Best Modern Fantasy and SF

[JenseitsDavon]

That bad, huh? I liked everything I read by Gaiman, but to each their own. Just realized I forgot to add:

Orson Scott Card: Ender's Game (The others in the series are good reads as well, but the first is the best.)

Frank Herbert: Dune (I've only read the first, but I'm told the others are good as well.)

Alan Dean Foster: Journeys of the Catechist series - imaginative world, engaging characters.

 

[JenseitsDavon]

@ Arth:

Holy crap, dude! That is a lot of freaking books!

 

[Morrigan]

GODDAMMIT! Other than Goodkind stuff, there's scarcely any book I loathe and despise more than Ender's Game. American Gods is pure genius in comparison. Why'd you have to bring that piece of go-se up?

I cannot fathom how anyone could possibly think there's any merit in Ender's Game. The plot is so unbelievably stupid, it's... gah! What the hell is wrong with you people?

 

[JenseitsDavon]

Ouch.

I think I've made my first ignore list, and before a hundred posts at that.

Maybe I should have added "YMMV".

 

[JenseitsDavon]

Also, I liked American Gods.

 

[Dunstan]

I'm one of a quiet minority who find Gaiman to be terribly overrated. A friend gave me a copy of American Gods which I've wanted to read for some time because some good friends of mine were raving about it a while back. Apparently it was the bees' knees. I got about a third of the way through it before losing interest. I didn't hate it the way I hated Stephen Donaldson, but it utterly failed to grab my interest in any way at all.

YMMV, of course.

I thought American Gods was ok, but it didn't make me want to run out and buy any of his other books. I suspect that part of its appeal is for mythology buffs to play "spot the reference," which I suppose says something about the author's knowledge and/or research skills, but doesn't make for good writing in my opinion.

 

[arthwollipot]

I'd like to read Sandman some day. I think I know someone who's got the complete series in graphic novels.

 

[RobRoy]

Where do I start?

Color me impressed. I thought I had a voracious appetite for books, but clearly there is always someone an order of magnitude or five greater!

I'll tell you, my wife freaked out on me, twice over my book collection, and I've parsed it down three times to calm her down. I believe, at its height, I had a tenth of the books you have.

I've come to the conclusion that books are just too expensive to match my reading needs, I lack the space to keep them, most books I will never read twice, and the library offers the books I want to read at least once for free. But I certainly envy anyone who has managed to keep their books.

However, if you decide to throw caution to the wind, I will gladly, gladly, gladly take those DAW yellow-spine soft-backs off your hand. I've been collecting those for years, and love the stories. I'll even fly/drive to pick them up. And yes, I'm very serious about that offer!

Ouch.

I think I've made my first ignore list, and before a hundred posts at that.

Maybe I should have added "YMMV".

Don't mind Morrigan. She hates everything. Ok, not everything, but close enough that I can paint with my second-broadest brush and cover the distance. I doubt, however, that she's put you on ignore. That's really not her style. And while often harsh in her criticism of All-Things-Morrigan-Hates, she usually doesn't mean it personally. Usually.

Your opinion is your own, and you should express it loud and proud. As I told another friend not five minutes ago: you can entertain some of the people some of the time, the rest you ignore or nuke.

 

[RobRoy]

I'd like to read Sandman some day. I think I know someone who's got the complete series in graphic novels.

Are you making a joke? If not, then I'm reasonably certain you can pick up the entire series in trade paperback.

If you are, then kindly ignore this message and chuckle about me behind my back.

 

[arthwollipot]

However, if you decide to throw caution to the wind, I will gladly, gladly, gladly take those DAW yellow-spine soft-backs off your hand. I've been collecting those for years, and love the stories. I'll even fly/drive to pick them up. And yes, I'm very serious about that offer!

All the way to Australia? I am impressed.

Unfortunately that will never happen. Sorry.

Are you making a joke? If not, then I'm reasonably certain you can pick up the entire series in trade paperback.

Actually, I'm not. I've heard quite a lot about it over the years, and it seems to me of a style that I think I'd like. Without actually reading it I won't know. And if I can borrow it, I don't need to spend money on something I may not actually like.

 

[Morrigan]

Ouch.

I think I've made my first ignore list, and before a hundred posts at that.

Maybe I should have added "YMMV".

Pish-posh! Only cowards use the ignore list, as far as I'm concerned.

Don't mind Morrigan. She hates everything.

I'm tempted to list all the stuff I love (and fellate praise regularly, even here) to give fault to your selective reading, but since you're probably just taking the piss it's not worth the effort. But, seriously, I think there's something wrong with someone over the age of 16^* who likes Ender's Game.


* I originally wrote "12" but then I remembered, some people, boys especially, take more time to develop an adult brain...

 

[PixyMisa]

I thought I was the only one who disliked him. I mean, he seems like a nice guy from seeing him in interviews and clips and such and he's a Lovecraft fan, so I'd feel bad about punching him for sucking, but... unlike you I actually actively hate American Gods, it was utter crap. He co-wrote Good Omens, and Neverwhere was semi-decent, so he's not without redeeming values, but American Gods is awful, most of his short stories in Smoke & Mirrors were thoroughly uninteresting, and Stardust is pretty damn bleh too, so I don't know why he gets fellated that much.

