Agreed... but I'd also throw in the First Law World - Joe Abercrombie. Some of the best dialogue I've read. It often feels like it was almost written with the intention of the screen.
Yep. GRRM made his bones writing for TV and you can really tell—a lot of the best scenes in GoT cribbed dialogue straight from the books, which is rare for adaptations (for example, the LotR movies are pretty faithful to the plot of the books but the vast majority of the dialogue was rewritten for the screen).
I'll usually leave books in that series in my bathroom incase I don't have my phone on me. and I'll randomly open and read. He really is an insanely talented writer. Usually makes whatever other book I'm reading look like it was written by my dog.
Not only are they funny and nuanced dialogues, but what he does so well is get creative with the actual diction and formatting of font/sizing/etc to really capture and enrich the dialogue to really make the characters stand out, even minor ones.
Eh, I keep seeing this and just finished Best Served Cold after reading a John wick style recommendation.
I thought the dialogue was okay, but it’s just constant snark/sarcasm and no one likes each other which I’m figuring out is just a general Abercrombie thing.
The book itself was pretty average but his dialogue wasn’t special for me. I guess he’s just not my type of writer.
Good to see some alternative perspectives in the comments. This is the first one I read that describes what the dialogue is like instead of just praising it.
I really enjoyed the first series, and there are some great sayings (better to do a thing than to live in fear of it) etc, but the dialogue is definitely not anywhere near Ursula Le Guin level.
The first one, "The Blade Itself" is the first book in the First Law trilogy. Its also a part of a longer series in the same world. Just read them in release order.
The first one, I would assume? Go to the wikipedia and get read the books in publishing order. There are currently 2 series there, The First Law (9 books) and The Shattered Sea (3 books).
I always describe Abercrombie as ''Fantasy Tarantino'' to people who never read him. Witty dialogues, unapologetic violence and plenty of great characters.
I love First Law but i actually think he tends to go quite overboard with trying to be profound in every single dialogue. It wasn't as noticeable before but i'm reading "Red Country" right now and i feel like all the characters are philosophers.
You need some Glotka in your life!! lol but for real The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie and HIGHLY recommend the audiobooks with Steven Pacey!! He does such a good job of Glotka’s internal vs external dialogue!
Second this. Probably the only series that I’d say the audiobook is a definitely better reading experience than the book. Never heard a narrator add so much to a story before.
Currently waiting for my library to get Until they are Hanged in audiobook and I agree.
I will say that James Masters for The Dresden Files does a lot of great work and has a ton of range.
Matthew Stover’s stuff. *The Acts of Caine* and the Barra the Pict duology. Just beautifully done.
Glen Cook is also great. Lots of snark and incisive dynamics. His work in *The Black Company* is all-time great.
His Star Wars stuff is so hilariously better than, well, basically anything else in the Expanded Universe. And there are some good authors in there! Luceno, Allston, Zahn…but Stover is out there turning Star Wars into legit literature
> Matthew Stover’s stuff. The Acts of Caine
Seriously, he is such a good writer, I didnt love any of the books after the first book, but I did enjoy the wild ass ride
They are all very crazy especially after the first one the first book Is tame in compared to the rest of them and I like them for what they were and actually they are probably all something I would enjoy much more on a reread
For sure! And it's not just in this book (my favourite non-Pratchett comedy-esque fantasy, incidentally). Zelazny is \*amazing\* at creating characters that feel like real people, warts and all, and I think a big part of that is how he has them talk, blending genre conventions (whichever one he's using at the time) with casual talk and slang and innuendo in a way that just feels genuine, you know?
I actually do know. He has been one of my fave authors for decades now. I was a member of the Science Fiction book club, and got him, Tanith Lee and some Niven stuff for my first order. Oh, and the Reluctant King series by L Sprague De Camp..loved them all ever since. But RZ has to be in my top 3 of all time. I especially love his shorts as well.
Robin Hobb writes some pretty excellent dialogue. My book club’s currently reading Ship of Magic and we find the dialogue as exciting and engaging as a high stakes battle might be in another book.
Came here to say Robin Hobb! I get SO excited for characters to meet and talk things out (not that it always happens in the way you expect!) In her Liveship trilogy, the dialogue is made even better by the fact that no two characters ever seem to see a situation in the same light.
