Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
- Smeghead
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Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
So while I don't read as much as I use to; I do listen to more audio books (when out walking/driving etc.), and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for me.
We can skip any books by Terry Pratchett because I've read/listened to them all.
We can skip any books by Terry Pratchett because I've read/listened to them all.
- korvys
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
The Lies of Locke Lamora (and sequels) by Scott Lynch.
The Blade Itself (and sequels) by Joe Abercrombie.
The Dresden Files (the whole series) by Jim Butcher.
And my personal favourite book of all time, The Name of the Wind (and sequels) by Patrick Rothfuss.
The latter I cannot recommend highly enough. If I had to read one book for the rest of my life, that would be it. I reread it every few months.
The Blade Itself (and sequels) by Joe Abercrombie.
The Dresden Files (the whole series) by Jim Butcher.
And my personal favourite book of all time, The Name of the Wind (and sequels) by Patrick Rothfuss.
The latter I cannot recommend highly enough. If I had to read one book for the rest of my life, that would be it. I reread it every few months.
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- Elomin Sha
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Star Wars Empire Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.
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- Antitonic
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
"The Deed Of Paksenarrion" by Elizabeth Moon.
It's a trilogy of volumes, or if you can find it, one compiled version consisting of Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold. There's also an audiobook version if that's how you prefer it.
Also, "The Redemption of Althalus" by David and Leigh Eddings.
It's a trilogy of volumes, or if you can find it, one compiled version consisting of Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance and Oath of Gold. There's also an audiobook version if that's how you prefer it.
Also, "The Redemption of Althalus" by David and Leigh Eddings.
Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
I assume Douglas Adams work is also too obvious. (I always prefered Dirk Gently to H2G2 mind).
Asimov's Foundation stuff I enjoyed and thats a fair amount.
More recent stuff I guess is Stross's "Halting State" - picked it up because I am heavily into AR tech and have friends who LARP a fair bit. Was an enjoyable read, interestingly structured.
Asimov's Foundation stuff I enjoyed and thats a fair amount.
More recent stuff I guess is Stross's "Halting State" - picked it up because I am heavily into AR tech and have friends who LARP a fair bit. Was an enjoyable read, interestingly structured.
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- JayBlanc
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Carrie Vaughn's Kitty and the Midnight Hour, werewolf investigative journalism.
Max Gladstone's Three Parts Dead, noir fantasy murder mystery.
Wesly Chu's The Lives of Tao, science fiction secret-agent thriller.
(My copy of 'The Lives of Tao' is signed by Max Gladstone. It seemed a good idea at the time.)
Max Gladstone's Three Parts Dead, noir fantasy murder mystery.
Wesly Chu's The Lives of Tao, science fiction secret-agent thriller.
(My copy of 'The Lives of Tao' is signed by Max Gladstone. It seemed a good idea at the time.)
- Arclight_Dynamo
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds.
Gateway by Frederick Pohl.
The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.
Anathem by Neal Stephenson.
Gateway by Frederick Pohl.
The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.
Anathem by Neal Stephenson.
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Well Korvys took the Dresden Files and Arclight_Dynamo took KSR, so...
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - actually his least SF work, but it holds a special place in my heart
The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde
Separately - Korvys: Is Name of the Wind that good? I read the first one and it didn't grab me. The friend who bought it for me says the love interest stops being a manic pixie dream girl at some point, but the first one kind of rubbed me the wrong way...
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - actually his least SF work, but it holds a special place in my heart
The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde
Separately - Korvys: Is Name of the Wind that good? I read the first one and it didn't grab me. The friend who bought it for me says the love interest stops being a manic pixie dream girl at some point, but the first one kind of rubbed me the wrong way...
- Fluffboll
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
I have a few books to recommend, these are my top2 favorite Fantasy book series:
"The Riftwar Saga" by Raymond E. Feist
"Death Gate Cycle" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
They seem to be book series not very talked about but they are by far my favorites
"The Riftwar Saga" by Raymond E. Feist
"Death Gate Cycle" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
They seem to be book series not very talked about but they are by far my favorites
How was I supposed it was that stone that held the dragons at bay... I mean it just stood there looking dull anyway.
- empath
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
'anything' by John Scalzi
Red Shirts especially, as it's narrated by Wil Wheaton, but his Old Man's War series, Agent to the Stars, etc. etc. etc.
Red Shirts especially, as it's narrated by Wil Wheaton, but his Old Man's War series, Agent to the Stars, etc. etc. etc.
- Prospero101
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
They said this air would be breathable...get in, get out again and no one gets hurt...
While we're still on the Wil Wheaton train, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is a fantastic romp through eighties nerd culture. It's the kind of book you read just to have fun. It's got quite a few problems, but it's having so much fun that it's difficult to care.
I'm just going to reiterate the Dresden Files again. DRESDEN FILES. They're so good. The audiobooks are narrated by James Marsders, who has an excellently raspy, noirish, subtly expressive voice.
While we're still on the Wil Wheaton train, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is a fantastic romp through eighties nerd culture. It's the kind of book you read just to have fun. It's got quite a few problems, but it's having so much fun that it's difficult to care.
I'm just going to reiterate the Dresden Files again. DRESDEN FILES. They're so good. The audiobooks are narrated by James Marsders, who has an excellently raspy, noirish, subtly expressive voice.
It's all over but the crying. And the taxes.
