Novel Recommendations

[R3dstar77]

Hi all,
 
I'm wanting to start reading the fiction, and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations as to where I ought to start (I've had the Warrior trilogy recommended however I'm holding out to get original hardcopies if I can track them down), I've read A Call to Arms and own Blood of the Isle as well, though I'd like to get more exposure to the 3025 and earlier era.

Thanks!

[Fat Guy]

Then you want the Grey Death trilogy, Wolves on the Border and Heir to the Dragon.

[Sartris]

both the grey death and warrior trilogy can be had on amazon as print on demand if you want a physical copy

[Colt Ward]

Gray Death trilogy (3SW & scavenger meme), Warrior trilogy (4th Succession War & house politics), and Blood of Kerensky (Clan Invasion & politics update) trilogy are the core setting novels.  The Dark Age novels you read are at least the later ones, which were written by long term BT authors which helps.

Most of the novels are now available in e-pub and as Sartis said, some are available as Print on Demand.  I do not think any BT book ever came out in hard back . . . and originals if mass market paperback would be from the late 80s.  Yellowed mmp paper and likely problematic spines, not sure it makes it easier to read them.  Some of the novels are are extremely unlikely to find- I have two different Wolves on the Border for example, different covers I think.  But Sword & Dragon is one of the rarest finds IIRC.

[SteelRaven]

Grey Death Trilogy and Wolves on the Boarder, the later is often the first recommended as it is well written and cover so much ground from the Marik Civil war to Warrior.

I only read a small part of The Sword and the Dagger but it's not bad. The plot can be a little goofy depending on your perspective but the story in part sets up some of the motivations in Warrior. It's hard to find a hard copy as the original publishing rights made it almost impossible to reprint but some have snagged a copy at the use book store or at their library (don't bother with only, the Price Bots mark it up because it's been out of print for 33 years)

Heir to the Dragon is also recommended though it covers a everything up to the War of 3039. May want to read it after Warrior just for context.

There are also the short stories in Shrapnel, recommended giving the PDF the once over before Warrior (again, collectors item from 1988. Can only get hard copy at a decent price from a fellow fan)     

[Xan]

Wolves on the Boarder is fantastic, as with the previous posts, would highly recommend it, and is in the 3025 era.

Sword and Dagger is a fun read, particularly because its one of the older books, and does a lot of early universe building (for me at least).  You just can't think about it to hard and go with it.

The Blood of Kerensky trilogy is a must read for me as well, but its up in the 3050s

After the Blood of Kerensky Trilogy, Natural Selection is good read, I think I finished that last 1/3 in one night as I didn't want to put it down.

[Greatclub]

people either love or hate the close quarters trilogy.

legend of the jade pheonix  trilogy; Look, the clans are a massively screwed up society that a lot of people find offensive; basically rubber forehead aliens, sans forehead. If you can get past that, it is a decent trio of books. But as with Close quarters, I'd get the first book and see if it's up your alley before getting the other two.

Wolf Pack. If you liked wolves on the border this is just a tier below, and above most of the rest.

After Natural Selection come Assumption of risk and bred for war. They're pretty good, if fairly massive, but after that the quality drops.

Test of vengeance, Initiation to War, roar of honor among the later books.