What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by HerenIstarion

And even if they do, the e-books you purchased from Amazon are also stored on Amazon server - you can re-download them at any point you like

But you'll have to buy a new Kindle

[HerenIstarion]

Originally Posted by Galadriel

But you'll have to buy a new Kindle

If it broke of its own accord (like if you haven't danced a jig on it or did not flush it in the toilet or something very obviously damaging to it), more likely than not amazon will replace it free of charge (apart from shipping expenses I believe)

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by HerenIstarion

If it broke of its own accord (like if you haven't danced a jig on it or did not flush it in the toilet or something very obviously damaging to it), more likely than not amazon will replace it free of charge (apart from shipping expenses I believe)

Very generous No hidden agenda?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel

Very generous No hidden agenda?

No hidden aganda at all, in fact, the object is very overt: to flood the market with their product (as well as underpricing their units), and thus crush the competition.

In the immortal words of Duncan McLeod, "There can be only one!"

[Lalwendë]

No need to buy a new Kindle even if you did flush it down the khazi (and why would you do that, unless you were reading Breaking Dawn?) - you can simply download the necessary app for free, to use on your computer, smartphone or spanky android tablet.

Now there is nothing to stop everyone from downloading fantastic and witty new books, eh?

[HerenIstarion]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

you can simply download the necessary app for free, to use on your computer, smartphone or spanky android tablet.

I do have FBreading apps on my phones (see up there), but I still think if my kindle broke (I hope it won't), I will still go for a new one (but not a touchscreen, just the keyboard one I have, Kindle 3 that would be) - it just feels like I'm reading a 'real' book when I'm reading with it (specially as I've bought a leather cover to go with it so now I'm holding it with both hands lying on my back - very bookish feeling for me, you know)

As for Amazon's generosity - they always used to be like that. I remember back in 2000 or maybe 2001, one of my orders was late (like, couple of months, maybe three) - so I figured it was lost for good and wrote about it. The replacement was sent to me free of charge - but that's not the point of the story - actually it so happened that original shipment turned up in a couple of months more - so I ended with two sets of identical books for half price. I wrote to Amazon yet again to inform them about it asking for the way of returning extra - the answer was - please do keep it for we value our customers etc etc. Apart from being impressed, I had much less trouble in my birthday gift selection process for my friends that year

Edit: And to keep up the pretense of at least trying to stay on topic - currently rereading Harry Potter with said piece of equipment (which reminds me... I should proceed back to the couch I left my HP-ed Kindle on...)

[Thinlómien]

Personally, I love (most of) Robin Hobb's books because of her superb storytelling and the books' huge "awwww-ing potential". I can see that the slowish everyday life and emotional zigzag of the main character could annoy somebody but I like it - maybe because I feel for the main character and can sympathise with him. Maybe it's an age thing? I first read the books as a teenager and I have had a soft spot for them ever since although I don't relate with Fitz so much anymore. I also like the way Hobb picks the most ridiculous clichés and turns them into something captivating, and I find the characters very likable. Some of them seem a little flat, yes, but I'm blaming it on the narrator's subjectivity as it's just the main character speaking. Maybe that's one more reason I like the Farseer series and the subsequent Tawny Man trilogy so much - they have a likeable and complicated enough first person narrator which is (a little sadly) quite rare in epic fantasy.

Nerwen and others - if you're bored of fantasy literature just recycling the same old ideas, I would suggest authors like Neil Gaiman and China Miéville, or maybe even the crazy Hal Duncan. None of it is traditional "high fantasy" though.

Last year I didn't read maybe as much fantasy as I normally do, but I did for example finally read some stuff I had been meaning to read for years, such as Lord Dunsany's King of the Elf-land's Daughter, Frank Herbert's Dune (which I would classify as science fiction, though) and The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern/ William Goldman. They were all definitely worth reading, but had their weak points too. I also acquainted myself with aforementioned China Miéville and Kage Baker, a humoristic fantasy author, whose style left me a little confused. Of course, I also read more of one of my definite favourites, Guy Gavriel Kay, and was amazed again (just how can someone write in such a beautiful and epic manner?), and reread George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. He's now been promoted to be included in the list of my favourite authors.

Lastly, I read two collections of "short" stories by supposed masters of the fantasy genre, named Legends and Legends II and edited by Robert Silverberg. Based on what I read there, I'd like to ask a question: are Orson Scott Card and Terry Goodkind worth a closer acquaintance? I quite liked their stories in these collections.