SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

For me, the Wheel of Time is my favorite book series. I consider it not only the best fantasy series of all time, but one of the great American literature works of our time.

I am one of those readers (and there must be more of you out there) who, every time I pick up a new book (and I read a lot), I do so hoping against hope that it will SOMEWHERE CLOSE to as good as the Wheel of Time.

Yes, I admit, I'm addicted. I want that same feeling, that same "fix". And no matter what I read, I almost never get it.

So, avid readers out there: Any suggestions? Out of all the books that we've all read, surely there must be SOMETHING.

Note: I am not interested in George R.R. Martin. I also started Terry Goodkind and gave up. It's nowhere near RJ's league. I have, of course, read all of Brandon Sanderson already.

Any other suggestions?

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson blows Robert Jordan out of the water.

I would agree with Stan, however while I enjoyed the first 7 books and they are certainly some of the better fantasy books out there I would not put them in my top 5 (mainly because of how he wrote female characters and the story bogging down in later books) so take my recommendation with a grain of salt.

I would say that Erikson's female characters are more true to life than Jordan's female characters, who seem to spend an inordinate amount of time tugging on their braids.

That's interesting because I read (especially in the early days) that many women actually thought Jordan wrote female characters so well, some thought he actually WAS a woman writing in pseudonym. If you're saying Erikson is even better, then that's saying something in my book.

Malazan is on my list actually, coming up just after I finish Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber (which is different and interesting, but so far I couldn't say it's similar to WoT at all).

Rothfuss.... I read most of the way through Name of the Wind when it first came out and couldn't finish. Though I didn't mind that the story is told in flashback, the actual plotting seemed almost random and I had no idea where it was going. Plus, the magic system felt very mystical to me and not clearly structured as Jordan's was, and I found I didn't enjoy the magical elements without understanding them at least in part.

I'll probably give him another go though, since I can get both on audio for free from the library.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I know exactly how you feel. I love The Wheel of Time as well.
It's my most cherished series in the genre. I've read through the 1st 11 books maybe 10 times. I had to learn not to compare everything back to it though, if you do that you'll probably have a very hard time enjoying other works.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker. The Lord of the Rings

I haven't read the Wheels of Time series yet, but I keep reading how wonderful it is and really must start it. I picked up the first two books already just need to officially start them. I have read Martin and Goodkind though.

As Lily said above, The Name of the Wind by Pat Rothfuss. Brilliant work. Some of the best writing I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Extremely creative perspective on the realm of fantasy.

-Derek