Good fantasy (or sci-fi) books?

[bad peanut]

Any of the Dune books by Frank Herbert are good. And the books his son wrote that are set before and after the originals are pretty good too, some people hate them though.

 

[ExodusinFlames]

I'm sure someone has mentionned these, but I can't be bothered to peruse 4 pages-
The Sword of Shannara, Heritage of Shannara, The Word and Void, Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, High Druid of Shannara and finally Armageddon's Children all by Terry Brooks.

Sword of Truth - Terry Goodkind
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn - Tad Williams
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Can't remember the author
The Belgariad, the Mallorean, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the Sorceress, The Redemption of Althalus, the Elenium and the Tamuli - All by David Eddings

 

[jacobschndr]

I can't remember the name of this short novel I read one time, so this might sound stupid cause I can't remember what it was called, but it was about a galaxy archeologist(that is a forensic researcher of archeology for the entire galaxy) set in the distant future. He asked to investigate a mystery on a far off world that never sees nighttime for one thing becasue it orbits three suns therefore is constant daylight world wide year round, where the inhabitants discovered ruins dating back 10,000 years old and beneath those ruins are more ruins even older, by another 10,000 years exactly.

So the novel mostly about him finding out why these ruins are spaced apart every 10,000 years and trys to predict when the next big destruction will be. It's good and I would recommend it, if i could remember what its called. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

 

[bad peanut]

I can't remember the name of this short novel I read one time, so this might sound stupid cause I can't remember what it was called, but it was about a galaxy archeologist(that is a forensic researcher of archeology for the entire galaxy) set in the distant future. He asked to investigate a mystery on a far off world that never sees nighttime for one thing becasue it orbits three suns therefore is constant daylight world wide year round, where the inhabitants discovered ruins dating back 10,000 years old and beneath those ruins are more ruins even older, by another 10,000 years exactly.

So the novel mostly about him finding out why these ruins are spaced apart every 10,000 years and trys to predict when the next big destruction will be. It's good and I would recommend it, if i could remember what its called. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

I know that book you're talking about. It ever so vaguely rings a bell. I will rack my brain and try to remember it. I'd like to read it again

 

[Ceefax]

Sci-Fi:

Night's Dawn Trilogy (Peter F Hamilton)
Void Trilogy (Peter F Hamilton)
Time's Odyssey Series (Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter)
Rama Series (Arthur C Clarke)

Arthur C Clarke's book i find immense for the sheer realistic predictions of possible future technology's etc and Hamilton's are just immense stories. Night's Dawn Trilogy is probably my favourite story line/plot in sheer scale.


If you've read Hitchikers you have to read the Dirk Gently books........

 

[jacobschndr]

For Sci-fi, look no farther then the Ender series by Orson Scott Card. Best sci-fi series ever, and the first book, Ender's Game, still ranks as my favorite book of all time.

They should make movies of those books like they did with "Dune".

 

[jacobschndr]

I can't remember the name of this short novel I read one time, so this might sound stupid cause I can't remember what it was called, but it was about a galaxy archeologist(that is a forensic researcher of archeology for the entire galaxy) set in the distant future. He asked to investigate a mystery on a far off world that never sees nighttime for one thing becasue it orbits three suns therefore is constant daylight world wide year round, where the inhabitants discovered ruins dating back 10,000 years old and beneath those ruins are more ruins even older, by another 10,000 years exactly.

So the novel mostly about him finding out why these ruins are spaced apart every 10,000 years and trys to predict when the next big destruction will be. It's good and I would recommend it, if i could remember what its called. If anyone has any ideas let me know.

I know that book you're talking about. It ever so vaguely rings a bell. I will rack my brain and try to remember it. I'd like to read it again

Cool, let me know what it is alrite? It's killing me that I can't remember that name. I would appreciate it.

 

[Magical Hans]

You should check out Raymond E Feists works they are pretty brilliant,
try starting with his book "Magician". Its pretty easy to pick up.

And if you're considering starting on taking up "A Song of Ice and Fire", try starting with the second or third book and then working your way through the series.
I say this because whenever i tried getting my friends into "A Song of Ice and Fire" by making them read the First book, they felt it was too uneventful. However they never realized that the scene was just being set for the rest of the books.
Such wonderfully dark and 'things cant possibly get worse' books : ]



Winter is Coming

 

[Sphinx86]

I'm sure someone has mentionned these, but I can't be bothered to peruse 4 pages-
The Sword of Shannara, Heritage of Shannara, The Word and Void, Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, High Druid of Shannara and finally Armageddon's Children all by Terry Brooks.

Sword of Truth - Terry Goodkind
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn - Tad Williams
The Belgariad, the Mallorean, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the Sorceress, The Redemption of Althalus, the Elenium and the Tamuli - All by David Eddings

All these plus:
Terry Prachett's Discworld - not that it hasnt been said already lol.
Brent Weeks' The Night Angel Trilogy - kudos to the one other person whos already mentioned this awesome series
Stan Nichols' Orcs Trilogy - different take on the old stereotypes
Isobelle Carmody's The Obernewton Chronicles - starts out slightly childish buts grows more mature
David Gemmel - just anything he's written

EDIT:
Also R.A. Salvatore - based on D&D, very epic battle sequences while still dealing with moral issues - non-preachy (so-far)

 

[ThreeWords]

Anything by David Gemmell, Terry Pratchet, Isaac Asimov, or Arthur C Clark will be well worth reading

Also, Hitchhikers guide trilogy/pentology, and the Dune series

 

[Susurrus]

Kudos to the guy who mentioned "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents". Amazing book.

Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett between them are probably two of the best fantasy authors ever, Robert Jordan for epic fantasy, Pratchett for insightful humour and satire. Jordan's series is currently at roughly 11000 pages though, at the least, and is due for another installement soon (even though he's dead), so that's hardly for the casual reader. However, if you can put up with what (I THINK) is tounge in cheek sexism, then Robert Jordan's Conan the Barbarian stories are mostly relatively short, and are also excellent.



Dorian Gray is an amazing book. As is Dracula. But those are more horror than fantasy.

 

[TheBlackKnight]

I enjoyed the first two books of the Hyperion Cantos.
A bit short and written in the 50ies, but a good read non the less is The Stars My Destination / Tiger! Tiger! by Alfred Bester.

Clockwork Orange and Fahrenheit 451 are also really good books.

 

[Anoos]

Stephen Erikson's Malazan books. Very complex, very awesome though prepare to be confused while you figure out what is happening and who all the randoms are. (also there are like 10 books in the series, last one coming out soon so the series is pretty long. the intersecting story lines are worth it though)

 

[Anoos]

'Dune' by Frank Herbert is a vital sci-fi read. I didn't progress beyond the first one because I heard it gets a bit odd, but they are on my to-read list.

They do get kinda weird but they are very good. God emperor took me a while, its a little dry in places

 

[Anoos]

- The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (trilogy) by Stephen R. Donaldson. A very original story I think. Very colorfully written, with fresh characters and epic happenings.

complete with the main character raping a girl who saved his life
it was all right, didnt get through the whole series though

 

[jh322]

sword of truth series. absolutely fantastic from start to finish. the preachy thing that people complain about is a little silly...it's there but it doesn't detract from the story at all. Just makes Richard even more of a badass.

 

[Abedeus]

Also R.A. Salvatore - based on D&D, very epic battle sequences while still dealing with moral issues - non-preachy (so-far)

Gaaah. No, no. While I do like his books, Drizzt is so GOD DAMN BORING... Oh no, I'm a drow with a morality complex, I want to be unique, slash slash slash. If you want DnD books (or precisely, Forgotten Realms...), get Elaine Cunningham. She has awesome books, both with Drows and normal heroes.

Or just War of the Spider Queen. The most awesomest non-Pratchett series I've ever read.

 

[Xaryn Mar]

Sci-fi: Dune (and the series).

Fantasy: Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelaszny (sp?)
and one that hasn't been mentioned yet: The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickmann. it is seven books relatively easy read.

 

[evilives34]

ok,

Ringworld by Larry Niven
Homcoming series/Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card
Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained(they go together) by Peter F Hamilton

edit the Hamilton books total about 1300 pages put together, so it a long read