Anyone Recommend A Really Compulsve Sci Fi or Fantasy Novel/Series?

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  • ShadoutShadout Posts: 1,000
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    I'd strongly recommend the Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson for your sci-fi needs - you also get a point for every time you spot an influence that was included in The Matrix movies!

    Someone earlier mentioned the Magician series by Raymond E Feist, I'd also add his Empire series to that. It's something of a spin-off but very good work indeed.
  • burton07burton07 Posts: 10,869
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    Three books in a series by Bob Shaw
    The ragged Astronauts
    The Wooden Spaceships
    The Fugitive Worlds

    I read them years ago and they are excellent. They are out of print now but You might get them in your library
  • Brass Drag0nBrass Drag0n Posts: 5,046
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    The Long Earth by Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett and it's follow ups The Long War and The Long Mars.

    Currently half way through The Long Mars.

    Its a great concept - humanity discovers its possible to "step" onto an alternative Earth - with a device that practically anyone can make, and that there are a (possibly) infinite number of these alternate Earths. Datum Earth (ours) seems to be the only one with humans on it though so all the others are virgin territory.
  • jcafcwjcafcw Posts: 11,282
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    Can I also recommend Ink and Vellum by Hal Duncan.

    A two part story.

    And House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 341
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    Perhaps not exactly what you had in mind but I would hugely recommend the Undead Series by R R Haywood. Yes it is Zombies but they are written with humour and heart and set in the UK. Give them a go and you won't be disappointed.
  • Jellied EelJellied Eel Posts: 33,091
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    Relly wrote: »
    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.

    Me to, although it also contains some sad bits.

    And in return, anything by Charles Stross, especially the Atrocity Archives if you work in IT.
  • MuzskiMuzski Posts: 809
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    I don't normally plug my own books here but as it's only 99p at the moment and a Sci-Fi thriller - thought I would just this once :)

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/God-Complex-Thriller-Murray-McDonald-ebook/dp/B00IB3R5PQ/
  • Nat28Nat28 Posts: 2,949
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    Just started reading wool. Brilliant so far
  • RellyRelly Posts: 3,469
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    Nat28 wrote: »
    Just started reading wool. Brilliant so far

    I've just finished it on audiobook (I have my ear buds in when I'm pottering around, going to the shops etc) and it's amazingly good.

    Whoever first mentioned Hugh Howey, thank you. :)
  • mimik1ukmimik1uk Posts: 46,701
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    just finished reading perdido street station which was recommended a few times in this thread

    enjoyed it altho wasn't quite what i expected it to be

    i'll put the next bit in spoilers in case i give anything away
    the one thing i didn't like about it was it got a bit heavy with place names and directions and for a made up city it felt at times you got lost with too much detail at times if that makes sense

    got books 2 and 3 of the series in my to read section of the kindle tho
  • trphiltrphil Posts: 2,931
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    You might like to try mine, only the first in the series is out but I'm currently working on the second.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Rights-Philip-Hoyle-ebook/dp/B00LJAYXAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408607710&sr=8-1&keywords=human+rights+philip+hoyle
  • justatechjustatech Posts: 976
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    If you are looking for an immersive series then you couldn't do better than to start with this book by Anne McCaffrey. There's a huge series following these characters and filling in both the past and future of the planet, Pern. The whole series is brilliant.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragonflight-Dragon-Books-Anne-McCaffrey-ebook/dp/B008FY4KBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408614405&sr=8-1&keywords=pern
  • TWSTWS Posts: 9,307
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    justatech wrote: »
    If you are looking for an immersive series then you couldn't do better than to start with this book by Anne McCaffrey. There's a huge series following these characters and filling in both the past and future of the planet, Pern. The whole series is brilliant.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragonflight-Dragon-Books-Anne-McCaffrey-ebook/dp/B008FY4KBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408614405&sr=8-1&keywords=pern

    As above anne mccaffrey pern books are good I prefer her tower and hive series myself.

    However I highly recommend would be David Gemmel Drenai series starting with Legend
  • RellyRelly Posts: 3,469
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    Has anyone read Fool's Assassin yet? I've just finished it and want to wail and cry. :cry::D

    Loved the Drenai books (I wanted to marry Druss at one point, but then I've wanted to marry Brashen, Burrich and Fitz at various points too, so ignore me). I used to love Anne McCaffrey too, and recently fancied going audio-book and have a "re-read", but the recordings are so... archaic - so proper old-fashioned - that I couldn't listen to the narrator after 10 mins or so.
  • Duffman2000Duffman2000 Posts: 1,372
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    I'd recommend the Goosebumps series books. :cool:
  • TWSTWS Posts: 9,307
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    Relly wrote: »
    Has anyone read Fool's Assassin yet? I've just finished it and want to wail and cry. :cry::D

    Loved the Drenai books (I wanted to marry Druss at one point, but then I've wanted to marry Brashen, Burrich and Fitz at various points too, so ignore me). I used to love Anne McCaffrey too, and recently fancied going audio-book and have a "re-read", but the recordings are so... archaic - so proper old-fashioned - that I couldn't listen to the narrator after 10 mins or so.

