Recommend me some Fantasy/SF, if you have a free moment

[kacir]

Some unorganized ideas:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Pratchett
There were some threads about which books of his should be read first

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Asprin and his Myth series

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Cook and his Garrett P.I. series
combination of excellent old-school hard-boiled detective ala Phil Marlowe and fantasy

[finniusfrog]

I would have to second Peter Hamilton for Space Opera. Brilliant

[Wordcrasher]

I loved Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber too.
And if you like old hard SF, you cannot miss old Larry Niven's books: maybe you could start with "Three Books of Known Space"

[JSWolf]

I've read the first book of Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy andenjoyed it. When I get a chance, I'll move on to book 2.

I also highly recommend the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Gibbo

Would like to remind everyone about Fantasticfiction.co.uk for your everyday ebooks

I use the site. How is it for eBooks?

[montsnmags]

Neverness, by David Zindell - it's a large book, but your list seems to indicate that predilection in yourself. If you enjoy it, you can move on to his Requiem for Homo Sapiens trilogy, though, in my opinion, with Neverness they're a tetralogy. Someone here did mention that you could read Neverness last, but if you want to "try", it's probably best to start with the admitted self-containment of Neverness.

From Wikipedia:

"Neverness (the title may be an allusion to Borges) concerns a medium far-future world where mathematicians have become a kind of caste or religious order, because of their abilities to do the calculations needed for space travel. It follows one, Mallory Ringess, as he discovers secrets and strangeness in the Universe he inhabits. Amongst these are experiences with the science fiction equivalent of a Goddess who was once a little girl and the discovery of immortals."

The name of the trilogy might give an idea of the kinds of themes it and Neverness concern themselves with (think "What it is to be human"). It's wonderful SF (though I must admit I've not yet read the last book, War in Heaven, but only because I read the books as they were released, and that would require me to read Neverness for a fourth time, and so on with the other books, and I've been procrastinating on that for some years ).

Cheers,
Marc

[gollu]

As I am in love with Song of Ice and Fire too, and like most of the things you like, I think I can be of some help.

First of all Ursula LeGuin, as someone above has already recommended.
- The Earthsea books (there are currently 6 of those and the series is supposedly finished, but one can never know).
It's about a world of magic, but it's just beautifully written an has a lot more depth than any other fantasy I've happened to read.

- The Left Hand of the Darkness - a Nebula and Hugo award winner - and I should admit the book deserves both of its awards. I'd classify it as a SF, yet there's a lot more inside.

Second - John Wyndham-

-The Day of the Triffids - SF about the world going blind after a disaster and the Triffids . Supposedly, his best known book.
-The Chrysalids - SF, I don't want to spoil it for you, just the kind of post apocalyptic novel, really well drawn characters.

[BlackVoid]

If you like realistic, dark science fiction, try Alastair Reynolds. Revelation Space is a good place to start. No superheroes or ridiculous coincidences.

[pdurrant]

I can heartily recommend David Drake's books, both his own and in his collaborations. He's perhaps best known for his Military SF "Hammer's Slammers", but he's written some splendid fantasy novels too.

Some of his books are available in the Baen Free Library (for free, of course).

Specifically, I'd recommend trying

An Oblique Approach: First of a six novel series. The first four are in the free library. Alternative history SF, set around the year 540 AD.
http://www.webscription.net/p-300-an...-approach.aspx

Lord of the Isles: First of a six novel fantasy series set in a pre-industrial society with magic. Unfortunately not available in the free library, but all six can be bought in a bundle for $15. The first few chapters are available on-line.
http://www.webscription.net/p-257-lo...the-isles.aspx

With the Lightnings: First of a series in a military SF setting. The first three are in the free library.
http://www.webscription.net/p-469-wi...ightnings.aspx

The Tank Lords: the first two Hammer's Slammers books in a combined volume. Classic Military SF.
http://www.webscription.net/p-624-the-tank-lords.aspx

Originally Posted by MdB

I love a good adventure, sure, but certainly prefer the realistic shades of gray that Martin presents to the blindingly black and white world of Goodkind. I enjoy Science, and Fantasy, and do not particularly prefer one to the other, but I need a good character development and plot over an impressive premise.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated, and if I have missed a thread that has already really answered this, I apologize. I've looked through the SF/Fantasy sticky at the top, as well as many others, and that has given me a ton of ideas, but I guess what I'm looking for is a ranking - top 10 SF books/series, so I know where to start.

[Slite]

And when we are into Baen books, I would like to recomend David Weber's books about Honor Harrington, just started reading them for the first time and absolutley love them.

Sort of Horatio Hornblower in space

[pdurrant]

A bit like Hornblower, but perhaps because they're both sort of Admiral Lord Nelson.

The one to start with is On Basilisk Station
http://www.webscription.net/p-304-on...k-station.aspx

Originally Posted by Slite

And when we are into Baen books, I would like to recomend David Weber's books about Honor Harrington, just started reading them for the first time and absolutley love them.

Sort of Horatio Hornblower in space

[gwynevans]

Possibly Elizabeth Moon's books - particularly the Deed of Paksenarrion series for the Fantasy side & the Vatta's War series for the SF side.

[Over]

- E. E. Knight's Vampire Earth series (post-apoc. sci-fi).
- Peter Hamilton's books (Sci-fi)
- Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy (Fantasy) and Elantris (Fantasy).
- Raymond Feist's books, specially The Magician (Fantasy) -> This one is in my top 10, any genre. This author just knows how to grab you with a good story and charismatic characters.

[GingerTez]

I recommend Stephen Donaldson (http://stephendonaldson.com):

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

• Lord Foul's Bane
• The Illearth War
• The Power That Preserves

The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever

• The Wounded Land
• The One Tree
• White Gold Wielder

These are very much fantasy (other world with magic) based but I love the fact that his central character (from our world) isn't really a nice guy and continually denies the existence of "The Land" in which he ends up (hence why he's the Unbeliever).

He's also done a futuristic sci-fi series called The Gap Sequence which I loved - once again the main characters have many flaws but the story threads are woven into a magnificent tapestry of cause and effect that makes you think, after you've finished, that you should have been able to see it all coming and made me go back and read it again.

The Gap Sequence books are

• The Gap into Conflict: The Real Story
• The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge
• The Gap into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises
• The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order
• The Gap into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die

There is more in a similar vein but I don't want to sound like a Stephen Donaldson evangelist. I will, however, second Peter F Hamilton as a recommendation from someone earlier in this thread - his Night's Dawn Trilogy is marvellous sci-fi as are all the other books of his that I've read (see http://peterfhamilton.co.uk).

I own all these books in paperback or hardback and haven't looked at eBook availability yet....
Cheers,
Terry.

[MdB]

Thanks guys, for all the great suggestions. I will be cozy in front of my fireplace for some time to come, it would seem. Appreciate it!