Well with vacation finally here I am in need for some good literature to crunch through.
I've been reading science fiction and realistic novels all year long now so I'm looking for a well-written, captivating, fantasy book. I hobbled over to my bookstore only to come face to face with an enormous selection of fantasy books. usually when I find myself in such a situation i pick out a book with a pretty cover and leaf through it... but I realized that is not a very intelligent way to pick a good book.
So I bought Children of Dune (even though I can't stand the cold storyline and it isn't exactly beach-literature) And thus I appeal to you: Please, recommend me a good book.

And to Indignus: before you mention it, I'm not interested in reading 'The Good Earth', got that?

If you're looking for a well-written, captivating fantasy book, I know just the book(s) for you. It's a series of fantasy books called a song of ice and fire, by George R. R. Martin, and it's the best fantasy I've ever read.

The first book in the series is called A Game of Thrones, so that is where you should start. The books are very well-written and the story is simply amazing. It has some excellent plot twists, and you're never sure what is going to happen next. I highly recommend those books.

Be aware, though, that the series isn't finished. Martin just finished the 4th book, called A Feast For Crows, and three more are planned, although it could easily be more than that (originally, only six books were planned, but the fourth book got so massive that he had to split it in two).

Anyway, if it's good fantasy, you're looking for, this is definitely it. It's the best there is. :)

Edit: Spoiler-free review

Besides the two I recomende in the other post I'd recomend some of these:

Jaroslav Hašek - The Good Soldier Švejk
Umberto Eco - Name of the Rose
Vladimir Bartol - Alamut
Winston Groom - Forest Gump (the book the film was based upon)
Ernest Hemingway - A Ferwell to Arms, For whom the Bell Tolls
Arthur C. Clarke - 2001, 2010, 2061, 3001, Childhood's End, City and the Stars


(not sure if english translations even exist)
Jaroslav Boček - The Case of dr. Karpeta
Stanislav Lem - The Adventures of space pilot Pyke
Frenk Bükvič - The Buss of Fools

Well that's for now... More to follow.

What I can whole-heartedly reccomend you is the Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Those books are a good read and there's a bunch of them, I'd advice you to read them all one after the other, this will easily take you the whole summer.

more info here.

I'd recommend Diana Wynne-Jones' Tough Guide to Fantasyland. It plays on all sorts of fantasy and roleplaying clichés; I found it hilarious. If you prefer the more serious stuff, Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb is quite good as well. It's the first part of a trilogy.

I should reccomend you my book, but it isn't finished... :tomato:

Anyway the ones by Terry Brooks about Shaannara are good! :ok:

The entire discworld series by Terry Pratchett, all books by Robin Hobb.

Hi Stroggy :bye:

I must recommend The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings by Tolkien.
The ULTIMATE story of good versus evil.

Have fun LOL

Micheal Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné ,The History of the Runestaff and The Chronicles of Castle Brass.

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman: Dragonlance Chronicles ("Dragons of Autumn Twilight", "Dragons of Winter Night" and "Dragons of Spring Dawning") and Dragonlance Legends ("Time of the Twins", "War of the Twins" and "Test of the Twins").

Have fun! :ok:

I'm reading Chainfire by Terry Goodkind. You should read whole Sword of Truth series, if you like fantasy books.

Rest of the books from series are:
P. Debt of Bones
1. Wizard’s First rule
2. Stone of Tears
3. Blood of the Fold
4. Temple of the Winds
5. Soul of the Fire
6. Faith of the Fallen
7. Pillars of Creation
8. Naked Empire
9. Chainfire