At Alex's suggestion, I started reading Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. When I started, I thought that it was only a trilogy with a side book. However, despite each book being over 1,200 pages, I have a feeling that this series might be on route to follow Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series in length (of which Brandon Sanderson wrote the final three books). The most recent book came out last year, so it looks like I have another fantasy series sitting in uncreated limbo (Martin's, Rothfuss's, and now Sanderson's).
This series is not quite as good as Rothfuss's, but it's still a great read. The characters are interesting and worth rooting for. They also don't often fall into the habit of doing stupid things just for the sake of plot complication (although it still happens occasionally). What amazes me is how Sanderson interconnects every facet of the story in interesting and often unexpected ways. Every few chapters brings a revelation that makes me want to reread the series from the beginning just to see how well the various threads interweave.
The world is truly alien in its design, with surprising fantastical elements that create their own ecosystem in a world continually ravaged and replenished by a massive "highstorm" (think continual hurricane that sweeps around the world on a fairly regular basis). This highstorm charges gems which can be used for gifted or trained people to bring about magical effects. Add in a complex pantheon and world history as well as subdimensions and competing secret organizations and this series hits every note that I would want from a fantasy series.
The most recent book (which I read) is still just in hardcover, so I have a while before the next one comes out. I eagerly look forward to reading it, and am at least consoled in that Sanderson seems to be a more consistent writer than Martin or Rothfuss. In the meantime, I picked up his Mistwalker series and started on those. At least that series is currently self-contained.
This series is not quite as good as Rothfuss's, but it's still a great read. The characters are interesting and worth rooting for. They also don't often fall into the habit of doing stupid things just for the sake of plot complication (although it still happens occasionally). What amazes me is how Sanderson interconnects every facet of the story in interesting and often unexpected ways. Every few chapters brings a revelation that makes me want to reread the series from the beginning just to see how well the various threads interweave.
The world is truly alien in its design, with surprising fantastical elements that create their own ecosystem in a world continually ravaged and replenished by a massive "highstorm" (think continual hurricane that sweeps around the world on a fairly regular basis). This highstorm charges gems which can be used for gifted or trained people to bring about magical effects. Add in a complex pantheon and world history as well as subdimensions and competing secret organizations and this series hits every note that I would want from a fantasy series.
The most recent book (which I read) is still just in hardcover, so I have a while before the next one comes out. I eagerly look forward to reading it, and am at least consoled in that Sanderson seems to be a more consistent writer than Martin or Rothfuss. In the meantime, I picked up his Mistwalker series and started on those. At least that series is currently self-contained.
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