Recommend a Fantasy series that is beautifully written

[Miriel]

So I posted this in the reading thread...

I wonder if I'll be able to find a high fantasy book that I actually like, or if the genre itself bothers me. For some reason, I find that a lot of people who write high fantasy write in a really similar style. A style I kind of hate.

A lot of the fantasy books I've read in recent years, I haven't been all that impressed with. I find that a lot of times, the actual writing style is very rarely beautiful or lyrical. There's usually tons of descriptions, horrible dialogue, and the writing style itself is weak compared to convoluted magic systems and world building.

Here's an excerpt from Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Final Empire, which is a great example of the kind of writing I hate.

Is this a burden that any man should bear? Is this a temptation any man could resist? I feel strong now, but what will happen when I touch that power? I will save the world, certainly - but will I try and take it as well? Such are my fears as I scribble with an ice-crusted pen on the eeve before the world is reborn. Rashek watches. Hating me. The Cavern lies above. Pulsing. My fingers quiver. Not from the cold. Tomorrow it will end.

Ugh! Terrible! It reads like fanfiction. :/

Can anyone recommend a good fantasy series that ISN'T written like a cliche? Favorite fantasy book that has beautiful words? I've found the Discworld series to be delightfully written, but for some reason, it's not maintaining my interest enough.

I thought Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy was lovely. Would like more stuff like that. And I've had a lot of luck with more modern fantasy stuff (Daughter of Smoke and Bone in particular was wonderfully written with a super inventive and haunting mythology). But I really have been itching for more of an old school fantasy.

[Raistlin]

Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind.

And for something a bit more mature and different, I enjoyed Joe Abercrombie's First Law series.

[Jinx]

There's a book "series" that I absolutely love. I put series in parenthesis, because it's only two books, but it's split into two books within each book, so it's more like four books. I don't know if you'd classify it was fantasy--I would. I guess the best way to describe it is fairytales for adults. They weave in and out of each other, and are brilliant.

The first book is call The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne M. Valente.

[Edge7]

I all honesty, I haven't read for fun in a while, let alone fantasy. But, I just got into this book calledThe Lies of Locke Lamora (yes, I realize who he shares his name with, apparently the Author was a fan of FFVI back in the day). Admittedly, I'm only about 100 pages in, and it's not really "High Fantasy", but for what it's worth, the writing's not that bad, and it got me back into reading, so I have that to thank it for.

[Hollycat]

The Pendragon series by dj machale. Beautiful and artistic series that is.

[Quindiana Jones]

The Dresden Files has magic and stuff galore, though I'm not sure it's what you're after. Fantasy is an ambiguous term.

[Shorty]

The Earthsea Trilogy is indeed lovely.

It's been a long, looong time since I've read it, but I remember being fond of The Illearth War, which is apparently part of this series. Might be something to try! It's been so long since I read it that I honestly can't compare it to Le Guin's stories. Should probably read it again.

[Raistlin]

Oh and for older, classic fantasy, Weis and Hickman's Death Gate Cycle was one of my favorite fantasy series back when I read a troutton of the genre (admittedly many years ago). Great writing, great characters, and a powerful, if a bit corny, story. You might not appreciate a couple of the references one particular minor character makes if you don't know anything about DragonLance (the authors' biggest work), but DGC is an entirely separate, and substantially better, series in it's own universe.

[I Took the Red Pill]

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I'd be hardpressed to call it any one of fantasy or sci-fi, but I thought it was wonderfully written.

[Unbreakable Will]

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
The Book of the Malazan by Steven Erikson
The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

[Miriel]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone! I will read these and report back!

I think I'll start with Orphan Tales #1.

[Del Murder]

Lord of the Rings

[Citizen Bleys]

The Earthsea Trilogy is indeed lovely.

It's been a long, looong time since I've read it, but I remember being fond of The Illearth War, which is apparently part of this series.

*hi5*

[Miriel]

Lord of the Rings

There are books too? Oh man, I loved the movies! I'll give this a try. THANKS!

[I Don't Need A Name]

A Song of Ice and Fire - George. R. R. Martin