Thanks! I will be checking this out.
Just picked up the first two books on Audible. Should take up at least a couple of weeks of work days!
I need to continue on this series. I have been through two books, and they were indeed great reads.
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.
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.
Yep, all caught up on Pterry, other than finishing the Long Earth. I will check out your other recommendations!
Great - I hope you enjoy them!
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.
Check out the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. Very dark take on typical epic fantasy tropes! But I thought it was very entertaining.
good and evil gods and their minions, child of destiny, prophecy, wizards, heroes…
Try the Belgariad series or the Malloreon 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 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.