recomend a good fantasy/sci-fi/steampunk book series

[jaffrosheep]

before you say that this has been done to death YES i know

anyways im going on holiday in a couple of days and i need some books to stave off the boredom so im asking you escapist if you can recomend me any good book series in the genre of fantasy (a song of ice and fire,the kingkiller Chronicles) sci-fi (cant think of anything at the moment) or steampunk (boneshaker) thanks

 

[Kahunaburger]

China Mieville's Bas-Lag books are all of those things.

 

[DoPo]

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It's actually urban fantasy but I like it a lot. It's about Harry Dresden - wizard in Chicago. Has a private business and all that - he's the only one in the yellow pages under "wizard".

 

[Hoplon]

The Culture Novels by Iain M Banks starting with Consider Phebas. Epic sci fi.

 

[Esotera]

The Culture, as others have said. For Steampunk, I'd recommend Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds, as I generally dislike steampunk but loved this. And also House Of Suns, which is simply epic.

 

[Palfreyfish]

The Culture Novels by Iain M Banks starting with Consider Phebas. Epic sci fi.

The Culture, as others have said. For Steampunk, I'd recommend Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds, as I generally dislike steampunk but loved this. And also House Of Suns, which is simply epic.

Thirding the recommendation for the Culture novels. They're damn good Science Fiction, though I will say that it doesn't really matter which book you start with, they're all self contained.

 

[Samsa]

How about the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, or the Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson. They're both great sci-fi series. With the Sprawl trilogy leaning towards more Cyberpunk, and the Dune novels being more epic fantasy.

Don't think I have any steampunk novels though.

 

[GiglameshSoulEater]

How about the Dune novels by Frank Herbert, or the Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson. They're both great sci-fi series. With the Sprawl trilogy leaning towards more Cyberpunk, and the Dune novels being more epic fantasy.

Don't think I have any steampunk novels though.

Yes, I recently read Dune on my kindle. Good stuff, I would recommend it.

Metro 2033 is a good Russian (it is translated) sci-fi novel, set in the Moscow Metro after a nuclear war. It even inspired a series of games.

 

[spectrenihlus]

If you are not reading Girl Genius you are doing something wrong it's pretty much got everything you want I think

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/

 

[SckizoBoy]

China Mieville's Bas-Lag books are all of those things.

Yes, yes they are, and so much more. Seconded and wonders why no-one else has.

Anything by Robin Hobb (Assassins/Liveship Traders/Tawny Man, though I'm not that much a fan of the Soldier Son), Raymond E Feist (Midkemia galore), David Gemmell (Drenai/Rigante etc.)... and Dan Abnett! -_-

 

[kurupt87]

Welp, my standard recommendation to read Iain M Banks' [a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture"]Culture[/a] novels has been handily taken care of.

Other than that; [a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton"]Peter F Hamilton's[/a] Commonwealth Saga, Greg Mandel Trilogy or the Night's Dawn Trilogy are all very good. The Greg Mandel Trilogy is shorter than the other two, which are both quite hefty space opera.

A more classical recommendation would be for Julian May's [a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_of_the_Exiles"]Saga of the Exiles[/a].

Edit: They're all Sci Fi.

A steampunk recommendation, hmm, Alan Campbell's Deepgate Codex is enjoyable. I'll leave fantasy to others who know the genre better than I do.

 

[Marowit]

Alittle more cyber punk, but The Windup Girl is fabulous

 

[Old Bill Door]

Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series. Somewhere around 40 books at this point, comic fantasy setting with Wizards, Witches, Dragons, Police, Anthropomorphic Personification of Death, and plenty of humor. Good quick reads, not everyone's style sure, but I gladly recommend it.

 

[Alien Mole]

Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series. Somewhere around 40 books at this point, comic fantasy setting with Wizards, Witches, Dragons, Police, Anthropomorphic Personification of Death, and plenty of humor. Good quick reads, not everyone's style sure, but I gladly recommend it.

Very much seconded. Bloody hilarious. I use them as my feel-good reads, but they're actually really clever, too.

In the not-quite-series-but-close-enough department, most of what I've read of Neil Gaiman's work has this constant contrast going between the world of magic and the 'mundane' reality we live in, and tends to be pretty clever about this contrast too. Neverwhere, Stardust American Gods and Anansi Boys all work on that principle, and the latter two are parts of the same series. Not for everyone, and definitely tries to be thought-provoking, but there's this delightful undercurrent of satire and they're probably some of the best fantasy I've read as of late.

 

[Stegofreak]

China Mieville's Bas-Lag books are all of those things.

Yes, yes they are, and so much more. Seconded and wonders why no-one else has.

Anything by Robin Hobb (Assassins/Liveship Traders/Tawny Man, though I'm not that much a fan of the Soldier Son), Raymond E Feist (Midkemia galore), David Gemmell (Drenai/Rigante etc.)... and Dan Abnett! -_-

Terry Pratchett's Discworld Series. Somewhere around 40 books at this point, comic fantasy setting with Wizards, Witches, Dragons, Police, Anthropomorphic Personification of Death, and plenty of humor. Good quick reads, not everyone's style sure, but I gladly recommend it.

Very much seconded. Bloody hilarious. I use them as my feel-good reads, but they're actually really clever, too.

In the not-quite-series-but-close-enough department, most of what I've read of Neil Gaiman's work has this constant contrast going between the world of magic and the 'mundane' reality we live in, and tends to be pretty clever about this contrast too. Neverwhere, Stardust American Gods and Anansi Boys all work on that principle, and the latter two are parts of the same series. Not for everyone, and definitely tries to be thought-provoking, but there's this delightful undercurrent of satire and they're probably some of the best fantasy I've read as of late.

All of these suggestions are pure gold. I'd also add Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. If you remember anything about the 80s it send your nostalgia readings off the scale.

 

[Gizmo1990]

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It's actually urban fantasy but I like it a lot. It's about Harry Dresden - wizard in Chicago. Has a private business and all that - he's the only one in the yellow pages under "wizard".

This. The Dresden Files is so good. Harry is 400 different kinds of badass all rolled into one.

For fantasy the only two that spring to mind right now are:
Codex Alera by Jim Butcher- Told from the PoV of many characters, Alera is basicaly Ancient Rome except everyone has some kind of power over the elements. Some can control fire, some water, earth. Everyone has at least one of these powers and some are stronger than others (some can fly). Has battles that make The Lord of the Rings seem small.

The Night Angel Trillogy by Brent Weeks- also told from the PoV of many characters but main character is Kylar Stern an apprentice wetboy (wizard assasin, not an assasin who kills wizards, an assasin with magic powers)

 

[Gabanuka]

One of the most criminally underrated fantasy series' ever, I actually have a pact that every time I meet someone who's heard of it I buy them a drink. Plus there are 10 books in it if you count the Mallorian so it will keep you going for awhile.

 

[That Guy Ya Know]

One of the most criminally underrated fantasy series' ever, I actually have a pact that every time I meet someone who's heard of it I buy them a drink. Plus there are 10 books in it if you count the Mallorian so it will keep you going for awhile.

The Belgariad will always have a special place in my heart as the first fantasy series I ever read.

Fantasy wise I'd say give Brandon Sanderson a spin, try his Mistborn series. On the Scifi front if you haven't already Foundation, by Asimov, is worth a read.