SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I need suggestion for a fantasy book where the main character starts off without powers or skills and must learn how to use them. The powers could be magic or sword skills, preferable both. My description may not be that great, but books like Eragon, where Eragon must learn to both fight and use his magic, Furies of Calderon, where Teavi develops his skill to fight before his magic, or The Mistborn series, where Vin learns to burn metals. Other books, like Way of the Shadow and Lies of Lock Lamore are other good examples.
The more fasted paced and the more action the better.
Thanks a lot in advanced for the sugestions

Barbara Hambly wrote a fantasy series--about a mercenary who discovered he was a wizard and had to learn to control his powers.

It's out of print---you hopefully can find it used.

In order 1)The Ladies of Mandrigyn 2) The Witches of Wehshard and 3) The Dark Hand of Magic.m Recent reviews show on my books page. It is very, very good.

Mercedes Lackey's book Arrows of the Queen is a good example. The main character is chosen to become a Herald, and must train both fighting skills and other abilities.

Ellen: Mercedes Lackey is an excellent writer as well.

One of my favorite fantasy series is the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. The first 4-5 books in the series are great and fit into what you are looking for. The other nice thing about his books is that while there is an underlining story going throughout all the books but many of the first books wrap up their main story at the end of each book. I definitely agree with the suggestion of Mercedes Lackey's Queen's Own series that starts with The Arrow's for the Queen. Another all time favorite Fantasy series which I recommend to all is Tad Williams trilogy which starts with The Dragonbone Chair. The other two books in the trilogy are The Stone of Farewell and the Green Angel Tower. A few other good fantasy writes are Jennifer Roberson (The Chronicles of the Cheysuli) David Eddings (The Belgariad Series), Robert Jordan (Wheels of Time Series), Stephen Donaldson (Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) and Terry Brooks (The Sword Of Shannana Series). There are many more great authors. If you asked me to pick my top three series, they would be Tad Williams The Dragonbone Chair, Terry Goodkinds Wizard's First Rule, and Mercedes Lackey Arrows of the Queen. Each of the links I posted are the first book in each series. I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or just want to chat about books, message me. Good reading. Fred

I second Jennifer Roberson's suggestion besides the Chronicles of the Cheysuli Shapechangers this is the first in the series, but in the last few years they've been reprinted with other titles.

Also look at her Tiger and Del series.Sword-Dancer is the first book in this series.

Greywalker by Kat Richardson is urban fantasy or contemporary fantasy about a young woman living in Seattle who gets a "power" she must learn to control.

Here's another Hero by Perry Moore. It's about a teenager, living in world a lot like ours, only there are heroes and villains and he's coming into his powers... I found it delightful.

Many of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels are about people coming to terms with and learning to use their telepathic powers. . . they're really science fiction, but the ones set early by internal chronology look like fantasy, as they're set on a medieval-tech planet with no contact with the rest of the human race. Try the two novels in The Ages of Chaos if you definitely want a fantasy feel; if you don't mind some SF elements (one of the characters is from the Terran Empire, and a major subplot is his adaptation to the low-tech telepathic world), try the two novels in The Forbidden Circle.

Julia wrote: "I second Jennifer Roberson's suggestion besides the Chronicles of the Cheysuli Shapechangers this is the first in the series, but in the last few years they've been reprinted with ot..."

Julia The Cheysuli books can still be found under their original titles but a few years ago they re-released the series in omnibus'(several books in one). There were eight books in the series so each omnibus contains two books. Omnibus 1 is called Shapechanger's Song, Omnibus 2 is Legacy of the Wolf, Omnibus 3 is Children of the Cheysuli and Omnibus 4 is called The Lion's Throne. I really loved this series. It was fresh and different when I read it. I loved the animal connection and how that was so essential to the story. a little like the connection in Lackey's Companion relationships. Enjoy the books.

Brent Weeks has a good darkish fantasy trilogy about a young boy trained as an assassin
I'm blanking on the name of the first book.....

Chad wrote: "Brent Weeks has a good darkish fantasy trilogy about a young boy trained as an assassin
I'm blanking on the name of the first book....."

The first book is The Way of Shadows, a great read. But really the first three volumes of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series fits your bill perfectly. Rand learns magic, king-craft, and sword work, and the other main characters all go through similar learning curves. And they were fun to read as well!

A book I thought was great is "Throne of glass" and series. This is about a girl assassin (about 17 years old) who after being taken from a slave labor camp by the King's royal guard, is offered a chance at freedom by participating in a contest where she would fight other assassins and thieves who are fighting for the same thing. Although she is not exactly learning anything at present time, at the end of the first book you find out that she is keeping this massive secret that leads to her being trained ruthlessly by a Fae prince.

Jim Butcher's "Codex Alera" series might fit your requirements. The series starts with Furies of Calderon

Try Brent Weeks The Black Prism. Definitely fits the bill.

Taran Matharu 's Summoner series is a good idea.

Also, try R J Barker's Age of Assassins series (3rd book out August 9)

Mercedes Lackey has been mentioned a lot, but I've got another one by her. The Outstretched Shadow is the first in a trilogy. It's about a young mage who is learning magic, and discovers he has a different, forbidden type of magic.

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb has a young Assassin learning the trade, as well as some magic.

Kristen Britan's Green Rider series or Tamora Pierce's books that take place in the Tortall Universe. Or Diane Duane's So You Want to be a Wizard series. All good ones. I seem to tend towards series a lot.

Almost any of the opening books of Rick Riordan's Myth series are fitting to the bill.

The Dragonbone Chair


Fits the bill as well, it is the first in a trilogy and I remember when I first read it, it was enjoyable.