What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I wouldn't say so, as it's not created with the same intent in mind.

Bethberry bites her tongue to avoid saying anything about the difficulties with authorial intention.

Originally Posted by Morth

Not wishing to sound like a chauvinist, but I found Mists of Avalon dreadfully boring and devoid of humor. I prefer T.H. White's retelling of the Arthurian cycle in The Once and Future King. Mary Stewart's Merlin series (The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, etc.) is interesting in parts, but is rather somber, and tends to meander later on in the series.

Since this has been quoted liberally by several Downers, I might as well chime in to see if we can set a Downs record for most quoted post comment.

Also, not wanting to sound like a chauvinist, I too found MoA heavy going, in much the same way I dislike most of Atwood. The dogmatics are just too, well, dogmatic and I can take only so much knocking on my skull before my reading skills are numbed senseless.

Have never read Mary Stewarts' Merlin series so I'll take a look at them and maybe even a relook at TH White, as it's been years and years. . .

But for new current fantasy, I found The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss quite fascinating, especially from the perspective of a Tolkien read. The debt is there, but this is no mere pale imitation.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Bethberry bites her tongue to avoid saying anything about the difficulties with authorial intention.

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Not according to Alan Moore.

Excellent! We could have a bit of a post-Barthes style fight on our hands here over this one

As the masterful Harry Hill says, there's only one way to find out...

[Enorëiel]

I've recently fallen in love with the Green Rider series. Well, I suppose you could say I re-fell in love with them. I read the first two in high school and then kind of forgot about them. I was in a bookstore recently and came accross them and bought them without a second thought. I'd really forgotten how much I loved the characters and story line. If you haven't read them I would definitely pick them up!

[Isabellkya]

Other Fantasy authors/books I've read....

Terry Goodkind
Terry Brooks (only the Shannara ones)
Robert Jordan
Stephen King (mainly The Dark Tower series)
Ursula Le Guin (though I've never technically read any of her fantasy, just the SciFi)
Tad Williams
Jack Yeovil (only the Genevieve books)
Neil Gaiman

There are some others, whom I would consider to be under the Horror section (since that is where you find them in bookstores); though some people have told me they are Fantasy as well.

After awhile, the stories seem to just be repeats of the same basic storyline.
So, definitely in need of a new read. xD

[TheOrcWithNoName]

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever, is always a firm favourite of mine.

I do find Donaldson's works a joy anyway, but his Covenant series is on a par with LOTR, and I sometimes wish Pete Jackson would bring some of the more accessible of these books to film.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by TheOrcWithNoName

I sometimes wish Pete Jackson would bring some of the more accessible of these books to film.

Sorry, but trying to imagine what PJ would make of Covenant gives me the nosebleeds...

I've recently discovered Lukianenko's (I always forget his Christian name) Night Watch series and found it rather addictive - kind of an adult version of Harry Potter, complete with a secret community of wizards, vampires, werewolves etc., but very scary, very grey-in-grey and with a great setting (present-day Moscow).
Otherwise, my favourites are Ursula K. LeGuin, Tad Williams, Orson Scott Card (Alvin Maker series)... and Donaldson, of course. I've also read all of Jordan's The Wheel of Time and intend to find out how it ends, but I'm not particularly proud of the fact.

[Tigerlily Gamgee]

So, it's not REALLY "Fantasy," I suppose... but I just got done reading through all of the Sookie Stackhouse series books by Charlaine Harris. TRUE BLOOD got me hooked. If you are looking for some "mind candy," as I call it, check them out... it's not like they are super intelligent, but they are quick reads and quite enjoyable.