rizkreddit t1_ixugtlv wrote on November 26, 2022 at 1:26 PM

Reply to comment by Sandi_T in Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind: worth the read? by Sacred-Moose

I keep chasing the fantasy high, maybe I'm too tunnel visioned on that to let other stuff bother me. Reading malazan right now after having put it off for years and now I'm just afraid I've run out of the best we have available to us.

I'd be envious of your sensitivity lol, because that would increase the spectrum of things I could enjoy yeah.

Sandi_T t1_ixuhltq wrote on November 26, 2022 at 1:34 PM

Oh, believe me, you don't want the sensitivity. It definitely doesn't increase enjoyment, lol.

I love the fantasy genre, too. Weirdly, it took me a really long time (decades) to read J.R.R. Tolkien, believe it or not. I'm glad I did wait, though, because for me, I think the movies improved my enjoyment of the books. I was surprised to find the books at times more whimsical than I expected and honestly didn't really like that all that much.

I also don't like the way his tone as a narrator changes. I liked him breaking the fourth wall, personally.

I often re-read my old standbys, and so far I've not been disappointed by any of them. I'm good for a re-read, but sadly, I agree with you that it genuinely seems like the fantasy genre has been mostly abandoned by good writers. That's sad, too, because there's so much richness and depth to it.

Got any favorites?

rizkreddit t1_ixujh1k wrote on November 26, 2022 at 1:53 PM

I'll take your word for it then and be thankful for the desensitisation haha.

Some works are meant to be savoured after letting them marinate on your list :D

It's so interesting that you mention the movies enhanced your experience of Tolkien. I feel like the LotR franchise is the only one where this is possible. Most of the other major works of fantasy which have been made into moving media are really disappointing. And to begin with I am staunchly against fantasy being bought to the screen. They just won't be able to do it justice.

I loved wheel of time (there's a show now and I hate how it's caught up in current TV-show tropes ughh).

Dune - Moreso the prequels rather than the original.

Storm light archive - This one ties together everything I love about fantasy but is ongoing and I might be dead before it's done. Annoying.

I think Kingkiller chronicles are a grade below the actual hype around them.

The lightbringer series has a delightful magic system.

Absolutely in love with Malazan and I think that would end up being my favourite.

Totally forgot about the Dark tower series before posting. I love the melancholy and how often the fourth wall is broken there.

Sandi_T t1_ixulm4c wrote on November 26, 2022 at 2:13 PM

I think that they really did a great job on the Tolkien movies. I can't say that about many (can't think of any off the top of my head--that says something) other fantasy series I can say this about.

I loved the Wheel of Time except the ending. I hated the ending so hard I considered buying hardcopies to burn. I'm almost joking (or so I tell myself).

I tried reading Dune, but then again, only the first book. I got so bored I bought it on Audible and I was again so bored I realized one day that I kept forgetting to turn it back on after having a conversation and I just moved on.

I don't read any series anymore unless it's finished. I learned this the hard way, way back when and a lot of series came out but if they didn't do well enough, the publishers just dropped them stone cold.

I don't read King, because I don't like horror, so I just steer clear of him. Haven't considered reading anything by him, to be honest.

I really enjoyed the Shannara series, but my god was the show bad imo.

I find that fantasy either goes really right or totally wrong, lol.

Do you enjoy Steampunk? I find it can sometimes scratch my fantasy itch, particularly because I'm a machinist by trade, so all the gadgets really hit my sweet spot from time to time.

I haven't heard of Malazan, I'm off to google. Is it a complete series? :P Just checking before I bother, lmao.

Did you read any of the other classics like the Belgariad by David Eddings? Any thoughts on those?

I also like some of the more fluffy fantasies like Ann McCaffrey's Pern series. Those remain my favorites to this day. Not too much politics, but not too little. Sentient creatures that aren't humanoid. Some sci-fi. I like them a lot.

rizkreddit t1_ixy7mgu wrote on November 27, 2022 at 8:26 AM

Absolutely agree about the Tolkien movies. Such a joy to watch those. I can see how the end of wheel of time could be a let down, specially because of all the expectation attached with sandersons task. Difficult for me to imagine what it would be like for Jordan to have finished it.

Yeah I need to start screening my choices now and check if the series is finished lol. But I don't think I'd be able to do that. There's a lot of books you've mentioned that I haven't heard of(Belgariad and Pern) . I must check them out cheers!

Malazan is finished. It's the series they warn you about lol. It's supposedly the final boss of fantasy series. Very regularly touted as "hard to get into, but so worth it". And I'd agree with that. Check out their subreddit on here.

I used to love steam punk as a genre in gaming.(and usually there's some lore surrounding the game) Haven't really read something steam punk. Although I do love to imagine the prequels to Dune being steampunk-y.