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What are the great sci fi/fantasy out there?

countryboy said:
Because I must argue dammit!!!!!

I'M MAD AS HE'LL AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!

:2::2mad::2mad::2mad::2mad:
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Network.

Good flick.

:)
 
countryboy said:
Utter nonsense. Tolkien holds his own against any modern fantasy writer. That's why it's called "fantasy" Bodhi.
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Go to any large bookstore with a fantasy section and look at the titles and yourself how many of those books would never even have seen the light of day if Tolkien had not written his Middle-earth classics. He is the modern father of the genre and the single most influential person in that field.

His works have a immense depth that no other fantasy author has ever come close to despite all the ersatz history they attempt to create to give their works a Tolkeinesque layering.

Tolkien is the Babe Ruth of fantasy and without him there may not even be a fantasy section in the book store in the first place.
 
Got some suggestions.

I loved A Lee Martinez's first few books. After this one try Gils All Fright Diner (not scifi, but good) theCompany of Ogres, Monster.
https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-De...71075&sr=8-1&keywords=the+automatic+detective

I liked the Well of Souls series. You may not, but you really should try the first one, Midnight at the Well of Souls.
https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Wel...sr=8-2&keywords=midnight+at+the+well+of+souls

Someone already mentioned Ian M Banks, but I'd like to put in a good word for Player of Games. One of the things I like about it is that the idea of AI doesn't freak the author out. Getting tired of that cliche. Here the symbiosis that characterises our relationship with technology remains.

I've read the Expanse books (except the new one) twice now.
 
haymarket said:
Go to any large bookstore with a fantasy section and look at the titles and yourself how many of those books would never even have seen the light of day if Tolkien had not written his Middle-earth classics. He is the modern father of the genre and the single most influential person in that field.

His works have a immense depth that no other fantasy author has ever come close to despite all the ersatz history they attempt to create to give their works a Tolkeinesque layering.

Tolkien is the Babe Ruth of fantasy and without him there may not even be a fantasy section in the book store in the first place.
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Yes. When I was a middle schooler and high schooler, I read fantasy like Tolkien or the Sword of Shannara. I read sci fi like Isaac Asimov. In retrospect, they seem so substantive, deep, thoughtful, sophisticated, and imaginative, and yet so clean. That's what you want your kid to read. Now, though, there is so much sex and violence in these genres. Maybe these guys think that's what it takes to sell books. But it just seems to me like trying to fill in their lack of substance and imagination with just shock value.

(Man, I'm starting to sound like my parents. Ugggh!)
 
I recently enjoyed Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy. It's light on the backstory, and has likable characters who go through genuine transitions, both in their journey and in the mind of the reader.

I was definitely left wanting more.
 
ataraxia said:
Yes. When I was a middle schooler and high schooler, I read fantasy like Tolkien or the Sword of Shannara. I read sci fi like Isaac Asimov. In retrospect, they seem so substantive, deep, thoughtful, sophisticated, and imaginative, and yet so clean. That's what you want your kid to read. Now, though, there is so much sex and violence in these genres. Maybe these guys think that's what it takes to sell books. But it just seems to me like trying to fill in their lack of substance and imagination with just shock value.

(Man, I'm starting to sound like my parents. Ugggh!)
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I have fond memories of those as well, but at a certain point, I started recognizing the patterns in the "safe" fantasy and walked away.

It was David Eddings' Belgeriad and Malloreon (my first large series) that did it, as I spent years following it just to get a safe, snugly ending.
 
Cardinal said:
I'm looking for some new sci fi/fantasy books to get addicted to. I've already gotten into authors such as Peter Hamilton and Patrick Rothfuss, if that helps to provide any clue of my likes. Though I'm not a crazy fan of Peter Hamilton's writing style, his vision of the future beginning with Pandora's Star strikes just the right balance between optimism and pessimism. Outright pessimism being defined as "Wool" by Hugh Howey and outright optimism as essentially anything by Isaac Asimov (though we sci-fi fans all love him just the same). And though I'm not quite sure what happened to Rothfuss's third book, his first two, The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear were some of the most extraordinary fantasy writing in modern history.

