Your Favourite SF & Fantasy Series

[nekokami]

TantricWarrior, I agree with a lot of your choices, but waitaminnit....

Originally Posted by TantricWarrior

Vonda N. McIntyre - Dreamsnake series

Dreamsnake series??? What? Where? Why didn't I get the memo?!?

(Er, are you talking about the Cat series, by any chance? But I want a Dreamsnake series....)

There are a couple on your list that I haven't read, and I think I'll go hunt them down, given that we seem to have quite a bit of overlap in likes and dislikes.

[TantricWarrior]

Originally Posted by nekokami

TantricWarrior, I agree with a lot of your choices, but waitaminnit....


Dreamsnake series??? What? Where? Why didn't I get the memo?!?

(Er, are you talking about the Cat series, by any chance? But I want a Dreamsnake series....)

There are a couple on your list that I haven't read, and I think I'll go hunt them down, given that we seem to have quite a bit of overlap in likes and dislikes.

Nope, not Cat; Dreamsnake... a tale of post-apocalyptic Earth in which a small group of scientists start a school where genetic engineering (of snakes particularly) is used to help manufacture cures used by traveling healers. Sequel is: "Of Mist, Grass, and Sand" (the names of the healer's snakes) and there maybe a further sequel (I think I read that somewhere) I only have my ca. 1979 Sci-Fi Book Club edition of DS, can't find where I put MG&S... like I said I usually only have parts of series.

Thanks, I've enjoyed reading your other posts -er that is if you are Michael Mace or are you just referring to his post on the infopad? (which I'd love to have to, btw).

IAE, I'd love to hear of any other of your suggestions for readings (he said, looking back over the list). I can certainly say that once I get my CyBook, I'll be going over this list with a fine-tooth comb for my summer-reading-stockup!

Great thread keep 'em coming!

[nekokami]

Ah. No, I'm not Michael Mace, I just agree with him about wanting an infopad.

Regarding "Of Mist, Grass and Sand," that was the novella (took either the Hugo or the Nebula that year, I've forgotten which) that was later expanded into Dreamsnake. I've read both. Dreamsnake is an old favorite of mine, so I was quite excited at the idea that there might be a sequel.

Most of what I like best isn't available as (legal) ebooks yet, but you might try Patricia Briggs, particularly the trilogy beginning with Moon Called, which is available at Fictionwise. I'd also recommend anything by James H. Schmitz, and happily those are all available from Baen.

The closest to a long series that I'm currently enjoying are the Dragaera books of Steven Brust. Especially recommended for Zelazny fans. (Or, in some cases, Dumas fans. ) Brust is currently looking into making his books available as ebooks.

[baileywick]

FANTASY

R.A. MacAvoy: Lens of the World
1. Lens of the World
2. King of the Dead
3. Belly of the Wolf

All three books are available in eBook format. One of my all-time favorite series. The character development is superb.

Sheri S. Tepper:
1. Jinian Footseer
2. Dervish Daughter
3. Jinian Star-Eye

Unfortunately, out of print. Part of a larger series, Land of the True Game

Sharon Shinn: The Twelve Houses
1. Mystic and Rider
2. The Thirteenth House
3. Dark Moon Defender
4. Reader and Raelynx

Very satisfying romantic fantasy. Lovely characters. One of the few series I've read recently that I look forward to rereading.

My favorite fantasy writer of all is Guy Gavriel Kay.
His one series is the Fionavar Tapestry:
1. The Summer Tree
2. The Wandering Fire
3. The Darkest Road

Most of his other books take place in an alternate historical universe. For example, The Lions of Al-Rassan takes place in a land very similar to Spain at the time the Moors and Jews were driven out.

I love to reread Kay's books for the sheer pleasure of how he writes and tells a story.

[jaxx6166]

To this list I would add Gregg Keyes' "Kingdom of Thorn and Bone" series.

It started slow and the romantic subplot thrown in suddenly threw me for a loop, but once part II of Book I started, I was hooked.

It's been described as a mix of George Martin and Terry Brooks, which is quite a...strange mixture.

[TantricWarrior]

Originally Posted by nekokami

Ah. No, I'm not Michael Mace, I just agree with him about wanting an infopad.

Whoops, sorry, but yeah, wouldn't that be nice... apparently Nemoptic is working on something like it.

Originally Posted by nekokami

Regarding "Of Mist, Grass and Sand," that was the novella (took either the Hugo or the Nebula that year, I've forgotten which) that was later expanded into Dreamsnake. I've read both. Dreamsnake is an old favorite of mine, so I was quite excited at the idea that there might be a sequel.

Again, whoops, sorry, got confused, it's been a long time since and I read them out of order (which must be why I thought it was a sequel). I wish she *would* do some more on that line...

Originally Posted by nekokami

Most of what I like best isn't available as (legal) ebooks yet, but you might try Patricia Briggs, particularly the trilogy beginning with Moon Called, which is available at Fictionwise. I'd also recommend anything by James H. Schmitz, and happily those are all available from Baen.

The closest to a long series that I'm currently enjoying are the Dragaera books of Steven Brust. Especially recommended for Zelazny fans. (Or, in some cases, Dumas fans. ) Brust is currently looking into making his books available as ebooks.

