Fantasy or Sci-Fi lovers suggestions!

Douwe · Post by **Douwe** » 26 Oct 2016, 02:12

Hey Fantasy or Sci-fi lovers! Got any good suggestions to read?
here are a few! (The Inheritance cycle) (hobbit,lord of the rings) (heroes of Olympus) (Mistborn Series) (Fablehaven)
(a world without heroes) These are some of my most loved Fantasy books

Hope you enjoy!
Douwe

Remember to reply with suggestions!

Mashadar86 · Post by **Mashadar86** » 04 Mar 2017, 04:00

More Sanderson - Stormlight etc
Melissa McPhail - A pattern of shadow and Light (a bit slow to get going but epic series)
Trudi Canavan - Milleniums Rule
Peter V Brett - Demin Cycle
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time
Robin Hobb - Farseer
Patrick Rothfuss - Kingkiller Chronicle

There's a few of my faves in no particular order ?

Priya12345 · Post by **Priya12345** » 06 Mar 2017, 14:06

How is Melissa McPhail as compared with Peter V Brett or Robin Hobb?
I've read both authors and preferred Peter's pace, even though I loved Robin's characters from the assassin series.
I've recently been reading Scott lynch (lies of Locke lamora) and enjoyed it thoroughly. For me, that was the perfect blend of pace and character, where details and backstory shade in the narrative, but don't force the story to stagnate.

-- 06 Mar 2017, 14:10 --

Other writers I've enjoyed
- Jim Butcher (both Dresden and codex Alera)
- Anne bishop
- lynn Flewelling
- Fiona Patton
- Rob J Hayes
- Brent Weeks
- Jennifer Robeson (Tiger and Del)

Mashadar86 · Post by **Mashadar86** » 07 Mar 2017, 02:16

@Priya12345:

I have only discovered Melissa McPhail recently and initially struggled to get into the story. It's one of those series where the more you read, the more you are drawn in.

Compared with Robin Hobb and Peter V Brett:
- Similar to Hobb in looking at events philosophically, although probably more frequently and deeply by McPhail (not surprising as she has a degree in philosophy!)
- Great characters (like Brett and Hobb) but lots of them!
- Pacing of story is slower, more similar to Hobb than Brett.

McPhail's world expands and grows in complexity as the series goes on and although it sometimes has a slower pace, I found that there were not too many moments where I wanted to move ahead faster than the story.

I also love Hobb, Brett, Weeks, Butcher, Lynch etc and personally am not too fussy about styles as I enjoy many different types. I recommend you read a couple of reviews about McPhail's books and if you like the sound of it, give it a crack.

There are some weaknesses in the story and writing, however I found it easy to overlook these and thoroughly enjoyed the epic scale of the story. Looking forward to the 5th (and I think final) book.

Hope this helps a little

Dh_ · Post by **Dh_** » 18 Mar 2017, 19:29

The Hundred by Kass Morgan
Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
The Illuminae Files

Priya12345 · Post by **Priya12345** » 29 Mar 2017, 15:29

Thanks Dh for the suggestions and Mashadar86 for that analysis.
I will definitely give McPhail a whirl.

In someways it's comforting to know an author has already written a series, because then you anticipate a larger canvas they have for world building and complexity. It's also slightly disconcerting - the finale is five whole books away!

I had that experience with Robert Jordan ... the story just got away from me.
One through Five was almost binge reading one semester - followed by summer break. And then I just could not pick up again - I'd lost the familiarity with all the stories, the characters all seemed to have matured too far from the ones Id literally seen grow up. I'd like to pick it up again some day just to know how it end.

I've recently started 'The craft sequence' by Max Gladstone- and it's been incredible.
It's a very larger than life, religion, magic (or craft), vampires, deamons...
A fantastic frame for very personal stories and emotions - differences with conservative parents, trying to find a sense of purpose, scapegoated as the whistleblower ...
The prose is taut - high impact, and quick paced
As a comparison, it has Brett's pace, and academic construct of magic, but theres a more raw emotional connect with Hobbs first assassin series- when young Fitz's journey of self discovery.
(I always thought Of it as an allegory for the discrimination against homosexuality- where a natural trait was condemned as evil)

Book three - so fingers crossed!

