# Recommend some lesser-known fantasy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006 "2009-06-07T14:37:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/1 "2009-06-07T14:37:02Z")
I read really fast, and I’m always in need of new books. The thing about looking for new stuff on the Web is that they always recommend the authors you already know about. Pratchett, George RR Martin, Robin Hobb- yes, I know who they are, thank you. Either I’ve read them, or I’m planning to read them, or I’ve looked them over and decided not to read them. In either case, I do not need to be informed of their existance. Another thing that pops up if you’re browsing on Amazon or B&N are the series. If you’re looking at urban fantasy, for example, you will get Simon Green, Jim Butcher, and a thousand vampire novels. Now, I like Green and Butcher. But I’ve already read their stuff. The next page will have Butcher, Kim Harrison, and those Weather Warden novels. The next page is Green, Charlaine Harris, vampires… etc. Basically, what I’m looking for are some new fantasy books- standalones, series, or loosely connected- that I probably haven’t seen a thousand times before. Fantasy here means “anything with supernatural elements”. The last new author I discovered was Lois MacMaster Bujold, but the local B&N only has a few of her books, and I’ve finished the _Chalion_ and _Sharing Knife_ series already. In short, I’m not sure what to read. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/2 "2009-06-07T15:15:47Z")
Bujold also wrote _The Spirit Ring_, a standalone fantasy novel. Not sure how “new” these are : Have you tried Glen Cook’s Garret series ? It starts with _Sweet Silver Blues_; a PI in a fantasy setting. _Pyramid Schemes_ \*\* and _Pyramid Power_ by Eric Flint & David Freer mix sci-fi and magic. David Weber, one of my favorite authors has written three fantasy novels set in “Orfressa”, starting with _Oath of Swords_. Mostly featuring the 7’ 9" hradani Bahzell, who gets semi-drafted as a god’s champion. \*\* Tanya Huff’s _The Keeper’s Chronicles_ series is fun ( starts with _Summon the Keeper_ ). Lawrence Watt-Evans writes quite a lot of fantasy; I especially like his Ethshar novels and his first trilogy _The Lords of Dus_ ( although the latter isn’t new of course ). I also enjoyed _Touched by the Gods_. Not at all new, but I’ll throw the names out anyway in case you haven’t heard of them : LE Modesitt Jr’s Spellsong Cycle, starting with _The Soprano Sorceress_. A singer and assistant professor of music ( I think that was her title ) gets yanked into a world where song and music makes magic. Political intrigue and mass destruction ensue. _Changer_ by Jane Lindskold is good, as is her Firekeeper series ( some books in the latter series are new I think ). \*\* You can get these, or some of the series in the [Baen Free Library](http://www.baen.com/library/). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/3 "2009-06-07T15:22:47Z")
One assumes you’ve read Steven Brust? CS Friedman wrote some great sci fi of the “it’s technically sci-fi but on the ground it’s really magic” sort, if you haven’t read those. Octavia Butler? There’s also a lot of great YA stuff around these days - Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce (well, her earlier stuff, IMHO), etc? ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/4 "2009-06-07T15:46:32Z")
A couple of authors that come to mind: **Kage Baker** and her _The Company_ series. The first book is [In the Garden of Iden.](http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Iden-Company-Kage-Baker/dp/0765314576/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244388932&sr=1-1) Historical fiction meets time-travel and cyborgs. The first book is admittedly a little slow, but if you like the premise, the later books pick up a lot. \*\* Naomi Novik\*\*'s _Temeraire_ series. The first book is [His Majesty’s Dragon](http://www.amazon.com/His-Majestys-Dragon-Temeraire-Book/dp/0345481283/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244389126&sr=1-1). The Napoleonic Wars with dragons. Great characters and plot. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/5 "2009-06-07T16:31:34Z")
\*\*Scott Lynch is \*\*an excellent young fantasy writer - his first two books, _The Lies of Locke Lamora_ and _Red Seas Under Red Skies_ both show real promise. Set in a faux-Renaissance Italy and dealing with con-men and thives, his stories are light, but his characters have real weight. Plus, he’s one of the few modern fantasy writers who can actually wrote dialog. He and \*\*Patrick Rothfuss \*\*(_the Name of the Wind_) are the two best new fantasy writers I’ve read this decade. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/6 "2009-06-07T16:37:16Z")
