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Need new sci fi/fantasy recommendations!

shadow9d9

New Member
I just finished the Rowan, which was, unfortunately, only average to me... I'm running out of new sci fi/fantasy books with new authors to try.. here is my list of readings in the last 2 years with 5 being the rest. Keep in mind that I still have and WILL BE reading the rest of Bujold's books, rest of fire and ice, the next 3 dragonrider of pern books, Crystal singer, The Left Hand of Darkness, and Watership Down. I also just purchased the first Secret of Ash book.

Keep in mind that I have little interest in older sci fi(heinlein, asimov) or very quest oriented sci fi/fantasy(deed of paksenarrion, the hobbit)...

3 of Arthur C. Clarke's short stories Big Game hunter+ - 1.3
Murder on the Orient Express- 3.875
A Song of Fire and Ice Game of Thrones - 4.7
Dragonriders of Pern Dragonflight - 4.55
Dragonquest-4.55
The White Dragon- 4.25
Dragonsong- 3.6
Dragonsinger- 3.65
Dragondrums- 3.65
The Rowan- 3.65
Vorkosigan Warrior's Apprentice- 4.35
Shards Of Honor- 3.2
Ethan of Athos- 3.6
Falling Free- 3.5
Barrayar- 4.3
The Vore Game- 4.0
Cetaganda- 4.3
Borders of Infinity 1- 3.8
2- 4.35
3- 4.25
Brothers in Arms- 4.35
Mirror Dance- 3.9
Good Omens-4.3
Discworld- A Colour of Magic- 3.1
A Light Fantastic- 3.2
Equal Rites- 2.9
Mort -3.75
Sourcery- 3.8
Wyrd Sisters- 3.4
Pyramids- 3.7
Eric- 3.5
Guards! Guards! -3.95
Moving Pictures- 3.4
Reaper Man- 4.0
Witches abroad- 4.25
Small Gods- 1
Fahrenheit 451- 3.6
Stranger in a Strange Land- 2
Neverwhere-3.7
Star Trek Unity- 2
Star Trek Avatar 1-2 -3.85
Star Trek A Stitch in Time a 4.25
Star Trek 34th rule- 3.8
Star Trek Abyss- 3.6
Star Trek Left Hand of Destiny 1-2 -3.2
Star Trek Legends of the Ferengi- 3.9
Star Trek Worlds Of Deep Space Nine Book 1 Cardassia- 2
Just a Geek- 4.2
The Hobbit- 2.5
Something Wicked this Way Comes- 3.2
Ilium- Unreadable
Deed of Paksenarrion- Didn't finish, 2.5
 
The one by Anne McCaffrey? I read that a long time ago, and did like it. Just not enough to read any of the sequels.
 
I just finished the Rowan, which was, unfortunately, only average to me... I'm running out of new sci fi/fantasy books with new authors to try.. here is my list of readings in the last 2 years with 5 being the rest.
Shadow... why don't you enter these into the Vote Top Scifi/Fantasy thread? I know, I know, it's bloody late, but it's not dead, and I've not forgotten about it. :)

Keep in mind that I still have and WILL BE reading the rest of Bujold's books, rest of fire and ice, the next 3 dragonrider of pern books, Crystal singer, The Left Hand of Darkness, and Watership Down. I also just purchased the first Secret of Ash book.
Yeah, another Bujold fan! :) I love Bujold - I love her depiction of a flawed hero, with a razorsharp wit (albeit in somewhat farfetched circumstances i.e. the formation of the Dendarii Free Mercenaries).

Song of Ice and Fire is a given... no surprise there.

I've not read Pern - I'm a little biased against mixing my dragons with spaceships (except Star Wars). Watership Down is on my TBR.

Shards Of Honor- 3.2
I would place this with a higher score, but I can see why you gave your score - especially when one is exposed to her Miles books...

Ilium- Unreadable
I'm curious - why isn't this readable? I have this in my TBR pile. It mixes Greek Mythology, my favourite subject, with scifi.

ds
 
"Ilium- Unreadable
I'm curious - why isn't this readable? I have this in my TBR pile. It mixes Greek Mythology, my favourite subject, with scifi."

I seem not to like history at all in my fantasy/sci fi books...Plus, I am not a fan of anything Greek. My best friend, which is a classics major, loved it and recommended it to me.

I found it hard to follow and the characters just didn't grab me...
However, if you like greek mythology, you will be much more predisposed to liking it than I!
 
After taking a look at the rated books thread, I had to turn away in disgust...

