Good fantasy (or sci-fi) books?

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Does zombie fiction count? "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War" by Max Brooks is a good read. Same guy that did the "Zombie Survival Guide", but it's much more serious...not as tongue-in-cheek. The whole thing is told through interviews with imaginary folks that experienced the war firsthand.

Simon Clark's "Blood Crazy"...well, I don't know if it counts as zombie fiction or not, but it's close. Summary is...well, everyone over a certain age goes insane and starts killing the young. Think...Lord of the Flies meets 28 Days Later.

 

[szs0061]

I'll join the Terry Pratchett crowd. You should read that.

As for science fiction I guess I would say Frank Herberts Dune series (Mostly the first ones or at least just the ones written by the man himself).

Other than that I greatly enjoyed Alastair Reynolds Revalation Space series. If you're into a bit of space opera and some musings about our future you should check them out. The whole transhumanism theme is pretty interesting.

Joe Haldemans The Forever War is also very much worth a read.

I also noticed a mention of The Sword of Truth. It's worth reading, no doubt, but as mentioned it does get really really preachy at times. Probably worst in Faith of the Fallen. I guess Ayn Rand did not live for nothing.

the sword of truth starts out pretty good but i got half-way through pillars of creation and just couldnt keep going and at times it seems to get way to excited about sex and it comes off kinda immature

 

[Kpt._Rob]

Simon R. Green's Something from the Nightside series is fantastic. It's urban fantasy, but to simply call it that would be such a horrendous understatement. It is the most eclectic series I've ever read, add to the Urban Fantasy element a noir plot, a lot of intensity, and a mishmash of various mythologies and theologies thrown into one bizarrely twisted world, so unique that nothing I've ever read can compare. It is the most fun you will ever have reading, every time a new book in the series comes out, I immediately buy it, and then have to pace myself so that I don't read it all in one sitting. Seriously, you won't regret it.

 

[szs0061]

i personally love the wheel of time series by james oliver rigney(robert jordan) that will keep you occupied for a long time and if you like them then brent weeks sure did rip off most of his night angel trilogy also i am a fan of robert a heinlein

I actually tried to read them, but after half the first book, it got so terribly frustrating that I couldn't take any more. Not to say it's a bad book, just that my tiny rain can't handle that kind of complex, yet genius writing. When my English vocabulary and my patience gets better, I may start again, but for now, I'll put it on the shelf (no pun intended). It's sad though that the last book won't be written by him.

yes the first book isnt to terribly exciting but after that one he changes the tone changes dramatically and the series starts to get much better

I find the other way...the first books are great then half way the series starts to lose steam and getting dull...and when it starts to pick up....the writer dies.

i know what you mean and i agree but i just think it didnt get good until the second book

 

[Fightgarr]

I'm going to parrot what I've said in every other thread of a similar nature. Pretty much anything by Patricia A. McKillip is solid gold. Curse of the Chalion by Louis McMaster Bujold is also very well told.
I can't say enough about McKillip though. Its the most unique and best-written fantasy I've ever read.

 

[Slackenerny]

A Game of Thrones is a complex and dark work, but while it is an exceptional novel, it sounds like it may be a little heavy for you. It's thematically similar to the '12 Caesars' and is not your standard 'hero' style fantasy novel.

Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card) is a fantastic soft sci-fi story that I would recommend to anyone.

Magiacian (and subsequent novels) by Raymond E. Fiest and 'Daughter of the Empire' by Raymond E. Fiest and Janny Wurts are wonderful fantasy novels that I have returned to many times over the years.

Try 'Snow Crash' or 'The Diamond Age' by Neal Stephenson for excellent examples of the cyberpunk genre. These are both great reads and are more accessible than the more intense 'Neuromancer' by Willian Gibson (the seminal early work in the genre).

Other good fantasy books are 'Assasins's Apprentice' by Robin Hobb, and the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett for some very light frivolity.

I'd avoid the 'The Wheel of Time' series. The first book is excellent, but less happens in each progressive book until it takes 1000 pages for a character to pull her braid and snap at someone. Then the author died without finishing the series (after 11+ books...).

 

[Mewick_Alex]

Simon R. Green's Something from the Nightside series is fantastic. It's urban fantasy, but to simply call it that would be such a horrendous understatement. It is the most eclectic series I've ever read, add to the Urban Fantasy element a noir plot, a lot of intensity, and a mishmash of various mythologies and theologies thrown into one bizarrely twisted world, so unique that nothing I've ever read can compare. It is the most fun you will ever have reading, every time a new book in the series comes out, I immediately buy it, and then have to pace myself so that I don't read it all in one sitting. Seriously, you won't regret it.

