The Current State of New Fantasy Novels

In the past decade or so, I've noticed an incredible explosion in the number of high-quality fantasy novels beinig published and coming into the public eye. Ever since the beginning of The Wheel of Time, it seems like I've had a decent fantasy novel to read ( I started WoT in '98). Here's my opinion on the current state of many of the "big series".

Wheel of Time

Seems almost "on hiatus". There haven't been many (any?) big plot developments in the past couple of books, and it seems like Jordan has written himself into a corner here with the sheer number of plot threads he's opened, it seems like with so many plot threads you wouldn't be able to write so many pages about characters whining and squabbling and generally not getting along. What started as a fantastic series has turned into something I force myself to slog through.

The Song of Ice and Fire

Another series that started out as pure genius. The beginning of the first book instantly drew me in and I was hooked for another 2,500 or so pages. Fantastic plot, wonderful pacing, incredible characters who go through real change. An instant fantasy classic. Then A Feast For Crows came out. MARTIN JORDANED IT UP. The pace slows to a crawl, I get to read about a bunch of characters I don't care about! GAH! Another series I'm forcing myself to read???? Fortuantely Dance of Dragons looks to solve my problems by focusing on the characters I'm more interested in. Hopefully it won't take too long.

The Malazan Book of the Fallen

This series took a bit to grow on me. The first book was hard to get into as you're sort of thrust into the action. Then the second book picks up with a completely new cast of characters. However the third book starts and it really beings to rock, picking up from the ending of the first book and showing probably the best designed fantasy world I've ever read about, complete with an amazing history and cast of wonderful characters. The novels are full of badass characters who go around doing badass things and can be killed at any time. Another series (much like Song of Ice and Fire) where no one is safe. I've read all the way through the last book and so far all the books have been good. I have VERY high hopes for this series.

Harry Potter

As it enters into its final chapter, the Harry Potter series has grown and matured. Each time I start one of these books I forget just how damn good they are. Such wonderful tales woven into such a magical atmosphere. Granted, the stories aren't particularly "adult", but they're still interesting, and the books are nearly impossible to put down. With the final book coming out in July, the question is whether Harry survives or not, I'll be first in line to find out.

I'm also reading another, finished, series called The Prince of Nothing. So far I'm liking it, if it's not quite pulling me in the way some of these other series have.