Looking for a new book to read

POSTED BY: amygdala
UPDATED: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 04:52
VIEWED: 27135
PAGE 1 of 1

AMYGDALA

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 3:19 AM

Asking for some help here, people. It's been such a long time since I've read an SF/fantasy novel and been so enthralled that I felt bereft when it was over..

To give you an idea of my tastes, or for people looking for a book to enthral them, here's a list of what in my opinion are absolute classics:

Ursula Le Guin: Anything by this woman, but particularly the Earthsea series. Her simple, elegant style has produced the best writing I have ever read bar no one. The series just gets better with each new novel. Also deserving honorable mention: The Lathe of Heaven.

Only Forward, Michael Marshall Smith : Original, quirky plot, cool characters, just so damn funny, yet also at times sad and lyrically beautiful. This guy writes like nobody else, and I even found myself reading his mainstream series 'The Straw Men' with the godawful plot written under the name Michael Marshall just for the moments he made me laugh out loud or took my breath away.

The Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon: A portrayal of autism in the near future when behavioural interventions allow people with autism to function in society. Well-written, insightful, funny, and most importantly leaves us wondering who really has the problem.

Philip K. Dick: Prolific writer from the 1950s-80s. Hugely original plots possibly inspired by lots and lots of drugs. There are hits and misses, but some big hits include Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, A Scanner Darkly and The Man in the High Castle.

Sheri S. Tepper: Sci-fi/fantasy with a serious ecological bent. Another woman who can write beautifully, the only down side being that at the end of each novel I spend time feeling like crap after being reminded that we're killing the planet. Also interesting in her penchant for human/alien romance.

Song of Ice and Fire series, George R. R. Martin : I know, I know. I hate the guys who crank out needlessly drawn-out fantasy series, but I'm just hooked. Writes well, hasn't lost momentum with each novel (unlike some others I won't mention like jordan, whoops), and the characters are far from cardboard. His first novel 'Dying of the Light' also worth a look.

Sorry, I do go on. Have also read and enjoyed Orson Scott Card's Enders Game and Alvin series, Asimov's Robot and Foundation stuff, early Dune, early Eddings, early Feist. Given up on Jordan - sick of paragraphs and paragraphs of costume description and women sniffing.

Any recommendations?

----
"She was all naked and ... articulate."

FREMDFIRMA

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 4:00 AM

David Drake

With the Lightnings.
Lt. Leary, commanding.

Drake is kinda hit or miss, but those two are straight bullseye.

Mickey Zucker Reichart
Last of the Renshai
The Western Wizard
Child of Thunder

If you liked Martin, you'd like this trilogy a lot better, I revere Colby, in fact.

-F

GROUNDED

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 9:32 AM

Stephen Baxter

Time
Space
Origin

Less as something based on your likes, more as my default sci-fi recommendation ;)

MOUSIE

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 10:27 AM

Lois McMaster Bujold

Young Miles (SF)
The Curse of Chalion (Fantasy)

She's won bunches of Hugos and Nebulas. =)

EMMA

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 1:53 PM

Fevre Dream by GRRMartin is great (especially if you like his writing style). It is a vampire novel - uber!

Also, if you like childrens novels (what I mostly read to be honest - usually much more imaginiative) try out the following:

Northern Lights trilogy by Philip Pulman

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

The Abhorsen series by Garth Nix

The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper

Also, even if you don't like comics may I suggest the Sandman by Neil Gaiman? They are incredible and many non-comic fans I know love them too.

extremely dimensionally transcendental

EMBERS

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 3:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
Any recommendations?

My current favorite fantasy books are:

Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden Chronicles are a real hoot (Mike Hammer meets LotR set in modern day Chicago), start with Storm Front; they are funny and kind of violent.

Terry Pratchett has written more books than you can shake a stick at, not violent...but still funny and with some Sci-fi elements in it...sort of, I would recommend starting with The Color of Magic

Join my crew: Fairfield Fireflies
http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/index.html?fuseaction=gro
ups.main&searchby=F

CALLMESERENITY

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 3:46 PM

Sorrow, Memory and Thorn, Tad Williams

Serenity, First Officer of Destiny

RELFEXIVE

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 5:18 PM

Altered Carbon, Broken Angels and Woken Furies by Richard Morgan.

Cryptonomican by Neal Stephenson. Also, Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System Of The World by same.

Anything by Iain M Banks.

Anything by Peter F Hamilton.

"My God - you're like a trained ape. Without the training."

WILLOWY

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 5:29 PM

"Journey" by Marta Randall

Fantastic, sweeping generational family saga set in the future. Extreme emotional highs and lows, and an unforgettable and well-told story. The science is kind of taken for granted here, but you don't care because the human stories are so well wrought.

It's out of print so you have to order it...Amazon has it really cheap in paperback.

MILORADELL

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 5:59 PM

I'm currently reading Shadowfall by James Clemens - aboslutely loving this! It's fantasy, with some truly unqiue sci-fi-ish bits in it.

Two series by CJ Cherryh - Faded Sun trilogy and the Foreigner series (6 books so far). I've read both so many times through I've lost count.

The Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey - about a religious prostitute who happens to be a masochist. Waaaaay better than it sounds! The last book is so brutal I don't know if I'll ever be able to re-read it. Her Sundering series is intriguing as well - think Tolkein, only from the other side. The second book comes out this month some time. Yay!!!

Mark Anthony's Last Rune books are so frigging good! I know more than one person my husband's managed to hook on this series. Actually - funny little story: he was reading the first book of this series on our honeymoon - and that's all he wanted to do! They are that good.

@@edit@@
Anything by CS Friedman.

****
“The cookies are not for you.” Beltan in Mark Anthony’s First Stone

COLDFUSION

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 6:26 PM

The Rama Series ("Rendezvous with Rama", "Rama II", "Garden of Rama", and "Rama Revealed") by Arthur C. Clarke. Best Sci-Fi Ever.

CAPNERIC

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 6:37 PM

Decisions, Decisions...

Right, I've just picked up "The Algebraist" by Iain Banks.

Otherwise, if you like P.K. Dick try any of the cyberpunk genre from William Gibson or Bruce Sterling. They all twist you around, you never know if there's a silicon character involved or not.

Also, "The Difference Engine" a collaboration by both of them about an alternate reality with 19th century steam-driven mechanical computers. A really outstanding story worth a couple of reads.

And now for something completely different -

"The Etched City" by K.J. Bishop. Very Surrealistic not-quite-fantasy that's worth SEVERAL reads.

Stay shiny !!

CAPTAINCDC

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 8:13 PM

How about The Sword Of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. The first book, Wizards First Rule, is a great read (I loved them all, and it still has two books remaining).

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The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason!

BECSTHEBEAST

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 9:30 PM

i really rate ursula leguin and pk dick - so just on those grounds the two series that really grabbed me recently
- as emma said dark materials - a good bedtime book keeps you hooked but not too taxing

China Mieville's Triology - Perdido Street Station, The Scar and Iron Council - dark, brooding and full of good monsters - have to say it got me back into sci-fi after a good few years absence

smile pretty and watch your back

REGINAROADIE

Tuesday, August 2, 2005 11:54 PM

I'm glas someone gave props to Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, although I think here in Canada, it's not called the Norhtern Lights (is that an American thing) trilogy, but the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy (which still consists of THE GOLDEN COMPASS, THE SUBTLE KNIFE and THE AMBER SPYGLASS).

