Best Modern Fantasy and SF

Uzzy

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Uzzy
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Feb 18, 2007
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Hello there.

I've been looking for good books in my two favourite genres, Fantasy and Science Fiction, ever since I finished A Feast for Crows. I've been floundering between various short books for a few months now, and I want a weighty series to get my teeth into. The problem is that most of the new books coming out in those two genres tend to be multi 1000 page book epic series. So, I don't particularly want to invest a large amount of time testing one of these books if it turns out to be poor later on.

So, can you guys suggest any good series for me to check out? I'm open to any type of books set in those two genres. Additionally, does anyone know if a Rotten Tomatoes type site exists for novels? I would be very interested in looking at one. Thanks in advance.
 
If you liked A Song of Ice and Fire... well, I'm sorry, you won't find anything quite as good. :) But I can always recommend Robin Hobb's works: the Farseer trilogy (first book is "Assassin's Apprentice") followed by the Liveship Traders trilogy, and then the Tawny Man trilogy, in this order. Yes it is nine books, all set in the same world, but it is a finished series, so there is that.

If nine books daunt you, try perhaps "Memory, Sorrow & Thorn" by Tad Williams. 3 books (or four if you consider the last volume as two, since the paperback was split into two tomes). Though I prefer his sci-fi (with cyberpunk influences) opus, Otherland, myself.

For sci-fi, I strongly recommend you read Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I haven't read the other two after, but the first two provide enough closure. Anyway, it's probably the most ambitious and epic fantasy I've ever read... and yes, I'm including Dune in there.

Have you tried reading GRRM's other stuff? His standalone horror novel Fevre Dream is especially good. His sci-fi novel, Dying of the Light, is also pretty cool, but I didn't like it as much as the rest.

I would recommend The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, but the truth is that it goes against what you ask for, since a) it's an unfinished series and b) I only read the first one so I don't know if it will get poor later on. The first volume is especially good, though.
 
I will recommend the sci-fi works of C.J. Cherryh to just about anybody who asks. Unfortunately, not everybody likes her style, especially in the way she wrote the Foreigner saga... If you require constant action to keep you interested, then C.J. Cherryh, and in particular the Foreigner books, are not for you.

That being said, the Foreigner books are among the best I've had the pleasure to read. The books are almost entirely political intrigue, with some action thrown in. It is difficult to explain the idea behind the story, as it is very complex... But I'll do my best.

The books are written (for all but the occasional chapters) from the view of a single human, who is the only human allowed to live amongst the atevi, the alien species featured in the books. The atevi are humanoid, but the similarities tend to end there: The atevi think entirely in numbers, for instance, so much so that their very lives are governed by them. Assassination is a legal institution, as long as you file Intent with the Assassin's Guild to obtain their permission before carrying out the assassination attempt. The differences go on and on, and that's rather the point of the story... The main theme is that of the attempt this single human, who is the ambassador for all of humanity to the atevi, to understand the people he's living with.

It's much more complicated than that, but as I said, it's a bit hard to explain... Also, the series is at 9 books presently (three trilogies), and while Cherryh could have left any of the trilogies off and effectively called it the end of the series, she always leaves a bit more open for the next set of books... So it's presently an ongoing series.

I would also highly recommend Modesitt's Corean Chronicles, the first book being Legacies. This series (six books long, actually two trilogies) is an interesting mix between fantasy and sci-fi settings. To paint a general picture, imagine a world where cavalry is still the major force on the battlefield, the primary weapons are guns (with cartridges, not muzzle-loaders) for long range and sabres for close range, then mix magic in. The series gets more sci-fi in the second trilogy, which is a prequel to the original trilogy. It's definitely more fantasy-based, but it's certainly not medieval fantasy.

The Corean Chronicles also have a MUCH larger amount of action than the Foreigner books... There were a couple of points where I was so riveted to the action in the 5th and 6th books that I would skip ahead a chapter to read the action, then come back to read the few pages of dialogue that preceded it, heh.

Also, the ending for the final book, Soarer's Choice, is quite possibly the most satisfying ending to a series I've ever read.

~~ RandomJSF (at work and a bit tired)
 
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You may want to try Stephen Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series...but be warned, it's not for everyone.

It's very graphic, he dumps you right into the action, there's a heck of a lot of characters and backstory, and the characters are virtually comic-book powerful.

That being said he's carved out an amazingly unique story with an intense plot and intricate backstory. I just hope he can keep it up for the rest of the series.

At least read the series as far as the second novel, Deadhouse Gates. If you don't enjoy that one, there something wrong with you. :p

Oh, it's also a heck of a hard read. The story doesn't flow in normal: Here's character X, here's his life, here's the evil foozle, look something happens to our friend X to send him on some quest to kill the foozle, that some many BAD fantasy writers fall into (yes, I'm looking at you Goodkind, Brooks, Farland). The story jumps around semi-randomly & you just have to hold on & figure things out on the way. It's well worth it though.

I second the motion on Tad Williams stuff. I also like most of Guy Gavriel Kay's stuff...
 
