Favorite Novels (Sci Fi, Fantasy)

[Nobunaga]

[quote=

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

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

... Most famous or no is of no consequence. It is my favorite, a near toss-up with A Scanner Darkly.

... The end of the novel demonstrates the penetration of truth into perceived reality... a theme seen in a lot of PK Dick's work, but done better here than in his other works. IMO.

...

[kevusher]

Ah, a forum topic I feel capable of adding to....

Some have obviously been mentioned, and in no particular order:

McAffrey - Pern series (first few anyway)
Heinlein - Starship Troopers plus others
David Gemmell - Drenai & Sipstrassi series particularly
David Eddings - Belgariad & Mallorean series
Weis and Hickman - Dragonlance chronicles, the Twins trilogy, Death Gate cycle
Stephenson (probably my favourite author) - Baroque Cycle for "Historical Fantasy" plus Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon
Donaldson - Thomas Covenant
Asimov - Foundation series (first 3 or so)
Iain M. Banks - culture series and others
Peter F Hamilton
Herbert - Dune
Fritz Leiber - fully agree with earlier post, a severly under-rated contributor to the genre

these I didn't see earlier:

Guy Gavriel Kay - Tigana, Song for Arbonne, Lions of Al-Rassan, Fionavar Tapestry Trilogy, Sarantine Mosaic (2 books). Kay bases a lot of his books on obvious historical facts (Al-Rassan is Moorish Spain, Sarantine is c6th century Byzantium) but has an almost unbelievable emotional depth to his writing.

Alastair Reynolds - kind of similar to Hamilton's "Space Opera" style

Scott Lynch - the Gentleman Bastards books - possibly the most original modern fantasy I've come across - "Fantasy Hustle" (for BBC viewers).

China Mieville - very good short stories

Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algernon

Mmm, have to leave it there, it's tricky thinking while the Manchester Derby is also on.....

[nesterdude]

The just finishing up the Jordan Wheel of Time book new spring (read everything else). Totally well done.
If none of you (and if I missed an earlier post sorry) haven't read the Elrik of Melenbone stuff by Michael Moorecock (yes funny name), I'd highly suggest it.
And for the poster on Page 1 w/ Philip K Dick, if you haven't read his exegesis, wow, seriously wow.
Did some of my graduate work on him. What an interesting fellow.

One question for everyone here:
When I was in the Navy, I read a series of books about 4 (I think) kids who were playing dungeons and dragons; and were transported by their professor (??? I think) into their characters, and over several books they become seriously badass.
I know this premise sounds awfully cheesy but it was quite good. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've tried searching for it but haven't been able to locate it since.

[thegreekdog]

The just finishing up the Jordan Wheel of Time book new spring (read everything else). Totally well done.
If none of you (and if I missed an earlier post sorry) haven't read the Elrik of Melenbone stuff by Michael Moorecock (yes funny name), I'd highly suggest it.
And for the poster on Page 1 w/ Philip K Dick, if you haven't read his exegesis, wow, seriously wow.
Did some of my graduate work on him. What an interesting fellow.

One question for everyone here:
When I was in the Navy, I read a series of books about 4 (I think) kids who were playing dungeons and dragons; and were transported by their professor (??? I think) into their characters, and over several books they become seriously badass.
I know this premise sounds awfully cheesy but it was quite good. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've tried searching for it but haven't been able to locate it since.

Joel Rosenberg... The Sleeping Dragon. First few books are very good. Then it gets pretty sucky.

[thegreekdog]

Some of my somewhat recent favorites:

Jacqueline Carey - Banewreaker and Godslayer --> Good premise (from the point of view of the bad guy), but somewhat poorly written

George RR Martin (editor) - The Wildcards series of books --> Hard to get, but pretty good (about the wild card virus unleashed by aliens on earth; kills 90% of people, turns 9% into "jokers," horribly disfigured individuals, turns 1% into "aces," basically supermen). There are about 20 books in all.

Gene Wolfe - pretty much anything, but I'd start with The Shadow of the Torturer. These are probably my favorite science fiction novels of all time.

Anyway, I've read these in the past year. I reread Wolfe's series.

[Woodruff]

One question for everyone here:
When I was in the Navy, I read a series of books about 4 (I think) kids who were playing dungeons and dragons; and were transported by their professor (??? I think) into their characters, and over several books they become seriously badass.
I know this premise sounds awfully cheesy but it was quite good. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've tried searching for it but haven't been able to locate it since.

Yes, I've read this...but I'm not pulling up the series or a title either. In fact, this was a GREAT series, because it brought home "the reality of the fantasy" very well as I believe one character went insane because she was raped (if I remember correctly).

[thegreekdog]

One question for everyone here:
When I was in the Navy, I read a series of books about 4 (I think) kids who were playing dungeons and dragons; and were transported by their professor (??? I think) into their characters, and over several books they become seriously badass.
I know this premise sounds awfully cheesy but it was quite good. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've tried searching for it but haven't been able to locate it since.

Yes, I've read this...but I'm not pulling up the series or a title either. In fact, this was a GREAT series, because it brought home "the reality of the fantasy" very well as I believe one character went insane because she was raped (if I remember correctly).

You remember correctly. The first book was excellent. The next two or three were good. The remaining books were pretty bad. Joel Rosenberg... see above.

