I absolutely adore Lois McMaster Bujold (she is one of my author idols). Her Chalion world is great, and I love the concept of the Five Gods, and how the Bastard (the thumb on the spread hand) is the only one who can touch the other four....
I've read that series twice through, and still enjoy it every time. If you liked that series, might I recommend pretty much anything by Guy Gavriel Kay? He takes actual periods from history and puts a fantasy spin on them. My favorite novel is "The Lions of Al-Rassan", and one of the main characters is basically El Cid. The Serantine Mosaic - "Sailing to Serantium" and "The Lord of Emperors" reflects Byzantium and Constantine. And if you like a fictionalized mix of Saxons and Norse, "The Last Light of the Sun". There is one scene in that book that gives me major goosebumps just thinking about it. He's one of my other author idols.
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I've read that series twice through, and still enjoy it every time. If you liked that series, might I recommend pretty much anything by Guy Gavriel Kay? He takes actual periods from history and puts a fantasy spin on them. My favorite novel is "The Lions of Al-Rassan", and one of the main characters is basically El Cid. The Serantine Mosaic - "Sailing to Serantium" and "The Lord of Emperors" reflects Byzantium and Constantine. And if you like a fictionalized mix of Saxons and Norse, "The Last Light of the Sun". There is one scene in that book that gives me major goosebumps just thinking about it. He's one of my other author idols.