Help...need some suggestions for reading.

Tina · Post by **Tina** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 3:43 pm

I went looking around online today for some new sci-fi/fantasy, but felt alittle overwhelmed. Has anyone read anything good lately? I like horror/sci-fi or fantasy.

Benjaru · Post by **Benjaru** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:30 pm

Tina, have you read any of Robin Hobb? I found her fantasy very enjoyable.

When Magus sees "horror", he will tell you to read h[url=ttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670032549/qi ... glance/url]Stephen King[/url]. He will probably quote all his favorite King novels, and recommend them to you in the best reading order. If you are lucky, he will even outline half of them for you, hopefully not spoiling the plot in the process. Knowing what I great guy Magus is though, I don't think he would do that.

Magus?

ScottSF · Post by **ScottSF** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 8:07 pm

Read John Meany! Read John Meany. Paradox by John Meany. It's sci-fi but creepy too. If you live in the states I think it's only out on hardback. I'm in the states but a local book store has imports. Ok, that's my suggestion. Some day I should do a post about him.

actually the first question to ask is, "what books have you liked or not liked in the past?" Then folks might tailor answers to your tastes.

Tina · Post by **Tina** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:47 am

In the past I've leaned more toward the horror genre. It's probably only been the past year that I've gotten into scifi/fantasy and really liked it.
I will take a look at Robin Hobb and John Meany. Thanks.

Believe it or not, I haven't read King in years. One day I might get back into him.

Tinga · Post by **Tinga** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 6:06 am

Stephen King has written a serie, 'The dark tower' (I don't know if it is the very title in English, it is the translation of the french title). There are 7 books. There is 'territory's talisman' too.
I read Robin Hobb too and Laurell Hamilton. They are my favorites writter in the moment.

LadyFlame · Post by **LadyFlame** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 8:59 am

Tinga, YES, read Robin Hobb. I Absoluetly LOVED the Liveship Trilogy. There is another post that states the order you should read, but, I adored the Liveships!
Hmmmmmm, I hear that Jacqueline Carey has some interesting 'dark, horror' feels, though I've never read any by her myself.
I'd also recommend when you find books you are thinking about reading, to take the titles to Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble.com and type them in and read a little of what others reviewed of them. Of course, you do it for general feedback-like what do they say about it? or are there more negative reviews than positive? Sometimes if there is a bad review, but it is 'bad' becuz' the reader didn't like that the girl had pink hair, then of course you can determine wheither or not pink hair matters to you. You know what I mean? But the reviews help a lot in weeding out ones you should read imediatly, and the ones you hold out on.
There is also a post here that recommends Vampire books.
Gooood luck!

aldan · Post by **aldan** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:36 pm

Yes, Tinga, the title for the series in English is The Dark Tower, by Stephen King.

Brys · Post by **Brys** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 2:04 pm

I'm going to mention some of the less common names, which are must-reads in the genre:
Graham Joyce - one of the most undeservedly under-read authors. He's an amazing writer of contemporary fantasy.
Charles de Lint
M John Harrison

They're dark, urban fantasy - they aren't quite horror authors, but they don't exactly write light or epic fantasy.

For the horror side of fantasy, you might want to look back at some of the earlier authors:
William Hope Hodgson
Clark Ashton Smith
HP Lovecraft

All are very good writers, writing a mix of fantasy and horror.

Asp · Post by **Asp** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:03 pm

I think if you were to look at the Top Ten topic, you'll find a bunch of books worth reading.

If you enjoy short stories, I highly recommend picking up a collection of Harlan Ellison stories.

Books not on the top ten list I'd recommend would be:

Beggars In Spain (first of a trilogy) - Nancy Kress

Most anything by Jonathan Lethem but especially Gun With Occasional Music, As She Climbed Across The Table or Girl In Landscape.

A Million Open Doors - John Barnes

Manifold Time - Stephen Baxter

Tony

Chaeronia · Post by **Chaeronia** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:28 am

Ditto the recommendation of Graham Joyce, very much deserves to be more widely read.

For an antithesis to epic, high fantasy, you could also try China Mieville, my current favourite. Urban, dark, lustrous, a supreme young writer. His books Perdido Street Station and The Scar (loose follow up) are extremely worthy.

Chaeronia

Brys · Post by **Brys** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:09 pm

Yes - China Mieville's amazing, but I didn't mention him because he's becoming a common name when talking about non-traditional fantasy. Another author of his calibre writing in a similar vein of fantasy is Jeff Vandermeer with City of Saints and Madmen.

Speculative Vision

Help...need some suggestions for reading.

Help...need some suggestions for reading.

There are so many types of science fiction