Looking for a new fantasy series, suggestions?

I haven't read much at all, I've been looking through I don't know where to start.

I'm looking for a sci-fi/fantasy setting and really strong cast of characters, not too black and white, good vs evil boy saves the world type of thing. I'd prefer it if it had some 'adult' themse running through, I think it makes a world a lot more believable when someone isn't holding back to try to keep it pg13.

Thanks.

George R R Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series is EXACTLY what you're looking for. The first book in the series is Game of Thrones. I cannot say enough good things about this series; it's the best fantasy I've ever read. No-one is black and white (though you don't always see the shades of grey until later books). There are definite adult themes (sex and bad language) and the characterization is first rate. I find it utterly engrossing and would strongly recommend it.

I read through a couple of discussions after posting this (guess I should have done that first) I did notice that is a common one in the 'can you recommend...' topics. I was just going to add to my post, I didn't want anything to 'heavy' if you follow, would you describe this like that? I'm not an idiot but I just prefer the story, characters etc. to getting bogged down in the details. Sorry if I'm not explaining myself very well.

I have found George R R Martin excellent but maybe a little heavy.

I would suggest trying Patricia Briggs - Mercy Thompson series - a strong female character so no boy saves world!

Another author to try is Wen Spencer - her stuff is fantastic.

Jim Butcher has two excellent series you could try either Harry Dresden or Codex Alera - both fantastic

Well I am going to try the first in the a song of ice and fire series to see what I think, even if I don't like it it is likely less than £10 somewhere and I can donate it. Thank you both for your recommendations, I will look into those others if this isn't quite what I want.

Since you are looking for series there are a few you could try. As Ms Lannister suggests (love the name by the way) A Song of Ice and Fire is very good and while involved never gets too "heavy". But beware, there has been a huge gap in publication between the last book and what is meant to be the last book in the series, if you want to read all the way to the end, start with something else.

And on that note, Robin Hobb's Farseer series should suit you. A trilogy that is followed by a sequel trilogy! I found there to be quite a lot of humour in them although balanced by just enough gravitas to keep yolu reading while again, never getting too heavy. You could also try Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy, I have a copy all in one volume that has been read over and over. There are some very dark themes but the writing has a very light touch. The Raven books by James Barclay are quite swords and sourcery with a healthy backbone of black humour. If you don't like heavy then the Malazan Book of the Fallen may be a bit much for you. All weighty (by length) and without a particularly expository storyline, you might like to try some of the others I suggested first. But then you will almost certainly come to it eventually if you enjoy reading fantasy. There is also Brent Weeks Night Angel trilogy, again with some very dark themes but with some great paragmatic black humour.

If you want to try some sci-fi then the ultimate series is probably Dune, especially as you said you wanted to try fantasy as well. This straddles the two very nicely. But like the Malazan books, if you're looking for something light this is not where to start. There are some very heavy themes in here but don't let that put you off. It is essentially the story of a family who find themselves at the centre of events they would like to leave alone but can't because they can make a difference in a good way. Read them in publication order. I loved Elizabeth Moon's Serrano books but some find them too technical and it's a girl that "saves the world"! There are also Lois McMaster Bujold's books, although I wouldn't know where to recommend you start with those.

I hope this gives you some ideas.

I would second R.Winter's recommendation of Jim Butcher's 'Codex Alera' series. Seems to tick all the boxes you are asking for.

Apart from that:

Tad Williams - 'Memory, Sorrow and Thorn' series
Carol Berg - 'Flesh and Spirit'/'Breath and Bone' duo
Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory - 'Obsidian' trilogy

...and for light hearted entertaining reads, any of Anne McCaffrey's 'Dragonriders of Pern' books (if you are interested in the recommended reading order, click on my name for a Listmania listing it).

I think Tom Lloyd's Twilight saga maybe right up your street it starts with the Storm Caller. Exciting stuff from the get go.And David Gemmell does some pretty good stuff neither black nor white; heroes that could very easily be villains (Blue Moon), Midnight Falcon and the like make for a very good read.

Ted Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn
George R R Martin - A Song Of Fire And Ice
Brent Weeks - The Night Angel Trilogy
Raymond E Fiest - The Rift War Saga -- stick to the early the early books as the others tend to fall away.
Tolkien - Lord of the Rings - forget the films read the book! ;)
Weis and Hickman - DragonLance saga - the first three books only!!!

