"Epic Fantasy books"

[Jones]

Reincarnation is also a theme where one of the main characters, Nevyn who is a Merlin like character, has chosen reincarnation to atone for an action he took that resulted in the untimely death of others.

I decided to read the Deverry series again and I misremembered the above. Nevyn actually decides not to die until he has atoned for the harm he caused others. To that end he lives a very long time and meets the others as different people in different incarnations.

 

[hobnob]

Some series that haven't been mentioned yet, unless I missed them:

The Prince of Nothing by Bakker - This is about a false prophet, near in quality to Game of Thrones.

The Chronicles of Amber by Zelazny - This is as fun as The Matrix, but any character development may be absent.

The author Guy Gavriel Kay takes different historical periods and adds magic. A Song for Arbonne, for example, though not great, serviceably depicts Cathars and throws in owls perched on priestesses' shoulders.

 

[aragorn]

Okay, I just finished reading book one of The Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World, and...wow, yes this was easily as good as everyone here has said! I'm repeating what maybe millions of readers have said, but Robert Jordan has (or, had) a unique talent in describing, depicting and presenting every character in such detail and brilliant 'spot on' way that you truly get to know and "see" each one inside and out. I'm not sure how to say it, but it's like he finds these unique 'archetypes of personalities' and then he knows exactly how each character display it in their mannerism, talk, and behavior. The same applies to his depiction of surroundings and enivronments, brilliant.

I'm the type of reader that when I read these stories I sub-conciously try to find 'holes' in the logic or things that don't make sense, inconsistencies, contradictions. However, so far I haven't found any, which means that Jordan must've made good and detailed notes and plans before commencing his writing.

The only parts that I didn't find quite on par with the other parts of the book were these 'battles in higher spheres' type of sections. At least in this first book they appeared a bit too scrambled and filled with all kinds of things, almost like he was trying too hard. From what I've read of other people's reviews, Jordan's writing apparently improves with each book in the series. I just started book 2, so I'm waiting with excitement what it will bring.

As to the story, well...it's as epic as epic gets! And I really like the core of it, how the wheel turns in eternity, weaves the pattern, there's no beginning and no end. Very close to what I believe is the truth, and what the C's have also told us.

 

[Iain]

Okay, I just finished reading book one of The Wheel of Time series, The Eye of the World, and...wow, yes this was easily as good as everyone here has said! I'm repeating what maybe millions of readers have said, but Robert Jordan has (or, had) a unique talent in describing, depicting and presenting every character in such detail and brilliant 'spot on' way that you truly get to know and "see" each one inside and out. I'm not sure how to say it, but it's like he finds these unique 'archetypes of personalities' and then he knows exactly how each character display it in their mannerism, talk, and behavior. The same applies to his depiction of surroundings and enivronments, brilliant.

I'm the type of reader that when I read these stories I sub-conciously try to find 'holes' in the logic or things that don't make sense, inconsistencies, contradictions. However, so far I haven't found any, which means that Jordan must've made good and detailed notes and plans before commencing his writing.

The only parts that I didn't find quite on par with the other parts of the book were these 'battles in higher spheres' type of sections. At least in this first book they appeared a bit too scrambled and filled with all kinds of things, almost like he was trying too hard. From what I've read of other people's reviews, Jordan's writing apparently improves with each book in the series. I just started book 2, so I'm waiting with excitement what it will bring.

As to the story, well...it's as epic as epic gets! And I really like the core of it, how the wheel turns in eternity, weaves the pattern, there's no beginning and no end. Very close to what I believe is the truth, and what the C's have also told us.

Yeah, the first book is one of those almost re-worked Lord of the Rings type stories that pretty much wraps up by the end. It is the one book in the series that feels like a standalone story (bit like the first Star Wars film does). I agree that it can be a little rushed, so much going on - the complete opposite of the other books, that slow to a crawl at times.

Given the amount of old fantasy series that start off with a book like this, I wonder if it was a requirement for a publishing deal - the author needed to get a single book story done to see how well it sold before the publisher would continue with a full series.

There are definitely a few ideas at the end of Eye of the World that, as far as I remember, don't really come up again in the rest of the series. The themes that do come back up though, Jordan gets to explore in great depth - especially the concepts of duality in his world, and, of course, the Wheel of Time in general.

 

[aragorn]

I just want to add that what I also found refreshing, and what other reviewers have pointed out, was how Jordan's characters are not all black-or-white. Even the 'good guys' have doubts, moments of anger and bad behavior, do stupid things, and they fail with their tasks every now and then. These 'shades of gray' add a more realistic compontent to the story, makes it more interesting and gives more depth. I think I even read somewhere, that this was one of Jordan's primary intentions – to create a more realistic 'epic fantasy' series by the above.

 

[Gruchaa]

Hey! Right now during reading of Hyperion series (second time) - scifi but very recommended!
Regarding fantasy books:
1. Series of Stormlight by Sanderson (multiply recommended here) - very various characters which evolves with the story.
2. Robin Hobb realm of elderlings
3. Witcher, Sapkowski - all books. I am polish but I really recommend these books! Much much better than shitty Netflix series.
4 James Islington - the will of the many
5. James Islington - licanius trilogy

These in my opinion are the must read fantasy books :) enjoy!

 

[Anthony]

Some time ago, I bookmarked the novel Theft of Fire by Devon Eriksen since it was being mentioned on Substack and other places. I started reading it recently since I needed a break from the other reading that I was doing. It's a sci-fi novel, and while I'm not a fan of the genre, this one was really well done and the major theme of the novel is actually about two people completely misunderstanding each other (which mirrors the themes of the romance novels), literally fighting each other and then learning to see each other objectively and growing to love one another. Both characters aren't likeable at the start, they're not good people and they openly know and admit it, but by the end of the book, they both redeem each other in some way through their actions such as honoring their word, learning to trust, saving each others life, not giving up, and embracing their imperfections while still deciding to do what is right.

 

[987baz]

I decided to read the Deverry series again and I misremembered the above. Nevyn actually decides not to die until he has atoned for the harm he caused others. To that end he lives a very long time and meets the others as different people in different incarnations.

I’m up to the final book in the four part series … thanks for the recommendation, pretty cool, a change if pace for me for sure and it took me a little while to get into it but really enjoying it now.

I think I’ll try the wheel of time series next based on comments above

 

[aragorn]

I’m halfway through the third book in The Wheel of Time series, The Dragon Reborn, and I have to say the series just keeps getting better! Some have said that in later volumes things get more ’stalled’ and long winded, but until then, I’ll enjoy myself

Compared to particularly the first volume, which IMO already was outstanding, in this third volume Jordan manages to sharpen and develop the multifaceted traits of the characters. Not seldom, is he spot on about the differences between men and women, for instance. What I’ve liked from the start, but which also to some extent ’frustrate’ me is how many of the main characters see those (of the good guys) who are balanced, less reactive, less emotionally driven, and basically more adult, as them trying to control and bind them. Like the few non-corrupted Aes Sedai ladies (Morraine, Amyrlin). Especially the three main characters, the three boys, constantly hate them, despise them for their ’control’ and ’steering’, when all they are doing is trying to help and ’save the world’. It’s like the boys can’t get out of thinking about themselves, ”this I like, this I don’t”. This echoes so perfectly the world we live in. I’m impatiently waiting for when Jordan will let the ’billboard fall upon their heads’ (especially Nyaneve!), and make them see longer than their noses. I hope he does this (don’t give me any spoilers !).