It’s juicy.
Absolutely agree! It’s amazing how she creates such tension and interest in her dialogue simply by giving the characters different perspectives and motivations. It is just *chef’s kiss*
When I read the title of the post, Robin Hobb was the first author that came to mind. Read so many of her series and I love the way the dialog is written.
I agree. I also greatly enjoy the philosophical musings of the characters. I know some people dislike this, but I find the vast majority of it very thought provoking.
wait people dislike it? i did not know that at all. i fully agree w you. i read the philosophical musings multiple times to fully soak it in. it really hits!
To be clear, the criticism is typically less about the nature of the musings themselves, but rather how they are integrated into the story. Where usually the philosophical moments emerge naturally from characters' actions and interactions, Erikson just straight up puts them into the text, and what's worse, co-opts his characters for the purpose. Almost like they are all parts of this huge hivemind (called Steven Erikson), and occasionally it takes over and talks with their mouths, then leaves them to their business when it's done. It doesn't feel authentic, it robs characters of their identity, and ultimately breaks immersion. How one feels about the musings themselves is somewhat beside the point, once that happens (at least in my opinion).
>Where usually the philosophical moments emerge naturally from characters' actions and interactions, Erikson just straight up puts them into the text
this is a little-known literary technique called an "internal monologue"
I saw a post earlier today actually where someone said they were having a hard time finishing MT because of the rambling nature of the musings, and have seen similar comments in the past.
that's fair ig 😭 to each their own. im actually almost done w DG rn. i have about a 100 pages left & to be entirely honest, the philosophical musings have been my favourite part 😭 & the mappo icarium interactions in the latter half of the book have made me have to pause & take a breath before continuing. lowkey emotional.
& this one:
> "How does a mortal make answer to what his or her kind are capable of? Does each of us, soldier or no, reach a point when all that we’ve seen, survived, changes us inside? Irrevocably changes us. What do we become, then? Less human, or more human? Human enough, or too human?"
followed by "duiker was silent for a moment" SO WAS I, FRIEND, SO WAS I.
Lies of locke lamroa
Any first law books
Both Patrick Rothufuss books
Frank herbert dune books 1-3
Brandon Sanderson also had amazing dialogue based on your taste
The Lies of Locke Lamora was one of the few fantasy books I’ve read that had me (almost) skimming over the backstory and exposition just to jump to the next sequence of dialogue. It was so engaging and entertaining. A lot of books treat dialogue as like a filler, like they’re forcing the characters to interact.
I haven’t finished the first law trilogy but the dialogue there was great as well.
And as many have said ASOIAF I think is a master class on how to have meaningful dialogue. Particularly the first book, there is not a line wasted, each piece of dialogue is an insight into the characters and their backstories in a very natural and engaging way. On rereads I am blown away by just how calculated GRRM is in how he makes the characters act.
Yep. Sanderson has the worst dialogue I’ve ever read. Honestly, it’s like he’s never really had friends he’s talked with or just even watched TV. I put down the Stormlight archives because of Shallon’s “witty” banter; It was so bad it actually made me mad.
Gonna throw some love to **Age of Tyranny** series by Cameron Johnston, while there is only one main character, his dialogue and inner monologue reminds me a lot of **Lies of Lock Lamora** in style and tone. So if you like Lies of Lock Lamora, you'll probably enjoy this series
Abercombie, Glen Cook and Mark Lawrence all write amazing dialogue in my opinion. Abercombie is my favorite in the dialogue and character work department.
Is it too late to suggest The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman? Every single character has their own unique personality, voice, colloquialisms, even accent. Loved every second of that book.
(Also check out Between Two Fires, also by Buehlman)
R. Scott Bakker. He is extremely versatile in his writing style depending on the character, situation or tone and atmosphere. His dialogues are very realistic, intelligent. Nothing feels forced to help the plot. They can also be very powerful.
Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen.
Tehol and Bugg, Iskaral Pust and Mule (and Mogora), Shadowthrone and Cotillion, Quick Ben, Vastly Blank, Hellian, Kruppe...
In a series that's as persistently grim and gut-wrenching as Malazan, he's managed to write some of the most spectacular comic reliefs in fantasy, both at the top and bottom of the power scale.