That should get you started off!! ;-)

Dragonlance - why just the first 3? The next 3 (legends) are just as good if not better imo - but not adult by any stretch
Gardens of the Moon (Malazan 1) - heavy going but very rewarding if you can stick with it
Eye of the World (Wheel of Time 1) - not everyone's cup of tea, but a favourite of mine and easy to read

You could try:
The Black Magician trilogy - Trudi Canavan
Riftwar Saga - Raymond E Fiest
Mistborn series - Brandon Sanderson
and books by these authors:
Adrian Tachiakovsky
Robin Hobb
Peter V Brett

How about:
Monarchies of God - Paul Kearney
The First Law - Joe Abercrombie
The Night Trilogy - Brent Weeks

GRRM's Song of Fire & Ice is the best out there, but it will drive you mad waiting for the next instalment. After 3 years I'm beginning to lose all hope that GRRM will ever finish this series.

I've just finished Cecilia Dart Thornton's, Bitterbynde Trilogy. Some of the language used and her writing style (which is very descriptive) is a little different to the norm but once you get used to it you won't be able to put them down. Also try Maria V Snyder and Terry Brooks (the shannara series).

Try Lawrence Watt Evan's Esthar books, although not really a series they are not to heavy and can be read either individually or as a loosely connected set of stories set in the same world over about 25 years.

Joe Abercrombies First Law series is very good, and it has the added benefit that, unlke G. R. R Martin, he only takes a year or so to write a new book. But if you can put up with an unfinished series then A Song Of Ice And Fire is excellent.

Sophia, I was going to suggest The Farseer Trilogy. It's not that there is no black/white siding, but they are just good honest yarns, which suck you in. Then you have The Liveship Traders Traders Trilogy, then The Tawny Man Trilogy all following on from one another with recurring, intertwining characters. And now we have the Rain Wilds Chronicles,
which, because I'm trying yet again to read the Malazan Books of the Fallen, (which I think stalled badly after Memories of Ice and has not recovered yet.)
I have yet to start reading.

Lee, it could be worse, we had to wait 8 years for James Ellroy to finish the Underworld USA Trilogy.

I recomend A Hunger Like Fire, a truely compelling novel IMHO!

In the middle of reading The Name Of The Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss and really enjoyin it, would be interested to read comments about this

The Alera books by Butcher are great and a finished series which is good in my opinion. The mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson is good as well and a different take on magic. There is so much stuff out there now that it's hard to know what to recommend though. Brent Weeks Assasin books and the Painted Man/Desert Spear books.

[Deleted by the author on 7 Aug 2010 17:27:21 BDT]

You could try reading The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare which has vampires, nephilim, werewolves and more, and The Icarus Project Series (Black and White, Shades of Night/Gray) by Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge which is about superheroes and is very good. Both of these series are not very heavy reading. Hope you will try both these series and enjoy them.

I enjoyed David Dalglish's Half-Orcs series - it's very light and easy to read but there are still some great characters and intriguing relationships (and none of that laborious detail).

Joe Abercrombie was enjoyable too - although he could use a more diligent editor! "The First Law" series was good; "Best Served Cold" less so (but still innovative).

Try reading Terry Goodkind "Sword of Truth" books, starts off with the Wizards First Rule, and there are another 10 following, and another one being written. If you watched "Legend of the Seeker" on Syfy Channel (an ABC Production) this was based on these books but veered so far off that it was another story entirely. The books are really good, starting off slowly but I end up reading the final 100 pages in one day, and I work full-time!!

Don't try reading the Sword of Truth books. The first one is alright if long-winded but the rest get more and more long-winded and tiring to read. I've said it on other threads and I'll say it again, there is nothing wrong with the series that a ruthless editor couldn't fix. As four, or maximum five, books it would have been an exponentially better read. It was only bull-headedness that got me to the end of the series and even then I spent too much time forcing myself to at least skim through some sections that I wanted to flip straight past. That said, if you enjoyed the TV series, give it a go. Again, plain bull-headedness got me through the first series of that, despite shouting at inaccuracies and nonsensical substitutions throughout. The books are better than the TV show.