[Aradhus]

Watership Down - Richard Adams
The Nomad of time trilogy - Michael Moorcock

[THORNHEART]

Talion:Revenant

well worth your time

[truly_tasha]

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. It's a quick read but very well done.

I'm reading the Otherland series by Tad Williams right now. I'm on the last book (4 book series) and it's really well done.

[Frito Bandito]

Almost anything by Orson Scott Card, but I am really enjoying the Ender series, "Enders Game" may be a movie someday!

[nesterdude]

Watership Down - Richard Adams

My favorite book of all time, I scored a second edition copy of it a few years ago.

[vodean]

What?

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

What?

your avatar. you are a fan of it. YOU ARE A TREKIE. more than that i cannot say without dirtying my lips(or, in this case, my fingertips).

[Baron Von PWN]

I've gone through all the posts and i'm shocked to see no mention of David Weber.

He writes awesome space opera type books which are great for action packed fun. check out his Honor Harrington series (the first book is called "on Basilisk Station") as well as his "Mutineers moon" series

John Ringo wrote a fun series of books which starts with " A hymn Before battle" (synopsis here http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/A-H ... Ringo%2527) the serries is basicly a war/action movie in book form.

K.j parker wrote a book called Colours in the Steel which is the first of a trilogy, I've read the first wo but haven't gotten to the third yet. They are quite good.

I will also chip in a good word for R.R Martin

[Woodruff]

What?

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

What?

your avatar. you are a fan of it. YOU ARE A TREKIE. more than that i cannot say without dirtying my lips(or, in this case, my fingertips).

My good sir, I have no idea what you mean.

[fumandomuerte]

Me <3 Asimov's Foundation Saga, most of Philip K. Dick, Stanislaw Lem & Poul Anderson (specially "The Boat Of a Million Years").

[Kid_A]

Nerds (yes, you),

Anyone have any favorite novels in the genres of science fiction and/or fantasy you'd like to recommend? Just looking to keep adding to my library.

Who....me?

There are so many great Star Wars novels. If you haven't read any I highly recommend them.

I enjoyed the first 3 Anne Rice Vampire novels.

Wheel of Time is good, but he was too long winded for me to read past book 6. He wasn't a good enough writer for me to read another six thousand pages!!!

[Incandenza]

George RR Martin (editor) - The Wildcards series of books --> Hard to get, but pretty good (about the wild card virus unleashed by aliens on earth; kills 90% of people, turns 9% into "jokers," horribly disfigured individuals, turns 1% into "aces," basically supermen). There are about 20 books in all.

Now that's some old-school scifi right there. I read those books as a kid (up until they went into the lame cycle 2 thing after the whole Bloat thing) and exhumed them from a box in my mom's attic a couple of years ago and re-read 'em. A lot of good stuff, a lot of cool creative superpowers, The Great and Powerful Turtle ftw!

[MeDeFe]

One question for everyone here:
When I was in the Navy, I read a series of books about 4 (I think) kids who were playing dungeons and dragons; and were transported by their professor (??? I think) into their characters, and over several books they become seriously badass.
I know this premise sounds awfully cheesy but it was quite good. Does this ring a bell with anyone? I've tried searching for it but haven't been able to locate it since.

Joel Rosenberg... The Sleeping Dragon. First few books are very good. Then it gets pretty sucky.

I managed to find a copy of the first three volumes at least and am reading it, it really starts out extremely well.

[jsholty4690]

Greg Bear's The Forge of God is one of my favorites. Also most of Michael Crichton's techno-thrillers are pretty good reads.

[BrotherWolf]

Had a quick look through the thread.......some stuff I don't think has been mentioned.

I loved Harry Harrisons Stainless Steel Rat books, non too serious amusing sci-fi.

Poul Anderson's The High Crusade is great if you suspend disbelief. His The Broken Sword is great fantasy!!

Alan Dean Foster's - A Call to Arms

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's - The mote in gods Eye

EC Tubb's Dumarest series is an easy read though the books are hard to find.

It's been a long time but I seem to remember enjoying Brian Aldiss's Helliconia Trilogy.

Of those already mentioned, my favourites are Anne McCaffreys Pern series esp the earlier ones, David Eddings's Belgariad series. Terry Pratchett's discworld is enjoyably weird as is Douglas Adams's Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy. I'm not sure about elsewhere but in the UK most people know that the answer to life the universe and everything is 42!

[vodean]

What?

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

What?

your avatar. you are a fan of it. YOU ARE A TREKIE. more than that i cannot say without dirtying my lips(or, in this case, my fingertips).

My good sir, I have no idea what you mean.

please. someone who is not afraid to promote his blasphemy, tell him

[Woodruff]

I loved Harry Harrisons Stainless Steel Rat books, non too serious amusing sci-fi.

I had forgotten about that series - good call. I would definitely second them.

[Woodruff]

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

What?

your avatar. you are a fan of it. YOU ARE A TREKIE. more than that i cannot say without dirtying my lips(or, in this case, my fingertips).

My good sir, I have no idea what you mean.

Yes, that is definitely what I've been thinking. <chuckle>

please. someone who is not afraid to promote his blasphemy, tell him

What?

[Lord and Master]

I read one years ago and can't remember the name, it was set on an alien planet (possibly called Flora, as there was only plant-life) and basically the main protaganist, a woman, got it on with some kind of funky orchid and after she left the planet to return to Earth realised she was pregnant. With some kind of walnut-like thingy! Anyone know the name perchance?