What Sci-fi and Fantasy books does everyone like?

[Raven]

i am just finishing the sword of truth series...book six ot the series..Faith of the Fallen....was one of the best books i have read in awhile

[Carolyn]

Ohhh that's cool!

[Brenda]

I just finished reading CORONETS AND STEEL by Sherwood Smith

[Carolyn]

Ohhh was those good books brenda??

[Xdyj]

Some sf/f books I finished recently and liked:
YA, science fiction (cyberpunk)
YA, fantasy, fairytale
YA, fantasy, fairytale
fantasy, fairytale
alternate history
science fiction
fantasy
historical fantasy, classics
science fiction (biopunk), a bit violent
science fiction

[Carolyn]

thats cool!

[Jon]

Connor wrote: "The only one of those I've read is LOTR.... I've never heard of Chronicles of the Black Company."

The Black COmpany follows a band of mercenaries in a fantasy world. I think it's excellent, especially the first book. Very gritty (before gritty became ordinary).

[Brenda]

I wrote a short review of CORONETS somewhere around here. I guess its category would be romance-swashbuckler, if there is such a thing.

[Tyrone]

I was recently reminded of the 'Mosaic' sci-fi and Fantasy' novels i read as a teenager. In particular there are two series that i really enjoyed.

These are;
The Theives world novels by Robert Lynn Asprin



And the Wildcards series orginated by George R.R. Martin



If you are not familiar with Mosiac Novels, they are esentially anthologies but where the rules and main characters are set by an author or group of authors and other authors are invited to submit short stories or chapters to develop the story of the world imagined.
These series have been out some time and some great authors have contributed to them over their lifetimes. Becuase of the nature of the novels individual stories or chapters can vary in quality, but on the whole the editors do a great job or maintaining quality. The advantage is that the stories can go in all sorts or interesting directions meaning that they are never predictable.

Give them a try...

[Nancy]

I am a fan of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. I am now reading Confessor. I've read all the preceding titles in the series plus the Law of Nines, which is a sort of sequel. And I'm looking forward to getting his new Richard and Kahlan book.

[S.C.]

I really like the book trilogys, "Threat from the Sea" and " Hellgate London" by Mel Odom I also really enjoyed "The Night Angel Trilogy" by Brent Weeks but that particular trilogy has some content a lot of people may find inappropriate I just skimmed over those parts but i absolutely loved the books! These books have tons of action and I am a sucker for anything with action in it! (romance helps too)

[Aiden]

Okay, admittedly I did not carefully read through all the previous posts, but based on a cursory scan these are the books that are under-represented IMHO:

Magician by Raymond Feist
Chronicles of The Black Company by Glen Cook
Sojournby R.A. Salvatore
A Game of Thrones by George Martin

Although I have just recently read the first 3 books in the Game of Thrones series, I still think the earlier works of Feist and Cook are superior and more influential works in the fantasy genre.

[Tyrone]

It's become fashionable to bash Raymond E. Feist these days and there is some justification when you consider the spotty nature of some of the later books but people forget the huge cross-over impact of Magician and the sheer brilliance of the world building in these novels.

I've just finished reading A Kingdom Besieged and it's as good as anything he has written in years.

[Aiden]

I agree. I fell off the Feist band wagon myself years ago after a couple books that were less than inspiring, but I have heard some positive buzz on his recent work. I think I'll give A Kingdom Besieged a try. Thanks for the tip.

[Dkiras]

I Finished "Confessor" the 11:th book of the sword of truth series a couple of weeks ago. It took love to a whole new dimension and the book was great (well...every book in the serie was great.) I kinda wish there were other books that are similar: Magic,love,adventure and the medieval-theme.

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Dkiras wrote: "I Finished "Confessor" the 11:th book of the sword of truth series a couple of weeks ago. It took love to a whole new dimension and the book was great (well...every book in the serie was great.) I ..."

Have you tried reading The Wheel of Time, the works of Mercedes Lackey and Tamora Pierce or anything by Terry Brooks? Some of those may be up your alley. But they're not for everyone.

[Dkiras]

I´m kinda having a problem between choosing to read the wheel of time series or the Forgotten Realms series. There is just one question I have about the wheel of time series: is there a different main character in every book?