I noticed that most of the books I recommended aren't available... *sigh* and I was hoping to *finally* have complete series in some format. I'll check out Brust (hopefully he'll be e-out soon).

[Shadowplay]

Originally Posted by TantricWarrior

I noticed that most of the books I recommended aren't available... *sigh* and I was hoping to *finally* have complete series in some format.

Grr... I'm running into the same problem. Very, very little of what I'm looking for is available anywhere as e-books (a lot of which is listed in this thread!)

I'm having a very hard time figuring out where to start when so much isn't yet available. /sigh.

[LeserattePD]

I'll second that. Fionavar is one of my favourites as well.

I also forgot to mention

Dream dancer trilogy by Janet Morris

Robin Hobb of course

Originally Posted by baileywick

FANTASY

My favorite fantasy writer of all is Guy Gavriel Kay.
His one series is the Fionavar Tapestry:
1. The Summer Tree
2. The Wandering Fire
3. The Darkest Road

Most of his other books take place in an alternate historical universe. For example, The Lions of Al-Rassan takes place in a land very similar to Spain at the time the Moors and Jews were driven out.

I love to reread Kay's books for the sheer pleasure of how he writes and tells a story.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Shadowplay

Grr... I'm running into the same problem. Very, very little of what I'm looking for is available anywhere as e-books (a lot of which is listed in this thread!)

I'm having a very hard time figuring out where to start when so much isn't yet available. /sigh.

I was actually surprised to see how much from Anne MacCaffrey and Alan Dean Foster were available. Seems like their full repertoire is available in e-format.

[Joe Swope]

My picks for fantasy series are
Eddings: Belgariad
Goodkind: I liked the whole thing
Rowling: Unashamedly a fan of it
Brooks: Most of Shanara
Martin: Too many characters to follow, but still awesome

[stustaff]

Why? Why?

has no one mentioned the Spellsinger series by alan dean foster!

every one go get them all now.

go on

[Mindy]

Another vote for Pratchett (all) and Pullman's Dark Materials.
Quite enjoyed Trudi Canavan's Black Magician Trilogy, and the first two books of Justina Robson's Quantum Gravity are enjoyable but not too demanding (her 'Living Next Door to the Good of Love was much harder SF).
Quite liked Anne McCaffrey's Crystal Singer books, although it was AGES ago that I read them.

[tjyoung99]

Many of the previously listed series would be included in mine. Below are some additional ones I didn't see.

SF

I consider my "most favorite" list to be books or series that I have read (or intend to read) MORE than 2x. Some of those below I have read only once or twice (so far) but I enjoyed them to put them on my "To re-read every few years list". Many of the ones below were written 20 or 30 years ago, but for the most part they seem have avoided the curse of having become 'dated' suffered by so many of the early classics by Burroughs & others.

SF

The "Dumarest of Terra" series by EC Tubb (probably my favorite series)
Harry Harrison's Deathworld Trilogy
Larry Niven's "Known Space Universe" series (Ring World, ARM etc).
Niven & Pournelle's "Motie" series
Harry Turtledove's "Worldwar" series
Chris Bunch "R.I.S.K" series
Bunch & Cole's "Sten" series
Andre Norton's "Time Traders" series
Dean Koontz's "Odd Thomas" series
Poul Anderson's "Flandry" series
Keith Laumer's "Retief" series

I know I'm forgetting some but these are they one that readily came to mind.

Tom

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by baileywick

FANTASY
My favorite fantasy writer of all is Guy Gavriel Kay.
His one series is the Fionavar Tapestry:
1. The Summer Tree
2. The Wandering Fire
3. The Darkest Road

Most of his other books take place in an alternate historical universe. For example, The Lions of Al-Rassan takes place in a land very similar to Spain at the time the Moors and Jews were driven out.

I love to reread Kay's books for the sheer pleasure of how he writes and tells a story.

You can argue that they are all part of a series. In my personal favorite, Tigana, there's an oblique reference to Fionnavar.

Kay's most recent work is closer to alternate history than fantasy. The only fantastic element I can recall in _The Lions of Al-Rassan_ is the ability of the son of a main character to always know what his father is doing, regardless of where Dad is at the moment. Kay states he was inspired by the Iberian peninsula when writing the story, in the same way that Tigana has roots in Renaissance Italy.

I'm very fond of The Fionnavar Tapestry. Kay tosses in just about every myth there is from the British Isles, with a healthy dose of the Arthurian mythos, and largely pulls it off. It's one of the few books that have made me cry.

But the Weaver at his Loom was weaving a tapestry with all the stories of all the worlds, and there's no evidence the worlds in Tigana and The Lions aren't in the tapestry somewhere.
______
Dennis

[Mikou]

I'm not even going to try to separate SF from Fantasy. My favorites are:

1. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series -- Douglas Adams
2. Otherworld series -- Kelley Armstrong
3. Xenogenesis series -- Octavia Butler
4. Mercy Thompson series -- Patricia Briggs
5. Riddlemaster series -- Patricia A. McKillip
6. Nightlife, Moonshine and Madhouse -- Rob Thurman
7. My Soul to Keep and The Living Blood -- Tananarive Due (I haven't read the 3rd one, Blood Colony, which just came out last week.
8. Earthsea trilogy -- Ursula K. LeGuin