SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I'm looking for a fantasy book much in the vein of a David Weber book. Basically I just want a fantasy book with an armsrace, and working on building an empire of some kind. Even better if the book blathers on about some new magic spell and how it will CHANGE WARFARE. Codex Alera was probably the closest book I have read like this and more suggestions like that I would be fine with.

I'll check out Malazan, I tried and disliked Wheel of Time and then I was told it got worse.

I'm gonna throw this one out there because it's a standalone that goes through the history of a city or region.

Yep, it's Cormyr, that old Forgotten Realms book I read in high school. I really should read it again, and maybe you'll like it.

Cormyr

Well I got Malazan I'll try at least the first 3 books, but it actually sounds like what I'm looking for.

I found the first book of Malazan took about 100 pages to really get into it, but it was at least interesting from the beginning, if not truly engaging.

But the first book of the WoT didn't grab me at all, so I never even gave it 100 pages. Still not sure why.

The adventures of conrad stargard, it writes about time travelling back to the medieval eras and changing it drastically. Sadly it was discontinued

If you start Malazan and you're struggling a bit (which is normal), you may find the chapter summaries and discussion over Malazan Fallen.

It's been heavily moderated so all the spoilers for later books/the series are in tags.

Thanks Rob, should be a great help. I think my style of reading tons of things and rotating between them is...Not a good way to read Malazan

Aaron wrote: "Thanks Rob, should be a great help. I think my style of reading tons of things and rotating between them is...Not a good way to read Malazan"

You're welcome. I did that for a year and a half thanks to the group. I read about 150 pages on weeknights, another book on weekends and an audiobook. The group was key.

Well if you are willing to switch genre's there is a sci-fi trilogy that meets most of your criteria.

John Ringo and his Troy Rising Trilogy. The first book is Live Free or Die.

It has empire destroying and building. It has new technologies and strategies.

It is not the best writing but I had fun reading it (even the 2nd time through).

You may enjoy the Evermen saga by James Maxwell. It starts off a bit slow in terms of empire building but develops into an interesting story with different 'lores' (limited magic abilities) fighting against each other.

My own favorite in this vein is the Seventh Sword trilogy by Dave Duncan.
The Reluctant Swordsman
The Coming of Wisdom
The Destiny of the Sword

There is also this older series by David Drake and S.M. Stirling. It's set in the far future on a distant world after the fall of technology throughout the galaxy. The books chronicle the life of one general who is tasked by his emperor to take war to all parts of the world. The action doesn't really stop, and it's battles throughout with gigantic war dogs serving as cavalry, muskets, and swords. The first book, The Forge, and the next two in the series are now in an omnibus edition.

R. Scott Bakker's two series, "The Prince of Nothing" and "The Aspect-Emperor" sound like they would fall into your area of interest.

Like Malazan, Mr. Bakker's books are difficult to use as part of a rotation.