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Book recommendations for non-ASOIAF medieval fantasy?

Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:11 pm
Posted by LordSaintly
Member since Dec 2005
39540 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:11 pm
Wasn't sure where else to post this, but I'm interested in picking up a new book (or book series) in medieval fantasy that isn't A Song of Ice and Fire.

Anyone have any recommendations?
Posted by Green Chili Tiger
Lurking the Tin Foil Hat Board
Member since Jul 2009
49120 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:14 pm to
Raven's Shadow Trilogy by Anthony Ryan.

First book is Blood Song.

You're welcome.

After that, Check out The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks.
This post was edited on 5/20/16 at 2:15 pm
Posted by LordSaintly
Member since Dec 2005
39540 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:17 pm to
Just read the synopsis of Blood Song. I'm excited to read this.

Thanks man.
Posted by Sneaky__Sally
Member since Jul 2015
12364 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:18 pm to
Malazan Book of the Fallen - its not as medieval, but it is dark and weird and awesome, probably my favorite series in the genre. Plus its finished so no waiting.
Posted by MSMHater
Houston
Member since Oct 2008
22836 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:20 pm to
quote:


Just read the synopsis of Blood Song. I'm excited to read this


You should be. Excluding ASOIAF and Sanderson's Stormlight series, it's my favorite read in that genre. My absolute favorite protagonist, without exception.

Posted by jefforize
Member since Feb 2008
44535 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:21 pm to
The wheel of time by Robert Jordan
Posted by Carson123987
Middle Court at the Rec
Member since Jul 2011
66880 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:22 pm to
first law trilogy by joe abercrombie
Posted by MSMHater
Houston
Member since Oct 2008
22836 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:24 pm to
quote:

medieval fantasy


Also, though it does venture far more into fantasy than the other books mentioned, Dalglish's Half Orc Series is great! Dark, brutal, emotional as hell, and presents death in much the same way Martin does. No one is safe.

Shadowdance is also by him. It's a prequel to the Half-orc series.

ETA: This thread makes me sad b/c it reminds me of just how many sequels I'm waiting on right now. Lightbringer, Stormlight, Kingkiller Chronicles, ASOIAF, Half Orcs. All my favorite series.
This post was edited on 5/20/16 at 2:27 pm
Posted by Sneaky__Sally
Member since Jul 2015
12364 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:25 pm to
The wheel of time by Robert Jordan

one of my personal favorites, its just so different from AOIAF I didn't think to recommend it to the OP.


Did you see that his wife just announced that a major studio just acquired the WOT production rights?
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
119757 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:29 pm to
Blood Song is great. One of the best books in the genre I've read in years. The two sequels...ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. They are ok.

The First Law Trilogy by Abercrombie is a very obvious inclusion. Much more similar to Martin, but even bleaker (WAY bleaker actually) than ASOIAF, if you can beleive it.

Does Rothfuss' Name of the Wind, etc count as "medieval"? Its not knights and shite but its pretty agrarian/medieval, I guess you could say.

Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards series is actually one of my favorites, but I'd say its more Renaissance Era fantasy than medieval. Highly recommend.


For those recommending Wheel of Time, its the first series I ever read, so it will always have a special place. It was THE most popular series on the planet until the GoT TV series came out and ASOIAF killed it. However, those books are very, very different than GoT. Much more innocent, and if you think Martin wastes time, jesus. There's like 15 books in the series and literally 8-9 of them could be excised and the story would have been fine.
This post was edited on 5/20/16 at 2:32 pm
Posted by Sneaky__Sally
Member since Jul 2015
12364 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:37 pm to
quote:

However, those books are very, very different than GoT. Much more innocent,


Definitely very different but I like the series as a whole better than ASOIAF

quote:

and if you think Martin wastes time, jesus. There's like 15 books in the series and literally 8-9 of them could be excised and the story would have been fine.



That is somewhat hyperbole - the first seven or eight or so are awesome and only get better on the re-reads. He does go in to a ton of repetitive description and the character quirks are odd. The three starting with Winter's Heart I think are where it started to drag I thought and it picked up at the end with his last book and then the last three written by Sanderson were all very good IMO.

