# Starting to read Fantasy - any tips?



## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Okay, I've finally decided that my next book purchase will be Fantasy-wise. However, I don't know where to start.

I'm thinking of picking up the new Island of Blood intro novel, but apart from that, I have a few choices:

Option One: Time of Legends 

Option Two: Gotrek and Felix Omnibuses

Option Three: Maleus Darkblade Omnibuses

Option Four: The Two Grey Seer Novels

Option Five: Brunner the Bounty Hunter Omnibus

Option Six: Other, Please State. 

So these are my Five Options to start Fantasy with, and yeah, I need your help deciding what the best ones would be. I'll make a poll but I would like you to reply to this thread explaining. Thanks.

~BoK.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Ah welcome to the Old World then. I would recommend you get _Grey Seer_ and _Temple of the Serpent_, those two novels are excellent. You can't help but laugh at Thanquol's antics and the culture of the Skaven is fascinating, and often hilarious.


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## CursedUNTILLDEATH (Apr 25, 2010)

I say Anthoney Reyonlds _The knights of bretonia_ series and Graham Mcneils _The legend of sigmar_ trilogy. All are great books and give you a look into the sides of both human factions.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

I don't read much fantasy but you can't go far wrong with the _Time of Legends_ series. Sigmar and the Sundering trilogies especially are great.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> I don't read much fantasy but you can't go far wrong with the _Time of Legends_ series. Sigmar and the Sundering trilogies especially are great.


You should read more of it CotE, many times its better then 40k. Its very refreshing to see so many stories written from the POV of non-humans, be they Skaven, Elves both High and Dark, or even the Vampire Counts. But with 40k its very humanocentric, only one true alien POV story exists, and while very very good, more are needed.

Of course there are times when 40k is better then fantasy, such as the humans themselves. Space Marines, Inquisition, or Imperial Guard are much better then The Empire or Bretonnia. But sometimes the humans in fantasy can be very engaging like Brunner the Bounty Hunter or Mathias Thulmann the Witch Hunter.


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## Whizzwang (Dec 31, 2008)

All the legends books are fantastic. I normally can't stand Gav Thorpe's work, but the sundering books are brilliant.

Grey Seer is OK, Temple of the Serpent is a masterpiece, Werner has found what he wants to do with Thanquol in the second book and it's amazing. 

Gotrek and Felix books are meh to be honest. SkavenSlayer is worth a read before Grey Seer as you get more info on Thanquol's fear/hatred of the pair.

Given how cool Temple of the Serpents is, i'd imagine Brunner is also a brilliant read, it's in my pile at the moment and I'll be on it when I finich the Ludwig Schwarzehelm book I just started. Heard good things about Ludwig's book so giving it a whirl.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Whizzwang said:


> All the legends books are fantastic. I normally can't stand Gav Thorpe's work, but the sundering books are brilliant.
> 
> Grey Seer is OK, Temple of the Serpent is a masterpiece, Werner has found what he wants to do with Thanquol in the second book and it's amazing.
> 
> ...


The only Gotrek and Felix novels I care at all about reading are _Skavenslayer_, _Beastslayer_ and _Elfslayer_. Why?, because Grey Seer Thanquol is in all of them.

_Temple of the Serpent_ is the best of the two novels. The human plot in _Grey Seer_, while important, isn't as interesting as the Skaven plot. But _Temple of the Serpent's_ human plot was excellent, very engaging and a perfect partner to the Skaven plot which is a masterpiece.

Brunner is a great read Whizzwang, if you want I have a review for it here.

http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/showthread.php?t=69959

I also have a new review for another of Werner's work, _Mathias Thulmann: Witch Hunter_, which is quite excellent.

http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71347


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## Shadow Walker (Jun 10, 2010)

I have a question about Thanquol novels. dou you need to read them in order or can I start with Temple of the Serpent? I ask because I am more interested in story with Lizardmen.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Well _Temple of the Serpent_ references _Grey Seer_ a bit, so I would recommend reading them in order.


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Here's a question, do you have to read all of the G&F series in order?


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Somewhat. Apparantely there is a very big event about half-way between the novels, I think its half-way, that you MUST know about when reading the rest.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Also if you want to get the full import of events with the G&F spin-off series' (_Ulrika the Vampire_ and _Thanquol the Skaven_) then it would be a good idea to read most of the books.

I cannot recommend The Heldenhammer books, part of the Time of Legends series, enough- they're Gemmell quality stuff, Sigmar will never be Druss but by god he's an engaging character with proper depth.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Well with Ulrika and Thanquol it helps to have read the G&F (not G&K Baron) series but you don't have to have read them, you just need a basic understanding of what went down in them.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Brunner for me. They read like Dirty Harry in the Old World. Properly grim as well.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

Im gonna say Malus darkblade.

Brilliant story and is easily re-readable too!


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Its a tough call for me between Thanquol and Malus as my favourites, but Thanquol wins out for a few reasons. One he's Skaven, two he's much funnier then Malus, and third he's a Skaven Grey Seer.


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