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China Mieville is a great contemporary author to check out.
It's absolutely amazing stuff. I won't go into too much detail because I've only read one of his books so far, but my husband is really, really into him. He has this great alternate reality that's very steampunk-esque fantasy, but he doesn't ruin it by trying to explain everything. He just kind of drops you into his world and everything is made clear through the context. Since all of the characters accept the reality of his world, why should he ruin the story trying to explain it to a newcomer (the reader)? It's fabulous and very meaty.
 
I would second China Mieville's work along with John Barnes and SM Stirling.
 
Just to second all of Morrigan's recommendations and to add that I am half way through Robin Hobb's Soldier Son trilogy. It is set in a different world, and I found it a little slower to get started but I now think it is as interesting as the ones already mentioned. :)

For an older series I really enjoyed Julian May's Saga of the Exiles, and the Intervention series. Though I did not like the Trillium books at all, sadly
 
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On the Science Fiction side of things, Iain M Banks and Alastair Reynolds are two of my favourites at the moment. For Banks, start with The Player of Games or Against a Dark Background; both stand alone pretty effectively. For Reynolds, start at the beginning with Revelation Space.

I'll second CJ Cherryh, who's written a ton of stuff in both genres. You can try the Morgaine books (fantasy adventure, but deeper than most), Foreigner and Cyteen (SF political intrigue), or the Fortress series (fantasy political intrigue).
 
Morrigan said:
For sci-fi, I strongly recommend you read Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I haven't read the other two after, but the first two provide enough closure.
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Read Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion and then stop; the others aren't nearly as good. Or even read Hyperion and stop, since it's the real standout of the four volumes.
 
PixyMisa said:
I'll second CJ Cherryh, who's written a ton of stuff in both genres. You can try the Morgaine books (fantasy adventure, but deeper than most), Foreigner and Cyteen (SF political intrigue), or the Fortress series (fantasy political intrigue).
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Always nice to come across someone else who has read Cherryh and would recommend her. Most of my friends have difficulty with books like Foreigner, where you may go most of a long chapter almost entirely inside the main character's internal self-dialogue.

Cherryh's Chanur Saga was quite possibly the first sci-fi I ever read. Ah, such fond memories. Cherryh's ability to invent and flesh out alien species and civilizations that are so completely antithetical to normal human thought has always amazed me. The fact that, in the Chanur Saga, the SINGLE human character isn't even the main character is exceptional; that Cherryh has the ability to write a story where you, a human reader, feel that the only human in the story is the alien... Such a talent she has.

Yes, I'm gushing, but I happen to be a huge fan of Cherryh's sci-fi work. :)

I'm rather happy that there's a 10th Bren book (as Cherryh calls them) in the works.
 
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PixyMisa said:
On the Science Fiction side of things, Iain M Banks and Alastair Reynolds are two of my favourites at the moment. For Banks, start with The Player of Games or Against a Dark Background; both stand alone pretty effectively. For Reynolds, start at the beginning with Revelation Space.

I'll second CJ Cherryh, who's written a ton of stuff in both genres. You can try the Morgaine books (fantasy adventure, but deeper than most), Foreigner and Cyteen (SF political intrigue), or the Fortress series (fantasy political intrigue).
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Stole my thunder about Banks and Reynolds.
 
PixyMisa said:
Read Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion and then stop; the others aren't nearly as good. Or even read Hyperion and stop, since it's the real standout of the four volumes.
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You are reading my mind again. I did read all four the the last two were a chore.
 
Ah, I forgot Chanur! Lot of fun, that series.

She's also finished a sequel to Cyteen, so we should see that later this year.
 
A big second for Charles Stross; I just finished his new one, Halting State. Excellent.

Likewise China Miehville. The prose, the inventiveness....Superb.

I'm a big fan of Greg Bear also. A "big idea" guy, he delivers. The two-book Forge of God and Anvil of Stars are really great. Starts out with a bang...The Earth blows up. Anvil of Stars has a wonderful take on how far-future space warfare might be conducted.

Just picked up K.T.Parker's Devices and Desires after seeing it on a "best of " list. Looks very good.
 
I second the China Meiville and the Iain Banks.

Have you tried Gene Wolfe? The Book of the New Sun is four volumes at about 200 pages each. Be warned though...it is subtext, symbolism and allusion rather than straight narrative. (Which is why it is great).
 
I've consistently heard good things about China Mieville. I may have to check him out.

As for Hyperion, well, I've read that one recently on a trip to Poland. It's one of my favourite sci-fi books. Even read Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and Rise of Endymion. Loved them all!

Thanks for the other suggestions guys. I'll have a look into all of them.
 
nthed Ian M Banks. Alistair Reynolds is also good, but his endings can be pretty poor.

Ken Macleod (friend of Ian Banks) is also worth a look (if you can ignore the disproportionate influence on galatic history wielded by some scottish trots in the class of '74...). IIRC Newtons wake also started in a far-off planet, and was decided on Rannoch Moor, a dramatic place maybe, but I doubt it will be of pivotal importance in galatic hiostory.
 
ETA: and Neal Asher for a bit of lite relief, but fast moving. The "Human Polity" has some similarities to the "Culture". His politics aren't like Ian Banks, I'd wager...
 
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