But, the scope of the series is unparalleled I think although some get close. And one of the best part of the series is how he does some amazing subtle foreshadowing in one book which gives you insight on the characters motivations 5 books down the road.
This post was edited on 5/20/16 at 2:38 pm
Posted by jefforize
Member since Feb 2008
44535 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:45 pm to
thanks for the info. I had a friend recommend it to me because he knew I liked asoiaf. But I haven't read them.

I saw his hard back collection and it was insane.

I like the fact that it actually ends, though. Unlike asoiaf
Posted by LordSaintly
Member since Dec 2005
39540 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:46 pm to
Thanks everyone
Posted by CBandits82
Lurker since May 2008
Member since May 2012
55439 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:51 pm to
quote:

first law trilogy by joe abercrombie



This right here.
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
91238 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:53 pm to
The Elric series by Michael Moorcock

Fritz Leiber's Fahford and the Grey Mouser stuff

Obviously, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings



Posted by Sneaky__Sally
Member since Jul 2015
12364 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:54 pm to
no problem, you can probably tell i don't get to talk about these books with anyone often so I jump at the chance.

Seriously though, check out the Malazan series. Its got 10 books, all finished, and then a ton of off-shoots written by someone else that mix in to the main story. Both of the writers are putting out additional trilogies based on some of the historical info you find out in the main series. So, if you like it there is enough out there to take up quite a bit of your time, I haven't read most of the stuff other than the main series.

I'll admit it is a whole lot more challenging in that you sort of just get dropped in to the story and it just starts off fast paced without a ton of explanation. You'll kind of have to figure out who this race is and who that race is and what the different gods are as you go along.

The second book may be my favorite of the whole series, but I've enjoyed all of them quite a lot and most really do have incredible endings over last couple hundred pages.

The first five are almost stand alone with their own plots and characters and hints at what is going on overall and the latter half of the series all of the characters converge as the primary story arch becomes more apparent.
This post was edited on 5/20/16 at 2:59 pm
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
119757 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:55 pm to
quote:

thanks for the info. I had a friend recommend it to me because he knew I liked asoiaf.


They are nothing like ASOIAF at all. At all.

Very innocent for the most part, most violence is pretty cartoonish, there is a heavy amount of magic, etc. And like I said, if you think Martin's digressions are bad, Jordan will make you want to kill yourself.

Sniff. Sniff. Braid tug. Light! Fret. Smoothing skirts.

7 books later.
Posted by VaBamaMan
North AL
Member since Apr 2013
7696 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:56 pm to
Oh do I.

The numbers on the left represent their rating on a scale from 1 to 10. Small description of each book's style follows it's name and author. Walking Drum's rating was not an accident.

If you have any questions about a specific series, ask away.

8) The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen R Lawhead. Authurian Historical Fantasy

10) The Song of Albion by Stephen R Lawhead. Starts in modern England, magic takes you to middle ages. High fantasy.

9) The Dragon King by Stephen R Lawhead. High Fantasy. Sword and Sorcery.

8) The Lion of Ireland by Morgan Llewellyn. Historical fantasy.

8.5) Axis Trilogy by Sara Douglass. High fantasy

8) Shannara series by Terry Brooks kind of fits

1000) The Walking Drum by Louis L'Amour. Historical fantasy.

9) The Etruscans by Morgan Llewellyn. High fantasy, but based on Romanic legend and history.

9) Silverhand by Michael Scott and Morgan Llewellyn. High fantasy

8) Dragonlance Trilogy by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis kinda fits. High fantasy
This post was edited on 5/20/16 at 2:57 pm
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
119757 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 2:59 pm to
Here we go
Posted by Errerrerrwere
Member since Aug 2015
38993 posts
Posted on 5/20/16 at 3:06 pm to
Wheel of time could take your whole life to read; but it's pretty damn good with chicks weaving balls of fire out of the air
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