Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Only Thread

[Buck]

There is a great thread in the lounge about Books in general, but to be honest, all I really want to read is Sci-Fi (including post-apocalyptic), and Fantasy.

In this OP I will compile every poster's top 3 Fantasy/SciFi suggestions if they give me them. I will try to keep the posters in alphabetical order in case you want to find someone's suggestions easier.

CP POSTER SUGGESTIONS

Baby Lee
1. Fritz Lieber's Swords Against series.
2. George R.R. Martin's SoIaF series [no brainer that will probably make tons of other lists]
3. Umberto Eco, Foucalt's Pendulum [a little more obscure/forgotten to make up for GRRM]

Frosty
1.Raymond Feist - Riftwar Saga
2.Terry Brooks - Shannara series (starting with the Knight of the Word books)
3.Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn

Huffmeister
(1) Dune - Frank Herbert
(2) The Stand - Stephen King (1000+ page unabridged)
(3) Starship Troopers - Robert A. Heinlein (checkout the song by Yes, too. lots of great bass)

Jawshco
1. "Book of the Long Sun" by Gene Wolfe
2. "Paradise War" by Stephen R Lawhead
3. "The Dragonbone Chair" by Tad Williams

listopencil
1. Edgar Rice Burroughs, any series
2. Robert Heinlein, everything he has written in chronological order (but read Starship Troopers first)
3. Doc Smith's Lensman series

vailpass
1. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 1, 2A & 2B books are a gold mine for sampling the evolution of sci-fi. (below)
2.The Nebula Awards and Hugo Awards (selected yearly, pick a year)
3. Years Best SF Annual publication, pick any volume from 1 to the current volume 17
See Post 142

[Huffmeister]

Originally Posted by cookster50

You just don't grok it, eh?

Heh, I guess I don't

[QuikSsurfer]

Originally Posted by Buck

Dune is on my must read list, I forgot to mention it.

Great recommendations guys.

Quikies, I'm somewhat interested in horror. Do you have a short horror novel you could recommend?

Sci-Fi horror would be cool. Something like that movie Sunshine.

Jaws, I'm over 50% in.

Shortest one I can recommend would be either The Mist by Stephen King or The Gunslinger graphic novels -- both are prettaahhhh prettahhhh good.

[KC_Lee]

I am a big fan of alt history, not really Sci Fi / Fantasy but it gets lumped in at most book stores.

Completed the full Harry Turtledove 11 book series that starts after the civil war where the Confederacy successfully secedes from the Union. In order;

How Few Remain

The Great War Trilogy
- American Front
- Walk in Hell
- Breakthroughs

The American Empire Trilogy
- Blood and Iron
- The Center Cannot Hold
- The Victorious Opposition

The Settling Accounts
- Return Engagement
- Drive to the East
- The Grapple
- In at the Death

In more of his sci fi vein I have also read all but on book of Turtledove's Worldwar & Colonization (aliens invade Earth at the start of WWII) series. In order;

Worldwar
- In the Balance
- Tilting the Balance
- Upsetting the Balance
- Striking the Balance

Colonization
- Second Contact
- Down to Earth
- Aftershocks

Still need to read Homeward Bound which is the final book in the series.

[cookster50]

Worldwar was great, Colonization a let down.

[KC_Lee]

Originally Posted by cookster50

Worldwar was great, Colonization a let down.

I won't disagree with you. Turtledove seems to skip over plot lines between books that would be compelling but only get one or two paragraphs. For example; when the wife of the character that raises two aliens as humans dies the whole alien reaction is passed over.

He's not the greatest writer (repeats lines over and over, blunt as a 2 X 4 at times) but I think he puts more thought into the "what if" aspect of the storylines and takes them further than other writers in the genre.

[Frosty]

There are a couple of older series that I like.

The first is David Eddings Belgariad and Malloreon series (each are five books long). These are of the "peasant finds out he is actually a key part of saving the world" genre but I found them very entertaining, with fun character interaction. The problem with Eddings, though, is that everything he has done since has basically recycled these characters into different plots, even down to the same banter between characters. The Sparhawk series is okay but derivative.

Another is Barbara Hambly's Darwath books or the Winterlands series. Actually, I enjoyed all of her fantasy novels that I have read (she also writes historical fiction and mysteries).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Hambly

David Duncan has written several series that I have really enjoyed. The Seventh Sword is about a dying young man (in our time) who finds himself transported to a different world in the body of a master swordsman.

The Pandemia books are good too. I didn't really care for his King's Blades books, though.

http://www.fantasyliterature.com/duncandave.html

[KC_Lee]

Forgot to include one of my favorites, The Lathe Of Heven by Ursula Le Guin.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Buck

Quikies, I'm somewhat interested in horror. Do you have a short horror novel you could recommend?

Brian Keene is good, with shorter novels. Ghoul is really good, as is The Conquering Worm.

[Huffmeister]

Originally Posted by Buck

Quikies, I'm somewhat interested in horror. Do you have a short horror novel you could recommend?

You might want to try some H.P. Lovecraft. He's considered one of the grandfathers of modern horror. He's the guy that came up with Cthulhu and the Elder Gods (you've probably run across references to them). And he mostly wrote short stories, so they're usually quick reads. The only issue you may have is that he wrote most of them in the 20s and 30s, so the writing style can be a bit archaic at times, which some people love and some people hate. I enjoy reading his stories.

[Pants]

You haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire yet? WTF MAN???

[QuikSsurfer]

Originally Posted by Huffmeister

You might want to try some H.P. Lovecraft. He's considered one of the grandfathers of modern horror. He's the guy that came up with Cthulhu and the Elder Gods (you've probably run across references to them). And he mostly wrote short stories, so they're usually quick reads. The only issue you may have is that he wrote most of them in the 20s and 30s, so the writing style can be a bit archaic at times, which some people love and some people hate. I enjoy reading his stories.

Good call.. I'd recommend At the Mountains of Madness.

[Bowser]

The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons. These books really pulled me in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

[Lzen]

Great idea for a thread. I love sci-fi and tend to pick those types of books to read.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Bowser

The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons. These books really pulled me in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

Those are really good, although much like Dune, I find myself losing interest with the later books.

[Hays]

David Eddings Belgaraid series