Just checked. The Colour of Magic was published back in 1983? Does it still hold up well? I'm interested in trying out Discworld.

 

Discworld is amazing, but the first few books are not as good as the series once it hits its stride.

I'd recommend trying Small Gods as an entry point - it's a standalone novel.

 

I feel like it needs to be said that the Discworld series (franchise, really) consists of multiple subseries, set in the same universe. You could enter at any point in any of the subseries without really missing anything, or just pick up one of the standalone books. Personally, I would recommend starting with Guards! Guards! for the simple reason that it is the start of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch storyline and Pratchett had definitely found his footing.

Colour of Magic is okay, but it shows that it's Pratchett's first novel, and I've heard people who otherwise loved Discworld were at first turned off by trying to start with Colour of Magic.

 

How good is it compared to Dresden?

 

It's more consistently good, likely because it's shorter and more focused, and Tavi is a very different (in a good way, IMO) sort of protagonist than Dresden. Butcher still manages to flub the beginning and ending of the series a bit, with the first book being relatively weak and the ultimate villain(s) of the series being rather lacking in comparison to the antagonists before them, but the series as a whole is still quite good.

I find myself going back and re-reading books 3 and 4 every year or so, and the whole series every couple years, fwiw.

 

Captain's Fury is my favourite of the series and is up there with the Dead Beat/Turn Coat Dresden novels for quality.

Furies of Calderon is a bit weaker than the rest, like Agayek says, but it's still a decent high fantasy story.

 

Really surprised Wolfe hasn't been mentioned yet. Book of the New Sun, while technically sci-fi, has all the feeling of a fantasy, so I don't hesitate to recommend it. It's amazing writing. The only problem being, that everything by other genre fiction authors will feel lackluster in comparison.

There's also The Wizard Knight by Wolfe. It's very good and I highly recommend it. It has also the added bonus of being fantasy, which is what you're searching for.

 

Has anyone tried the Asoiaf prequels? I heard it's lighter than Asoiaf

 

What about Alex Verus? Always wanted try it out but the protagonist having no power has stopped me.

 

I remember Alex Verus being quite good. I read 3-4 books when they came out but then forgot about it. He does have powers though, he can see the future a little? Or see the consequences of his actions. Sort of like the Nicholas Cage movie Next )

Asoif prequels, as far as I know, there are only the Dunk and Egg novellas which are short sweet stories about a hedge knight and the 9th in line for the Targaryen throne who eventually becomes King by luck. But the books are about their short adventures and not about his journey to be king.

There is also Fire and Blood, which came out recently about the Targaryen dynasty but I think it's more like a historical book than a fantasy novel.

One book that I cannot recommend enough is Kings of the Wyld and its sequel. Really funny Fantasy party that comes out of retirement for one last job type of book.

And if you like funny but also mindfuck weird, what the hell is happening books. I recommend Gideon the Ninth and its sequel. The third and final book should come out this year.

 

I personally found the whole diviner combat a bit wearing? The style just rubs me the wrong way, as it gets a bit tiresome to have the solution 'there is always a way for a mortal man to trade punches with Superman' - it hurts my suspension of disbelief. If you don't mind/like that it's all good.

Also hardly not grimdark considering the amount of torture etc.

 

Anyone tried Dagger and Coin by Daniel Abraham? Had a friend recommended it to me. He is a huge Daniel Abraham fan.

 

I tried reading Cold days a few chapters. It feels weird. Not sure If i want to continue. Is it a weak book? Skin game any better?

 

Also considering reading King Killer despite it being unfinished because Rothfuss has the best prose? What do you think guys?

 

Cold Days is about average for the post-Changes books. Skin Game is a little better, and it's got most of the good post-Changes bits IMO, but even it isn't particularly great.

The peak of the series is Small Favor IMO, with Dead Beat a close second and Turn Coat coming in third. Honestly, if I were going straight recommended reading, I'd suggest starting the series with Dead Beat and reading them in order through Turn Coat, and then not touching any of the others unless you're really bored and have literally nothing else to do with your time.

 

I just want to know who bumped Harry off the road in Proven guilty and supposedly cold days answers a lot of mysteries in the series and world ending threats appear. And Dresden battles outsiders and butters is jedi? Ok if there is one thing that pissed me off in Dresden is the Marcone guy. Whenever he appears I'm always like Why the fuck is the guy so important and he becomes a denerian? Its seems like Butcher jumped the shark with Dresden since Changes.

 

Bought Smalls God's and Guards Guards. Let's see.

 

Yes, although I don't think it's a particularly great pick for this topic given how one of the leads is pretty much Fantasy Hitler.