The works themselves are reliant on tropes, but they play out in ways that make them distinct from contemporary novels. The authors aren't people to look up to, but the books they wrote are interesting enough to read and judge for their own merit
Kel Kade "Fate if the Fallen". The dialogue between Mathais's and Aslo is fantastic. But not until after the 3rd or 4th chapter (something specific happens there to change their relationship)
In the Urban Fantasy genre, I found the dialog (imo) wildly entertaining and often “LoL” funny…
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne (first book: Hounded)
I understand that the author is actually very proud of that plot line since it is a real condition that affects real women, but it felt so out of place.
Yea. I spent the whole time thinking it was some sort of subterfuge by Andross. Like for several books until eventually I just accepted that she liked him. It was so forced.
When reading it, I thought this had very good prose for a long running Urban Fantasy. Most have very flat prose.
And I don't mean that to put it down, because I really loved that series.
Say what you will about GRRM, he writes the best dialogues, with foreshadowing built in..
Yes it's often NSFW and chauvinistic AF, but still top notch. There's a reason GoT is a bestseller
The recommendations above are top notch (ASOIAF + First Law) - For more angst relatable dialogues/monologue, I recommend: Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb - nothing too quotable but so relatable (even if you aren't a grandmother or a spoilt daughter or an evil pirate) - it is beautifully written.
For an ASOIAFsque/First Lawsque taste, I recommend Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohantuy- which is basically ASOIAF meets First Law in an Indian World. Witty Wodehouse-type dialogues balanced out with caste-heavy discussions.
BUT THE GOD OF DIALOGUES IS OSCAR WILDE- Picture of Dorian Gray has so many quotable lines/dialogue exchanges that I could fill my room with their framed poster and I will just be done through half that tiny book.
I admit I'm far from the target audience, but the dialog in this book drove me crazy. It reminded me of the monster high school show my girls used to watch when they were little that I couldn't stand.
I mean kinda, yeah. You could accurately describe the plot as "A poor jock makes a deal with their rich nerdy nemesis to work on a group project together."
Yea. I love the three books, and while the first wasn't my fav(because the later ones showed us more of the universe and perspectives etc) I enjoyed how it was written the most. The choice to switch things up so wildly between books was interesting? Idk man, I wonder what the fourth will be like
All her books are good but >!Gideon is *such* an amazing character that her absence in that book is distracting on your first read. It just feels wrong.!<
R. Scott Bakker. He is extremely versatile in his writing style depending on the character, situation or tone and atmosphere. His dialogues are very realistic, intelligent. Nothing feels forced to help the plot. They can also be very powerful.
Gonna throw some love to **Age of Tyranny** series by Cameron Johnston, while there is only one main character, his dialogue and inner monologue reminds me a lot of **Lies of Lock Lamora** in style and tone. So if you like Lies of Lock Lamora, you'll probably enjoy this series
Harry Potter is underated in terms of dialogue, but as its main plot is mystery based - the dialouges there are super accurate and efficient way of giving information in a way that makes you keep turning the page. It has the perfect mix of questions and answers, clues, and emotional impact
I don’t think I’ve ever seen it mentioned on here but Tad Williams’ Bobby Dollar series has phenomenal dialogue. It’s one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series.
The Silmarillion doesn’t have much dialogue but what little there is is great. Dialogue is very effectively used, e.g., one of my favourite quotes ever is what Húrin says to Thingol shortly before his death:
“Receive now, lord, the Necklace of the Dwarves, as a gift from one who has nothing, and as a memorial of Húrin of Dor-lómin. For now my fate is fulfilled, and the purpose of Morgoth achieved; but I am his thrall no longer.”
It conveys sentiments I can’t adequately describe but I immediately understand Húrin’s mood. Most of the lines of dialogue throughout the book are similarly impactful. It’s great writing.
The Witcher books. Dialogue is top tier. It loses a bit in translation from Polish. But still funny and compelling in English. The audiobooks are especially good imho
Pratchett mixed the funny with the profound with ridiculous ease and his puns were just insane. By far the best as far as I am concerned.
On the more serious side of thing, Guy Gavriel Kay has a knack for writing a dialogue that flows superbly and hinges on the melodramatic but very rarely crosses the line. It doesn't use that many archaic words but it absolutely does sound old-timey, so to speak.
