Long Price Quartet

Western settings. Farm boys. Spoilt rich kids. Often, coming of age fantasy hits you over the head with unsubtle interactions and world-building. Abraham's Long Price Quartet does not fit into that category. It's a gentle piece. There's intricate world-building, a heavy focus on character progression, and little need for action. The World consists of city states with an asian inspiration, each looking to gain political influence. This is where much of the novel lies. Not in fighting, or magic, though both are present, but human interaction. Part of that is presented in the growth of characters, which is presented in an entirely unique way. Each book in the series is spaced fifteen years apart, presenting a change in the characters that can only be achieved by time. The central character is Itani, a laborer who is much more than he pretends to be. The Long Price Quartet follows him from the age of 12 through to 80, and from a young boy to an emperor. Ambitious in its timeframe, the series is much more than the sum of its parts, and far more nuanced than can be described in a short summary. Read if you like: Subtle fantasy, character-oriented stories.

Books in Long Price Quartet Series (4)

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The Dagger and the Coin

You may want to check out Abraham's newest fantasy series, The Dagger and the Coin. Quite a few people are saying it's nearly as good as his The Long Price Quartet series and it's a more "standard epic fantasy" which many of you are used to by now (dragons, elder gods, trolls, magic).

Colors in the Steel

If you like the whole economic aspect of The Long Price Quartet, you should take a hard look at KJ Parker's works. Start with his Colors in the Steel. Both JK Parker and Daniel Abraham both write what's called economic fantasies -- fantasy that deals with economics in some major way.

Books by Guy Gaverial Kay

For another writer who writes beautiful, character driven prose where the heroes are not always warriors but poets and scholars, is Guy Gaverial Kay. Try his Under Heaven, Tigana, or Lions of Al Rassan though all his works are good. Not the same style as Abraham, but he does focus a lot of characters, slow complex plots that build up, and masterful prose where the writing itself is just as important as the story.

Books by China Mieville

China Mieville. One of the founders of the New Weird movement. This guy can write beautiful and unique stuff; the questions is then if you can understand what he's writing about. His world and characters are absolutely bizarre and often grotesque. But, like Abraham's The Long Price Quartet, his stories are very much different than the run-of-the-mill fantasy. You may enjoy him. I do and I feel he's a bit underrated. If you need a point to start, you can start with Perdido Street Station.

Gormenghast

Another series that evocative in prose and character is Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast series. You might just love it if you are the type of person who falls head over heels with The Long Price Quartet.

Books by Neil Gaimen

Neil Gaimen. OH yes. Everything by him. Wonderful writing, thematic, and all round compelling tales. Start with American Gods, the book he's most famous for or Neverwhere. Note that ALL of his books are good though.

Book of the New Sun

Gene Wolf. You can check out his Book of the New Sun series. Beautiful writing, beautiful descriptions, deep thoughts, deep writing, unique scenarios.

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