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I think you would like the Red Queen series which has great world building and character development.

I am upvoting all of those.
Besides that, A Song of Ice and Fire is worth reading even if not finished. From Brandon Sanderson also Elantris and Warbreaker. And The Witcher.

Marie Chalupová wrote: ↑02 Oct 2022, 13:03

Yes, but will he ever actually finish A Song of Fire and Ice? He’s finished quite a few other books he hadn’t even started when he began the series or finished the most recent one then left everyone (including HBO who deferred shooting for an extra year on his word he was “almost done”) just hanging. I’m betting he’s trying to make sure he has the money to pay back any advance he received for the last book because he doesn’t know where he wants to take it.
I would think the terrible HBO ending probably didn’t help. It had *some* decent content that could be used (obviously a lot couldn’t because the books had already gone in a different direction, it was just plain bad, or the other plot lines going on in the books that were never included in the show needed a place to go and the characters for them had been cast in other plots). But for the overall scheme of where to take the main characters of each plot line, there are quite a few possibilities for many of them and the overall plot for how to stop the White Walkers has a LOT of options. HBO contributing some things even more twisted than he usually writes probably did him in with the daze people go into when faced with too many options (like when shopping too many options for the same thing can actually cause you not to buy anything rather than be trying to choose) for how to finish it all.

So no, after over 10 years and his refusal to answer any questions about it without beating around the bush, I don’t believe that series will be finished by him anymore. Sometimes the publisher will bring in another writer with a similar style to finish a series when the original author dies with a large enough fan base though. That’s what happened with the Wheel of Time.

shilpa khanom wrote: ↑06 Jul 2022, 11:19 Hey, so I'm very much into my whimsical adventure/ immersive fantasy era and while booktok and booktube are lovely I seem to always see YA fantasy like Throne of Glass/ Court of Thorn and Roses etc being recommended. But having read books such as the Gentlemen Bastards series/ the name of the wind and the poppy war I feel like I'm looking for something that has incredible world building but doesn't lose humour and heart in its characters and their relationships. So my question is what are your high fantasy recs?

I'm wondering, have you read A wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin? It has what you seek and more. Earthsea is the first in her series and does some things exceptionally well. The world building and immersion are excellent, while character development and relationships are executed in a realistic fashion.

Give it a try if you haven't, I believe you may be pleasantly surprised.

I've heard that The witcher series is really good! If its anything like the show, I think this would be an amazing high fantasy read.

the folk of the air series by holly black is truly exquisite. it’s an enemies to lovers with a fabulously enticing plot!

There are so many good series-
Throne of glass
The cruel prince
Shadow and bone
Six of crows
Caraval
The lunar chronicles
The red queen
Shatter me
Divergent

The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erickson is one of my all time favourite fantasy series. The first book is called Gardens of the Moon. It's a long series but so worth the read.

Honestly, I'm currently reading (and loving) the Songs of Chaos series! Without giving too much away, it revolves around a young commoner who, against all odds, becomes a dragon rider in a society in which only the nobility have ever been. It involves betrayal, controversy, political intrigue, and high fantasy all at once. It reminds me a little of the Inheritance Cycle (another recommendation!!) but is still unique. I'm in the middle of Book #2, Unbound.

You can try an Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb

I have found that while looking for the books in this genre, I look for the story development as the main focus and hence I have discovered that I mainly pickup series books. Series that I recommend having finished till now with author names are:
Zodiac Academy Series - Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Arcana Chronicles Series - Kresley Cole
Vortex Chronicles Series - Elise Kova
Wish Quartet Series - Elise Kova etc.

Do explore and reply your own recommendations and views on the series.

shilpa khanom wrote: ↑06 Jul 2022, 11:19 Hey, so I'm very much into my whimsical adventure/ immersive fantasy era and while booktok and booktube are lovely I seem to always see YA fantasy like Throne of Glass/ Court of Thorn and Roses etc being recommended. But having read books such as the Gentlemen Bastards series/ the name of the wind and the poppy war I feel like I'm looking for something that has incredible world building but doesn't lose humour and heart in its characters and their relationships. So my question is what are your high fantasy recs?

We seem to have similar tastes. Since The Witcher, A Wizard of Earthsea, A Song of Ice and Fire, Malazan Book of the Fallen and The Sword of Shannara have already been mentioned here, I'll take the liberty of naming a few more good books. They all have great world building and interesting characters.
1. Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series and The Last King of Osten Ard by the same author.
Many people praise ASOIAF, but few know that George Martin borrowed some ideas from Ted Williams. So if you like ASOIAF, you will like these books too.
2 The Darwath trilogy, the Sunwolf and Starhawk series, the Windrose Chronicles and the Winterlands series by Barbara Hambly.
By the way, this author also has an amazing style. Her books are like beautiful music and you want to read them again and again, even if you know the plots by heart.
3. The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone books by Gregory Kees. This is very high quality epic fantasy. The author has a degree in anthropology, so he creates imaginary worlds with great expertise. You will definitely enjoy it!
4. The Crown of Stars series by Kate Elliott. This is definitely not YA! The author has borrowed a lot of details from the medieval past of Europe, Mesoamerica and Central Asia and taken a very creative approach. I think this is some of the coolest world-building in modern fantasy.
There are a few other good books out there, but I've already listed quite a few examples.

Chris Konstantine wrote: ↑20 Feb 2024, 03:22 I'm wondering, have you read A wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin? It has what you seek and more. Earthsea is the first in her series and does some things exceptionally well. The world building and immersion are excellent, while character development and relationships are executed in a realistic fashion.
Give it a try if you haven't, I believe you may be pleasantly surprised.

You forgot to mention that these books are very poetic and philosophical. In any case, I fully agree with your recommendation.

Gina Rupert wrote: ↑18 Jun 2024, 19:18 The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erickson is one of my all time favourite fantasy series. The first book is called Gardens of the Moon. It's a long series but so worth the read.

I really like those great books too, and Anomander Rake is still one of my favorite characters.

Ambar Gill wrote: ↑01 Mar 2024, 14:14 I've heard that The witcher series is really good! If its anything like the show, I think this would be an amazing high fantasy read.

They're just wonderful books. The problem is that I read them in Polish, long before the show was made. So I don't know if the translator has managed to capture the author's specific humour and exquisite writing style. I think it's very difficult to translate such books.
But the plot can't be spoiled even by the worst translator in the world, so I recommend you read them anyway.