Cross one book off the list…
Except I forgot to put it onto the list in the first place.
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The Well of Ascension: Book Two of Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson |
I just cannot believe how good Brandon Sanderson is. His first novel, Elantris, had a very interesting, novel concept, but was laden (and occasionally leaden) with first-novel prose.
Then I read Mistborn, the first of the Mistborn trilogy, and was gobsmacked. Not one, but two creative magic systems, three superb and complex primary characters and a host of complex secondaries, an army of creepy evil-doers with an evil overlord who doesn’t make mistakes, all shot through with a strong sense of social conscience.
Not to mention that it propelled the characters through what seemed to be the full arc of an epic trilogy by the end of the first book.
I honestly had no idea where Well of Ascension was going to go, and it went further than I imagined. Beautifully written, building on all the strengths of Mistborn, Well of Ascension is a series of stunning surprises. When I finished it, I could barely move ("It’s … paralyzingly great!"). Brandon did it again - packed a huge book full of unexpected turns, telling a complete, complex story, and leaving me with absolutely no idea what’s going to happen next. Furthermore, I think that the main character’s transformation from starving waif in the first book to powerful wizard in this one is as moving and dramatic a development as I’ve ever read in epic fantasy — and we’re only two books in.
I hope Brandon already has Book 3 in the can before he starts on the the last Wheel of Time book, as I hear he’s committed to do.
Hmm.
Might as well throw out the start of my list of favorite epic fantasy series:
- Crown of Stars, Kate Elliott
- Mistborn*, Brandon Sanderson
- The Black Company, all ten books, Glen Cook
- Restoration/Revelation/Transformation, Carol Berg
- The Name of the Wind*, Patrick Rothfuss
- Curse of Chalion/Paladin of Souls, Lois McMaster Bujold (this would be higher if the third book had continued the sequence)
- Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Tad Williams
- First Chronicles of Amber, Roger Zelazny
- The Blade Itself*, Joe Abercrombie
- The Assassin/Tawny Man series, Robin Hobb
- Lord of the Rings, JRRT.
Yes, I have three brand-new series that aren’t even finished yet in my top ten. We’re in a great time for epic fantasy at the moment. And to think that this time last year I probably thought epic fantasy was dead. I need to write some more about epic fantasy - I’ll try to post some on my very favorites when I get back from vac.
I debated putting Stephen Brust onto the list - Vlad Taltos would be in my top three series, except I don’t think that they’re epic fantasy by my definition. I’ll have to write more on that, as well.
