Former Introduction Thread Showing 3,101-3,150 of 6,846

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi, welcome.

[Penny]

Dale wrote: "Greetings!

Wanted to say hi to the group and state my motive for joining--to be part of the recommendation stream of great sci-fi and science fantasy novels."

Hi Dale

I'm far from the best read person in this group, but I'll share some of my favourites. Have you ever read any Brandon Sanderson? I'm a huge fan of his and would highly recommend the Mistborn series and probably everything else he's ever written. I recently read and loved The Lies of Locke Lamora and I'm currently reading Magician which is also great.

For more than one opinion I'd recommend you look at the monthly book club book first impressions no spoilers message threads to see what books people in the group have liked.

Happy reading :)

[[deleted user]]

Hi.

My name is Gary, under the internet moniker Uncommon Sellsword. I am eighteen (only recently graduating from High School) and live in Canada.

As you could probably discern from my moniker, I am a huge fan of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Yet I am also an avid fan of fantasy, high fantasy in general. I love Brandon Sanderson, China Meiville and the Canadian treasure, Guy Gavriel Kay.

I am also a huge fan of Science Fiction. My favourite novel being Dune. I also love the works of HP Lovecraft, Arthur C Clark and Ray Bradbury.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi, welcome.

[Jokoloyo]

Penny wrote: "Dale wrote: "Greetings!

Wanted to say hi to the group and state my motive for joining--to be part of the recommendation stream of great sci-fi and science fantasy novels."

Hi Dale

I'm far from t..." Thank you for recommending Brandon Sanderson, and for accepting me as your friend. :D

[Penny]

Welcome, welcome!

Jokoloyo, I really can't recommend Brandon Sanderson enough! I haven't read all his work yet and rather than read it all at once I treat myself every few months with another of his awesome stories.

Moshimoshineko, I read
The Lies of Locke Lamora a few weeks ago and it's a really fun read! I'm really looking forward to the discussions next month.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Hi all, welcome.

[M.R.]

Hi everyone! My name is Martin, and I am an SF lover from Australia. I have been meaning to come on here for a very long time and chase up a good SF discussion group, and finally got myself a magical device called "a round toit".

Not quite 40, started my SF love affair at age 8 (thanks poppa!) and to this day I enjoy reading, writing and talking SF.

I don't get enough time to spread across all my online haunts, but now I am here I will get stuck in to reading and occasionally joining in a discussion or three. It might not be often but I will try to participate when I can :)

Authors I enjoy include, well, almost anybody, but I love Heinlein, Niven, Gibson, Pournelle, McCaffrey, Clarke, Asimov, Norton, the list goes on. Yeah, I love the classics. Occasionally I find a newer writer I love, and I hope that by participating here I will find some more.

See you in the discussions!

[[deleted user]]

G'day from across the Ditch, Martin. I am also new here but it's jolly addictive

[Sole]

Hi, I'm Maria from Italy. I like to read too much but more fantasy than sci-fi, I like N.Gaiman, J.Carroll, H.Murakami too.

[Dale]

thank you Penny! Will check out your recommendation!

and hi Jokoloyo!

Have gotten more acquainted with this site and am thrilled to see all the delectable books listed everywhere...

dale

[Michael]

Hi, my name is Mike. I grew up in San Rafael, California.

I majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University and got a master’s in film production and another master's in Special Education. Back in the day I partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several films, most notably “Fatal Images,” “Dead Girls,” “Hell Spa” (later re-edited and titled “Club Dead”), “Things” and “Things II.”

”A Boy and His Dragon,” my first novel, was originally written in the 1980’s before fantasy stories enjoyed a major renaissance, but not released until 2011. It is intended as the first of a trilogy.

"A Matter of Time," 2012 Silver Medal Winner from Reader's Favorite, was published in March. It is a real-world-grounded story of an almost impossible loop in time that leads to undying love and unforgettable heartache.

I've also been a volunteer Big Brother to seven different boys over 29 years with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles for 28 years. Between this system and teaching at an urban high school for years, I am very experienced with the issues, problems, choices, fears and doubts of today's teens, especially those on the fringes of society. I am a passionate advocate for the fair treatment of children and teens in California, something that is sorely lacking in this state.

In that vein, my newest book, "Children of the Knight,” might appeal to members of this group. It's an unusual mix of fable and edgy YA real-world issues facing teens today. It involves a man claiming to be King Arthur gathering an army of discarded, abused, abandoned children in Los Angeles to take on our dysfunctional modern society. Those kids society tends to reject or ignore or abuse or marginalize, who come in all shapes and sizes - black and white and brown and Asian and Pacific Islander and gang affiliated and gay and straight and those who are confused about their sexuality - are the subject of this book, and the story depicts the sad reality of an adult society that tells these kids they are of no value and are best hidden away or tossed into prison. Arthur and his youthful army hope to jump-start a revolution to change these attitudes and make life better for all youth.

