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Shannara series by Terry Brooks |
| This series can legitimately lay claim to the title of the most epic fantasy series since the Lord of the Rings. The same elements are present: elves, dwarves, a powerful mage, a relic of incredible power needed to defeat an incredibly powerful evil dark lord, you get the idea. The books are exciting reads. The strength of this series is also its weakness, however. There is little that is fresh here. If you want to be surprised, look elsewhere. If you want to get swept away and become absorbed in the story, check it out. |
The Sword of Shannara is the first book. It tells the tale of Shea Olmsford, a half-elf living in the Shady Vale. His life is shattered when the powerful Druid Allanon arrives, revealing that the evil Warlock Lord is once again threatening the peaceful peoples of the land and that he, Shea, is the heir of the hero Jerle Shannara. Only the heir has the power to use the mighty Sword of Shannara to defeat the Warlock Lord. Accompanied by a band of friends, Shea must find the sword and fulfill his destiny.
First King of Shannara (1996)
Website: http://www.terrybrooks.net
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The Belgariad by David Eddings |
| David Eddings is the author of many fantasy series. The Belgariad is his first. Like most epic fantasy, there is a quest for an item of immense power, a battle between good and evil, strong wizards and mighty warriors. What stands out in this series are the characters, however. In some fantasy books, the characters can be so virtuous that they can seem two-dimensional. Eddings’s characters, however, have personality. The young boy Garion can be petulant and whiny, and his Aunt Pol has a wonderful sarcastic streak. They are noble, but realistic. |
Start with Pawn of Prophecy. I liked the prologue, which tells us the mythology of the world. (So much better than having the characters relate it bit by bit in dialogue.) The orphan Garion is a servant who lives with his Aunt Pol. Soon, the wizard Belgarath arrives, and amid rumors of impending doom, whisks Aunt Pol and Garion on a journey throughout the many kingdoms of their world. Soon Garion comes to understand that he is destined to lead the fight against the Dark One, Torek One-Eye. But to do that, he must find and recover the Orb of Aldur.
Belgarath the Sorcerer (1995)
Polgara the Sorceress (1997)
The Rivan Codex : Ancient Texts of THE BELGARIAD and THE MALLOREON (1999)
Website: http://www.eddingschronicles.com
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Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan |
| Robert Jordan is still writing new books for this series; it ain’t over yet! You’ll find wizards and dark lords here of course, but there’s a lot here that is rather unpredictable as well. The characters are fleshed out well, and the several plot lines running throughout are rather complex. There is a stronger sense of horror here than is usual, and the battle scenes are especially well written. As the series progresses, some fans claim the books aren’t as good, however. |
The Eye of the World begins this series. The Wheel of Time turns forever and ever ... or so it always has. Now, prophecy tells of the end of days and the coming of the savior who will bring a new Breaking to the World. A dread evil is invading the lands, its Trolloc minions searching the lands for a boy described by legend. The young Rand and his friends are in peril, and their only salvation is flight ... but to where?
Website: http://www.tor.com/jordan
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Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey |
| The Pern series could technically be considered science fiction, but it reads more like fantasy. There isn’t a whole lot of magic here, and no Evil (with a capital E). Pern is a planet where humans live in a medieval-era society. Every couple hundred years, Thread falls from the skies, destroying everything within its path. To combat it, humans trained fire-breathing dragons to burn the Thread in mid-air. These dragonriders are all that protects the people and lands below. I like how McCaffrey writes about the relationship between the riders and the dragons; it is a special bond. Sure, the enemy may not be evil, but the conflicts between the cities and among the dragonriders themselves makes for absorbing reading. |
I have included all the books in the series to date. Each Pass refers to a time of Threadfall; the interval is the time between passes. Start with Dragonflight, the first of the books to be written. Lessa is the daughter of the lord of Benden Weyr, but she has been in hiding waiting for revenge since his throne was usurped. It has been long since Thread has fallen — so long that the number of dragonriders has dwindled even as the signs portent a new attack. Lessa becomes a dragonrider at just the right time, but Pern seems doomed when the Thread returns ...
The series of novels (arranged in chronological order) is:
Website: http://www.annemccaffrey.net
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The Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz |
| The Deryni series takes place in an alternate reality. It revolves around the kingdom of Gwynedd, which is similar to England during the Middle Ages. The Deryni are humans with the ability to use magic, and they are looked upon with suspicion and mistrust by others and especially by the Church. In most fantasy books, race relations are handled like elves hate dwarves, and vice versa. Here, the relations are complex and actually drive the plot. The Deryni are a minority, often despised. I enjoyed how Kurtz developed this angle. |
I suppose you could start with any of the first books of any of the series, but I’d recommend Deryni Rising because it was the first book Kurtz wrote and provides a wonderful introduction to her world. There’s a rebellion afoot in the Eleven Kingdoms after the King of Gwynedd is murdered by the sorceress Charissa. His son Kelson must fight the forces of Charissa and prevent civil war while enemies from without and withing conspire for his destruction.
The series of novels (arranged in chronological order) is:
Website: http://www.deryni.net