Best Novels No One Has Heard Of

Actually, I have read Tides of war. I think Valrio writes better, but thats just my opinion

 

No-one seems to know about the Demonata Series that I used to obsess over in middle school! It might have been written by Darren Shan (my favorite author next to J.K. Rowling) - I'm too lazy to check! But the plot is really weird and - as I'm typing this I remember!! - it's called the "Demon Thief"! That's the only one in the series that I've read. One of the best fantasy books I've ever read! (and a bit scary too :/) I should go look up the rest...

 

Stuff by Joe Ambercombie (who may be famous in the rest of the world, but no-one elsse rounds here seems to have heard of him ) is pretty epic the first thing you read, but unfortunatly he falls into the same trap a Raymon E Faust (One good story line, but it's all he can write, and everything afterwards is a name-swapped variation)

and Dan Abnett eaisly ranks as one of the world's greatest modern writers, but due to the subject area he writes in mainly. He started as a comic book writer, (and did a few mister men) and also writes a lot of the stuff for Games Workshop's warhammer 40000 universe. I think he has 1 book out outside these areas. It's a shame, as it means most mianstream readers miss out on his work, which is amazing.

 

I'm sure someone has heard of this novel, but "Arena" (a Magic the Gathering book) was absolutely amazing.

 

The Orcs books by Stan Nicholls are fantastic. It's a crime that nobody seems to have heard of them.

I agree wholeheartedly. Dan Abnett is a bloody star as far as I'm concerned. I've gone so far as recommending some of his Gaunt's Ghosts books to people with little to no knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 setting, to generally favourable results.

 

I highly rate the Ghost series. The Orcs books are a fantastically fun read, because of the change up in protagonists. I highly rate a number of the Games Workshop authors actually. But that's because I'm a Warhammer Nerd

 

I really enjoyed the Orcs:First Blood trilogy by Stan Nicholls but have only run into a couple of people who've heard of him so far. So nice to find something written from the point of view of a race usually shown as mindless, evil killers. I've always been a bit put off by the Warhammer and Warcraft ones for some reason.

I also remember enjoying the Blackbird series by Freda Warrington. Can't remember a lot about it now though, think I might have to dig it out and read it again.

 

I Liked Orcs: First blood, up until the ending. it just seemed a bit of a cop out to me, and it left a really intresting world hanging...

 

For me it's a local fantasy series by Sitta Karina, a quite well-known Indonesian chicklit writer, entitled "Magical Seira". It may not be the best fantasy series, but this particular genre in Indonesia has never really been popular. Fantasy books are so scarce, that I read every Indonesian fantasy books if ever one is released, whether it's bad or not. "Magical Seira" is a teen-lit fantasy, complete with the cliches and all. However, I think it's a fun enough read for pre-teens. I hope it can be a start for more fantasy novels in this place.

 

I gotta mention the Raven books by James Barclay. They're awesome pulp fantasy, but nobody round my way seems to have read them, and that endsaddens me.

Ooh, and the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. Awesome YA right there.

I just don't think many of the people I know read much. What's the world coming to, eh?

 

Loved Sabriel and Lireal. Got bogged down after that.

Of course Nalo Hopkinson. I esp. recc. "Brown Girl in the Ring." Some scary original and just plain scary stuff.

No one will answer my call about early Diane Wynne Jones, dammit!! She is my biggest influence and influenced the likes of Gaiman and Rowlings.

 

Samuel R. Delany's Nevèrÿon books.

 

I'm sure some people have heard of it, but I might as well throw it out there. Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series is pretty great. Awesome setting, good pacing and one of most cool and original magic systems I've seen in fiction.

 

Millions and millions have heard. ALL his works, even Elantris, are bestsellers. There is a thread or two dedicated to him in the forums here. You should join those discussions and let us know what you thought in more detail.

 

What about Mercedes Lackey? Some of the actual characterization is risque, albeit I think it's endearingly geared towards principle. It could be though- that I'm mostly centralized and focused on characterization moreso than the bigger picture.

 

Yes, yes! I love Diana Wynne Jones!

 

Joe Abercrombie deserves much more popularity than he has, IMHO.

Dan Abnett, everything he's written is great. Hopefully his new book Embedded, a modern mil-scifi will earn him some more recognition outside of Warhammer fame.

Bernard Cornwell for his historical fiction. Many have heard of Sharpe and the TV series with Sean Bean. But his other historical works like Agincourt or Archer's Tale are brilliant must read historical fiction.

Simon Scarrow, who I've just discovered. I'm reading Under the Eagle which is great Roman historical fiction.

Guy Gavriel Kay, he has not written a bad or even ok book. Everything he's written is top notch and should be read by all fantasy readers. I think he is more of a literary fantasy writer and that turns some "hardcore" fantasy readers off but they should really check him out. I was fortunate to meet him on book tour in China for Under Heaven. He was super nice and even gave me some writing advice.

 

I forgot all about Diana Wynne Jones, it's a shame that she passed away. The Wizard Howl is one of my all time favorite characters for his cockiness. "Spin" by Robert Charles Wilson is a great book, it won the Hugo award, but it seems not many people have really read it. Also, I'm sure people have heard of this novel but because of the movie it gets misrepresented. "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson.