2015 Series Project

[Janet]

The last couple years I have picked a series to read throughout the year. In 2013 I read the Malazan series, and in 2014 I read the Miles Vorkosigan series. However I'm at a loss for what to read in 2015, so I'm turning to S&L for help.

Here's a general list of what I'm looking for:
1. Long enough that it is a project, but not the only thing I read the year. So let's say at least 6 books, but not more than 10,000 total pages.
2. I'd read either sci fi or fantasy, but would lean fantasy since I did sf this year.
3. Series needs to be finished or almost finished (final book due in 2016 is fine). If it's ongoing but the books are self contained I could make an exception.
4. Feel free to venture off the beaten path, I've read a lot of the most common things that come to mind.

This is a big commitment so help me choose wisely!

[[deleted user]]

I'm going to be annoying, I always suggest this. I think in total page count it's less than 10,000 though it's split amongst many smaller books.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld. O=)

I was also going to recommend the Abhorsen series but I see you have that covered! : D

[John (Taloni)]

Oddly, Piers Anthony has something worth reading. It's the Incarnations of Immortality. The series is long since finished. You can try "On A Pale Horse" as an intro, then see if you like it. "For Love Of Evil" is great, some of the others get a little pedantic. There's also a followup published recently. These fall in the Fantasy side.

[Trike]

I'd recommend the Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz. It's nice and long, each section can be read as a stand-alone (and some individual books can be, as well), and everything George R.R. Martin is doing in ASoIaF Kurtz did 40 years ago.

here's the list of novels: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deryni_n...

I read the first two trilogies in the story's internal chronological order accidentally, so I don't think it's a big deal which order you read them in, really, but definitely read the first two trilogies before moving on.

The trilogies are shorter than most of Brandon Sanderson's individual books, for comparison.

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

My pick if you haven't read them is David & Leigh Edding's connected Fantasy series'. The Belgariad & The Mallorean.

There are 5 books in each series and also 2 stand alone prequels. ( (12 books in total)

It is an epic fantasy story. Good versus evil. A prophecy, wizards, all the stuff we love about sword and sorcery. A well told story.

There will be no more in the series' and the story was completed before they both passed away.

[kvon]

How about Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion series--the first three in the The Deed of Paksenarrion, and the more recent five book sequel series, starting with Oath of Fealty.

[Dara]

Daniel Abraham's Dagger and Coin series is supposedly pretty good. I read the first book, The Dragon's Path. There are 4 books out already and the last one comes out in August 2015. It definitely has a ASOIAF feel but it's not as doom and gloom/brutal/crushingly depressing (at least The Dragon's Path wasn't).

[Phil]

I would second the Belgariad series by Eddings.
If you don't mind being depressed then the first two Thomas Covenant trilogies by Stephen Donaldson are really well written.
The Elric series by Michael Moorcock is also good.

[Daran]

Alastair Reynolds's Revelation Space series it's a good sci fi series. There are four books in the series, and a few tangential ones. Much like the Malazan series, it jumps around a little. It's a series that will make you think. And at over 500 pages per book, it's a good project.

[Malaraa]

Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber is a nice classic choice with several very short volumes.

I really enjoyed Martha Wells Ile-Rien series, and it's definitely lesser known. There's 2 early books in the world, and then a trilogy set later that I thought went fine without reading those earlier books first. The first 2 have different main characters, and just got re-published in e-book form, but these could all be hard to find in paper.

The Firekeeper series by Jane Lindskold is light, fun and complete at 6 books.

I'll also second Paksenarrion and Dagger and Coin.

[Janet]

Dara wrote: "Daniel Abraham's Dagger and Coin series is supposedly pretty good. I read the first book, The Dragon's Path. There are 4 books out already and the last one comes out in August 2015. It definitely h..."

I've read the first two in the Dagger and Coin series. Really liked the first one, thought it was really interesting and different...then the second book I just didn't connect with at all, I didn't like the characters that were expanded or the plot. Haven't read the next few after.

[John]

Gene Wolfe's New Sun series would be perfect for this! I've been meaning to finish the series for years, but only ever got about 30% in.

It's technically sci-fi, but using fantasy trappings so it's a great mix of the two.

Shadow & Claw - the first 2 books
Sword and Citadel - the next 2 books
The Urth of the New Sun - the final book

After that there are the Long Sun series and the Short Sun series, which are separate but related stories, they are set in the same universe hundreds of years later.

[Michele]

How about Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series? There are 9 books in 3 trilogies so you could stop after 3 or 6 or read them all. 1st book is Kushiel's Dart.

Or Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey, starting with Arrows of the Queen. It's a huge series but it's also set up in trilogies or duos so you can stop whenever.

Last I'll recommend Michelle West's Sun Sword series - 6 books in the main series starting with The Broken Crown.

[[deleted user]]

Michele wrote: "How about Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series? There are 9 books in 3 trilogies so you could stop after 3 or 6 or read them all. 1st book is Kushiel's Dart.

Or Valdemar b..."
I second the Kushiel series! Though note that there is sexual content and BDSM content. Though the sexual content is, in my opinion, less explicit and shorter than anything you'd find in a Song of Ice and Fire. First and foremost it is a fantasy epic.

[AndrewP]

How about Tad Williams? Either the 'Memory Sorrow and Thorn' trilogy or the 'Shadowmarch' tetralogy.

[terpkristin]

AndrewP wrote: "How about Tad Williams? Either the 'Memory Sorrow and Thorn' trilogy or the 'Shadowmarch' tetralogy."

Or the Otherland tetralogy. I'm into the 2nd book and really enjoying it.