Can anyone recommend a decent book series?
- Thread starter HBMK
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Have you read anything by Richard K. Morgan? If you want cyberpunk, his Takeshi Kovacs novels (Altered Carbon, Broken Angels, and Woken Furies) might be right right up your alley. If you want some some gritty low fantasy that still manages to be intensely fun and exciting, try the Land Fit For Heroes series (The Steel Remains, The Cold Commands, and the upcoming The Dark Defiles).
Also, for a recommendation thread, it might help people out if you gave some examples of things that you've already read, so you're less likely to get redundant recommendations.
Also, for a recommendation thread, it might help people out if you gave some examples of things that you've already read, so you're less likely to get redundant recommendations.
The Culture Series [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series] by Iain M Banks. In my opinion the greatest Sci Fi ever written. Doesn't matter which you start with or which order you read them, but The Player of Games is the usual recommendation for a newcomer.
Anything by Peter F Hamilton [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton]. This guy writes excellent Space Opera (meaning massive scope, large cast).
I'm less up on my fantasy but a good ongoing series (though something you're likely already aware of) would be Peter V Brett's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_V._Brett] Demon Cycle.
Edit: Oh, and I can second @Barbas with his recommendation for The Lies of Locke Lamora. A very good read.
Anything by Peter F Hamilton [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton]. This guy writes excellent Space Opera (meaning massive scope, large cast).
I'm less up on my fantasy but a good ongoing series (though something you're likely already aware of) would be Peter V Brett's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_V._Brett] Demon Cycle.
Edit: Oh, and I can second @Barbas with his recommendation for The Lies of Locke Lamora. A very good read.
I'm trying to think of series and the one that comes to mind right now is Stephen kings dark tower.
It's an epic fantasy set in an apocalyptic world where the last gunslinger is on a quest to find the mysterious dark tower.
Would nominate the culture books too 'use of weapons' is my fave book of all time.
It's an epic fantasy set in an apocalyptic world where the last gunslinger is on a quest to find the mysterious dark tower.
Would nominate the culture books too 'use of weapons' is my fave book of all time.
I second that Dark Tower series, if you want a grim dark shoot em up the Guants Ghost's series of books are set in the 40k universe and follow the story of an Imperial Guard unit.carlsberg export said:
I'll suggest the Gormenghast series, by Mervyn Peake. It's fantasy of a sort, though fantastical elements are actually not all that common, at least in the first book. It might be better described as absurdist gothic, or something like that.
Incredible cast of characters, great dialogue and imagination, set in a dark, labyrinthine castle of such size that not one of its occupants would be able to explore a tenth of it, let alone map it (and would probably die trying). It's a world of oppressive ritual. The second book describes it by mentioning that "the sacredness of the ritual is in inverse relation to its comprehensibility or usefulness".
Otherwise, I'd also greatly recommend Isaac Asimov, Harlan Ellison, Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Phillip K. Dick, and Arthur C. Clark.
Incredible cast of characters, great dialogue and imagination, set in a dark, labyrinthine castle of such size that not one of its occupants would be able to explore a tenth of it, let alone map it (and would probably die trying). It's a world of oppressive ritual. The second book describes it by mentioning that "the sacredness of the ritual is in inverse relation to its comprehensibility or usefulness".
Otherwise, I'd also greatly recommend Isaac Asimov, Harlan Ellison, Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Phillip K. Dick, and Arthur C. Clark.
Have you read the NightWatch/DayWatch/TwilightWatch series of titles?
They are originally written in Russian, but the English translations are quite good, and the films are also respectable (done by the director of quite a few large blockbuster American titles).
I can't really recommend them any higher if you're into both fantasy and sci-fi. They're quite gripping, but different from the films in many important details.
They are originally written in Russian, but the English translations are quite good, and the films are also respectable (done by the director of quite a few large blockbuster American titles).
I can't really recommend them any higher if you're into both fantasy and sci-fi. They're quite gripping, but different from the films in many important details.
I'd really recommend the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. They're pretty well known for being very witty and having a lot of fun examining (and mocking) a lot of common fantasy cliches, but not in a mean spirited way. They can still serious when they need to be too.
Plus the Grim Reaper is one of the main heroes of the series and he takes care of kittens. Can't go wrong with that.
Plus the Grim Reaper is one of the main heroes of the series and he takes care of kittens. Can't go wrong with that.