One sci-fi book I read two summers ago that I really dug was UP THE LINE by Robert Silverberg. It's about a guy who becomes like a time traveling tour guide, and the whole book deals a lot with time travel, paradoxes and such. And it's such a complex book that you don't have to worry about anyone trying to turn it into a movie, because it's basically unadaptable.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And wow! Hey! What's this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like ... ow ... ound ... round ... ground! That's it! That's a good name - ground! I wonder if it will be friends with me?

SOUPCATCHER

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 12:56 AM

I'm more of a sci-fi rather than fantasy reader so these recs reflect that.

I'd second (along with Fremdfirma) the David Drake, With the Lightnings, rec. Another Drake series (along with Eric Flint) is the Belisarius series. Manipulation from the future pits a Byzantine/Ethiopian alliance against Malwa India. The first book is An Oblique Approach.

My favorie Elizabeth Moon book so far is Trading in Danger.

The Rama series (as ColdFusion noted) is excellent as well. The latter books didn't do as much for me but the first book, Rendezvous with Rama, is classic.

If you like parallel universe/time travel type stuff (along the lines of whole towns getting transported like in S. M. Stirling's Islands in the Sea of Time series) then I'd recommend Eric Flint's 1632. Small West Virginia mining town transported to 30 Years War Germany. Union miners beating some sense into European nobles and trying to recreate American Democracy in the middle of hellacious religious conflict.

For more humerous light sci-fi I've enjoyed the Phule's Company series of books by Robert Asprin.

Not sure if your tastes run to epic universe wide interspecies fight for survival type fare but, if so, you might enjoy two books by David Weber, In Death Ground and The Shiva Option. They're the second and third volumes of a larger four part series but can be read on their own.

If you find you like Weber's style there's always Honor Harrington. Plenty of books in that series to keep you occupied (In Enemy Hands and Echoes of Honor are pretty high on my yearly re-reading list). It's one of my favorite series and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment later this year.

Baen's also been re-releasing a number of short story collections from classic sci-fi authors. The James Schmitz series is pretty good. Probably my favorite so far has been Murray Leinster's Med Ship which is funny because I absolutely hated Planets of Adventure. The book collects all of Leinster's stories concerning the adventures of the galaxy wide Med Service as they travel from planet to planet combatting disease and those criminals who would profit from an epidemic.

* editted to add: I totally forgot to mention that Baen books has a really cool free library section where you can download some of the older books gratis. I'll just throw in links to free books for some of the authors I've mentioned. (The free library index of authors is here: http://www.baen.com/library/ ). And they also have the first handful of chapters of all their books available to browse online (usually months before release).

David Drake books (including With the Lightnings and An Oblique Approach): http://www.baen.com/library/ddrake.htm

Eric Flint books (including 1632): http://www.baen.com/library/eflint.htm

David Weber books (including On Basilisk Station, the first Honor Harrington book): http://www.baen.com/library/dweber.htm

Murray Leinster books (including Med Ship): http://www.baen.com/library/mleinster.htm

SHAKESPEARE

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 1:03 AM

Alfred Bester's Demolished Man

Richard Matheson's I am Legend

You can't go wrong with either of these books!

AMYGDALA

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 9:47 AM

Wow. Good response. Thanks, I love you guys.

Off to start reading. See you in a few months

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

POG

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 10:00 AM

If you're really looking for something to read, try the wrapper of a creme egg like this one, very interesting if you ask me! This comes to you courtesy of serenity squared initiation challenges.

Pog

We may experience some slight turbulence and then explode...

FIREFLYWILDCARD1

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 10:15 AM

If you like George R. R. Martin, you might like:

The Book of Words trilogy by J. V. Jones.

Many people on Amazon seem to like both Jones and Martin. Jones has a newer trilogy out (except for the last book which might come out this December) called The Sword of Shadows. However, it goes into the minute details of things (almost like The Lord of the Rings, except shorter).

CALHOUN

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 10:19 AM

Quote:
SoupCatcher wrote:
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 14:56

If you find you like Weber's style there's always Honor Harrington. Plenty of books in that series to keep you occupied (In Enemy Hands and Echoes of Honor are pretty high on my yearly re-reading list). It's one of my favorite series and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment later this year.

Davib Webber's Honor Harrington series is one of the best series of books i've ever read!
Tell me those books wouldnt translate into an awesome TV series or movies!

CALLMESERENITY

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 1:15 PM

Pog, I agree wholeheartly! There's nothing better than reading the label of a new, fresh, Cadbury Creme Egg! Except, maybe, eating the egg afterwards. Nummers!

Serenity, First Officer of Destiny

EMMA

Wednesday, August 3, 2005 1:22 PM

I come here to read about books and I get Creme Eggs instead. I obviously need to go back home (to S2 that is).

PS Apologies for calling His Dark MAterials the Nothern Lights trilogy, I always forget to call it by its proper name. The first book in the UK is called Northern Lights you see. Also, Becs, many people I know found them incredibly taxing indeed, the number of times I had to explain the concept of original sin and such like *sigh*

extremely dimensionally transcendental

PERFESSERGEE

Thursday, August 4, 2005 11:22 PM

No one has mentioned Dan Simmons yet. His Hyperion Cantos series (4 books: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion) is amazing. Great characters, long historical sweep, conspiracies, subplots. It has it all.

Stephen Stirling's Drakas series is also great.

(and so are all the suggestions on this thread that I'm familiar with!)

perfessergee

LETOV

Friday, August 5, 2005 3:36 PM

I will strongly second (or is it third or fourth at this point) Arthur C Clark's Rama books.
( http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Arthur_C_Clarke.htm)

I would also strongly recommend Greg Bear's EON, Eternity, and Legacy. ( http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Greg_Bear.htm)

But in recent years my absolute favorite series of books has been David Brin's Uplift stories. They develop a really interesting and complicated story of the development of intelligent star-faring life in the galaxy. Really neat stuff.
( http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/David_Brin.htm)

Also, whenever looking up Sci-Fi stories and authors I recommend http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk. Its a great site that has fantastic bibliographies of authors as well as listing their books grouped together into series etc.

Edited: to add links to the authors I mentioned and to mention that I'm now realizing this is starting to look like an ad for fantasticfiction... Its not, just love perusing that site...

- Leto_V

"Well, my days of not taking you
seriously are certainly coming to
a middle." - Mal

RIVERNOT

Friday, August 5, 2005 5:09 PM

Wow. I'd no idea that Firefly was just one of the things we had in common in this group. Reading through the list of books had me nodding my head and thinking, "yeah, that's a good one," over and over. I could go through my book case and find half of those listed.

A few not listed:

Sci-fi:
Vernor Vinge, "A Fire Upon the Deep."

Mary Doria Russell, "The Sparrow." NOT a light read, and not for everyone.

I'm a big Larry Nivin fan and "Protector" was the second sci-fi book I ever read (at age 13). Can't remember if it was good literature, but it sure got me headed in the right direction, reader wise.

Fantasy:
Dennis L. McKiernan, "Dragondoom."

Glen Cook, "The Black Company" series and "Garrett, P.I." series.

Melanie Rawn, anything.

PERFESSERGEE

Friday, August 5, 2005 6:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by RiverNot:

Sci-fi:
Vernor Vinge, "A Fire Upon the Deep."

Ah, I'd forgotten Vernor Vinge. His output hasn't been large, but it's great. The companion to this is "A Deepness in the Sky", and it's also very good. I wish he'd write more!

