Best fantasy novels you've read and their plot?

As a kid I read books that effected me but I didn't realize it until I got older. My grandfather was a big influence on my reading and one of his favorite things to say was "When in doubt, go with the classics" and I've followed that advice and it has done me no wrong. Reading Jules Verne or Dickens didn't matter, what mattered was the story, how the words painted images upon your mind so crisp that the wind would actually send chills down your spine.
My family are big fans of Stephen King and have, in some shape or form every title he penned, even those under pseudonyms such as his wife Tabitha and the Danse Macabre non-fiction book, Dean Koontz has been floating around for numerous years as has Patricia Cornwell {amazing BTW, she's the writer of The Body Farm}.

Just as a side note did you know that Agatha Christie had a writing style so unique, that it was studied by scientists/ scholars and was found to contain such lyrical and rhythmic cadence with word structure, that it is found nowhere else in literature, that it some how acted like a hypnotist suggestion and she wrote in such a way that it was nearly impossible to put down once the story had it's "claws" in you.

newuserlol said:

u sound like you no your sci-fi i had never read a sci-fi until i read all 6 of song of ice n fire in 2wks was so hooked on them books even started to re-read then again recently, then after i read the 3 hunger games books but havent really got a clue about good sci-fi books, what would u recommend that is similar them?

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Since you're new to the game so to speak, then follow my poppa's advice and go with the classics. Such as Jules Verne Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea or Journey to the Center of the Earth, you can also try H.G Wells for The Island of Dr Moreau and The Time Machine. Then there's Edgar Burroughs who wrote such classics as Tarzan and The Gods of Mars.

I can give you more up to date stuff but I think I high jacked this thread lol.

Edit: The Hunger games huh, not sure but if you liked that you would probably get a kick out of Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Inheritance Cycle, which consists of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance.
By author Christopher Paolini.

Here is a link for some more information on this gripping tale. http://www.alagaesia.com/

I'd echo the recommendation for King's Dark Tower series, Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, and R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms series (Drizzt series and Cleric Quintet). In addition, the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson is epic and, IMO, and must read for fantasy fans. The Mistborn series from Brandon Sanderson is a worthwhile read. And Tolkien's novels are always a good read, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion.

As you can see, I'm into the dungeons and dragons type fantasy primarily.

Hope some of this is useful...I didn't include plot outlines because, quite frankly, it's damn hard to summarize briefly the plots of the above mentioned books.