Oh, what about Glen Cook and the Black Company books? ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/7 "2009-06-07T16:43:34Z")
If you’re looking for recent fantasy, here’s two series I really enjoyed that haven’t been hyped up (so far as I know). [Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.](http://www.amazon.com/Lies-Locke-Lamora-Scott-Lynch/dp/055358894X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244392931&sr=8-1) And the sequel, [Red Seas Under Red Skies.](http://www.amazon.com/Red-Seas-Under-Skies/dp/0553588958/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244392931&sr=8-3) Also, check out the [Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks.](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=brent+weeks+night+angel+trilogy&x=0&y=0) ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/8 "2009-06-07T16:46:29Z")
I don’t see it mentioned in fantasy rec threads and I usually forget to mention it myself, but I really liked _The Innamorati_ by Midori Snyder. Library Journal’s description from Amazon: “Cursed by love, revenge, or their own human failings, a maskmaker, poet, priest, actor, peasant girl, and mercenary journey to the city of Labirinto, where a magical maze holds the ability to redeem or destroy them. Set in an alternate Renaissance Italy filled with magic and mystery, Snyder’s (The Flight of Michael McBride, Tor, 1995) dreamlike novel resonates with overtones of the commedia dell’arte as her characters confront mythical creatures and nightmarish visions in their search for the secret at the center of the maze. A allegory that is a priority purchase for fantasy collections.” It’s out of print but there are lots of cheap used copies. _The Flight of Michael McBride_ was good too – sort of a fantasy historical horror western romance. I quite liked _The Book of Joby_ by Mark Ferrari. You’ve undoubtedly read Tim Powers. If not, there ya go. Start with _The Anubis Gates_. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/9 "2009-06-07T16:52:28Z")
ER Eddison’s The Worm Ouroboros. Very Epic, even down to being written in middle english despite being written in the 1920’s. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/10 "2009-06-07T16:58:56Z")
The only fantasy writer I read is [Jonathan Carroll](http://www.jonathancarroll.com/index.php). It is weird stuff but doesn’t involve dragons and the like. Neil Gaiman, in part says in his introduction to Carroll’s site: \*Writing fiction is not a profession that leaves one well-disposed toward reading fiction. One starts out loving books and stories, and then one becomes jaded and increasingly hard to please. I read less and less fiction these days, finding the buzz and the joy I used to get from fiction in ever stranger works of non-fiction, or poetry. But a new book by Jonathan Carroll is still, as they used to say on the back of the book jackets, a cause for celebration. He has the magic. His most successful books and tales defy genre categorisation. They’ve more life, more balls, are more true than pretty much anything else you’ll encounter out there. They call some fantasies ‘Magical Realism’ to try and lend them respectability, like a whore who wishes to be known as a lady of the evening. Jonathan Carroll’s work, however, has every right to parade under the banner of magical realism, if you have to call it something. I call them Jonathan Carroll stories, and leave it at that. He is one of the handful, and one of the brotherhood. If you don’t believe me, pick up Outside the Dog Museum, or A Child Across the Sky, or Sleeping in Flame or The Panic Hand, or, any of his other works (you’ll find a list of them within, I have no doubt) and find out for yourself. He’ll lend you his eyes; and you will never see the world in quite the same way ever again.\* ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/11 "2009-06-07T16:59:57Z")
Oh, another good one in the Baen Free Library is _The Shadow of the Lion_ by Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Dave Freer ( it has a sequel or two ). It’s set in an alternate past Venice. There’s various differences; magic works, Christianity is split into the Pauline and Petrine sects, the North American Viking settlements survived ( which is why Erik the badass Viking has a steel tomahawk among his weapons ). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/12 "2009-06-07T17:07:18Z")