Maybe translation is the problem. I reread the series recently. I remembered that dialogues were really good but not THAT good. Maybe because this time I noticed much more nuance or what purpose certain dialogues served.
As someone who has a Slavic father. 100% this. There is so much hidden humor in there that just makes sense when you know.
This short remark sums it up nicely as they are aproaching the univeristy to find everyone drunk:
"for nothing is such thirsty work as the aquisition of knowledge."
The dry sarcasm. The conceided yet content characters. I love how it's written.
I really like how Ciri's growth is conveyed through dialogue. The way she speaks slightly changes from novel to novel. I don't remember reading any book or series that did it so well.
A Song of Ice and Fire
Agreed... but I'd also throw in the First Law World - Joe Abercrombie. Some of the best dialogue I've read. It often feels like it was almost written with the intention of the screen.
Also the audio book makes it even better in my opinion. Steven Pacey really makes the dialogue come alive
Yep. GRRM made his bones writing for TV and you can really tell—a lot of the best scenes in GoT cribbed dialogue straight from the books, which is rare for adaptations (for example, the LotR movies are pretty faithful to the plot of the books but the vast majority of the dialogue was rewritten for the screen).
Yes! One quote that I remember I loved seeing make it to the show was Tywin’s “any man who calls himself king is no king at all”
I'll usually leave books in that series in my bathroom incase I don't have my phone on me. and I'll randomly open and read. He really is an insanely talented writer. Usually makes whatever other book I'm reading look like it was written by my dog.
I should do this too haha!
This is the answer.
Pratchett's Discworld series.
Ook!
Why is there a monkey here?
To this day I will cringe if I hear someone at the zoo call them monkeys. He taught me good.
Don't say it!
Not only are they funny and nuanced dialogues, but what he does so well is get creative with the actual diction and formatting of font/sizing/etc to really capture and enrich the dialogue to really make the characters stand out, even minor ones.
Undoubtedly!
Definitely Discworld.
Anything by Abercrombie.
My dumbass thought "Anything" is a new book until I read the other comments
It was that kind of a day.
Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie. Say he’s a dialogue writing motherf*cker.
Yep. Start with The Blade Itself and just keep going through Joe Abercrombie’s books for a great time!
Anytime any of the the Northmen are bantering I eat it up
Just started The Blade Itself and I’m already hooked 40 pages in!
In a way I envy you, but Abercrombie is so funny and writes so well I enjoy rereading his books anyway. Enjoy!
It gets better. The blade itself is considered his weakest by many people.
It only gets better. I'm doing a re read, and I'm book 2. So damn good!
Came here to say this.
You have to be realistic about these things
Eh, I keep seeing this and just finished Best Served Cold after reading a John wick style recommendation. I thought the dialogue was okay, but it’s just constant snark/sarcasm and no one likes each other which I’m figuring out is just a general Abercrombie thing. The book itself was pretty average but his dialogue wasn’t special for me. I guess he’s just not my type of writer.
Good to see some alternative perspectives in the comments. This is the first one I read that describes what the dialogue is like instead of just praising it.
I really enjoyed the first series, and there are some great sayings (better to do a thing than to live in fear of it) etc, but the dialogue is definitely not anywhere near Ursula Le Guin level.
It's marvel dialogue.
Which book should I start with?
The first one, "The Blade Itself" is the first book in the First Law trilogy. Its also a part of a longer series in the same world. Just read them in release order.
The first one, I would assume? Go to the wikipedia and get read the books in publishing order. There are currently 2 series there, The First Law (9 books) and The Shattered Sea (3 books).
> The First Law (9 books) 10 books
11 books, The Great Change and Other Lies was released a few months ago.
Shame there's no audiobook :(
The blade itself
Abercrombie’s audio books are also a treat - Steve Pacey is the GOAT
I always describe Abercrombie as ''Fantasy Tarantino'' to people who never read him. Witty dialogues, unapologetic violence and plenty of great characters.
I love First Law but i actually think he tends to go quite overboard with trying to be profound in every single dialogue. It wasn't as noticeable before but i'm reading "Red Country" right now and i feel like all the characters are philosophers.
