In desperate need of something new to read

The Core RPGC Main Forum
1

Well it’s exam period and that means that in about 3 weeks time I’ll have plenty of time to start chewing through books at an absurd rate again. However, the problem is that I’m totally out of books to read and I’ve already just about polished off everything that looks interesting at most of the local bookstores.

So what I need are some suggestions for new series and authors. I’m mainly into fantasy with a little science fiction throw in for good measure.

Here’s the list of books I currently own, these are all books I’ve read at least once and in many cases twice, so I’m starting to really need some new series.

Book - Author - Series
The Scorpion - Stephen D. Sullivan - Clan War
The Unicorn - A. L. Lassieur - Clan War
The Crane - Ree Soesbee - Clan War
The Phoenix - Stephen D. Sullivan - Clan War
The Crab - Stan Brown - Clan War
The Dragon - Ree Soesbee - Clan War
The Lion - Stephen D. Sullivan - Clan War
Wind of Honor - Ree Soesbee - The four winds saga
Wind of War - Jess Lebow - The four winds saga
Wind of Justice - Rich Wulf - The four winds saga
Wind of Truth - Ree Soesbee - The four winds saga
The Fall of Atlanta - n/a - Clan novel saga
The Eye of Gehenna - n/a - Clan novel saga
Bloody September - n/a - Clan novel saga
End Games - n/a - Clan novel saga
Vampire: Gehenna, The Final Night - Ari Marmell - The time of judgment trilogy
Widow’s Walk - Eric Griffin - The clan tremere trilogy
Widow’s Weeds - Eric Griffin - The clan tremere trilogy
Widow’s Might - Eric Griffin - The clan tremere trilogy
Shadowdale - Scott Ciencin - The avatar series
Waterdeep - Troy Denning - The avatar series
Tantras - Scott Ciencin - The avatar series
Prince of Lies - James Lowder - The avatar series
Crucible: The trial of Cyric the Mad - Troy Denning - The avatar series
The summoning - Troy Denning - Return of the archwizards
The Siege - Troy Denning - Return of the archwizards
The Sorcerrer - Troy Denning - Return of the archwizards
Cormyr: A Novel - Ed Greenwood - The cormyr saga
Beyond the High Road - Troy Denning - The cormyr saga
Death of the Dragon - Ed Greenwood - The cormyr saga
Elminster: The making of a Mage - Ed Greenwood - The elminster series
Elminster in Myth Drannon - Ed Greenwood - The elminster series
The temptation of Elminster - Ed Greenwood - The elminster series
Elminster in Hell - Ed Greenwood - The elminster series
Elminster’s daughter - Ed Greenwood - The elminster series
Silverfall: Stories of the Seven Sisters - Ed Greenwood - Standalone
Baldur’s Gate - Philip Athans - Standalone
Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor - Carrie Bebris - Standalone
Dissolution - Richard Lee Byers - War of the Spider Queen
Insurrection - Thomas M. Reid - War of the Spider Queen
Condemnation - Richard Baker - War of the Spider Queen
Extinction - Lisa Smedman - War of the Spider Queen
Annihilation - Philip Athans - War of the Spider Queen
The Cleric Quintet: Collector’s edition - R.A. Salvatore - The cleric’s quintet
Homeland - R.A. Salvatore - The dark elf trilogy
Exile - R.A. Salvatore - The dark elf trilogy
Sojourn - R.A. Salvatore - The dark elf trilogy
The Icewind Dale Trilogy: Collector’s edition - R.A. Salvatore - The icewind dale trilogy
The Silent Blade - R.A. Salvatore - Paths of darkness
The Spine of the World - R.A. Salvatore - Paths of darkness
Servant of the Shard - R.A. Salvatore - Paths of darkness
Sea of Swords - R.A. Salvatore - Paths of darkness
The Thousand Orcs - R.A. Salvatore - The hunter’s blades trilogy
The Lone Drow - R.A. Salvatore - The hunter’s blades trilogy
Keep of the Borderlands - Ru Emerson - Standalone
The Tomb of Horrors - Keith Francis Strohm - Standalone
Knight of the Black Rose - James Lowder - Standalone
Specter of the Black Rose - James Lowder - Standalone
I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire - P.N. Elrod - Standalone
I, Strahd: The War against Azalin - P.N. Elrod - Standalone
The Annotated Chronicles - Weis & Hickman - The chronicles
Time of the Twins - Weis & Hickman - The legends trilogy
War of the Twins - Weis & Hickman - The legends trilogy
Test of the Twins - Weis & Hickman - The legends trilogy
The annotated Legends - Weis & Hickman - The legends trilogy
The Soulforge - Margaret Weis - Standalone
Brothers in Arms - Margaret Weis - Standalone
Second Generation - Weis & Hickman - Standalone
Dragons of Summer Flame - Weis & Hickman - Standalone
Dragons of a Vanished Moon - Weis & Hickman - War of Souls (only have vol3)
The Dawning of a New Age - Jean Rabe - Dragons of a New Age
The Day of the Tempest - Jean Rabe - Dragons of a New Age
The Eve of the Maelstrom - Jean Rabe - Dragons of a New Age
Amber and Ashes - Margaret Weis - The dark disciple
The Fellowship of the Ring - JRR Tolkien - The lord of the ring
The Two Towers - JRR Tolkien - The lord of the ring
The Return of the King - JRR Tolkien - The lord of the ring
The Lord of the Ring - JRR Tolkien - The lord of the ring
The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
The Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
The Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
A Crown of Swords - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
The Path of Daggers - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
Winter’s Heart - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time
Crossroads of Twilight - Robert Jordan - The wheel of time

I was looking at the “Malazan Book of the Fallen” series by Steven Erikson, does anyone know if it’s any good?

What about some of other non D&D series by Margaret Weis or R.A. Salvatore are they worth the read?

Anyway thanks for the help.

P.S. Sorry if the list isn’t as clear as it could’ve been, I tried like 4 times and I just wouldn’t get it to display in a nice table ;_;

2

Get “The Black Gryphon.” I’ve said it before, but, in my opinion, it’s the best non-japanese book you’ll ever read.

3

The “Lost Years of Merlin” series is pretty cool. It is written in a style every one can love and the material is cool. It’s about when he’s a kid and stuff.

4

Hmm, fantasy huh? Well, try the author David Eddings. On the science fiction front, i suggest the Foundation series and the Robot series, both by Asimoz. Good stuff, and you get to see where a lot of author’s get their ideas from. Such as the infamous Three Laws of Robotics.

5

Dune, Duuuuune, DUUUUUNE! Read it, read it now!

It’ll also save you money because the book needs to be read through multiple times.

6

Indeed. I recommend that everyone read Dune at least 3 times in their life. It is to science fiction what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy. Easily one of the best books you will ever read.

7

Where’s Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe?

8

Some book called “Enders Game” or something. I’ve never read it (as I dont like to read Science Fiction or Fantasy), but it comes highly reccomended by a lot of people.

T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King” is a classic, and involves King Arthur and the like.

9

I’d just like to suggest the Earthsea Chronicles by Ursula K. LeGuin, specifically the original trilogy (can easily stand on its own without any of the other books).

10

Both me and my sister like The Redemption of Athalus by David Eddings. I personally like Most of Melanie Rawn’s books. Dunno why.

11

Try to find an English tranlsation of Gargantua and Pantagruel by Renaissance period writer, Francois Rabelais- Even though this guy only wrote one book it is the most outrageous, unconventional, strange thing i have ever read- If only this guy had written more books our whole view of humanity and the world we live in might be different.

12

Get The Deptford Mice Triligy, and it’s prequal.

Deptford Mice=AWSOME

EDIT: Authors Home Page:

http://www.robinjarvis.com/homepage.html

13

Try out Hyperion by Dan Simmons, and the later books in the same series (The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and The Rise of Endymion).

14

I’d suggest thigns like the His Dark materials series by Phillip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and the Amber Spyglass, respectively), As well as the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony, and the first three books of Apprentice Adepts by the same author. Don’t bother with the last 4 books in that series- they’re unneccesary, and just weaken the entire series.

15

Am I the only one seeing a distinct lack of Stephen King? I recommend IT. It’s my favorite book. Ever.

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I’ve got an idea.

Why don’t you play a game?

17

have you read the series rift war saga by Raymond E. Fiest? Those are good. First one is Magician: apprentice I think.

18

<b>YOU HAVE NOT READ THE DEATH GATE CYCLE</b>

I suggest you immediately change this fact. (It’s Fantasy too :smiley: but not really DnD cause it has sci-fi elements)

Dragon Wing - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle
Elven Star - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle
Fire Sea - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle
Serpent Mage - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle
The Hand of Chaos - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle
Into the Labyrinth - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle
The Seventh Gate - Weis & Hickman - The Death Gate Cycle

Also Melanie Rawn and Anne McCaffrey are also good writers of fantasy.

Edit: Hickman also wrote <i>The Immortals</i>, which is a dystopian novel. Not fantasy, but worth the read simply for its intellectual stimulation (which is rather the point of all dystopian novels :P).

19

The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind begining with <u>Wizard’s First Rule</u>

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If you want to try something different, get The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. Rather long and different. For you SAT folks: Genji:Japan::King Arthur:England. Genji doesn’t fight, though.

If you want something really short, I recommend Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. I need to find my copy so I can start quoting from it. Hunting of the Snark is makes even less(more?) sense then Jaberwocky, which is saying something.