I totally agree, the Farseer books are the gold standard of character driven narrative. Simon is a kitchen boy but when ancient evil stirs, he is pulled into a war as unlike any his world has seen, leaving the only home he has ever known to battle creatures once thought lost to the past. The books appear in alphabetical order by title (beginning with A to H) (ignoring "A", "An", and "The"); series are alphabetical by author-designated name or, if there is no such, some reasonable designation. Completely different books, but both have great characters that drive the book by being smart and constantly solving problems. As the title says. It’s original names for our characters and … My favourite fantasy characters, Logen and Glokta, ... My problem with this question is that, for me, the overlap between "books with great character development" and "great books" is basically 100%. It just felt right. From heroes to antiheroes, these magnetic characters are truly spellbinding. I'll second Gentleman Bastards, since it's carried on the charisma of its characters. Credit: Tor Books. 12. I was thinking about trying Mistborn but wasnt for sure? The Chalion books by Lois McMaster Bujold are amazing character driven stories. By far the most interesting characters. Great characters, a mystery that twists and turns like a corkscrew and above all, Harry, a wizard with a world weary sense of humour, who takes life on the chin. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. 20. An interesting cast of characters from around the fantasy world fight their own battles, sometimes with motives less than pure. By the end of the first book the plot is only really just starting; the book is almost entirely focused on setting up the characters. Patrick Rothfuss (Goodreads Author) 4.52 avg rating — 746,024 ratings. His unrivalled cunning and sharp wit, combined with a tendency to be underestimated due to the fact he’s a (human) dwarf, make Tyrion Lannister a real player in the struggle for power in this epic series. These are some of the best fantasy characters ever to appear in the pages of a book or on a screen. They are some of the best written characters I've ever read still. How Did We Put Together The List Of Top Fantasy Books? Don't forget about fecking Prickomo Cocksta <3. Put them together in an epic queer fantasy and tbh we can’t get enough. Comparing Some Of The Best Fantasy Books #1) The Harry Potter Series #2) Lord Of The Rings #3) Game Of Thrones #4) The Dark Tower Series #5) The Name Of The Wind #6) American Gods #7) Good Omens #8) Weaveworld #9) The Chronicles Of Narnia #10) Leviathan 1. Character Driven Fantasy Books. While the world in Rowell’s book obviously began as homage to Hogwarts, she populates it with surprising species and characters that are often quite funny twists on fantasy clichés. Everything else is very, very, dull. I disagree, Jorg is the blandest character I've ever read. Press J to jump to the feed. If you want to read more about The Earthsea books, we have a full review of The Earthsea Quartet on this site. characters that drive the book by being smart and constantly solving problems. Gentleman Bastards series is very char-driven. Surprised no one has said The First Law series / world created by Joe Abercrombie! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Stabby Winner, AMA Author M. Todd Gallowglas. This page lists notable fantasy novels (and novel series). These "hard magic" fantasy novels often focus on making the immaterial material. I'd actually put using cleverness to move plot forward as plot-driven since the emphasis is on external plot. He is, in our opinion, the greatest wizard in fantasy after the great Gandalf. In both SF and Fantasy, Lois McMaster Bujold has absolute stand-out characters. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. If it doesn't have good character development, it's simply not a good book. A book series about dragons… set to the beat of the Napoleonic wars. Yes! Hobb is masterful, I can already tell. The best science fiction and fantasy books aren't just about amazing ideas, or huge vistas — they're about people. But first, an overview of the poll methodology and results: The Nomination Process Character nominations were made by visitors to our site. — Josh Jackson 12. While they’re usually supporting characters—either in the form of allies or enemies—Carey’s debut novel introduces us to Phedre, a courtesan marked by a god to feel pleasure and pain as one. Fuck, they are so good. Especially blood song. Fair warning: your heart will break, and just about when it's back together it will break again. Start with Curse of Chalion. So I was curious on some other Fantasy, or even scifi with some really good main character? Everyone deserves to see themselves represented on the page, which is why we love these fantasy books with LGBT characters … But it would be high. /r/Fantasy is the internet's largest discussion forum for the greater Speculative Fiction genre. The entire Mistborn trilogy is largely about Vin coming to terms with her position in the world, her sense of belonging, and her self worth. Hmm I think my definition of character-driven is different from yours, I'd define a character-driven book as one in which the main focus is the characters and their internal change/development. Thankfully, you have The Age of Fire series to fill this niche. Such a good book. Leopold Bloom, Ulysses, James Joyce, 1922. In other words, she’s a masochist. God, that book is FANTASTIC! The Wheel Of … We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world. The ending is very poorly written, and I found the relationships between the characters to be forced and unbelievable. I already love so many of the characters. The first book in an epic fantasy trilogy that both George R. R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss have called quintessential to their own success. Huntress by Malinda Lo (L) “Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. While getting my BA in Creative Writing, I had more than a few heated discussion in defense of plot based fiction, going so far as to cite some of academia's favored tales as plot based over character based. The sheer joy of escaping reality and letting go of expectations is enough to bring me back to the genre again and again. Agreed some amazing characters throughout the series and standalones. These books are full of intrigue and romance and are extremely readable, and also feature a female protagonist, which is rarer than it should be for fantasy novels. This week, for all you hardworking writers out there, I’ve created a MASTER list of fantasy names. However, there are numerous books out there with intricately detailed laws and rules for their magic. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie is very character driven. I love me some Prince of Thorns and Low Town novels, but I'd say The Dark Tower series is even more character-driven than those two novels. I think you are a little confused as to what makes something a character driven story. Highly recommended. His saga combines both military and epic fantasy into a delightful mix. Just because a story has fantastic and wonderful characters does not make it a character based story. With over 21,000 votes cast, representing 359 characters from 136 of the top fantasy book series, we have a decisive winner for the Best Fantasy Character of All Time! The Red Queen's War by Mark Lawrence is focused on its narrator, Jalan, and the Viking he's travelling with, Snorri. RELATED: The 10 Best Fantasy Books Of 2018. I'd preferably like to read a series that is completed, although that's not an absolute requirement. A fantasy series that makes me feel extremely attached to the characters and experience a wide range of emotions from crushing heartbreak to exhilarating joy would be ideal, especially if it has superlative character development throughout.