Which novel series do you think has the most readers?

"WoT fans, on the whole, are the most pretentious bunch of jerks I have ever talked to in my life."- someone on the second page. JediMasterAaron, I think.

Please be careful with your sterotypes. I happen to be a pretty big WoT fan, and I go to that "terrible" site, wotmania, once in a while. I agree, a lot of them are not very nice. But that was a very general comment.

Anyway, on a lighter note, this seems like a very interesting conversation. I'm starting to read Dragonlance again, after being at first turned away from the series from a extremely cheesy non-Weis and Hickman book about gnomes on a moon. Actually, right now I'm reading a series by Weis and Hickman called The Sovereign Stone trilogy. Has anyone else read that?

(As for the poll, I think that a lot of them have an equal amount of readers. At this point, though, for a series that is still being written I would have to say Star Wars. Or other. Harry Potter. )

 

I don't know why I defending myself Ka but he has really beautiful hair. I love his hair it so lovely. I wish I had pretty hair.
And no his pretty elf features have nothing to do with it they're very feminine like. As I said don't know why I'm defending myself. Now Oliver Wood on the other hand.......

 

Actually, right now I'm reading a series by Weis and Hickman called The Sovereign Stone trilogy. Has anyone else read that?


I've read Sovereign Stone 1 and 2, 3 is forthcoming. I was initially disappointed that the second book was actually a couple hundred years after the first, so that it?s really a stand alone novel and a duology, but I think I prefer the second book to the first. Except for the Dwarf/Dragon plotline. I may be wrong, but I don?t think that that will lead any further, and I hate plotlines that don't affect the main storyline that the author threw in just because. I?d rather they saved that story for a short story or another book

 

Well, I voted for Star Wars. Duh.
What kind of question is this?

 

My poll looks so unattractive. I wish I had put more thought into it before posting. I would have put Harry Potter and Tolkien's books as separate choices. Ugh. I can't believe I forgot about them.

Gandolf: "...and I hate plotlines that don't affect the main storyline that the author threw in just because."

I dislike that, too, which is why I've been so reluctant to pick up another Drenai novel. I really liked Winter Warriors, but it doesn't seem as though the other novels in the series are related to one another.
Speaking of which, IATDS, is their a general, main story to the Drenai series?

GoldenVeila: "I'm starting to read Dragonlance again..."

I haven't read Dragonlance since the War of the Lance tales. I've only read that and The Legend of Huma, actually, but I have quite a bit of novels from that series. Thing is, I tried getting into the Time of the Twins trilogy, but I couldn't go through with it. I couldn't respect any of the characters except for Raistlin and Tasslehoff.
Cameron was disgusting, and Crysania...I wanted to squeeze the life out of her.

I didn't even think Dragonlance was still progressing story-wise. What's happening on Krynn these days?

"Actually, right now I'm reading a series by Weis and Hickman called The Sovereign Stone trilogy."

I've never heard of that, but I've read the two last books of their Death Gate Cycle series. I found it very interesting how the character Zifnab seemed terribly similiar to Dragonlance's Fizban. Notice how both names consist of the same letters.
Moreover, in Dragonlance, Fizban claims to have been the god Paladine. In Death Gate, Zifnab claims to be God. They're both clumsy mages, too. Interesting, isn't it?
I thought that they were trying to somehow link Dragonlance to Death Gate...

Equinox: "And no his pretty elf features have nothing to do with it they're very feminine like."

Legolos was my favorite character in the FotR movie. Everyone else, perhaps with the exception of Gandolf, was just so...ugh.
And, I'm a guy and even I thought Legolos looked damn good.

Syntax: "What kind of question is this?"

Oh, shush!



"Well, I voted for Star Wars. Duh."

Okay, now tell us why you think Star Wars has the most readers.

 

Speaking of which, IATDS, is their a general, main story to the Drenai series?

No. Each book stands alone. But even if you don't like that, you definitely need to read Legend. That book seriously kicks ass.

 

IATDS:
No? Wow. So, there's no real...point behind the Drenai series? It's just like Gemmel is writing his own Forgotten Realms series all by himself? I refer to FR because a lot of novels, unless written by the same author, don't relate to one another at all. At least, from what I've read.


