Science Fantasy

[Revliskci]

I did miss the genre, so I recently tried getting back into it with some cyberpunk. You know, I had to read Gibson's Neuromancer. I'd like to know if any of you can suggest any good newer titles in this vein. Someone mentioned an awesome new cyberpunk author, sang his praises, and wouldn't you know I just plum forgot the name! I need Gingko Biloba!

You could try the Otherland series by Tad Williams. It's about a group of people who get into a coma while connected to the Net and have to gain control of an entire virtual world to escape to reality. Have to warn you these are really big books, though.

[Cairon]

Dune

Frank Herbert's original six novels are my bible.

[Florimel]

Count me among those who love Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke. One of my other favorites that I don't think I've seen mentioned here is the Amber series by Roger Zelazny.

[emeraldsong]

If you like Arthurian tales The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper is wonderful (appropriate for children as well). Another interesting series that focus on Arthurian legends is the Keltiad series by Patricia Kennealy (it all starts with the idea of the Kelts/Arthur being space going).

[Tirlittan]

I like several of the authors already mentioned, and a good one to add to the list is Guy Gavriel Kay (Tigana, Song for Arbonne, Lions of Al-Rassan...). Very good fantasy. I might have mentioned him elsewhere already, but once more can't hurt

[Leftcoaster]

I just reread 'Assassin Of GOR', one from John Norman's counter Earth series where in addition to the sometimes superior fantasy, demonstates his apparent attitude toward women.

My main issue with him was in leaving the series hanging with the twenty somethingth book of the series, just as he seemed to have gotten back on track as to the main storyline pertaining to the hero that had originated it. The last book or two seemed equal to the effort he put into the first half dozen or so, before fixation on putting women in their place seemed to become his primary message in offshoots that had nothing whatsoever to do with Tarl Cabot's exploits.

Considering his good side, I haven't encountered too many authors whos descriptive ability filled in so many blanks about the world they created, from animal and plant life to how and why a particular model of warship was superior for that world in comparison to what had been previously used on Earth.

[coolguy]

Right now, Im just starting The Eye of The World by Robert Jordan. I keep hearing bad things about it later on, does it really get that bad?

[Leftcoaster]

Right now, Im just starting The Eye of The World by Robert Jordan. I keep hearing bad things about it later on, does it really get that bad?

I think the badness you may be hearing comes primarily from comparisons between the beginning of the series and where it is hung up right now.

This series was one of the best fictional experiences I'd encountered in decades, at least initially. I'm not sure what exactly happened, and while I earlier couldn't wait for the next book to the point of buying hardcovers which I seldom do, I'm happy enough to wait for the rest of the series to fall into my hands as used paperbacks.

The bad is coupled with the good; there are numerous threads that need to be dealt with, and considering that I'd read that there was supposed to be a fixed number of titles in the series, its hard sometimes to imagine how Jordan will successfully deal with all the questions that have been raised. While the character development is one of the high points of the series to me, the last couple of books left me wanting less character fixation and more attention paid to the main storyline.

When the books began getting slimmer and the font became larger, I began wondering whether the author was moving into milking mode for the money, or whether he just was stuck on how to conclude the series.

[Chorita KaBoom]

I've been rereading a lot of Greg Bear lately, W3 - Womwn in Deeptime, Slant, Eon, The Forge of God and Anvil of the Stars.

[Covaleskie]

What is everyone's favorite fantasy books? Mine is the Song of Ice and fire by george R.R. Martin. I just finished the first book and it's amazing. He isn't afraid to kill of main characters like many modern writers. It leaves the uncertinty and the suspense in every page which i love. The only bad thing is the graphic Sex scenes that i just skip over.


So, what's yours and have you ever read A Song of Ice and Fire series?

I love Martin's Song of Ice and Fire so very much. I have read and reread all three of the books in the series that are currently out. I definately agree with you that his willingness to kill off major characters (and increase the suspense and expand the future plot possibilities) is great strength of the series. I also like how he writes each chapter from the point of view of a different character so that the events told in the chapter are filtered through the perspective of the character.

By the way, for anyone interested in reading the series, A Game of Thrones is the name of the first book.

I like several of the authors already mentioned, and a good one to add to the list is Guy Gavriel Kay (Tigana, Song for Arbonne, Lions of Al-Rassan...). Very good fantasy. I might have mentioned him elsewhere already, but once more can't hurt

Also a great author. I love how his settings are always a subtly altered place and period of history. Tigana, set during a fantasy version of the city-state period of Italian history, was my favorite. For those of you who haven't read it, the hook is that through a series of events, the name of the provence of Tigana is erased. No one (except for those born there before the curse) can speak the name or hear it spoken, nor can they remember it ever existed. A small group of Tiganans set out to reclaim their name.