I like *this* so recommend me.....
- Thread starter Jon Snow
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Actually, that's a pretty good assessment of the books, although, for some reason, I get the feeling I liked it a lot more than you did. 
Zelazny was pretty big on duality - not good vs. evil but more of order vs. chaos, energy vs. entropy, and that sort of thing, and he usually chose individual characters to express (or, more accurately, champion) his ideas. Hence, his dispassionate description of the army scenes, as opposed to his vivid descriptions of duels and one on one scenes.
He was also heavily into mythology, which he incorporated into several of his books - Hindu mythology (Lord of Light), Egyptian mythology (Creatures of Light and Darkness) and Scandinavian mythology (The Mask of Loki). Out of those, I consider Lord of Light his best work, and one of the best standalone fantasy books I ever read - although it just might have something to do with my personal preferences, such as grey characters, mythology background, and clever schemes - oh yeah, and some kick-ass duels. I did mention the duels, didn't I?
Zelazny was pretty big on duality - not good vs. evil but more of order vs. chaos, energy vs. entropy, and that sort of thing, and he usually chose individual characters to express (or, more accurately, champion) his ideas. Hence, his dispassionate description of the army scenes, as opposed to his vivid descriptions of duels and one on one scenes.
He was also heavily into mythology, which he incorporated into several of his books - Hindu mythology (Lord of Light), Egyptian mythology (Creatures of Light and Darkness) and Scandinavian mythology (The Mask of Loki). Out of those, I consider Lord of Light his best work, and one of the best standalone fantasy books I ever read - although it just might have something to do with my personal preferences, such as grey characters, mythology background, and clever schemes - oh yeah, and some kick-ass duels. I did mention the duels, didn't I?
Actually, that's a pretty good assessment of the books, although, for some reason, I get the feeling I liked it a lot more than you did.
Zelazny was pretty big on duality - not good vs. evil but more of order vs. chaos, energy vs. entropy, and that sort of thing, and he usually chose individual characters to express (or, more accurately, champion) his ideas. Hence, his dispassionate description of the army scenes, as opposed to his vivid descriptions of duels and one on one scenes.
He was also heavily into mythology, which he incorporated into several of his books - Hindu mythology (Lord of Light), Egyptian mythology (Creatures of Light and Darkness) and Scandinavian mythology (The Mask of Loki). Out of those, I consider Lord of Light his best work, and one of the best standalone fantasy books I ever read - although it just might have something to do with my personal preferences, such as grey characters, mythology background, and clever schemes - oh yeah, and some kick-ass duels. I did mention the duels, didn't I?
Zelazny was pretty big on duality - not good vs. evil but more of order vs. chaos, energy vs. entropy, and that sort of thing, and he usually chose individual characters to express (or, more accurately, champion) his ideas. Hence, his dispassionate description of the army scenes, as opposed to his vivid descriptions of duels and one on one scenes.
He was also heavily into mythology, which he incorporated into several of his books - Hindu mythology (Lord of Light), Egyptian mythology (Creatures of Light and Darkness) and Scandinavian mythology (The Mask of Loki). Out of those, I consider Lord of Light his best work, and one of the best standalone fantasy books I ever read - although it just might have something to do with my personal preferences, such as grey characters, mythology background, and clever schemes - oh yeah, and some kick-ass duels. I did mention the duels, didn't I?
Perhaps I missed the point or it was all just over my head. Wouldn't be the first time. I read it and it was lengthy, I didn't like or care about any of the characters and nothing interested me and I therefore found it dull. Maybe if I read it years ago when there wasn't much else out there I would have viewed it differently.
Recommend me a very good, very high action, standalone, fantasy novel...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Recommend me a very good, very high action, standalone, fantasy novel...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Swans War is coming up on my TBR list in a couple of months. I bought the entire series during the "all for $3.00 sale. I've asked about it before and heard good things here but is it REALLY that much lacking in action? But it's a worthwhile read and not exactly boring, right? I will be reading some Dresden books and other stuff in between each book.
Oddly enough, that one was at the top of my list of choices already, your rec bumps it up a notch, but I'm still open to other possibilities...
