Looking for books (modern fantasy, sci-fi/cyberpunk)

[kurupt87]

Iain M Banks' Culture series. All set within the same universe, not really linked together though. So, it doesn't really matter which order you read them in. Player of Games is the normal recommendation as a first book though; it gives a good big picture introduction to the universe. It was also inspired by the author playing Sid Meier's Civ series, which is a good reason to give it a look since we're on a gaming site.

My second normal recommendation for Sci Fi would be Peter F Hamilton, he has three trilogies that are well worth the read (Nights Dawn, Commonwealth Saga and the Void Trilogy).

The Dresden Files and the Temeraire series (called something else in Yankland), by Jim Butcher and Naomi Novik respectively, are great fun but are very much Young Adult books. As is the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud, but it's bloody brilliant.

There are two others that I would recommend, but I can't remember title or author. I'll edit it in when/if I can track them down (trouble with actual books, they're not listed on my kindle)

Edit: Found them.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.

The Passage by Justin Cronin, which has a recently released second part.

 

[Falien]

For fantasy, I have yet to find something as enjoyable as David Eddings' Belgariad and Elenium series (along with their sequels, Malloreon and Tamuli respectively). The fantasy setting is quite detailed without going to extreme details, the characters are diverse and well-written and the journeys are both enjoyable. If you enjoy fantasy but find most offerings too "stuffy", these are for you.

For sci-fi, I add my voice to people who recommend Frank Herbert's Dune (and indeed, just read the first book, the sequels from Dune Messiah onwards were increasingly harder to comprehend, much less enjoy). I recently read Ernest Cline's Ready Player One which was both an excellent book and a great 80's nostalgia trip. If you like "hard" sci-fi, I'd recommend Arthur Clarke and Stephen Baxter as authors that deserve to be read. Although they both have several series worth reading, I particularly liked their more recent collaboration novel The Light Of Other Days; I'd also recommend Arthur Clarke's The Songs Of Distant Earth and Stephen Baxter's short story collection Phase Space, which can also serve as an introduction to his Manifold series (I found the short story "The FUBAR Suit" particularly interesting).

Other than that, if you like authors with a unique voice, I recommend reading Michael Marshall-Smith's books, especially Only Forward and the short story collection What You Make It. Both of them feature a successful blend of unique humour, fantastic ideas and some well-done horror. His short story "Hell Hath Enlarged Herself" still echoes strongly in my head.

PS: Oh and yes, Phillip K. Dick is one author who, in my opinion, has never written a weak book. If you would like an introduction to his perceptive but pessimistic blend of sci-fi, I recommend the short-story collection Human Is... which features several stories later adapted into films.

 

[chipshop hendrix]

registered here just to recommend the "mortal engines" quartet by philip reeve. they may be young adults books but in my humble they are the finest realised steampunk.

but here is a challenge...google the first sentence of the first book (mortal engines) if you are not instantly hooked...well...

ETA - jasper fforde is well spoken of by pratchet fans...i've never read any though

 

[M K Ultra]

Glen Cook's The Black Company [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Company] series might be something you'd like. It follows the exploits of a 400 year old mercenary company as they fight for who ever pays, be it the evil empire or the rebellion.

Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fafhrd_and_the_Gray_Mouser] stories are quite good.

 

[Discon]

The Painted Man (The Warded Man in the US) by Peter V. Brett is a fantasy book i thoroughly enjoyed. Demons rise from the mist every night, and people live in fear behind "wards". It starts out as a classic "farm boy saves the world" but very quickly changes into something infinitely more interesting.

 

[Professor Lupin Madblood]

The Dresden Files and the Temeraire series (called something else in Yankland), by Jim Butcher and Naomi Novik respectively, are great fun but are very much Young Adult books. As is the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud, but it's bloody brilliant.

I don't know what definition you have for "young adult" literature where you live, but The Dresden Files are most definitely not it. They're great books, but hardly YA.

Seconding the Bartimaeus Trilogy, though. Such magnificent books.

OT:

Honestly, anything by Jonathan Stroud is solid gold, regardless of genre, though Heroes of the Valley and Buried Fire are, to my knowledge, his best examples of medieval and modern fantasy, respectively. He's a YA author, but damned good.

Seconding Dune. It was Game of Thrones before Games of Thrones was cool.

For my own personal recommendations, Ben Bova's Titan is great sci-fi. It's technically about space travel, but because it's travel via space station, it doesn't really count. The human element is the most prevalent thing about it, and the setting is very unique and lends itself well to the stuff that happens.

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Dune by Frank Herbert : Arakkis, Dune, desert planet, the only place in the universe where the spice can be found, and the spice must flow. Great houses vie for control of this most precious of resources. Meanwhile out in deep desert an ancient prophecy is about to be fulfilled and a storm is brewing that will shake the universe to it's very core.

The Time Travellers Wife[footnote]This one is a bit of a Marmite book, you will either love it or hate it[/footnote] by Audrey Niffenegger : Henry suffers from a genetic defect that causes him to involuntarily travel along his own timeline. Henry meats his wife Claire in a library for the first time when he is 28. Claire is 20, however she has known Henry most of her life.

 

[Fractral]

Going to add my vote for the culture series, just be careful because some of them are rather hit and miss. Personally I think that Surface Detail is the best one, but I'd avoid Matter, because it is so damn boring, and Use of Weapons, because it is confusing as hell for the sake of being confusing as hell. One reviewer said 'there is a good novel in there, waiting to be let out.' Put simply, the layout ruined it.
Other than that, I'd recommend my personal favorite book, Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds. It's about the crew of a very near future spaceship who catch comets and pull them back to earth to be mined, who are captured and taken to a sort of alien zoo. I love it because it has the best relationship dynamic I have ever seen in a novel, between the two female lead characters.

 

[Shock and Awe]

While it may be Medieval Fantasy you should definitely check out the "A Song of Fire and Ice" series (better known as Game of Thrones). Its absolutely fantastic and this is coming from someone who doesn't typically go for fantasy. I'd also recommend anything by Robert Heinlein, especially Starship Troopers.

 

[Albino Boo]

If you can find it, Dr Adder by K W Jetter. It was written in 1974, decade before cyberpunk, yet it is very much a cyberpunk novel. As as been mentioned else where the Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson is the best cyberpunk there is and it also has the advantage of if read those books you have pretty much read all his works. Gibson later works tend towards having the same basic plot but set it closer and closer to the real world. If you are looking for something Gaimanish, try Tim Powers.

Snip

Well, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is considered a classic, and is the inspiration (partly, the other part being Neuromancer) for Blade Runner.

That would be a neat trick, seeing blade runner came out in 1982, two years before necromancer.

 

[Joey Bolzenius]

The Passage and its sequel The Twelve by Justin Cronin

 

[Sigma Castell]

If you're looking for fantasy, try [i/]The Name of the Wind[/i], and it's sequel, [i/]The Wise Man's Fear[/i]. They're the first two books in a series, and I think the next one is coming out sometime this year. They have an interestingly original take on magic, and personally I couldn't put them down.

As far as science fiction goes, try anything by Peter F. Hamilton, particularly the Commonwealth Saga, which starts with [i/]Pandora's Star[/i] and ends with [i/]The Evolutionary Void[/i]. Although they can go a bit in depth as far as the in-universe technology is concerned, they are definitely worth reading.

I hope you find this helpful

 

[mlbslugger06]

I'd recommend Ilium and Olympos by Dan Simmons. It deals with Sci-fi Greek gods and futuristic tech. I don't think I could adequately sum them up.

But if you want a lighter read, pick up the Mortal Engines Quartet by Phillip Reeve. Post-apocalyptic world where cities are put on large caterpillar tracks to travel across the barren earth eating other cities.

 

[Realitycrash]

If you can find it, Dr Adder by K W Jetter. It was written in 1974, decade before cyberpunk, yet it is very much a cyberpunk novel. As as been mentioned else where the Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson is the best cyberpunk there is and it also has the advantage of if read those books you have pretty much read all his works. Gibson later works tend towards having the same basic plot but set it closer and closer to the real world. If you are looking for something Gaimanish, try Tim Powers.

Snip

Well, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is considered a classic, and is the inspiration (partly, the other part being Neuromancer) for Blade Runner.

That would be a neat trick, seeing blade runner came out in 1982, two years before necromancer.

Actually, you're right. I got a quote from Gibbard wrong when I first read it.

..And Necromancer? Heh.

 

[busterkeatonrules]

registered here just to recommend the "mortal engines" quartet by philip reeve. they may be young adults books but in my humble they are the finest realised steampunk.

but here is a challenge...google the first sentence of the first book (mortal engines) if you are not instantly hooked...well...

ETA - jasper fforde is well spoken of by pratchet fans...i've never read any though

Seconding recommendation of "Mortal Engines", based on what I have read of it so far (about half of the first line, as per chipshop hendrix's advice.)

As for Jasper Fforde: His Friday Next stories (yup, that's the name of the protagonist) are practically made of references to classic literature, but if you're prepared to put up with this, they are gloriously surreal and insanely funny.

