About Reading

I've been in a reading rut, and being stubborn doesn't help.  The obvious step would be for me to continue on to the next Repairman Jack book, but I want to go back to my comfortable and familiar fantasy fiction.  And it's not like I'm not spoiled for choice.  I have a ton of ebooks and paperbacks from which to choose, and I feel like my heart and mind are truly open to experiencing any sub-genre, but I have yet to find the right fit.  Here are a few reasons why I'm having such difficulty.

1.  I don't LOVE urban fantasy fiction.  I have read most of Laurell K Hamilton's books, as well as Kelley Armstrong, Kim Harrison, and Vicki S Pettersson.  I don't prefer this form of fantasy because it usually isn't fantastical enough.  Cell phones, computers, the internet?  These hold no real magical curiosities for me.  Give me high fantasy, especially those with horses and swords and impenetrable keeps, wizards and witches, maybe a prophecy or two and a destiny fulfilled-- dragons are a huge plus, too!

2.  I don't love vampires or werewolves.  Again, I've read many of these-- Anne Rice, anyone?  Anita Blake?  But no.  I've read so many books in which vampires behave in a variety of ways and live by a variety of codes, I'm tired of it.  Boring.  See #1 for a list of characters I DO like in books.

3.  The aspect of stylized or flowery language bugs me, especially since it never ends for as long as you're reading the book.  It's distracting and weird.  It is so distracting and weird that this is one instance where I will not finish a book nor will I revisit it in the future.  At least, it hasn't happened yet.  I don't like it when characters are named things like Stands Alone or Rough Paw, nor do I like when fictional place names too closely resemble actual place names for no good reason (Kristin Cashore, I'm looking at you).  It is also hugely overwhelming when an author drops so many weird names on one page that you can't remember them let alone figure out whether or not those names belong to people or places.  Again, Kristin Cashore, I'm looking at you.

I began reading Cecelia Dart-Thornton's The Iron Tree the other day, but gave up after the first 20 pages or so because her characters used such formal speech and it felt stifling and stiff.  I'm really disappointed by this because I was so looking forward to reading this series.  The book I'm currently trying to get into just bombarded me TWICE with a bunch of odd-sounding names that I have no hope of remembering anytime soon.  It's like when someone continually name-drops and expects you to not only know who he's talking about, but show appropriate reverence as well.  I'm about to give up.

What DO I like, you wonder?

1.  Characters who behave within the scope of their personalities.
2.  Magic that has a clear, SIMPLE set of rules. What kind of magic is it and who can wield it?  What are the boundaries?
3.  Strong female characters.  I like strong male characters, but I think those are more common than the female variety so don't really bear mentioning.
4.  Conflict.  If it's the kind of book where people will die, then shouldn't some of the favorite main characters die as well?  I mean, the main characters shouldn't be saved from conflict just because they are favored.

My favorite fantasy authors?  So glad you asked.  I'll give you my top two.

1.  Brandon Sanderson does an excellent job of creating worlds and the magic within them.  Try reading the Mistborn series. Not your typical magic.  He was also the one asked to finish off Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series since that author passed away from illness before it could be finished.  The Wheel of Time series is also an awesome piece of writing if you've the time to read it.

2.  Diana Pharaoh Francis.  She does some urban fantasy, too, which I've really liked.  Such an awesome writer with complex characters and plot lines.

So, right now there are books out by both of these authors that I have not yet read because I feel to do them justice I have to go back to re-read the previous books in the series.  I'm just not feeling that lately.  I just don't know what it is.  Any suggestions?