Hello everyone! First time posting here in LYN.

I am inspired by the recommendations here in this thread. I have looked them up and will definitely keep my eye out for the books!

My first encounter with fantasy genre, at least as far as I can recall is David Edding's Elenium series (I had skipped Belgariad ...!) But the first one that left the most impression till today was the Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends. Raistlin - the introduction to my world of an evil character that one can't help but to root for. I could prattle on and on about it but don't think I want to bore people this early

Am crunching through my first Warhammer 40k omnibuses. I got hold of them after remembering my friend waxing lyrical about Dan Abnett. And she is right! Fantastic stuff. Just skimmed through the Darkblade omnibus. Will probably read again after awhile as the action is too much to take on one shot.

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Added on October 12, 2009, 11:27 pmToday I committed a crime to my wallet. I walked into Mid Valley ....... and came back with 2 books I definitely have to regain some self control.

It is all the fault of a book called Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. I ordered it at Times Bangsar and it didnt come. Well, I guess not my luck. Then a few outings to several bookstore different times and even idle searches turn out zilch. Onwards it stuck in my brain and I HAVE TO HAVE IT. It even infected my friend. Does anyone have this kind of experience before, or is it my cuckoo mind?

I walked into MPH and tada! It's there. Grab.

Walked into Borders to get to Starbucks (the other Sbks has pipe bocor) ......and walked past the Mark Charbourn's Age of Misrule Omnibus. Couldn't believe my eyes. I havent seen a Fantasy Omnibus for a long time, it's a title in my huntlist and it's a cheap RM 56.90 for 3-in-1. Dither a bit. should i or should i not. Borders say this is last copy. Grab.

So many books, so little resources....

Have anyone read the above 2 books? Hoped they are worth my money. Perdido's world building sounds very interesting.

This post has been edited by Persephone: Oct 12 2009, 11:27 PM

wow tender, rm 130+ for a book. I admire your tenacity
What book was tat?

Hey, as I said earlier, I got inspired by this forum's recommendations and Guy G. Kay was one of the authors I looked up. I am now proud owner of Lord of Emperors and now hunting for Book 1.

Why Book 2? Due to books being dastardly expensive, I usually purchased during warehouse sales especially for untried authors. These last few weekends, I went nuts at the Pearson warehouse sale and spent more that RM 1K, that's where I found Book 2. I dread my credit card bill.

I don't mind the usual elves sorcery etc. It is the story weaving and what did the author do with the characters that will get me hooked. But you are right too as in there are a lot of authors with the formulaic Tolkien-esque story. Blur boy/girl with secret, got swept up in events where he/she has no idea what is going on, why-me phase, a old wizard dude came along and teach the way of the Force, suddenly boy/girl turns out to be extremely powerful and is reluctantly (but successfully) saving the world from The Evil One. Some of them are extremely boring (Brisinger) while some are fantastic.

For fantasy slightly different, have you tried :
- Jasper Fforde's books. Most classified him as fiction because it has contemporary setting but I think you can call it fantasy too. Genre line getting blurred.
- Kushiel's Dart - about a woman who likes pain. So-so veering to the nice side.
- Feist's Daughter of Empire Series. My introduction to political intrigue-based story. I reread it 3 times,that's how much I like them. For some reason, I never really like his Magician series (*dodge brickbats*), never understood its popularity.
-W40k Darkblade's books. My most recent read. Elf but an evil one, much more evil than Spider Queen Salvatore-style. I won't mention here the kind of things he did.
- Lies of Locke Lamora. Ok, I read Bk2 Under the Red Skies but not Bk1 (bad habit). About thieves. No dragons or elves so far. More of adventure type, not a good-vs-evil-apocalypse story.

Mmm, once i thought more, will post them on. I got a lot like Ash by Mary Gentle, Jonathan Norell by Susanne Clarke, the Malazans etc that I havent read.

I noticed you earlier heaped praise on Neal S. I was tempted by Quicksilver but it looks like it require a lot of free time and concentration. something I lacked now. Which of his books should I start with?

Hehe - I tried a few pages of Perdido just to check out the style of the author. And within a few pages, the hero is having sex with his bug girlfriend. No no , no hamsap stuff, all done tastefully. But taken out of the context (I haven't start the book, am saving it) it did raise my eyebrows! But I am very intrigued by the description of the world building (*wrench book away as it is still very far away in the reading list, I gotta finish those I have started!*)

And the kinky stuff in Kushiel's Dart are all tastefully done too

Ok noted on the "no happy ending" for Mieville. No prob. As I mentioned earlier, I liked Raistlin

I am slowly growing my collection, all those authors mentioned in this thread will be on my radar (I can hear my wallet & bookshelf groan)

I just thought of something. I just visited the pinned thread on how to improve bookclub. But nobody seems to be using this lounge to discuss a book specifically. So I am going to do one. Think of it as a bookclub online, albeit slow. Problem is , when it comes to a book that we can discuss a lot on, i can only think of one : The Wheel of Time. Just in time for launch of Part 1 Book 12.

Other than recommendations, we can post short reviews too.

everyone gone quiet - what's up folks?

Hi bl_adi - good list you have.

1. Malazan Series, including those by Ian Esselmont - I am saving this up. I got all but book 2, will hunt it down. I read book 1 but was confused by it. Will give it another go later once i got book 2.

2. Wheel of Time - someone on this forum had ordered Bk12 from overseas (Snowcrash - when are you getting your book? Is it here yet?! I'm so excited for you!)

3. The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone, by writer Greg Keyes - oo, got this lined up too

Oh, you got Black Company ! I heard about it and I want! Let us know how is it on this forum. I have searched a few stores for the omnibus Chronicles but don't have in stock. You got Book 1?
If you like military, I totally recommend Gaunt's Soldiers. Google it. Er, not much magic though but very gritty.

I'm struggling through my Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn, I think this will turn out to be one of those I will abandon halfway.

Hello everyone! I bet I have bump into some of you in Big Bad Wolf sales in the few tables they have on Fantasy/SF. My cupboard is groaning in pain.

Dan Simmons! Good choice. I love the Terror Some parts got me going "huh??" but mostly, I was too engrossed in fates of the men.

I am glad to announce the arrival of Deadhouse Gates in my collection after a loooooong time (no, not from the sale) . Finally! I can continue on Malazan series as its reputation precedes itself.

So many books, so little time! My new motto for the next year or so.

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Added on December 21, 2009, 10:55 pmI did a hostile takeover and acquisitioned Ender's Game recently Am over the moon about it.

Anyone read the Night Watch series? I caught some of the movies and thought they are extremely overrated. Avoided the books. But recently found out that the books are vastly diff from movies.

This post has been edited by Persephone: Dec 21 2009, 10:55 PM

Your read list has a lot of heroic fantasy.

Good Omens - by TP & NG. One of my favs too. Have you tried Terry Goodkind? RA Salvatore - anything on Dritzz?