Q: Dear 100 Hour Board,
I'm looking for some new books to read. Preferably fantasy, as that's my favorite genre, though I can be a bit flexible (I just finished the Red Rising trilogy and I loved it). I used to read a ton of fantasy, but I've stopped somewhat due to the fact that college eats away at my free time and also because the Wheel of Time was an absolutely massive time commitment. Now that I'm finished with it, though, I'd like to find more to read. I just don't know where to start.
- hallowed lotus
A:
Dear H.L. Mencken,
The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson is gaining attention. So far only two books in the series are published, but it'll probably 10 books long. Get in there while the series is still young, man!
Honestly, anything by Brandon Sanderson is very popular among BYU fantasy fans, he's a BYU professor that gets a lot of coverage in the Utah area.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erickson comes highly rated by my husband, Andy Dwyer. This series is a huge time commitment on par with the Wheel of Time series.
A recent release is The Cinder Spires by Jim Butcher. Just one book, The Aeronaut's Windlass, is released so far.
I haven't read it yet, but a very highly rated series is The First Law by Joe Abercrombie.
The Magicians series by Lev Grossman is very good, but also has more adult content than some people might be comfortable with. Just a little disclaimer there.
Fantasy is a very broad and varied genre, and I could literally make an entire series of books the length of the Wheel of Time series listing all the different fantasy books in the world.
-April Ludgate, with a big shout-out to my husband, Andy Dwyer, for being a giant fantasy nerd.
A:
Dear Kvothe,
Listen to April, April is very wise.
I would also add the following:
The Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher: April mentioned his most recent book series, the Cinder Spires which is pretty great, but you should also look into these ones. There are also six of them, which is nice.
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. If you are looking for something without a large time commitment, this book is an excellent standalone to go with. It is my favorite Branderson book. There is also the added bonus that the entire book is available online.
Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy is also pretty great. She has a unique and lovely writing style, and her characters are excellent.
Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. It's classic high fantasy with a bit of a grim dark feel, and it works really well.
The Black Prism by Brent Weeks. Brent writes very gripping books, his first series, The Night Angel Trilogy was really good, but also extremely dark. The Black Prism is just as good, and has less swearing, death, and prostitutes.
Patricia McKillip is a less well-known writer, but she is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is very lyrical, and her stories are often seen through the eyes of unexpected characters. I would recommend reading Ombria in Shadow, Alphabet of Thorn, and The Bell at Sealey Head.
Sincerely,
The Soulful Ginger
comments