author/book recommendations

[reorith]

so i just finished the last book on my bookshelf and i don't know what to read next. what authors/books would you suggest? i've read some epics and burned through christopher moore, isaac asimov, phillip k. censored, some anne mccaffrey, tom holt and douglas adams. i enjoyed some of the magic the gathering books but i couldn't stomach the blatant seriousness of tolkien or jordan.

in return, i recommend the star beast by robert a. heinlein. a touching story of a boy and his large extra terrestrial being.

[Lord Herman]

Have you ever read anything by Terry Pratchett? If you enjoyed Douglas Adams, you'll probably like his work too.

[rubakhin]

Hokay - you like SF, fantasy, that sort of thing, right? I don't read much of that stuff myself, but:

Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Japanese-Science-Fiction-Stories/dp/0942637283/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199998137&sr=8-3) is magnificent. I have absolutely zero interest in the regular cavalcade of Japanese stuff, so even if you don't like anime/manga/whatever read it anyway. :smallbiggrin: Japanese science fiction is fascinating. Much less Western than its animated counterpart.

The Night Watch series by Sergei Lukyanenko, A Werewolf Problem in Central Russia by Victor Pelevin, Ice by Vladimir Sorokin - although this stuff might be more postmodern/damn strange than what you're looking for, everybody in Russia has read it, so it must have some appeal - and of course you've read The Master and Margarita, right? (which is more magic realism than straight-up fantasy, but everybody on the planet loves that book, you can't go wrong.) I also want to recommend The Anthropos-Specter-Beast by Tadeusz Konwicki, which is a children's book sort of like The Little Prince, but that's nigh impossible to find.

[Narmoth]

what about the Strugatskij brothers?
"Stalker" and "It's hard to be a god" (or something, I read it in russian...) have both been made movies of that are viewed in the whole world.
Stanislav Lem (I think his from Poland) has a lot of great sci-fic stuff.

Then it's of course Stephen kings Dark Tower (the first book is kind of boring compared to the 2nd and 3rd. After the 2nd you'll read them all as soon as you get your hands on them)

Terry Goodkinds "Wizards 1st Rule" I also good reading. The rest of the "Sword of Truth" isn't as good as the first book, and you can read the first book separate from the rest.

[Telonius]

Non-serious books? I'd strongly recommend the "Sir Apropos of Nothing" series by Peter David, as well as the "Myth" series by Robert Asprin (&co for the later ones).

[Zordrath]

As Lord_Herman said, if you enjoyed Douglas Adams, I guarantee you'll enjoy Pratchetts Discworld as well.

For the more serious stuff, I think George R.R. Martins "A Song of Ice and Fire" is one of the best fantasy series there is. The fourth one wasn't as good as the first three, but those are really great.

[Muz]

Have you read Douglas Adams's The Salmon of Doubt? It was published after his death but has a lot of amusing essays and such (and three chapters of an unfinished D. Gentry book he was working on).

Not quite as satisfying as something with an actual plot, but it's amusing. Have you read anything by Raymond E. Feist? I can only speak to his earlier books (up to the Serpentwar saga), but I thought the earlier ones worked quite well, and aren't completely serious. :smallsmile:

Oh! And without a doubt, Hyperion (and its sequels) by Dan Simmons...though maybe that's a little too serious, too, as it is rather epic.

There's also one other book I'd recommend, but I don't think I'm actually allowed to tell you what it is in a forum post. (Don't worry, it's nothing bad.) :smallsmile: P.M. me if you're curious and I'll tell you.

[Elhann]

For the more serious stuff, I think George R.R. Martins "A Song of Ice and Fire" is one of the best fantasy series there is. The fourth one wasn't as good as the first three, but those are really great.

I have not read the fourth book yet, but I must agree with Lord Zordrath. "A Song of Ice and Fire" is an engaging read. It has been a long time since a book made me lose sleep time like these ones.

I also recommend "The Witcher" saga, by Andrej Sapkowski (I'm sure I misspelt it).

[Smeik]

I'm reading "Memoirs found in a Bathtub" by Stanislaw Lem. It's really great, just as most other things I've read of him so far.

Although he wrote sometimes really weird, the books of Lem might please you, as you also like Phillip K. and Isaac Asimov.

[Winterwind]

I'm reading "Memoirs found in a Bathtub" by Stanislaw Lem. It's really great, just as most other things I've read of him so far.

Although he wrote sometimes really weird, the books of Lem might please you, as you also like Phillip K. and Isaac Asimov.So very seconded. Lem is awesome, and if you liked Asimov, I am quite sure you will like him as well.
(Yay me for being able to read him untranslated! :smallbiggrin: )

I was going to recommend a few fantasy epics, but I'm not sure whether you would like them if you did not like Tolkien and Jordan. Still, while I have heard people complain about both of those, I have yet to hear someone complaining about George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire.
And while we're at it, Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry and Steven Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are all great and fantastic stories (and worlds).

As for the sci-fi part, how about Orson Scott Card's Ender series?

[Illiterate Scribe]

Sci-fi - Neal Stephenson is quite literally the win.

Start with his early stuff, that's actually sci-fi, then read Cryptonomicon (one of the best books in the last ten years, in my opinion), then the Baroque Cycle.

[SurlySeraph]

Sci-fi - Neal Stephenson is quite literally the win.

Start with his early stuff, that's actually sci-fi, then read Cryptonomicon (one of the best books in the last ten years, in my opinion), then the Baroque Cycle.

Quoted. For. Truth. Quoted for supreme and undeniable truth. Start with Snow Crash and then go into his longer/ weirder books.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a pretty good, lighthearted book. It's more fantasy/ modern than sci-fi, but it's hilarious.

[Mr. Scaly]

Richard Knaak's Legend of Huma and his Minotaur War trilogy.

Also if you're into Star Wars Extended universe, anything by Timothy Zahn.

[Nebo_]

I cannot express in words the sheer awesomeness of Terry Pratchett's books.

[reorith]

Quoted. For. Truth. Quoted for supreme and undeniable truth. Start with Snow Crash and then go into his longer/ weirder books.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a pretty good, lighthearted book. It's more fantasy/ modern than sci-fi, but it's hilarious.


I cannot express in words the sheer awesomeness of Terry Pratchett's books.

i just snagged the colours of magic and good omens.

[ForzaFiori]

non serious?

Robert Asprin and Piers Anthony.

if your looking for a serious fantasy, try David Gemmel.

[thubby]

Eragon, and the sequel eldest, the movie was terrible, i assure you the books are INFINITELY better. they will keep you busy as they are rather thick

the summoner was another good one.

[WalkingTarget]

Seconding (thirding? fourthing?) the comments on Neal Stephenson and Terry Pratchett.

I personally like Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series as well, but unlike some others here, I have some friends who couldn't get into them because they're too dark (they agree that they're well written).

You've picked up Good Omens, but I don't see any other Neil Gaiman being suggested here. I've enjoyed pretty much everything I've ever read by the man. Most of it is Fantasy-ish (not standard epic fantasy stuff, but mostly modern world with fantastic elements dropped in). For his text-only works, I'll recommend American Gods specifically, though I know that's not everyone's favorite.

[TheRiov]

I just finished "Old Man's War" and "Ghost Brigades" by John Scalzi. Not deep per se, but both excellent page turners.

Both are excellent. I'll be snagging the next book next time I'm at the bookstore. Sci-fi stuff, much in the tradition of Starship Troopers (the book) or Ender's Game.

Robert Asprin's Myth series is good bathroom reading. (they're short books) but fantasy and just kinda fun. I outgrew the Xanth series.

Heavier fare: Tad Williams Otherland Series is fabulous cyberpunk-ish but the VR world the characters travel through crosses from every environment from the battle for Troy, various MMO's, to Alice in Wonderland, WW2, Jack and the Beanstalk, and various other fantasy. This series is ABOUT something though, making some facinating commentary on the stories we tell.

Stand Alone, (and lighter) Tailchaser's Song by the same authour is good if you like cats. (very watership-down with definate fantasy elements)

[Zenthar]

I, also, recommend George R.R Martin's "A song of ice and fire" series.

[Zenos]

I second 8or is it third or something?) Terry Pratchett. He is... Awesome.

[Otto-Sieve]

Thought it is serious and very dark and gritty, i recommend A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin.

[Metal Head]

Eragon, and the sequel eldest, the movie was terrible, i assure you the books are INFINITELY better. they will keep you busy as they are rather thick

the summoner was another good one.

I completely disagree with this. Never mind the fact that the plot was 100% unoriginal, the writing was terrible. It's like being in a car that keeps hitting the breaks. It's jerky, unpleasant, gives you a headache, and will make you want to punch someone. The reason for why the movie sucked was because the base material sucked. Anyway, enough with Eragon bashing.

As several people have said, the Song of Fire and Ice series are awesome. So rarely will I root for a cheating, lying, stealing midget, but George R.R. Martin has talent. He can make you love some of his most foul and evil characters.

Elhann suggested the Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski (that's the correct spelling), and so do I. I read it in Polish, so I don't know how the English version is. The series may at first appear just to be about a guy who kills monsters, but it explores important questions like, is there really such as a thing as lesser evil? Are human monsters made by the way they're treated, or are they born that way? Can someone's nature be changed? All interesting stuff if you really stop to read about how Geralt, the main character, debates all this with other characters.

[Arian]

Lois McMaster Bujold.

The Vorkosigan series are science fiction / space opera, the Five Gods series and the Lakewalker series are fantasy, "The Spirit Ring" ... er, ignore "The Spirit Ring". :smallbiggrin:

[Raistlin1040]

Garth Nix is a pretty good author. Keys to the Kingdom is a good and original series in my opinion.

[Vella_Malachite]

Yeah, Keys to the Kingdom got a little repetetive, though.

Terry Pratchett, awesome, win. If you like your mind being twisted a little with science, try 'The Science of the Discworld I, II and III', but I'd read some of the rest of the Discworld series first.

If you like light-hearted horror, Darren Shan writes good books, but they're not overly complicated, so don't expect absolute master storytelling.

Kate Forsyth did a good 'Witches of Eileannan' series, starting with 'Dragonclaw'.

Sarah Zettel's 'Isavalta' trilogy was good; lots of politics, starts with 'A Sorceror's Treason'.

Hope that helps.

[Haydenhawk]

I found the Twilight Trilogy By Stephanie Meyer Very good. Its about a 2000 page trilogy and I was so into it that i finished it in 1 week! Very good read!:smallbiggrin: