Favorite Novels (Sci Fi, Fantasy)

[Genghis Khant]

Some of my favourite sci-fi books;

Vurt, Pollen and Needle In The Groove by Jeff Noon
A Scanner Darkly, Ubik, The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch, Flow My Tears The Policeman Said, Clans Of Alphane Moon, Dr Bloodmoney and The Man In The High Castle by Philip K Dick*
The Midwitch Cuckoos and Day Of The Triffids by John Wyndham
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Consider Phlebas, Use Of Weapons, Excession and The Algebraist by Iain M Banks**
Hard Boiled Wonderland & The End Of The World by Haruki Murakami
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy (1-4) by Douglas Adams

* I've read most of PKD's books and they're all good, at least up until Valis - I'm not so hot on his output in the 80s - but these are the ones I consider to be his best.
** I've read all of IMB's books, some of which are a bit wank, but these are really good, especially Excession.

[BigBallinStalin]

Some of my favourite sci-fi books;

Vurt, Pollen and Needle In The Groove by Jeff Noon
A Scanner Darkly, Ubik, The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch, Flow My Tears The Policeman Said, Clans Of Alphane Moon, Dr Bloodmoney and The Man In The High Castle by Philip K Dick*
The Midwitch Cuckoos and Day Of The Triffids by John Wyndham
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Consider Phlebas, Use Of Weapons, Excession and The Algebraist by Iain M Banks**
Hard Boiled Wonderland & The End Of The World by Haruki Murakami
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy (1-4) by Douglas Adams

* I've read most of PKD's books and they're all good, at least up until Valis - I'm not so hot on his output in the 80s - but these are the ones I consider to be his best.
** I've read all of IMB's books, some of which are a bit wank, but these are really good, especially Excession.

Other than, the last 4 lines, which 3 would you recommend?

[Genghis Khant]

Vurt, Neuromancer & Excession

[PLAYER57832]

Anybody read Robert Asprin? I really enjoyed his myth series when I was younger.

Yes, that's a good series for the silly-minded (which I am).

Also, the Thieves World series/anthology by him (and others) is VERY good for the first several books (but then got really weird after that).

Seconded. It also made for a great roleplay game (tabletop, not electronic)

I didn't realize it was a roleplaying game...interesting. I was very disappointed in it, simply because the early books were SO good and the later ones were...SO...strange. It just became...bleh.

Loved the myth series. (I think that's the right title).. the one where he sort of turned common themes on their head, with a demon as a "good guy" and where Vampires access energy lines or some such.

I really think a lot of you would enjoy Mercedes Lackey, even though she is a "chick".

Also Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels. There are several, but you can basically start with any one., they don't really depend on any previous plot and even can contradict each other a tad (she is famous for saying she thought it a bit arrogant that an author would assume anyone had read previous stuff), but the earliest ones probably help you to "get into" the whole darkover theme a bit better.

For pure fun, I like the Xanth series, though it has gotten a bit long.

Redwall is fun. If you did not read it already as a kid, youi see it in a different light as an adult, but still fun. (again, after a while the series gets long ,but you are by no means obliged to read them all).

[InkL0sed]

Neuromancer is good. I'm also surprised to find other people that have read the Sleeping Dragon. I agree with greekdog; first few books were good, but it degenerates.

I would HIGHLY recommend the Wheel of Time, although there is the caveat that it's going to be 14 books long by the end, and each one is probably about 600-700 pages on average (the longest ones fall just short of 1000). And Robert Jordan is dead, and it's being finished by Brandon Sanderson.

Despite all that, I think it's an amazing series, partially because it's so long - its scope is absolutely tremendous. Many people think the later novels' plots drag, and indeed they are slower-paced, but those are also the ones where the series really starts to take on War and Peace-like qualities.

In short: Wheel of Time f*ck yeah

[PLAYER57832]

Just a note that Robert Jordan got his start under the tutelage of Marion Zimmer Bradley (like several). Not that his style is like hers, but she encouraged a lot of authors early on... though later she had to pull back due to a stupid lawsuit.

and yes, I liked the first 2 books of Wheel of Time. Then, I stopped having the finances to keep up with the new ones and I rather lost the thread of the story. I would reconsider, but my library doesn't have the later titles.

[InkL0sed]

I originally read them through the library. I had to request each novel. It's worth it, even if you really do have to wait that week or two for each book.

[Optimus Prime]

I absolutely cannot wait for the next Wheel of Time book, Towers of Midnight. Sanderson did such a good job with the last one I think the next two are just going to be amazing.

He also begins his own epic fantasy series, the Stormlight Archive this coming August, which I'm excited for as well.

[PLAYER57832]

I originally read them through the library. I had to request each novel. It's worth it, even if you really do have to wait that week or two for each book.

Sadly, this option is not available at my local library.

[InkL0sed]

That is indeed sadness

[MeDeFe]

I absolutely cannot wait for the next Wheel of Time book, Towers of Midnight. Sanderson did such a good job with the last one I think the next two are just going to be amazing.

He also begins his own epic fantasy series, the Stormlight Archive this coming August, which I'm excited for as well.

Hmm... I think I will invest a little money once the paperback comes out then.

[Symmetry]

Fantasy wise, I've been on a bit of a binge, but I would recommend:

Robin Hobb's Assassin trilogy:

Simply put, Hobb does a lot of things that I wouldn't usually expect a Fantasy writer to do. Like George RR. Martin, you won't find your favourite character miraculously surviving and becoming more formidable. The later trilogies are weaker, but the first one stands up. It was kind of my antidote to many of the things that I disliked about Eddings, Feist, and the churn of The Wheel of Time.

[PLAYER57832]

Speaking of Hobbs, has anyone read the last of the Mad Ship series? Is it worth buying?

[Symmetry]

Speaking of Hobbs, has anyone read the last of the Mad Ship series? Is it worth buying?

It's not as good as he Assassin series, but I enjoyed it a lot. It feels a lot more open, and it's better in some of its characterisation. Still, the plot is a bit worse. Also the final trilogy doesn't really feature the characters at all.

I enjoyed it, but I couldn't say it was as good as the Assassin trilogy. Not much of a review, I know, but it's one for fans of the first set of novels.

[jonesthecurl]

I recently discoveer a new (new to me, I mean - theguy's in his 80's if he's still alive) - Dave Duncan.
I picked up a couple of his books in the library sale, not expecting much from them.
He is very impressive, and a very different voice.