Lynn Flewelling - The Nightrunner series 

http://www.sff.net/people/Lynn.Flewelling/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Flewelling/

A lot of slash aficionados like these books. For good reason. Take the ultimately likeable rogue, thief and spy, Seregil. Pair him with the innocent Alec who will quickly become Seregil’s apprentice and friend. Add in amazingly well fleshed out characters who inhabit a wonderfully depicted world and you’ll get a set of books you won’t regret buying.

Ms Flewelling has promised there will be more than 3 books, but even the author is not sure when. At the moment she’s busy writing the Tamir books, which I heartily recommend. 

                  2.  Stalking Darkness

                  3.  Traitor's Moon

Jim Grimsley - Kirith Kirin

How much do I love this book? Well, a lot, a lot, a lot. <bg> It seemingly took me forever to get around to reading this wonderful book, but once I started I couldn't stop until I'd finished. A Fantasy story that's *original*, how often do you find that? This is a must-buy. You won't regret it. And Mr. Grimsley? Please write more Fantasy.

Mark Anthony - The Last Rune series 

http://www.thelastrune.com

This site includes a forum where you’ll meet other fans. The site is created and maintained by Mr. Anthony himself, so if you have any questions about his books, you can ask him directly.

Most criticism of this series seems to center around the derivativeness of his books. While I agree you'll find elements of Robert Jordan or Tolkien in the books, I must say I enjoy them immensely. I also feel the books have been steadily getting better and more engrossing as we learn more about the characters. Of which there are so many, I'm surprised Mr. Anthony can make me care about any of them. But I do. 

                  1.  Beyond the Pale

                  2.  The Keep of Fire

                  3.  The Dark Remains 

                  4.  Blood of Mystery

There will be 6 books in all. Book 5 will be tentatively released in 2003, book 6 in 2004.

Ricardo Pinto - The Stone Dance of the Chameleon

                   1. The Chosen

I have once seen this book described as a bad dream. It is probably the most suitable description for this book. Mr. Pinto does a wonderful job creating his caste-like world, so good in fact that some parts of this book were hard to read as you get swept away in the gruesome details. Bad things happen to nice people and you'll feel for them. But it never gets too graphic.

                   2. Standing Dead

                release date : 6/2002

Melissa Scott and Lisa Barnett

http://www.pointsman.net/ 

                   1. Point of Hopes

                   2. Point of Dreams

                   3. Fair's Point  

               release date: unknown

These books deftly combine historical fantasy and mystery. Unlike most fantasy books, Eslingen and Rathe are ordinary men. They're not nobility nor do they possess any special powers. They're just a retired soldier and a police man trying to find their way in a Renaissance type of world where ghosts do exist and everyone's life is governed by their horoscopes. Maybe that's why you'll feel so sympathetic towards them.

Tanya Huff - The Fire's Stone

http://hickorytech.net/~vireyda/tanyahuff.htm (a semi-official website, Tanya Huff visits the bulletin board)

Loved it, loved it, loved it. If you're still in doubt what book to buy first, this one would get my recommendation. Here you have three completely different characters who each have to battle themselves, their insecurities and shortcomings in order to be able to work together to vanquish an evil wizard. I know, it all sounds very cliché, but believe me when I tell you that Ms. Huff manages to make it fun, exciting and most importantly she makes you love the characters. This escapist book is the perfect quick read.

This book is difficult to find in regular shops. I suggest a visit to alibris or abe.

Ellen Kushner - Swordspoint

http://www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/pri/spirit/ 

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Ellen_Kushner.htm 

This is one of my favourite books ever. It's a fun book that's deceptively simple, it's witty (I just loved the dialogue. If I ever add a quote section to this site, you'll find a lot of this book in it.),  it has amazingly memorable characters and it will stay with you even after you've finished reading. While both men are deeply flawed, you get swept away in their personal story -which seems strangely detached at times, yet I couldn't help thinking it is definitely based on a love that both of them are too proud and emotionally stunted to admit to - and the story of treachery and murder. One of those rare books that can be troubling and beautiful at the same time.

This book is difficult to find in regular shops. I suggest a visit to alibris or abe.

More short stories in this universe :

Red Cloak in 'Whispers magazine' (1982), Reprinted in 'A Distant Soil #28', ed. Colleen Doran (1999)

The Swordsman Whose Name Was Not Death (1991) in 'The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Fifth Annual Collection' (1992)

The Fall of the Kings (1997) (with Delia Sherman) in 'Bending the Landscape: Fantasy' ed. Nicola Griffith and Steve Pagel (1997) or 'The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Eleventh Annual Collection' ed. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (1998). This story will be turned into a novel and published in paperback in October 2002.

The Death of the Duke (1998) in 'Starlight 2' ed. Patrick Nielsen Hayden

Sigil: Volume 1 - edited by Colin Dunne and Jan Kafka

This is a short story collection born out of the idea of several members on a ML dedicated to m/m fiction to bring out their own anthology. There are some very lovely stories in this book. I think my favourites are "Once Upon a Time" (but then I'm fascinated by fairy tales) by Olympia and "Candleglow" by Jan Kafka. All are fantasy stories.