(and a strong second for David Brin's Uplift series)

perfessergee

RIVERNOT

Friday, August 5, 2005 7:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by perfessergee:
Quote:
Originally posted by RiverNot:

Sci-fi:
Vernor Vinge, "A Fire Upon the Deep."

Ah, I'd forgotten Vernor Vinge. His output hasn't been large, but it's great. The companion to this is "A Deepness in the Sky", and it's also very good. I wish he'd write more!

(and a strong second for David Brin's Uplift series)

perfessergee

Oooh, I didn't know about "A Deepness in the Sky" (haven't done much reading for ME since I had kids). That bumps up to the top of the "must read" list for me. Thanks.

I think David Brin's Uplift series is in my "reread" stack on my bookcase, but I'd forgotten about it. Oh, my. Which to read, which to read.

RAYSTON

Friday, August 5, 2005 8:59 PM

Id just like to add another vote for George R.R Martin. Easily the best fantasy series I have ever read, that includes tolkien (and I love tolkien).

Thanx

Rayston

RIVERNOT

Saturday, August 6, 2005 12:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:

* editted to add: I totally forgot to mention that Baen books has a really cool free library section where you can download some of the older books gratis. I'll just throw in links to free books for some of the authors I've mentioned. (The free library index of authors is here: http://www.baen.com/library/ ). And they also have the first handful of chapters of all their books available to browse online (usually months before release).

Thanks for posting this. My biggest problem on trying a new author is...trying a new author. Being able to read a bit of a novel before buying it is nice.

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "Fallen Angel" is in the Baen free library, another good book.

And, thanks to the individual that "voted" for the Hyperion series. Another good one I'd forgotten. I'm going to be a busy reader when the kids head back to school.

GILES

Saturday, August 6, 2005 3:40 AM

Hi Folks

My first post here. I just came back from the bookstore having that exact problem, looking at miles and miles of fantasy and sf but not daring to buy any for fear it would be crap. To intensify the problem I must admit I am growing pickier every year. So I had to respond to this thread

I will take a chance on some of your recommendations, and although I know Amygdala is probably overloaded with recommendations by now here is my five cents worth:

My personal sci fi favourites are firstly William Gibson, especially the Neuromancer trilogy: Neuromancer, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive. Very engaging characters and totally convincing world, plus a girl in Neuromancer gets killed over 2 MBs of stolen RAM (ahh, the 80s)

Second Kim Stanley Robinson: Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars. Believable science and again interesting characters. Focuses a lot on politics, though; so if thats not your thing, stay away from these.

As for fantasy I am a very big fan of the Earthsea books as well. I also liked Song of Ice and Fire.

If you like Elizabeth Moon you should definately pick up "The Deed of Paksenarrion". Very nice and very low fantasy for much of it (low fantasy is a buzzword of mine)

Also Mary Stewart's Merlin books: "The Crystal Cave", "The Hollow Hills" and "The Last Enchantment"; this is my favourite interpretation of the Arthurian legends and are also very low fantasy. They are almost historical novels with just a hint of magic (and usually get placed among the "real" books in bookstores, away from the fantasy section, but don't hold it against them).

For anyone who likes Neil Gaimans "Sandman" graphic novels please, please, read also his novels: "Stardust" and "Neverwhere"

Stephen Kings "Dark Tower" books sort of vary in quality but are very good when they are good, so worth reading in my opinion (although I haven't read the three last volumes yet).

And I also liked Robin Hobbs Assassin Trilogy, Liveship trilogy and Fool trilogy, although certain of these books have a little too much teleportation for my personal taste.

Ooh, and by the way the first couple of Dune books are also absolutely brilliant, just a pity the way the series loses in quality along the way

Aegidius Agricola de Hammo

RIVERNOT

Saturday, August 6, 2005 8:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Giles:

Ooh, and by the way the first couple of Dune books are also absolutely brilliant, just a pity the way the series loses in quality along the way

That happens to authors who get to big for an editor. I don't know if this is what happend to Herbert and the Dune series, but it is what happened to Heinlein.

THIEFJEHAT

Sunday, August 7, 2005 3:20 AM

I saw the title to the thread and right away I was going to plug The Song of Ice and Fire series....that is until I saw you mentioned it already.

Not to worry, George R. R. Martin has stated that the latest installment is now complete and will release on October 17 2005.

Regarding your Robert Jordan comment: When I first layed eyes on his 1st novel I was an 8th grader. I am now almost 30. And as I understand it, he is no closer to a stopping point than he was at book 1. I read up to the 7th then finally tired of his writing style.

To anyone reading this post who has no idea what the song of ice and fire is: Go to your nearest bookstore and purchase a copy of "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R.Martin. You'll be glad you did.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

WICKEDLESTER

Sunday, August 7, 2005 4:10 AM

American Gods By Niel Gaimen(If i spelled that right)
crazy book! It revolves around gods. LIke since we all watch the t.v and give it attention and sometimes dominance over our lives, there is a god for televison.(who is, for some reason, lucielle ball from i love lucy.) that's only part of the story, check it out !

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Got a smoke?

AUROTER

Sunday, August 7, 2005 7:38 AM

Quote:

Cryptonomican by Neal Stephenson. Also, Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System Of The World by same.

don't leave out Snow Crash by Stephenson as well. It is both hilarious and informative in a way that cannot be adequately described in less than thousands of words. He is brilliant. I highly recommend.

______________________________
you can't take the sky from me

THEDUKE

Sunday, August 7, 2005 10:49 AM

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

is amazing if you like your science fantasy twisted and a little pointless, it's also about the end of the world and balances upon a child, who is geniusly funny, and two angels, one of which is fallen, and the four bikers of the apocolypse, in fact writing about it, i may reread it, its been a couple of years now. Read this anyhow, it's fantastic!

Falling Sideways by Tom Holt is cloning confusion at its best, really amusing.

Snow White and the Seven Samuri by Tom Holt again, this is a little geeky, it's a nursery rhyme parody type book that relies on knowledge of computers, it's pretty good tho, again, complexish story lines, for fantasy anyway.

Currently reading The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston, which is real Sci-fi. It's about a war between a race with wings and an insect race, and there are immortals and there's sex and drugs and all sorts of other things. So far, it's pretty good, and it's got amazing reviews from sources whose opinions i usually trust.

However, this is not my area of expertese. So, take my suggestions with a pinch of salt!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We achieved the impossible, and that makes us mighty
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AMYGDALA

Monday, August 8, 2005 11:08 AM

How very absolutely completely cool . I won't have to buy a random luckydip-type scifi/fantasy for years and years and years.

Now, just to go completely against thread topic (sorry, have to share - you know how it is). For those who might find the lines of their current novel beginning to blur, just saw a fantastic dvd this weekend:

Independent Canadian film called 'My life without me'. About a 23 year old who learns she's dying. This movie completely defies self-pity, stereotype, and the Hollywood tendency to moralise and/or tie up the bits all neatly with string. Despite (or perhaps because of) this it still manages to be the most affecting movie I've seen for a very long time.

(But for any guys reading this, have to admit it could be a little bit girlie)

Forgive the deviation. Thank you all so much for your suggestions .

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

BAYBREEZE1

Monday, August 8, 2005 4:20 PM

Had to chime in. Stephen R. Donaldson's series, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, was one of the first I ever read, and one of the best IMO. And imagine how happy I was to see that it has started up again, whith a new book this year - wow, after all this time.

Also, I love the Terry Brooks Word & Void books, as well as the Landover series.

Terry Goodkind and early David Eddings as mentioned before are GREAT!!

And of course, for me, the Dark Tower Series by Stephen King is the best of best.

KNIBBLET

Monday, August 8, 2005 4:31 PM

I'm reiterating those who recommend the Honor Harrington series. I love those books and read them about once a year.

Can't go wrong with the Admiral.

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/MN-Firefly/

KNIBBLET

Monday, August 8, 2005 5:09 PM

Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series.

I'm sure that most of the women here (speak up Channain) would recommend these. I've convinced my husband to read them when he gets back into town later this month.

Okay, this could be considered a historic romance, but there is a science fiction aspect as the female lead, Clair, is a WWII Royal Army nurse who falls through a circle of standing stones into Scotland of the 1700s.

These are fabulous stories that make you ask:
"Can we change history"
"If we do change something, what is the result"
"Did we make what we hoped to prevent actually happen because of our meddling"

Wonderful books and a wonderful story full of politics, war, wilderness, love and sex.

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/MN-Firefly/

YT

Monday, August 8, 2005 8:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Giles:
Mary Stewart's Merlin books: "The Crystal Cave", "The Hollow Hills" and "The Last Enchantment"; this is my favourite interpretation of the Arthurian legends

This is the third thread to mention Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. Thing that amazes me is that all the folks who mention it rank it highly, yet none seem to know she had (twenty years ago) written a fourth book, "the Wicked Day", about Arthur & Mordred. Giles, go get the fourth book, and use it as an excuse to read the first three again. The rest of you, this is fabulous stuff.

Keep the Shiny Side Up . . . (wutzon) James Brown, "Try Me", 45

FNORDCHAN

Tuesday, August 9, 2005 9:11 PM

Mousie wrote:

Quote:
Lois McMaster Bujold
Young Miles (SF)

I'd like to second the plug for Lois Bujold, particularly her series writing starring Miles Naismith Vorkosigan: secret agent, nobleman, space pirate, Imperial Auditor, and perhaps more than a little bit crazy. Start with The Warrior's Apprentice if your library has it or the omnibus Young Miles if you decide to look at your local bookstore; the latter has truly god-awful cover art but, trust me, it's one helluva ride. For a sample of Bujold's writing, read "The Mountains of Mourning", a short story set early in Miles's storied career:

http://www.baen.com/library/1011250002/1011250002.htm

It's low key compared to his later adventures, but is still a fine read and offers insight into what makes Miles such a great character.

The Vorkosigan books have a lot to appeal to Firefly fans: a future setting without aliens, with low tech brushing shoulders with the fancy new stuff the rich planets get, quirky crews raising hell in battered old starships, and wonderful, wonderful characterization. I should also mention that they're addictive as all hell, and once you get hooked you can look forward to tearing the rest of the series in short order. I realize that there are enough books listed in this thread to choke a horse, but give Young Miles a go.

FnordChan, who also adores Vernor Vinge

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

BECSTHEBEAST

Tuesday, August 9, 2005 9:21 PM

just wanna say thanks to amygdala for starting this thread- its gonna keepme going a long time

smile pretty and watch your back

AMYGDALA

Thursday, August 25, 2005 12:05 PM

HUGE thanks to the two people who suggested Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series.

Two books down, heaps to go, and absolutely loving it .

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

FNORDCHAN

Thursday, August 25, 2005 9:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
HUGE thanks to the two people who suggested Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series.

I'm happy to do my part to spread the Bujold love and glad to hear you're digging on 'em!

A quick note on what order to read the books in - it really doesn't matter all that much. Normally I'm a huge advocate of reading in publication order rather than internal chronology, but in this case I don't think it makes much difference either way. That said, you'll want to read some of the later books in chronological sequence - Mirror Dance, Memory, Komarr, and A Civil Campaign - and then after you've gone through the rest of the series to date. Which ain't to say someone couldn't just grab one of those books and dig on 'em, but you'll get more out of it if you've been digging on the characters for a while.

For anyone who is already a Bujold fan and wanting more in a similar vein, check out Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden books, which combine space opera with plenty of mannered romance. They're vastly fluffier than Bujold (and, frankly, not as good) but are tremendous fun and have all sorts of great characters. I'm quite sure Firefly fans would dig on 'em, especially as our heroes spend a lot of time later in the series on the lam from a sinister government conspiracy. And, if you're going to have aliens in yer SF, you may as well have completely awesome turtle-based aliens. Start with Conflict of Honors or Agent of Change and go wild from there. The series was recently reprinted in paperback by Ace and should be readily available. You can find all the details at Lee and Miller's Liaden website: http://www.korval.com/liad.htm

FnordChan

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

SFFAZ

Wednesday, September 14, 2005 4:30 PM

IMHO, Stephen R Donaldson's Gap series, five books complete story, is the closest thing in written science fiction to Firefly TV series. It has depraved and underbelly worse or as horrible as the Reavers and doesn't shy from showing it and yet it has heroes and moral icons like Simon or mal willing to sacrifice evrything they value for the the sake of the good of all. Not for everybody's taste if they know Donaldson's Covenant series (fantasy set in the Land) as it has scenes of harrowing disconfort just as in Covenant series. but no other series i've read or even heard rumors of has anything remotely like the reavers or the so far unseen underground of civilisation, and i dont mean theouback worlds. i mean earth cities or the countryside, im sure ther are criminal gangs on earth in the cities and countryside, plus the planet or Medical centre that the crew visited when Simon ran tests on River, right. Anyway the story is good, too. But be warned: the depravity may be rated X for extreme sexual content. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is good, too. Two previous series in the 70s and 80s and a third series called the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, 1st book just out. read it, still waiting to decide if it's worth the wait or just a selling-out. Altho just based on the 1st book, i dont think so.

JESIAHBLACK

Wednesday, September 14, 2005 5:23 PM

Well, since Martin and the phenomenal A Song of Ice and Fire series is already mentioned, i have a few others up my sleeve.

I'm currently reading Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, which i've become quite taken with. From what i understand, it's the first person account of the apprentice torturer Severian, who is both "blessed and cursed with photographic memory".

As far as straight-up sci-fi goes, i like to recommend the Exordium series by Sherwood Smith and Dave Trowbridge. I've heard it described as "A Song of Ice and Fire in space", but i'll leave it to you to decide whether it's true or not.

"Oh, I was born 6-gun in my hand, behind a gun I'll make my final stand."

TERRYO

Thursday, September 15, 2005 3:26 AM

As much as I love Miles Vorkosigan and his alter egos, I hope you also read Shards of Honor/Barrayar or the combined reprint Cordelia's Honor. I fell head over heels for Miles' dad first. The books make more sense if you know who Miles is trying to live up to.

Also second Honor Harrington series and the whole Liaden universe - although I wasn't really crazy about the first one which is very fantasy. The second and third featuring Val Con and Miri were great fun.

Terry

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
HUGE thanks to the two people who suggested Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series.

Two books down, heaps to go, and absolutely loving it .

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

JUKO

Thursday, September 15, 2005 3:58 AM

Roger Zelazny and Neil Stephenson are a couple that bear checking out. Also, if you have a *lot* of time and patience, anything by Umberto Eco is well worth the trouble to read (you'll need to spend a lot of time reading his books, since they are a bit of a difficult read, but they're some of the most fascinating and compelling books I've come across). That's just off the top of my head, I guess I'll actually have to raid my bookcases.

