> If I might make a suggestion?... I think you could easily replace "Lord Foul's Bane" with a superior book that has a similar, basic framework: Stephen King's "The Gunslinger". This Dark Tower series is my second most-favorite fantasy novels after TPB, and I'm highly gratified that Tom suggested them (how could I forget?!) Normally, I don't really go for horror novelists but The Dark Tower is special... It's more truly a fantasy, not horror. Stephen R. Donaldson's work may be more poetic but his writing is simply "descriptive". Stephen King, however, has a natural flow with a seemingly effortless melding of realism and symbolism and rich characterization that IMHO draws you right there into the scene. King has suggested that he's spent his entire life gaining the skill to write The Dark Tower series, and I think it shows. I know that some readers aren't going to like it -- it does get dark in some places -- but at the very least, it doesn't insult your intelligence with a rehash of the "Oh! I've discovered I'm the long-lost King/Princess Heroine/Magic Sword/Turtle God of Glarrpifit, come back to save the world" theme. Yeesh.

Hrm. I'll look into it... I've never liked Stephen King, though. His writing style just turns me off; I'm not entirely certain I can pinpoint why. Enough people have told me it's really great, thoguh, that I'll likely look into it.