Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Only Thread

[Buck]

There is a great thread in the lounge about Books in general, but to be honest, all I really want to read is Sci-Fi (including post-apocalyptic), and Fantasy.

In this OP I will compile every poster's top 3 Fantasy/SciFi suggestions if they give me them. I will try to keep the posters in alphabetical order in case you want to find someone's suggestions easier.

CP POSTER SUGGESTIONS

Baby Lee
1. Fritz Lieber's Swords Against series.
2. George R.R. Martin's SoIaF series [no brainer that will probably make tons of other lists]
3. Umberto Eco, Foucalt's Pendulum [a little more obscure/forgotten to make up for GRRM]

Frosty
1.Raymond Feist - Riftwar Saga
2.Terry Brooks - Shannara series (starting with the Knight of the Word books)
3.Tad Williams - Memory, Sorrow and Thorn

Huffmeister
(1) Dune - Frank Herbert
(2) The Stand - Stephen King (1000+ page unabridged)
(3) Starship Troopers - Robert A. Heinlein (checkout the song by Yes, too. lots of great bass)

Jawshco
1. "Book of the Long Sun" by Gene Wolfe
2. "Paradise War" by Stephen R Lawhead
3. "The Dragonbone Chair" by Tad Williams

listopencil
1. Edgar Rice Burroughs, any series
2. Robert Heinlein, everything he has written in chronological order (but read Starship Troopers first)
3. Doc Smith's Lensman series

vailpass
1. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 1, 2A & 2B books are a gold mine for sampling the evolution of sci-fi. (below)
2.The Nebula Awards and Hugo Awards (selected yearly, pick a year)
3. Years Best SF Annual publication, pick any volume from 1 to the current volume 17
See Post 142

[Buck]

The Mistborn series is only 1 credit too.

Would you recommend the Kingkiller Chronicles over Mistborn?

I have a tough time reading fantasy so I definitely want to try out audiobook.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Buck

The Mistborn series is only 1 credit too.

Would you recommend the Kingkiller Chronicles over Mistborn?

I would, yes. Other people may disagree. Although Mistborn is finished (at least the initial trilogy) so you can feasibly listen to the whole series. But Kingkiller is really good so far.

[Buck]

Alright, I went with The Name of the Wind.

I'll start listening on my drive into work tomorrow and for probably 4-6 hours at work.

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

I'm a huge Glen Cook fan.

Dread Empire Series - true epic fantasy - armies vs. armies, evil manipulating good, trust no one.

The Black Company - dark, gritty look at being a mercenary in a fantasy world. Again, trust no one, especially the guy who's supposed to pay you. The less of you who come back, the less money he has to actually give up.

Garrett, P.I. - Fantasy noir - He's the hard-boiled detective with a heart of gold and a penchant for the elven lasses. Oh, did I mention his partner was killed 400 years ago, he's just taking a long time to die. Crime lords, evil cults and corrupt bureaucrats . . . it's all in a day's work for Garrett.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Buck

Alright, I went with The Name of the Wind.

I'll start listening on my drive into work tomorrow and for probably 4-6 hours at work.

Tell me how that goes. I think I tried to get into the audio book once, and the narrator sounded like a fifth grader, iirc.

Maybe I should give it another shot.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Tell me how that goes. I think I tried to get into the audio book once, and the narrator sounded like a fifth grader, iirc.

Maybe I should give it another shot.

I don't remember having any issues with the narration, but different people like different voices.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I don't remember having any issues with the narration, but different people like different voices.

I'm 95% positive it was Name of the Wind, but I might be mistaken.

I was coming off listening to the Hyperion Cantos series, and the narrator was fantastic. So I may have been grading on a bit of a curve. I'll give it another shot.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Bowser

I'm 95% positive it was Name of the Wind, but I might be mistaken.

I was coming off listening to the Hyperion Cantos series, and the narrator was fantastic. So I may have been grading on a bit of a curve. I'll give it another shot.

Simon Vance he's not (that dude's my favorite, whether it's Dune or Temeraire or the Aubrey/Maturin books), but I never had any issues with this Nick Poedhl.

Ironically the narrator I can't stand is Scott Brick, and people seem to love that guy.

[QuikSsurfer]

Originally Posted by Buck

Guess I'll go with The Name of the Wind.

Thanks for the tips.

Finished this a couple days ago -- I ****ing loved it. I'll pick up the next one in the series later on -- after I finish Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill.

edit: just saw that you got the audio book -- hope the narrator is good.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Bowser

I'm 95% positive it was Name of the Wind, but I might be mistaken.

I was coming off listening to the Hyperion Cantos series, and the narrator was fantastic. So I may have been grading on a bit of a curve. I'll give it another shot.

I listened to the preview before I purchased it to make sure I was okay with his voice.

Seemed fine to me.

Actually on Audible, many of the people say that the narrator outshines the story.

[Bowser]

Marc Veitor did the Hyperion books. He sold the story for me, much like Roy Dotrice did with A Song of Ice and Fire (not the last one, mind you. He wasn't all that great in ADWD).

I enjoy Victor Bevine's works, as well.

[Buck]

Well I plan on listening to about 6 hours tomorrow so I should have a good idea by the end of the day.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Buck

Well I plan on listening to about 6 hours tomorrow so I should have a good idea by the end of the day.

Cool. Any updates would be appreciated, as my job next week will have me on the road everyday, and I'll be looking for a good listen for the ride.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan

I'm a huge Glen Cook fan.

Dread Empire Series - true epic fantasy - armies vs. armies, evil manipulating good, trust no one.

The Black Company - dark, gritty look at being a mercenary in a fantasy world. Again, trust no one, especially the guy who's supposed to pay you. The less of you who come back, the less money he has to actually give up.

Garrett, P.I. - Fantasy noir - He's the hard-boiled detective with a heart of gold and a penchant for the elven lasses. Oh, did I mention his partner was killed 400 years ago, he's just taking a long time to die. Crime lords, evil cults and corrupt bureaucrats . . . it's all in a day's work for Garrett.

The Black Company is a great series. Has Cook written anything at all in the last 10 years or so? I had thought another Black Company book was on the horizon, but it has never come.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Marc Veitor did the Hyperion books. He sold the story for me, much like Roy Dotrice did with A Song of Ice and Fire (not the last one, mind you. He wasn't all that great in ADWD).

I enjoy Victor Bevine's works, as well.

Looking in my library, Bevine narrated those books. Veitor was part of the ensemble for the first one, but the rest were Bevine alone.

I've actually never made it through Endymion and The Rise of Endymion. The Fall of Hyperion seemed like a big step down from Hyperion to me (I relate that to losing the ensemble cast, not the quality of the book itself), and I went on to listen to other things after. They're in my library, so I should probably finish them sometime.