Does Blue Sun sponser the Blue Man Group?

AMYGDALA

Thursday, September 15, 2005 9:12 AM

A few things:

- Did read Cordelia's Honour (combination of Shards of Honour and Barrayar) first in the Vorkosigan series. Highly recommend doing things this way - have noticed there are a few people who aren't fans of the pre-Miles books, but I loved them. Wonder if they become a bit dull only in comparison to the frenetic pace of the Miles books if these have been read first? And as mentioned before: Aral Vorkosigan, totally crushable. Still making my way through this series, still loving it, but cursing Amazon for a month's delay which may mean I lose self control and read some of them out of order.

- Note that Harrington series is mentioned a lot in this thread. Read the first one and (she cringes in anticipation of horrified replies) not totally convinced. Anyone else feel this way then get converted later on? I'm really not a pure adventure and space-battley reader - need a large proportion of human interest. Maybe I should just give up?

- Would love feedback from anyone else who's read books on recommendations from this thread. So get reading, people .

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

SNIPER

Thursday, September 15, 2005 12:11 PM

For something Firefly related, kinda, sorta, I'd recommend the Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zahn.

TERRYO

Friday, September 16, 2005 6:08 AM

I would try at least one more Honor. They aren't as flashy as some but the thing I liked (and I haven't read them all) is her integrity. Maybe more subtle in some ways and yeah, sometimes boring (I like lots of opera in my space opera) but okay. Guys seem to like them better.

Some more off-the-wall books: Melisa Michaels "Floater" books - dont' remember the proper titles right off hand but interesting use of language. I think she integrated Haiwaiin (sp??) - love it when people integrate unique language patterns.

Melisa also runs Embiid.net which publishes ebooks of the Liaden universe and her own and others...

A series a friend had me read, Debra Doyle and James MacDonald (plus??) was pretty fun. Returned the books to him, though, but you'll probably find them all on half.com.

If you like a very strange premise, odd but almost beautiful prose and again, very interesting use of language there is the Hellflower trilogy by eluki bes shahar who is also Rosemary Edghill - and her sister India is also pretty good, too. She wrote Regencies at one point, which helps decipher the Hellflower stuff if you know a bit about "cant" I think it's called. She has a site on sff.net and I'm pretty sure Baen has some of her newer stuff in their electronic library.

Anything by Peter David works for me, too. The man can write angst (Imzadi) and then turn around and have you ROTFL. (Sir Apropos of Nothing)

I think it's time to hit Amazon again...

Terry

p.s. almost forgot the Artemis Fowl books. technically they're for kids but I suspect more adults read them.

Quote:

- Note that Harrington series is mentioned a lot in this thread. Read the first one and (she cringes in anticipation of horrified replies) not totally convinced. Anyone else feel this way then get converted later on? I'm really not a pure adventure and space-battley reader - need a large proportion of human interest. Maybe I should just give up?

OURMRREYNOLDS

Friday, September 16, 2005 6:29 AM

Here's my votes:
Dark tower dark tower dark tower: its sci fi and its fantasy and its western- nuthin' else to say 'cept read Eyes of the Dragon- a related book not in the series

terry pratchett discworld: laugh out loud funny- he's done some kids books in the same world (Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents) and The Wee Free Men- appropriate for kids and great for us fogies too

stephen brust: To Reign in Hell and Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grill I won't describe 'em 'cause I can't do 'em justice

Harry Harrison: Bill the Galactic Hero and Stainless Steel Rat series- both get kinda odd towards the end, not sure if I mean that in a good way but fun as hell

fantasy hack 'n slash: William King's slayer series set in the world of Warhammer (Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Beastslayer, etc.) Gotrek is the biggest badass in any genre EVER- a dwarf with a mohawk that doubles his height, eyepatch, facial piercings and a mystical axe. Perfectly willing to assault a siege engine or entire army solo, with a hangover. the books are short fast reads and the action is too intense

Cynicism is the smoke that rises from the ashes of burned out dreams.

TERRYO

Friday, September 16, 2005 12:46 PM

Harry Harrison wrote one of my all-time favorite time travel books "Rebel in Time" and every time I read it I think, Denzel, Denzel, why haven't you optioned this book? My daughter loves the Stainless Steel Rat series but they never got me. I did like a few of the Galactic Hero books way back when...

I should have seconded the first Diana Gabaldon book as a riveting, don't plan anything for the weekend kind of book. Well, if you like Scottish history, anyway, and one incredible smoking, steam -rising-off-the-pages hero. I didn't like the sequels as much but Jamie and Clair are great characters. (Warning: graphic sex and a rape that makes you want to cry when the victim recounts it.)

I do have a couple of favorite old, apocolyptic-style novels, "Alas Babylon" by Pat Frank (very dated now but so am I - lol - but it totally pegs the sixties nuclear fears) and "Lucifer's Hammer" by Niven and Pournelle (you'll never think of rats in quite the same way).

These days I don't read a lot of scific unless someone recommends a specific book. I read mainly mysteries and fluff like Janet Evanovich - btw, Reese Witherspoon as Stephanie Plum, no way - so I've been collecting recommendations too.

Terry

Quote:
Originally posted by OurMrReynolds:
Here's my votes:
...snip...

Harry Harrison: Bill the Galactic Hero and Stainless Steel Rat series- both get kinda odd towards the end, not sure if I mean that in a good way but fun as hell

...snip...
Cynicism is the smoke that rises from the ashes of burned out dreams.

TERRYO

Friday, September 16, 2005 2:17 PM

Went to Amazon to look this up and got looking at other TZ books. (I had only read the Star Wars ones.) Anyway I was reading through the reviews of a Dragon/Thief trilogy and thinking that I needed to pick it up until I read the review of the last book. Recommended for reluctant readers, boys 10-15. ;-)

Terry

Quote:
Originally posted by Sniper:
For something Firefly related, kinda, sorta, I'd recommend the Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zahn.

FNORDCHAN

Wednesday, September 21, 2005 3:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by terryo:
A series a friend had me read, Debra Doyle and James MacDonald (plus??) was pretty fun. Returned the books to him, though, but you'll probably find them all on half.com.

That would be the Mageworlds series which is fluffy space opera about the offspring of a scoundrel and a princess, with psychic powers thrown in. It's all very Star Wars (up to and including Wookies), but I mean that in the best possible way, and it's all a helluva lot of fun. If you're a fan of the Vorkosigan and Liaden books and are looking for more in a similar vein, you'll enjoy the Mageworlds series.

There's a fair pile of books in the series, but at it's core Mageworlds is a trilogy: Price of the Stars, Starpilot's Grave, and By Honor Betray'd. Beyond that there's a prequel, a next-generation sequel, and several way-prequel books that I haven't gotten to just yet.

On the Vorkosigan front, as someone who was advocating beginning with the Miles books I should say that beginning with his parent's adventures (as collected in Cordelia's Honor) is just as good if not better. When recommending the series I've found the first couple of Miles books to be a solid hook, at which point folks usually go back and read the first two books - but they're really just as good, if not better, starting point. To be honest, it's really hard to go wrong no matter what - as long as people are picking up and buying the Vorkosigan books, I'm happy.

