Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell > Harry Potter

[The Fake Shemp]

I just finally finished the book and I take back every mean word I had to say about it.  Yes, the first one hundred pages are a chore, but it's a slow burn.  Perhaps the tedious nature of Norrell's origins are necessary to show how truly boring Norrell is as a magician.  But once Strange steps in, it's a fantastic read and it's about one billion times better than that crap Rowling peddles.

Cannot wait for The Adventures of Childermass & Vinculus or whatever her next novel will be.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Raven King > Voldemort

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[Mandark]

It seemed to be marketed as "Harry Potter for adults!" which says more about what a staggering commercial success HP has been than anything else.  At least Lord of the Rings has company for Books Which Must Be Referenced In The Blurb For Every Fantasy Novel.

It definitely kicks into gear as it goes forward and it was awesome reading the last 100 pages as all the plot strands started colliding.  I personally enjoyed all of it though, including the early Norrell bits and the long footnote digressions.

PM me your address so I can send you a welcome back to MD book.

[The Fake Shemp]

It's not really comparable to Harry Potter, though.  Other than the fact that the main characters are English and practice magic, they couldn't be any different.

I thought it was strange that the nameless Fairy villain seemed similar to The Raven King.  But it was obvious by the end of the book that this was just a footnote in the grand scheme of things.  I'll be interested to see how Clarke utilizes the characters in any future installment.

It's odd that at any given time that you could view either Norrell or Strange as a villain.  Norrell somewhat redeems his character, but only near the end.  Both are men consumed to the point where they begin to lose their humanity.

[Mandark]

Yeah.  They just made the comparison because it sold a bajillion copies.  I describe it to people as "Jane Austen meets the Sandman" and get funny looks 90% of the time.

Know who I liked in the book?  John Segundus.  He seems like a nice guy.

[The Fake Shemp]

He's about the only purely likeable character in the book!

[Phoenix Dark]

you know how to catch my eye sir. i'll check this out (as soon as I finish all this stuff on my reading list)

[Vizzys]

now read Artemis Fowl

its like die hard with fairies, you homo

[Phoenix Dark]

now read Artemis Fowl

its like die hard with fairies, you homo

My brother is obsessed with that. I got him to start ASOIAF, I might as well give Fowl a chance

btw he swears by Eragon/Eldest :/

[Tucah]

I used to read Artemis Fowl when I was a little younger (I guess whenever the first book came out). They're fun, but pretty simple, I mean they are kids books.

Eragon, however, I hate.

[Eric P]

Norrell and Strange is so awesome.

Excellent fantasy all around.

[Mandark]

It's my favorite, Eric!  You can't have it!

[Eric P]

fret not.  it will take an act of god to unseat The Warhound and the World's Pain as my favorite fantasy book.

[The Fake Shemp]

I kind of am in a good mood to read more fantasy and/or fiction, but not anything Wheel of Time crazy.  Someone recommended that I should read some Gaiman.  Or maybe I could finish this year's Hugo award winner.

[Eric P]

everyone else here will say Erikson and his books of the malazan.  I've never read them because I don't have the patience to read 10 books over 500 pages long.

I'd like to suggest China Mieville, Michael Moorcock (his Elric series is being brought into print.  The Second book came out at the end of July) or Fritz Leiber.  Dark Ladies combines two of his best works Conjure Wife (where in all women are witches and it goes into the political machinations of a small college) and Our Lady of Darkness which is nominally about an alcoholic sci-fi writer who discovers the secret to telling the future with cities, but it's really a love letter to pulp and adventure writers.  Or if you're in the mood for Heroic Fantasy, DH Press has brought into print Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar Series which a filled with dark wit.

Though I'll also always suggest Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series.

[Cormacaroni]

I kind of am in a good mood to read more fantasy and/or fiction, but not anything Wheel of Time crazy.  Someone recommended that I should read some Gaiman.  Or maybe I could finish this year's Hugo award winner.

Gaiman really hasn't written anything unequivocably awesome in book form yet. The closest is American Gods, I think, but it's overlong and not as clever or weighty as he thinks it is. Everything else is quirky and flawed and by no means the first thing you should reach for when thirsting for fantasy.

If you guys are tired of the Malazan! chants and want something more approachable, try finding a copy of Barry Hughart's Bridge of Birds. It's basically a comic fantasy in ancient China. Very fun and charming. Won the World Fantasy Award way back. Or any of his books. They're all being re-issued soon I believe. Or Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, which I enjoyed the hell out of.

If you want the greatest high fantasy epic that will ever be written, however, just go read Malazan

[modkennylaine]

Like everyone says, good book past the first 100 pages (once Strange shows up).

I'd like to suggest China Mieville[...]

I read Perdido Street Station, which I liked, but does Miéville stop with all the purple prose? Or at least uh, have less of it?

[Eric P]

depends.

he loves his bits of "new weird"  but his short stories vary in tone.  I haven't read much of his novels though.