I would like to hear the best fantasy stories you've ever read. I haven't read much because whenever I see one on the shelves its sword this, dragon that, the last of something... I outright dismiss all books that has a real human on the cover too. (Is that being bigoted of me?) All I have ever read, in the genre, was the Lord of the rings and the Hobbit and I loved it. I read some from the Witcher series too but didn't like it. If there is one aspect about a story that I love is the mystery, that there are more to explore that isn't told explicitly. These are the stories I'm thinking about reading, but they are considered classic, I believe, and I'm looking for advice on more recently published stories in the last 1o years. (Not gonna read Harry Potter or Game of Thrones because I've seen the movies/series) The wheel of time series Coloured fairy books Princess Irene and Curdie In the Land of time and other fantasy tales The King of Elfland's daughter
I loved Drake by Peter MacLean. I haven't read the others in the trilogy yet because I'm still recovering from what he did to my nerves, but I will be reading them. It's an urban fantasy (I think - not so good at fantasy subgenres) set in modern London, with brilliant dark humour.
I enjoyed London Falling by Paul Cornell. It's a typical British-style police story, but they end up investigating a series of supernatural murders. Close to horror in parts (descriptions of the murders, etc.) but overall I'd say contemporary fantasy. I also have some "urban fantasy" recs, but I wonder if they're what you're looking for? They generally have the spunky heroine involved in a conflict-ridden romance, on top of all the supernatural stuff... if you can handle that, try the Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane. The first couple books of that series were great. Got a bit much for me later in the series, though.
I listened to none of you and bought Fool's Assassin instead... It was endorsed by Conn Iggulden, I couldn't resist!
By contemporary I meant published recently, not with a modern setting. I guess I was a bit confusing.
I'm not really a Fantasy person, but one series I did read from start to finish was The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
Beyonders by Brandon Mull. It's an overlooked masterwork. Seems formulaic during the early chapters, but it actually subverts most of the common fantasy cliches (whereas the Wheel of Time seems to consist of nothing but cliches). Also, the Harry Potter series (like all adapted works) is incomparably superior to the movies. A Song of Ice and Fire isn't just superior, it tells a totally different story than Game of Thrones. If you disagree, you're not someone who appreciates fantasy literature anyway, so no bother.
I'd say the shafowhunter chronocles–the mortal instruments The infernal devices The dark artifice. They are always a good read for me. The Harry Potter series is a personal favorite since I was a kid.
