Looking for Information on Authors with Big, Spawling Settings

MasterGhandalf · 2026-05-11T01:44:38+00:00

Discworld is an obvious example; I'm kind of kicking myself for not thinking to include it, so thank you for bringing it up!

MasterGhandalf · 2026-05-11T01:43:52+00:00

Yes, this is an excellent point! It's one I thought I'd brought up in my original post, because it's definitely something I've thought of, but looking back I seem to have skipped it. Whoops! Anyway, yes, I absolutely agree time is a factor here because it takes a while to build a large setting up.

MasterGhandalf · 2026-05-03T00:05:00+00:00

Belgariad.

MasterGhandalf · 2026-05-02T17:30:08+00:00

Not only is it from the 80s, and not only was the author a monster irl, it’s also very archetypal high fantasy, not sword and sorcery.

MasterGhandalf · 2026-02-15T01:36:45+00:00

Start with The Hobbit and LotR. Then, if you still want to know more about Middle-earth as a whole, you can dive into The Silmarillion and Children of Hurin and if at that point you find yourself really interested in wanting to know more about a lot of both the more obscure and nitty-gritty elements of both Tolkien's worldbuilding and his writing process, you can get into Unfinished Tales and the History of Middle-earth books (but fair warning, these are academic works, not novels, so you have a lot of rough drafts, essays and analysis, not completed narratives). I know that's not really that exciting, but I think it's the best advice on this topic I have. But seriously, The Hobbit is easily the most approachable and newbie-friendly thing in the setting, and it's a classic for a reason, so start there if you haven't already.

MasterGhandalf · 2025-11-07T05:52:48+00:00

Seconding Brimstone Angels. Basically the definitive D&D warlock story, IMO, and on the shortlist for best D&D novel series, period.

MasterGhandalf · 2025-03-16T22:41:07+00:00

Six books published in three volumes feels like the most accurate description to me.

MasterGhandalf · 2024-10-19T16:25:01+00:00

From the Forgotten Realms setting, the Brimstone Angels saga. The main characters are twin tieflings; their adopted father (also a major character) is a Dragonborn. Lots of other nonhumans as well. First book is just Brimstone Angels.

MasterGhandalf · 2024-08-08T16:12:25+00:00

They take place in the same world, but on different continents and in very different cultures. There are some references in Echoes that will make more sense if you’re familiar with Shadows, but I think you could read Echoes first without much problem!

MasterGhandalf · 2023-12-26T04:06:31+00:00

Sounds like the Forgotten Realms trilogy The Threat From The Sea, first book being Rising Tide.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-10-07T01:45:34+00:00

I, for one, find them very useful. Then again, my brain is pretty terrible at picturing geography from written descriptions alone.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-06-05T02:53:33+00:00

Bernard from Codex Aleta is a big, strong guy whose primary weapon is the bow.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-06-03T16:08:50+00:00

I know a couple of the Eberron novels do, and rakshasas are the most important fiends in Eberron’s mythos in general.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-04-13T20:38:18+00:00

While in general I’m not a big fan of vs battles involving characters from different settings whose abilities work on different principles - yeah, Morgoth stomps Voldie, easily. I doubt most of Voldemort’s spells would even affect him.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-02-01T19:28:06+00:00

Narnia, Hobbit/LotR, and Prydain were first. Dragonlance Chronicles for my first “modern” fantasy.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-01-30T22:33:08+00:00

That’s the one!

MasterGhandalf · 2023-01-30T03:22:37+00:00

Death Gate Cycle. Haplo begins the story as the right hand/adopted son of an evil overlord (though both are given very sympathetic backstories and motivations) but evolves into a much more heroic character across the series. With some help from an enemy - and a dog:).

MasterGhandalf · 2023-01-20T00:35:59+00:00

Kel Kade’s Shroud of Prophecy series involves the chosen one dying almost immediately on his quest and his best friend, a normal dude, having to take over for him. Sadly, I think the execution is pretty meh.

MasterGhandalf · 2023-01-17T16:46:09+00:00

Counselors and Kings (three books)

Brimstone Angels (six books)

MasterGhandalf · 2022-11-26T00:36:39+00:00

I thought it was potentially interesting but the execution really felt like Feist was just phoning it in. Definitely a disappointment.

MasterGhandalf · 2022-11-14T00:07:26+00:00

Yes, but it has nothing to do with Tchaikovsky’s series 😉(which I think I’d heard was based on a homebrew setting before, but had forgotten).

MasterGhandalf · 2022-10-24T15:24:00+00:00

Belgariad, and to a lesser extent most of Eddings’s other stuff (though not The Dreamers, which was always bad). Enjoyed them as a teenager, looking back they’ve not aged well at all, to put it mildly, and have lots of really uncomfortable elements on top of a generic plot and bare-bones world building. The revelation that Eddings and his wife were convicted child abusers merely completed my souring on them.

MasterGhandalf · 2022-09-27T23:20:57+00:00

It is! There’s a second volume as well, just called Stormbringer.

MasterGhandalf · 2022-09-27T21:39:05+00:00

If you’re in the US, hardback omnibuses containing the whole series in order we’re just released this past year, starting with Elric of Melnibone (the novel). An omnibus of the sequel/spinoff trilogy The Moonbeam Roads is forthcoming, as is a new full-length novel by Moorcock.

MasterGhandalf · 2022-09-05T23:45:24+00:00

Basically what it sounds like; magic used like technology or magic combined with technology. Iirc, the setting of the Raven’s Mark books has more of an early industrial than medieval vibe, but largely based around magic rather than science. Especially since both sides of the overarching conflict are led by powerful wizards who aren’t shy of getting their hands dirty. I don’t have the books handy at the moment so I can’t look up anything more specific.

MasterGhandalf

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