Anyway, check out a preview of this as yet unpublished novel on my profile page, which includes an excerpt from chapter one, and please offer me comments and feedback. Feedback from this group could be invaluable to me as I make final tweaks to the story prior to seeking a publisher. Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from some of you and to being a part of your group

[Craig]

Hi everyone, I'm spec-fic reader/writer with a few short stories published around the place.

I grew up reading Gibson, Sterling et al--loved my cyberpunk. Nowadays I prefer mundane/literary SF over hard/space opera and I guess I prefer my fantasy to be weird/contemporary rather than epic. I dunno. I'll read pretty much anything!

Anyway, nice to meet you all. Looks like a great place to find some new recommendations.

Craig Pay
http://craigpay.com/

[Leonie]

Hi All,

Nice to find a group of fellow Sci-Fi and Fantasy lovers. I began reading Sci-Fi many years ago - mainly books by John Wyndham, Robert Heinlein and Anne McCaffrey, and then discovered the world of Fantasy as well. I've enjoyed many a Raymond Feist, Janny Wurts, and Melanie Rawn novel, before moving along to Terry Pratchett and recently Brandon Sanderson.

I've just had my first novel published, and having read the rules, posted about it in the appropriate spot :) I agree with Gil (above) about the weirdness of the self promotion bit!

I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else is reading, and hope to discover some new authors through this group!

[Danielle]

Hello, my name is Danielle. I'm working on editing my first book. I have become somewhat ravenous about paranormal, scifi and fantasy novels as of late (i.e. the last few years) to the detriment off all else. I've recently started up with goodreads and started doing book reviews. I love reading and reviewing books for new authors to help them get their names out there.

Other than my obsession (there really is no other word for it) with books, I partake in photography, photo editing, and am working on a PhD in Functional Genomics.

It's nice to meet everyone!

[Richard]

It's really excellent to have a real honest-to-God genomics geek among us, who can write! Oh, where do I begin? No really, where?

[Michael]

Hello. I'm a long time sci-fi and fantasy fan of authors including Douglas Adams, Ray Bradbury, Gene Wolfe, and Terry Pratchett. I've been spending more time writing sci-fi than reading it these days, now that I get paid for it, but I hope to get some new reading material soon.

Recommendations are of course welcome. I'm particularly fond of ontological/epistemological and slipstream stuff.

[Keri]

Hi all. I'm very new to the fantasy genre but have recently read some books that have sucked me in and I really want to find more good books to read. Some of the fantasy books I've enjoyed are the Song of Ice and Fire books(close to giving up hope for there ever being another book to come out), Wheel of Time series, NIght Angel series, Mistborn, and The Kingkiller Chronicle #1. I'm looking forward to surfing the bookshelf to discover some other great authors.

[Richard]

Hey there Jessica! Welcome to the nebulous/dark/misty side. Thanks also for the authors/books/ New to me at least!

[JG]

Hi, all --

I was born in '73 and am originally from San Diego. After spending ten years in DC, my wife convinced me to move to her home town of Huntsville, Alabama. Despite having no prior connection to the South other than attending college in Tennessee, I find I like the city a lot more than I expected.

Though I have always been a reader, I have only recently returned to fantasy and sci fi. I was drawn back after watching the previews for HBO's Game of Thrones. I have mostly been reading books based on recommendations made by Wertzone, Fantasy Book Critic, and Fantasy Literature and am open to new suggestions.

My favorite sff books over the last year have been Dark Eden by Chris Beckett, The Hammer by K.J. Parker, The King's Blood by Daniel Abraham, Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey (I really like the way Abraham writes), Seed by Rob Zeigler, and The Troupe by Robert Bennett Jackson.

I am always open to suggestions. I have a lot of catching up to do, so the recs don't have to be from the last few years.

Jon

[Richard]

Hey Jon -- I also have some San Diego childhood memories -- in fact, my uncle was the sculptor of the two gorilla bronzes flanking the zoo entrance. I also enjoy scifi and fantasy, and GRRM has hooked me through some 3,400 pages. Glad to see you made it in!

[Brae]

Hello everyone,
My name is Brae Wyckoff, author of The Orb of Truth, and wanted to say hi. Looking forward to connect with everyone.
I live in San Diego, CA and when I'm not writing then I'm reading. Love RA Salvatore! Blessings everyone!

[Richard]

Hey Brae!

[Brae]

Richard wrote: "Hey Brae!"

Brae Wyckoff Hello Richard. Nice to meet you. Thanks for the hello...appreciate it!

[Stephen]

Hi everyone,

I've just joined this group, though I have been on GoodReads for a while. I'm a British SF author with a handful of published novels. My favourite authors are Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, Brian Aldiss, Tolkien, Gwyneth Jones and a few YA authors. I used to work for Waterstones (UK bookshop chain) so have seen the publishing industry from all angles - reader, author, seller, recycler (that last one is true btw). These days I don't read a lot of SF&F, but I have got Alastair Reynolds' "Chasm City" lined up soon.

Cheers, Steve.

[Richard]

Hey, Steve! BTW, thanks for the image left in my brain, of you shovelling loads of books into a shredder/chipper. Farenheit 451 on steroids!

[Brae]

Stephen wrote: "Hi everyone,

I've just joined this group, though I have been on GoodReads for a while. I'm a British SF author with a handful of published novels. My favourite authors are Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, ..."

Hey Stephen! Welcome...a shout out from America!

[A.]

Hi. I'm Ashley, and I'm both a reader and author here on Goodreads. I'm happy to be a new member of this group! I love fantasy and scifi stories. They are creative, unique and memorable.

[Mona]

Hi I'm Mona,or actually the writing part of me is Mona--long story, not relevant. One of my first favorite writers was Andre Norton and she remains #1 especially in SciFi/Fantasy. I'm really pleased at the upsurge in good Space Opera, and excited to see all these great recommendations for new authors.

[Eli]

Hello!

My name is Eli, I'm 23 and I live in Concepción, Chile. I have a BFA in Visual Arts and I'm applying for a MFA in Illustration for next year. I love reading and writing, and my favorite genre is Fantasy.

It's really hard to find books in English where I live, and books are very, very expensive, so to be able to read everything I like I have to order it online... no public libraries here. That said, I haven't been able to read that many books in the past few years.

Some of my favorites include: Wolfskin and Foxmask by Juliet Marillier (I really like her books), the Harry Potter saga, etc.
Apart from fantasy, I really like thriller and horror books, as well as romance and sometimes even chick-lit! I can read anything and enjoy it :)

I thought this group was perfect for me! That way it'd be easier to find more books to read -and I get to practice my English, which is nice-.

[Supernova]

Hi all, I'm Mal (30, father of one, avid reader) from a little town near Liverpool UK. Have always veered towards the science fiction/fantasy books mostly. Sometimes I veer off course and try a crime novel, but always return to books that drive my imagination to far away places.

Nice to meet you all and hope to get some good recommendations off this group and share my thoughts on books i've read too :¬) feel free to add me as a friend

[DavidO]

Elita wrote: "Hello!

My name is Eli, I'm 23 and I live in Concepción, Chile. I have a BFA in Visual Arts and I'm applying for a MFA in Illustration for next year. I love reading and writing, and my favorite gen..."

Maybe buy an ereader? Not sure if that's more expensive or less. I know the upfront cost is greater for sometihng like a kindle, but then you can download a ton of books for free or nearly free.

[Brae]

Elita wrote: "Hello!

My name is Eli, I'm 23 and I live in Concepción, Chile. I have a BFA in Visual Arts and I'm applying for a MFA in Illustration for next year. I love reading and writing, and my favorite gen..."

Nice to meet you Eli! I'm an author in America and love to connect with readers and other authors. Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself and welcome you. Oh, and I write fantasy adventure books like Lord of the Rings...it's called The Orb of Truth. Blessings, Brae Wyckoff

[Brae]

Mal wrote: "Hi all, I'm Mal (30, father of one, avid reader) from a little town near Liverpool UK. Have always veered towards the science fiction/fantasy books mostly. Sometimes I veer off course and try a cri..."

Hi Mal,
Nice to meet you. My name is Brae Wyckoff, author of The Orb of Truth fantasy book. Good to connect with you. I've been looking for some UK readers. Blessings.

[Supernova]

Brae wrote: "Mal wrote: "Hi all, I'm Mal (30, father of one, avid reader) from a little town near Liverpool UK. Have always veered towards the science fiction/fantasy books mostly. Sometimes I veer off course a..."

Nice to meet you too Brae. My first conversation with an actual author. Will have a look at your profile with a view to maybe having a look at your book.

[Richard]

Hey, Brae and Mal and Eli. It's a good mix here! I'm usually around. I'm an old guy, 60+, and have four fiction titles available.

[Sharon]

Hi all!

I don't believe I've introduced myself since joining this group earlier this year. I've enjoyed the lurking status, but it's probably best I get out of the shadows. As with many of you, I'm a avid reader. I am also a learning illustrator, gamer, and movie buff. I live in Celebration, FL USA with my husband and daughters and moved here 8 years ago from Vallejo, CA.

My earliest reading were what are considered the classics in fantasy and science fiction now, such as Isaac Asimov, C.J. Cherryh, and of course J.R.R. Tolkien. But I was not limited there, because if a book had might and sorcery as the theme, I read it. Over the years, my reading genre expanded, but I always fall back to to sic-fi/fantasy. It's where I feel the most at home, amongst a reality that was outside of reality. :)

[Brae]

Richard wrote: "Hey, Brae and Mal and Eli. It's a good mix here! I'm usually around. I'm an old guy, 60+, and have four fiction titles available."

Awesome, Richard!

[Brae]

Sharon wrote: "Hi all!

I don't believe I've introduced myself since joining this group earlier this year. I've enjoyed the lurking status, but it's probably best I get out of the shadows. As with many of you, I..."

Love it Sharon! Fantasy is where I feel at home also. Been an avid D&D gamer and reader since the early 80's. Love it so much that I wrote an epic fantasy book myself. The Orb of Truth. Would love to connect with you on Goodreads and hopefully you will give it chance and add it to your list of reads. Blessings.

[Alan]

Brae wrote: "Richard wrote: "Hey, Brae and Mal and Eli. It's a good mix here! I'm usually around. I'm an old guy, 60+, and have four fiction titles available."

Awesome, Richard!"
Hi All
Seems to be a bit of a thread running here - authors contacting potential readers? So I am going to join in. I am another Englishman (not too many of us around on this site, but I think the number is growing), and another of the elder generation (details on my profile). I have one book available so far, but more planned for the new year (as soon as we can sort out the cover images!) Hope to hear back from some of you.

[Thorrsman]

Well, I've been around a while, traveling here and there and up and down in the world. Been a soldiers for a time--a long time ago--married and stayed that way, have a grown--but not yet grown up--son. And I read.

A lot.

All of Burroughs, pretty much. Anyone remember Laser Books? I still have most of those in my library. Over 100 volumes of Doc Savage. Most of the Forgotten Realms novels until that world changed--for the worse, as I see it. Verne of course, and Wells also. The Destroyermen series and Harry Dresden.

Like I said, I read a lot. And I write, as well. That information will appear where it belongs, but I've been influenced by the science-fiction, fantasy and historical novels I've read.

[Brae]

Thorrsman wrote: "Well, I've been around a while, traveling here and there and up and down in the world. Been a soldiers for a time--a long time ago--married and stayed that way, have a grown--but not yet grown up--..."

Nice to meet you Thorrsman! I'm also a huge fantasy adventure enthusiast. My name is Brae Wyckoff, author of The Orb of Truth. Keep reading and writing my friend. blessings.

[Penny]

Welcome welcome!

We're always excited to have new members who are interested in discussing fantasy and science fiction books. Don't forget to go vote for our January Book Club reads.

Authors, please feel free to tell us more about your work on the "GoodReads Author's Books" thread!

Happy reading! :)

[Mia]

Hmmm. Let's see. I guess I can start by saying "hello." So...HELLO! :-)

I was born in 1993, and according to my parents, I started reading not long after that! :-) Unfortunately, lately, I haven't been reading for pleasure as much as I would like, but I have an excuse--college. I'm an anthropology major that will start her junior year very soon, and I have been incredibly busy with homework and reading textbooks. As much as I love to study, I miss fiction, and I'm just now getting back into it (it IS winter break, after all).

I'm slowly falling in love with the fantasy genre--I've always loved Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, but I've been getting into fantasy in general lately, particularly the Lord of the Rings series. I am just now starting to read The Hobbit. I'm familiar with the story due to radio adaptations, the animated movie, and what my dad (an LOTR fan since his youth) has told me, but I never got a chance to pick up the book until now. I already love it, even with the little I've read. I think I'll continue to love it.

So that's about it! Happy reading, all! :-)

[[deleted user]]

Hi, I am Evgeny. I am not new to Goodreads (Hi, Penny!), but I just found the group. I lean more to fantasy side with Amber (Zelazny), Black Company (Cook), Conan (Howard), Wheel of Time (Jordan), and Harry Potter (Rowling) being all-time favorite.

I just finished Dresden Files and is in the middle of Malazan books - these are not fast read.

[Genia]

Hello to my (male) namesake. Enjoy your reads. I found Dresden to be pretty fast, actually; Butcher doesn't write very long books. But the Malazan looks like a doorstopper.

[[deleted user]]

Genia wrote: "Hello to my (male) namesake. Enjoy your reads. I found Dresden to be pretty fast, actually; Butcher doesn't write very long books. But the Malazan looks like a doorstopper."

The problem with Malazan - at least, for me - I always have to look up people, places, warrens, holds, nations, etc. in the dictionary as it is impossible to remember everything. This definitely slows down the reading speed.

[Penny]

So happy you've joined the group Evgeny! :) Welcome Mia and Genia!

[Supernova]

Welcome to the ground Evgeny, Mia and Genia. :¬)

[Genia]

I've been around for a long time. I even led the discussion on Blackout a few months ago.