Seems a simple question. :-p

Can you recommend any authors similar to Robin Hobb?

I love the writing style, the convolutions, intricacy and story arcs. The descriptions are breath-taking. And, of course, I adore the fantasy genre subject matter. *grins*

The books have almost everything in them - dragons, pirates, magic, other-worldly politics, corruption, assassins, olde-worlde settings, the mundane rendered into the fantastic.... and so much more than I can be bothered to laboriously type here. lol

So..... I'm dying to find more authors of this calibre and Fantasy subject matter. I'd seriously love to find more entirely new worlds to delve into that have the same level of creativity to them. Any suggestions are welcome.

Ohh... except one....
Please do *not* suggest Megan Lindholm. Why? Because she is not a similar author. Two reasons: she is a different person when writing under her different names (obviously vastly different facets to her personas) and, the (what should be) obvious reason, I know that she's the same person writing under a different name.

I've asked this question in the past and I get told to read Lindholm's books. Some are taking the mick. But she is both the same author whilst at the same time not at all similar between names.

I hope I've asked this question in a way that will get a real answer for the first time.

I do read a lot, but randomly, and haven't come across anything quite like Hobb's work yet. And looking at online book stores and "what customers also read" doesn't help me. And I like hearing from real people and hearing their views too.

Thanks in advance. Crossing my fingers.

~B

Juliet Marillier has a lot of the fantasy of Hobb, but her stories are set in an alternate Ireland (ish area) and have Fair Folk rather than dragons. She has the same complexity of plot and character though.
Similarly, Sara Douglass maintains intriguing fantasy stories, though the magic in hers is very different. She has griffons and winged humans.
But if you WOULD like dragons then maybe try the Rhapsody books by Elizabeth Haydon.

Ooh I don't know those authors. I will definitely try them all. Thank you!

Yes I love Celtic style mythical worlds. I grew up on tales of the Fair Ones (*taps wood*) and similar being a Celt myself. Sounds like the things you've mentioned will be to my taste.

I love authors that stay true to the idea that dragons, mermaids and fairies (Themselves, I should say) are NOT nice creatures.
Seems to me, so far at any rate, it's the female authors that don't go gooey over the mythical creatures in their stories. Not sure why exactly. lol
Brilliant answer, thank you sexy_siren.



To anyone else - it doesn't have to be dragons or the few things I listed. It's just that Hobb's work has too much in it for me to type out; although there are really only two types of mythical creatures in those books as yet. I was including the Soldier Son trilogy in my thoughts when I posted too. It's not part of the Realm of the Elderlings but is definitely written by Hobb's, not Lindholm (if you see what I mean).

I do love dragons, yes. But I've always been englamoured by all the mythical beings.

Further suggestions are very welcome, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the ones that you, sexy_siren, put up. I'm going to look for those now.

There is one thing I wasn't sure I should mention....

I liked the Harry Potter books and I know the world went mad for them and Rowling did do a good job of writing her story arc. The only problem I really had with her work was the childish aspect of her stories, which is why I hesitate to mention her when looking for fantasy authors.

In children's books, the protagonist always gets help or is in some way aided repeatedly by all sorts of powerful friends for no truly realistic reason. I find that concept dull; possibly because it takes too much realism away from the fantasy to make it apparently real. Fantasy needs some grounding in reality.

Then again, I may enjoy the stories even if they do have such a huge flaw in them. I would just love to see more stories that aren't chained to that particular formula.

I hope what I just said makes sense. I'm no author so I do muddle my meanings at times.


On top of that, I love things like Lord of the Rings, but I hate the writing style so much I just can't get through the books. One day I may actually get more than a half inch into The Hobbit and even finish the book. I know the story and like the story, but I've never managed to read the actual original book because the writing style has always bored me to tears!

That's why I prefer hearing someone's opinion and getting recommendations from book lovers instead of looking at "customer likes" or computer generated "recommendations".


Oh and apparently my tastes used to be considered cult but are now fairly mainstream, or at least famous. So if it's an author or series that is/was "cult", that's fine by me.

And you don't get to hear about good cult books except by chance or word of mouth. (Or posting here maybe. lol)

I like Robin Hobb, and the 3 from sexy_siren, and would reccomend the following ( In no particular order)

Ones I've read and liked (Some series better than others)
Katherine Kerr
Kristen Britain
Trudi Canavan
Karen Miller
Cinda Williams Chima
Lois McMaster Bujold
Glenda Larke
Fiona McIntosh
K. S. Nikakis
Rachel Neumeier
N. K. Jemisin

Also ones I want to get round to reading - my mother' read them and says they're good
Sarah Ash
Anne Bishop
Jim Butcher
James Clemens
Amanda Downum
K. J. Taylor
Kate Elliot
Jennifer Fallon
Diana Pharaoh Francis
Brent Weeks
Peter Brett
Juliet E. McKenna
Gail Z. Martin
Juliet Marillier

Hope that's enough for you.

One of the best series I can recommend is the Cast series by Michelle Sagara West

This series which starts with Cast in Secret has become my favorite high fantasy world since the original DragonLance Chronicles the seemless way in which you are just dropped into the world and not be overwhelmed is an aspect that many many authors struggle with but Ms. West does without effort.

In addition the Raksura trilogy by Martha Wells was one of my favorite finds in the last year. Again this is a great huge scope fantasy world that I recommend highly.

I can post links to these books if needed just pm me.

guyFriday

It's a bit different from Hobb, but if you'd like to find a "Lord of the rings" environment with Britich humor (Imagine Tolkien teamed up with Monthy Python), you whould really read Terry Pratchett's books.

Esther Friesner for good humorous fantasy.
Sheri S. Tepper.

[aeniwon]

I really enjoyed books written by these writers: Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series)
Brent Weeks (Night Angel series)

david eddings

Jim Butcher Codex Alera is a good and fresh epic fantasy series. Butcher himself told the story behind the inspiration for the books and it is quite funny.
In a authors camp of some sort, one fellow author chalenge him to make a good story using two random ideas, Pokemon and Roman legions... Yep i know what you are thinking, but he pull it off.

another author that i can recomend is Brandon Sanderson and the Mistborn Series it is jus awesome!

Hope you can try any of those

If you like Robin Hobb for her awesome world building, my top ten recommendations in no particular order would be:

1. Anne Bishop (such intricate worlds and because she's my current absolute favourite author)
2. Lisa Shearin (though her writing is more humorous, it has the whole piracy, magic, intrigue, love and betrayal thing going)
3. Melanie Rawn (awesome author, but stay away from her Exiles series...the third and final book for that series has been 'coming soon' since the '90s if I remember correctly)
4. Naomi Novik (dragons, dragons, dragons, in alternate history)
5. Patricia Briggs (not her Mercy Thompson series, which is paranormal/urban, but her earlier works of fantasy)
6. Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan (the multiple charcter povs reminded me alot of Robin Hobbs' Liveship Traders series)
7. Lois McMaster Bujold (okay, she doesn't really remind me of Robin Hobbs, but her worlds are still to-die-for good and I just can't leave her out in a list)
8. Tamora Pierce (even though she's YA fantasy, I can't recall that her characters were helped for no apparent reason...sure they have help in their adventures, but with reasonable reasons like love, or fear)
9. I would like to second the Brent Weeks recommendation though I haven't read his books in awhile, I vaguely remember his books took me away in much the same way as Hobbs.
10. Cecilia Dart-Thornton (I have no caveats to add here...I genuinely think if you like Hobbs, you'll enjoy this author, too).

I only recently started reading Robin Hobb's books, and I was struck by how much they reminded me of Sherwood Smith's Inda quartet. There's the same depth of worldbuilding and great characterization. They both have the fun, intense adventure feel to them. From your list of things you enjoyed about Hobb's books, they have: pirates, magic, other-worldly politics, corruption, and ye olde worlde setting.

David Eddings Belgariad. If you want characters/arcs, that's the series for you.

[RavenT]

Paksenarrion saga by Elizabeth Moon
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R Donaldson
Chalion series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Shannara series by Terry Brooks
Deverry Cycle series by Katharine Kerr
Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey