'Clean' Sci Fi, Fantasy, or Classic Recommendations

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim86

would like to get wrapped up into a fantastic series[...]and that does not present magic in a positive or neutral light.

What does that even mean? Like Tolkien's books wouldn't meet these restrictions and those are classic staples for fanatasy books.

Originally Posted by Pilgrim86

[...]or blasphemous language[...]

What does that actually mean? Is Exhalation from Ted Chiang blasphemous as is has a short story about the tower of babylon?

Your restrictions are so vague that almost every sci-fi book that promotes free thought or actually any fantasy book wouldn't meet them. I'd argue that none of the recommended books in this thread meet them.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by gmw

I do not think the Discworld books (nor anything much by Pratchett) are good recommendations here. Can anyone seriously consider recommending Small Gods to a devout Christian that does not want to read text that means to deride religion? Pratchett's other books may not be so full of it, but most carry at least some of the same inferences. Of course, by the same argument, the assumptions inherent in most science fiction and fantasy present problems in this regard.

I have to disagree that Small Gods is a problem. It's just a bit of fun. It's no worse then Monty Python's Life of Brian.

[DiapDealer]

The Trophy Chase Trilogy by George Bryan Polivka.

[drofgnal]

I've read a couple of the Terry Brooks 'Shanarra' Series, the first one then the second one. i don't recall them being sexual or language offensive at all. They were pretty decent reads as well.

I'd look for some older fantasy series. The fashion for the modern fantasy series is generally gritty in style with course language and some sexual references; we have George Martin and others to thank for that. There are plenty out there. Although a bit of a YA series 'The Chronicles of Prydain' by Lloyd Alexander was a real nice series. I enjoyed it a lot.

[JSWolf]

Another series of books I can recommend by Becky Chambers is...

Wayfarers
1. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (2014)
2. A Closed and Common Orbit (2016)
3. Record of a Spaceborn Few (2018)
4. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (2021)

[Calenorn]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Jules Verne's Extraordinary Voyages/Amazing Journeys collection - 54 novels, whose purpose was to "to outline all the geographical, geological, physical, historical and astronomical knowledge amassed by modern science and to recount, in an entertaining and picturesque format ... the history of the universe."

This is something not many people realize about Verne. He was not a futurist; he was a travel writer. He only developed 'science fiction' concepts to get his protagonists where he wanted them to go, whether that was from the earth to the moon, to the center of the earth, or twenty thousand leagues under the sea. For Verne, the journey IS the destination.

[Dr. Drib]

You might want to check out Zenna Henderson, who wrote about The People. There's a huge collection out there on Amazon.

For your extra-added convenience, I have thoughtfully included a link, located right below this colon marker:

https://www.amazon.com/Ingathering-C...3156775&sr=8-1

[Pilgrim86]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Ok, I've edited my post to strike out a few of them then and provided a couple recommended starting points for Discworld if you want to avoid the "magic" books. I think you're going to have a much easier time with science fiction in general than fantasy if the Narnia books are too much. I would also skip the Belgariad books by David Eddings due to the magic there.

Given how much the Narnia books are allegory for Christianity I am a bit surprised they're too much. Magic, other than 1 character, is not generally portrayed in a good light. And that one character, given the allegory, is reasonable.

The reason for striking out Narnia is due to a sentiment about Lewis, not necessarily the amount of magic in Narnia, though it might be reasonable to question how much of the occult influenced and is tucked away in the Narnia series.

[Pilgrim86]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

What does that even mean? Like Tolkien's books wouldn't meet these restrictions and those are classic staples for fanatasy books.



What does that actually mean? Is Exhalation from Ted Chiang blasphemous as is has a short story about the tower of babylon?

Your restrictions are so vague that almost every sci-fi book that promotes free thought or actually any fantasy book wouldn't meet them. I'd argue that none of the recommended books in this thread meet them.

That a book is classic does not by default make it acceptable, or, for that matter appealing. Though I would agree with the sentiment that over the last hundred years there has been a general change in what is considered permissible to present and consequently one would think older might be safer. Tolkien dealt with magic, not always presenting it in positive light, and I don't desire to go into that arena.

What qualifies as blasphemous in my mind is the presentation of God in a way that holds him in low esteem. In books that frequently appears in mocking Biblical themes or in using his person as a curse or in a way which does not honor him.

I don't ask for your agreement, am only providing an explanation of my interests.

[Pilgrim86]

For classics, if you're interested in interpersonal relations, shrewd insight in people's flaws, and dry humour, I suggest Jane Austen.[/QUOTE]

Austen was excellent in regard to character presentation and drawing out relational issues; as an added bonus, she worked from a worldview that is agreeable. The only issue I have with her books is that I don't like them!
I want to read something that has some of the same insight which she might bring but with a faster paced story, or, maybe with more situational adventure.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim86

The reason for striking out Narnia is due to a sentiment about Lewis, not necessarily the amount of magic in Narnia, though it might be reasonable to question how much of the occult influenced and is tucked away in the Narnia series.

Narnia does have a lot of Christian symbolism in it. It's very religious.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim86

For classics, if you're interested in interpersonal relations, shrewd insight in people's flaws, and dry humour, I suggest Jane Austen.

Austen was excellent in regard to character presentation and drawing out relational issues; as an added bonus, she worked from a worldview that is agreeable. The only issue I have with her books is that I don't like them!
I want to read something that has some of the same insight which she might bring but with a faster paced story, or, maybe with more situational adventure.[/QUOTE]

So are you telling us you want squeaky clean without a hint of anything interesting?

[Greg Anos]

You might try the "big guns" of Mark Twain.
The Tom Sawyer sequence, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Roughing It.

On the Sci-Fi vein, I can recommend just about anything from Eric Frank Russel (if you can find them); Heinlein Juveniles (which are far more complex that a standard "juvenile"). You may not have likes Asimov's Foundation series (I not really a fan of them myself), But try I, Robot or The Caves Of Steel.

[Pilgrim86]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Austen was excellent in regard to character presentation and drawing out relational issues; as an added bonus, she worked from a worldview that is agreeable. The only issue I have with her books is that I don't like them!
I want to read something that has some of the same insight which she might bring but with a faster paced story, or, maybe with more situational adventure.

So are you telling us you want squeaky clean without a hint of anything interesting?[/QUOTE]

Ummm, no. 'Clean' is a relative term, but I've described the sense of what I desire-
1 if magic is present, that it would not be presented in a positive light.
2 no blasphemous language or themes.
3 not sex or large amount of foul language.

Baffling to think these would be necessary for something to be interesting, begs some questions about what holds interest I suppose. At any rate, I am looking for some adventure, good writing, and hopefully something that is thought provoking. Austen is great in regards to exposing noble characteristics in individuals, and thus provokes some thoughts with insights provided. However, her stories don't have the adventure that I desire. Basically, I would like to come across Tolkien like fantasy without the magic, or Sci-Fi without number 2 or 3 from above.

[Pilgrim86]

Originally Posted by Greg Anos

You might try the "big guns" of Mark Twain.
The Tom Sawyer sequence, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Roughing It.

On the Sci-Fi vein, I can recommend just about anything from Eric Frank Russel (if you can find them); Heinlein Juveniles (which are far more complex that a standard "juvenile"). You may not have likes Asimov's Foundation series (I not really a fan of them myself), But try I, Robot or The Caves Of Steel.

I will look at these, thanks.