FREE/BARGAIN — Science Fiction & Fantasy

[salty-horse]

I appreciate you all not blaming me personally for the "epic" - that's what I got from other sources, including Wikipedia.

[cc_in_oh]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I enjoyed the book and have recommended it to someone within the last year. But yeah, I wouldn't say it is epic or even intended to be. To me, it is more fairy tale than high fantasy epic and selling it otherwise is dumb.

But then I bought Stephen King paperbacks back when they were all sold as horror. Eyes of the Dragon and Different Seasons both had back cover text strongly implying there was some horrific stuff in there. I'm fairly sure they both leaned on the word 'evil.'

To be fair, it pre-dated Wheel of Time and Game of Thrones which I think have moved the goalposts...

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

To be fair, it pre-dated Wheel of Time and Game of Thrones which I think have moved the goalposts...

*cough* Lord of the Rings *cough*

[DNSB]

*hack* Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion series, Ursula K. Le Guin's EarthSea Quartet and Andre Norton's Witch World books. *hack*

Even more if we don't limit ourselves to requiring multiple books.

[ZodWallop]

*wheeze* Terry Brook's Shannara books, David Edding's Belgariad, Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - First and Second, Stephen King's own The Dark Tower *choke*

It may be a bit of miscommunication. When I hear something referred to as 'epic fantasy' I tend to think of a small group of adventurers trying to prevent the Big Bad from conquering the land/world/kingdom. This requires a long journey where the plucky group will face many perils. As mentioned, The Dark Tower and The Stand are epic fantasy in my eyes.

Eyes of the Dragon is not that. When I say Eyes of the Dragon feels more like a fairy tale, it is because it is about a young person, imprisoned by a villain seeking escape, like Rapunzel or Hansel and Gretel.

[Dr. Drib]

^


Yes, but I would occasionally like to see a paradigm shift in these 'epic' fantasy novels:

I want Hansel and Gretel put into a cauldron with a hearty supply of onions and carrots.

I would like to see the villain succeed and the heroes utterly destroyed - or become undead.

I would like to see the heroes take a short journey (preferably around the block), and then they go home and make love or watch television - perhaps both at the same time and/or with each other - until the next threat in their kingdom.

Now, I ask you: Is that asking too much? Huh?

[elaysee]

The VanderMeers' The Big Book of Science Fiction is $2.99 at Amazon US and Kobo US right now. This a giant anthology by one of the better compilation teams in the genre. It's been on sale before, but not recently that I've noticed.

Spoiler:

Quite possibly the GREATEST science-fiction collection of ALL TIME—past, present, and FUTURE! • "Nearly 1,200 pages of stories by the genre’s luminaries, like H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke and Ursula K. Le Guin, as well as lesser-known authors." —The New York Times Book Review

What if life was never-ending? What if you could change your body to adapt to an alien ecology? What if the Pope was a robot? Spanning galaxies and millennia, this must-have anthology showcases classic contributions from H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Octavia Butler, and Kurt Vonnegut alongside a century of the eccentrics, rebels, and visionaries who have inspired generations of readers. Within its pages, find beloved worlds of space opera, hard SF, cyberpunk, the new wave, and more. Learn the secret history of science fiction, from literary icons who wrote SF to authors from over 25 countries, some never before translated into English. In THE BIG BOOK OF SCIENCE FICTION, literary power couple Ann and Jeff VanderMeer transport readers from Mars to Mechanopolis, planet Earth to parts unknown. Read the genre that predicted electric cars, travel to the moon, and the modern smart phone. We’ve got the worlds if you’ve got the time.

Including:
· Legendary tales from Isaac Asimov and Ursula LeGuin!
· An unearthed sci-fi story from W.E.B. DuBois!
· The first publication of the work of cybernetic visionary David R. Bunch in 20 years!
· A rare and brilliant novella by Chinese international sensation Liu Cixin!

Plus:
· Aliens!
· Space battles!
· Robots!
· Technology gone wrong!
· Technology gone right!

[Tarana]

Sorcerer to the Crown By Zen Cho $1.99 Amazon & Kobo
Fantasy
I know nothing about this author but this was the 2015 NPR book of the year.

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sorcerer-to-the-crown
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sorcerer-Crow...6501344&sr=8-1

Magic and mayhem clash with the British elite in this whimsical and sparkling debut.

The Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers maintains the magic within His Majesty’s lands. But lately, the once proper institute has fallen into disgrace, naming an altogether unsuitable gentleman as their Sorcerer Royal and allowing England’s stores of magic to bleed dry. At least they haven’t stooped so low as to allow women to practice what is obviously a man’s profession…

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers, ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up, an adventure that brings him in contact with Prunella Gentlewoman, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, and sets him on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

^


Yes, but I would occasionally like to see a paradigm shift in these 'epic' fantasy novels:

I would like to see the villain succeed and the heroes utterly destroyed - or become undead.

I would like to see the heroes take a short journey (preferably around the block), and then they go home and make love or watch television - perhaps both at the same time and/or with each other - until the next threat in their kingdom.

Now, I ask you: Is that asking too much? Huh?

Your post is a joke, but years ago I read Villains By Necessity by Eve Forward. Here's the synopsis:

The triumph of Good and Light has transformed the world into a place of peace. This is bad news for the "bad guys", who include a depressed thief who dresses in black, his short, feisty sidekick, a black knight, a female druid, a man-eating sorceress and an innocent centaur who is a spy for Good. Finding Utopia boring, they set out on a quest to restore balance to the world.

The only part I remember now is they drop a tree on the Smurf village because man, those guys were annoying.

Originally published by Tor. Brought back as a self-publish. I'm guessing she's freely reusing the old cover art without the express written consent of Major League Baseball or whoever she is supposed to get approval from.

[salty-horse]

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki is $2.99 on Amazon.com
Was on my wishlist.

Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.

When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate.

But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn't have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan's kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul's worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.

As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne is $2.99 on Amazon.com
First in a Norse-inspired fantasy trilogy. Book 2 releases next month.

A century has passed since the gods fought and drove themselves to extinction. Now only their bones remain, promising great power to those brave enough to seek them out.

As whispers of war echo across the land of Vigrid, fate follows in the footsteps of three warriors: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman pursuing battle fame, and a thrall seeking vengeance among the mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.

All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Your post is a joke, but years ago I read Villains By Necessity by Eve Forward. Here's the synopsis:



The only part I remember now is they drop a tree on the Smurf village because man, those guys were annoying.

Originally published by Tor. Brought back as a self-publish. I'm guessing she's freely reusing the old cover art without the express written consent of Major League Baseball or whoever she is supposed to get approval from.

I'm on it. Thanks.

ADDED: I now have it. It's a nice, thick book. Looks very good to me.

[salty-horse]

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente is $2.99 on Amazon.com
Fairy tale novella. Was on my wishlist.

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect.

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect.

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze....

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?

The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He is $2.99 on Amazon.com

A twisty YA sci-fi that follows the story of two sisters, separated by an ocean, desperately trying to find each other in a climate-ravaged future.

Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay, and it's up to Cee to cross the ocean and find her.

In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara lives in an eco-city built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn't mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.

Now it's been three months since Celia's disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But nevertheless, she decides to retrace Celia's last steps. Where they'll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

It may be a bit of miscommunication. When I hear something referred to as 'epic fantasy' I tend to think of a small group of adventurers trying to prevent the Big Bad from conquering the land/world/kingdom.

My brain first read that as "Big Bird" and it was quite the hilarious mental image.

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

^


Yes, but I would occasionally like to see a paradigm shift in these 'epic' fantasy novels:

I want Hansel and Gretel put into a cauldron with a hearty supply of onions and carrots.

I would like to see the villain succeed and the heroes utterly destroyed - or become undead.

I would like to see the heroes take a short journey (preferably around the block), and then they go home and make love or watch television - perhaps both at the same time and/or with each other - until the next threat in their kingdom.

Now, I ask you: Is that asking too much? Huh?

Along those lines, but not a book, there's some video games where you play as the bad guy. I particularly like Dungeons 2 & Dungeons 3. You're the ultimate evil, but due to the good guys locking you away many years ago you can't act directly for the most part. You have to command your creatures (starting with little snots, who do all the mining, building & harvesting of gold) to build up a dungeon and fend off those nasty do-gooders. It's quite satisfying to have a gauntlet of traps built up so that the invading good guys never make it into your dungeon proper. I particularly enjoyed it because the narrator's really sarcastic and will even make snide comments about you. For example if you're not doing things as fast as he thinks you should. The whole story's very tongue-in-cheek as well.

There's also a board game called Dungeon Lords where players compete in building dungeons to fend off invaders.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by Manabi

Along those lines, but not a book, there's some video games where you play as the bad guy.

"Tecmo's Deception" is IMO one of the best inversions.

[salty-horse]

Dungeons and Dungeon Lords are both based on progenitor of the genre, Peter Molyneux's Dungeon Keeper. Another famous "bad guy" game series is Overlord, written by Rhianna Pratchett.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers is $2.99 on Amazon.com
This was on my wishlist. The start of a new series.

It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.

One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered.

But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how.

They're going to need to ask it a lot.

Becky Chambers's new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?