The_Fat_Man wrote on Dec 29^th, 2011 at 5:03pm:


Unless Martin goes completely off rails in the fifth book, I couldn't disagree more strenuously.  Bad things happen in Song of Fire and Ice, but Martin doesn't go into anywhere near the level of detail and depravity that Goodkind routinely visits.  Seriously, those two aren't even on the same playing field.  Martin's writing is certainly dark, but I've never once felt uncomfortable reading what he's written.  Goodkind manages to pull that off every few chapters.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Goodkind.  I recommended him for a reason.  As I stated previously, his world is incredibly detailed and believable, and his characters really grow and mature as the series progresses.  That said, I can't recommend him without at least a cursory warning about some of the material contained within.


-b0b
(...shrugs.)

Thank you guys all so much.

I knew I'd get a plethora of recommendations and wow!  It's been a while since I've read Hobbit and Narnia.  Maybe I'll go back through those first and then jump in to the heavy stuff.

I wonder if the Kindle has a random selector that would just put me on a series.

Also, Bob, when I saw the trailer for The Hunger Games...Battle Royale was the first thing I thought of for sure!

X
(knew his geek brethren wouldn't let him down!)

Yes! I am excited! I just started rereading them too, because I've just finished the 3 companion books the author's friend wrote. Steven Erikson has always wondered if he could have done the first book differently by easing people into the story but in the end, he is ok with brutally throwing the reader into the world. Once you catch on to all the elder races, gods/ascendants, and how the warrens work, everything is groovy. The characters in the books are so rich, I am glad you are liking them. Book 2 is where the series really got amazing for me, and its only better from there.

woot!