Topic: Books Similar To A Song of Ice and Fire

[Neon Genesis]

I love George Martin but I need another fantasy series to get addicted to, so does anyone know of any books in the same genre and style of Martin that would be equally entertaining?  The closest I can think of is Robin Hobb's Assasin's Apprentince series which I have the first book of and have started reading but does anyone know of any other other good ones?

[Jay_One]

I'm eager to hear from somebody on this. ASOIAF is my favourite book series, and I'd love to pick up something similar.

[Calinthalus]

I know there will be some flack from this...but I liked the Wheel of Time.  It's a bit long-winded quite often enough...but I still like it.

Also, check out the "Age of Discovery" series starting with A Secret Atlas and the "DragonCrown War" series starting with The Dark Glory War  by Michael Stackpole.  They are not nearly as political as the Martin novels, but still quite good.  The Discovery novels have a very different sort of fantasy world than any I've read before.  A lot of Eastern influences.

[Jay_One]

I don't think I've heard of The Wheel of Time. Is that the book where people serve out prison time by walking in order to rotate a large wheel/cog? Somebody mentioned it on this Books board before, that's why I've thought of it.

EDIT: It may be the book I'm thinking of, but that series seems more complex than I'd imagined. I had the impression you were talking about only one book, the series sounds interesting though.

[Caffiene]

In terms of long epic novels in a fantasy setting, Id also recommend the Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson.

Its got more magic and gods than SOIaF (at least what Ive read of SOIaF so far), as does Wheel of Time but Im not sure if that makes a difference? (I cant remember if Ive read Assassin's Apprentice or not to compare...)

Btw if you do look for it, dont get confused by the second author... Theres another guy, Ian C Esslemont, writing an "a novel of the Malazan Empire" series which is in the same setting. You want to start with Erikson, imo.

I don't think I've heard of The Wheel of Time. Is that the book where people serve out prison time by walking in order to rotate a large wheel/cog?

No, Wheel of Time is a standard epic fantasy story, with a young farm boy discovering a greater destiny, etc. In terms of standard fantasy theyre quite good, but the later books get bogged down pretty heavily in politics and who is doing what where without advancing the plot much... Which I get the impression is a bit of problem with the later SOIaF books, too.

[Neon Genesis]

I have the first two Wheel of Time books already and I've enjoyed what I've read of it so far but like Caffiene, I think it's more of a standard sword and sorcery fantasy and not really much like Martin.  Not that there's anything wrong with standard fantasy in itself, but I'm looking for a fantasy series like Martin that's more darker and grim with a greater emphasis on things like world building and character relationships than magic and action scenes.

[Caffiene]

Not that there's anything wrong with standard fantasy in itself, but I'm looking for a fantasy series like Martin that's more darker and grim with a greater emphasis on things like world building and character relationships than magic and action scenes.

The Malazan books have you covered for dark and grim, imo, and its very similar to SOIaF in not being afraid to summarily kill off characters without warning. It has more action and magical creatures than SOIaF, but not in a standard fantasy way like Wheel of Time.

Its hard to explain it very well, because it moves characters and places a lot. The story in one book can take place on a different continent and with different characters to the one before it... Its almost more like a collection of individual stories based around the one setting and time.

I dont think Im doing a very good job explaining (probably because I havent read it in a few years). Youd really have to try it for yourself. Although one warning: The first book (Gardens of the Moon) sort of dumps you in at the deep end. You shouldnt expect an introduction to the setting or whats going on, you just follow the story until you feel less lost

edit: Have a read of the old thread on the series here. The recommendations there match pretty well with what you say youre looking for.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Robin Hobb's assasins books & the live ships books vaguely intertwine.

Excellent characters, good unpredictable sub plots.
The violence and backstabbing isn't quite as gratuitous.

Wheel of time starts off ok, but it's more like LOTR than anything martin writes.

[PANTS!]

I know there will be some flack from this...but I liked the Wheel of Time.  It's a bit long-winded quite often enough...but I still like it.

Jesus not the Wheel of Time.  Or at least read the first 4.  Get the cliff notes for 5 - 11, pick it up again after Jordan is dead.

I would recommend the Lies of Locke Lamora - fucking fantastic piece of work.  Its low fantasy - not much fireball throwing going on.  It is decidedly NOT epic in scope (in that it differs from GRRM).  It revolves around a group of thieves trying to make a living in what is basically the fantasy version of Venice at the dawn of the renaissance.  It is gritty, but it revolves around very witty and optimistic characters - so it has a certain levity that GRRM doesn't have.  But it does go there with the killing and the maiming and the hurting and the Euuuuuuflavin.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

The Steel Remains - Richard Morgan

A pretty interesting take on the fantasy sword hero, the protagonist is openly homosexual in a barely tolerant world.
There seems to be some sort of parralell reality thing going on.

It's the first of a trilogy, but winds up as if it's not.

Good read. Not very long.

[Calinthalus]

I know there will be some flack from this...but I liked the Wheel of Time.  It's a bit long-winded quite often enough...but I still like it.

I would recommend the Lies of Locke Lamora - fucking fantastic piece of work. 

I read the first book last year, I have the second book but haven't gotten to it yet.

I did like the first one.

[Neutral Milk]

I'm very interested in this as well.

Sorry to be the nay-sayer, but I hated WoT. Gave up at the 4th book. Plowed through that far just because I felt like at some point I might get to what everyone was so excited about.

Didn't get into Malazan. Downloaded the sample for the kindle and just didn't enjoy the writing. Maybe I should have given it more time, but if I don't like the sample I can't justify paying for it.

I'll check out Lies of Locke Lamora

[Caffiene]

Didn't get into Malazan. Downloaded the sample for the kindle and just didn't enjoy the writing. Maybe I should have given it more time, but if I don't like the sample I can't justify paying for it.

Yeah, someone going into it with an attitude of "Ill sample a bit of the first book" it wouldnt at all surprise me if they dont continue reading the series. It definitely doesnt count as an "easy entry".

[Neutral Milk]

Didn't get into Malazan. Downloaded the sample for the kindle and just didn't enjoy the writing. Maybe I should have given it more time, but if I don't like the sample I can't justify paying for it.

Yeah, someone going into it with an attitude of "Ill sample a bit of the first book" it wouldnt at all surprise me if they dont continue reading the series. It definitely doesnt count as an "easy entry".

Knowing that I will maybe give it another shot. At what point in the story should I stop feeling like I'm reading a book written in ancient greek?

[pandamonium]

 

The Steel Remains - Richard Morgan

A pretty interesting take on the fantasy sword hero, the protagonist is openly homosexual in a barely tolerant world.
There seems to be some sort of parralell reality thing going on.

It's the first of a trilogy, but winds up as if it's not.

Good read. Not very long.

this sounds interesting.

Patrick rothfuss is currently writing a series I'm interested in--Name of the Wind is the first book, iirc. Also check out Brandon sanderson's "The way of Kings"-pretty grim, magic is involved, but I like how Sanderson writes politics. He's also the guy finishing WoT and doing a better job than Jordan was doing near the end.