# Need a book (series) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 21, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008 "2015-12-21T16:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/21 "2015-12-22T02:56:10Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > The [Gentleman Bastards series](http://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Bastard-3-Book-Bundle-Republic-ebook/dp/B00Y6QEZZA/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1450719294&sr=1-5&keywords=gentleman+bastards) by Scott Lynch. Currently 3 books in the series with a fourth in the works. Thanks! I will be checking this out. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/22 "2015-12-22T02:57:36Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Peter F. Hamilton, Pandora’s Star. Starts a large series of series (a duology, a trilogy, and another duology) and, if you like space opera, is one of the best written in the past 15-odd years. Just picked up the first two books on Audible. Should take up at least a couple of weeks of work days! ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/23 "2015-12-22T03:00:01Z")
> [@Phoebestar](#): > > The Long Earth series by Stephen Baxter and the late Terry Pratchett were very enjoyable for me. And literally “sprawling”, as it takes place in several different earths. I need to continue on this series. I have been through two books, and they were indeed great reads. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/24 "2015-12-22T03:16:51Z")
Lois McMaster Bujold’s Chalion books (fantasy), starting with _The Curse of Chalion_ or Vorkosigan books (sf), starting with _Shards of Honor_. Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn books (fantasy), starting with _Mistborn_. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/25 "2015-12-22T03:36:04Z")
The Malazan books are astonishing, I think, and the ending, placing the emphasis where it does, elevates the whole series above the brutality of some of the story lines. Admittedly, the Worm does kind of drag, a bit. Also, Gardens of the Moon was Erickson’s freshman effort, and it does show, but Book 2, Deadhouse Gates, will grab you by the heart and not let go. Just keep reading. Chronologically, the books by Esslemont take place concurrently, and then after, the books by Erickson, except for Night of Knives, which is the seminal event in the series, although, I’m not sure if it should be read before or after. It was written well after Erickson’s books had started being published. I would also strongly concur with the recommendation of hte Gentleman Bastards. I would also recommend Patrick Rothfus’ Kingkiller Chronicles, starting with The Name of the Wind. Rothfus has only published two books and a short story in a planned trilogy, but the third book will either be twenty books or one big volume the size of a walrus. Either way, it’s worth the weight. This all assumes, of course, that you’ve read all the Terry Pratchett, in which case that should be your very next effort. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/26 "2015-12-22T06:25:09Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > This all assumes, of course, that you’ve read all the Terry Pratchett, in which case that should be your very next effort. Yep, all caught up on Pterry, other than finishing the Long Earth. I will check out your other recommendations! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/27 "2015-12-22T11:53:15Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > Just picked up the first two books on Audible. Should take up at least a couple of weeks of work days! Great - I hope you enjoy them! ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/28 "2015-12-22T14:07:51Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Lois McMaster Bujold’s Chalion books (fantasy), starting with _The Curse of Chalion_ or Vorkosigan books (sf), starting with _Shards of Honor_. While I highly recommend the Vorkosigan series, I would not start with Shards of Honour. It’s the first book in the internal chronological order, but not the best place to jump into the series IMO. Warrior’s Apprentice, which was the first one published and tells Miles’ story, is the one to start with according to me. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/29 "2015-12-22T15:53:21Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > While I highly recommend the Vorkosigan series, I would not start with Shards of Honour. It’s the first book in the internal chronological order, but not the best place to jump into the series IMO. Warrior’s Apprentice, which was the first one published and tells Miles’ story, is the one to start with according to me. I honestly can never keep straight which ones are which. Thanks for the correction/suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/30 "2015-12-22T16:01:44Z")
Check out the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. Very dark take on typical epic fantasy tropes! But I thought it was very entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/31 "2015-12-22T18:33:04Z")
good and evil gods and their minions, child of destiny, prophecy, wizards, heroes… Try the [Belgariad](http://www.amazon.com/The-Belgariad-Vol-Books-1-3/dp/0345456327) series or the [Malloreon](http://www.amazon.com/The-Malloreon-Vol-Books-1-3/dp/0345483863) series by David Eddings or maybe you like the battles, swords of unique powers, heroes and villains, and greek gods in a whole new light in [The Book of Swords](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Swords-Omnibus-Volumes/dp/1568650094/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450809046&sr=1-1&keywords=book+of+swords+fred+saberhagen) by Fred Saberhagen. Belgariad and Book of Swords are long epics, while the Mallorean is a three book series tailored along the same grain as Belgariad. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008/32 "2015-12-22T23:25:54Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > good and evil gods and their minions, child of destiny, prophecy, wizards, heroes… > > Try the [Belgariad](http://www.amazon.com/The-Belgariad-Vol-Books-1-3/dp/0345456327) series or the [Malloreon](http://www.amazon.com/The-Malloreon-Vol-Books-1-3/dp/0345483863) series by David Eddings > > or maybe you like the battles, swords of unique powers, heroes and villains, and greek gods in a whole new light in [The Book of Swords](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Swords-Omnibus-Volumes/dp/1568650094/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450809046&sr=1-1&keywords=book+of+swords+fred+saberhagen) by Fred Saberhagen. > > Belgariad and Book of Swords are long epics, while the Mallorean is a three book series tailored along the same grain as Belgariad. I have been reading and re-reading Eddings for 20+ years. Both the Belgariad and Malloreon are 5-book series in the same world, with the same characters. The Elenium and the Tamuli are two 3-part series set in another world, and are also great. I will have to check out _The Book of Swords_! Oh, and if anybody enjoyed reading the Eddings series, I must warn you that the Audible recordings are… less than stellar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-book-series/741008.md?page=1)