Song of Ice and Fire and other fantasy series.

[Detective TurtleHolmes]

HA!

Finally, I've found Capellini's weakness!

I must tell worley!

You'll have to wait a while, he's taken a voluntary hiatus from people.
Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking.

[Valanthe]

I agree SoIaF is one of the best fantasy series in existence! I also got a chance to see GRRM live at a small con in Blacksburg back in March. He says he's got a lot going on right now (the ninth volume of Wild Cards came out about then, as I recall) but will deliver the next volume, A Dance with Dragons as soon as he can. Bit of a spoiler, but not really: we will be hearing from Jon more in Dance.

Other series I enjoy include Dragonriders of Pern, Wild Cards, Discworld, Wheel of Time, Forgotten Realms, Incarnations of Immortality, and Xanth. Oh, I almost forgot about the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. The answer is 42!

[Rainswept]

News is a couple weeks old, but HBO has officially greenlighted the pilot episode: it will be made.

Winter is coming to HBO. Hot damn!

[Cricket]

Okay, I'm bopping in and out, got three other windows open, doing a bunch of other shit...so a quick glance at the title and I thought it was about the poem - which initially made me think "We're getting literary, aren't we", and then, after reading bits of the thread, making me think "WTF??"

I've got to quit doing six things at once.

[Valanthe]

News is a couple weeks old, but HBO has officially greenlighted the pilot episode: it will be made.

Winter is coming to HBO. Hot damn!

When? I must know! Then I can maybe figure out when the dvds will be available. (I don't get HBO)

[ChowMein]

Yarr , oi has just picked up part four of the series , oim into chapter 6 roight now, it's slow going at thee momint with so many characters and such .

Oim 6th on thee list four books 2 and3 , oim 40th on the list for book one .

Would it be a mistake for me to continue reading book 4 without reading thee others first ?

[Capellini]

Yarr , oi has just picked up part four of the series , oim into chapter 6 roight now, it's slow going at thee momint with so many characters and such .

Oim 6th on thee list four books 2 and3 , oim 40th on the list for book one .

Would it be a mistake for me to continue reading book 4 without reading thee others first ?

YES! Stop now!!!!!! Read them in order, please!

[Rainswept]

Yarr , oi has just picked up part four of the series , oim into chapter 6 roight now, it's slow going at thee momint with so many characters and such .

Oim 6th on thee list four books 2 and3 , oim 40th on the list for book one .

Would it be a mistake for me to continue reading book 4 without reading thee others first ?

YES! Stop now!!!!!! Read them in order, please!

Definately need to start with book one.

[Valanthe]

This series absolutely must be read in order. You'll miss a lot if you don't. Matter of fact, Mr. Martin has said he's encountered people at conventions who have just discovered the series and tell him their favorite character is one who is going to die shortly. The people who are farther along in the series do sympathize.

[ke_mikiao]

Finowar Tapestry by Guy Kay.

best books ever....i don't know why.

I did like Ice and Fire just because he killed people off (mostly). Got tired of authors keeping EVERY FRIGGIN CHARACTER. KILL ONE!!!!!

Coldfire Trilogy is also good (C.S. Friedman). It has undead, magic, cat-women, and the undead. Also religion too.

[Valanthe]

I know her writing is a bit formulaic, but I do enjoy a Mercedes Lackey book every so often. I got hooked on the Heralds of Valdemar series in high school, and I like the fact that she did a series where the main character was gay. It's nice to see someone who does not fit all the expected fantasy standards being the hero.

[skeeelz]

I SO hope ASOIAF finally gets greenlit for HBO production (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_ice_and_fire#TV_adaptation), and that they do it well ...

Ok, just finished the "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" series by Tad Williams, largely because I had read that it helped inspire George R. R. Martin to write "Song of Ice and Fire," and partly because I needed SOMETHING until the next ASOIAF book came out. Now, while MST was good and enjoyable, it wasn't ASOIAF. There were rough spots in character development and, frankly, the quality of writing was sometimes lacking. But it was a fun read. However, I now find myself in the same spot as before -- I need a fix. I picked up the first three books of "Malazan Book of the Fallen," but only got maybe a quarter of the way through the second book before I put it down. I wanted to like the series, and there were plenty of moments, but in the end it just didn't do it for me. I'll probably go back to it at some point, but not now. I also picked up "The Name of the Wind" by newbie Patrick Rothfuss and liked it, but the other two books of the trilogy haven't come out yet. Anybody have any suggestions? Solid writing (purposeful and engaging, patient without meandering), plausible character development, inventive -- all big pluses ... Anyone read "The Black Company"? Or "Neverwhere"?

[Rainswept]

I SO hope ASOIAF finally gets greenlit for HBO production

It did, some time back. Read Martin's "not a Blog"

Ok, just finished the "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" series by Tad Williams, largely because I had read that it helped inspire George R. R. Martin to write "Song of Ice and Fire," and partly because I needed SOMETHING until the next ASOIAF book came out. Now, while MST was good and enjoyable, it wasn't ASOIAF.
<snip> ... Anyone read "The Black Company"? Or "Neverwhere"?

I liked MST once I struggled past the better part of book one. I kinda liked its way of of showing character growth because the hero starts off whiney and unlikeable, but slowly gets better.

Black Company is decent, the guy does a really good job of capturing the feel of a military unit and the comradarie.

If you want something outstanding to tide you over, go with Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson.

[Capellini]

It's only been given a pilot production order. HBO is not committed to pick up any episodes yet.

[Valanthe]

"Neverwhere" is an excellent read. I also can recommend Neil Gaiman's "American Gods". If you like your fantasy more humorous, try Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's "Good Omens". I've heard it described as The Omen meets Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which seems to be a fitting description. If you like that, you might want to try Pratchett's Discworld series. I've only read the first few novels, but they're fun.