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Even if he pronounces some things wrong.
- Arclight_Dynamo
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
I mean, also, Smeghead... what do you tend to like in books? Narrowing it down would help in making recommendations.
- CaptainEnder7
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
The Magister Trilogy (Feast of Souls, Wings of Wrath, Legacy of Kings) by C.S. Friedman. Some of my favorite fantasy novels to come out in the past decade.
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- Metcarfre
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Elomin Sha wrote:Star Wars Empire Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.
By far the best of the SW EU.
Antitonic wrote:"The Deed Of Paksenarrion" by Elizabeth Moon.
I'll put my weight behind this as well. Great book.
For myself, I'd say (yet again);
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.
*
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Le Guin is good but she's not exactly readable. Don't start Left Hand unless you've got some time and attention to invest.
Along those lines, though, The Dispossessed is very thought-provoking.
Along those lines, though, The Dispossessed is very thought-provoking.
- Volafortis
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
If you have time and attention to invest (lots of it), I'd highly recommend Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. It's a humorous book with sci-fi elements to it (although, in my opinion, it just barely qualifies as sci-fi, but I really enjoyed it, as someone who personally is a big fan of sci-fi).
That said, it's a book that, for various reasons, wouldn't work as an audiobook, and it can't really be used as something to read in a few minutes of down time, so that recommendation doesn't really apply here.
You've probably read it all, but just because it hasn't been mentioned yet; Have you read any Niel Gaiman?
That said, it's a book that, for various reasons, wouldn't work as an audiobook, and it can't really be used as something to read in a few minutes of down time, so that recommendation doesn't really apply here.
You've probably read it all, but just because it hasn't been mentioned yet; Have you read any Niel Gaiman?
- korvys
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Fayili wrote:Korvys: Is Name of the Wind that good? I read the first one and it didn't grab me. The friend who bought it for me says the love interest stops being a manic pixie dream girl at some point, but the first one kind of rubbed me the wrong way...
Well I think it is, but that's subjective. I recommend that everyone read it, but I can't exactly insist that everyone like it. All I can say is how much *I* like it. I'm not kidding when I say I reread it every few months.
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- Gap Filler
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Needle by Hal Clement.
Swan Song by Robert McCammon.
Holy Fire by Bruce Sterling.
More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon (he of Sturgeon's law).
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (randomly singling that one out of Dick's work overall).
And depending on the plastic flexibility of your definition of SF/Fantasy might also recommend J.G. Ballard, starting with, say, Concrete Island or High Rise.
Swan Song by Robert McCammon.
Holy Fire by Bruce Sterling.
More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon (he of Sturgeon's law).
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (randomly singling that one out of Dick's work overall).
And depending on the plastic flexibility of your definition of SF/Fantasy might also recommend J.G. Ballard, starting with, say, Concrete Island or High Rise.
"In the neighbourhood of infinity; it was the time of the giant moths..."
Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
You know, this might be another obvious suggestion, but you could try the
Red Dwarf novels.
Red Dwarf novels.
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- Elomin Sha
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Lost Earth by Elomin Sha when I finish writing it.
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- Smeghead
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
I'm currently going through the Foundation trilogy (a old BBC radio dramatisation) but also iRobot.
And yeah, I've read all the Douglas Adams books, so it is a bit rudundant to suggest them to me. But then it is not like I'm the only one who might pick something up from this thread.
I did buy The name of the wind (It is 27 hours long!) and I think it is se eral books in one
And yeah, I've read all the Douglas Adams books, so it is a bit rudundant to suggest them to me. But then it is not like I'm the only one who might pick something up from this thread.
I did buy The name of the wind (It is 27 hours long!) and I think it is se eral books in one
- Elomin Sha
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner) is good. As was the The Planet of the Apes.
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- leapy
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Space Captain Smith (and all subsequent sequels) by Toby Frost.
If you're a fan of Pratchett then I think you'll like this, it's a send up of pretty much *every* SF/fantasy trope there is.
If you're a fan of Pratchett then I think you'll like this, it's a send up of pretty much *every* SF/fantasy trope there is.
- Hekla
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Re: Looking for SF/Fantasy book recommendations
Firstly, I have a really bad memory for what I read, so although I know it was good at the time, I can rarely identify why. Anyhow, here is a selection of my favourites.
Acacia trilogy – David Anthony Durham – This is one of those trilogies where the first book seems like the entire story, but everything opens up afterwards..
Almost anything by Tad Williams – The Otherland tetralogy was interesting. His other books are easily readable and quite vast fantasy worlds that I really enjoyed.
As for something a little more difficult, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are quite a handful, with what I found to be a beautifully constructed world. It is very wordy, depressing, and has just finished at a total of 10 books.
Also, Robin Hobb. Enjoyable but quite fleeting in my memory.
Acacia trilogy – David Anthony Durham – This is one of those trilogies where the first book seems like the entire story, but everything opens up afterwards..
Almost anything by Tad Williams – The Otherland tetralogy was interesting. His other books are easily readable and quite vast fantasy worlds that I really enjoyed.
As for something a little more difficult, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are quite a handful, with what I found to be a beautifully constructed world. It is very wordy, depressing, and has just finished at a total of 10 books.
Also, Robin Hobb. Enjoyable but quite fleeting in my memory.
I'm also QuintonDreaming. Stupid username availability prevents me from always being an Icelandic volcano.
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