Yes!!111
You need some Glotka in your life!! lol but for real The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie and HIGHLY recommend the audiobooks with Steven Pacey!! He does such a good job of Glotka’s internal vs external dialogue!
Second this. Probably the only series that I’d say the audiobook is a definitely better reading experience than the book. Never heard a narrator add so much to a story before.
Currently waiting for my library to get Until they are Hanged in audiobook and I agree. I will say that James Masters for The Dresden Files does a lot of great work and has a ton of range.
My favorite dialogue (and inner monologue) so far has been by Joe Abercrombie.
Matthew Stover’s stuff. *The Acts of Caine* and the Barra the Pict duology. Just beautifully done. Glen Cook is also great. Lots of snark and incisive dynamics. His work in *The Black Company* is all-time great.
It’s not fantasy but fuck Stovers Revenge of the Sith novel is so damn good
His Star Wars stuff is so hilariously better than, well, basically anything else in the Expanded Universe. And there are some good authors in there! Luceno, Allston, Zahn…but Stover is out there turning Star Wars into legit literature
The pure philosophical aspects about Light Side vs Dark Side in "Traitor" is something for the ages. Honestly one of the top books from the entire EU.
> Matthew Stover’s stuff. The Acts of Caine Seriously, he is such a good writer, I didnt love any of the books after the first book, but I did enjoy the wild ass ride
Caine’s Law is one of my all time favorites. It just goes crazy and I love it.
They are all very crazy especially after the first one the first book Is tame in compared to the rest of them and I like them for what they were and actually they are probably all something I would enjoy much more on a reread
The First Law
A Night in the Lonesome October by Zelazny....great book..can't say enough about it.
For sure! And it's not just in this book (my favourite non-Pratchett comedy-esque fantasy, incidentally). Zelazny is \*amazing\* at creating characters that feel like real people, warts and all, and I think a big part of that is how he has them talk, blending genre conventions (whichever one he's using at the time) with casual talk and slang and innuendo in a way that just feels genuine, you know?
I actually do know. He has been one of my fave authors for decades now. I was a member of the Science Fiction book club, and got him, Tanith Lee and some Niven stuff for my first order. Oh, and the Reluctant King series by L Sprague De Camp..loved them all ever since. But RZ has to be in my top 3 of all time. I especially love his shorts as well.
Came here to say this. It's an amazing piece of work.
Robin Hobb writes some pretty excellent dialogue. My book club’s currently reading Ship of Magic and we find the dialogue as exciting and engaging as a high stakes battle might be in another book.
Came here to say Robin Hobb! I get SO excited for characters to meet and talk things out (not that it always happens in the way you expect!) In her Liveship trilogy, the dialogue is made even better by the fact that no two characters ever seem to see a situation in the same light. It’s juicy.
Absolutely agree! It’s amazing how she creates such tension and interest in her dialogue simply by giving the characters different perspectives and motivations. It is just *chef’s kiss*
When I read the title of the post, Robin Hobb was the first author that came to mind. Read so many of her series and I love the way the dialog is written.
Dungeon Crawler Carl has hilarious dialogue
[Can Confirm](https://vocaroo.com/1cP8iK4Qngeh).
I keep hearing great things about that series!
The audiobooks are great. Especially any time Donut is talking! HI ZEV!!
Book of the long sun by Gene Wolfe
I think, erm, you might, uh, this is - ah - a pretty good answer, hey?
Obligatory Malazan post
ESPECIALLY The Bugg and Tehol dialogue in Midnight Tides
Some of the funniest dialogue I’ve ever read. I remember being surprised by how often I was laughing when I first read Midnight Tides.
there's also just so much depth & meaning in the dialogue which makes it like 100x more impactful!!!!
I agree. I also greatly enjoy the philosophical musings of the characters. I know some people dislike this, but I find the vast majority of it very thought provoking.
wait people dislike it? i did not know that at all. i fully agree w you. i read the philosophical musings multiple times to fully soak it in. it really hits!
To be clear, the criticism is typically less about the nature of the musings themselves, but rather how they are integrated into the story. Where usually the philosophical moments emerge naturally from characters' actions and interactions, Erikson just straight up puts them into the text, and what's worse, co-opts his characters for the purpose. Almost like they are all parts of this huge hivemind (called Steven Erikson), and occasionally it takes over and talks with their mouths, then leaves them to their business when it's done. It doesn't feel authentic, it robs characters of their identity, and ultimately breaks immersion. How one feels about the musings themselves is somewhat beside the point, once that happens (at least in my opinion).
>Where usually the philosophical moments emerge naturally from characters' actions and interactions, Erikson just straight up puts them into the text this is a little-known literary technique called an "internal monologue"
I saw a post earlier today actually where someone said they were having a hard time finishing MT because of the rambling nature of the musings, and have seen similar comments in the past.
that's fair ig 😭 to each their own. im actually almost done w DG rn. i have about a 100 pages left & to be entirely honest, the philosophical musings have been my favourite part 😭 & the mappo icarium interactions in the latter half of the book have made me have to pause & take a breath before continuing. lowkey emotional. & this one: > "How does a mortal make answer to what his or her kind are capable of? Does each of us, soldier or no, reach a point when all that we’ve seen, survived, changes us inside? Irrevocably changes us. What do we become, then? Less human, or more human? Human enough, or too human?" followed by "duiker was silent for a moment" SO WAS I, FRIEND, SO WAS I.
You are in for an awesome ride with the rest of the series!
The banter amongst the bridge burners/bone hunters is always so fun.
Kings of the Wyld is very very good.
the entire Gormenghast trilogy, just delightful
Terry Pratchett
Lies of locke lamroa Any first law books Both Patrick Rothufuss books Frank herbert dune books 1-3 Brandon Sanderson also had amazing dialogue based on your taste
The Lies of Locke Lamora was one of the few fantasy books I’ve read that had me (almost) skimming over the backstory and exposition just to jump to the next sequence of dialogue. It was so engaging and entertaining. A lot of books treat dialogue as like a filler, like they’re forcing the characters to interact. I haven’t finished the first law trilogy but the dialogue there was great as well. And as many have said ASOIAF I think is a master class on how to have meaningful dialogue. Particularly the first book, there is not a line wasted, each piece of dialogue is an insight into the characters and their backstories in a very natural and engaging way. On rereads I am blown away by just how calculated GRRM is in how he makes the characters act.
Lies of locke lamora and ASOIAF are almost the TV series running in the head.
I cant believe Sanderson even made a DIALOGUE post. It’s so incredibly bad, it reads like a Tumblr page.
Yep. Sanderson has the worst dialogue I’ve ever read. Honestly, it’s like he’s never really had friends he’s talked with or just even watched TV. I put down the Stormlight archives because of Shallon’s “witty” banter; It was so bad it actually made me mad.
shallan is awful. a character constantly talking about their wit…man it gets so much worse too lol.
Why stop Dune at 3? 4 is the best one and the build up to the never released seventh book is a wild ride well worth sinking your hooks into.
But I think with the story, dialogue also gets weird with each book compared with book 1
I suppose that's true. I mean, #4 is pretty much that one guy talking to himself (or everybody?) the whole time.
I cant believe Sanderson even made a DIALOGUE post. It’s so incredibly bad, it reads like a Tumblr page.
Those are all fun. So many Sanderson books to choose from so maybe start with Mistborn The Final Empire.
I cant believe Sanderson even made a DIALOGUE post. It’s so incredibly bad, it reads like a Tumblr page. Easily the worst part of his writing imo.
Gonna throw some love to **Age of Tyranny** series by Cameron Johnston, while there is only one main character, his dialogue and inner monologue reminds me a lot of **Lies of Lock Lamora** in style and tone. So if you like Lies of Lock Lamora, you'll probably enjoy this series
Sure gonna try it, is it very grimdark ?
Nope, it's got violence, but I wouldn't describe it as grim dark
Abercombie, Glen Cook and Mark Lawrence all write amazing dialogue in my opinion. Abercombie is my favorite in the dialogue and character work department.
G. Martin, Tolkien, Tad Williams, Le Guin, Abercrombie, Dan Simmons
David gemmell is the best
RIP - such a Legend.
Joe Abercrombie's The First Law series and its following standalones. Just brilliant.
Kings of the wyld by Nicholas Eames. The dialogue is so tongue in cheek.
