15-05-2005 20:55									#31
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For Amber, only bother with the first five books. The second five suck.

	15-05-2005 20:58									#32
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Pournelle's "A spaceship for the King"
Pohl's "Gateway" and "The coming of the Quantum Cats"
Herbert's "The Dosadi Experiment"
Dickson's "Dorsai" and "Tactics of Mistake"
Alan Dean Foster's "The Man who used the Universe"



D

	15-05-2005 21:00									#33
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quote: Originally posted by chegitz guevara For Amber, only bother with the first five books. The second five suck.

I would replace suck with 'meh'

but yeah.. if you value your time stick to the first 5 (and his earlier stuff)

Jon Miller

	15-05-2005 21:01									#34
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quote: Originally posted by Darsnan Dickson's "Dorsai" and "Tactics of Mistake"

for him I really liked Soldier, Ask Not and Necromancer...

Jon Miller

	15-05-2005 21:11									#35
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Phillip Jose Farmer -- Ringworld series (especially the first four books)

I reread this series every few years.

Oops -- Meant Riverworld, not Ringworld.

Last edited by Petek on 15-05-2005 at 22:56

	15-05-2005 21:18									#36
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Thank god nobody's mentioned Robert Jordan yet. uke:

As For George R.R. Martin, I read that A Feast of Crows is finally coming out this July. WOOHOO!

	15-05-2005 21:22									#37
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quote: Originally posted by Boris Godunov Thank god nobody's mentioned Robert Jordan yet. uke: As For George R.R. Martin, I read that A Feast of Crows is finally coming out this July. WOOHOO!

I would have mentined it years ago...

Jon miller

	15-05-2005 21:43									#38
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Theodore Sturgeon: I dislike short stories most of the time.

Fritz Leiber: These might be ok, though again I can't see what sets them apart from most fantasy.

A. E. Van Vogt: Seems like mostly more short stories?

William Tenn: More short stories?

Urusula K. Le Guinn: Tried some of hers, they were ok, but I didn't care for here style very much.

Alfred Bester: Might try these.

A spaceship for the King: Couldn't find any info about it.

Gateway: I think I played the computer game that followed this, I didn't like it much but the book may be better.

The Dosadi Experiment: This sounds good.

Dickson: Never read him, but the books sound somewhat interesting.

The Man who used the Universe: Has some pretty mixed reviews.

Phillip Jose Farmer: Might try it.

Robert Jorden: Been there, done that

	15-05-2005 21:58									#39
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quote: Originally posted by quantum_mechani Discworld: I've heard a lot of good things about them, but it seems really confusing where to start.

You can pretty much jump in anywhere except Night Watch, which is a time travel story that brings in a lot of elements from previous books. Color of Magic is the first, but that's the one book I didn't like.

I stated with Hogfather (drat, I forgot to list Hogfather) which is what got me hooked.

****

You should also try Zkribbler's Deception of Dragons I showed it to Lancer when I was in the Philippines last year, and he really liked it.

	15-05-2005 22:00									#40
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I think it is better to read guards gaurds before the rest of teh wathc stories...

and simliar for teh witches..

Jon miller

	15-05-2005 22:13									#41
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Yes. And similar for the Rincewind stories, and the Death trilogish.

	15-05-2005 22:32									#42
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I think I have all of Feists books so I'd have to say they're pretty good (some great some less so).

I too like George R.R. Martin, but I'm honestly surprised by the level of 'gush' over his stuff.

What sets Leiber apart is when they were written. Today there are lots more fantasy writers. In the 70's the choice was very limited (with almost no female authors) and the quality of Leiber's Fafhred and the Grey mouser books set them apart from the crowd.

I'll highly recommend two fantasy series by two women, Elizabeth Moon (she writes mostly sf though)

THE DEED OF PAKSENARRION:
Sheepfarmer's Daughter. Baen Books. June, 1988. ISBN 0-671-65416-0
Divided Allegiance. Baen Books. October, 1988. ISBN 0-671-69786-2
Oath of Gold. Baen Books. January 1989. ISBN 0-671-69798-6

and Kate Elliot.

