Don't know if it's exactly for those that love LOTR, but I'd recommend 'The Chronicles of Amber' by Roger Zelazny. Though it's arguably more style than substance (Zelazny doesn't really care that much for plot consistency), it's a great read and has some cool worldbuilding.
Also, thank you Jokien for clarifying the Orc origins question. It's a subject I've become curious about myself especially after watching Rings of Power.
And of course! Yeah, they're making some interesting (in a good way, at least on this point) decisions about Orcs in ROP, so I appreciated looking back into this subject myself. Very interesting to consider it in terms of what Tolkien thought at different points in his career, especially when it impacts adaptations like this.
Going to answer my own question and say that another book I feel like LOTR fans would enjoy is The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. A young girl discovers that there are doors between worlds and goes on a journey to find herself and her family. Really, really enjoyed it.
The wheel of time is definitely a great series! Though there is a long slog later on, the first 6 books are amazing, as well as the last 3. I’m reading Dawn of Wonder right now and find it quite intriguing. Ranger’s Apprentice is another good series.
Yeah, it definitely has its ups and downs as a series but I love it! I haven't heard of either of those ones that you've recommended, so I'll have to check them out!
I LOVE the Wheel of Time! It’s a great series, but (as my brother says) definitely a commitment, because it’s so long and each book is like 1000 pages. The writing is not at the level of Tolkien or Lewis, but it’s not bad--definitely much better than, say, the Shannara chronicles, for example. Sanderson did a great job with the last ones.
I’m just getting started with Brandon Sanderson, but Elantris is one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels. The Way of Kings was great, as well, but I haven’t read the sequels yet. He has such a huge body of work and several series, it’s hard to know where to begin. Mistborn is on my list...
Yeah, I love WoT buuuut it's a huge commitment for sure. And I think I agree with your assessment of the quality: not Tolkien or Lewis, but better than a lot out there.
Sanderson is definitely overwhelming to start with! I got into him early enough that there wasn't too much out there to choose from, but if I got started now I wouldn't know where to start! I really loved Elantris and The Stormlight Archive is one of my absolute favorites, but Mistborn is where I started and will always be a special one for me. Highly recommended! Glad it's already on your list
Glad to have Mistborn affirmed as a good choice to get started with Sanderson! I think I’ll read it next. Thanks for your list of suggestions, that last one I hadn’t heard of, so I’ll check into it as well!
Belated thanks for the reader response :) Orcs as corrupted Men rather than corrupted Elves makes so much sense. Morgoth would have insisted on high reproduction rates, and if the Orcs had been immortal, the world would have been all Orc before the first Men opened their eyes.
Some readers might like C. S. Lewis’s science fiction trilogy. It’s quite different from LOTR, but still absorbing, particularly the first two books.
Great post, Jokien! I enjoyed the reader mailbag questions and especially loved the review, pics and comments from Laura on the LEGOS Rivendell set. It indeed is stunning and obviously looks like so much thought and effort was put into creating a perfect set for the LOTR fan. Wish I could buy one!
It's so interesting to me that he was still working things out his whole career! And also that this is a question he never really satisfactorily solved. I tend to think of most authors, especially Tolkien, as having it all figured out, so I appreciate reminders about how they are really just like us whenever I come across them. And yes, makes me want to read more of The History of Middle-Earth too
Right I know! I've read The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, but I'm just now starting to seriously dig deep into Tolkien and his other works and it's fascinating. Starting out you hear how detailed all of his work is and how he has an explanation or some kind of random footnote for EVERYTHING. But it's fun to see, like you said, he was still deciding things out throughout his life. And trying to imagine orcs as corrupted humans and what changes he would have made to The Silmarillion is wild.
I recently started the Wheel of Time right after finishing the Return of the King and I was so disappointed at the lack of quality of the writing. It’s probably a little of an unfair comparison since I had just come from the quality of Tolkien, but I did not finish the first book.
Another book I felt like was a good one for people people who like LOTR is not fantasy, but maybe more sci-fi? Maybe just fiction? Father Elijah by Michael O’Brien is set in an imagined alternate history. It encompasses a great saga across decades, with high stakes, a lowly main character, and end-of-the-world-vibes that it reminds me of LOTR. Could not put it down!
Yeah, *anything* after Tolkien is going to suffer in comparison haha. I totally get that! It does get better and more of its own thing in books 2 through 6 (pretty much the best ones), but it's a huge investment overall and never quite reaches the heights LOTR does.
That sounds interesting! I'll have to check it out: those all sound like things I'd enjoy haha
Don't know if it's exactly for those that love LOTR, but I'd recommend 'The Chronicles of Amber' by Roger Zelazny. Though it's arguably more style than substance (Zelazny doesn't really care that much for plot consistency), it's a great read and has some cool worldbuilding.
Also, thank you Jokien for clarifying the Orc origins question. It's a subject I've become curious about myself especially after watching Rings of Power.