The reason being that everyone seems to give nostalgic books higher ratings... therefore it is not as accurate as the way I did it, where I rated them fresh from reading and balanced the scale accordingly to offset early highly rated books once I found better books to compare them to.

Plus, whenever I see multiple people giving Stranger in a Strange Land a 9 or 10, I just get nauseous... the book started off decently enough, but halfway through, the story absolutely collapses.. and instead of continuing the story, the author uses the characters to make incredibly long monologues that are just speeches by the author preeching his views on life... The actually story and characters cease to be at this point...

Maybe it was unique when it came out, but for a new reader in this day and age, it is complete garbage..

My scale is pretty harsh, and I only give the absolute best high scores.. other people don't seem to be critical, which leads their recommendations to be kinda worthless.
 
You mean you don't like real history mixed in with your fantasy/scifi? GRRM's SoIaF has plenty of history - albeit made-up ones.

I just noticed you're not exactly new here. Back from a long holiday? :)

ds
 
You mean you don't like real history mixed in with your fantasy/scifi? GRRM's SoIaF has plenty of history - albeit made-up ones.

I just noticed you're not exactly new here. Back from a long holiday? :)

ds

Yes, made up history, isn't history to me... I simply have trouble mixing real history with made up elements.

Yes, as you see by my list and notice of the books I still have yet to read, I had quite a list .. but now that I am nearing the end of my exposure to new authors, I am now looking for new things...

I also have months at a time where I feel like doing other things like playing video games and watching sci fi tv... and then I go and read one book a day for 2 weeks... I am weird that way : ).

And one more separate comment... not one person in the recommendation thread mentioned Bujold's stuff..!
 
My scale is pretty harsh, and I only give the absolute best high scores.. other people don't seem to be critical, which leads their recommendations to be kinda worthless.
You know, recently I've been thinking about the implementation of the Top 100 list myself. The list is by no means accurate, but I think of it as more of a way to find new books, rather than to depict an accurate picture of what's really a good book.

Anyway, I think the existing votes is worth participating for the reasons I stated, but let me say that I understand your point of view as well.

I've been thinking about how to give the list a little more 'credibility' - which is something it doesn't have for the precise reasons you (and others) gave. I have thought up an algorithm, and I think it solves this problem - that is, give you a Top 100 list that discerning readers will actually agree with (to a certain point, of course... someone's best isn't always your own). At least it wouldn't get crowded at the top with popular best sellers only.

But this algorithm in my head needs to be implemented first to see if it works in practice.

ds
 
Yes, as you see by my list and notice of the books I still have yet to read, I had quite a list .. but now that I am nearing the end of my exposure to new authors, I am now looking for new things...
I don't know if you've tried Guy Gavriel Kay. If you haven't, trust me and do yourself a favour - go get Tigana or Lions of Al-Rassan or The Sarantine Mosaic duology (Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors), and be amazed. If you appreciate strong writing, memorable characters and brilliant story, you will not be disapointed.

If you're into something completely different, try China Mieville or Jeff Vandermeer. I read Jeff Vandermeer not too long ago - his Veniss Underground, and found it quite entertaining, if a little similar in feel with Mieville.

I also have months at a time where I feel like doing other things like playing video games and watching sci fi tv... and then I go and read one book a day for 2 weeks... I am weird that way : ).
Well, looks like we've more than Bujold in common. My mileage varies, but the pattern's the same.

And one more separate comment... not one person in the recommendation thread mentioned Bujold's stuff..!
Hang on... I thought I did. It didn't make the list, but it's in my votes. If you know of people in the forum whom you think may fit your taste, try looking for the person in the Vote thread - you'll find plenty of gems not listed in the Top 100.

ds
 
I don't know if you've tried Guy Gavriel Kay. If you haven't, trust me and do yourself a favour - go get Tigana or Lions of Al-Rassan or The Sarantine Mosaic duology (Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors), and be amazed. If you appreciate strong writing, memorable characters and brilliant story, you will not be disapointed.

If you're into something completely different, try China Mieville or Jeff Vandermeer. I read Jeff Vandermeer not too long ago - his Veniss Underground, and found it quite entertaining, if a little similar in feel with Mieville.


Well, looks like we've more than Bujold in common. My mileage varies, but the pattern's the same.


Hang on... I thought I did. It didn't make the list, but it's in my votes. If you know of people in the forum whom you think may fit your taste, try looking for the person in the Vote thread - you'll find plenty of gems not listed in the Top 100.

ds

I've heard some good things about Guy Gavriel Kay, but when I read amazon reviews, it seemed like his stories were semi based in real life history.. is that not the case?
 
K, just ordered Tigana and Perdido Street Station. Since you like Bujold and character stories, any other suggestions?
 
Top 200 sci-fi books!!!! enjoy

Top 200 Science Fiction Books
Alf Inge Fredriksen

Hi heres a booklist i found somewhere on the net, top 200 sci-fi books!
I just read a trilogy called Gateway by Fredrik Pohl, its just fantastic! You love it to. If you want the books you can mail me, and ill give them to you.
ice-t@tele2.no you can also get my booklist with over 21 thousand ebooks mainly fiction, sci-fi and some non-fiction if you want it... Please mail me your own booklist if you got any... :)

Rank Author/Editor Title Year
6 Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy [S1] 1979
 126 Brian Aldiss Hothouse 1962
 94 Brian Aldiss Helliconia Spring [S1] 1982
 91 Poul Anderson Tau Zero 1970
 29 Isaac Asimov [C] I, Robot 1950
 4 Isaac Asimov Foundation [S1-3] 1951
 50 Isaac Asimov The Caves of Steel 1954
 112 Isaac Asimov The End Of Eternity 1955
 47 Isaac Asimov The Gods Themselves 1972
 83 Isaac Asimov (et al) [eds] [A] Hugo Winners/New Hugo Winners 1962
 157 Isaac Asimov [ed] [A] Before the Golden Age 1974
 73 Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale 1985
 175 J G Ballard The Drowned World 1962
 86 Iain M Banks Player Of Games 1988
 123 Iain M Banks Use of Weapons 1990
 191 John Barnes Mother of Storms 1994
 156 Stephen Baxter The Time Ships 1995
 65 Greg Bear Blood Music 1985
 102 Greg Bear Eon 1985
 143 Greg Bear Darwin's Radio 1999
 54 Gregory Benford Timescape 1980
 22 Alfred Bester The Demolished Man 1953
 27 Alfred Bester The Stars My Destination 1956
 118 Michael Bishop No Enemy But Time 1982
 93 James Blish [C] Earthman, Come Home 1955
 80 James Blish A Case of Conscience 1958
 64 Ben Bova [ed] [A] The Best of the Nebulas 1989
 17 Ray Bradbury [C] The Martian Chronicles 1950
 10 Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 1954
 35 David Brin Startide Rising [S2] 1983
 92 David Brin The Postman 1985
 55 David Brin The Uplift War [S3] 1987
 181 David Brin Kiln People 2002
 34 John Brunner Stand on Zanzibar 1969
 141 John Brunner The Sheep Look Up 1972
 184 John Brunner The Shockwave Rider 1975
 179 Algis Budrys Rogue Moon 1960
 70 Lois McMaster Bujold Barrayar [S2] 1991
 148 Lois McMaster Bujold Memory [S12] 1996
 127 Lois McMaster Bujold A Civil Campaign [S11] 1999
 39 Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange 1962
 66 Edgar Rice Burroughs A Princess of Mars [S1] 1912
 168 Octavia Butler Parable of the Sower 1993
2 Orson Scott Card Ender's Game [S1] 1985
41 Orson Scott Card Speaker for the Dead [S2] 1986
 19 Orson Scott Card Ender's Shadow [S1] 1999
 63 C J Cherryh Downbelow Station 1981
 101 C J Cherryh Cyteen 1988
 197 John Christopher The Death of Grass 1956
 177 Clarke & Lee Rama Revealed 1994
 15 Arthur C Clarke Childhood's End 1954
 81 Arthur C Clarke The City and the Stars 1956
 37 Arthur C Clarke 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968
 23 Arthur C Clarke Rendezvous With Rama 1973
 79 Arthur C Clarke The Fountains of Paradise 1979
 74 Hal Clement Mission of Gravity 1953
 158 John Crowley Engine Summer 1979
 144 L Sprague DeCamp Lest Darkness Fall 1939
 111 Samuel R Delany Babel-17 1966
 160 Samuel R Delany The Einstein Intersection 1966
 185 Samuel R Delany Nova 1968
 105 Samuel R Delany Dhalgren 1975
 30 Philip K Dick The Man in the High Castle 1962
 72 Philip K Dick Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch 1964
 24 Philip K Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 1968
 59 Philip K Dick Ubik 1969
 187 Philip K Dick VALIS 1981
 130 Gordon R Dickson Dorsai (vt The Genetic General) 1960
 110 Thomas M Disch Camp Concentration 1968
 71 Gardner Dozois [ed] [A] The Year's Best Science Fiction 1984
 188 George Alec Effinger When Gravity Fails 1987
 152 Greg Egan Permutation City 1994
 182 Greg Egan Diaspora 1997
 119 Harlan Ellison [C] Deathbird Stories 1975
 32 Harlan Ellison [ed] [A] Dangerous Visions 1967
 122 Harlan Ellison [ed] [A] Again, Dangerous Visions 1972
 57 Philip José Farmer To Your Scattered Bodies Go 1971
 125 Robert L Forward Dragon's Egg 1980
 153 Pat Frank Alas, Babylon 1959
 96 Gibson & Sterling The Difference Engine 1990
7 William Gibson Neuromancer 1984
 113 William Gibson [C] Burning Chrome 1986
 129 William Gibson Pattern Recognition 2003
 180 James Gunn [ed] [A] The Road to Science Fiction [S1-4] 1977
 12 Joe Haldeman The Forever War 1974
 161 Joe Haldeman Forever Peace 1997
 120 James L Halperin The Truth Machine 1997
 139 Peter F Hamilton The Reality Dysfunction [S1] 1996
 166 Harry Harrison The Stainless Steel Rat [S1] 1961
 146 Harry Harrison Make Room! Make Room! 1966
 97 Robert A Heinlein The Puppet Masters 1951
 85 Robert A Heinlein The Door Into Summer 1956
 95 Robert A Heinlein Double Star 1956
 174 Robert A Heinlein Citizen Of the Galaxy 1957
 106 Robert A Heinlein Have Space-Suit - Will Travel 1958
 16 Robert A Heinlein Starship Troopers 1959
 5 Robert A Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land 1961
 11 Robert A Heinlein The Moon is a Harsh Mistress 1966
 98 Robert A Heinlein [C] The Past Through Tomorrow 1967
 62 Robert A Heinlein Time Enough For Love 1973
1 Frank Herbert Dune [S1] 1965
 163 Russell Hoban Riddley Walker 1980
 18 Aldous Huxley Brave New World 1932
 25 Daniel Keyes Flowers for Algernon 1966
 121 Nancy Kress Beggars in Spain 1993
 8 Ursula K Le Guin The Left Hand of Darkness 1969
 84 Ursula K Le Guin The Lathe of Heaven 1971
 20 Ursula K Le Guin The Dispossessed 1974
 138 Fritz Leiber The Big Time 1958
 77 Stanislaw Lem Solaris 1970
 164 Stanislaw Lem [C] The Cyberiad 1974
 58 Madeleine L'Engle A Wrinkle In Time 1962
 169 Jonathan Lethem Gun, With Occasional Music 1994
 131 C S Lewis Out of the Silent Planet [S1] 1938
 189 Jack McDevitt Engines of God 1994
 107 Vonda N McIntyre Dreamsnake 1978
 21 Walter M Miller A Canticle for Leibowitz 1959
 196 Elizabeth Moon The Speed of Dark 2003
 136 Richard Morgan Altered Carbon 2002
 46 Audrey Niffenegger The Time Traveler's Wife 2003
 33 Niven & Pournelle The Mote in God's Eye 1975
 82 Niven & Pournelle Lucifer's Hammer 1977
 176 Larry Niven [C] Neutron Star 1968
9 Larry Niven Ringworld 1970
3 George Orwell Nineteen Eighty-Four 1949
 135 Edgar Pangborn A Mirror for Observers 1954
 155 Alexei Panshin Rite of Passage 1968
 67 Pohl & Kornbluth The Space Merchants 1953
 100 Frederik Pohl Man Plus 1976
 14 Frederik Pohl Gateway 1977
 61 Tim Powers The Anubis Gates 1983
 192 Christopher Priest Inverted World 1969
 162 Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space 2000
 159 Keith Roberts Pavane 1968
 44 Kim Stanley Robinson Red Mars 1992
 165 Kim Stanley Robinson The Years Of Rice and Salt 2002
 117 Joanna Russ The Female Man 1975
 104 Mary Doria Russell The Sparrow 1996
 190 Richard Paul Russo Ship of Fools 2001
 183 Robert J Sawyer Hominids [S1] 2002
 178 James H Schmitz The Witches Of Karres 1966
 48 Mary Shelley Frankenstein 1818
 69 Robert Silverberg Dying Inside 1972
 88 Robert Silverberg [ed] [A] Science Fiction Hall of Fame 1 1970
 76 Clifford Simak [C] City 1952
 49 Clifford Simak Way Station 1963
 13 Dan Simmons Hyperion 1989
 142 Dan Simmons Ilium 2003
 147 Cordwainer Smith Norstrilia 1975
 149 Cordwainer Smith [C] The Rediscovery of Man 1975
 90 E E 'Doc' Smith Grey Lensman [S4] 1951
 195 Norman Spinrad Bug Jack Barron 1969
 103 Olaf Stapledon Last and First Men 1930
 132 Olaf Stapledon Star Maker 1937
 36 Neal Stephenson Snow Crash 1992
 52 Neal Stephenson The Diamond Age 1995
 60 Neal Stephenson Cryptonomicon 1999
 133 Bruce Sterling Islands in the Net 1988
 193 Bruce Sterling Distraction 1998
 124 Bruce Sterling [ed] [A] Mirrorshades 1986
 109 Robert Louis Stevenson Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde 1886
 68 George R Stewart Earth Abides 1949
 99 Arkady & Boris Strugatsky Roadside Picnic 1972
 40 Theodore Sturgeon More Than Human 1953
 128 Michael Swanwick Stations of the Tide 1991
 194 James Tiptree Jr [C] Her Smoke Rose Up Forever 1990
 173 Harry Turtledove Worldwar: In the Balance [S1] 1994
 140 Mark Twain A Connecticut Yankee in KA's Court 1889
 115 A E Van Vogt Slan 1946
 154 A E Van Vogt The World of Null-A 1948
 137 John Varley [C] The Persistence Of Vision 1978
 114 John Varley Titan 1979
 75 Jules Verne Journey to the Center of the Earth 1864
 51 Jules Verne 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1870
 87 Joan D Vinge The Snow Queen 1980
 42 Vernor Vinge A Fire Upon the Deep [S1] 1991
 170 Kurt Vonnegut Player Piano 1952
 78 Kurt Vonnegut The Sirens of Titan 1959
 56 Kurt Vonnegut Cat's Cradle 1963
43 Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse Five 1969
 198 Ian Watson The Embedding 1973
 26 H G Wells The Time Machine 1895
 116 H G Wells The Invisible Man 1897
 31 H G Wells The War of the Worlds 1898
 134 Kate Wilhelm Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang 1976
 199 Jack Williamson The Humanoids 1949
 45 Connie Willis Doomsday Book 1992
 108 Connie Willis To Say Nothing Of the Dog 1997
 167 Connie Willis Passage 2001
 186 Robert Charles Wilson The Chronoliths 2001
 38 Gene Wolfe The Shadow of the Torturer [S1] 1980
 53 John Wyndham The Day of the Triffids 1951
 151 John Wyndham The Chrysalids 1955
 171 John Wyndham The Midwich Cuckoos 1957
 150 Yevgeny Zamiatin We 1924
 89 Roger Zelazny This Immortal 1966
 172 Roger Zelazny Dream Master 1966
 28 Roger Zelazny Lord of Light 1967
 145 Roger Zelazny [C] Doors of His Face, Lamps of His Mouth 1971
 200 Sarah Zettel Fool's War 1997
 
K, just ordered Tigana and Perdido Street Station. Since you like Bujold and character stories, any other suggestions?
GGK's works are roughly modeled on real histories (except the Fionavar Tapestry, which is based on LOTR - I wrote a review of it here - search for it in the Fionavar thread). But the setting is masked in a rich alternate universe, and the history is faked, so it shouldn't matter anyway. :)

Perdido Street Station I enjoyed, but there were parts I had mixed feelings about. Overall okay, and I have The Scar as a result. I also wrote about PSS here, but I'd be interested to know what you think when you get around to it. Life changing experiences (i.e. Kay's Tigana) should go first, methinks.

I'm afraid I find authors I really *really* like hard to come by - I suppose I've gotten a little too jaded. Steven Erikson is well regarded, but when I tried Gardens of the Moon, I found it not incredibly convincing. There were people who told me he made a jump in quality in his subsequent books, so I have his Deadhouse Gates sitting on my TBR.

R. Scott Bakker is another whom I learnt from this forum. I have the first two books of his The Prince of Nothing trilogy here. However, until I get the third book, I will not start on his trilogy, so it waits. :)

Well, it's a little different from the books I've mentioned so far, but I loved A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin. It's the first part of her Earthsea books - it's short, and you might like it.

ds
 
Well, Left Hand of Darkness was all round great. I then went and tried Crystal Singer and stopped around page 130.. it suffered from the same problem of The Rowan... nothing interesting ever happened! Think I'm gonna try Watership Down next while awaiting new books in the mail..
 
I'd suggest Raymond E Feist,

I'm a bit late with this one, sorry, havent been on much. I would agree very much with this recommendation; The Riftwar series (Magician, Silverthorn and A Darkness At Sethanon) is a must-read for any fantasy lover, especially Magician.
 
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