I gave up on American Gods half-way through, but I liked Neverwhere and really liked Stardust.

 

[Bella Mortis]

arthwollipot: Oh, man, I envy you! I wish I could have that type of collection, but I'm a broke college student with very little room. Maybe someday...

Anyway, back on topic! I'm going to second reading some Philip K. Dick, especially his short stories. If you read the ones that were turned into movies, like "Minority Report" and "Paycheck", you will be highly amused and/or frustrated at how much Hollywood loves to rape source materials. I'd also include a recommendation for "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" for the same reason, if you're feeling up to a novel of his. Seriously, his writing style is pretty crazy, as are the ideas. It's a lovable crazy, though.

 

[arthwollipot]

arthwollipot: Oh, man, I envy you! I wish I could have that type of collection, but I'm a broke college student with very little room. Maybe someday...

Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes I'll finish a book and decide to go out to the library to find something new to read. I stare at the shelves for five minutes and then walk back inside and pick up the latest Scientific American instead.

 

[RobRoy]

Pish-posh! Only cowards use the ignore list, as far as I'm concerned.

Agreed. It's part of the reason that I tolerate like your responses.

I'm tempted to list all the stuff I love (and fellate praise regularly, even here) to give fault to your selective reading, but since you're probably just taking the piss it's not worth the effort.

You cut right before I had caveated my own response. I did acknowledge that there are things you felate fawn over worship like. But you are correct, I was just noting your general character on these forums for a new member. Those who don't know you might think you're making a personal attack, which is simply not the case.

Of course then you went on to make my point for me in your next line:

But, seriously, I think there's something wrong with someone over the age of 16^* who likes Ender's Game.

So thank you! As I said you can be harsh in your criticism, up to the point that folk might think you're including them when your spew venom at a target, but that's not (generally) the case. It just splashes around, and we have to call the janitor to clean.

But, seriously. I like Ender's Game. I like it enough that it has survived three purges of my library. I don't love it, but I found the notion interesting, and the story well told, and with some fun scenes and dialogue that I know I will re-read it at a later date.

Of course, this doesn't discount the concept that there is "something wrong" with me because of this, but I think there are better symptoms to prove that than simply liking and enjoying a title that you don't.

 

[RobRoy]

All the way to Australia? I am impressed.

It's true. I would. I really enjoy those titles, and it would be worth the trek to pick them up. I don't quite clear out the discount and used book stores when I find them, but enough that it makes my wife nervous.

Unfortunately that will never happen. Sorry.

I figured as much. I'm not the only one who loves thos DAW yellow-spine science fiction books.

Actually, I'm not. I've heard quite a lot about it over the years, and it seems to me of a style that I think I'd like. Without actually reading it I won't know. And if I can borrow it, I don't need to spend money on something I may not actually like.

I think you would like it. Gaiman is a pretty decent storyteller. I just checked on Amazon, and the trade hardbacks are going for $60+ each. I was wrong in that you cannot get them in a single volume though. I count four volumes which, if you buy new, will tally nearly $250 when you get all said and done.

Definately borrow them if you can.

 

[jimbob]

In the UK inter-library loans and the internet are one'd friend...

I have read lots of out-of-print books to my children.

David Eddings is good*, all his books differ ciobsiderably from each other (Well in the ones that I have read, the names change).





*Not really... I was stuck for some reading matter, and foolishly chose some David Eddings books, as opposed to a bus ticket. But of course, I still had to finish the little sods...

 

[Sunray Breaker]

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.

Agreed...I don't even read sci fi novels that much. But Mieville has a very unique and poetic writing style, his characters are complex and addictive. He also beautifully describes his surroundings and involves such complexities as political ideologies (for example in Perdido Street Station there are issues with union workers, mob boss influence, etc.)

After reading this book, I decided to get the book on tape. so that I could take a few random quotes and intertwine them with my music. I did the same thing with The Age Of Spiritual Machines by Kurzweil.

Mieville's best works would probably be

Perdido Street Station
The Scar
Iron Council
(The three above are part of a series)

King Rat - (which is a modern day retelling of the Pied Piper, only the pied piper is replaced with a dj that controls the masses with his music)

 

[Fireshadow]

Here is a fun website for anyone that likes to read. Just type in the name of your favorite author and see what happens.

http://www.literature-map.com/

Yeah, it was fun--but I really want to know where they get there comparisons. Putting in Terry Pratchett and having Douglas Adams close by made sense, but put in J.K. Rowling and your nearest match is Stephenie Meyer? And Roald Dahl isn't even on the page?

 

[gumboot]

I feel obliged to pimp the work of my fellow countryman, who has produced a very good and interesting series of fantasy novels:

Across The Face Of The World
In The Earth Abides The Flame
The Right Hand Of God

ETA. I should probably name the author! Russell Kirkpatrick.