trying scifi/fantasy..

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by ekster

Takeshi Kovacs novels by Richard Morgan (starting with Altered Carbon)

I also remember enjoying The Riftwar Saga (Mainly Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master) by Raymond E. Feist

Just started on this. So far, really enjoying. I have NO idea how I missed these when they first came out.

[Penforhire]

Check out just about anything from Dan Simmons. No sparkly vampires in those works and his stories are generally sophisticated.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yes Zelazny, but (as we were discussing in another thread) none of his work is available in ebook form.

You can get "The Black Throne" at Baen

http://www.webscription.net/s-115-roger-zelazny.aspx

(but maybe only if you like Poe).

[Angst]

Originally Posted by chrisanthropic

Orson Scott Cards "Ender's Trilogy" is a good multi-layered sci-fi, and of course anything by Philip K. Dick is incredible. [WARNING Tangent Ahead] Seriously, regardless of the (often ridiculous) situations Dick puts his characters they jump off the page...maybe it's just me but I'm constantly amazed at how multi-layered his characters are.

Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card

It's not too "technical", for a first scifi read. I don't know anyone who has read the book and not been engrossed by it.

[pixiestyx]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

How about "sort of sci fi" like Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go?

eP

First, can I just say that I love Mobileread because instead of the smackdown that OP would typically get on other forums to "learn to use search, there are X other threads on this topic" - people here continue to make suggestions and actually post helpful links to those threads.

I sincerely appreciate this because while I've been here long enough to read the other recommendation threads, inevitably, new thread = new rec that's of interest to me!

This time Never Let Me Go caught my eye. I've just finished Remains of the Day for a bookclub. I didn't hate ROTD, but it wasn't my cup of tea & I only finished it for bookclub, so I wasn't looking for another Ishiguro book. Just looked up NLMG however & it sounds pretty interesting so I'll give him another try

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by pixiestyx

First, can I just say that I love Mobileread because instead of the smackdown that OP would typically get on other forums to "learn to use search, there are X other threads on this topic" - people here continue to make suggestions and actually post helpful links to those threads.

I sincerely appreciate this because while I've been here long enough to read the other recommendation threads, inevitably, new thread = new rec that's of interest to me!

This time Never Let Me Go caught my eye. I've just finished Remains of the Day for a bookclub. I didn't hate ROTD, but it wasn't my cup of tea & I only finished it for bookclub, so I wasn't looking for another Ishiguro book. Just looked up NLMG however & it sounds pretty interesting so I'll give him another try

Truth!

[fantasyISbetter]

My suggestions- all of which are gritty fantasy
Kim Newman's Anno Dracula
Matthew Sturges- Midwinter
Ian Tregillis- Bitter Seeds
Amanda Downum- The Drowning City

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by David58117

I've heard of Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind but haven't looked too hard into either of them. Would they be a good place to go next, or if not, then what?

Per your usual tastes, I would say no. You would likely find it to be fluff.

If you're looking for literary edge with substance, I'd check out Walter Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz, or Gene Wolfe's Shadow and Claw. There are others, but those two come to mind. Possibly Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by pixiestyx

First, can I just say that I love Mobileread because instead of the smackdown that OP would typically get on other forums to "learn to use search, there are X other threads on this topic" - people here continue to make suggestions and actually post helpful links to those threads.

I sincerely appreciate this because while I've been here long enough to read the other recommendation threads, inevitably, new thread = new rec that's of interest to me!

This time Never Let Me Go caught my eye. I've just finished Remains of the Day for a bookclub. I didn't hate ROTD, but it wasn't my cup of tea & I only finished it for bookclub, so I wasn't looking for another Ishiguro book. Just looked up NLMG however & it sounds pretty interesting so I'll give him another try

Give NLMG a try, you won't be sorry! It is a very different beast than ROTD.

In the interest of full disclosure, I liked both books; in fact, I've read and enjoyed all of Ishiguro's books, so I'm probably a little biased here.

[kennyc]

And how about Neil Stephenson...not my cup of tea, but many seem to love him.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

Give NLMG a try, you won't be sorry! It is a very different beast than ROTD.

In the interest of full disclosure, I liked both books; in fact, I've read and enjoyed all of Ishiguro's books, so I'm probably a little biased here.

Just Scored Never Let Me Go from the local Library! Yeah!

[allinhi/]

[QUOTE=OtterBooks;1788981]Per your usual tastes, I would say no. You would likely find it to be fluff.

If you're looking for literary edge with substance, I'd check out Walter Miller's A Canticle for Leibowitz, or Gene Wolfe's Shadow and Claw. There are others, but those two come to mind. Possibly Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.[/QUOTE

I used to start students in a class I presented with A Canticle For Leibowitz. You should of heard the groans, this was at the peak of Star.... movies.

If you want a fast read, but with some good ideas Old Mans War usually is good. For an intro to SF I always suggest Ringworld.

[kennyc]

The whole Larry Niven - 'Known Space' books are great!

[Apache]

Originally Posted by kennyc

The whole Larry Niven - 'Known Space' books are great!

I also like Niven's Lucifer's Hammer (comet hitting the earth), Footfall (Alien Invasion) and Inferno (A Sci Fi Writer ends up in Dante's Hell). All three of these are co written by Jerry Pournelle.
Apache

[mediax]

kennyc has already mentioned Neal Stephenson (who's one of my favourite authors). You may find his System of the World trilogy interesting - it's not sci-fi (being set against a background of the formation of the Royal Society), but it's a cracking read nevertheless.