn't focus on what was happening. Would it be worth going back and reading book one then continuing on with the series in audio format from there? I was looking for more of a serious series. This one seemed a little goofy and odd to me. Is my assumption wrong? I'm having a hard time deciding on the ones that were recommended to me

Well there's an underlying problem. The Discworld books really shouldn't be read by release order. There are about five or six different series in the Discworld, each with its own reaccuring characters, that often interact with one another. By starting with the first book, you're starting the arguably weakest of the subseries. Generally, starting with the Nightwatch series works better, the first of which is Guards! Guards!. The Truth and Going Postal are also good ones, both being more stand alone ish.

They are comedic/satirical fantasy, much like Wayne from Mistborn, but not with the Epic feel of Mistborn. The discworld books are incredibly good though. If you're really looking for more serious fantasy, than no, they might not be up your alley. I do recommend trying them again anyway.

[Pestis the Spider]

And I'm going to say something else. I'm going to be called mean, and I'm probably going to be downvoted. I really don't want to offend anyone, but I really need to say this.

 

I really hate threads like that. I find them absolutely pointless, since it is basically impossible to determine which book you're goint to enjoy, which not, because everyone has different tastes. I think it's more efficient to just read some reviews of books, as they describe them in more detail, and also you can compare opinions of more people. Most people also tend to recommend just the most popular stuff. But I do get that some people find asking for recs useful. 

 

However this thread is not going to help you. You won't find a book you enjoy with the attitude you have. There is nothing wrong with it, but I think it limits your enjoyment of other books.

 

Is there anything out there in the world of Fantasy or Sci Fi that can be as half as good as Mistborn, or Stormlight Archives?

How can you truly enjoy a book, when you already assume it's going to be so much worse? You just don't believe there are any good books out there. I think you're pretty new to the whole fantasty genre business, and you clearly seem to be enamored by Sanderson's prose, but in order to enjoy other books you need to be more open-minded. There is just one Brandon Sanderson, just as there is just one Tolkien, or one Terry Prathchett or one Agatha Christie and Marry Shelley, and so on. Every author writes differently. If you're going to look for books constantly comparing them to Sanderson's books (which are your favourites), you will just severly disappoint yourself, if you haven't already. You can't expect every book to be like your favourite, but it doesn't mean that they have to be less enjoyable. 

 

My suggestion is: just read different books as much as you can. General rule is that the more you read, the more your taste changes. 

 

I can't really give you recommendations, because I don't listen to audiobooks, so I don't know what's on auddible and what's not. However Malazan Book of the Fallen is a good read that's really long, so maybe you'll enjoy it somehow. Though it's different from Sanderson and WoT a lot, so I have my doubts. 

 

I also suggest you read White Sand if you haven't already. 

[Bort]

Have you come across Raymond E Feist's Riftwar Cycle? I believe that's the title of the overarching story across all of his books. It's a 30 book 'series', told across 9-10 series that are each 2-4 books long. The entire series is told over a good couple hundred years. I would highly recommend you checking them out. The first book (Magician) is my #1 favorite book, with the trilogy it's apart of (Riftwar Saga) being my favorite series ever. Krondor's Sons (Prince of Blood, and King's Buccaneer, the 4-5th books) are also pretty good. The Empire Trilogy is also great. So if you like Magician, at the very least read those 8 books. The rest are sorta average, so read them if you want. 

 

Magician is a brilliant book, with lots of good world building (on two different worlds, as well). Book #2, Silverthorn, I thought less of. It was more like a write up of a D&D game than a real novel (which it probably was). Darkness at Sethanon, the third book, was another really good one.

 

I thought the quality of his later books (the final half dozen or so) went considerably down hill, some containing simple continuity errors and mistakes. Others seemed to introduce plot points then do nothing with them.

 

Then my final criticism of Feist was his need to introduce the various 'Elven races of the series', in which there seemed to be a new Elf subspecies every other book.

 

Alternatively, I would also add my names to those recommending the Malazan Book of the Fallen, and also recommend an author called China Mieville. I've always been impressed with his world building. Try Perdido Street Station, or The Scar.

[Sublime]

And I'm going to say something else. I'm going to be called mean, and I'm probably going to be downvoted. I really don't want to offend anyone, but I really need to say this.

I really hate threads like that. I find them absolutely pointless, since it is basically impossible to determine which book you're goint to enjoy, which not, because everyone has different tastes. I think it's more efficient to just read some reviews of books, as they describe them in more detail, and also you can compare opinions of more people. Most people also tend to recommend just the most popular stuff. But I do get that some people find asking for recs useful.

