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It's nearing my birthday, and Christmas, so I always like to find some books, to start dropping hints for.

I have just finished (By which I mean, most of this year has been dedicated to.) reading alot of Brandon Sanderson's work and they are amongst the best I have ever read in my personal opinion!

Lately though, I have had an inkling for books which have more character growth and development through interactions with other characters long-term, differing relationships with the plot then aiding to provide points of growth etctera. If that makes sense!

I'm looking for books which have more depth to the relationships, not strictly of a romantic sort but Father-Daughter, Siblings. Queen and Knight etc. I felt a lot of books that I have read lately have the awesome story and plot advancements, but much of the relationship growth between characters is almost 'off page' and kind of expected. In perspective of Brandon Sanderson's books, I am almost looking for something that has the depth of his magic systems, translated into character relationships, but still the epic world building and story.

I hope my rambling has managed to make sense! I thought it worth asking, trying to find a more specific kind of book outside of the setting is proving a tad challenging for me.

You might like Dan Simmons Hyperion/Endymion books. They're very much character driven, and most of the books depend very heavily on the relationships between the characters (especially the final two books). There are a few romantic relationships, but most of the character storylines aren't romance driven.

I'd recommend The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. The events that they're involved in cause some serious character growth. It's an excellent book.

While not fantasy, Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Series (starting with The Last Kingdom ) is a great series with character development throughout. A pivotal character from early on in the series just showed up toward the end and the overall relationship spanning a lifetime was involved in that interaction. I also think the viking/saxon storyline has a fantasy feel to it. It reminds me of many of these epic fantasies, just with less, or explainable, magic.

Katherine Kurtz's Deryni Chronicles is everything you're looking for. Camber of Culdi is the first book for in-universe chronology.

For later this year. :p

How about A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin? You've probably heard of the first book A Game of Thrones and the TV show of the same name.

It isn't finished yet, but so far The Kingkiller Chronicle (The Name of the Wind ) is in line to be that. We listen as the main character slowly builds and loses friendships and lovers and there's gotta be a major piece coming to connect where we are now and where he starts his story.

If you're down for YA, The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce ( Alanna: The First Adventure) series is an amazing saga of friendship and blood ties, as well as personal growth. Really fun world, lovable characters and a little on the lighter side than my other suggestions.

...I'm not sure I can't not say The Once and Future King. I sound like a broken record. You should all go read it so I can stop badgering you. (And tell me when you get to the badger!) Truly amazing growth though, the number of times that book made me cry seeing where everyone started and where they end! It's one of the most believable epics I've ever read. You really understand why and how they came to do the feats they've managed.

The Sevenwaters trilogy by Juliet Marillier is shorter on growth, but vast on depth. Content warning though, for sexual assault. It's a beautiful story though of familial love and learning to trust in romantic love, with great tie ins to Celtic mythology. Each of the characters have such different relationships with each other, and that slowly changes as they do.

I'd second the Sparrow & Game of Thrones recs.

On the sci fi side, Becky Chambers' recent The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is really all about the crew personalities & relationship. C.J. Cherryh also tends to focus on the character relationship side of things (it's a key piece of her Foreigner series, which is somewhat glacially paced; the Chanur Chronicles are a little more fun and involve a human getting know members of a feline-like alien species; Cyteen includes the relationships of a character and her clone). I feel like C. S. Friedman also does this well; she writes both sci fi and fantasy & combinations thereof.

On the fantasy side, I feel like Kate Elliott usually does a good job with this. (Her recent Spiritwalker trilogy is not my absolute favorite of her works -- that would be either the Crown of Stars or Crossroads series -- but it does specifically focus on a sibling relationship.)

The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith. It's sci-fi, not fantasy, but an awesome, epic read. A human woman accidentally stranded on a far planet (with a group of others from Earth) forms a relationship with an indigenous alien. Their relationship definitely grows and develops through this long read as the plot unfolds in unexpected directions. I know it sounds like a schlocky shocker, but it's not. It's well-written with convincing, realistic characters. The aliens do behave like humans in many ways, but that helps us as readers to examine the big questions explored in this book. It's a compelling, intelligent, compassionate and thought-provoking read. A post-apocalyptic adventure that also explores the fascinating nexus where science and religion meet.

But if you do tackle this book, be warned beforehand, it contains some graphic depictions of violence and some explicit sex. But it's all in context and not trashy. I loved this book.

Anything by Robin Hobb involves great character development but my favorite would be Malta Vestrit from Liveship Traders trilogy.

Ben wrote: "While not fantasy, Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Series (starting with The Last Kingdom ) is a great series with character development throughout. A pivotal character from early on in the series just sh..."

Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series is of course historic fiction, but from a time where it may as well have been heroic fantasy and it does work as such. It is, as always, well researched and well put together but my problem with Mr Cornwell is that after a while its all the same (different uniforms, different places, guns or swords) and whilst the familiarity is comforting in a way there is just nothing new.
Imagine going out to buy a David Bowie CD and expecting Ziggy Stardust but you get Tin Machine. Now you may think Tin Machine are terrible but at least it is different and you might just like it. I enjoy Bernard's books, I have read around twenty of them
but the only way I know to tell them apart is time period, they are like an old blanket that you find warm and always know what you are getting.

Silvana wrote: "Anything by Robin Hobb involves great character development but my favorite would be Malta Vestrit from Liveship Traders trilogy."

I also thought her a great character in her entirity

I'd say the Blackthorn & Grimm series by Juliet Marillier, and the Queen of the Tearling trilogy by Erika Johansen have great character development + relationship growth without necessarily being romantic.

I found Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series quite enjoyable. IMO, this series has both interesting character development and nicely done, intricate world-building. The series begins with Furies of Calderón

FangFan wrote: "I found Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series quite enjoyable. IMO, this series has both interesting character development and nicely done, intricate world-building. The series begins with [book:Furies ..."

I agree about Codex Alera. A lot of personal growth and interaction, done in a very organic way. I liked the series very much.

L. Jagi Lamplighter's "Prospero's Children" series: Prospero Lost, Prospero in Hell, and Prospero Regained. All about the family. (Now out in new editions with less misleading covers.)

The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany is an ancient fantasy book which is great for its father/daughter relationship (bonus points: they're elves!). It's also a short book so you can devour it quickly.

i think you should try The Riyria Revelations series it will hit on most of what you want. give it a shot it will surprise you.