Recommend me sci-fi/fantasy books

[chequita guevara]

For Amber, only bother with the first five books. The second five suck.

[Darsnan]

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

[Jon Miller]

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

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Darsnan

Dickson's "Dorsai" and "Tactics of Mistake"

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

Jon Miller

[Petek]

Phillip Jose Farmer -- Ringworld series (especially the first four books)

I reread this series every few years.

Oops -- Meant Riverworld, not Ringworld.

[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!

[Jon Miller]

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

[quantum_mechani]

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

[Zkribbler]

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.

[Jon Miller]

I think it is better to read guards gaurds before the rest of teh wathc stories...

and simliar for teh witches..

Jon miller

[Immortal Wombat]

Yes. And similar for the Rincewind stories, and the Death trilogish.

[SpencerH]

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.

[Jon Miller]

I should check out Elliot, I read her first in the series..

Jon Miller

[St Leo]

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.

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.

[Bird Jaguar]

Tad Williams: Otherland (4 vols)
Heinlein: Time Enough for Love
Piers Anthony: Kirilian Quest Series (4+ books)