Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Scifi/Fantasy Books Part 2 - Page 12

**Cryostar** · 11-16-2004, 02:47 AM

I've read 5...but I'm disappointed that there aren't some good authors on there....like C.S. Friedman....I know, I toot her horn a lot, but her books are very entertaining and well written. Speaking of which, Where's the wheel of time?

dukesmom · 11-16-2004, 04:27 AM

I, too, was wondering about The Wheel of Time. I've read the first 6 books and am about 1/3 of the way through #7 (have been for nearly a year, will probably have to start it over again). While I have enjoyed them, I'm not 100% sure I would put any single volume or the set in my Top 10. Definitely Top 20.

What about David Eddings' The Belgariad? Katherine Kurtz's Deryni Chronicles? Mary Stewart's King Arthur interpretation? ARRGGHH! Too many books, not enough places.

Soz · 11-16-2004, 06:42 AM

I've read five (1, 2, 3, 5, 7) and I only disliked one of those (5). I own one more (10) and I have the entire Amber series by Zelazny on my TBR list, plus Moorcock is on the TBR list as well. I have no interest in reading Martin or Donaldson, no matter how much people rave about them and tell me I have to read them. Their books sound uninteresting to me.

I think Lois McMaster Bujold belongs on the list, and not just because she's one of my favorite authors. She's won more Hugos than Heinlein and is tied with him for Best Novel Hugo wins.

**Cryostar** · 11-17-2004, 02:50 AM

I wonder who's making these lists and what type of crack they're smoking.

dukesmom · 11-19-2004, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Soz
I've read five (1, 2, 3, 5, 7) and I only disliked one of those (5). I own one more (10) and I have the entire Amber series by Zelazny on my TBR list, plus Moorcock is on the TBR list as well. I have no interest in reading Martin or Donaldson, no matter how much people rave about them and tell me I have to read them. Their books sound uninteresting to me.

I think I've read a book by Martin before, one he did that tied into a television series. As for Donaldson, I've read both the First and Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and found them interesting. I don't know that I'd actually say I liked them, but I'm not sorry I read them - if that makes any sense.

Quote:

I think Lois McMaster Bujold belongs on the list, and not just because she's one of my favorite authors. She's won more Hugos than Heinlein and is tied with him for Best Novel Hugo wins.

I've never read anything by Bujold. Is there one in particular you would recommend as a starting point?

Suga*Babe · 11-20-2004, 01:45 AM

I've never read anything by Bujold either, I've had 'Ethan of Athos' on my TBR pile for ages but I can't ever seem to get round to reading it.

Sci Fi don't seem to be very good at making lists, but I'm glad that Lord of the Rings is on there.

Soz · 11-20-2004, 03:58 AM

dukesmom, there are several places you could start reading Bujold. She has a science fiction series, a fantasy series, and one stand-alone fantasy book. I've read everything but the stand-alone. With the SF series, I recommend starting with either Shards of Honor (in the omnibus Cordelia's Honor since the original is out of print now) or The Warrior's Apprentice (in the omnibus Young Miles). Falling Free or Ethan of Athos also could be read first though. The fantasy series only has two books out now, with another due next summer. The books The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls, can be read in either order, although Curse takes place first.

Suga*Babe, I liked Ethan of Athos, although it isn't my favorite of the Vorkosigan (and friends) series.

I'm almost done reading Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War by Clive Barker.

Soz · 11-26-2004, 05:45 PM

I finished Abarat 2 and I can't wait for the other two books in the series. Clive Barker is so imaginative and I love his characters.

I'm reading Crossing the Line by Karen Traviss now and I love it just as much as I love City of Pearl. I haven't been this addicted to an SF series in several years. Traviss is a huge talent and I think she's going to go on to win several awards.

AlexEvans · 11-27-2004, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Soz
I've read five (1, 2, 3, 5, 7) and I only disliked one of those (5). I own one more (10) and I have the entire Amber series by Zelazny on my TBR list, plus Moorcock is on the TBR list as well. I have no interest in reading Martin or Donaldson, no matter how much people rave about them and tell me I have to read them. Their books sound uninteresting to me.

I think Lois McMaster Bujold belongs on the list, and not just because she's one of my favorite authors. She's won more Hugos than Heinlein and is tied with him for Best Novel Hugo wins.

Martin and Donaldson share a somewhat grim view of the world (even fantasy worlds). Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, and I'm not a huge fan of anti-heroes myself. I found the works of both authors quite interesting, but I'd find it difficult to really recommend them. They're emotionally difficult reads... and, especially in Martin's case, not light reads in the literal sense either.

Eddings I think is too light.

One writer I really like is C.J. Cherryh. She writes both high fantasy and hard science fiction. Her books are sometimes complicated - intelligent characters dealing with difficult situations - but her writing is great. I'd definitely put her in the top ten for fantasy for her Fortress series, and I've recently come across a couple older fantasy books by her I hadn't known of. They're not as good as her later work but still a lot of fun.

Soz · 11-28-2004, 06:56 AM

I'm not a big fan of the Martin/Donaldson worldview, so I think I'll steer clear of them.

I haven't read Cherryh yet, but I have several of her books. I've read (and loved) a few books by her best friend Jane S. Fancher, and apparently, they write in a similar way.

Soz · 12-31-2004, 07:30 PM

I finished Crossing the Line and let's just say that I can't wait for the sequel, which is due in Novermber 2005. Traviss told me she has several more books in this universe planned.

I also re-read the first two Earthsea books because of the mini-series. I had planned to re-read the first five books anyway because I haven't read the sixth book yet and I was getting pretty confused reading the later books. I hadn't read the first three books in 17 years!

And I finished Charmed Destinies, which is an anthology with novellas by Mercedes Lackey, Rachel Lee, and Catherine Asaro. The Lackey story disturbed and annoyed me, plus I found it predictable. I honestly thought I wouldn't like the Lee novella, but it was pretty entertaining. And the Asaro novella was, IMO, better than her book The Charmed Sphere, which takes place in the same universe.

I started another Luna book the other day, but I had to put it down- but not because I didn't like it! I actually liked it quite a bit, but I do book trades and I owe someone a Luna in a trade. So now I have to find one in my pile that I don't like.

Anyway, the book I started is On Fire's Wings by Christie Golden.

**Cryostar** · 01-01-2005, 02:54 PM

Haven't you been busy Soz.

I've just been buying recently. With the holiday season in full gear, time has been short.

Suga*Babe · 01-02-2005, 05:36 PM

I have a stupid question, what exactly are the Luna books? I keep hearing about them but I've never seen one

Soz · 01-02-2005, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Suga*Babe
I have a stupid question, what exactly are the Luna books? I keep hearing about them but I've never seen one

http://www.luna-books.com/

Luna books are fantasy books with romantic sub-plots published by Harlequin. I read a lot of romantic SF and fantasy, so I thought I'd love the Lunas, but I've been disappointed with several of them.

This site has more info about the Lunas.

Suga*Babe · 01-02-2005, 08:40 PM

Thanks Soz