I'll have to check out this Legend when I see it.

 

Each book has a point, and the characters in the books are often descendants of each other, but no, it's not a series of the type of The Wheel of Time or anything, where each book directly leads to the next.

And you're a little late: Legend used to be part of DR's "Classic Fantasy for $3.99" program which I don't think they're running anymore.

 

$3.99????
STANG!

 

This is a great thread, Valyn. Not so great a poll-I'm not sure how fair a poll you thought you'd get in a Star Wars Literature Discussion forum, but it's great for getting many varied oppinions on some prominent authors.

Anyway my oppinion:
Robert Jordan: I agree with Gandolf about Jordan he's an excellent worldbuilder but has a few flaws in things like characterization (most notably his women characters),and the slow build up in his plots, But when it comes down to atmosphere (The little eccentricities of the world he's created) few writers that I've read can match him.
I'm a fan of WOT admittedly, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment

David Eddings: admittedly I've just recently began reading Eddings starting with the Redemption of Althalus, then the Belgariad, and now the Malloreon so it may be affecting my oppinion somewhat.
I think Eddings is pretty decent if not good worldbuilder but his real talent lies in the delivery of his story. His plots are not very complex or dense like Jordan's or Tolkien's so it makes very approachable to casual fans while not too simplistic to anger more sophisticated readers (Yet on the other hand some of the big secrets of the Belgariad was pretty transparent IMO) His characterization is more than likely his major strongsuit though I find his female characters kinda cliche'.

Tolkein:
I know he's practically the lord high god of epic fantasy and the pretty much the father of the genre, but I've never really been that impressed with him.
Don't get me wrong though the essential story of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings is awesome, even incredible, but he keeps shooting this great story in the foot by forcing it onto unnecessary tangents. For example in the book Fellowship of the Ring Frodo and the Hobbits leave the Shire being chased by a black rider. They run heading for the village of Bree, but never again see the black rider chasing them because Tolkien has them bumbling around wasting time and pages in a forest meeting a character that has no consequence to the end of the story.
My oppinion if you want to experience this Fantasy classic is that you should see the movie, it's what Tolkien should've wrote.

Terry Goodkind: "The world seems to conspire to keep R and K apart, to throw as many crimps as possible into their relationship. They?re always back together at the end of the book, and they always go their separate ways at the beginning of the next book. And finally, the plot takes forever to go anywhere."-Gandolf
That's exactly what got me turned onto it and what turned me off it. The series peaked in stone of Tears IMO.

Orson Scott Card: The writer I wish would put aside his petty dislike of franchises and write an awesome SW story, sigh.
Ender's game, and the sequels/prequels that focus upon his shadow Bean are great stories. Filled with equal part excellent world building and awesome delivery.
However Card's sequels to Ender's game (Speaker for Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind) I didn't like as much as the original. In many ways Those three are a completely different story than Ender's game. They were also too heavy in conjecture and tone and Hardcore SF to endear them to my heart like Ender's game did. At least the books based on the character Bean is a return to what I wished the further adventures of Ender Wiggin would've been.

 

Weis and Hickman wanted to write Fizban in their Death Gate novels, but he was property of TSR. So they created Zifnab, and made him exactly like Fizban. It?s sort of an in-joke for their Dragonlance fans.



Everyone else, perhaps with the exception of Gandolf, was just so...ugh.

Gandalf is spelt G-a-n-d-a-l-f

 

Which novel series do you think has the most readers?

Harry Potter, by a long shot.

 

I-Poodoo: "This is a great thread, Valyn."

Thanks!

"Not so great a poll..."





"I know he's practically the lord high god of epic fantasy and the pretty much the father of the genre, but I've never really been that impressed with him."

You and me both!

Gandolf: "Weis and Hickman wanted to write Fizban in their Death Gate novels, but he was property of TSR. So they created Zifnab, and made him exactly like Fizban. It?s sort of an in-joke for their Dragonlance fans."

