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

[Gibbo]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I use the site. How is it for eBooks?

Sorry JS should had rephrased that what I meant was that that's the first place I go to checkout any book and then I click the Amazon link to read the reviews if any.

[stustaff]

Really suprised there is no David gemmel!

My very Favourite Fantasy Author which reminds me they available as ebooks anywhere?

His books are Heroic fantasy I guess and he is one of a few authors who make me feel as close to genuine emotiuon as is possible for a fictional character.
heres a good quote i found about Legend his first book

http://www.fantasyliterature.net/gemmelldavid.html


"This is the story of Druss, the Captain of the Axe, the Deathwalker, the Legend and his defiant stand with the heroes of Dros Delnoch against the massive overwhelming barbarian hordes who vow to conquer the kingdom. It's the classic "few stood against many" theme that when done right makes one's heart soar.

Mr. Gemmel definitely knows how to do it right, and then some. The story starts out pleasantly entertaining, but before you know it, it reaches out to grab you by the guts. Legend was my first of what will be many David Gemmell books and all I can say is: What took me so long to give him a try?

[rixte]

I love David Gemmell - and it looks like some of his books are finally available through fictionwise, although not nearly as many as I'd like and not all of all series.

I also second the mention of Raymond Feist, although unfortunately the earliest Magician books aren't available electronically yet.

Also the Belgariad series by David Eddings is classic epic fantasy.

I really enjoyed the J.V. Jones's A Cavern of Black Ice although I haven't read the sequel yet.

[mores]

If you like Koontz you might like Paul F. Wilson.

[khourianya]

Terry Brooks Shannara series would keep ou going for a very long time. Read the first book to start but bear in mind that it was published because it was similar in idea to LOTR. The books that follow are great and not so much in the exact vein of LOTR as the first was.

[pilotbob]

I'll just mention a couple of authors that I usually recommend when people want to "try" fantasy.

Terry Brooks -- start with the Magic Kingdom of Landover series.

David Eddings -- as someone said, Belgariad is a good starter here.

BOb

[Xenophon]

Originally Posted by GingerTez

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

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
<<SNIP>>

The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
<<SNIP>>

<<SNIP an enthusiastic explanation of why you might want to read these books>>

The Gap Sequence books are
<<SNIP>>

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.

I quite enjoyed the various Stephen Donaldson books. That said, I feel that a word of warning is in order: Both the Thomas Covenant books and the Gap series are... grim. Very very grim. Not light reads, at all. This is not a bad thing, but it's important that you know what you are getting into.

Xenophon

[Elsi]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

I quite enjoyed the various Stephen Donaldson books. That said, I feel that a word of warning is in order: Both the Thomas Covenant books and the Gap series are... grim. Very very grim. Not light reads, at all. This is not a bad thing, but it's important that you know what you are getting into.

Lord Foul's Bane, the first book in the series, is the book that taught me it would be OK to just quit reading a book. After finishing it, I vowed I'd never again force myself to finish a book that I wasn't enjoying. I kept reading thinking "it's got to get better". I mean, after all, so many people were raving about the series and how wonderful it was. At this point, all I remember is that Thomas was sad/morose/depressed and he moaned and whined all the time about how miserable he was and how misfortunate his life was. I just wanted to reach over, slap him across the face and shout "SHUT UP! I'm tired of hearing you complain."

[hix5000]

I saw them both on here already but you should definately try out Raymond E. Feist's Magician series and the Shannara series from Terry Brooks.

For Fantasy I recommend The Conquerer's Trilogy by Timothy Zhan.

[rixte]

Also I can not believe I forgot this earlier - for either, Lois McMaster Bujold. Either Curse of Chalion for fantasy or Shards of Honor for SF. Probably my favorite overall sf/fantasy author.

[HarryT]

I'd second the recommendation for Raymond Feist's "Magician". It's a superb book. I wasn't so keen on some of its sequels, but "Magician" was originally written as a stand-alone book and is, I think, best read that way.

[bbusybookworm]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd second the recommendation for Raymond Feist's "Magician". It's a superb book. I wasn't so keen on some of its sequels, but "Magician" was originally written as a stand-alone book and is, I think, best read that way.

I'll agree that Fiest's Magician and the other two books in the Riftwar Triology.
While Magican itself is a stand alone book, I like the whole story ark covered in the three books which are

1) Magician
2) Silverthorn
3) A Darkness at Sethanon

If you enjoy Political manuvering, his The Empire Trilogy co written with Janny Wurts is also quiet good.

1) Daughter of the Empire
2) Servant of the Empire
3) Mistress of the Empire

I'm not to fond of the Serpentwar saga or the other extensions of the Riftwar series, but your Mileage may vary.

His newer series are interesting, But I've personally decided to wait untill the Whole Demonwar / Chaoswar thing is finished.

[HarryT]

Here's one nobody's mentioned: Susanna Clarke's "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell". It's not to everyone's taste, but personally I loved it.

[Demented]

Bah some of you wouldn't know quality if I hit you in the head with Toll of the Hounds.

Michelle West - The Sun Sword Saga
Steven Errikson - The Malazan Empire - very lengthy reads
Dan Simmons - Hyperion
Alastair Reynolds - Revelation Space(good call earlier)
Kate Elliot - Crown of Stars
Jordan/Martin as previously mentioned

[sassanik]

I recently read Little Fuzzy and Oomphel in the Sky by H Beam Piper and I was very impressed, especially considering the time period that they were written in.

David Webers Honor Harrington series is good, but it is very heavy military sci-fi, I found myself bored with many of the explainations of the military manuevers.

No one mentioned Anne McCaffrey, though she is somewhat more fantasy than Sci-Fi, you might have already read her though.

I would also recommend Frank Herberts Dune, if you have not read it yet.

Amy