Recommendations for Character-driven SF/F Novels?

[Connallmac]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm almost done with Royal Assassin and I've been told that Assassin's Quest is the best of the Farseer Trilogy. So I am definately looking forward tot hat one after I read a few other books (mostly short stories).

I can't recommend Robin Hobb's novels enough! Especially if you are looking for character driven fantasy you won't find anything better. The further adventures of Fitz in the Tawny Man Trilogy are not to be missed. I would also recommend The Soldier Son Trilogy that she wrote, and which seems to be set in a different world, or at least a different time from her earlier series.

[ziegl027]

Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet is an excellent Fantasy character study. The first novel is a tad rough around the edges (his first published novel). As far as character-driven, I really enjoy the fact that things are not cut and dried (the bad guys aren't PURE evil, the good guys aren't saints). And as the series goes on, the characters undergo genuine change.

[Tinwolf]

I love the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov, they are SF but very big on characters/situations and low on the typical "wizz bang" SF factor.

Also SF and very big on characters is the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons although these aren`t (legally) available in any e-book format yet

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Tinwolf

I love the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov, they are SF but very big on characters/situations and low on the typical "wizz bang" SF factor.

Also SF and very big on characters is the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons although these aren`t (legally) available in any e-book format yet

Foundation is in ebook ? Never mind I found it...

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by GoblinWriter

Hi Folks,

The last few novels I've picked up have been duds, so I thought I'd ask for some recommendations.

I gravitate toward fantasy, but Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan books (SF) are among my favorites, so I'm game to try character-driven SF, too. Action, adventure, mystery, snarky heroes... all loves of mine. I definitely prefer lands far, far away to urban earth-based stuff.

Any reading suggestions?

Thanks!

Have you read her Challion and Sharing Knife series? Highly recommended.

Regards, Alex

[chlorine]

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley is a revisitation of the Arthurian legend, seen mainly from the perspectives of women. The female characters (Morgane, Viviane and Guenievre) are extremely well developed, with their qualities and flaws, their expectations and disappointments (not that the male characters are not well described, mind you).

It's one of my favorite books.

[theducks]

C.J. Cherryh Foreigner series has interesting characters

[Acreo Aeneas]

I can recommend The Ethos Effect by L. E. Modesitt Jr. (Sci-Fi). It's character driven and revolves (at least from a story standpoint) around the main character Commander Van Albert. Unfortunately, this particular Modesitt novel is only sold in paperback. If you like The Ethos Effect, then you could try reading the related novel The Eternity Artifact which also takes place in roughly the same universe.

[rtype]

I Enjoyed the Richard Morgan Takeshi Kovacs series, also Market Forces, Black Man
all have strong central characters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard...)#Bibliography

[gstealer]

New poster here awaiting my 1st E-reader and doing research

I havent seen them listed yet, but I liked the John Ringo - Posleen series that starts here:

Book 1: A Hymn Before Battle
Book 2: Gust Front
Book 3: When the Devil Dances

Many of them are available on the Baen website.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by gstealer

I havent seen them listed yet, but I liked the John Ringo - Posleen series that starts here:

Book 1: A Hymn Before Battle
Book 2: Gust Front
Book 3: When the Devil Dances

Many of them are available on the Baen website.

Actually, ALL of them are available at at Baen's ebook store, http://www.webscription.net/c-33-leg...ohn-ringo.aspx

And nearly all of them are available (free, and with the publisher's blessing) on the Eye of the Storm CD at the excellent Fifth Imperium site.

http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/18-EyeoftheStormCD/

If you like the books it's considered polite (but not compulsory), to buy the Eye of the Storm ebook ($6). http://www.webscription.net/p-993-eye-of-the-storm.aspx

[gstealer]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Actually, ALL of them are available at at Baen's ebook store, http://www.webscription.net/c-33-leg...ohn-ringo.aspx

And nearly all of them are available (free, and with the publisher's blessing) on the Eye of the Storm CD at the excellent Fifth Imperium site.

http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/18-EyeoftheStormCD/

If you like the books it's considered polite (but not compulsory), to buy the Eye of the Storm ebook ($6). http://www.webscription.net/p-993-eye-of-the-storm.aspx

I hadn't seen that Thanks..
I read the 1st ones from the website and bought a couple more at the stores.

[Scamper]

My votes go for the Culture novels and Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.

[MMascaro]

Try Gordon Dickson's Dorsai series. Donal in Dorsai itself and Hal Mayne in the Final Encyclopedia combine charcter and military fiction very nicely. Also Tam Oran in Soldier ask not.

[guyanonymous]

Anne McCaffrey's 'Planet Pirates' series may cover a couple hundred years, but there is one character that runs through it all, tying it together. And 3-4 other equally interesting characters that back her up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Pirates_Series