Swans' War is his most action-packed work, followed by Initiate Brother, then the Farr books (Moontide and Magic Rise and The River Into Darkness). You liked Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, Thorn? If so, you'll probably like Swans' War as well, as Russell puts up large walls of very vivid description just like Williams did in the first novel there, only less massive, and Russell has better pacing, like in the second MST novel. Russell does lots of dialog too - massive walls of it in fact, but it all feels rather natural. There is action, chase scenes and such, but not much actual combat at all. And no, I certainly wouldn't call it boring and would definitely say it's worth the read. I'd rank Russell's works thus:
Swans' War/Moontide and Magic Rise
The Initiate Brother
The River Into Darkness (though I'm not done with this one yet)
Swans' War is his most action-packed work, followed by Initiate Brother, then the Farr books (Moontide and Magic Rise and The River Into Darkness). You liked Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, Thorn? If so, you'll probably like Swans' War as well, as Russell puts up large walls of very vivid description just like Williams did in the first novel there, only less massive, and Russell has better pacing, like in the second MST novel. Russell does lots of dialog too - massive walls of it in fact, but it all feels rather natural. There is action, chase scenes and such, but not much actual combat at all. And no, I certainly wouldn't call it boring and would definitely say it's worth the read. I'd rank Russell's works thus:
Swans' War/Moontide and Magic Rise
The Initiate Brother
The River Into Darkness (though I'm not done with this one yet)
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Recommend me a very good, very high action, standalone, fantasy novel...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Recommend me a very good, very high action, standalone, fantasy novel...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Yes, those are the only restrictions.
After I polish off Russell's catalog, I think I'll need a dose of adrenaline to get the heart pumping again...
Heroes by Joe Abrecrombie - it will be better if you read his previous books before, but not absolutely necessary.
Most of David Gemmel's books - my favorite is Knights of Dark Renown. You could also try Legend.
Both are easy to read (I read all of Codex Alera in a week and I can finish a Dresden Files book in a day). Both take a lot of tropes and run with them (I mean that in a good way). The descriptions of women are not the same in Codex Alera (as I recall, anyway). I did find the final confrontations in Codex Alera to be a bit repetitive by the end of the series. But again, might not be so noticeable if you don't read all six books in a week. Pretty sure Codex Alera is 3rd person instead of first person (it's been awhile but I remember scenes from multiple characters' points of view) so that is probably going to change things, as well.
So, kind of the same but also kind of not the same.
So, kind of the same but also kind of not the same.
Well, my short list was:
Talion: Revenant by Michael Stackpole
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Based on the feedback (thanks everybody), I'll drop Elantris, and add one, so now I have:
Talion: Revenant by Michael Stackpole +1
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Knights of Dark Renown by David Gemmel
Further thoughts? I'll be dropping by the library tomorrow to make the request as the local branch doesn't have any of these on-hand.
Talion: Revenant by Michael Stackpole
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Based on the feedback (thanks everybody), I'll drop Elantris, and add one, so now I have:
Talion: Revenant by Michael Stackpole +1
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Knights of Dark Renown by David Gemmel
Further thoughts? I'll be dropping by the library tomorrow to make the request as the local branch doesn't have any of these on-hand.
While it is not strictly a stand alone, it certainly can be read as one, and I recommend it highly, especially considering what you are klooking for.
Heroes Die by Matthew Stover
Almost non-stop action with a good story. Ive read the others on your shortlist, and I would recommend this over any of the others actionwise.
Heroes Die by Matthew Stover
Almost non-stop action with a good story. Ive read the others on your shortlist, and I would recommend this over any of the others actionwise.
As for "what I was looking for" that was simply something completely out of my comfort zone, as I really needed a change of pace, and "action-packed fantasy" worked for that. Sanderson seems to generally fit that bill in most descriptions of his works, so his two standalones were on my short list. I went with that request, as I stated it, simply because I had nothing better to describe my wants/needs at that moment...
FWIW, I went with Talion, and I'm regretting it -
- should have listened to Laurentius... lol 
FWIW, I went with Talion, and I'm regretting it -
- should have listened to Laurentius... lol 
I would also be interested in more recommendations for standalone, high-octane fantasy reads. So, if anyone can recommend more, I'd appreciate it. I've noted down Stackpole's "Talion: Revenant" and "Warbreaker" doesn't really interest me.
I second @Laurentius's recommendation for "Heroes Die". It turned out to be unexpectedly good with tons of action...definitely a great surprise as I wasn't expecting much. Most Gemmell books are action packed, and a majority of them are standalone - just about every novel in the Drenai series is, starting with "Legend". "Knights of Dark Renown" is a great choice, as is "Morningstar".
I know you specifically mentioned fantasy, but I also recommend Richard K. Morgan's "Altered Carbon", a science fiction, hardboiled, noir book with plenty of action and violence.
I second @Laurentius's recommendation for "Heroes Die". It turned out to be unexpectedly good with tons of action...definitely a great surprise as I wasn't expecting much. Most Gemmell books are action packed, and a majority of them are standalone - just about every novel in the Drenai series is, starting with "Legend". "Knights of Dark Renown" is a great choice, as is "Morningstar".
I know you specifically mentioned fantasy, but I also recommend Richard K. Morgan's "Altered Carbon", a science fiction, hardboiled, noir book with plenty of action and violence.