Historical fantasy books - recommendations

Bugz

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
7,297
Hi there,
my reading ability is pretty much non-existant and considering english/writing is a talent I possess - I figured I may as well get into some books, read them, learn from them and enjoy them.

I am very tempermental on the type of book I enjoy. I enjoy fantasy books but I love them to have a historical/medievil feel - basically knights and magic instead of bald fat men and magic :D

I wondered if anyone had any recommendations book-wise for someone who will be very much new to the book scene altogether. I'd prefer lighter reading if possible but any books which fit the build will be gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance.
 

Ormorof

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,817
if you can read bernad cornwell books they are awesome (if you've ever heard of the Sharpe stories this is the guy who wrote them), the Viking series are awesome starting with the Last Kingdom, then the Pale Horseman, and finally The Lords of the North, follows a guy who fights his way back to power, amazing books anyway :)

if thats not your thing (very historical following vikings/danes in england) then the assassins apprentice trilogy is amazing, fictitious land but amazing story ;) (its written by Robin Hobb if ive got the name wrong)
 

Chronictank

FH is my second home
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
10,133
Alexander Trilogy by Valerio Massimo

Doesn't have magic as it is historical rather than fantasy, but if you havent read it, it is a must tbh :p
book had me hooked all the way through
 

Darksword

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Feb 10, 2004
Messages
2,678
can anyone recomend me anything thats similar to shadow warrior? it's more sci fi i believe but i enjoyed it, is alot of chris bunchs work similar to this?
 

Chap

Loyal Freddie
Joined
Jan 22, 2005
Messages
280
Hi there,
my reading ability is pretty much non-existant and considering english/writing is a talent I possess - I figured I may as well get into some books, read them, learn from them and enjoy them.

I am very tempermental on the type of book I enjoy. I enjoy fantasy books but I love them to have a historical/medievil feel - basically knights and magic instead of bald fat men and magic :D

I wondered if anyone had any recommendations book-wise for someone who will be very much new to the book scene altogether. I'd prefer lighter reading if possible but any books which fit the build will be gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance.
Try Jan Guillou. The knights templar. Its not fantasy but its a good read and there is a knight in it :D
 

Shagrat

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
6,945
The Book of Knights by Yves Meynard

is a good read, about a boy who escapes his restrictive home town after reading a book about knights hidden in his attic and deciding he wants to become one.
 

Ormorof

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,817
can anyone recomend me anything thats similar to shadow warrior? it's more sci fi i believe but i enjoyed it, is alot of chris bunchs work similar to this?

you could try Hyperion, more sci fi, and really quite weird, or steven kings Dark Tower books, kinda sci-fiesque western (which is odd from king since its usually all about horror :p )
 

liloe

It's my birthday today!
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
Messages
4,168
"The Mists of Avalon" is a pretty good read if you ask me. It's the last part of a trilogy, but you can read all three books by themselves and if you're not much into reading atm, spare yourself the first two books ^^ Author is Marion Zimmer-Bradley btw. It's more medieval style, but it definately contains fantasy elements, like druid magic, but it's not that ehm..."huge" =) Sry, can't find better words =)

Btw, it's not fantasy at all, but "Rainbow 6" by Tom Clancy is a really good book aswell (you know, that game was made based on the idea of the book =) )
 

Himse

FH is my second home
Joined
Jan 31, 2004
Messages
2,179
LOTR Series, Books are really really good and well worth the read, the films are really good but imo the book is better!
 

Straef

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
5,890
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan are definitely worth reading, tho it's not quite historical, but just fantasy.
 

Morphius

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
1,162
The Grail Quest series by bernard Cornwell is a top read :)


or (not knightly but are great)

Gaunts Ghosts series by Dan Abnett

they are superb.
 

Punishment

Resident Freddy
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
8,604
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan are definitely worth reading, tho it's not quite historical, but just fantasy.

Yes have to agree strongly here , its a 11-12 book series of books 900-1100 pages long and the characters are absolutely brilliant , im 100 pages into book 7 atm and i only started reading em 3 months ago ... if you liked LoTR you will love these :D
 

Raven

Happy Shopper Ray Mears
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
44,617
Boudica by Manda Scott (series of books) is pretty good, though gets a little weird in book three
 

Congax

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Aug 18, 2004
Messages
3,231
Yes have to agree strongly here , its a 11-12 book series of books 900-1100 pages long and the characters are absolutely brilliant , im 100 pages into book 7 atm and i only started reading em 3 months ago ... if you liked LoTR you will love these :D
I can't imagine it only being 12 books tbh, the ending of book 11 was way to complicated to be solved in one book.

Have fun reading them, you'll enjoy the others ;)
 

AngelHeal

Part of the furniture
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
3,757
Try Jan Guillou. The knights templar. Its not fantasy but its a good read and there is a knight in it :D

the knights templar is a good book, though theres only like 5 pages in it with a knight:p

i read it on summer stage, english people allways leave books for employees:p
 

chretien

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 24, 2003
Messages
1,079
Stephen Lawhead writes historical fantasy books. They are pretty good and easy to read.
 

Ezteq

Queen of OT
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
13,457
OMG bugz i cant believe you made this thread rofl I just finished the best (and i mean whoa!) book ever last night and have been dying to tell someone about it, its called

"The book of lost things" by John connoly

its a fantasy/dark fairy tale thingy with knights, magic, monsters and all kinds of stuff its soooo good i finished it last night and i immeadiately wanted to read it again, honestly if theres one book you might read read this

EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK ITS BLOOMIN FANTASTIC!!!!


i love it sooo much
 

hammeron

Regular Freddie
Joined
Mar 10, 2005
Messages
25
pretty much anything from David Gemmell would fit your discription "Legend" being one of em or you might wanna try Magician" by Raymond E Feist.
 

Bugz

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
7,297
Purchased the first book of The Eye of the World for ~£3.50 from Amazon Marketplace. Seems like an entertaining read.

I've also noted some of the other books mentioned on this thread.

Thanks :)
 

Ormorof

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,817
wheel of time is finishing in the next book but will be released in two parts according to the author (or so he said on his webby :p )

cant believe i forgot to mention it earlier but the Lion of Macedon + Dark Prince would fit your description perfectly (by David Gemmel), first one is my favourite book ever hehe :)
 

Agrigo

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Oct 20, 2004
Messages
710
OMG bugz i cant believe you made this thread rofl I just finished the best (and i mean whoa!) book ever last night and have been dying to tell someone about it, its called

"The book of lost things" by John connoly

its a fantasy/dark fairy tale thingy with knights, magic, monsters and all kinds of stuff its soooo good i finished it last night and i immeadiately wanted to read it again, honestly if theres one book you might read read this

EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK ITS BLOOMIN FANTASTIC!!!!


i love it sooo much

I shall read it after I have finished WoT (on 10 th atm) but if it dosn't work up to the hype im a commen for you!
 

raid

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
1,368
I used to read lots of fantasy, but the only books/series I can still name without thinking (suppose I liked them;)) are:

Belgariad and Malloreon series by David Eddings
Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
And ofc Wheel of Time, though I havent finished it, kinda just lost the interest to fantasy books halfway

Not sure how well they fit your description of knights and stuff tho.
 

Ezteq

Queen of OT
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
13,457
I shall read it after I have finished WoT (on 10 th atm) but if it dosn't work up to the hype im a commen for you!

:worthy:

yaaaay i persuaded someone!!!

lol well tbh you might not like it but i couldnt put the bugger down i dont want to hype it up and then you expect something else but it is mighty enjoyable tbh.
 

Agrigo

Can't get enough of FH
Joined
Oct 20, 2004
Messages
710
Oh nononon, dont try to worm your way out of it now! if its not the best ever .... :D
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom