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

MdB · 10-22-2008, 12:46 PM

Though, of course, you could easily classify Fantasy within the genre of SF, I have learned from reading these forums, I thought the title would more easily clarify that I'm looking for both, and either/or. I'm relatively new to the fantasy/SF genres, having been convinced by a friend a couple of years ago to read Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. (which I was not terribly impressed with, btw - engaging stories, but so lacking in depth and realistic characters and motivations) I moved on to Jordan's Wheel of Time series, which I absolutely love, and am curious about Sanderson's ability to wrap up in one book (good luck!!!), and I recently read George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series - which is probably my favorite read yet in the genre, and maybe top 20 of my all time reads. I loved LOTR, of course, and recently read the Runemaster books, which I enjoyed the premise of, though they were not quite as enjoyable as Martin, for example. So, the question would be - as you all are quite well versed in both genres, where to go next, for one who loved:

A Song of Ice & Fire
The Wheel of Time
LOTR
ANYThing by Ray Bradbury
Douglass Preston & Lincoln Child
Dean Koontz
Stephen King
Neal Stephenson
Ender's Game (haven't tried any other OSC yet)

I know...it's pretty broad up there. I guess what I'm asking is: What are the Must Read classics out there in this genre that I really need to get to, and haven't? 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.

Thank you all for the assistance. This is an excellent and much-respected resource for a reader, and I very much appreciate it.

MdB.

MdB · 10-22-2008, 12:49 PM

And, that was quite long-winded. Apologies. Though, I suppose it shouldn't be surprising here on this forum to have long-winded questions and answers....

DixieGal · 10-22-2008, 12:55 PM

Sure, you got the right forum. Since you like Ender's Game, why not try OSC in an entirely new setting, a very cool book called Past Watch. It is completely unlike anything else I've read of his. In fact, I probably read it 5 times, which is something very rare for me.

MdB · 10-22-2008, 01:03 PM

Time Travel + History = Fun in my book - I appreciate the suggestion Dixie

WDecraene · 10-22-2008, 02:07 PM

Given that you liked

Quote:

Originally Posted by MdB

A Song of Ice & Fire
The Wheel of Time
LOTR

I would recommend the Farseer trilogy from Robin Hobb.

dickon25 · 10-22-2008, 02:23 PM

I would recommend the Farseer trilogy from Robin Hobb.

...I'll second that.....and THIRD it!! Brilliant series.

MdB · 10-22-2008, 02:29 PM

The Farseer Trilogy has come up on a number of threads. It is definitely going on my list. Thanks guys.

tcv · 10-22-2008, 02:31 PM

I loved Asimov's Foundation Series. And Ring World is good.

MickeyC · 10-22-2008, 02:45 PM

I just read The Dreaming Void by Peter Hamilton and liked it.

WillAdams · 10-22-2008, 02:49 PM

Some classics which you missed:

Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ pentalogy
Jack Vance's _Lyonesse_ trilogy, also his _Dying Earth_ books
Ursula K. LeGuin's _Earthsea_ trilogy
Lord Dunsany --- pretty much everything, but especially _The Charwoman's Shadow_ which in many ways prefigures _The Lord of the Rings_

Not classics (yet IMO), but also enjoyable are:

Roger Zelazny - _The Chronicles of Amber_ (also his Dilvish books)
Steven Brust's Taltos novels
C.J. Cherryh's Morgaine novels as well as _The Dreaming Tree_ and _The Tree of Swords and Jewels_
Megan Lindholm's _Cloven Hooves_
Robin McKinley - _The Blue Sword_ and the balance of that series

William

DixieGal · 10-22-2008, 02:54 PM

I loved Zelazny's Amber series so much that any mention of it always makes me nostalgic.

MdB · 10-22-2008, 03:21 PM

brief synopsis?

Gibbo · 10-22-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MdB

brief synopsis?

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

Gibbo · 10-22-2008, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MdB

brief synopsis?

Check it out here

NatCh · 10-22-2008, 03:39 PM

I always recommend David Weber. You can try several of his books for free at the Baen Free Library -- multiple formats, no DRM, what's not to love?

There are quite a few authors that have books available the same place. Mostly MilSciFi, but there's a fair smattering of other sub-genres as well.

10-22-2008, 12:46 PM	#1
MdB Advocate/Initiate Posts: 25 Karma: 102 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cadiz, KY Device: Undecided	Recommend me some Fantasy/SF, if you have a free moment Though, of course, you could easily classify Fantasy within the genre of SF, I have learned from reading these forums, I thought the title would more easily clarify that I'm looking for both, and either/or. I'm relatively new to the fantasy/SF genres, having been convinced by a friend a couple of years ago to read Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. (which I was not terribly impressed with, btw - engaging stories, but so lacking in depth and realistic characters and motivations) I moved on to Jordan's Wheel of Time series, which I absolutely love, and am curious about Sanderson's ability to wrap up in one book (good luck!!!), and I recently read George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series - which is probably my favorite read yet in the genre, and maybe top 20 of my all time reads. I loved LOTR, of course, and recently read the Runemaster books, which I enjoyed the premise of, though they were not quite as enjoyable as Martin, for example. So, the question would be - as you all are quite well versed in both genres, where to go next, for one who loved: A Song of Ice & Fire The Wheel of Time LOTR ANYThing by Ray Bradbury Douglass Preston & Lincoln Child Dean Koontz Stephen King Neal Stephenson Ender's Game (haven't tried any other OSC yet) I know...it's pretty broad up there. I guess what I'm asking is: What are the Must Read classics out there in this genre that I really need to get to, and haven't? 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. Thank you all for the assistance. This is an excellent and much-respected resource for a reader, and I very much appreciate it. MdB.

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10-22-2008, 12:49 PM	#2
MdB Advocate/Initiate Posts: 25 Karma: 102 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cadiz, KY Device: Undecided	And, that was quite long-winded. Apologies. Though, I suppose it shouldn't be surprising here on this forum to have long-winded questions and answers....

10-22-2008, 12:55 PM	#3
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Sure, you got the right forum. Since you like Ender's Game, why not try OSC in an entirely new setting, a very cool book called Past Watch. It is completely unlike anything else I've read of his. In fact, I probably read it 5 times, which is something very rare for me.

10-22-2008, 01:03 PM	#4
MdB Advocate/Initiate Posts: 25 Karma: 102 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cadiz, KY Device: Undecided	Time Travel + History = Fun in my book - I appreciate the suggestion Dixie

10-22-2008, 02:23 PM	#6
dickon25 Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 818 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-505. Pocketbook Inkpad 840	*I would recommend the Farseer trilogy from Robin Hobb.* ...I'll second that.....and THIRD it!! Brilliant series.

10-22-2008, 02:29 PM	#7
MdB Advocate/Initiate Posts: 25 Karma: 102 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cadiz, KY Device: Undecided	The Farseer Trilogy has come up on a number of threads. It is definitely going on my list. Thanks guys.

10-22-2008, 02:31 PM	#8
tcv Addict Posts: 330 Karma: 596 Join Date: Oct 2006	I loved Asimov's Foundation Series. And Ring World is good.

10-22-2008, 02:45 PM	#9
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	I just read The Dreaming Void by Peter Hamilton and liked it.

10-22-2008, 02:49 PM	#10
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,260 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Some classics which you missed: Susan Cooper's _The Dark is Rising_ pentalogy Jack Vance's _Lyonesse_ trilogy, also his _Dying Earth_ books Ursula K. LeGuin's _Earthsea_ trilogy Lord Dunsany --- pretty much everything, but especially _The Charwoman's Shadow_ which in many ways prefigures _The Lord of the Rings_ Not classics (yet IMO), but also enjoyable are: Roger Zelazny - _The Chronicles of Amber_ (also his Dilvish books) Steven Brust's Taltos novels C.J. Cherryh's Morgaine novels as well as _The Dreaming Tree_ and _The Tree of Swords and Jewels_ Megan Lindholm's _Cloven Hooves_ Robin McKinley - _The Blue Sword_ and the balance of that series William

10-22-2008, 02:54 PM	#11
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I loved Zelazny's Amber series so much that any mention of it always makes me nostalgic.

10-22-2008, 03:21 PM	#12
MdB Advocate/Initiate Posts: 25 Karma: 102 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cadiz, KY Device: Undecided	brief synopsis?

10-22-2008, 03:39 PM	#15
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I always recommend David Weber. You can try several of his books for free at the Baen Free Library -- multiple formats, no DRM, what's not to love? There are quite a few authors that have books available the same place. Mostly MilSciFi, but there's a fair smattering of other sub-genres as well.