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Anyone Recommend A Really Compulsve Sci Fi or Fantasy Novel/Series?
I'm in the mood for some sci-fi/future dystopia. Really loved 'Wool' last year and will be getting his other 2 books. But I fancy being immersed in a new world - either sci fi or fantasy. Esp with the current series of 'Game of Thrones' coming to an end soon on TV. (I love G o T and have read all the books).
My son is a big fan of Iain Banks - but where to start? And any other writers who make really immersive, compelling worlds, that you'd recommend?
My son is a big fan of Iain Banks - but where to start? And any other writers who make really immersive, compelling worlds, that you'd recommend?
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Sci-fi etc I would really recommend Michael Marshall Smith if you haven't already
Fantasy - from my recent post in wayratm:
I'm currently about 1/3 way through The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It's the first in a trilogy with the last slightly worryingly yet to be completed.
I can't remember how this book got on my Kindle, I started reading it quite aimlessly really as I wasn't getting in to the book I had been reading.
Really pleased I did, what a great story about a great story!
Superbly written and different in a way I can't quite put my finger on from the norm in these fantasy fiction type books..
Wheel of Time series is more along the lines of GoT, good at the beginning, gets bogged down in the middle but good at the end (14 books IIRC)
I've read the first couple of Raymond Feists' Magician series and that was pretty good, seems a bit of a sprawling set of books so I haven't got round to working out which is the next book to read yet..
So far as dystopia goes, I enjoyed Oryx and Crake/The Year of the Flood/ Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood.
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series by Stephen Donaldson was published in the 1970s I read the books in the 80s and thought that they were great, but they may seem a bit dated nowadays.
I keep meaning to read Wool but haven't got round to it yet. Too many Kindle daily deals to get through!
a gem.Comprising the books 'Titan,'Wizard' & 'Demon'
it's 'another world' (sort of) saga which I have re-read
a few times now. Varley wrote a short story called 'Air
Raid'. He was asked to extend the plot into a screenplay
which he did,as 'Millenium'.He then wrote the book of
his own screenplay,and the original 'Air Raid' Story appears
as a single chapter of the book! I consider that very good
writing and organising,and would suggest that if you like
the 'Gaia' trilogy,you give 'Millenium' a go as well. Not in
any way connected,but still good works by a sometimes
ignored writer!
The Time of the Dark series by Barbara Hambly.
The Algebraist by Iain M Banks. The Dwellers being one of the funniest characters ever created.
Another incomplete (I think?) series he has on Audible is The Blade Itself - anyone read that?
Keep the ideas coming as this is really useful to have. I always get overwhelmed in bookshops, and am buying more and more on the Kindle. People's recommendations always seem better than random things I stumble across so this is appreciated.:)
I didn't find them at all dated and read the series from the beginning within the last few years. Excellent series! Perhaps you're not aware that he has only just finished writing the series within the last couple of years, with four more books having been written after the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
Another series that I suggest for the OP if you haven't tried them is Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, Liveship Trilogy and Tawny Man Trilogy. I found them an absolutely enthralling series and have just done a complete re-read.
The Helliconia Trilogy by Brian Aldis is my number one (sci-fi) fantasy book though!!
Not so much dystopian but all Iain M. Banks' sci-fi efforts are immense - the Culture ones in particular but if you're looking for something a bit less utopian and a bit more dystopian try Against A Dark Background.
I would give another vote to Michael marshall smith
spares and only forward were really good imo
he does the same sort of thing as iain banks as he also writes contemporary thrillers under just the name Michael marshall , he has a series of books that starts of with "the straw men"
You can't go wrong with this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00K31WE78?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
Fast moving, gripping, Loved it!
Just any Iain M Banks book really.
For something with a bit of 17th/18th Century NatPhil/Fi I recommend without reservation the Neal A Stephenson trilogy The Baroque Cycle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Asher#Works
Adventures in the Polity universe. Contains a cast of cantankerous charaters, not always human including Sniper, the war drone with attitude.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton#Prominent_books
Ranges from near-future with the Mandel books to far future. I really liked Fallen Dragon with it's take on the challenges of interstellar commerce and asset stripping.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Morgan_%28author%29#Takeshi_Kovacs_novels
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Reynolds#Bibliography
If you like Iain M. Banks (RIP) books, you'll probably enjoy those. Also really liked-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_%28Andy_Weir%29
although it may put you off potatoes. Apparently been optioned for a film, so hope that manages to capture the humour.
Yes, it's very good. I haven't read ASOIAF but I imagine it's very similar in tone. Certainly from watching Game of Thrones there are some similar themes. The first two thirds of the first book are slowish, setting the scene, but from then on it's constantly good with no filler.
(The Blade itself is the first book in the First Law trilogy, which is completed)
1) China Mieville's Bas-lag trilogy. At last, fantasy that isn't Dark Ages/Mediaeval Europe/Renaissance Europe!
2) Joe Abercrombie's series that started off with the First Law trilogy. A definite lack of shining heroes, but very few out and out villains, mainly just various shades of extremely murky grey. And it must be the first series since Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun that has a torturer as one of the main characters, and a very interesting character he is too.
I've just finished those, and they were fantastic. I haven't laughed out loud at a book since I read my last Terry Pratchett, but they don't compare at all. I'm so happy I found them (after a recommendation on here) but very sad the next one's not out yet.
a legion in his own lifetime..:D
Weird books but strangely compulsive and bewildering.
james tiptree jr. ten thousand light years from home
ra lafferty. 900 grandmothers
john brunner - the shockwave rider
joe haldemann - the forever war
norman spinrad - bug jack barron
everything by Philip dick
everything by Robert Heinlein
everything by larry niven.
loads of other stuff too, but they will keep you going.