Riyria Revelations by Micheal Sullivan. One of best series I've found. First book (Theft of Swords) is pretty good, but doesn't really sell the series as much as it could. Books 2 and 3 (Rise of Empire and Heir of Novron) take the series to Superb status.
Royce and Hadrian are some of the most interesting protagonists I've come across and the series contains two of what are possibly the best examples of strong female characters in all the books I've read.
Great action, great suspense and some great twists. Loved them and have read them multiple times.
Royce and Hadrian are some of the most interesting protagonists I've come across and the series contains two of what are possibly the best examples of strong female characters in all the books I've read.
Great action, great suspense and some great twists. Loved them and have read them multiple times.
The Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson is a great fantasy series. It also has a spinoff novel called Alloy of Law that will be getting a sequel either this year or next.
Sanderson also just released Words of Radiance the sequel to one of my favourite books, The Way of Kings. That series is planned to be ten books as of now.
Sanderson also just released Words of Radiance the sequel to one of my favourite books, The Way of Kings. That series is planned to be ten books as of now.
The Hyperion cantos by Dann Simmons (Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion w/ Endymion and The Rise of Endymion set in the same universe).
If you haven't already A Song of Ice and Fire.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson. It's freakin' huge, but actually finished now.
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb.
Anything by Brandon Sanderson. But in partciular Mistborn or the Stormlight Archive.
London Falling by Paul Cornell is an amazing book about police officers dealing with supernatural occurrences. The best thing their complete lack of reverence of anything occult they go about trying to "book" this ancient horror.
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson. It's freakin' huge, but actually finished now.
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb.
Anything by Brandon Sanderson. But in partciular Mistborn or the Stormlight Archive.
London Falling by Paul Cornell is an amazing book about police officers dealing with supernatural occurrences. The best thing their complete lack of reverence of anything occult they go about trying to "book" this ancient horror.
I really enjoy all of Joe Abercrombie's work - In particular his First Law Trilogy series. He writes in a manner similar to George RR Martin (Game of Thrones naturally), though I find his style to be even more character driven and focused. Don't get me wrong, Martin does brilliant characterization and he certainly has that epic scope in his Song of Ice and Fire series, but there is something so very personal about Abercrombie's characters.
His books are in a low fantasy setting, with mostly moral grey areas. There is very little Black and White (good vs evil) going on, and it is driven mostly by people wanting to accomplish their own personal goals (whether they are good and bad can be quite subjective). There is magic, though it is very rarely used (in this world, it is laughed at as no one believes in it) - The magic that is portrayed is extremely destructive but I won't go into too much detail there.
Abercrombie also has setup a lot of lore and history for you to read and discover through the series. It is really quite good. The series is also done so you can read through it's entirety right now if you so desired.
He also has a few other books in the same world (Heroes, Red Country, Best Served Cold) and they all have that same feel to them.
His books are in a low fantasy setting, with mostly moral grey areas. There is very little Black and White (good vs evil) going on, and it is driven mostly by people wanting to accomplish their own personal goals (whether they are good and bad can be quite subjective). There is magic, though it is very rarely used (in this world, it is laughed at as no one believes in it) - The magic that is portrayed is extremely destructive but I won't go into too much detail there.
Abercrombie also has setup a lot of lore and history for you to read and discover through the series. It is really quite good. The series is also done so you can read through it's entirety right now if you so desired.
He also has a few other books in the same world (Heroes, Red Country, Best Served Cold) and they all have that same feel to them.
Given the stuff you're into, you have almost certainly read the Discworld series already. (But if not: Get to it! Chop chop!)
Also, if you like your crime on the wacky side, you could try the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Protagonist Stephanie, struggling to find work after being fired from her job at a bargain lingerie store, has taken up bounty hunting in order to make ends meet. Each book sees her haul in another choice selection of grade A New Jersey lowlifes - usually while trying desperately to figure out what kind of psychotic mastermind is trying to kill her THIS month!
Carl Hiaasen's main body of work is somewhat similar, but his stories are a bit too loosely connected to call a series. That said, there are several recurring characters.
In terms of horror, I can't recommend Peter Straub highly enough. All right, not really a series either, but if you see the name Straub on a book, you can't go far wrong. My personal favourite (so far) is 'Shadowland' - though I'll admit that I haven't got around to reading his most famous work, 'Ghost Story' yet!
