These are the top 5 fantasy settings I wish had more books set in. Feel free to leave me your top 5 settings you'd love more books in below in the comments!
5. The Continent
Series: The Witcher Saga
Author: Andrzej Sapkowski
Prominent Character: Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher)
First Book: The Last Wish
Blurb: Geralt de Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin. And a cold-blooded killer. His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good...and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
4. The Syldoon EmpireSeries: The Bloodsounder's Arc
Author: Jeff Salyards
Prominent Characters: Braylar Killcoin, Arki
First Book: Scourge of the Betrayer
Blurb: Many tales are told of the Syldoon Empire and its fearsome soldiers, who are known throughout the world for their treachery and atrocities. Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies–or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon’s dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he’s about to find out for himself.
Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men’s enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he’s killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe . . . and Arki might be next.
Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon, he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience!
3. The Unified Realm
Series: Raven's Shadow Trilogy
Author: Anthony Ryan
Prominent Character: Vaelin Al Sorna
First Book: Blood Song
Blurb: Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.
Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world.
2. The Broken Empire
Series: The Broken Empire as well as The Red Queen's War
Author: Mark Lawrence
Prominent Characters: Jorg Ancrath, Jalen Kendeth
First Books in each series: Prince of Thorns and Prince of Fools
Blurb for Prince of Thorns: Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.
From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.
1. Middle Earth
Series: The Hobbit as well as The Lord of the Rings
Author: J.R.R Tolkien
Prominent Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins
First Books in each series: The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring
Blurb for The Hobbit: If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did) - if you do not already know all about these things - much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period.
So there's my list, what's yours? Leave it in the comments below!
3. The Unified RealmSeries: Raven's Shadow Trilogy
Author: Anthony Ryan
Prominent Character: Vaelin Al Sorna
First Book: Blood Song
Blurb: Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.
Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world.
2. The Broken EmpireSeries: The Broken Empire as well as The Red Queen's War
Author: Mark Lawrence
Prominent Characters: Jorg Ancrath, Jalen Kendeth
First Books in each series: Prince of Thorns and Prince of Fools
Blurb for Prince of Thorns: Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.
From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.
1. Middle EarthSeries: The Hobbit as well as The Lord of the Rings
Author: J.R.R Tolkien
Prominent Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo Baggins
First Books in each series: The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring
Blurb for The Hobbit: If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did) - if you do not already know all about these things - much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period.
So there's my list, what's yours? Leave it in the comments below!
Great pick on Salyards. I'm trying to think of others but I keep going back to idea that the author's characters were what really made the world great, and many that I think of have wrapped up those characters' arcs. So even with liking the author and their world, if a new set of characters don't work as well for me, I can't say that if still enjoy the story regardless of the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying what Myke Cole has created in his military fantasy setting, but I'm liking the characters in his newest one, Gemini Cell more than I am Control Point.
I love Salyards writing and I think he is very under talked about around the internet. I tend to agree with you about characters and novels. Often times I get swept away by a cast of really great characters and the setting often doesn't matter. The ones above are the ones that really stuck with me and I could read any cast in and enjoy the familiar backdrop.
DeleteI read and enjoyed Control Point and now picked up Gemini Cell even though it's set before. I really enjoy the world he's created. It makes sense to me that a government would react to magic in the way that it does.