Oh, and if you like steampunk: Definitely try and hunt down a copy of "Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium", by Robert Rodgers!

 

[Bob Thenecromancer]

Retribution Falls sci fi/steampunk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Retribution-Falls-Tales-Ketty-Tale/dp/178062056X

Reckless fantasy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reckless_%28Funke_novel%29

Going Bovine its not fantasy or sci fi but you should still reed it http://www.amazon.com/Going-Bovine-Libba-Bray/dp/0385733984

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Can't help you with modern fantasy, I don't think I've ever read such a book. I can help you with Sci-Fi and some fantasy though. Be warned that some of these books can be pretty esoteric, like most of Philip K Dick's books, which are usually about drugs and subversion of reality. Most of the Sci-Fi books I read are more concerned with idea's than with characters, as that is the most classical school of science fiction. So if that's your thing, give it a look.

This Perfect Day
Brave New World
1984
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The Man in the High Castle
Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said
A Scanner Darkly
Various Philip K Dick short stories, like paycheck
Cloud Atlas - Has some science fiction in it, but is not entirely comprised thereof
Starship Troopers
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Stranger in a Strange Land
Fahrenheit 451
The Martian Chronicles
Various Ray Bradbury short stories, like The Illustrated Man
The Time Machine
Prelude to Foundation
Forward the Foundation
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation
Foundation's Edge
Foundation and Earth
I, Robot.
The Caves of Steel
The Naked Sun
The Robots of Dawn
Robots and Empire
The Forever War
Player Piano
The Space Merchants
Roadside Picnic
War of the Worlds
Childhood's End
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
A Clockwork Orange
Flowers for Algernon
The Invisible Man
I Am Legend
Anthem
Guns of the South
Nightfall

Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
A Dance with Dragons
The Silmarillion
Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
Return of the King
The Hobbit
Into the Darkness
Darkness Descending
Through the Darkness
Rulers of the Darkness
Jaws of Darkness
Out of the Darkness

 

[Lovesfool]

Short version: Go for the classics. Dick, Asimov (especially the Foundation series), Clarke (Rama is my favorite), Bradbury, Herbert (Dune Series), or look at the annual Hugo and Nebula awards and pick from there.

Long version: Read below.

Dick is a guaranteed choice, although I wouldn't go for "Ubik" or "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep". I would try something less dense and less "LSD era", but you can hardly go wrong with Dick. I'd go for "Man in the High Castle", or the "Penultimate Truth", or "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch". Mind you that Dick had a "drug" problem and it shows it most of his books. Some of them tend to become a bit "out there" from a point onwards.

An equally guaranteed choice is Asimov. If you are into space operas, then you will LOVE the Foundation series. Start with the "Foundation" book itself, which is the first, smallest and most fast paced of the series and if you like it, you can take it from there. Same goes for Herbert's "Dune" series, although I personally think that only the first book is of any worth. The follow-up books were not as good and ruined the thematic of despair and isolation of the first one.

However, both Asimov and Dick are a bit "old" (Rama form Clarke is also quite good, as is most from Bradbury). Sure, they are stacked with Hugo and Nebula awards, but if you want something a bit more modern, I would recommend the "Otherland" series by Tad Williams. It is a sci-fi commentary on internet, virtual reality, online gaming, MMOs, the future and all that stuff. It has a nice story, tech world and very innovative ideas.

Problem with the "Otherland" series is that the books are absolutely HUGE. I am talking about 5 books with over 1.000 pages each. It requires quite an investment to even go through the first one. However, if you like them, then you simply can't stop until reading all of them.

If you want something less sci-fi and more fantasy, I recently read the "Black Magician" trilogy, by Trudi Canavan. It's not as good as the first book builds it up to be, but it's quite nice. It is a mature cross of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but with a more personal aftertaste from the author.

In any case, what I usually do is look at past Hugo and Nebula award winners. It is always a matter of personal taste and I admit that some of them didn't "click" with me, but it is an easy way to locate new authors you may like, as far a sci-fi is concerned.

 

[adamsaccount]

Just about my favourite sci fi book is Stranger in a strange land. I know you said you didnt want aliens/spacetravel, but this is set 99% on earth, doesnt go into much detail about the aliens and is really worth a read imo. Its about a human child raised on mars and then brought to earth. The author is Robert Heinlein, the same guy that wrote starship troopers.

 

[Albino Boo]

[

Actually, you're right. I got a quote from Gibbard wrong when I first read it.

..And Necromancer? Heh.

Its Neuromancer with added zombies. Actually given the whole Voodoo theme Gibson could have been a billionaire if he had added cyberzombies