However this thread is not going to help you. You won't find a book you enjoy with the attitude you have. There is nothing wrong with it, but I think it limits your enjoyment of other books.

How can you truly enjoy a book, when you already assume it's going to be so much worse? You just don't believe there are any good books out there. I think you're pretty new to the whole fantasty genre business, and you clearly seem to be enamored by Sanderson's prose, but in order to enjoy other books you need to be more open-minded. There is just one Brandon Sanderson, just as there is just one Tolkien, or one Terry Prathchett or one Agatha Christie and Marry Shelley, and so on. Every author writes differently. If you're going to look for books constantly comparing them to Sanderson's books (which are your favourites), you will just severly disappoint yourself, if you haven't already. You can't expect every book to be like your favourite, but it doesn't mean that they have to be less enjoyable.

My suggestion is: just read different books as much as you can. General rule is that the more you read, the more your taste changes.

I can't really give you recommendations, because I don't listen to audiobooks, so I don't know what's on auddible and what's not. However Malazan Book of the Fallen is a good read that's really long, so maybe you'll enjoy it somehow. Though it's different from Sanderson and WoT a lot, so I have my doubts.

I also suggest you read White Sand if you haven't already.

I get what you are saying. I enjoy a lot of books, and series, however, nothing has come close to way of kings or most born.

I am only asking for help here because I assume everyone here is a Brandon Sanderson fan. I hoped in putting down specifics it could help give you guys an idea of what I was looking for. My attitude about a book starts off as "it probably won't be as good as way of kings" which is negative, I know, but even something half as good will be fantastic. I am not looking for a clone by any means. I am more than willing to go in to a series open minded, but what I am looking for is something like what Brandon did with most born. You know kelsier or vin will end up fighting the lord ruler, but what happens next is such a twist it left me speechless.

I have read countless reviews both good and bad about almost everything I could find. However some of these reviews might have been written by someone who thinks Stephen king is the best author in the world. I came here to try to find like minded people to myself.

I appreciate your post and gave you an up vote. My skin is not so thin as to not be able to handle a little criticism. Your assumption about me is correct. I've only been reading fantasy for 15 years or so, and have only read maybe 6 different whole series, and maybe 50 books. I read very slowly and re read and re listen a lot. I have been pleasantly surprised a few times, like when I bought "the shadow of what was lost" by James Islington. I really enjoyed that book.

Thank you guys for all the recommendations. I really appreciate it and it gave me a great place to start.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Sublime

[Briar King]

Did you look up Malazan and Shadow of Apt then?

[Sublime]

I downloaded book 1 of Malazan. I'm really excited to get started with it tonight. I tried looking up shadows of the apt on audible but no look. It looks like I might have to read that one when I get a chance to sit down with a book. I don't like to have multiple stories going on at the same time so it might be a couple of months before I get to try it out.

I read that the co author on Malazan made his own 6 books that are important to the series. Would you guys recommend reading Erikson's books first then move on from there or mix the different series together? I'm not sure of the timeline here.

I also have the rift war cycle on my list. Will be checking them out soon as well.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Sublime

[Sublime]

fail double post on bad internet on my phone. Sorry

Edited November 12, 2015 by Sublime

[Orlion Blight]

I downloaded book 1 of Malazan. I'm really excited to get started with it tonight. I tried looking up shadows of the apt on audible but no look. It looks like I might have to read that one when I get a chance to sit down with a book. I don't like to have multiple stories going on at the same time so it might be a couple of months before I get to try it out.

I read that the co author on Malazan made his own 6 books that are important to the series. Would you guys recommend reading Erikson's books first then move on from there or mix the different series together? I'm not sure of the timeline here.

 

Depends on how "deep" you want to go. Esslemont's books are more supplemental than essential to any overarching plot. I would say read Erikson's ten book series first and if you must, you can read Esslemont's books/Erikson's novellas and "prequel trilogy".

[Briar King]

If you want the full exp then read them in time line order but fair warning while Esslemont is fair writer(he gets better as he goes I hear) Erikson surpasses him 1000 fold.

Technically Night of Knives goes before Gardens. I'd atleast get 3 Erikson books done before trying out Esslemont.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Briar King

[Who Sharded?]

Take Malazan in publication order, in which Night of Knives goes between books 5 and 6 of the main sequence.

