Potteresque and sort of LOTR

[Deb]

I'm always on the lookout for well written fantasy like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Not too interested in swords & sorcery. Character development is as important as quest/action. Can be YA or Adult. A series is always good...and I like an ensemble of characters, rather than just one big hero.

[Christine]

The following are two series that are heavily based on LOTR.

The Shannara series by Terry Brooks. (Disclaimer, some people love this series. I only liked the first novel).

The Mithgar series by Dennis L McKiernan. It's a series that started as a LOTR rip off, almost, and morphed into something more.

[Kathrina]

My 11-year-old and I both loved Dormia and its sequel World's End. It's a quest novel with likeable male and female characters and good writing and pacing. I hear a third one is due soon.

[Kate]

I just read The Order of Odd-Fish not too long ago and throughly enjoyed it. It certainly has an interesting ensemble of characters and each character has very peculiar personality traits. It's well paced and while long at 400 + pages, once you get involved it's hard to put down. This one is considered a teen novel but was so well done, I want to tell everyone about it.

[Deb]

Thanks Kathrina and Kate! I've added both suggestions to my to be read :)

[Mariel]

Mystic and Rider I love this author and I liked this first book in the series a lot (haven't finished them yet, though). It's a bit like a high fantasy X-men.

The Last Unicorn

Cast in Shadow

[Kathrina]

Kate, your recommendation looks like a lot of fun. I'm going to look for it. Thanks!

[Joshua]

I HIGHLY recommend The Bartimaeus Trilogy, starting with The Amulet of Samarkand. So good, I even read them all to my 30-something room-mate as bedtime stories.

[karen, future RA queen]

did any of these end up working for you?

[Micha]

Mariel wrote: "Mystic and Rider I love this author and I liked this first book in the series a lot (haven't finished them yet, though). It's a bit like a high fantasy X-men.

The Last Unicorn

Cast in Shadow"

I would like to second The Last Unicorn as it is the closest I have ever found to anything so grand as LOTR and I highly recommend it.

I would also like to take this moment to mention The Innkeeper's Song and Sleight of Hand, which I will also recommend, but more for enjoyment of the world itself than for a deeper meaning.

Please do read The Last Unicorn though - you won't be the least bit sorry you did if you're a Tolkien fan. ^_^

[Betsy]

Several suggestions:

The Morgaine Saga, by C. J. Cherryh. Don't know if it's still available. It came out 20-30 years ago. It is a quest, but unusual with interesting characters.

The Belgariad, by David Eddings. Again, a quest (what fantasy isn't?) but not standard. It's a little sword and sorcery but full of interesting characters.

Any of the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey. Some fighting and limited magic, but not your standard sword and sorcery. Definitely about character. I think the best to start with is Arrows of the Queen.

I notice you've read and liked the first book of the Riddlemaster trilogy by Patricia McKillip. Have you not read the other two? They're just as good.

The Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara West. This is a fantasy series set in an unusual complex universe, with a reluctant heroine possessed of an unusual form of magic that she can't control and no one can explain. It's a long series -- eight so far -- and the basic questions are not resolved yet, but I'm enjoying it.

[peg]

Madeline L'Engle has written several books. "A Wrinkle in Time" and "The Wind in the Door" are two I can think of off the top of my head. Her books are stories that can be appreciated on several levels.

[Micha]

peg - we must have either very similar taste or you are stealing from my shelves! ^_^