    I too loved Druss he is entirely awesome but then so is Waylander
  • RellyRelly Posts: 3,469
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    TWS wrote: »
    I too loved Druss he is entirely awesome but then so is Waylander

    Oh, absolutely! I love it when an author's clever enough to get me invested into a character. I've got a short attention span. :D
  • TWSTWS Posts: 9,307
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    Relly wrote: »
    Oh, absolutely! I love it when an author's clever enough to get me invested into a character. I've got a short attention span. :D

    Haha me too, I admit to being damn right fickle when the thirty came into it
  • RellyRelly Posts: 3,469
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    TWS wrote: »
    Haha me too, I admit to being damn right fickle when the thirty came into it

    Oh my god, yes! I might have to re-read those - thanks for the reminder. :D
  • Miss HavershamMiss Haversham Posts: 877
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    Been going through a bit of a phase right now, so how about some of these:

    - The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher (15 books in and counting, some funny laugh out loud bits "...parkour!..."
    - The Way of Kings" - Brandon Sanderson(Stormlight archive) huge tomes but well worth the read, though the first one is a bit tough in places, but gets so so much better
    - the Alex Verus books by Benedict Jacka
    - The Alera Codex - Jim Butcher
    - Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson (though it was ok, but loads of people love them!"

    I'm about to start Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" but I'm not so sure about it, has anybody read it, not sure if it is my sort of thing, perhaps some DS's have read it and let me know if they think it's any good, obviously it's all subjective, but any input is useful!
  • Sue_CSue_C Posts: 1,459
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    I'm about to start Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" but I'm not so sure about it, has anybody read it, not sure if it is my sort of thing, perhaps some DS's have read it and let me know if they think it's any good, obviously it's all subjective, but any input is useful!

    I've read several of Neil Gaiman's books and am quite a fan. I think that American Gods is the one that I enjoyed least. It's set in America and there's a lot about Norse Mythology. I don't know much about American geography nor Norse myths and I got quite confused. Lots of people think it's a marvellous book though. My favourite Gaiman is Neverwhere, it's set underneath London and is about lost people.
  • CLL DodgeCLL Dodge Posts: 115,638
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    burton07 wrote: »
    Three books in a series by Bob Shaw
    The ragged Astronauts
    The Wooden Spaceships
    The Fugitive Worlds

    I read them years ago and they are excellent. They are out of print now but You might get them in your library

    They are all available as e-books from the usual sources. Gollancz have been busy making scores of backlist titles available via their SF Gateway programme.

    The Ragged Astronauts is also available in print in an introductory omnibus volume, along with Orbitsville (first part of another trilogy) and A Wreath of Stars.

    http://www.sfgateway.com/authors/s/shaw-bob/
  • ShadoutShadout Posts: 1,000
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    Been going through a bit of a phase right now, so how about some of these:

    - The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher (15 books in and counting, some funny laugh out loud bits "...parkour!..."
    - The Way of Kings" - Brandon Sanderson(Stormlight archive) huge tomes but well worth the read, though the first one is a bit tough in places, but gets so so much better
    - the Alex Verus books by Benedict Jacka
    - The Alera Codex - Jim Butcher
    - Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson (though it was ok, but loads of people love them!"

    I'm about to start Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" but I'm not so sure about it, has anybody read it, not sure if it is my sort of thing, perhaps some DS's have read it and let me know if they think it's any good, obviously it's all subjective, but any input is useful!

    1st bit in bold - Always good to see another fan of the Dresden Files, I agree with you that the humour in them is what sets them apart from pretty much any other "wizards & magic" series around. Well, that plus the fact that Harry can't go more than a day or two without hankering for a Burger King...

    2nd bit in bold - I didn't really enjoy the Codex Alera series, it felt too much to me like a very generic, written-by-the-numbers fantasy series to me. Which is odd really because Jim Butcher sees that as far more "legitimate" writing than the Dresden Files - which is far more unique and compelling in my opinion.

    3rd bit in bold - American Gods is an absolute belter of a book! Heavy going in places, and pretty dark too, but well worth the effort. Neil Gaiman is probably one of the world's greatest living writers in my opinion.
  • Granny McSmithGranny McSmith Posts: 19,622
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    I've had The Name of the Wind on my shelf for ages, but I've been putting off reading it because I thought once I started it, it would take over my life, and it has. I've read thousands of books, but this one is something else.

    I've bought The Wise Man's Fear, even though I'm only half way through TNotW and I'm already panicking a bit about how I'm going to cope when I've read them both, seeing as the third book is apparently nowhere in sight yet.

    Reading it really is an experience not to be missed, imo.

    On a different note, I love Harry Dresden. I can't wait for the next one. I'm far fonder of Harry than is reasonable for a fictional character.
    I just wish he could have a decent sex life.
  • ShadoutShadout Posts: 1,000
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    On a different note, I love Harry Dresden. I can't wait for the next one. I'm far fonder of Harry than is reasonable for a fictional character.

    I haven't got around to reading he latest one yet - which is unusual for me, in the last couple of years I've leapt all over the new releases as soon as possible.

    On an entirely different note - you should check out Jim Butcher's Ice Bucket Challenge!
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