Sounds interesting! I'll have to check it out.
And of course! Yeah, they're making some interesting (in a good way, at least on this point) decisions about Orcs in ROP, so I appreciated looking back into this subject myself. Very interesting to consider it in terms of what Tolkien thought at different points in his career, especially when it impacts adaptations like this.
Going to answer my own question and say that another book I feel like LOTR fans would enjoy is The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. A young girl discovers that there are doors between worlds and goes on a journey to find herself and her family. Really, really enjoyed it.
I enjoyed that book very much.
The wheel of time is definitely a great series! Though there is a long slog later on, the first 6 books are amazing, as well as the last 3. I’m reading Dawn of Wonder right now and find it quite intriguing. Ranger’s Apprentice is another good series.
Yeah, it definitely has its ups and downs as a series but I love it! I haven't heard of either of those ones that you've recommended, so I'll have to check them out!
I LOVE the Wheel of Time! It’s a great series, but (as my brother says) definitely a commitment, because it’s so long and each book is like 1000 pages. The writing is not at the level of Tolkien or Lewis, but it’s not bad--definitely much better than, say, the Shannara chronicles, for example. Sanderson did a great job with the last ones.
I’m just getting started with Brandon Sanderson, but Elantris is one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels. The Way of Kings was great, as well, but I haven’t read the sequels yet. He has such a huge body of work and several series, it’s hard to know where to begin. Mistborn is on my list...
Yeah, I love WoT buuuut it's a huge commitment for sure. And I think I agree with your assessment of the quality: not Tolkien or Lewis, but better than a lot out there.
Sanderson is definitely overwhelming to start with! I got into him early enough that there wasn't too much out there to choose from, but if I got started now I wouldn't know where to start! I really loved Elantris and The Stormlight Archive is one of my absolute favorites, but Mistborn is where I started and will always be a special one for me. Highly recommended! Glad it's already on your list
Glad to have Mistborn affirmed as a good choice to get started with Sanderson! I think I’ll read it next. Thanks for your list of suggestions, that last one I hadn’t heard of, so I’ll check into it as well!
Belated thanks for the reader response :) Orcs as corrupted Men rather than corrupted Elves makes so much sense. Morgoth would have insisted on high reproduction rates, and if the Orcs had been immortal, the world would have been all Orc before the first Men opened their eyes.
Some readers might like C. S. Lewis’s science fiction trilogy. It’s quite different from LOTR, but still absorbing, particularly the first two books.
Yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense and there's good reason for why Tolkien was moving that direction over the course of his life. You're welcome!
I love the Space Trilogy! Great recommendation for readers.
Great post, Jokien! I enjoyed the reader mailbag questions and especially loved the review, pics and comments from Laura on the LEGOS Rivendell set. It indeed is stunning and obviously looks like so much thought and effort was put into creating a perfect set for the LOTR fan. Wish I could buy one!
Thank you! I know, I loved the review too and agree that it's the perfect set for the LOTR fan. I wish I could too!
I’m also curious if one of the subscriptions is still up for grabs? 😁
One is! And it's yours 😊 Sending it now
The Binding of the blade series is another good one.
Wow that's interesting that Tolkien considered orcs to be corrupted humans and not elves. I've never heard that before.
This makes me want to read The History of Middle Earth even more. So much extra information.
It's so interesting to me that he was still working things out his whole career! And also that this is a question he never really satisfactorily solved. I tend to think of most authors, especially Tolkien, as having it all figured out, so I appreciate reminders about how they are really just like us whenever I come across them. And yes, makes me want to read more of The History of Middle-Earth too
Right I know! I've read The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, but I'm just now starting to seriously dig deep into Tolkien and his other works and it's fascinating. Starting out you hear how detailed all of his work is and how he has an explanation or some kind of random footnote for EVERYTHING. But it's fun to see, like you said, he was still deciding things out throughout his life. And trying to imagine orcs as corrupted humans and what changes he would have made to The Silmarillion is wild.
I recently started the Wheel of Time right after finishing the Return of the King and I was so disappointed at the lack of quality of the writing. It’s probably a little of an unfair comparison since I had just come from the quality of Tolkien, but I did not finish the first book.
Another book I felt like was a good one for people people who like LOTR is not fantasy, but maybe more sci-fi? Maybe just fiction? Father Elijah by Michael O’Brien is set in an imagined alternate history. It encompasses a great saga across decades, with high stakes, a lowly main character, and end-of-the-world-vibes that it reminds me of LOTR. Could not put it down!
Yeah, *anything* after Tolkien is going to suffer in comparison haha. I totally get that! It does get better and more of its own thing in books 2 through 6 (pretty much the best ones), but it's a huge investment overall and never quite reaches the heights LOTR does.
That sounds interesting! I'll have to check it out: those all sound like things I'd enjoy haha
Have you ever read Gormenghast?
I have not!