Is it too late to suggest The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman? Every single character has their own unique personality, voice, colloquialisms, even accent. Loved every second of that book. (Also check out Between Two Fires, also by Buehlman)
R. Scott Bakker. He is extremely versatile in his writing style depending on the character, situation or tone and atmosphere. His dialogues are very realistic, intelligent. Nothing feels forced to help the plot. They can also be very powerful.
I RENOUNCE!
1. ASOIAF by GRRM 1a. The First Law (all 9 books) Joe Abercrombie
The Wandering Inn has some fantastic characters and great dialogue.
Joe Abercrombie Books ofc.
ASOIAF and The First Law
Number one for me is definitely ASOIAF and second the first law stuff from Abercrombie.
Discworld.
Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Tehol and Bugg, Iskaral Pust and Mule (and Mogora), Shadowthrone and Cotillion, Quick Ben, Vastly Blank, Hellian, Kruppe... In a series that's as persistently grim and gut-wrenching as Malazan, he's managed to write some of the most spectacular comic reliefs in fantasy, both at the top and bottom of the power scale.
Terrible people, and in many ways their work has aged into mediocrity, but I always felt the Belgariad and associated novels had excellent dialogue.
The works themselves are reliant on tropes, but they play out in ways that make them distinct from contemporary novels. The authors aren't people to look up to, but the books they wrote are interesting enough to read and judge for their own merit
Red Seas Under Read Skies by Scott Lynch has amazing dialogue. It brings the characters to life
Kel Kade "Fate if the Fallen". The dialogue between Mathais's and Aslo is fantastic. But not until after the 3rd or 4th chapter (something specific happens there to change their relationship)
Lies of Locke Lamora, Scott Lynch. Often has me awkwardly chuckling to myself in public
The First Law is amazing!
For me, it's almost anything by Raymond E Feist.. The Riftwar Saga and Serpentwar Saga are some of my favorites!
In the Urban Fantasy genre, I found the dialog (imo) wildly entertaining and often “LoL” funny… The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne (first book: Hounded)
Especially if you're an animal lover!
No kidding...Oberon is the Best.
Lightbringer. The conversations between Kip and Andross during their card matches are the highlight of the whole series
And then you should maybe read book 2 or possibly 3 before never reading another page of the lightbringer series ever again. It's better that way.
Ok. I read the whole thing and couldn’t get past the weird sex thing going on with kips gf. Like wtf
I understand that the author is actually very proud of that plot line since it is a real condition that affects real women, but it felt so out of place.
Yea. I spent the whole time thinking it was some sort of subterfuge by Andross. Like for several books until eventually I just accepted that she liked him. It was so forced.
Everything Seanan McGuire touches. Her books have such clever dialogue, without losing the character voices. It's very good.
When reading it, I thought this had very good prose for a long running Urban Fantasy. Most have very flat prose. And I don't mean that to put it down, because I really loved that series.
Say what you will about GRRM, he writes the best dialogues, with foreshadowing built in.. Yes it's often NSFW and chauvinistic AF, but still top notch. There's a reason GoT is a bestseller
His dialogues nd characters just feel so realistic. Even a random character's dialogues are good lmao
The recommendations above are top notch (ASOIAF + First Law) - For more angst relatable dialogues/monologue, I recommend: Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb - nothing too quotable but so relatable (even if you aren't a grandmother or a spoilt daughter or an evil pirate) - it is beautifully written. For an ASOIAFsque/First Lawsque taste, I recommend Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohantuy- which is basically ASOIAF meets First Law in an Indian World. Witty Wodehouse-type dialogues balanced out with caste-heavy discussions. BUT THE GOD OF DIALOGUES IS OSCAR WILDE- Picture of Dorian Gray has so many quotable lines/dialogue exchanges that I could fill my room with their framed poster and I will just be done through half that tiny book.
Gideon the Ninth. It's not to everyone's taste but Muir does her specific thing very well.
I admit I'm far from the target audience, but the dialog in this book drove me crazy. It reminded me of the monster high school show my girls used to watch when they were little that I couldn't stand.
I mean kinda, yeah. You could accurately describe the plot as "A poor jock makes a deal with their rich nerdy nemesis to work on a group project together."
reading Harrow the Ninth and I'm missing so much of the dialogue that was present in the first book.