Fantasy-wise: Well, I haven't cared for fantasy in a dog's age, but I remember greatly enjoying the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman - as well as the Paksenarrion trilogy by Elizabeth Moon, who incidentally drew on her own experiences in the US Marines to make the depiction of the protagonist's military career as convincing as possible!
Also, if you like your crime on the wacky side, you could try the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Protagonist Stephanie, struggling to find work after being fired from her job at a bargain lingerie store, has taken up bounty hunting in order to make ends meet. Each book sees her haul in another choice selection of grade A New Jersey lowlifes - usually while trying desperately to figure out what kind of psychotic mastermind is trying to kill her THIS month!
Carl Hiaasen's main body of work is somewhat similar, but his stories are a bit too loosely connected to call a series. That said, there are several recurring characters.
In terms of horror, I can't recommend Peter Straub highly enough. All right, not really a series either, but if you see the name Straub on a book, you can't go far wrong. My personal favourite (so far) is 'Shadowland' - though I'll admit that I haven't got around to reading his most famous work, 'Ghost Story' yet!
Fantasy-wise: Well, I haven't cared for fantasy in a dog's age, but I remember greatly enjoying the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman - as well as the Paksenarrion trilogy by Elizabeth Moon, who incidentally drew on her own experiences in the US Marines to make the depiction of the protagonist's military career as convincing as possible!
Science Fiction - Phule's Company by Robert Asprin.
Fantasy - Her Majesty's Wizard, and The Warlock in Spite of Himself, both by Christopher Stasheff. The Landover series is well done as well, though I found the sequels less interesting than the first book.
I keep wanting to read through The Culture books, moreso because of their ship names than anything else. Some of these are brilliantly sarcastic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spacecraft_in_the_Culture_series
If you want cyberpunk, look into Shadowrun. A lot of the books are only loosely related to each other, with various different authors, but my favourites are Crossroads and Heads or Tails.
Lastly, the DOOM books. Yes, the books written to follow the plotline of the original DOOM and DOOM II games. I believe they were marketed as a "Space Opera", whatever the hell that means, but the first two are excellent. The third is alright, and the fourth starts going entirely off the rails in terms of metaphysicality. Is that a word? It is now. Metaphysical in and of itself describes a lot of the later plot fairly well, and some of the early bits. They did a surprisingly good job filling in characters aside from just The Doom Guy (Cpl. Flynn Taggart, now), and still has one of my favourite fictional female leads (PFC Arlene Sanders). Not the DOOM3 novelization - Knee Deep In The Dead, Hell on Earth, Infernal Sky, and End Game.
Fantasy - Her Majesty's Wizard, and The Warlock in Spite of Himself, both by Christopher Stasheff. The Landover series is well done as well, though I found the sequels less interesting than the first book.
I keep wanting to read through The Culture books, moreso because of their ship names than anything else. Some of these are brilliantly sarcastic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spacecraft_in_the_Culture_series
If you want cyberpunk, look into Shadowrun. A lot of the books are only loosely related to each other, with various different authors, but my favourites are Crossroads and Heads or Tails.
Lastly, the DOOM books. Yes, the books written to follow the plotline of the original DOOM and DOOM II games. I believe they were marketed as a "Space Opera", whatever the hell that means, but the first two are excellent. The third is alright, and the fourth starts going entirely off the rails in terms of metaphysicality. Is that a word? It is now. Metaphysical in and of itself describes a lot of the later plot fairly well, and some of the early bits. They did a surprisingly good job filling in characters aside from just The Doom Guy (Cpl. Flynn Taggart, now), and still has one of my favourite fictional female leads (PFC Arlene Sanders). Not the DOOM3 novelization - Knee Deep In The Dead, Hell on Earth, Infernal Sky, and End Game.
The following suggestions are fantasy based.
If you like Jim Butcher, I 'highly' suggest Steven Brust. His books came first, are very different, but have some similarities, and are wonderful wonderful books in one of the most imaginative and interesting worlds.
Also Ben Aaronovitch, Raymond E Feist, Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, Emma Bull, and Piers Anthony.
Those are the ones that come off the top of my head. Some of my favorite books are from them.
If you like Jim Butcher, I 'highly' suggest Steven Brust. His books came first, are very different, but have some similarities, and are wonderful wonderful books in one of the most imaginative and interesting worlds.
Also Ben Aaronovitch, Raymond E Feist, Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, Emma Bull, and Piers Anthony.
Those are the ones that come off the top of my head. Some of my favorite books are from them.