SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I feel like you are the people who would know best :)

I'm all done with my Nanowrimo story for this year, and I'm tucking it away for a while before I start editing and revising. But now there's another little plot bunny that's been prancing around my head, and it's anxious to get on paper. My only concern is that it's something I've NEVER written before, and something I've rarely read. But I want to read more in this genre before I start writing for inspiration's sake, just so I can get my head screwed on right and ready to go.

SO. I've only ever really written romance or historical fiction. I've read Harry Potter and Twilight and Hunger Games, but my story idea is more medieval / high fantasy, and I want to read more into that genre. Not very dark (but a little dark is okay) and preferably with a romance subplot. Any suggestions that will lead me into the right direction? Please and thank you! :)

That's probably the most popular subgenre of Fantasy. The current 800-pound unicorn in the room is Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire (aka Game of Thrones), but that is very dark, indeed.

A better version of that type of story for my money is the superb Deryni Chronicles by Katherine Kurtz. The first book she wrote is Deryni Rising. I started with Camber of Culdi, which I think takes place first chronologically. Really good stuff, and there are 15-16 books in the series.

Of course, the ultimate example of what you're looking for is
The Princess Bride. That's the very definition of light, clever, romantic Medieval fantasy.

I would give Goerge RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings / A Storm of Swords / A Feast for Crows a try.

If that's too plot thick pr dark, maybe try The Pillars of the Earth. Its less fantasy and more historical fiction but it has the romance and time period you are looking for, me thinks.

Assassin's Apprentice . This should work for you. My gateway into fantasy. Just did a re-read last year and its still brilliant. Also has a romance subplot that is pretty enticing.

I'm not a fantasy fan at all, but this link might be of some use (or not...a friend sent it to me yesterday and it seems to cover all types of modern fantasy): http://www.buzzfeed.com/mccarricksean...

I'd suggest David Eddings' Belgariad & Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara & Elfstones of Shannara; also Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books, maybe By the Sword or the Arrows of the Queen trilogy.

Good old Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman fits the description too. It's considered by many to be sort of an entry level series for fantasy readers so that probably helps your situation.

I always suggest CURSE OF CHALION. A stand-alone fantasy with a great worldbuilding and romance component. Or, if you want to straddle the genres even more, Bujold's SHARING KNIFE books are pretty solidly romance in the fantasy universe.

I'd suggest this: by Patricia A. McKillip. Beautifully written, full of magic, not too dark, and with a nice romance subplot. It is kind of hard to follow the first time you read it - it helps if you completely let go of any preconceived ideas about how the world should work - but it's also one of those books that gets better every time you read it. It's been a favorite of mine since I was in high school in the 70s.

I also recommend and by Carol Berg. Same things as I said for the RiddleMaster Trilogy, but they're much more recent.

I second Kyra's suggestion on Riddle Master.

Anything by David Gemmell. Jim Butchers Furies of Calderon Codex Alera series is very good. I also second David Eddings Belgariad and G.R.R. Martins Game of Thrones. Another good author is Terry Goodkind. His Sword of Truth series is excellent.

I'd recommend Tanya Huff's Sing the Four Quarters. It's an effective work that has a solid construction. It has humour, characterisation and effortless World building. Exposition is so exceptionally handled that it's effectively inexistent; with the detail, culture and ambiance imbued into the passages and dialogues. As a learning tool it offers an example of how to tell an engaging fantasy tale whilst avoiding many genre problems. Moreover it utilises some rarely used fantasy themes to great effect. Whilst simple and short, in comparison to some fantasy novels, the flow of the story exhorts the maximum from the plot elements. Which is good for any book, including as a starting point for a much more complicated work. It's also not Dark and possesses Romance that doesn't overbalance the Fantasy.

Myths and legends are well worth thinking over. Stories like Le Morte d'Arthur, Odyssey, Beowulf, etc... have been with us a long time, whilst not all encompassing they possess some emotively powerful themes that can make great Fantasy literature.

Best of luck with your writing.

I really enjoyed Michael J. Sullivan's Ryria books, starting with Theft of Swords this year.

Thanks Rob, I'm glad you enjoyed the reads. Some recommendations for the OP:

* Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
* Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
* Watership Down by Richard Adams
* Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.

I hope you like them.

These are the ones I started with, and I still like them:
Pawn of Prophecy (Chronicles of Belgariad)
The Paradise War (Song of Albion)
The Initiate (Time Mater)

In terms of fantasy romances Shades of Milk and Honey its regency not medieval though. Also I have not read her but I know many people love Diana Gabaldon.

Angelof wrote: "Good old Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman fits the description too. It's considered by many to be sort of an entry level series for fantasy readers so that probably helps ..."

That's how I got in. Never fails as an entry series.

Romance or no romance, you probably want to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the latter being the towering giant that defined the genre.

I second Kyra's recommendation of Riddle-Master: The Complete Trilogy. The Last Unicorn is another classic of the genre -- both have romance.

Trike wrote: "That's probably the most popular subgenre of Fantasy. The current 800-pound unicorn in the room is Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire (aka Game of Thrones), but that is very dark, indeed."

I've been curious about reading the Game of Thrones books. Are they as raunchy as the tv show I've heard so much about? Because I'm not about that

There is certainly a fair amount of sex. And violence.

Though the point that really made me drop them was the book where I thought that half of it did not move the story onward.

Courtney: I don't think Game of Thrones is quite as raunchy as the TV show (which I haven't watched and don't intend to watch; just based on what I've heard about it). It is very dark and very violent, and all the sympathetic characters have a way of getting themselves killed off or having other horrible things happen to them. I quit reading the series in the middle of book 3. Too dark for me (and I do like dark, not light and fluffy) and the character deaths made me start to wonder if the author had any idea where the story was going.

I definitely would *not* recommend Song of Ice and Fire for fantasy newbies. Once you've read some other things and want to try something darker, longer, and grimmer, that would be the time to give them a try.

Brenda wrote: "I always suggest CURSE OF CHALION. A stand-alone fantasy with a great worldbuilding and romance component."

Seconded. The Curse of Chalion is the novel that got me into the fantasy genre.

A Game of Thrones is not recommended for you. It is very, very dark and I could tell you there was a romance subplot but I'd be lying.

If you're a fantasy n00b I don't recommend starting with ANY big name fantasy series with umpteen volumes to it (Martin, Jordan, Goodkind, etc).

I recommend starting with either a standalone or a light , manageable series.

The Belgariad Pawn of Prophecy is a fun and light series to start with.

And I know Dennis L. McKiernan gets a lot of flack, but hisDragondoom book really is a great standalone fantasy book.

Would second the Mistborn Trilogy Boxed Set

Try the Magic of Recluce


The Magic of Recluce

For fantasy with romance I'd recommend Mercedes Lackey (I know she was mentioned above)--try Arrows of the Queen.

I would NOT suggest Robert Jordan or G.R.R.Martin. Way too long and the plots go nowhere. Also not really romantic.

RiddleMaster of Hed was good but not a lot of romance.

I also think you'd enjoy the DragonLance books, or the Belgariad. Again these are more fantasy than romance but they do contain elements.

I would recommend the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. It's a bit on the darker side, but a very unique

Sorry, hit enter to quick. I was saying a very unique story and some great characters.