Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!
This week our topic is …
BOOKS I JUST HAD TO BUY . . . but are still sitting on my bookshelf
10. Lord of the Isles by David Drake
Back in the day (1998), I usually bought any new epic fantasy book which hit the shelves. There just were not enough of them to keep my insatiable appetite satisfied, so when I saw this one, I immediately bought it. I am fairly certain I also purchased the next two installments in the series as well. Guess what? I’ve never read any of them. They are still sitting on the bookshelf somewhere collecting dust. Can’t make myself get rid of them though, because I’m certain I’ll get around to reading them soon.
9. The Baker’s Boy by J.V. Jones
A novel I bought due to its seeming classical fantasy leanings. Occasionally, I long for the simpler days of my youth when classic fantasy ruled the shelves. Those days might have been boring for most, but I recall it fondly, finding its naive and simplistic view of good versus evil a nice escape from the complexities of the morass of real life dialogue. So when The Baker’s Boy appeared and seemed to harken back to that simpler time I bought it. Now, I just have to read it.
8. The Runelords by David Farland
A more recent purchase for me; I bought this book a year or so ago. The Runelords (as well as the next six installments in the series) were used book store purchases that I couldn’t resist. But how could I help it? I mean, there were the first eight volumes in a fantasy series for only a handful of money. I couldn’t pass that up. And, no, I’ve never opened the first one since bringing them home.
7. Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman
Good premise. Cool cover. And an author whose previous work I had thoroughly enjoyed. This novel seemed like a can’t miss for me. After buying it out of my local Barnes & Nobles, it has maintained its very prominent spot on my bookshelf for many years. Nope, I’ve never even tried to read it.
6. Wizards’ First Rule by Terry Goodkind
When this book came out in 1994, it was the next big thing. Everyone I knew who read fantasy raved about it, told me to embrace the hype. So like the good follower I was back then, I bought the damn thing. I even tried to read it. Couldn’t get through it. But instead of getting rid of the book, I held on to it, bought the next three/four installments in the series. Hell, I still have them, even though I kind of realize I never intend to read them. Why am I keeping them then? Book hoarder, I guess.
5. The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham
Another epic fantasy I just could not keep myself from buying. I’m sure the comparisons to George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones is what initially excited me. Unfortunately, I’ve never had any desire to open it up and read it since purchasing it several years ago. Perhaps the complexity is what has caused my refrain. Not sure. I do intend to get to it one day.
4. The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts
Janny Wurts was one of my favorite authors when I first began reading fantasy. I collected numerous of her early works, loved them all. So when I first encountered this epic series, I had to buy the first book. My plan was to wait until several installments had been published, then sit down and binge read them. I’m still buying the novels as they are published. Now, though, I’m way behind and really need to find the time to read such a massive series. Wish me luck.
3.The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Since I returned to reading fantasy four years ago, I have been consistently bitten in the ass by listening to the hype on books. Sure, several lived up to the crowds’ praises, but more were totally failures in my eyes. And that is why even though I have a pristine copy of Lynch’s masterpiece on my bookshelf, I have not touched it. I’m scared I will be burned yet again.
2. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Several authors have been whispered in my ear for the last four years. You know, the fanboys favorites, who supposedly you can’t be a fantasy fan and not love. Sanderson is among those authors I’ve been instructed over and over to read. And I have done so. Mistborn: The Final Empire being the one I tried. It was good, but it wasn’t great in my eyes. And so (yet again) I’m holding back on reading a book, which sits upon my bookshelves, because I’m scared the hype has gotten out of control.
1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Hype. Hype. Hype. I’m terrified of it. Especially when there has been such huge gaps between books in the series and a small group of dedicated haters. It makes me wonder if taking the plunge with this one is worth it.
bookwraiths.com 
As a fellow book hoarder, I salute you.
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I hoard them too. But hey, why not take the plunge with a few of these – especially the more recent ones?
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I definitely intend to get around to them. Finding the time is always a problem though. 😦
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I’ve read Wizard’s First Rule – I’ll let you read when you can and make up your own mind about it rather than spoil it for you. I actually read The Pillars of Creation first and actually liked it and that’s all I’ll say about that…
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Reblogged this on Archer's Aim and commented:
An interesting top 10 from a fellow fantasy book hoarder – Bookwraiths. Reblogging on Archer’s Aim!
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Really biting my tongue after seeing Lies and Name on here, in 3rd and 1st place respectively! I completely understand the pressure and the hype though… My advice is to definitely read them, but do so at a time when YOU want to read them, not when everyone else does.
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As I mentioned, it really is the hype and my poor luck when reading other “hyped” fantasy that has held me back from trying those two books. What I’m afraid of is that my expectations will be so high the books have no chance of reaching them. Perhaps time will ease the hype and let me go into them without any preconceived notions of their supposed greatness.
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Yeh hence the bitten tongue haha! I realised writing “READ IT NOW!” wouldn’t help matters… Best to try and forget the hype, as with anything 🙂 Hope you get around to some of your list!
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I have this problem, too… so many books just sitting on my shelves. Poor things.
In regards to The Way of Kings, I personally loved it – and I didn’t really like Mistborn. I actually didn’t even finisht he first Mistborn book because I couldn’t get into it, but fell in love with Sanderson’s Stormlight Archives (in case that helps convince you 🙂 ).
I am also so glad I read The Name of the Wind prior to my immense involvement in the book world because I didn’t see all the hype! I personally loved it, but who knows if I would have jumped into it had I seen all the hype and felt all the pressure… so I definitely understand your hesitation!
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Glad to hear you enjoyed these two series. I do want to read both. As I mentioned, the hype has made me hold back since I’ve been burned a few times in the recent past by the “Next Big Thing!” novels.
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Having just finished “The Dragon’s Path” I can strongly recommend it: it’s been sitting on my shelf for a long time as well, but once I decided to start I enjoyed it quite a bit. There are several elements you might find in other similarly oriented stories, but you will also find many surprises along the road.
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Glad to here it is a good read. I still want to find time to read it, but it seems to get harder and harder to squeeze all the books into my schedule. 😦
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I enjoyed The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, but I hadn’t managed to hear any of the hype about it – for me it was just a whim purchase in a bargain book shop 😀
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That probably made it an even better read then.
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That’s a lot of fantasy 😀 I’ve heard a ton of great things about Janny Wurts and not so nice things about the Wizard’s First Rule. If I’m not mistaken Daniel Abraham is Martin’s assistant (or use to be), and he’s adapting the ASOIAF comics.
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You don’t hear/read many good things about Wizard’s First Rule anymore. Strange how everyone seemed to love it back when it was initially released.
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Times has changed. Haha. I think it a lot of it has to do with the fact that the first few books are great/decent but the rest of the series just aren’t up to par.
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