Also, I was pleased to see that the first collection of the Liaden chapbooks, The Liaden Universe Compainion (Volume One) is now out in trade paperback, collecting all sorts of short stories and novellas that fill in gaps (or just go off on fun tangents) in the Liaden series. These were way too pricey when they were being sold as the chapbooks, but collected this is a helluva deal. Highly recommended!

Finally, my ludicrous to-read backlog has kept me from reading anything recommended in this thread so far, but I have been keeping notes and hope to enjoy some of the recommendations Real Soon Now.

FnordChan

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

TERRYO

Wednesday, September 21, 2005 8:08 PM

Thanks for posting the Mageworlds titles. I agree that they were fun. I don't know if I would reread them like I do the Vorkosigan novels but if you need something new it fits the bill.

And thanks for the update on the Liaden chapbooks - I think I have them all but they are scattered in boxes. Digest format tends to slip through the cracks. Book format is good. And lendable. Also need to replace my Plan B, which seems to have disappeared.

Terry

Quote:
Originally posted by FnordChan:

...snipping Mageworlds list but yes, that's the one...

Also, I was pleased to see that the first collection of the Liaden chapbooks, The Liaden Universe Compainion (Volume One) is now out in trade paperback, collecting all sorts of short stories and novellas that fill in gaps (or just go off on fun tangents) in the Liaden series. These were way too pricey when they were being sold as the chapbooks, but collected this is a helluva deal. Highly recommended!

...snipping...

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

AMYGDALA

Tuesday, September 27, 2005 4:06 AM

- So, I've finished the Vorkosigan Series, and wow. Highly recommended. Have achieved my goal in making this thread of finding more books that you don't want to ever end.

For those who have yet to discover this series, the author is Lois McMaster Bujold, the genre is sci-fi, and the series is just so much fun. If you love your heroes smart, sarcastic, fighting stacked odds, and more than a little crazy (and you know you do), start reading.

The stories in order are: Shards of Honour, Barrayar, The Warrior's Apprentice, The Mountains of Mourning, The Vor Game, Cetaganda, Labyrinth, Brothers in Arms, Borders of Infinity, Mirror Game, Memory, Komarr, A Civil Campaign, Winterfair Gifts, Diplomatic Immunity.

Here it gets confusing. Some are stand-alone novels, some come in short story form with other stories from the series, or even with stories from other authors. I highly recommend just downloading them all as ebooks. Between baenbooks, fictionwise and amazon they should all be available. There are also two stories: Ethan of Athos and Falling Free, which aren't nescessary to the series, and don't directly involve Miles.

Do try to read them in order, especially the later ones. After a delay getting the books from Amazon, I gave in and read Komarr before the preceding three books, and I hugely regret it. Two of these books were hugely affecting, and I didn't get the full impact of the story as I knew what the main outcomes would be.

Favorites? Warrior's Apprentice and The Vor Game. Maladaptive alter ego of a troubled young man or no, the early Admiral Naismith bluffing his way around the universe makes for stunning, hilarious reading. Also Mirror Game and Memory were wonderful in a completely different way. Before these novels, I thought Bujold's stories could start getting formulaic and tired, but she goes off on a whedonesque tangent and makes everything new. Magnificent.

- Just wanted to add to the mention of Stephen Donaldson's Gap Series. Started reading it again after I saw it mentioned here (forgot I had it, actually). Space opera on a truly operatic scale. Literally. It's actually based on Wagner's four-part opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung. It's not my favourite series ever, but is pretty compulsive reading with an truly explosive climax. It's the sort of series where if you imagine the worst thing that could ever happen to a character, it happens and then some. And it never lets up.

- Have also just read the latest book in the Alvin Maker trilogy, The Crystal City. This series is my favourite of Orson Scott Card's. It has a charm and humour that appears to be missing in his other work. It's a fantasy series set in an America that failed to achieve Independence, and where magic exists. In this latest book I finally twigged that Alvin has become a Christ-like figure. Not sure if I want to read the next novel in the series, 'cos that never turns out well.

- Lastly, noticed the widespread approval of The Dark Materials trilogy, and thought I'd suggest a children's trilogy that I thought was even better. Called: The Wind On Fire. Author: William Nicholson. Check it out.

Would love other people's feedback on books featured in this thread.

'Til next time

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

FANTASTICLAUGHINGFAIRY

Wednesday, September 28, 2005 3:30 PM

Why don't you try Eragon and Eldest, the first two books in the new 'Inheritence' trilogy.
They're amazing, I've not enjoyed books this much since I read the His Dark Materials trilogy.
Cracking.

...and we will call it...this land...

FLAMELILY

Thursday, September 29, 2005 7:01 AM

Anything by Terry Pratchett - this man is a genius.
If you love the slightly twisted viewpoint of the world, and his ability to turn common situations on their head and show us just how daft and shallow we really all are!
They are definately the thinking persons comedy. You can read them superficially and roll on the floor laughing, or read them again and get the hidden message.
WARNING: he has written thirty-odd discworld novels, so once you're hooked, be prepared to buy them all!
Check out http://www.ie.lspace.org/
They have a suggested reading list etc -my advice is read them in the order they were written, then they all flow.
I love writing, but this man makes me wonder why I try! in one line he can create a city for you to explore.... he is amazing. And did I mention FUNNY!

Quote:
- "If you're going to suggest I try dropping twenty feet down a pitch dark
tower in the hope of hitting a couple of greasy little steps which might
not even still be there, you can forget it," said Rincewind sharply.
- "There is an alternative, then."
- "Out with it, man."
- "You could drop five hundred feet down a pitch black tower and hit stones
which certainly are there," said Twoflower.
Dead silence from below him. Then Rincewind said, accusingly, "That was sarcasm."

-- (Terry Pratchett, The Light Fantastic)

another one:

Only one creature could have duplicated the expressions on their faces, and that would be a pigeon who has heard not only that Lord Nelson has got down off his column but has also been seen buying a 12-bore repeater and a box of cartridges.

-- (Terry Pratchett, Mort)

and another one:

It is a fact that although the Death of the Discworld is, in his own words, an ANTHROPOMORPHIC PERSONIFICATION, he long ago gave up using the traditional skeletal horses, because of the bother of having to stop all the time to wire bits back on.

-- (Terry Pratchett, Mort)

OH GOD STOP ME!!!! I can quote TP until the end of time......

Must stop, must stop....

They say they want a soulmate and a helpmeet, but sooner or later the list includes skin like silk and a chest fit for a herd of cows....Angua in 'Jingo' by Terry Pratchett

AMYGDALA

Tuesday, November 1, 2005 6:47 AM

Just an update on how the reading goes:

* Just caught up with the latest book in the Song of Ice and Fire trilogy (see multiple mentions above): 'A Feast for Crows'. In Martin's own words "This one was a bitch". Well, it's no picnic for readers either. Don't get me wrong - I love this guy, I adore the series. What aSoIaF might lack in the deep and meaningful, it makes up for in an intricate, enthralling plot of betrayal and counter-betrayal, some kick-ass characters, a nice sense of history and some nifty foreshadowing in place from the very first page.

But the series does seem to be slipping out of control. What I believe was originally meant to be four volumes is now likely to become seven (this latest was number four). We've waited almost five years between this book and its predescessor for (wait for it): just half the planned novel. AFfC was to be part of the next book "A Dance With Dragons" until the length became unmanageable. The choice was made to split aDwD into two separate novels, with each book only following characters in certain geographical areas, presumably over the same time period. For good reasons, I'm sure.

