[Rizumu]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jackangel C.S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy is a really good sci-fi/fantasy series as well.

Is it really, now? That's great. I've always looked at the first book of that, Black Sun Rising, in the book store and really liked the cover. I was afraid that with such a cool cover the book would suck though

So I never picked it up. Looks like maybe I should.

Oh, have any of you read the "Faded Sun Trilogy" by C.J. Cherryh? I picked it up on a whim and am wondering if I should read it next.

 

[qutius]

Rizumu - When you have the free time, please do read Legend of Huma! This is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a while, and I _really_ blew thru it. Took three days to finish, if that - very fast paced and the action scenes are fantastic. Such an epic story, too!

This is a great book for anyone who is just getting into fantasy - easy for newcomers to jump right in and go. Like Rizumu said, this is considered one of the best Dragonlance books out there, and the best of the Heros section of the Dragonlance Saga.

1984 should be a must read for anyone in high school, IMO. A classic - no doubt about that. Animal Farm is also a good read, and shares a few of the same ideas as 1984 - you can see the direction Orwell was going. Dunno if these fall under sci-fi/fantasy, like someone already mentioned, tho. Either way, two more good books!

 

[Russ Arcuri]

About the ENDER'S GAME series: I liked ENDER'S GAME a lot, but I liked SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD even better. The series goes a bit downhill after that, but there's enough stuff left unresolved at the end of SPEAKER that you'll probably want to read XENOCIDE too.

 

[Punslayer]

If you haven't read anything by Gene Wolfe, do. A particularly good starting point would be the four-part "Book of the New Sun." It's so sweet it makes me want to crap my pants

 

[daycart1]

For excitement and dark humor, but a quicker pace check out
Roger Zelazny's "Amber" series. The first book (these are 200 pg books and not Martin/Jordan monsters) is "Nine Princes in Amber"

I second Gibson, though they have a "contemporary" setting.

The Jordan books can be a little annoying, but they are effective and there are PLENTY of pages to keep you busy!

For most Tolkien lovers, E.R. Eddison's "The Worm Ouroboros" is not to be missed. This is pure fantasy, no s.f.. The language is beautifully quasi-Shakespearean--which I suppose is not to everyone's taste, though. This is out of print, so you'd have to go to a library or used book store or check out powells.com

When the hell is that lazy ass Grrrr Martin getting the next installment out??

Enjoy!

 

[pigmode]

Dune rocks.

 

[chadbang]

Funny thing, Robert Jordan and his wife are friends of my family and I've never read one of his books. His wife is the publisher of Tor books. By the time Jim ("R.J." is a nom de plume) started writing his books (he used to pen the "Conan" series, before creating his own series) I was out of the whole sci-fi/fantasy phase. Although I did enjoy Neuromancer recently and would like to read more Gibson.

 

[davidcotton]

Well as per usual I have to go against the majority. Couldn't really get into Martins stuff at all. Just too many damn names to remember! I finished the first one, started the second one and never got into it, put it down and havn't gone back.

I'd reccommend the Terry Brooks stuff, but that seems to have gotten mixed reactions on here. Ditto with Eddings, though only really bother with "The Belgariad" to start. I think most people would agree his later stuff is basically the same story with some of the names changed

One person you could try that I havn't seen reccommended on here is Raymond E Fiest, in particular his first (and arguably best) trilogy "The Riftwar Saga". The books are "Magician" "SilverThorn" and "A Darkness at Sethanon" which are all quite good reads. Though unfortunately Feist never really varied his writing after that and all his later books are "more of the same".

A personal favourite of mine is Jennifer Robersons "Chronicles of The cheysuli" though I don't know how easy they are to find now.

Cheers...

 

[radrd]

As far as fantasy goes, this series kicks some serious ass IMO! I can't believe I forgot to recommend it. Even if you have hated every other book King has written, I still recommend giving the Dark Tower series a chance.

You might also read "Through The Eyes of the Dragon" by him as well, but even if you didn't like that one, the Dark Tower series is completely different, so still give it a shot.

 

[nanahachi]

wow, great suggestions guys

ive been meaning to read George R.R. Martin's books, but keep forgetting...i think ill go get one today. Game of Thrones, right?

Dune does rock. the 2nd and 3rd books are OK, but the first, 4th, 5th, and 6th rule. theyve earned my HIGHEST recommendation next to the Silmarillion and TT and Return of the King(theyre just more fun than FotR

) by Tolkien

oh, and the 3 prequel Dune books by Kevin J Anderson and Frank Herbert's son are really fun reads: House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Corrino. I bought but havent yet read Butlerian Jihad.

Ender's Game is fabulous, Ender's Shadow was great too. the speaker, children of the mind...books were ok. good read, but nothing amazing. same with Shadow of the Hegemon. just stick with the main Ender and Bean books

im going to have to jot down a bunch of the rec.s made here. thanks for the ideas

 

[Rizumu]

nanahachi - Yes, Game of Thrones. Go. Buy now. Fast.

You get used to all the names and characters, it just takes a bit. It's a bit daunting at first since it acts like you're familiar with everything already. I bet if you went back and reread the first book after finishing the third you'd be surprised on how much new you'd pick up on and characters you'd recognize. I highly recommend trying the book series out.

Punslayer - Actually, the first half of the Book of the New Sun is sitting right next to me. I was thinking of reading it next as well.

daycart1 - Amber is really, really good. I read several of the books a bit ago, and now have all of them on my shelf. I'm waiting for the right time to read them.. They're very good, so I want to be able to read through all of them without having to stop in the middle like I did last time.

 

[Punslayer]

Rizumu,
I highly recomend that you do. Gene Wolfe is one of my favorite authors next to Kurt Vonnegut and Harlan Ellison, though he has very little in common with either of them stylistically. Speaking of which, Ellison is an amazing SF author and one of the angriest little men ever.

Oh, and on the wackier side of the genre, there is of course Douglas Adams, i don't believe anybody's mentioned him yet. Also there's a great book by Phil Phoglio (of all people) and Nick Pollota entitled "Illegal Aliens" that i highly recommend.

 

[chadbang]

Harlan Ellison, hmm, yes. I was going to post a link to a web page that with the short story "I have no mouth and I must scream", but Harlan's publishers must have found it and had it taken down...

That's a scary story.

 

[wallijonn]

my all time favourite book series is "the Wizard of Earthsea". (It might be going by the title of "the Little Wizard"). I think it was L.L. Lequin. i think it's up to a 5 book series now.

 

[davidcotton]

Quote:

Originally posted by wallijonn my all time favourite book series is "the Wizard of Earthsea". (It might be going by the title of "the Little Wizard"). I think it was L.L. Lequin. i think it's up to a 5 book series now.

A wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin...