Recommend a Book - SciFi/Fantasy

[Steeven]

This is the place to be if you want to recommend a good SciFi/Fantasy book.

Be is a classic, or something new, let the people know!

[Steeven]

In the Fantasy category: I can't remember the name of the trilogy, but it's made up of The Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, and To Green Angel Tower by Tad Williams. Great fantasy trilogy.

In the SciFi category, also by Tad Williams, his Otherland series . . . set in the future with a virtual reality internet . . . great stuff.

[6 Shooter]

Don't know if these qualify as fantasy or fiction(maybe both):

Watership Down (didn't like the sequel but you can try it) by Richard Adams
Redwall(and all sequels and prequels) by Brian Jaques(pronounced "Jakes")

Science Fiction:
Animorphs by K.A. Applegate (Sure its more for kids, but it's a great series with characters that grow and a very deep universe)

[Steeven]

I've been meaning to read both Watership Down and the Redwall books for a long time now . . . maybe it's time to add them to my list.

Quick! Off to the library!

[Johnny M]

I'm getting a pen and paper...

[groven79]

Anansi Boys was a great book that was a better read the first in the dualogoy (American Gods) by Neil Gaiman. I read anything by Terry Brooks (Shannara and Landover Series)

[Chris Beckett]

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. In a future where people can read minds, how does one commit murder and get away with it? A really well thought-out look at this premise, Bester does some amazing things with the layout/typography of the page (overlapping thoughts that weave in and around themselves) and provides a tense, fast-paced read that is one of the best books I've ever read. Still holds up half a decade after it was written.

[Dezreavey]

I have heard good things about Redwall, a friend of mine from school was into them and he said they were great.

My recommendations would be:

Terry Brooks - Sword of Shannara, Elfstones of Shanarra, Wishsonng of Shanarra. I know it went on well past these, but this was my first exposure to a 1000 page small print fantasy book and I really enjoyed it. I have only read these first three, and the first one (Sword) would have to be my fav.

David Eddings - The Belgariad. This was a series of 5 books that I really enjoyed. The sequel series (The Malorean) wasn't quite as good. Unfortunately the story of The Malorean series is exactly the same as the first series. Without giving spoilers in the first series the aim is to "fulfil the prophesy", which they do. Then the second book comes along and says "We thought that we fulfilled the prophesy last time but it is actually YOUR SON that has to fulfil the prophesy" they then follow the exact same journey as the first book again with the king's son, even going so far as to highlight, "many of the things that happened last time we fulfilled the prophesy are happening again, we are meeting the same people and going to the same places.......".

My other complaint with the Malorean is more of a personal one, the king's son is kidnapped and, basically, no-one seems in any great hurry to find him. Now that I have kids of my own, I just found it hard to believe that they would wait at the castle for three weeks before going out in search for him.......

In any case I recommend the Belgariad. Great characters, great writing, interesting story.

[Steeven]

The Belgariad and the Malorean were good stuff.

Those were the first series of books I read, which was back in Jr High . . . I have fond memories of them.

A few months back I started a project where I was going to read all the Shanarra books from begining to end . . . I've not finished . . . I'll post about that in a bit.

[Dezreavey]

Cool.

Did you find the same similarity in the Malorean? I gave up about halfway through the second book when one of the characters (Belgareth?) actually stated, "yes, it is likely that we will meet the same people and go to the same place again, as this is the prophesy repeating itself....."

Like I said, I need to crack out the Shanarra books again. I would love to read your reviews/thoughts on it.

[Steeven]

There were similarities in the Malorean, but it was still fun. I did like the Belgariad better.

Speaking of David Eddings . . . if you haven't already, you should try his Elenium and Tamuli series.

The Elenium comes first and starts with the Diamond Throne - From Wiki: Sparhawk, a Pandion Knight, has returned to his hometown Cimmura after ten years of exile in Rendor.

He finds his Queen and former pupil, Ehlana, has fallen ill, having been poisoned by Annias, the Primate (an ecclesiastical rank) of Cimmura. Queen Ehlana has been encased in diamond by magic performed by Sephrenia, the Styric tutor of magic to the Pandion Knights. The diamond will keep Queen Ehlana alive for up to 12 months while a cure is found.

To aid him on his quest, Sparhawk takes his childhood friend and fellow Pandion Knight Kalten, his squire Kurik, and Sephrenia. In a show of unity, the other three Church Knight Orders also send their champions to be his companions: Genidian Knight Ulath of Thalesia, Alcione Knight Tynian of Deira, and Cyrinic Knight Bevier of Arcium.

[Dezreavey]

[Steeven]

I've read the one about Belgarath . . . I remember liking it, but it's been a while.

[Brad]

I highly recommend Peter David's Sir Apropos of Nothing trilogy.

It's a fantasy story, with hilarious adventures of a man/boy named Apropos.

In-jokes and pop culture references abound.

You won't be sorry. I'm about to start re-reading them.

[yodajones]

Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Anansi Boys

Robert Aspirin's Myth-Adventures

The Wheel of Time series

and I am almost done with Stephen King's Dark Tower books which I got turned on to by the comic oddly enough.

[Dezreavey]

[FleaBeard]

Whenever anyone asks for Sci-Fi/Fantasy book recommendations, I give this short list.

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Neuromancer Trilogy - William Gibson
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Lord of the Rings Trilogy/The Hobbit - Tolkien

[Dezreavey]

[thomalo]

Anne Bishop's Jewel series is quite good. It's classic high fantasy with a pretty cool set of rules for the universe, all magic is based upon what birthstone a person is born with and the amount of power in adult life is based on what birthstone a person is given once they reach adulthood. The darker the stone the stonger the power is and each female witch who is born as a "queen" is given a court to protect her life and lands.

[jaydee74]

The Dresden Files. It's a series of books by Jim Butcher. The best way I can describe this is this: Imagine if Harry Potter grew up to become Phillip Marlowe. That's who Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is. He's a wizard who pays his bills as a detective in downtown Chicago. Helps the police department on weird cases. There are some amazing characters in this series. Great supernatural stuff and a lot of cool pop culture references. I enjoy the heck out of this book series.