mooseyjoe Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 For a good sci-fi read I would recomend the "Hammer's Slammers" books by david drake he also rewrote the odyssey and a few other epic tragedies to fit in his sci-fi universe. Then of course there is the most epic of all epic sci-fi, DUNE. If you haven't read it yet, read it now. Also, if you haven't read Beowulf yet, you need to read that as well. It is very epic and was actually one of tolkien's main inspirations (he spent years of his life studying it). It can take a page or 20 to get used to the language and poetic flow, but it's a great story. Beowulf, the original Conan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Drifter Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Favorites of mine have been Joel Rosenberg's "Guardians of the Flames" books and Terry Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" series. Anything else I might suggest would be really cheesy or leaning toward the humorous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisler Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Well I see that someone mentioned Honorverse which is probably not enough information on a truly excellent set of Science Fiction Space Opera. Honorverse is slang for the Honor Harrington series written by David Weber. Here is the list: On Basilisk Station, The Honor of the Queen, The Short Victorious War, Field of Dishonor, Flag in Exile, Honor Among Enemies, In Enemy Hands, Echoes of Honor, Ashes of Victory, War of Honor and the most recent one At All Costs. He has several books that feature short stories and earlier looks at the career of Honor Harrington as well as a new series Shadow Of Saganami, save universe, same war but a different cast of characters. This is an excellent series that develops from the standard ship to ship combat books to major political intrique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
styates Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Since they haven't been mentioned yet, I think that a good read would be either The Jackal of Nar (Book 1 of the Tyrants and Kings Trilogy) or The Eyes of God (Book 1 of the Eyes of God Trilogy) by John Marco. He has an interesting way of developing his characters so that you see the not-so-good side of the heroes and the not-so-bad side of the villains. The story-line is engaging and doesn't feel like a chore to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mourningcloud Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Since you guys are talking D&D books, both old (dragonlance, old Salvatore) and new (well, new salvatore-also Cunningham) I have to bring up the Greyhawk books, bith old and new. Literature? ....No. A rollicking good read? Yes, definitely. The old: Gygax (and only the Gygax-ignore anything by rose estes-life is too short) gave the feel of what D& D was about-fast paced, good engaging characters, just enough humor and drama to keep it real (and fun!), Really Bad bad guys, Good (and Not-So-Good) good guys, and action packed plot twists at every turn. To quote Mark Twain, "anyone looking for plot will be shot." The new: the Justicar novels by Paul Kidd. As good as anything by Salvatore, as funny as D&D has any right to be, and great takes on old classic modules. Great stuff; I kid you not. Three books: White Plume Mountain, Vault of the Drow, and Queen of the Demonweb Pits. Find em used and cheap as they're out of print. Also Bram Stoker Award winner Nancy Collins; the Sonya Blue series. This is the dark gothic vampire thing before White Wolf ever thought of the world of darkness, and better. Everything Anne Rice tried to do, but better. Oh, and big second on the Gaunts Ghosts series, or anything by abnett. The man is a writing demon (the good kind! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redhandstudios Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 give a shot to "the Fionavar Tapestry" series by Gavrial Kay. He hung with J.R.R. so the writing style is familiar without being a generic rip off. I knocked back all three books in just over a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Porsenna Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 While we're on Kay, I'd also HIGHLY reccommend Tigana. What an awesome book! Most of Kay's work is "historical fantasy" in that it's historical with the verneer of fantasy. FREX, Last Light of the SUn, if you edit out the faerie realm, is essentially a tale of the Welsh, Alfred the Great, and the Vikings. Good read nonetheless, and it was fun to figure out who was supposed to be who... Damon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warlordgarou Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I'll toss in some kind words for Tigana as well - really different magic system, tragic background, and a great ending. I also enjoyed Lions of Al-Rasan by Kay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fremen Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I really enjoyed and recommend the Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist. Magician Aprentice, Magician Master, Silverthorn, and A Darkness at Sethanon comprise the first series. He has several others that continue in the same universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshuaslater Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series. You can't put'em down. I've lost many hours of sleep with this one. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krztoff Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 Disclaimer: They don't really fit in with the list so far, and I know most people have heard of them and already have their opinions of them, but I'm saying it just in case somebody hasn't been exposed to some of them yet... Anything by H.P. Lovecraft Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy The Zombie Survival Guide (written by Mel Brooks' son) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy8 Posted February 22, 2006 Share Posted February 22, 2006 I highly recommend Michael Moorcocks "A Nomad of the Time Streams". Sci-fi/multiverse with a Victorian/ H.G Wells slant to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whizard Hlavaz Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 I'd recommend Lois McMaster Bujold's Chalion series -- The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, The Hallowed Hunt. The theology in her world is very captivating. And the writing top-notch. Superb characters. And a keen sense of "realism" to the fantasy. I enjoyed them very, very much. You may, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthfoley Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series. You can't put'em down. I've lost many hours of sleep with this one. Cheers. I'm missing something with this series. I've had so many people recommend them and yet at 200ish pages into the first one...I'm not getting what the big deal is. Course I seem to have lost my taste for even my favorite cheapo quickie fantasy authors lately...Salvatore's latest only made it to page 50 or so before I put it down, and that was with Entreri and Jarlaxle (the two I *really* like) as the main focus. The last good book I read was 'A Skeleton in God's Closet' by Paul Maier. I also back up Mourningcloud who mentioned the Paul Kidd 'Justicar' books. Hilarious and well written, with great action as well. The War of the Spider Queen series has also been good, though I've not read book six as of yet. Redwall series by Brian Jacques, if you have an affinity for talking critters. Phantom by Susan Kay. If you're into Phantom of the Opera at all, this is the book for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingwreckage Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 Lois McMaster Bujold. Pretty much anything with her name on it will be entertaining even you don't dig the story- like the one about the planet of religious fanatic gay men, it didn't light my fire, but it was still a good read in many respects. The Miles Vorkosigan books are all great soft scifi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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