So what was wrong? Mostly, it just didn't feel like a whole book. Sure, it's not really meant to be, but that means it lacked that nice sense of semi-completion the others gave as they ended, allowing the wait for the next book to be that much more bearable. Causes probably included the the omitted characters (arguably some of the most interesting), as well as the paucity of significant events that resulted from only a few stories being told. Another big problem for me was the fact that at the end of the book, several characters were left in fairly dire situations, and I find the thought that these might only be resolved two books later fairly infuriating.

I think my negative reaction is due in part to the previous novel "A Storm of Swords", which was just brilliant. My expectations were high, and you can't get it so right all the time. I do have to say though, that this latest novel also *felt* wrong in places, the writing seemed to lack the subtlety of previous volumes. But I guess there is the possibility that this is an intentional phenomenon - as the story progresses, secrets are revealed.

My worry is, of course, that we have another Jordanesque scenario on our hands - a promising series that which the writing deteriorates as the number of volumes mounts. But I still have faith. Martin's still the guy. It may just take a couple of re-reads before I've made my peace with the novel. It's happened before. And he says the next one should be out next year....

* Speaking of Jordan. New book out now. Read on the cover it's the penultimate volume. What is it - eleven? twelve? Anyway, made the decision to wait 'til the final book is in paperback, then *perhaps* on a rainy day, buy the final two and read them, just to finish the damn thing. No. Screw it, I'll get them from the library. Thinking about the money I've spent to watch a great series become progressively rubbish makes me tetchy.

* Latest Pratchett all good. Yeah, didn't mention him in the first post 'cos strangely I don't file him under sci-fi/fantasy in my head (I have a strange head). I think he's under "too damn funny" or suchlike. What I love best about Pratchett is his ferocity when it comes to injustice. His novels aren't throwaway funnies, they get deeper with each read. Thanks Flamelily for the quotes - made me all giggly.

So folks, what have you been reading?

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

LIMINALOSITY

Tuesday, November 1, 2005 11:24 AM

Thanks for some great suggestions! I was hoping someone would dredge up this thread, I knew something like it would be in the archives somewhere.

Amygdala, you named some of my favorite authors (Ursula, Dick, Tepper, Grr Martin, OS Card).

There were three authors I think you might enjoy but didn't see mentioned in the suggestions:

Samuel R Delaney - I especially like his "Stars in my Pocket Like Grains of Sand"
Open it to a random page sometime in the store and see if you like his voice, since you like Ursula. Stars reminds me of her work. Not so much Earthsea (though I love that stuff), but some of her more sociological rantings.

"The Gormenghast Trilogy" by Mervyn S Peake
Fans of Gaiman and Mieville might enjoy this very much. I second those choices!

Nobody mentioned Douglas Adams? I enjoyed Long Dark Teatime of the Soul and Dirk Gently every bit as much as Hitchhiker.

I'd also strongly second Gibson. Everything by Gibson. I read today Peter Weir is working on filming his latest "Pattern Recognition", and I have my fingers crossed.

...and Stevenson, and Banks.

I'll be putting

Shiny Trees! Yavanna made Shiny Trees!

CAIUS

Wednesday, November 2, 2005 12:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by RelFexive:
Altered Carbon, Broken Angels and Woken Furies by Richard Morgan.

Cryptonomican by Neal Stephenson. Also, Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System Of The World by same.

Anything by Iain M Banks.

Anything by Peter F Hamilton.

"My God - you're like a trained ape. Without the training."

If you like Banks then anything by Ken Macleod. Also I just read Iron Sunrise by Charles Stross, which was nominated for the Hugo.

-Caius

EMBERS

Thursday, November 3, 2005 7:10 PM

I wanted to add one more to the list,
(I've scanned down, I don't think anyone mentioned):
David Brin's Kiln People
it is a very unusual and really brilliant genre mix of sci-fi and detective mystery

**********************************************
watch the R. Tam Session vids: http://www.hittarivertam.nu/
and buy the 'Serenity' comics published by Dark Horse,
and have you joined the Browncoats yet?
http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/?fuseaction=tools.invlink
&u=embers&linkID=36

SPINLAND

Thursday, November 3, 2005 7:29 PM

Eager second to Roger Zelazny et al. though with a special fondness for his Amber stuff (arguably also his best-known works, so easy to find). Some of his other work can get pretty "navel-gazing," but the prose makes it worth the walk IMNSDHO. His short stories are especially tight.

Someone mentioned C. J. Cherryh, but without the context of my personal favorites among her work. Definitely try Downbelow Station and, if that style appeals, there's The Pride of Chanur and its four sequels (not directly connected to Downbelow Station to be sure, but similar in style despite the alien viewpoint). Then try the Cyteen stuff to round out her stable of greatness.

My current guilty pleasure is the collection of Black Company books by Glen Cook, of which there are now ten (IIRC). This stuff'll never be "High Literature" but I'm on number nine now and it's still been a good read (as opposed to the dreadful drudgery that the top-heavy Wheel of Time saga became several volumes back).

For quirky fantasy tales, there's the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay (friend and contemporary of Chris Tolkien) and, with a motion picture coming out soon, you might give a dusty old classic a try: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, of which there are seven slim volumes.

Happy reading!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"That's what governments are for, [to] get in a man's way." -- Malcolm Reynolds

LIMINALOSITY

Friday, November 4, 2005 4:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Spinland:
Eager second to Roger Zelazny Amber stuff

C. J. Cherryh

For quirky fantasy tales, there's the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay

Zelazny's Amber is very fun, and you can practice the alteration technique at home for your own amusement and bendiness.

Cherryh, mmmm. I like her Gates series and Fortress series and Sun series as well as the big cats and other things. One of the remarkable things about her is that she has a map of her universe, and everything she writes relates to the map and its history.

Kay! I totally forgot him and he's wonderful.

Good add's

Shiny Trees! Yavanna made Shiny Trees!

THANATUS

Friday, November 11, 2005 7:56 PM

My 2 bits -

Anything by Tim Powers...period. Especially Anubis Gates. Agreed that Orson Scott Card is a winner. Also Ivory by Mike Resnick. By the way, if you have any kind of inkling to read an apocalyptic tale, I recommend Father Elijah: An Apocalypse by Michael D. O'Brien. Very well written...everything that the Tribulation Force books could have been, had they not been filled with the pedestrian musings of Jenkins and LeHaye. On the outside chance that you haven't read Heinlein's Starship Troopers, it's a must (the movie does NOT count!) Just a thought...

FLECHETTE

Friday, November 11, 2005 9:21 PM

Another series/author to check out is Anne Bishop's The Realms of the Blood/Black Jewel series.

Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, Queen of the Darkness; are the titles of the trilogy. Available as seperate novels and single compilation

The Invisible Ring is a stand alone novel and I suggest reading after the series- it centers around an event mentioned in Queen of the Darkness.

Fairly recently released is Dreams made Flesh 4 short stories that fill in some details and plotholes from the trilogy.

I didn't care as much for her World of Fae trilogy

________________________________________________
Flechette - Destiny's Cook

We got Crab and pig tell :Squid ink and fish scale
Okra and dasheen leaves
Chitchat and chatter :Fill up the platter
With a garnish of pure make believe
- Jimmy Buffett's Calaloo

PHI

Saturday, November 12, 2005 2:36 PM

I can't believe that somebody has actually mentioned Kushiel's Legacy already! I have never before seen it mentioned in recommendation lists as it deserves to be. It is fantastic as long as you're reading it for the story and not because it's about a Courtesan. Truly, I won my friend over with this series and she was speechless by the time she'd finished reading. Author: Jacqueline Carey. Read it.

The same friend has told me to read Anne Bishop's Daughter of the blood but I haven't been able to get it through the library yet. I will make more of an effort now that I have seen another recommendation.

Also, The Farseer Trilogy and The Tawny Man Trilogyby Robin Hobb. It took me quite a while to get into these books but I persevered and I am SO glad that I did.

Finally, The Bitterbynde Trilogy by Cecilia Dart Thornton if only for the use of folklore and mythology in it. However, if romance isn't your thing this won't do. The descriptive nature of the writing is stunning although sometimes a bit too flowery. Still worth a look.

FANTASTICLAUGHINGFAIRY

Saturday, November 12, 2005 5:25 PM

OK - so I'm a teenager, so this'll probably be from a teenager's point of view, but personally I loved:
the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman

Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini

The Named, The Dark and The Key(The Guardians of Time Trilogy) by Marianne Curley are also great reads.

Also The Pact and My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (these one's aren't exactly sci-fi or fantasy in any sense of the word, but are good books nonetheless)

I'd go for any of these!

...and we will call it...this land...

QUEENOFTHENORTH

Tuesday, November 15, 2005 1:44 AM

Two good series not mentioned here:

Nancy Springer's Books of Isle: there's five of these and they're fantastic. However, they were published a long time ago and I don't know if you can get them anymore. I got them at a used bookstore.

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Death Gate Cycle: There's seven of these and they're incredibly compelling. Very good work.

Also, if you wanna read something brand spanking new, check out my "Getting Book Published" thread for info on the book I just got published.

I give to you the Seeker of Serenity, the Valkyrie Warrior, the Gourmet Cook and the Truth Scoper.

BROWNCOATINSINGAPORE

Monday, November 28, 2005 10:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
Just an update on how the reading goes:

* Just caught up with the latest book in the Song of Ice and Fire trilogy (see multiple mentions above): 'A Feast for Crows'. In Martin's own words "This one was a bitch". Well, it's no picnic for readers either. Don't get me wrong - I love this guy, I adore the series. What aSoIaF might lack in the deep and meaningful, it makes up for in an intricate, enthralling plot of betrayal and counter-betrayal, some kick-ass characters, a nice sense of history and some nifty foreshadowing in place from the very first page.

But the series does seem to be slipping out of control. What I believe was originally meant to be four volumes is now likely to become seven (this latest was number four). We've waited almost five years between this book and its predescessor for (wait for it): just half the planned novel. AFfC was to be part of the next book "A Dance With Dragons" until the length became unmanageable. The choice was made to split aDwD into two separate novels, with each book only following characters in certain geographical areas, presumably over the same time period. For good reasons, I'm sure.

So what was wrong? Mostly, it just didn't feel like a whole book. Sure, it's not really meant to be, but that means it lacked that nice sense of semi-completion the others gave as they ended, allowing the wait for the next book to be that much more bearable. Causes probably included the the omitted characters (arguably some of the most interesting), as well as the paucity of significant events that resulted from only a few stories being told. Another big problem for me was the fact that at the end of the book, several characters were left in fairly dire situations, and I find the thought that these might only be resolved two books later fairly infuriating.

I think my negative reaction is due in part to the previous novel "A Storm of Swords", which was just brilliant. My expectations were high, and you can't get it so right all the time. I do have to say though, that this latest novel also *felt* wrong in places, the writing seemed to lack the subtlety of previous volumes. But I guess there is the possibility that this is an intentional phenomenon - as the story progresses, secrets are revealed.

I kinda had mostly the same response to AFFC becoz where's Jon, Bran, Stannis and Beric while knowing at the same time in the back of my head they'll be in the next book. However, that was nothing compared t o the fact we'll have to wait two more books before the story continues from AFFC.

Still, ihave beilief that Martin will wrap up the series in 6/7 books strongly just base on books 1-3 (i really think everyone should dowhat Martin suggested on his site, which is to get Crows and Dragons (the next, as yet unfinished book yet overlapping Crows) when it comes out and exacto the pages and put chapters in the order we like (put Bran after Cersei, then Jon, you get what i mean).

I've just finished reading the Merchant Princes, bk 1 & 2 by Charles Stross ( The Family Trade and The Hidden Family), and i highly recommend it for its take on contemporary urban/modern alternate world fantasy. Its got computers, airships (bk 2), world hopping and explosions. Well, plot and storywise, it starts out strongly, has a strong lead and secondary characters but meanders for the last last half of Bk 1 and most of Bk 2. I'm eagerly awaiting the continuatio/conclusion (not sure if its a trilogy/open ended series).

Stay crunchy. even in milk.

SHINYOBJECT

Monday, November 28, 2005 11:11 PM

Someone mentioned it allready but I thought I would second "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman a truly amazing book that has become a favorite of mine.

a sequal also recently came out entitled "Aninsi Boys" also a joy to read

not exactly fantasy or sci-fi but at the moment I'm reading "the snow fox" by a women name susan Schaffer, I'll pretty much eat up an medievel asian period novel

PATSRULE

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 1:18 AM

I love all the Dan Brown books.

On the recomendation of others here, I ordered the first George R.R. Martin Book.

FOREVERSHINY

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 1:33 AM

Oh, Dan Brown, definatly!

Don't know if it's been mention, but Simon R. Green has a series. Called "The Nightside Series," I think. Some sci-fi--though, sadly, not much--and some really odd fantasy bits.

It's my 2 cents worth, though I have more than 2 cents....Not with me! But in my dresser drawer, where you'll never be able to find it. So there....

Wow..I'm really tired.

Cheers,

~ForeverShiny~
~~~~~~~~~~~
Can't stop the signal!
"No, Cap'n, I think it's shiny!"--Kaylee, o'course.
"Yeah, but she's our witch, so cut her the hell down." --Mal in "Safe."

RICKKER

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 3:48 AM

well I've come to love anything done by Michael Stackpole and R.A. Salvatore. Mostly fantacy but Stackpole wrote a lot in both the Battletech and Star Wars universe. Also Highly recomend Webers' Honor Harington series. Just finished the newest book. I loved it from the getgo, there is more character development as time goes on.

CHESHIRE

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 4:21 AM

David Webber, the Honor Harrington series
Rober Jordan, the Wheel of Time series
Terry Pratchett, the Discworld series

LVS2READ

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 4:52 AM

Just did a quick browse of everyone's recommendations, and I only have one question. Doesn't anybody else here read Anne McCaffrey? Her Dragonrider series is my favorite, but she also writes some other fascinating stuff involving telepathy and telekenisis (The Damia series). And, IMHO, her "Ship Who ..." series is a thought provoking look at how people with physical impairments might live in the far off future. Her "Dinosaur Planet" series deals with cryogenics. If you like Elizabeth Moon, you should probably read this series since she co-authored two of the later ones.

I also second the recommendations for the Honor Harrington series. I read the first two or three, and really enjoyed them. Ended up getting side-tracked (so many books, so little time), but plan to go back to them someday.

Diana Gabaldon is definitely more historical romance than scifi/fantasy, but enjoyable nonetheless. Especially if you like Scottish history.

That's my 2 cents worth. You can take it or leave it, as you please.

"I love my captain."