I also harbored the theory that perhaps it was a joke. Um, couldn't that have disconcerted TSR, though? I mean, it was an obvious reflection of Fizban. It could have lead to legal issues.
For instance, the creators of Mutant X were being sued by FOX, if I recall correctly, for their show being so similar to X-Men.

"Gandalf is spelt G-a-n-d-a-l-f."

Um, sorry?

Jades Fire: "Harry Potter, by a long shot."

Why, though? I always assumed that Harry Potter was directed towards a younger audience? Star Wars, on the other hand, appeals to an older and younger audience. They have children books and adult books, which encourages my presumption that Star Wars holds the largest number of readers.

 

Gandolf: "Gandalf is spelt G-a-n-d-a-l-f."

Yeah, I think we should ban anyone who makes that mistake...oh, wait!

 

IATDS: ROTFLMAO!

 

'Nox, the strange thing is, I was going to put "pretty elf hair" but then I stopped! I've seen pictures of him with normal hair and he looks so bad! But yes, we both know Oliver Wood is great.

I-poodoo: That's kind of the same problem I had with Tolkien. The whole thing at the beginning with them going into the forest, meeting Tom Bombandil or however you spell that name, then meeting the Barrow was so completely irrelevant! You know what that was, that was filler!

 

Yes pretty elf hair and a great archer what more can you ask for?

 

someone who doesn't look like a girl?
jokes! yes, archers are good. but I would hate to have a boyfriend with better hair than I did, it would make me jealous.

 

Well okay but he doesn't really look like a girl just a femine man. A very femine man with gorgeous hair. If I had a boyfriend with nicer hair than me he would know how to keep his hair beautiful and would share his secrets with me. So I'd have lovely hair too. I'd loved to have a friend who was an archer although I do prefer the crossbow myself. It's easier to conceal although a bow is more elegant.
As a side note the next Harry Potter book may only come out in June 2003 and I cannot wait that long. The next movie might be out before then allowing everyone to get back into the Harry Potter craze so I expect book sales to be pretty high.

 

Tenel Ka: "but I would hate to have a boyfriend with better hair than I did, it would make me jealous."

Aww. I guess this means that we could never be.


During high school, I actually used to take pride in my hair! I mean, it was so cool! Does anyone watch Boy Meets World? I emulated Eric's style, when he wore it long and parted it down the middle. It was so nice! Everyone complimented me on it--even hair stylists! They used to say, "You have such nice hair. It feels nice to run my fingers through."

I've cut my hair short now, though. It's more convenient when working out. It doesn't get in my eyes. Sigh.

 

one of my pals I play D&D with looks dead on Legolas if you take away the pointed ears and give him a slight goatee.

We call him "Legoland"

 

I also harbored the theory that perhaps it was a joke. Um, couldn't that have disconcerted TSR, though? I mean, it was an obvious reflection of Fizban. It could have lead to legal issues.

I never heard what TSR thought. They couldn't have been too unhappy though - Weis and Hickman returned to Krynn to write more books.

 

Ludicrous: "We call him 'Legoland'."



Gandolf: "They couldn't have been too unhappy though - Weis and Hickman returned to Krynn to write more books."

I though that Weis and Hickman's greatest Dragonlance novels were their earlier ones, right? I mean, I haven't heard of there being any good newer Dragonlance books. Mostly, when you ask a fan about a good Krynn novel, they'll direct you to the older books. At least, that's what I've garnered.

 

Valyn : Aww. I guess this means that we could never be.



yes, that and being in different countries!


Alright, I started reading a Dragonlance book from the Preludes series, fairly old I think. It has two characters called Kitiara and Sturm and Raistlin and a few others. Anyway, I was about half way into it and it seemed like the whole thing was a series of completely unrelated events and I hated the writing style so much. Are those books bad by Dragonlance standards or are those books just not for me?

 

Tenel Ka: "yes, that and being in different countries!"

Well, I'm a Canadian citizen. I'm just an American resident.

"Are those books bad by Dragonlance standards or are those books just not for me?"

I've never even heard of the Preludes series.
The general concensus appears to be that the best Dragonlance novel is Dragons of Autumn's Twilight, if I recall correctly.
In fact, that entire series has been reprinted and now boasts really pretty cover art.