science fiction fantasy suggestions

Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding - the first book is Retribution Falls. Has quite a Firefly feel to it.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed, fantasy with a very Arabian Nights feel to it. Much more engoyable than the standard "orphan hunts for enchated mcguffin/destiny" that makes up so may fantasy trilogies these days.

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik - first of the Temeraire series. It's the Napolionic Wars - with dragons!
 
And somebody - the name escapes me, British, mentioned a crapload of times on the forum, lots of forumites seem to practically love/"worship" his series of fantasy stuff...Padgett (no, he was great (they were actually IIRC)) but ..Puget..no that's just a sound... it's on the tip of my brain but I just...can't....AHHH Terry Pratchett!!!! Why yes, Terry has written a brilliant series of which some have even reached the telly!! Death (cool), his granddaughter (cooler, by me), the Night Guard, odd wizards and a rather odd world to bind them all and in the darkness find them (oops, slipped off to a different one for a touch!!).......Look him up, read the books, Laugh. Trust us.. :D:D:D
 
Last edited:
lomiller said:
This

I'd also recommend Tad Williams Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn

Guy Gavriel Kay is worth reading as well. The Fionavar Tapestry was his first major work and is more or less standard fantasy fare, but better than most. His later books are more unique takes on fantasy and some are very good depending on taste. I suggest Tigana, The Fionavar Tapestry and if you like those he has a number of other well received books.




No, just no. :eek: Do you have a grudge against the OP because I can't think of any other reason why you would suggest someone subject themselves to that.
Click to expand...
Well, the first three were not that bad except for his ongoing refusal to accept the obvious about his condition and the rape (in my world he would not have survived that) - though what it did to her was covered correctly. *


*Which is why in my world he would not have survived that.
 
fuelair said:
Well, the first three were not that bad except for his ongoing refusal to accept the obvious about his condition and the rape (in my world he would not have survived that) - though what it did to her was covered correctly. *


*Which is why in my world he would not have survived that.
Click to expand...
I stopped someplace in the third book, but only stuck it out that long because it was "supposed" to be good.

This isn't a question of me not liking dark or depressing stories either, after all I recommended Memory Sorrow and Thorn, for which the people who don't like it usually say it's because it's too depressing.
 
fuelair said:
Well, the first three were not that bad except for his ongoing refusal to accept the obvious about his condition and the rape (in my world he would not have survived that) - though what it did to her was covered correctly. *


*Which is why in my world he would not have survived that.
Click to expand...


The rape is what caused me and my two (female) friends to give up on the books. I didn't want to mention it directly because it's a major spoiler. I know a couple of men who really enjoyed the series, however. Not saying this is a representative sample; just my personal experience. BTW for those who don't know I'm a man (at least last time I checked :D).
 
SpitfireIX said:
The rape is what caused me and my two (female) friends to give up on the books. I didn't want to mention it directly because it's a major spoiler. I know a couple of men who really enjoyed the series, however. Not saying this is a representative sample; just my personal experience. BTW for those who don't know I'm a man (at least last time I checked :D).
Click to expand...
I am male also and I am/was not at all happy about it either. I gave Donaldson the heavy benefit of the doubt - that he was describing a terrible but real aspect of Covenant's healing (and he did describe by the second or third book the lousy aftermath of the occurence), BUT Covenant ceased being a possible hero after that (about 50 pages in as you noted) by me and....I'm not a fan.
 
fuelair said:
I am male also and I am/was not at all happy about it either. I gave Donaldson the heavy benefit of the doubt - that he was describing a terrible but real aspect of Covenant's healing (and he did describe by the second or third book the lousy aftermath of the occurence), BUT Covenant ceased being a possible hero after that (about 50 pages in as you noted) by me and....I'm not a fan.
Click to expand...


One of my friends who liked the series said that he felt that TC raped [character whose name I've long ago forgotten] because he hadn't accepted that the world he was in was real, and that therefore he wasn't actually doing anything wrong, because he was only imagining his actions. I find that interpretation unpersuasive, and in any case it still wouldn't diminish the level of disgust I feel for the story and for the protagonist.
 
