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

[Smertnik]

I noticed recently that for someone who enjoys reading I haven't read that many books up until now. I used to borrow random stuff way back when I still had a valid library card which happened to be mostly satire or humorous fantasy (e.g. Pratchett) but as far as "serious" literature goes I have hardly any idea where to start and most probably missed out on a lot of great works up until now. So I wondered if you could help me to change that.

Basically I'm looking for relatively serious works with a lot of character development, preferably fantasy set in the present (something akin to Sergey Lukyanenko's Night Watch or Neil Gaiman's works) or loosely connected to it (like Dark Tower). Medieval fantasy would do as well in theory as long as it's not the cheesy kind (I enjoyed Andrzey Sapkowski's Witcher and Hussite series, for instance).

I'm also looking for sci-fi as long as it's not too "sciency" and doesn't focus on extraterrestrial life or space travel (I loved Ender's Game, for instance, but the later books got too weird for my taste with all the aliens and "cloning"). And I'd like to get into cyberpunk if possible, the closest thing I ever read to the genre (and probably the only thing) was Mardock Scramble, though.

As far as books relevant to the discussion go you can mostly safely assume that I haven't read anything from writers I didn't mention and likewise that I've read everything of interest from writers I did mention.

 

[Coppernerves]

Fantasy in the present? Check out The Dresden Files.

They're about a wizard, who in attempts to protect people, constantly punches higher and higher above his weight, against just about every kind of being found in urban fantasy.

(Vampires, Werewolves, Demons, Warlocks, Ghosts, Ghosts of Demons, Necromancers, Ghosts of Necromancers, The Fae, you know, the usual.)

They're written first person, and seem to have kind of a "film noir" feel sometimes.

Also I'd like to suggest the Laundry Files, which are about a civil service computer nerd who's job is usually IT support, but in the books is sent to do fieldwork, and since his department/agency is The Laundry, things get... Lovecraftian.

My next recommendation is This Book Is Full of Spiders, in which, completely by accident, the two main characters start a Zombie Outbreak, and make things worse.

 

[Sixcess]

If you're interested in the cyberpunk genre then I highly recommend William Gibson's first three novels - Neuromancer, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive. Written in the 80s, they're a loosely connected trilogy that more or less invented the genre, and they're very good.

 

[Hoplon]

More in the specfic/sci fi genra, Neil Stephenson's Snow crash, The Diamond Age and Cryptonomicron for starters. Iain Banks' Culture novels starting with Consider Phebas.

Fanstasy novels, go for the first Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.

 

[Realitycrash]

I'm also looking for sci-fi as long as it's not too "sciency" and doesn't focus on extraterrestrial life or space travel (I loved Ender's Game, for instance, but the later books got too weird for my taste with all the aliens and "cloning"). And I'd like to get into cyberpunk if possible, the closest thing I ever read to the genre (and probably the only thing) was Mardock Scramble, though.

You should try anything by Philip K Dick. His Sci-fi are usually analogues for current issues, but doesn't get stuck in the 'weird aliens and pew-pew laser-fights' (most of the time).

 

[janjotat]

I second the Dresden Files. ALso stormlight and wheel of time are good fantasy reads if you want a highly interesting world and developing characters. For sci-fi anything Isaac Asimov, for starters go with I-robot since its nothing like the movie.

Off topic: You've read all of Pratchett's books? Seriously? Even the ones only available in England?

 

[Smertnik]

...

I actually read up on these not too long ago and was considering getting them in the near future.

...

Incidentally, Noir, Lovecraft and zombies are among the themes I'm the least fond of but I'll look into those, thanks.

...

I remember looking up Snow Crash once and it didn't sound too interesting on the first glance. If I recall correctly some of the reviews I read mentioned the lacking characterisation and excessive usage of Sumerian culture stuff. The plot seemed rather random, too, but I may remember that wrong.

...

I never actually gave Dick a try, not sure why. Is there anything you'd recommend in particular?

I second the Dresden Files. ALso stormlight and wheel of time are good fantasy reads if you want a highly interesting world and developing characters. For sci-fi anything Isaac Asimov, for starters go with I-robot since its nothing like the movie.

Off topic: You've read all of Pratchett's books? Seriously? Even the ones only available in England?

I read a few Asimov's works a while back (I, Robot, too, I think) but I found his writing rather dry and the stories overall not that engaging.

Which novels would those be? I'm pretty sure I've read everything apart from the small stuff like the cooking book or Where's My Cow? and the collaborations (excluding Good Omens).

 

[Hoplon]

I remember looking up Snow Crash once and it didn't sound too interesting on the first glance. If I recall correctly some of the reviews I read mentioned the lacking characterisation and excessive usage of Sumerian culture stuff. The plot seemed rather random, too, but I may remember that wrong. [/quote]

Then you read things by idiots not understanding the idea. Read the book, then decide.

 

[janjotat]

snip

I haven't read them, but my sister is a fanatic. When she gets back latter today I'll ask her and tell you.

edit: she just got back its the Science of Discworld(3 books). I was wrong about only available in England they are just hard to find. There is also Eric which according to her is pretty obscure. And the two newest books Snuff and I shall wear Midnight.

 

[Toaster Hunter]

You cant go wrong with the Dresden Files. In one book the protagonist resurrects a T-rex and rides it through the streets of Chicago fighting zombies and necromancers. I can't think of anything cooler than that.

Also, by the same author, the Codex Alera series. Its Roman legions with elemental powers fighting barbarian elves, telepathic yetis, ten foot tall werewolves that practice blood magic, and parasitic zerg. The final book is a battle that makes Lord of the Rings look like a barroom brawl.

 

[Khinjarsi]

I heartily support the Dresden Files and Codex Alera. One series I'm thoroughly enjoying lately is the Split Infinity books by Piers Anthony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apprentice_Adept) - a mix of sci-fi and fantasy - two worlds connected (one more sci-fi and one more fantasy) which can be moved between.

 

[Little Woodsman]

For modern fantasy I'd *strongly* recommend the author Charles de Lint.
Most of his stories center around the idea of relatively normal people encountering
something fey/supernatural. He usually uses the setting of a college town in Canada
with a small group of friends who are mostly artists/musicians/students. If you like
anthologies then try Dreams Underfoot. For a novella, The Dreaming Place.
For a novel Jack of Kinrowan.

Not exactly in the parameters you put out, but Robert Asprin's Myth series is a lot
of fun. Starts in a semi-medieval alternate world, the protagonists travel to many
many different worlds with different levels of technology. Though if you don't like
silliness, then avoid this series (it doesn't take itself too seriously).

 

[Realitycrash]

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.

 

[Thoughtful_Salt]

Check out the Deathstalker series, it was pretty epic when I read it

 

[thesilentman]

I would just throw the link to Urban Fantasy and let you loose, but I'm not interested in someone getting trapped in there. I seem to be immune to it, but not most of everyone else.

[sub]That being said... [link]http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UrbanFantasy[/link][/sub]

For modern fantasy, I'd recommend the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane. Basically wizards in the present using magic that functions similar to alchemy from Full Metal Alchemist.

For science-fiction, I'd recommend anything by Issac Asimov. Start with the short stories, then read his novels.

That's all I can recommend

 

[Vhite]

If you want sci-fi you cannot miss on Ender's Game. Sequels are optional but still worth reading.

1984 and Starship Troopers are both great although they are more focused on politics and sci-fi setting is there just to make interesting forms of government work.

Lord of Light is my personal favorite. Its set in unknown future on planet colonized by humans where small group of people holds all the technological power they brought from Earth and they set this techno/theocracy based on Hindu religion. They've got god-like powers and even created system of reincarnation and karma among regular people who live in dark age because every new invention is suppressed. This irritates one person who used to be one of them and so he decides to fight them by spreading Budhism and killing the 'gods'.
Also if you like irony, only living christian there is basicly something like Lich King. Having hindu-god-like powers, he commands armies of undead because he is pissed of this Hindu and Budhism bullshit and no one else wants to join him. Also god of death there, who is basicly unbeatable fighter with any weapon, is also a greatest nerd, being responsible for the most of the technological superpowers.

 

[The_Great_Galendo]

For science fiction, I'd recommend Dune (the first one only; the others got weird) and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Both are classics of the genre, quite good, and available for free in most libraries. Both are strongly recommended, and any sci-fi fan should read them.

Or if you need a fix right this very instant, I believe the Chronicles of the Lensmen series is in the public domain and downloadable for free. It's an older series, so it has some quirks (the two that got to me most are that one, it's pretty darn sexist, and two, this super high-tech society has basically no computers). It's only recommended conditionally, but given the time period and the price, it's not bad. A caveat, though: there's a lot of alien life and space travel, so if that's not your thing, you may not like it very much. It's not at all like Speaker for the Dead or Children of the Mind, however.

 

[Mister K]

Maybe you should read Phillip K. Dick's "Bladerunner". Unlike movie, the novel is quite digestable.
Also, his "Ubik" is quite enjoyable.

 

[anian]

I'd maybe recommend China Mieville's Perdido Street Station (which is btw a rather long book) or maybe something shorter like City and the city. C&tC combines noirish detective story with the concept of a city dimensionally separated into 2 cities which occupy the same place and time (sort off).
The atmosphere, the plot and characters is actually very much like in an anime movie (like Paprika, Ghost in a shell etc.) - crime, weird world, action gets over the top a bit in the end and the bad guy is somebody you don't really expect it to be or could really have guessed.
Perdido is an urban fantasy/steampunk and Cities is a thriller with a fantasy element.

I remember looking up Snow Crash once and it didn't sound too interesting on the first glance. If I recall correctly some of the reviews I read mentioned the lacking characterisation and excessive usage of Sumerian culture stuff. The plot seemed rather random, too, but I may remember that wrong.

Then you read things by idiots not understanding the idea. Read the book, then decide.

Well I certainly wouldn't say it had "excessive usage of Sumerian culture stuff"...I don't know what that even means, what's excessive for a Sumerian culture references?

But the novel overall was a tad disappointing. While Snow Crash did offer a lot of cool/trashy/cyberpunk ideas and society aspects concerning technologies and there was some cool funny scenes like a guy riding an atomic bomb (and some other stuff but I don't want to spoil the ending), then there's also the fact that the main character is a pizza delivery ninja hacker who works for the mob...it's basically a 90s action sf movie with the biggest budget ever.

I'm don't think it was a waste of time, there is something in Crash, but I was a tad disappointed by the lack of depth. It definitely doesn't take itself seriously, so it might not be what you are looking for.

 

[Vhite]

Also, his "Ubik" is quite enjoyable.

I hated UBIK but Im not entirely sure why. I guess it got too confusing and wierd for me near the end but it had some good parts.