Favorite Novels (Sci Fi, Fantasy)

[tdans]

Raymond Feist.. great writer.. another is Jim Butcher... funny but full of action..

[GloryOfThe80s]

definitely the Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett - hilarious fantasy series, love those.. so whitty and clever

EDIT: can't believe no one mentioned this before (or I've missed it lol)

[ben79]

Anthony Burgess's clockworck orange
maybe not a sci-fi but almost, a total classic

[ser stiefel]

I am no L Ron Hubbard fan in general, but I must say that Battlefield Earth was a very enjoyable read. I can't even begin to imagine what John Travolta was thinking with the movie, however. Astonishingly bad. I didn't know a movie could be that bad.

[thegreekdog]

Anthony Burgess's clockworck orange
maybe not a sci-fi but almost, a total classic

Loved the book. Never saw the movie though (please refrain from throwing things).

[Woodruff]

I am no L Ron Hubbard fan in general, but I must say that Battlefield Earth was a very enjoyable read. I can't even begin to imagine what John Travolta was thinking with the movie, however. Astonishingly bad. I didn't know a movie could be that bad.

I agree with all of this. Except to say that I'm thoroughly anti-L.Ron Hubbard...except that I find him repulsive.

[Woodruff]

I read the first couple Harry Potter books. They were okay. Kinda funny. I'll probably read the rest someday. I really don't understand the absolute devotion of some people (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for example). But, hey, some of us get like that (ahem... Spock... ahem).

I have no idea what you mean, my good sir!

he means that your obsession with your avatar-topic is affecting your mind.

What?

[ser stiefel]

Another couple of lists I will use from time to time if I am looking for a good sci fi or fantasy book to read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award_for_Best_Novel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel

[ManBungalow]

definitely the Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett - hilarious fantasy series, love those.. so whitty and clever

EDIT: can't believe no one mentioned this before (or I've missed it lol)

He's got my vote too. I'd suggest Men at Arms or Feet of Clay for the first Pratchett book you buy.

[ser stiefel]

definitely the Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett - hilarious fantasy series, love those.. so whitty and clever

EDIT: can't believe no one mentioned this before (or I've missed it lol)

He's got my vote too. I'd suggest Men at Arms or Feet of Clay for the first Pratchett book you buy.

I haven't read any Terry Pratchett yet... I will give him a try, next time I need one, I think. Have been meaning to for a long time.

[GloryOfThe80s]

I haven't read any Terry Pratchett yet... I will give him a try, next time I need one, I think. Have been meaning to for a long time.

yeah's it's a real treat those books... don't think I've read many books that made me laugh out loud like these did

[neanderpaul14]

definitely the Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett - hilarious fantasy series, love those.. so whitty and clever

EDIT: can't believe no one mentioned this before (or I've missed it lol)

He's got my vote too. I'd suggest Men at Arms or Feet of Clay for the first Pratchett book you buy.

I haven't read any Terry Pratchett yet... I will give him a try, next time I need one, I think. Have been meaning to for a long time.

I was very hesitant to read Terry Pratchett, because I didn't think comedy would mix well with fantasy, but then I got one real cheap at a tag sale once and eventually broke down and read it. It was actually a very entertaining read. Since then I have read several more and was not disappointed.

[snufkin]

Isaac Asimov

..has written a lot of junk but the foundation series and the robot novels are excellent.
he did produce more good stuff but those are the best.

Frank Herbert is also good.

[Skittles!]

You could try L. Ron Hubbards books.

[MeDeFe]

You could try L. Ron Hubbards books.

Now that guy had some great imagination, dumping souls into volcanoes, how do you come up with something like that?

[Incandenza]

Some quality reads that haven't been mentioned yet (including a few that should be on any discriminating sci-fi fan's shelf):
Neuromancer and Burning Chrome - William Gibson
The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
Accelerando - Charles Stross
Steel Beach - John Varley
The Forever War and Forever Peace - Joe Haldeman
A Song Called Youth, Silicon Embrace, and City Come a'Walkin' - John Shirley

If you're willing to venture into comics, the following are also extraordinarily well worth reading:
Transmetropolitan - Warren Ellis
The Filth - Grant Morrison

[Titanic]

Anyone read "A Gift From Earth" - Larry Niven. I've got it on my bookshelf and heard great stuff about it but just never got around to it so far.