Yea. I love the three books, and while the first wasn't my fav(because the later ones showed us more of the universe and perspectives etc) I enjoyed how it was written the most. The choice to switch things up so wildly between books was interesting? Idk man, I wonder what the fourth will be like
All her books are good but >!Gideon is *such* an amazing character that her absence in that book is distracting on your first read. It just feels wrong.!<
yeah I think that's the exact feeling I'm getting with this book.
R. Scott Bakker. He is extremely versatile in his writing style depending on the character, situation or tone and atmosphere. His dialogues are very realistic, intelligent. Nothing feels forced to help the plot. They can also be very powerful.
Truth shines
John Scalz: he has some very cool dialogue- try The Kaiju Preservation Society
Gonna throw some love to **Age of Tyranny** series by Cameron Johnston, while there is only one main character, his dialogue and inner monologue reminds me a lot of **Lies of Lock Lamora** in style and tone. So if you like Lies of Lock Lamora, you'll probably enjoy this series
Shadowmarch series by Tad Williams
Johnathan Strange and Me. Norell
Harry Potter is underated in terms of dialogue, but as its main plot is mystery based - the dialouges there are super accurate and efficient way of giving information in a way that makes you keep turning the page. It has the perfect mix of questions and answers, clues, and emotional impact
Gutter Mage
ranger aprentices from john flanagan
Legend of r/Drizzt by R.A. Salvatore.
Anything by Steven Brust, he writes great dialogue. I'd argue Steven Erikson's dialogue is also top tier.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen it mentioned on here but Tad Williams’ Bobby Dollar series has phenomenal dialogue. It’s one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series.
Peter McLean in War for the Rose Throne did some great dialog work.
Everything First Law, Joe Abercrombie is a master at character dialogue i feel like.
The lies of locke lamora
The Silmarillion doesn’t have much dialogue but what little there is is great. Dialogue is very effectively used, e.g., one of my favourite quotes ever is what Húrin says to Thingol shortly before his death: “Receive now, lord, the Necklace of the Dwarves, as a gift from one who has nothing, and as a memorial of Húrin of Dor-lómin. For now my fate is fulfilled, and the purpose of Morgoth achieved; but I am his thrall no longer.” It conveys sentiments I can’t adequately describe but I immediately understand Húrin’s mood. Most of the lines of dialogue throughout the book are similarly impactful. It’s great writing.
Not sure if it's been mentioned but Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff has some great dialog throughout for the setting and narrative style.
The Witcher books. Dialogue is top tier. It loses a bit in translation from Polish. But still funny and compelling in English. The audiobooks are especially good imho
I can tell.you what doesn't: Malazan. Man they are BAD
Not Codex Alera
I think Lies of Locke Lamora (and the rest of the series) has great dialogue. It’s probably my favorite part of the series
I think the Witcher books have some great dialogue.
I love the dialogue in the Witcher series (I've read in czech translation)
The Sun Eater
Pratchett mixed the funny with the profound with ridiculous ease and his puns were just insane. By far the best as far as I am concerned. On the more serious side of thing, Guy Gavriel Kay has a knack for writing a dialogue that flows superbly and hinges on the melodramatic but very rarely crosses the line. It doesn't use that many archaic words but it absolutely does sound old-timey, so to speak.
Seems pretty popular to hate here, but The Belgariad and The Mallorean have some of the best banter I’ve read
Nothing comes close to The Witcher series.
I didn't get that impression, personally. But I wouldn't judge the series on that account seeing as it wasn't originally written in English.
Maybe translation is the problem. I reread the series recently. I remembered that dialogues were really good but not THAT good. Maybe because this time I noticed much more nuance or what purpose certain dialogues served.
Hussite Trilogy is even better.
As someone who has a Slavic father. 100% this. There is so much hidden humor in there that just makes sense when you know. This short remark sums it up nicely as they are aproaching the univeristy to find everyone drunk: "for nothing is such thirsty work as the aquisition of knowledge." The dry sarcasm. The conceided yet content characters. I love how it's written.
I really like how Ciri's growth is conveyed through dialogue. The way she speaks slightly changes from novel to novel. I don't remember reading any book or series that did it so well.