Have you read **In the Suicide Mountains** by John Gardner? It’s a little lean on fantasy elements, but it’s John Friggin’ Gardner! ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/13 "2009-06-07T17:10:11Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Bujold also wrote _The Spirit Ring_, a standalone fantasy novel. Sounds good. > [@](#): > > Have you tried Glen Cook’s Garret series ? It starts with _Sweet Silver Blues_; a PI in a fantasy setting. I’ve tried Cook. Didn’t like him. > [@](#): > > _Pyramid Schemes_ \*\* and _Pyramid Power_ by Eric Flint & David Freer mix sci-fi and magic. > > David Weber, one of my favorite authors has written three fantasy novels set in “Orfressa”, starting with _Oath of Swords_. Mostly featuring the 7’ 9" hradani Bahzell, who gets semi-drafted as a god’s champion. \*\* I’ll look into these. > [@](#): > > Tanya Huff’s _The Keeper’s Chronicles_ series is fun ( starts with _Summon the Keeper_ ). Yes, _Summon the Keeper_ was great. I got it out of the library, and then went and bought a copy anyway. > [@](#): > > Lawrence Watt-Evans writes quite a lot of fantasy; I especially like his Ethshar novels and his first trilogy _The Lords of Dus_ ( although the latter isn’t new of course ). I also enjoyed _Touched by the Gods_. Again, I’ll check it out. > [@](#): > > LE Modesitt Jr’s Spellsong Cycle, starting with _The Soprano Sorceress_. A singer and assistant professor of music ( I think that was her title ) gets yanked into a world where song and music makes magic. Political intrigue and mass destruction ensue. Sounds like an interesting premise > [@](#): > > _Changer_ by Jane Lindskold is good, as is her Firekeeper series ( some books in the latter series are new I think ). There are new Firekeeper books out? I think I was going to read the Changer series, but my library didn’t have them. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/14 "2009-06-07T17:11:56Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > One assumes you’ve read Steven Brust? CS Friedman wrote some great sci fi of the “it’s technically sci-fi but on the ground it’s really magic” sort, if you haven’t read those. Octavia Butler? There’s also a lot of great YA stuff around these days - Garth Nix, Tamora Pierce (well, her earlier stuff, IMHO), etc? Nope, never heard of Brust, actually. Then again, if it’s sci-fi-ish, I probably wouldn’t have come across him. Octavia Butler sounds familier… ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/15 "2009-06-07T17:13:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > \*\*Scott Lynch is \*\*an excellent young fantasy writer - his first two books, _The Lies of Locke Lamora_ and _Red Seas Under Red Skies_ both show real promise. Set in a faux-Renaissance Italy and dealing with con-men and thives, his stories are light, but his characters have real weight. Plus, he’s one of the few modern fantasy writers who can actually wrote dialog. > > He and \*\*Patrick Rothfuss \*\*(_the Name of the Wind_) are the two best new fantasy writers I’ve read this decade. Agree with you on both of them. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/16 "2009-06-07T17:14:50Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Oh, what about Glen Cook and the Black Company books? I tried them, but I couldn’t get past the first few chapters. Glen Cook just isn’t my thing. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/17 "2009-06-07T17:16:12Z")
> [@hobscrk777](#): > > Also, check out the [Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks.](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=brent+weeks+night+angel+trilogy&x=0&y=0) I just recently ordered them from my library. They don’t have all the books, but if it’s good I guess I’ll have to buy the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/18 "2009-06-07T17:19:21Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I don’t see it mentioned in fantasy rec threads and I usually forget to mention it myself, but I really liked _The Innamorati_ by Midori Snyder. I think I’ve read Midori Snyder before. I’ll go back and cehck her out again. > [@](#): > > It’s out of print but there are lots of cheap used copies. _The Flight of Michael McBride_ was good too – sort of a fantasy historical horror western romance. > > I quite liked _The Book of Joby_ by Mark Ferrari. Will check it out. > [@](#): > > You’ve undoubtedly read Tim Powers. If not, there ya go. Start with _The Anubis Gates_. I found _Anubis Gates_ to be a bit meh. _Last Call_, on the other hand, was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/19 "2009-06-07T17:20:47Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > The only fantasy writer I read is [Jonathan Carroll](http://www.jonathancarroll.com/index.php). It is weird stuff but doesn’t involve dragons and the like.\* I read _Glass Soup_, but the surrealism was a bit too much for me. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006/20 "2009-06-07T17:21:47Z")
Er, I’m only allowed to post once every minute. So let me just say thank you for your suggestions, and I will look into them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-lesser-known-fantasy/499006.md?page=2)