I'm reading those right now! Hugely impressed so far, only at book 4 so far but I've got 5 and 6 on order. I was advised to read them when a friend noticed I was reading Jim Bitcher's Dresden Files. The storytelling is similar but their both brilliant in different ways.

 

[Baneat]

I-robot or just asimov's stories (they're difficult though)
Do androids dream of electric sheep?

 

[CyberGenesis]

Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series is damn good, couldn't put them down, or anything by Terry Pratchett.

Oh, and the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny - alternate reality/multiple universe storytelling at its very best.

I prefer the Dresden Files series over his Codex books, actually. Codex just seemed slower to me.

Also: 'Gentlemen Bastard Sequence' by Scott Lynch. Only stands at 2 books, 3rd one was delayed for unannounced reasons . It's like Ocean's Eleven meets any Fantasy Genre. Interesting concept, lots of character detail.

 

[pantallica95]

i like the dark tower books. no, i LOVE the dark tower books. its scifi and fantasy. plus its long as fuck so itll keep u entertained for a while.

 

[wolfshrimp]

Fantasy:
Steven Erikson- Malazan Book of the Fallen series (huge but wonderfully written epic fantasy)
Stephen R Donaldson- The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (awesome trilogy)
Tom Lloyd- The Twilight Reign Series
Anything by Terry Pratchett
Raymond E. Feist is also pretty good for the early style fantasy stuff

Science Fiction
Most books by Ian M Banks, try "The Player of Games" or "Against a Dark Background" or "Feersum Endjinn"
Alastair Reynolds- The Revelation Space series
Douglas Hill- The Last Legionary Quintet (weirdass oldschool scifi of premium grade)
Eric Nylund- Signal to Noise (cyberpunk stuff)

That's just what skims my head now. I can probably grab a few more later once my neurones align.

 

[ita6cgr]

Hey, I'll go along with the Pratchett recommendations (got a full bookcase just for them-epic win). Also I have just started reading the Saga of the Seven suns. More sci-fi then fantasy but I've read the first two (hidden empire and forest of the starts - Kevin J. Anderson) well worth a look.

 

[llewgriff]

try 'the once and future king' it's about King Arthur as he grows up and becomes king. Loved it.

 

[The Sorrow]

Discworld.
Song of Ice and Fire.
I am Legend.
Also recommend the graphic novels Preacher and Transmetropolitan.

 

[Mewick_Alex]

Discworld.
Song of Ice and Fire.
I am Legend.
Also recommend the graphic novels Preacher and Transmetropolitan.

I Am Legend is a great book, a fairly hard read as there's only really one character for the most part, so there's not much dialogue. Also it's nothing like the film, which i'd say is a good thing.

If we're talking graphic novels as well then i'd recommend Y: The Last Man. A truly brilliant writer, and they gave it a satisfying ending which i really wasn't expecting.

 

[Signa]

Anything by Timothy Zahn. He did some Star Wars sequels that were amazing, and then his "Conquerors" series was amazing. I also read his "cobra" series and enjoyed it.

Edit: I normally don't recommend Star Wars books because I just get a HUGE fan-fic vibe from them, but Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command all felt like true sequels. In fact, characters and vehicles from those books made it into the Tie Fighter game. They are practically canon.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

The a song of Ice and Fire series is absolutely fantastic but can feel quite political. Only thing thats bad is waiting for the next one which has been delayed for like two years. Get off your backside you lazy bastard!!!!!!!!
I would also recomend anything by Terry Brooks, especially Elfstones of Shannara, Books by Robin Hobb and the Eisenhorn omnibus by Dan Abnett and the Space Wolf omnibus by Ben Couter. I could go on and on for ages because my small library of books is all scifi fantasyand its all amazing. One book that you should definately avoid though is orcs. It was so bad i threw up. Also, try the night angel trilogy by Brent Weeks and the Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z Martin and the Godspeaker Trilogy by Karen Miller (i think thats the auther but i'm not sure. Same one who wrote the kingmaker, kingbreaker books, also worth reading)

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

Actually, loads of the books from the black library are really good, just avoid gbortrek and felix and descent of angels and yopu should be fine

 

[dontworryaboutit]

The "Dirk Gently" books.
Written by Douglas Adams, the writer of all "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" books.

Also; The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Even more also; all "Harry Potter" books and "The Hobbit".

This stuff. Also Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. If you've seen the film Blade Runner, that book is what it's based off of.

 

[mplummer]

Most seem to have been said... A song of ice and fire, LOTR, Wheel of Time, Discworld, Night watch trilogy (fantasy? not sure... maybe horror? some hybrid anyway) Sword of Shannarah (Sp? was okay, not as good as the others...).

By the way, whats the farseer trilogy like? i've noticed it around alot but never actually got round to buying it... worth it? and are there any i've missed which can compare to the likes of ASoIaF and WoT???