BOOKS!: The other-other RP builders!

[El_Barbaro]

Everyone who has never "RPed" before, likely is not a human being. Roleplaying is simply imagination, I'm sure everyone has played "Cops and Robbers" or "Telephone" at the least. RPG's are another avenue for your imagination; imagination with a ruleset, if you will.
That said: I'd like to present some good fantasy reads that I think will spur your imagination. Feel free to add some other novels that cover some of the basics of classic roleplaying.
*Dragonlance Chronicles Vol. I: Dragons of Autumn Twilight -My sister gave me this book, the first developed fantasy story I've ever read. Still my favorite.
*Tolkien: Lord of the Rings -story available as a trilogy- (second ever read). The movies are an intro, but if you haven't read these books, you're missing out. Tolkien is the pioneer of fantasy, and the stories from Germanic Tribes circa Viking Era are Tolkiens' grandfather (metaphorically speaking).
*Drizzt Do'Urden books: The Dark Elf Trilogy (esp. 3rd book Sojourn), and The Spine of The World. People tend to idolize Drizzt Do'Urden, maybe because Salvatore has wrote so many books on him; but I say Sojourn, because it's a book of discovery, turmoil and tragedy -which I think the best stories are. For the same reason I recommend Spine of The World, and also, it's a different turn for Salvatore.
EDIT: Comicbooks are another good imagination builder, hehe. I recommend Batman, Nightwing, and Marvel published (X-Men, Wolverine, Deadpool) comicbooks.

[neorapsta]

Ones i liked apart from those are the James Barclay books, Chronicles of the Raven and Legends of the Raven

[Alpha_and_Omega]

Terry Goodkind. The Sword of Truth books. I read almost as much as I am online (heh, I didnt know there were enough hours in the day :) ) and that series is, by far, my favorite. I have read all the ones up there, and think they are great, but IMO, this truly tops everything... Try it out :)

[neorapsta]

Almost forgot Terry Brooks and the Shannara series

[El_Barbaro]

I've heard of The Sword of Truth, and Shannara. Also, I read part of Anvil of Ice: Winter of the World -it started off really good, I don't know why I had abandoned it.
EDIT: Does anyone else "not" see my signature, because I can never see my own.

[neorapsta]

nope, maybe check to see if the 'include sig with posts' or similar checkbox is ticked.

[Tumaini]

Being a huge Tolkien-fan, I would recommend Silmarillion for anyone who is the least interested in the elves of Arda, and the mythology and language of Tolkien.
Other than Tolkien, there are two great series I must recommend too:
Raymond E Feist's Riftwar- and Serpentwarsaga's
And with a finer touch, I think personally:
Katherine Kerr's books of the Enchanted land of Deverry.
Happy reading!

[zesban]

For something entirely more silly, check out Douglas Adams epic of 5 books, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy!

42.

[neorapsta]

you mean the 5 part trilogy :D

[El_Barbaro]

For something entirely more silly, check out Douglas Adams epic of 5 books, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy!

42.
Ouch, no; that's a bad inclusion for this. I really don't like Sci-Fi, because it tends to be too off the wall. How am I suppose to apply an apt level of suspention of disbelief when lasers don't seem like they will ever be able to be used as handheld weapons, and everyones name is Zorg, or Zzzaner25. OK, maybe simular arguements can be made for fantasy based material -good thing magic is so varied, and possibly not at all real- so I'll stop now.

[zesban]

These books are more about humor than science fiction. Sci-Fi is just a vehicle. Reading about an unlimited improbability drive seems like magic actually. I do love pretty much the entire Forgotten Realms, including all of Bob's work for that setting. Bruenor Battlehammer is one of my all time favorite characters. I also like Tolkien's work, though I'd say the Hobbit is my favorite of all his writing.

Another good fantasy author in my opinion is Patricia C. Wrede. She wrote these books, "Mairelon the Magician" and "The Magician's Ward" which were geared for young adults but are quite a good read anyhow. They explain why you can't ever chant magic in English if it's your native tongue. Another series she wrote is the Enchanted Forest series which is little sillier and definitely a light read. Check 'em out.

[Kalango]

Books that I readed and recommend:
The hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Icewind Dale Trilogy - R.A. Salvatore
Magician: Apprentice - Raymond Feist
Magician: Master (Riftwar Saga) - Raymond Feist (Dont read the rest of serie, only the first 2 magician books)
Guardians of the Flame - Joel Rosenberg

[aerilwind]

some i would like to add are:
katherine kurtz. deryni, culdi series
david eddings first two series
stephen donaldson, thomas covenet
and for mind altering cyber punk just for fun rudy rucker all (stay hi king of the brain surffers) :0

[Tashanen]

Good

Eric Flint
David Drake
David Eddings - Diamond Throne Series.
R. Scott Bakker (The Darkness that comes Before - Great Read)
James P. Hogan
Christopher Anvil
Gary Gygax (Gord the Rouge)
Robert E. Howard (Conan - Need I say more?!?)
Susan Cooper (The Dark is Rising Series)
Daniel K. Moran (The Long Run, Emerald Eyes)
Janny Wurts
Katherine Kerr
Glen Cook
David Gemmell


Mediocre

R.A. Salvatore - Drizzt is nothing more than a munchkin.

[Dubbleedge]

GOOD
Robert Jordan ~The wheel of time
Terry Goodkind ~The Sword of Truth
Terry Brooks ~ Shannara
Frank Herbert ~Dune
Anne Rice ~Vampire Chronicals
Douglas Niles ~The moonshea Isles (forgotten realms stuff)

Good stuff there, I'd highly recomend Jordan's series to anyone into any sort of fantasy at all. And if you haven't ready Dune I might yell at you unless you plan on going to pick it up.... NOW!

[Tashanen]

GOOD
Robert Jordan ~The wheel of time
Terry Goodkind ~The Sword of Truth
Terry Brooks ~ Shannara
Frank Herbert ~Dune
Anne Rice ~Vampire Chronicals
Douglas Niles ~The moonshea Isles (forgotten realms stuff)

Good stuff there, I'd highly recomend Jordan's series to anyone into any sort of fantasy at all. And if you haven't ready Dune I might yell at you unless you plan on going to pick it up.... NOW!

The first couple of book in The Wheel of Time series were good, great even. The past couple have made me want to start drinking hard liquor again - or join a book burning club.

[Dubbleedge]

Lol he has gone on for quite sometime, but there are only so many forsaken before the series has to end >.O