For the record, here's my pet peeve: I just want a story. Don't dump the entire history of the universe/kingdom/whatever on me and expect me to memorize a thousand goddamn names and dates in the first chapter. Not even Tolkein did that in the Hobbit. In fact, Tolkein especially didn't do that. The proper way to introduce a reader/viewer to an entirely new universe is to start with the main character that's a hick in some backwater of the galaxy/kingdom. Think: The Hobbit and Luke Skywalker. Both characters are introduced into the larger narrative of the story through other transitional characters (Gandalf, Obi Wan Kenobi) and continue their growth thusly. The worst (or at least most tedious) stories tend to begin like homework assignments combined with Wiki pages. Spare me that crap, if you can.

Thanks. And if you haven't read The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear, seriously, read that **** already.
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Have you read the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell?

https://www.amazon.ca/Dauntless-Lost-Fleet-Book-1/dp/0441014186

it's pretty damn good.
 
Cardinal said:
Clarification: I'm looking for something recent. I'm well aware of Foundation, 2001 and Ender's Game.
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I don't know if I have anything recent but I do have two suggestions that aren't as well know:

1. Armor - John Steakley - This is a Mil Scifi action book that also delves into psychology. I've read this multiples times and on two separate occasions, the people I recommended it to read the book twice in succession.

2. The Black Company - Glenn Cook - Fantasy series that gritty and realistic. One word of caution is that is starts out really weird. Like, it took me a few chapters to get into it but once you do it's just amazing. Really great characters and a good storyline.
 
CMPancake said:
I know you're looking for something more recent, but the Star Wars Extended Universe stuff was a fun read back when they were new and canon.
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some of it felt meh and just stupid for me there were highlights of course but most if just was not that great i prefer the new canon
 
Andalublue said:
Iain M.Banks....if you haven't tried him, you're in for a treat. Start with Consider Phlebas and work yourself into the Culture civilisation. It's a blast! Oh, and the whole series doesn't suffer from embarrassing cover art either.
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I bought Consider Phlebas and can't find it! It's in here somewhere...
 
haymarket said:
Go to any large bookstore with a fantasy section and look at the titles and yourself how many of those books would never even have seen the light of day if Tolkien had not written his Middle-earth classics. He is the modern father of the genre and the single most influential person in that field.

His works have a immense depth that no other fantasy author has ever come close to despite all the ersatz history they attempt to create to give their works a Tolkeinesque layering.

Tolkien is the Babe Ruth of fantasy and without him there may not even be a fantasy section in the book store in the first place.
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Amen!
 
Heroes in Hell. I loved reading science fiction and fantasy when younger. After Heroes in Hell, nothing quite fit the bill in the years that followed. Kind of like tasting that one beer that comes along.
HeroesInHellAnthology.jpg
 
Cardinal said:
Why do these book covers always have to be so horrible? I feel like I have to hide them inside High Times magazines to save face.
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The marketing departments think ugly covers= good literature.
 
Cardinal said:
I'm looking for some new sci fi/fantasy books to get addicted to. I've already gotten into authors such as Peter Hamilton and Patrick Rothfuss, if that helps to provide any clue of my likes. Though I'm not a crazy fan of Peter Hamilton's writing style, his vision of the future beginning with Pandora's Star strikes just the right balance between optimism and pessimism. Outright pessimism being defined as "Wool" by Hugh Howey and outright optimism as essentially anything by Isaac Asimov (though we sci-fi fans all love him just the same). And though I'm not quite sure what happened to Rothfuss's third book, his first two, The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear were some of the most extraordinary fantasy writing in modern history.

For the record, here's my pet peeve: I just want a story. Don't dump the entire history of the universe/kingdom/whatever on me and expect me to memorize a thousand goddamn names and dates in the first chapter. Not even Tolkein did that in the Hobbit. In fact, Tolkein especially didn't do that. The proper way to introduce a reader/viewer to an entirely new universe is to start with the main character that's a hick in some backwater of the galaxy/kingdom. Think: The Hobbit and Luke Skywalker. Both characters are introduced into the larger narrative of the story through other transitional characters (Gandalf, Obi Wan Kenobi) and continue their growth thusly. The worst (or at least most tedious) stories tend to begin like homework assignments combined with Wiki pages. Spare me that crap, if you can.

Thanks. And if you haven't read The Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear, seriously, read that **** already.
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A really good single read.

1665671653634.png
 
If you’ve a liking for fantasy with touches of European folklore, I recommend two stand alone novels by Naomi Novik: Uprooted and Spinning Silver.

Silver is the only magical fantasy I know starring a Jewish protagonist, btw.
 
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