Escapism

[zogathon]

I need more fun high fantasy books in my life. I want to read about worlds where magic exists, and poop doesn't.

I've read all of Guy Gavriel Kay, all of Jordan, the Coldfire trilogy by CS Friedman, and just finished Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy.

Give me more recommendations!

Comments

[xleste]

I have to definitely echo the Luis McMaster Bujold. I also really like the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. Peter Jackson liked those books so much he immediately bought the film rights after reading the books. I also really love from the adolescent fantasy section that is still fun for grown-ups Lloyd Alexander's "Chronicles of Prydain" (I still cry during parts of 'The High King'), Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising", and the "Protector of the Small" series by Tamora Pierce which is all awesome girl power. :)

[nakor]

John Wright. Everything he's written, but probably the Golden Age series first, then Everness. The current Foo of Chaos is good, but not as wondrously amazing as those.

I like all of Brust, but especially enjoy the language of the Paarfi books (starting with Phoenix Guards).

More on the Brain Candy side of things: Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame: a D&D group gets sucked into their game by the Professor/Dungeonmaster. Dave Duncan's Man of His Word is a beautiful universe. If you don't mind a little poop, Dresden Files is great and Garrett Files is quite good.

Also, http://evenmere.org/blog/bts/books/

[ukelele]

George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books have not yet been recommended how?!?

The Vernor Vinge rec above reminds me that his ex-wife, Joan Vinge, writes fantasy, and the one book of hers I've read (Snow Queen) was really excellent.

Lloyd Alexander and Susan Cooper, recommended above, are indeed awesome (and in that kids-can-read, but adults-can-too way).

naomikritzer writes good stuff, plus which you know you want royalties to go to a friend's sister.

[dabunny]

Weis and Hickman. Just about any of their stuff hits that spot for me. The Dragonlance stuff alone can keep you busy for quite a while (20-ish books by W&H... be careful of other authors under the DL inprint though, some of them are truly awful)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonlance

[jon_leonard]

I'll second some of the above recommendations: "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell", LeGuin's Earthsea series (first 3 books only), and Brust's Dragaera series (starting with Jhereg).

I'd also recommend much of Roger Zelazny's work; The Changeling/Madwand and Divlish the Damned/The Changing Land pairs are good fantasy. Some of CJ Cherryh's work is fantasy; Fortress in the Eye of Time is a good starting point. Neil Gaiman's "Stardust" (especially in the illustrated form); Lawrence Watt Evan's Ethshar, starting with "The Misenchanted Sword".

I could probably think up a few more, and a lot more if you're lot limiting yourself to fantasy. (The rest of CS Friedman's stuff, and the secondable Vernor Vinge recommendation fall in this category.)