Need advice for my next sword pick

[D. H.]

Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was isn't available for the Kindle in Japan, so I need a fantasy book to read in February. After the author intro video, I was thinking I might read The Sword of Shannara. I also want to read The Name of the Wind, but I've been waiting because I'm sure it'll eventually be a Sword & Laser pick. Then again I have Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden in my to read list though I can't remember how that got there. So any advice? Which should I read first?

[[deleted user]]

NotW. I don't think it'll actually be an official pick.

[kvon]

IMO Sword of Shannara is interesting historically, as an early take off of LoTR, but Name of the Wind is more current. I don't know about Lyonesse.

[David Sven]

I'm listening to The Name of The Wind now on Audible. I read Sword of Shannara ages ago but NoW, especially the audio version, is just liquid chocolate poured over log cake.

[Kate]

Yeah, I agree with Ala, go with NotW, Tom and Veronica have already read it, I doubt it will be an official pick.

[[deleted user]]

+1 Name Of The Wind.

Also Brandon Sanderson is up next for an author guide you might want to check him out, I'd start with Mistborn Trilogy.

[Tamahome]

David Sven wrote: "I'm listening to The Name of The Wind now on Audible. I read Sword of Shannara ages ago but NoW, especially the audio version, is just liquid chocolate poured over log cake."

Wow.

[David Sven]

Tamahome wrote: "David Sven wrote: "I'm listening to The Name of The Wind now on Audible. I read Sword of Shannara ages ago but NoW, especially the audio version, is just liquid chocolate poured over log cake."

Wow."

Yeah, and the audio narration by Rupert Degas is some of the best I've heard - definitely the way to go if you are into audio books. I thought it would be hard to top Stephen Pacey in the Abercrombie books but this does it.

[Joshua]

Lucy wrote: "+1 Name Of The Wind.

Also Brandon Sanderson is up next for an author guide you might want to check him out, I'd start with Mistborn Trilogy."

You cannot go wrong with NaTW or any Sanderson book. They are all on my top list of books to give away to get friends interested the genre

[Ryne]

I really loved Sasha it's a little on the long side but I found the freshness of the world and the characters to be greatly satisfying when I finished it.

[ladymurmur]

I'll add my voice to the rec's for Name of the Wind. And I'd definitely read it on Kindle! Apparently the hardcover edition is rather a brick. (One reason I love ebooks!)

[Sky]

I too will recommend The Name of the Wind.

Also, speaking of not being able to get stuff on Amazon, I know that I've been able to change my Amazon account's country to pick up books that aren't available in the US. Have you tried that to alleviate your distribution woes?

[Rick]

Of those, definitely Name of the Wind. Shannara is quite good as well - not familiar with the other one.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

"The Name of the Wind" and "Sword of Shannara" are both excellent books. (Never heard of the 3rd book you mention)

Read both. The Name of the Wind is the slightly better of the two.
I doubt it will ever be an official S&L pick, for reasons already mentioned.

[D. H.]

Wow guys. Awesome. Thanks a lot. Name of the Wind it is. Thanks for all the advice!

[D. H.]

So The Name of the Wind was everything I was told it would be. Thanks for the advice. Read it. Loved it. Now I'm listening to it on Audible, and all I can do is quote David: it "is just liquid chocolate poured over log cake."

[Magda]

I would skip Sword of Shannara, I tried it and it sounded like LotR rip-off, but that's just my opinion (I still think Allanon looks like Legolas in Gandalf's clothes ;)
I would go for The name of the wind. I will one day ;) and if you'll read it you can tell me if you liked it :)

[Bob]

Codex Alera, Mistborn, Game of Thrones.

[Bob]

I agree with Magda Shannara just didn't do it for me. But I do want to go back to that one day, unlike Sword of Truth series.

[Candice]

Another one for the skipping of Shannara! I try and try with that series but I just can't get into it at all =/ It just feels tired and repetitive, and I know that that's probably because it's a bit older and therefore other authors have copied HIM, but you know how it is.
In saying that, it took me well past half way in the Thomas Covenant chronicles to get over my prejudice with the first part of the book, so maybe I should just keep trying.

[David Sven]

D. H. wrote: "So The Name of the Wind was everything I was told it would be. Thanks for the advice. Read it. Loved it. Now I'm listening to it on Audible, and all I can do is quote David: it "is just liquid choc..."

Ha Ha! Actually this and the next book are the only ones that have made me feel hungry when describing food.

[Alan]

Candice wrote: "Another one for the skipping of Shannara! I try and try with that series but I just can't get into it at all =/ It just feels tired and repetitive, and I know that that's probably because it's a bit older and therefore other authors have copied HIM, but you know how it is. "

Nope, I read that damn book back in the 80s and it was cliched and derivative back then.

[Bill]

Yeah, skip shannarah if you can. Just too repetitive and cliched. I read it recently and was not impressed. It's really hyped, IMO.