I will also take a look at the works of those authors you mentioned, thanks

[Tyrone]

No, the wheel of time has one main character (Rand) who features prominently in each book but there are also about 4-5 other secondary characters that as are as important to the plot who also feature (for the main part) in every part of the series. There are a couple of weaker books later in the series, but persevere because the last couple of Jordan books and the last 2 books written by Brandon Sanderson (at the request of the estate of RJ) are v good and the final book (to be released this year) should be a fantastic.

I may be bias but the Forgotten Realms books are based on a role-play system and while there may be individual quality efforts, many of the parts are going to be written by literary mercenaries...I found the same with the Dragonlance books. Some are really really poor.

[Dkiras]

Ah that´s good to know, thanks Tyrone. It´s been bugging me for a while but now I know what book to read- obviously the wheel of time series- thanks for explaining.

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Yeah same as Tyrone. There are weaker books in the middle but they're not too bad. They just drag compared to the rest. Some of the secondary characters are even more interesting at times (Mat for instance). And the final four books seem to be absolutely brilliant so far.

Speaking of which I recommend giving Mistborn a read if you enjoy the epic fantasy of medieval kind of worlds with magic.

[Elizabeth]

Emily wrote: "WaterShip Down

Narnia"

Yay for Watership Down and Narnia. My childhood would have been much duller without them!

[Rylee]

I just read His Majesty's Dragon and it was a lot of fun. Now I'm reading The Gamble of the Godless and I'm totally loving it.

I love Watership Down too! Go Fiver!

[Tui]

Elizabeth wrote: "Emily wrote: "WaterShip Down

I met Richard Adams in person when he came to New Zealand decades ago. He signed my copy of Plague Dogs. That book is even better than Watership Down in my opinion. Now i'm off to make sure I've got it on my booklist and that I've reviewed it in case soemone else wants to try it.

[Fayley]

Brenda wrote: "I wrote a short review of CORONETS somewhere around here. I guess its category would be romance-swashbuckler, if there is such a thing."

I couldn't find anything called "Coronets", who is the author?

[Brenda]

Fayley, here you go:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/78...
It is the first vol. of 2.

I have also just finished reading CONFESSION, a graphic novel by Kurt Busiek. Definitely the best thing I have read this year. It is SF and heroic fantasy, all right, but you should probably be into superheroes as well.

Brenda

[Fayley]

Thanks Brenda, I'll check both of those books out.

[Donna]

Tyrone, I've just started reading A Kingdom Beseiged. Hoping it is better than some of teh previous books. Liked most of his stuff.

Really enjoy Jennifer Fallon's books, mainly the Demon Child series and the Tide Lords.

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

I read and found the Tide Lords relatively interesting...

[Donna]

Oh no, I meant to say "A Crown Imperilled" from Fiest. (So many sequels now, I got mixed up.) It's getting better the more I read. Pug's about to get a big surprise and you don't really want to surprise a black robe...

[Tyrone]

Donna wrote: "Oh no, I meant to say "A Crown Imperilled" from Fiest. (So many sequels now, I got mixed up.) It's getting better the more I read. Pug's about to get a big surprise and you don't really want to sur..."

Glad you are enjoying...:-)

[Bev]

I was just reading back this forum and I cant believe ( dont take this the wrong way) how young you all seem and how new the genre seems to lots of you.

Gosh I feel really old :(

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Bev wrote: "I was just reading back this forum and I cant believe ( dont take this the wrong way) how young you all seem and how new the genre seems to lots of you.

Gosh I feel really old :("

The genre's not that new to me. It's just that I know a lot more about books than I've read... Every time I go to read an old book I find another newer one that distracts me.

[Bev]

Seriously it is nice to finally chat with people who have similar tastes in books. Looking forward to future readings.

[The Pirate Ghost]

There are some good books out there. And, I don't feel so old these days, but, I've read some old books. Good reading here.

[Brenda]

I am reading the Risen Empire duology by Scott Westerfeld. Whee, what a fast ride!

[Stephen]

I've just started rereading the Liaden® Universe series.  Then I'll probably reread Carousel Tides.  As if I didn't have enough to read.

[Kevis]

The following are among my favorite SF/F books.

[Ruth]

Favorites: Watership Down, LOTR, Riverworld Series by Philip Jose Farmer, Foundation trilogy by Asimov, Childhoods End and Rendevous with Rama by Clarke.

[Pickle]

i really enjoy a lot of the older sci-fi such as: , , while my favourite author is Philip K Dick. Sci-fi is definitely my favourite genre.

With fantasy im still trying to decide whether i really like it. I have enjoyed most of the fantasy books i read but dont seem to get as absorbed into the story as i do with sci-fi but a few of my favourite are:
,

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Pickle wrote: "i really enjoy a lot of the older sci-fi such as: , , while my favourite author is Philip K Dick...."

I prefer the classic sci-fi but I have not read enough. Dune as I see it is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy elements like Star Wars (still have to read it though). Have you tried Neil Gaiman, Brandon Sanderson or Patrick Rothfuss in terms of fantasy? I recommend them as other people to try to see if you like it.

[Pickle]

Jonathan wrote: "Pickle wrote: "i really enjoy a lot of the older sci-fi such as: , , while my favourite author is..."

I read but didnt like it so havent read any more Gaiman. Ive read and also found this very dull and wont go any further in the series.

I am currently about to start the third book in the Memory Sorrow Thorn series which im enjoying. Ive not read Sanderson but will have a look.

thanks

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Sanderson's not dull but his writing isn't the best although I loved his books enough to give five stars (that is until he started his latest series which I am very, very impressed with them). I haven't read American Gods but I do believe it is more dull than some of his other books. You might try Stardust which is nice and short. But I'd say that if you don't like Sanderson then fantasy probably is not so much your cup of tea (or coffee if you prefer it).

[Pickle]

Jonathan wrote: "Sanderson's not dull but his writing isn't the best although I loved his books enough to give five stars (that is until he started his latest series which I am very, very impressed with them). I ha..."

I wouldnt say fantasy isnt for me, ive got 31 books on my fantasy list http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/... most of which i have scored a 3* or above. Its just i seem to find more books i dislike in fantasy than in other genre's.

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Ah yeah fantasy as a genre can be hit and miss because there is so much material that is churned out. Which makes it hard for authors to break into but also for readers to find the true hidden gems.

[Stephen]

        Ironically, when I was younger, hardly any fantasy was being published.  Then, suddenly, a deluge.

[Xdyj]

Some sf/f books I read in 2012 & rated 4-5 *s:

[Jonathan , Reader of the fantastic]

Stephen wrote: "        Ironically, when I was younger, hardly any fantasy was being published.  Then, suddenly, a deluge."

Which is why some people refer to Tolkien as the 'creator of fantasy'. What he really did was open it up to the masses by altering it from myths, legends and epic poems into a story form people could mass read and that was also well written. Then Wheel of Time and The Sword of Shannara came along as a result and a massive influx of new fantasy stories.

Those are some good books by the way X.

[Harsh]

Just when I think that a certain author is a favourite a new one comes along which expands the list of likes. I loved the Wheel of Time and then camealong the saga of seven suns by Kevin J Anderson. Before that I loved the entire Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Then came along Neil Gaiman, Janny Wurtz, Robin Hobb. L.E.Modesitt and many many others. I revel in new fantasy and am not really fond of old sf which has an old world feel to it. The number of authors I like keeps on expanding as I come across references in discussions. I hve been in good reads just a week and I'm already ordering books (as can be available in India) of authors like Megan Derr, Holly Black, Jim Butcher, Brandon Sanderson and others. Sanderson is a great author who has rekindled the dying magic in the Wheel of Time but the Way of Kings is dreary and possibly boring!

[Doyle]

Anne McCaffrey's - Pern Series
David Eddings - The Belgariad and The Mallorean Series
David B. Coe - Lon Tobyn Chronicle

Just few I haven't seen mentioned or I missed them. These are some that I have re-read many times. Especially the Anne McCaffery ones.

[Harsh]

I liked the damia series by Anne McCaffrey as well as the stories of Acorna. But the Acorna novels began to become repetitive and artificially elongated while Damia was nipped while it was blossoming.