The Sun Sword Saga

This is probably the biggest epic fantasy that you’ve never heard of. It’s fat fantasy with a lot of strong characterization. If you are fans of the recent crop of Martin-style gritty fantasy with shades of grey and dark, brutal worlds, this series won’t be for you. If you want fantasy with non-stop action, violence, and magic on every page, this series is not for you. It requires some serious patience on your part to get into the flow of things. One thing you can’t accuse Michelle West of is being a hack – she writes about as original a high fantasy epic as you’ll find out there. Let me be clear – this is NOT The Wheel of Time and if you like that sort of faster-paced epic fantasy that’s heavy on the magic, super heroes, and action, then this series won’t be for you. This is a more plot-driven, more pedantic paced epic that requires focus on your part. It is, however, an epic fantasy for those who like to savor the slow buildup of a good, complex story. This is a story that can take books to really build up the threads and get the ball rolling, but the journey is worth it. The author is a fantastic wordsmith; this is a grand tale that’s told in a grand manner with flowery, poetic language. So if you can put up with a slower-paced complex, plot-driven epic fantasy with delicious prose, read it. It’s a vastly underappreciated work of epic fantasy and for those with the patience, a real treat awaits here.