Bikewer said:
C.J.Cherry's "Morgaine" stories are very good. Although much of the action is decidedly swords and armor and such, there is a strong sci-fi underpinning throughout.

As well, Julian May's Saga Of The Pliestocene Exile is excellent. Though presented as straight science fiction, there is a very credible connection to Celtic fantasy through the whole series.
Unfortunately (IMO...) none of her other stuff measures up.
Click to expand...



Similar to this is the Council Wars series. A sci-fi "technology indistinguishable from magic" world is suddenly thrust into a "swords and shields" level of tech, when war breaks out among the ruling faction of society.
 
I always recommend "The Death Cycle" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. One of the most enjoyable grandiose stories I have ever read. And has some totally awesome characters to follow. It's seven books and every one of them is a great read.
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
Oft said by people who saw the movie and never read the book. ;)
Click to expand...

Never saw the film and read the book before I'd heard anything bad about Scientology, but I had read hundreds of other SF books that were better than that one. This is of course just my opinion.

I would be interested to hear what you thought was good about it.
 
I enjoy what they now call Urban Fantasy, the Dresden series by Jim Butcher is just terrific.

Also Anita Blake (Laurell Hamilton), The Southern Vampire series (Sookie) by Charlaine Harris, Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, and the Hollows/Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison (names her books after Clint Eastwood films).

Standalone book Sunshine (best vamp book ever).

Older series the Crystal Singer (Anne McCaffrey), Nine Princes in Amber (Zelazny).
 
Greg Bear I'm also fond of: Eon/Eternity and Forge of God/Anvil of Stars would recommend.

The latter pair of novels starts with two apparently separate alien visitations to Earth, with conflicting news of what is in store for the planet.
 
SpitfireIX said:
One of my friends who liked the series said that he felt that TC raped [character whose name I've long ago forgotten] because he hadn't accepted that the world he was in was real, and that therefore he wasn't actually doing anything wrong, because he was only imagining his actions. I find that interpretation unpersuasive, and in any case it still wouldn't diminish the level of disgust I feel for the story and for the protagonist.
Click to expand...

For me, it was the whininess of the characters that made the whole series awful. I did read them all just to see how it turned out, but didn't enjoy any of it. Everybody was so whiny and self-righteous all the time! A whole land (called The Land, there's a good indication of how sophisticated these people are) full of stern humorless environmentalists who screech in horrified indignation when total aliens don't immediately understand all their customs? A "hero" who not only does terrible things but then groans about how guilty he feels about them for thousands of pages? Every character including the villain does nothing but feel sorry for themselves all the time.

Throw in a ridiculous vocabulary (take a shot every time he uses "incarnadine" to mean "red" or throws out "condign", you'll die of alcohol poisoning pretty damn quick) and a ponderous insistence on being very, very significant and deep and you have a recipe for a "I can't believe they published this!" set of books right there.
 
Has to be Iain M Banks, especially hos Culture novels. I want to be a General Systems Vessel when I grow up. If you want magicy orcs n elves type reading with a smile, try the Thraxas novels by Martin Scott )ignore terry pratchette as they are a bit peurile.

As for Thomas Covenant, I read the first two trilogies about 25 years ago (and the special wee one about the red guard) but there is no way I could ever read them again, or any more of them.
 
Hehe---Yes, Felice...

Anyway, I left out the superb Fritz Lieber stories as there is no sci-fi aspect to Fafherd and the Grey Mouser other than perhaps a slight alternate worlds notion.

Likewise Greg Bear... Though Eon and Anvil of stars/Forge of God are among my faves, they are "hard" sci-fi.
 
TragicMonkey said:
George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series is exceptional...
Click to expand...

Just cannot make it through this one. I'm partway through Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire right now and I don't seem to be getting any closer to finishing it no matter how much I read. People have told me it gets better, but I can't see continuing with this series...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom