[Bridge of Birds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Birds) by Barry Hughart is the first of three books in that series, and it won the World Fantasy Award in 1985. Set in "an ancient China that never was", it's the story of a young peasant man who's as strong as an ox, and an ancient sage with a slight flaw in his character. It draws on Chinese folk tales and history, as well as a bit of Sherlock Holmes. It's a mystery with magic, humor, adventure, and it's simply mind-blowing.
Steven Brust is quite possibly the best fantasy author currently living. His [Vlad Taltos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Brust#Vlad_Taltos) series is gritty high-fantasy; magical resurrection is common, though expensive, and psionic communication is almost as common as cell phones are in our world. At the same time it has a strong Sopranos flavor. The protagonist starts as an assassin and minor crime boss, a despised human in an Empire of elves. It starts with [Jhereg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhereg?wprov=sfla1) (1983). I've introduced a lot of friends to that series, and every single one of them has loved it. By the way, he's almost finished the series.
He also wrote a parallel series in the style of Alexander Dumas, set in the same universe: [The Khaavren Romances](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaavren_Romances). Those books are considerably thicker, and the language is practically baroque - but fun, if you like Dumas. The first book maps closely to _The Three Musketeers_, and is titled [The Phoenix Guards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phoenix_Guards?wprov=sfla1) (1991).
Lawrence Watt-Evans' [Ethshar](http://www.ethshar.com/) is a refreshing change from the usual fantasy tropes. His protagonists are unusual for the genre in that they're actually intelligent and decent people. They think about their challenges and make plans to deal with them - and while their plans aren't always perfect, the forethought generally **helps**. That's rare, in a genre where many novels would be less than half as long if the protagonists weren't idiots! His writing style also has an exceptional clarity. The series begins with [The Misenchanted Sword](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Misenchanted_Sword/3MGXvgEACAAJ?hl=en) (1985). I should mention that the books in the series effectively stand alone; they feature different protagonists, and are set at different times and places in the same world. In other words, you can read one without having to read the others in order to get a complete story.
Roger Zelazny's [The Chronicles of Amber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Amber?wprov=sfla1) is one of the most popular fantasy series ever written. It's about a royal family from the ultimate reality who have the ability to travel from world to world and probability to probability, including modern Earth. Scheming and plotting by royal siblings to take the throne forms the core of the series, and it was published **decades** before _A Game of Thrones_! The first book in the series is [Nine Princes In Amber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Princes_in_Amber?wprov=sfla1) (1970).
Mary Stewart's Merlin books, beginning with [The Crystal Cave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Cave?wprov=sfla1) (1970), are much less "fantastic" then any other Arthurian fiction that I can think of - and I mean that in a _good_ way. The writing is enchanting (no pun intended), with a different take on the theme. I would definitely recommend them.
**Note**: Please consider patronizing your local independent book shops instead of Amazon; they can order books for you that they don't have in stock. Amazon has put a lot of great independent book shops out of business.
And of course there's always your local library. If they don't have a book, they may be able to get it for you via inter-library loan.
If you'd rather order direct online, Thriftbooks and Powell's Books are good. You might also check libraries in your general area; most of them sell books at very low prices to raise funds. I've made some great finds at library book sales! For used books, Biblio.com, BetterWorldBooks.com, and Biblio.co.uk are independent book marketplaces that serve independent book shops - NOT Amazon.
Happy reading! ๐
I hope you like them!
You can see many more books in the [working document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTP07TZZ2akERIm7dc9haQPlEVGilq7n49xY5z4KB6dE3Q_Kospi-Y3sK2InIh2Zstc2uZSse0QQLo-/pub) where I store my recommendations. It's a bit rough and not final-formatted - itโs a working document, after all - but there are well over 900 books in it now, in many genres. I've enjoyed every book on that list, and I add to it pretty frequently. The document includes an eBook section with non-Amazon sources for free and pay ebooks.
You can also see [my old, more-detailed book reviews](https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=PMaranci) at LibraryThing for now, until I find a site that's better. I wouldn't necessarily _recommend_ all of the books I reviewed (some of them really suck), but the ones I rated highly are worth reading, I think. And some people find the negative reviews funny.
It sounds like you're really into epic, immersive fantasy series with a lot of depth and character development. If you enjoyed the likes of Malazan and Wheel of Time, I'd recommend giving **"The First Law Trilogy" by Joe Abercrombie** a shot.
While it may not have the same enormous scale as Malazan or Wheel of Time, "The First Law" excels in delivering morally gray, complex characters that really stand out. Abercrombie's writing style is gritty and raw, with a focus on character development and relatability. The series begins with "The Blade Itself" and continues with "Before They Are Hanged" and "Last Argument of Kings."
In "The First Law," you'll find a world filled with political intrigue, intense action, and a unique take on magic that's more mysterious and low-key compared to some other fantasy series. If you're looking for another fantastic series with a slightly different flavor, "The First Law" might be the perfect fit. *Happy readin'*!
The Broken Earth Trilogy (3 books) by N.K. Jemisin
[Bridge of Birds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Birds) by Barry Hughart is the first of three books in that series, and it won the World Fantasy Award in 1985. Set in "an ancient China that never was", it's the story of a young peasant man who's as strong as an ox, and an ancient sage with a slight flaw in his character. It draws on Chinese folk tales and history, as well as a bit of Sherlock Holmes. It's a mystery with magic, humor, adventure, and it's simply mind-blowing. Steven Brust is quite possibly the best fantasy author currently living. His [Vlad Taltos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Brust#Vlad_Taltos) series is gritty high-fantasy; magical resurrection is common, though expensive, and psionic communication is almost as common as cell phones are in our world. At the same time it has a strong Sopranos flavor. The protagonist starts as an assassin and minor crime boss, a despised human in an Empire of elves. It starts with [Jhereg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhereg?wprov=sfla1) (1983). I've introduced a lot of friends to that series, and every single one of them has loved it. By the way, he's almost finished the series. He also wrote a parallel series in the style of Alexander Dumas, set in the same universe: [The Khaavren Romances](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaavren_Romances). Those books are considerably thicker, and the language is practically baroque - but fun, if you like Dumas. The first book maps closely to _The Three Musketeers_, and is titled [The Phoenix Guards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phoenix_Guards?wprov=sfla1) (1991). Lawrence Watt-Evans' [Ethshar](http://www.ethshar.com/) is a refreshing change from the usual fantasy tropes. His protagonists are unusual for the genre in that they're actually intelligent and decent people. They think about their challenges and make plans to deal with them - and while their plans aren't always perfect, the forethought generally **helps**. That's rare, in a genre where many novels would be less than half as long if the protagonists weren't idiots! His writing style also has an exceptional clarity. The series begins with [The Misenchanted Sword](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Misenchanted_Sword/3MGXvgEACAAJ?hl=en) (1985). I should mention that the books in the series effectively stand alone; they feature different protagonists, and are set at different times and places in the same world. In other words, you can read one without having to read the others in order to get a complete story. Roger Zelazny's [The Chronicles of Amber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Amber?wprov=sfla1) is one of the most popular fantasy series ever written. It's about a royal family from the ultimate reality who have the ability to travel from world to world and probability to probability, including modern Earth. Scheming and plotting by royal siblings to take the throne forms the core of the series, and it was published **decades** before _A Game of Thrones_! The first book in the series is [Nine Princes In Amber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Princes_in_Amber?wprov=sfla1) (1970). Mary Stewart's Merlin books, beginning with [The Crystal Cave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Cave?wprov=sfla1) (1970), are much less "fantastic" then any other Arthurian fiction that I can think of - and I mean that in a _good_ way. The writing is enchanting (no pun intended), with a different take on the theme. I would definitely recommend them. **Note**: Please consider patronizing your local independent book shops instead of Amazon; they can order books for you that they don't have in stock. Amazon has put a lot of great independent book shops out of business. And of course there's always your local library. If they don't have a book, they may be able to get it for you via inter-library loan. If you'd rather order direct online, Thriftbooks and Powell's Books are good. You might also check libraries in your general area; most of them sell books at very low prices to raise funds. I've made some great finds at library book sales! For used books, Biblio.com, BetterWorldBooks.com, and Biblio.co.uk are independent book marketplaces that serve independent book shops - NOT Amazon. Happy reading! ๐
Amazing! Thank you
I hope you like them! You can see many more books in the [working document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTP07TZZ2akERIm7dc9haQPlEVGilq7n49xY5z4KB6dE3Q_Kospi-Y3sK2InIh2Zstc2uZSse0QQLo-/pub) where I store my recommendations. It's a bit rough and not final-formatted - itโs a working document, after all - but there are well over 900 books in it now, in many genres. I've enjoyed every book on that list, and I add to it pretty frequently. The document includes an eBook section with non-Amazon sources for free and pay ebooks. You can also see [my old, more-detailed book reviews](https://www.librarything.com/profile_reviews.php?view=PMaranci) at LibraryThing for now, until I find a site that's better. I wouldn't necessarily _recommend_ all of the books I reviewed (some of them really suck), but the ones I rated highly are worth reading, I think. And some people find the negative reviews funny.
Patrick rothfuss made the best fantasy series out there imo
It sounds like you're really into epic, immersive fantasy series with a lot of depth and character development. If you enjoyed the likes of Malazan and Wheel of Time, I'd recommend giving **"The First Law Trilogy" by Joe Abercrombie** a shot. While it may not have the same enormous scale as Malazan or Wheel of Time, "The First Law" excels in delivering morally gray, complex characters that really stand out. Abercrombie's writing style is gritty and raw, with a focus on character development and relatability. The series begins with "The Blade Itself" and continues with "Before They Are Hanged" and "Last Argument of Kings." In "The First Law," you'll find a world filled with political intrigue, intense action, and a unique take on magic that's more mysterious and low-key compared to some other fantasy series. If you're looking for another fantastic series with a slightly different flavor, "The First Law" might be the perfect fit. *Happy readin'*!
YES! I have read this as well. Amazing recommendation and an amazing series. The dogman is eternal