 

If you go in chronological order then book 5 actually comes before book 1.  Publication order is best.

[Pestis the Spider]

I am only asking for help here because I assume everyone here is a Brandon Sanderson fan. 

Haha, maybe that's what my problem is. The thing is I am not really that much of Sanderson fan. I'm here just for Stormlight Archive and maybe Warbreaker. I mean, I enjoyed all of Sanderson's books, but not enough to actually go and find a forum to talk about them. Only SA excited me enough, though the excitement seems to have faded slightly with time, so I'm not really active in any of Sanderson's threads. I mean, these are all great books, seriously. And Sanderson's world building is always astounding, but the characters and plot sometimes just don't do it for me. Of course that's just my personal opinion, and I know there are many people here that love Sanderson. So I'm here mostly because I like this forum, I guess. 

 

I have read countless reviews both good and bad about almost everything I could find. However some of these reviews might have been written by someone who thinks Stephen king is the best author in the world. I came here to try to find like minded people to myself.

Trust me, I know how you feel. I used to have my favourite blog with reviews, author of which seemed to have to have exactly the same book taste as I have. But he closed it down, because he decided to start publishing books instead. So finding good books to read is just so much harder now.  To be honest I usually read some reviews and book descriptions, and if the reviews seem legit and description seems mildly interesting I just go for it and read the book. Sometimes I end up reading like the worst books ever because of that, sometimes I find amazing books. You never know.  Well, it got hard recentl, because my taste is getting more obscure every year. Though usually it should be possible to recognise if the review is praising the book for a reason, or just because the reviewer really likes the author. 

 

I appreciate your post and gave you an up vote. My skin is not so thin as to not be able to handle a little criticism. Your assumption about me is correct. I've only been reading fantasy for 15 years or so, and have only read maybe 6 different whole series, and maybe 50 books. I read very slowly and re read and re listen a lot. I have been pleasantly surprised a few times, like when I bought "the shadow of what was lost" by James Islington. I really enjoyed that book.

Wow. I think 15 years of fantasy reading means my assumption was far from correct. I've only learned how to read 17 years ago or so, and I also started to read fantasy 15 years ago. O_O Though you didn't read a lot of books, I'll give you that. So let's say I was... half correct.

 

Now that you said you enjoyed both Sanderson and Inslington I suddenly started to think that you might enjoy Brian Staveley's series that starts with The Emperor's Blades. You should try it. And it's even on audible.

 

 

And as for Malazan series order: Just read the main story written by Erikson, and then think if you want to read Esslemont, becaue his books are just "extras" and you don't need them to experience the awesomeness of the plot of this series. 

 

EDIT: Spelling and stuff.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Pestis the Spider

[Dunkum]

Well there's an underlying problem. The Discworld books really shouldn't be read by release order. There are about five or six different series in the Discworld, each with its own reaccuring characters, that often interact with one another. By starting with the first book, you're starting the arguably weakest of the subseries. Generally, starting with the Nightwatch series works better, the first of which is Guards! Guards!. The Truth and Going Postal are also good ones, both being more stand alone ish.

They are comedic/satirical fantasy, much like Wayne from Mistborn, but not with the Epic feel of Mistborn. The discworld books are incredibly good though. If you're really looking for more serious fantasy, than no, they might not be up your alley. I do recommend trying them again anyway.

I'll second this, and add Small Gods and Pyramids as good standalone books in the series as well. that said, there is some small benefit to reading Discworld in publication order. the books are, mostly, in chronological order, so often something is introduced in one book and discussed at length, then casually mentioned in later books assuming you are familiar with it. this isn't a huge problem if you start with the Nightwatch books, since most of these things are pretty well covered in them.

[Bort]

For someone reading Pratchett for the first time, the worst piece of advice you can offer is 'Start at the beginning'. Start with a book maybe half a dozen into the Discworld, Guards, Guards maybe. Or Reaper Man. Then, once you are hooked, go back to The Colour of Magic and read them through. Why? Simple. His early books are just not as good as the later ones. Don't get me wrong, they are still funny, but later books are just better.

 

ScottLeft said something about the Discworld being a few different series of books under one title. This isn't exactly true. Pratchett does keep coming back to certain characters in his Discworld books - the witches, the wizards, the city watch, and Death, to name a few, but each book, read in chronological order instead adds more to the world. Reading, say, just the guards books will probably feel a bit jarring because of the world development in the books in between.