Mashadar86 · Post by **Mashadar86** » 31 Mar 2017, 02:28

@Priya12345

Thanks for the info on Max Gladstone. It is now higher up my 'to read' list!

I read The Wheel of Time when I was just getting into fantasy and I think everyone relates to your experiences. Luckily for me, most of these books were already written when I began reading so not too many long waits. I still remember thinking 'How can this story, this world, be so massive?' and I loved it! Admittedly there were quite a few boring parts but got through those and was happy with how the series concluded. Sanderson did a great job.

One other thing about McPhail: She uses big words! Quite a lot. I read on her website somewhere that she said the reason for this was that when she began writing she wanted to write 'her own ideal fantasy' story. She began writing for herself, not others and so decided it didn't matter if she used higher level of vocab than most authors you read. She obviously decided to keep it this way through the publishing process. For me it didn't ruin the story, once I got used to it it was kind of fun, though I did require the dictionary a fair amount of the time!

All the best!

Ps. Long live the Fitz !

Priya12345 · Post by **Priya12345** » 05 Apr 2017, 12:00

Oh nice!
Are these real long words, or fantastic word long words?
(I once spent a very long time trying to figure out the meaning of seabelleype)
It's nice to think that her work carries that little personal quirk, of being 'her' sort of book.
Down to book five Gladstone, and I've got to confess, I'm going to miss his world.
Book three was a little abstract for me, book four was an adrenalin rush.
And now I'm slowly eking out the chapters. There's so many other books and authors to read, so many things to do.
But I just got to know this world, and I like these guys, and I really really hopes Gladstone writes a lot more of this series!

Sal the Gal · Post by **Sal the Gal** » 07 Apr 2017, 08:30

I love Stephan von Clinkerhoffen's series The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham. the first in the series is Stig's Flight of Encounters, here's a brief review.

This is a fast paced, action packed story, tempered with plausible inventions and imaginary creatures, both good and evil.
The use of invented machines carries you along with the characters into a fantasy-land.
Exquisitely detailed - you can almost smell the flowers.
I was drawn in from the word go.

Priya12345 · Post by **Priya12345** » 14 Apr 2017, 05:13

That sounds interesting too Sal the Gal.
I'm a huge fan of fast paced!
Is Chelldrah-ham a steampunk sort of fantasy, or more like magic powered devices?

I was a lot more open to new authors, but now I find I don't invest the time in a series if it's too dark a genre (no post nuclear world, no zombie over-run, no dystopian steampunk).
Epic world building, family politics, rogue magic - yes!

Books_are_Life · Post by **Books_are_Life** » 15 Apr 2017, 15:35

Another good author for this genre is Terry Brooks if you haven't read him yet. He has quite a few books out so there is no waiting.

CaitlynLynch · Post by **CaitlynLynch** » 05 May 2017, 04:11

DAVID EDDINGS. How has this name not been yelled into this thread yet? He was my introduction into epic fantasy when I stole my brother's set of The Belgariad when I was about twelve, and honestly every fantasy book I've read since has been measured against the Eddings yardstick.

For sci-fi, my faves include David Weber and a fair few others from the Baen stable, including Eric Flint, Steve White and Lois McMaster Bujold.

adampaarma_1 · Post by **adampaarma_1** » 12 May 2017, 16:36

All the birds in the sky By CHARLIE JANE ANDERS

Sal the Gal · Post by **Sal the Gal** » 13 May 2017, 09:58

Hi Priya12345, Sorry for late response. No, The Hidden City of Chelldrah-ham series is not dark, in fact quite Green. There are some reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and even a video trailer.