Fast-paced fantasy?

efreysson · Dec 3, 2007

A recurring problem I seem to have with fantasy stories, is how the slow pace of many of them tends to make me lose interest. I put down the first Wheel of Time after several pages of two characters walking through the village, and am not having much luck getting properly started on Sword of Shadows for similar reasons. I don't have ADD, and I appreciate good tension-building in most mediums, but something about doorstoppers that take long to get to the point repels me away from the pages.
One of the things my beta readers have commended me for is a fast, exciting pace that constantly keeps the reader engaged. Could someone recommend a good series or writer known for the same thing? I so dearly want to read a good fantasy, but I also want one that keeps my attention.

Oddsocks · Dec 3, 2007

From memory, James Barclay's Dawnthief (book one of the chronicles of the raven) was fairly fast paced. It's also fairly dark and gritty, which is why I stopped reading it halfway through and can't comment on the rest of the series, but that may or may not bother you.

Sassee · Dec 3, 2007

Fast paced? Hmm.

Try Urban Fantasy. That might be more to your liking. Plenty of fast paced action amongst several authors.

The first 5 or 6 books of the Anita Blake series (Laurell K Hamilton) are pretty fast paced (I wouldn't recommend reading past that as the series becomes an entirely different flavour). Jim Butcher is another big name. Kelley Armstrong. Our own Cathy Clamp (along with CT Adams), though some of hers are considered Romance I think. Kim Harrison. Carrie Vaughn. The list goes on and on and I'm not at home to look at my overflowing bookshelves

If you prefer high fantasy or the like I don't know what to tell you. Been too long since I've leaned in that direction. Similar to Jordan but not so rambling is Terry Goodkind. Be careful with that one though he's got a killer amount of pages in those books and you'll be glassy eyed before you know it.

Judg · Dec 3, 2007

You don't get much faster paced than Jim Butcher. Again, that's urban fantasy.

Doodlebug · Dec 3, 2007

efreysson said:
A recurring problem I seem to have with fantasy stories, is how the slow pace of many of them tends to make me lose interest.

I understand that! I have a teenie-weenie attention span and the doorstopppers tend to make me want to run and hide. I will say, however, that I've tackled some vast tomes - most recently Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell which I thought was a terrific read (if you're in for that kind of thing). I also like the Thomas Covenant books. Neil Gaiman is also good (American Gods remains one of my favorites).

What really slows me down in traditional fantasy are stumbling over names like Gwaechlyndianeatha or those complex family tree scenarios when the reader is expected to remember fifty different characters who each have their own sub plots. :e2hammer:

Komnena · Dec 4, 2007

Urban fantasy Nightlife by Rob Thurman

Shweta · Dec 4, 2007

I second Neil Gaiman.

Also, I strongly recommend these for fast-paced fantasy:

Steven Brust. Try Jhereg.
Naomi Novik. Try His Majesty's Dragon.
Patricia Wrede. Try Mareilon the Magician.
Diana Wynne Jones. Try The Dark Lord of Derkholm
Ellen Kushner. Try Swordspoint.
Jonathon Stroud. Try The Amulet of Samarkand.
Megan Whalen Turner. Try The Thief.
James Hetley. Try The Summer Country.
Emma Bull. Try War for the Oaks.
Tim Powers. Try The Anubis Gates.

Some of these are dark, some funny. Some are listed as YA, some as adult fiction. They're all good, all intelligent, and all at least fairly fast-paced.
Let me know which of them you like if you want further recommendations. That offer's open to anyone.

waylander · Dec 4, 2007

One name comes instantly to mind - David Gemmell
Particularly his earlier work. Try Waylander or Morningstar - my personal favourites.

MattW · Dec 4, 2007

waylander said:
One name comes instantly to mind - David Gemmell

Lock this thread now. It ends with Gemmell.

tjwriter · Dec 4, 2007

I like Jennifer Fallon's work. It has pace and a good story.

My WIP is shooting for the "not all in slow motion" effect. Some of them are drawn out, and for me, it just depends on the writing.

edgyllama · Dec 4, 2007

I second Steven Brust. His books leave me in envy of how good he is as a writer.

I don't have any patience anymore for slow paced high fantasy. I used to, but now unless I know the author will provide in the end (Gene Wolfe), I wont bother reading past page 50.

Shweta · Dec 4, 2007

Oh also.

Scott Lynch, The Lies of Locke Lamora -- might be fast-paced. I can't entirely tell. The plot moves sort of slowly but that's cause it's made up out of a whole lot of subplots, which all move fast and are entertaining.

Doodlebug · Dec 4, 2007

Currently I'm really enjoying Philip Pulman's The Golden Compass. I just love ya fiction!

Shweta · Dec 4, 2007

Oh ya, that moves pretty fast. In fact a lot of so-called YA fiction does.

The Firebird imprint of YA fiction is full of good reads that move. My recent favourite is Nick O'Donohoe's The Magic and the Healing.

yappo · Dec 9, 2007

Some works of Feist. Maybe not the best of his works, but fast paced. (You can mentally see the GM awarding XP to the central character after each killing spree)

Sten

PenDragon · Dec 10, 2007

Judg said:
You don't get much faster paced than Jim Butcher. Again, that's urban fantasy.

There's his Codex Alera books, that's trad fantasy, fast paced and so far (just started book one) very good. Another vote for the late great david Gemmell his work cracks along at a terrific pace.

badducky · Dec 10, 2007

Since we're talking fast-paced fantasy, couldn't you read all these books in, like, a week?

Piers Anthony's entire corpus of Xanth novels are some of my favorite plane reading, though they aren't, exactly "Plain" reading.

Sassee · Dec 10, 2007

Just got done reading Karen Moning's "Darkfever" last night.

Oh. Mah. Gawd.

Definitely fast-paced. Definitely entertaining. Definitely unique. Pick that one up if you're into urban fantasy.

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 10, 2007

Find some original short stories by Robert E. Howard. Del Rey just published several collections of all his Conan stories.

Inky · Dec 10, 2007

MattW said:
Lock this thread now. It ends with Gemmell.

Here, here!

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 10, 2007

inked09012 said:
Here, here!

Where where?

*has never read gemmel*

waylander · Dec 10, 2007

See my post #8
Get thee to Amazon

Death Wizard · Dec 10, 2007

Shadow_Ferret said:
Find some original short stories by Robert E. Howard. Del Rey just published several collections of all his Conan stories.

I second, third, and fourth this. Howard is the very definition of fast-paced.

Darkness Rising · Dec 10, 2007

Malazan Book of the Fallen has some of the fastest paced books I've ever read. 7/10 books are out. The first book begins with a slaughter! Erickson puts you right in the middle of his world. His magic system is also the most interesting (besides WoT) that I've seen. Plus the build-ups are really satisfying. The climaxes of most of these books are amazing! Just my opinon.

ProtoMatic · Dec 10, 2007

Just having skimmed through this thread, I might have missed it, but in case I didn't

R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt series are pretty fast pace. As fast as I've read anyway. Still, I'm not a fantasy kinda guy. The Warhammer fantasy novels are very fast paced, with lots of dark humor as well.

Fast-paced fantasy?

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