She is currently writing the epic fantasy series, Crown of Stars, set in a vaguely alternate-history European landscape. The first volume, King's Dragon, was a 1997 Nebula Award finalist for Best Novel. Subsequent novels include Prince of Dogs, The Burning Stone, Child of Flame, and The Gathering Storm. She is currently at work on the sixth and final volume, to be titled Crown of Stars.

	15-05-2005 22:34									#43
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I should check out Elliot, I read her first in the series..

Jon Miller

	15-05-2005 22:53									#44
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quote: Originally posted by quantum_mechani Hyperion: I read this, it was... strange. While it was somewhat interesting and very different, I can't say it got me interested in continuing the series.

The rest of the series sucks. It progressively gets worse and worse.

quote: 1610: Also never heard of it, isn't really enough reviews to give me a good idea if I would like it.

It's a very immersive book. The background history is extremely well researched.

If I had to describe the plot, I'd say Foundation meets the Three Musketters. Except that it works very, very, very well.

It's better than Ash, Gentle's earlier serious novel. Grunts! can't be compared -- that one's a hilarious dark fantasy, and completely non-serious except when it's serious -- except in the sense that 1610's plot is much smoother and shows Gentle's improving skills.

	16-05-2005 07:13									#45
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Tad Williams: Otherland (4 vols)
Heinlein: Time Enough for Love
Piers Anthony: Kirilian Quest Series (4+ books)

	16-05-2005 08:56									#47
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Not so Kuci, registered Nov 2003.

	16-05-2005 08:56									#48
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This is clearly an impostor.

	16-05-2005 09:09									#49
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quote: Originally posted by Bird Jaguar Tad Williams: Otherland (4 vols) Heinlein: Time Enough for Love Piers Anthony: Kirilian Quest Series (4+ books)

thank you... i was reading the posts and was surprised no one had mentioned HEINLEIN yet.

you should read Methuselah's Children first before
reading time enough for love.. ... its the short story
that sets up the beginning of Lazarus Long's epic

Methuselah's Children
Time Enough For Love
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
To Sail Beyond The Sunset
The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
Stranger In A Strange Land
Farnham's Freehold

those are some of my favorites of his


i just finished reading the
Symphony of Ages series by elizabeth haydon
its more fantasy than science fiction though.

	16-05-2005 10:16									#50
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Elizabeth Moon: Looks fairly good, might try it.

Kate Elliot: Fairly mixed reviews, probably pass.

Heinlein: I read quite a few of his and liked them (Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Citizen of the Galaxy), however, of the ones you mentioned the only one I read is The Cat Who Walked Through Walls, and I didn't like it much.

	16-05-2005 10:22									#51
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quote: Originally posted by Qilue Not so Kuci, registered Nov 2003.

That matters not.

	16-05-2005 11:31									#52
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Peter F Hamilton - anything really though the Night's Dawn trilogy stands out as my fav.

	16-05-2005 13:22									#53
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quote: Originally posted by quantum_mechani Elizabeth Moon: Looks fairly good, might try it. Kate Elliot: Fairly mixed reviews, probably pass. Heinlein: I read quite a few of his and liked them (Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Citizen of the Galaxy), however, of the ones you mentioned the only one I read is The Cat Who Walked Through Walls, and I didn't like it much.

probably of all those in the list that one is on the bottom of the list...
try ... time enough for love
or at least the classic.. stranger in a strange land.

	16-05-2005 14:19									#54
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I read a lot of short stories myself

Issac Asimov short robot story colections
I Robot (not to be confused with the bastardized movie)
Robot Dreams
Asimov Gold
Robot Visions

Also check out the Caves of Steel series by Asimov, definatly the best Sci-Fi decective novels ever concived (think Blade Runner but several orders of magnitude more intelectual).

Also check out the "Years Best SF #" series Edited by David G. Heartwell. Its a yearly colection of the "best" Sci-Fi published in the year, their up to the 9th one so far and its a great way to aquaint yourself with a diverse group of newer and less well known writers.

	16-05-2005 15:11									#55
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For Zelazny definitely read Lord of Light. It's certainly his most accessible novel, and probably his best. A very interesting mixture of SF and Fantasy and all of it in service to a very interesting story. If you like this book, check out Creatures of Light and Darkness which has some similar ideas but is a lot less structured and a good deal more amusing. If you like this one too, then you probably like Zelazny. Check out the Amber series next. It's fascinating and maddeningly uneven in quality. The first two books are fantastic (there are 10 total iirc) and after that they vary a lot in quality. Though some of the later books are good, none are as good as the first couple and the series mainly exists in order to flesh out / explore the interesing universe he's created. Better than that series are a couple of shorter ones. Dilvish the Damned / The Changing Land which are almost everything that the Amber Series is not. The first book is a collection of short stories about Dilvish that Zelazny wrote for magazines. The second book is a brilliant and focused novel which takes Dilvish through to the conclusion. Likewise, Changeling / Wizard World are much more focused efforts by Zelazny while they still have the sorts of interesting ideas and thrills typical of his best work. Originally meant to be at least a trilogy, unfortunately only two were written.

	16-05-2005 15:32									#56
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Iīm currently reading Ken MacLeods "The Light Engine" series. Pretty good sf.

Also worth mentioning is Robin Hobbs "The Liveship Traders", it isnīt many fantasy books that manages to blow my socks off these days, but this series did. Impressively multi faceted plot, excellent delivery and closure. Even though you figure some sub plots out pretty early on, itīs still a really marvelous read. I canīt really praise this series enough. I think itīs a good sign when youīve read 2000+ pages (hardback edition) and still want more. And not one single bit of it is fluff or filling

Other posters mentioned favourites of mine, like Feist, Asimov and LeGuin, so I wonīt. But Wraith mentioned the "Daughter of the Empire" series, and I must say that they are without doubt one of the very best fantasy/sf series Iīve ever read.

And I donīt think anyone else mentioned the "Rama" books by Arthur C Clarke. A bit stiff, but still worth reading...

	16-05-2005 16:04									#57
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David Brin.

Not quite sure how you got to The Uplife War without at least reading Startide Rising, which is by far the best of the Uplift Series. There is also Sundier, Brightness Reef, Infinity's Shores , and one other I can't remember off the top of my head.

Glory Season and Earth and also excellent. His latest, Kiln People is also great.

	16-05-2005 18:20									#58
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I'd like to second the person who suggested Alfred Bester. The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination are 2 of the best sf books I've ever read.

Also, do read some Heinlein. You won't regret it. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is particularly excellent, but it's hard to go wrong with most of his work. Also read Starship Troopers (regardless of how you felt about the movie).

If you liked A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, try the prequel (30,000 years beforehand - one hell of a prequel) called A Deepness in the Sky. I haven't read Fire yet, but I just read Deepness, and it was great.

For fantasy, I second Jack Vance. Tales of the Dying Earth, the Lyonesse trilogy, and his science fiction is very adventurous and fun - Planet of Adventure series (4 books) and the Demon Princes (5 books). Some people dislike Vance, so try before you buy.

If you like "superheroes" (and who doesn't?), the first 3 books of George R. Martin's Wild Cards series are wonderful.

Theodore Sturgeon did more than stories, he produced some fine sf novels. Try More Than Human and To Marry Medusa.

More fantasy - the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake. Many consider this to be the finest fantasy series ever. Very, very different from your standard Tolkienesque fare. No magic, just a strange collection of characters doing their deeds in an enormous and ancient city.

I'll post more as I think of them.

	16-05-2005 18:20									#59
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Oh, for hard sf, Dragon's Egg by Robert Forward.

	16-05-2005 18:30									#60
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quote: Originally posted by Jon Miller I should check out Elliot, I read her first in the series.. Jon Miller

They're very good, but obviously not for everyone. They have a 'gritty' feel to the writing. The 4th book is kinda 'all over the place' but the fifth brings it all back into focus. I'm looking forward to the sixth.

Another author that I pick up virtually 'sight unseen' is Barbara Hambley. The walls of air trilogy is a good intro to her unusual work.

Michael Moorcock was one of the first fantasy writers whose work I couldnt get enough of when I started reading the genre. I havent read anything for a 20-30 years though so I dont know if it stands "the test of time".