Sci-Fi and Fantasy book recommendations

[warzoneD]

Looking for a new good one--

Some of my favorites - Elric Series, Ender's Game, Snow Crash, Altered Carbon, Nehwon Series...

What have you guys read that you liked-- genre - and why?

D

[Petru5]

How 'deep' of a series ya want?  If you're interested in some easy, quick, filler reads, please continue to, well, read.

Being a teacher, I've had the privelege of reading several 'Young Adult' ('YA' for short) fantasy and sci-fi series.  On the top of my faves list are several series/authors.  Here's the link to my page off my school's site regarding these books:  http://hge.leesummit.k12.mo.us/tconn/books.html.  What's truly surprised me is how little difference there is between YA and adult fantasy/sci-fi.  I guess good writing can't be labeled, eh?

Take 'em or leave 'em, but there they are.

[Nighthawk]

Ok. I love the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series. But after reading these, other books become a bit boring...

'Rendezvous With Rama' Arthur C. Clarke. <-- claustrophobic, almost always in zero gravity, hard SF, but very good.
There are three more books in the Rama series, but they were written by a friend of Clarke, and Clarke himself only read over the stuff and made suggestions. They are both credited for the books, but they supposed to be more character driven. By fans of the first one, these aren't very good. I've heard.

'The Sirens Of Titan'. This one is really good if you like the first Hitchhiker's book. It's probably Douglas Adams main inspiration. Well written book. Easy to get through.
Not a series though...

Not read this one, but it's supposed to be a classic SF book.
'The Stars My Destination'. From the 50s and very innovative, I've heard. It's on my 'next to read' list. After Mutant Chronicles: Frenzy. 

[Krate]

I'm pretty low brow when it comes to my entertainment. So consider that when i put in my two cents. Um, the last good books I read were by Dan Abnett and it was The Eisenhorn Trilogy. They are light, easy reading based on the universe of the company that shall-not-be-named. Abnett does a good job telling a fast and fun pulpish yarn. I have not read anything else written by him.  I also left off at Book 3 in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Finally, I return to John Carter of Mars from time to time. I like re-reading those pulp tales by Burroughs. But that's about it. I haven't read anything new.

[Topkick]

Casca by Barry Sadler
A series of novels where the Centurion who stabbed Christ and thus condemned to live forever and always be on the losing side of wars has his adventures recounted by a doctor who saw him come back to life after a fatal wound in Vietnam. Each book covers one of his adventures throughout history. A nice light historical adventure series.

Gaunt's Ghosts Series by Dan Abnett
I have found the Gaunt's Ghosts to be the best stuff put out by the GW-Black Library publishing house

Anything by Moor****

Conan Series by Robert E. Howard

Single novels
The Forever War

[Jase]

Any thing by Robert E. Howard; James Barclay's Chronicles and Legends of the Raven; Dave Drake's Hammer's Slammers; Glen Cook's Black Company; Anything by H.G. Wells

Jase

[Coil]

Conan Series by Robert E. Howard

Single novels
The Forever War

I second Conan. I have a big tome with all the collected Conan stories Howard wrote.

Forever War is also good. Haldeman has written a freestanding followup called Forever Peace which is also nice. In fact I recommend checking out his other books as well. Old Twentieth, Camouflage and The Accidental Time Machine are all good reads.

If you want a military sci-fi series David Weber's Harrington novels are good. The first one is called On Basilisk Station. It is a long series as well with about a dozen books so plenty of reading if you like it.

For more classic sci-fi I would recommend Robert Heinlein and Philip Dick. No series here but a lot of free standing novels. There is a collection of Dick's short stories in five volumes which is a good starting point.

[joshuaslater]

William Gibson is a great writer.  I've read Neuromancer and Burning Chrome, and I just bought The Difference Engine.  I'm looking forward to devouring this one.  He's a great sci-fi writer because he writes a lot of near future stuff that I think MC: Warzone fans would readily identify with.

[Veez]

I gotta third Dan Abnett (he's already been seconded) John Ringo has some good stuff, David Webber's Honorverse stuff is great.  Jordan of course (rip).  Guy Gavriel Kay-best author that no one has ever heard of.  Steve Perry's Matator Series is great (the first five books-after that...meh).

Rendv w/ Rama sequels all were horrible; they did not capture the theme or flavor of the original book at all.

[Nighthawk]

Rendv w/ Rama sequels all were horrible; they did not capture the theme or flavor of the original book at all.

That's what I feared.. Thanks for the heads up!

[luckyone]

I read mainly fantasy (series). I have to say the best series I have read ever (not including J.R.R. Tolkein) is the series by G.R.R. Martin. Song of Ice and Fire series. It is not your typical hero who doesn't know he is a hero has a childhood disaster, trains to be a hero and becomes a hero by defeating the ultimate evil with the ultimate weapon/ability. In this series, your favorite characters get messed up/die and you actually start to like some of the "evil" characters in the series. That is all I can say about that without spoiling it. He is slow on releasing new books in the series, but currently there are 4 to read now. Several forums exist discussing the books if you want a sneak peak. It is different because there is no main character, just several points of views.

[Veez]

I enjoy his work but you really have no idea where he is going with it-I suspect he has Jordan syndrom where he creates so many secondary characters that he's not sure what to do with them all.

[MadBrad]

I like anything by Dan Simmons -  Especially his Hyperion trilogy, and my favorite Sci-Fi author of all time is Mike Resnick.  Best novel of his is Ivory, but there are so many others that take place in the far future of "his" Galaxy.   Good reading. 

[Topkick]

I read mainly fantasy (series). I have to say the best series I have read ever (not including J.R.R. Tolkein) is the series by G.R.R. Martin. Song of Ice and Fire series. It is not your typical hero who doesn't know he is a hero has a childhood disaster, trains to be a hero and becomes a hero by defeating the ultimate evil with the ultimate weapon/ability. In this series, your favorite characters get messed up/die and you actually start to like some of the "evil" characters in the series. That is all I can say about that without spoiling it. He is slow on releasing new books in the series, but currently there are 4 to read now. Several forums exist discussing the books if you want a sneak peak. It is different because there is no main character, just several points of views.

Sounds like Stephen Donaldson. His Covenant series had quite possibly the biggest asshole as the hero.

[warzoneD]

Some great suggestions there.  Thnx!!!   

I've read a bit of Abnett but not the Eisenhorn stuff...will check it out.

I agree with you guys about the classics - Dune, Conan (devoured these), John Carter, PK Dick, Covneant, Foundation, Jack Vance's series, Moor****'s The Eternal Champ stuff, Earthsea Trilogy, Neuromancer and co. (in fact if you haven't already checked it out I recommend George Alec Effinger's first book "When Gravity Fails"), but few books have captured my interest the way these oldies but goodies had.

I liked Cook's Black Company at first but lost interest as the series went on. 

I tried Hyperion but had a tough time getting into it, maybe I'll pluck it off the shelf and give it another go, sometimes you just have to be in the right headspace. 

Has anyone read Gene Wolf's Shadowclaw?  Reactions?

Also if you haven't read Altered Carbon or Snowcrash, and you're into Blade Runner-esque Sci-fi, I highly recommend both.  Anyone like other books in this genre?

D