[jonesthecurl]

Some quality reads that haven't been mentioned yet (including a few that should be on any discriminating sci-fi fan's shelf):
Neuromancer and Burning Chrome - William Gibson
The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
Accelerando - Charles Stross
Steel Beach - John Varley
The Forever War and Forever Peace - Joe Haldeman
A Song Called Youth, Silicon Embrace, and City Come a'Walkin' - John Shirley

If you're willing to venture into comics, the following are also extraordinarily well worth reading:
Transmetropolitan - Warren Ellis
The Filth - Grant Morrison

Absolutely anything by Varley.

[Nobunaga]

Books: (no particular order, really)
1. Asimov's Foundation Trilogy
2. Old Man's War by John Scalzi (great, newish author)
3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
4. Dune by Frank Herbert
5. Starship Troopers , Robert A Heinlein
6. Man in the High Castle , Phillip K. Dick
7. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman.
8. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester

... Scalzi's book, Old Man's War, is great if you're into so-called hard sci-fi / military sci-fi. Senior citizens are recruited into the military, to escape an inevitable slow and painful rundown to death in a retirement home... given new bodies, trained like hell, then sent to fight.

... Asimov's famous trilogy is great, for his attention to detail that sets an atmosphere you really just fall into while reading.

... PK Dick is fantastic. Though I wrote Man in the High Castle, he has many other great books.

... This is a great list to look for books. I use it frequently:

http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes ... rank1.html

...

[ben79]

[quote=

... PK Dick is fantastic. Though I wrote Man in the High Castle, he has many other great books.

[/quote]


so what did you understand at the end of it ? not is most famous if you want my opinion ...

[vodean]

I read the first couple Harry Potter books. They were okay. Kinda funny. I'll probably read the rest someday. I really don't understand the absolute devotion of some people (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for example). But, hey, some of us get like that (ahem... Spock... ahem).

I have no idea what you mean, my good sir!

he means that your obsession with your avatar-topic is affecting your mind.

What?

well, theres no way to put this nicely. youre a goddam trekkie!

[ser stiefel]

I read the first couple Harry Potter books. They were okay. Kinda funny. I'll probably read the rest someday. I really don't understand the absolute devotion of some people (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for example). But, hey, some of us get like that (ahem... Spock... ahem).

I have no idea what you mean, my good sir!

he means that your obsession with your avatar-topic is affecting your mind.

What?

well, theres no way to put this nicely. youre a goddam trekkie!

Careful now. Bounty hunters are no match for Vulcans.

[Woodruff]

I read the first couple Harry Potter books. They were okay. Kinda funny. I'll probably read the rest someday. I really don't understand the absolute devotion of some people (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for example). But, hey, some of us get like that (ahem... Spock... ahem).

I have no idea what you mean, my good sir!

he means that your obsession with your avatar-topic is affecting your mind.

What?

well, theres no way to put this nicely. youre a goddam trekkie!

What?

[KoolBak]

*ssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuckkkk*

Hear that? this thread just trapped me! lol

I am a huge scifi / fantasy fan....have read at least 90% of everything posted here. Lately I have gotten into a few authors I hadn't read before and I do not see them listed thus far.

For the huge space opera fans....Peter F. Hamilton....absolutely stunning author. I cant say enough.

-The Void Trilogy
-The Nights Dawn Trilogy
-Greg Mandel Trilogy
-The Commonwealth Saga
-(single noel) Fallen Dragon

If these dont SUCK you in,...well.....I'd be amazed.

Another amazing writer is Jeffrey A. Carver...

-The Chaos Chronicles
-The Star Rigger Universe

And Iain M Banks

-The Culture Civilization (seven or so novels) including Consider Phlebas.....

And Lois McMaster Bujold.....she is unbelievable......

-The Miles Vorkosigan saga (15 + novels)
-(fantasy) The Chalion Universe series
-(fantasy) The Sharing Knife series

This is all I got for now ;o)

[jonesthecurl]

Stanislaw Lem's The Cyberiad mademe laugh so hard I almost missed my stop on the train.