What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

Hi there! I've got a lot of YA fantasy and Sci-fi on my lists, but not really anything for adults. I've searched the new releases for things I might find interesting, but it's been pretty hit and miss.

I'll look over anything tossed my way, but I have a few preferences:
* Female lead (or at least some female narration) preferred
* Modern releases (within the last five, ten or even fifteen years)
* Nothing erotic

Besides that, any sub-genre/classification is fine. Recs don't have to be highly acclaimed or thoughtful works -- I'd love ones that are weird/unique and just plain fun, too.

How about just futuristic dystopias (non-fantasy, non scifi)? Station Eleven has two main female leads, recent, non-erotic.

Yes, that's fine, too, thank you!

Perhaps The Eyre Affair or Life After Life?

Kris wrote: "Perhaps The Eyre Affair or Life After Life?"

Angels' Blood
Dragon Prince (may be too old, but it's good)

Try Peter F Hamilton for Sci-fi and Brandon Sanderson for Fantasy. Both have a multiple POVs that include women.

A Natural History of Dragons
The Name of the Wind
Who Fears Death

The Emperor's Edge - it's quite like a steampunk version of the A-Team ;)

Haven't read it myself, but Invasive by Chuck Wendig fits your criteria and has some good reviews. Invasive

Dreams & Shadows by C. Robert Cargill is the best fantasy book I've read. It's kind of... urban fantasy meets goblins and fairies. No female leads but still very good :)

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
The Drowning Girl
Radiance
The Woman Who Thought She Was a Planet and Other Stories
Pretty Monsters: Stories

The Shining Girls

Not new series, but great female lead characters: Sheepfarmer's Daughter (First in the Paksenarrion series) by Elizabeth Moon. And the Honor Harrington series by David Weber

I'm just going to suggest an author. Andre Norton She wrote EVERYTHING. And had books come out for over 50 years. She is also someone who influenced a lot of other sci-fi/fantasy writers.

Some of the best sci-fi I've read lately:
and , both by Ernest Cline
Gideon Smith series by David Barnett, first book is
Some great steampunk is the Weird West Tales series by Mike Resnick, first book is

C.J. Cherryh - offers a lot of female lead characters, some amazing. Does not write erotica, but you will find occasional non-explicit sex (since you mentioned 'nothing erotic').
Have a look at the Chanur series starting with The Pride of Chanur - amazing female lead, feline aliens.
Have a look at Rider at the Gate and its sequel.
Have a look at the Alliance-Merchanter universe: try Tripoint, Finity's End, or Rimrunners.

Have you read David Weber's On Basilisk Station and the rest of the Honor Harrington series?

What about Anne McCaffrey? (Although her female leads tend to be a little softer...)

J.V. Jones is brilliant, but you will run into (*very* occasional) erotic scenes.

Thanks for all the recs so far!

First, I apologize if any of these suggestions has sex I forgot about, I liked them for other reasons, so never remember the parts I don't feel necessary.
**Newer material:
The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.
Dun's Lady Jess by Doranna Durgin (and other novels)
The Magic and the Healing (Crossroads #1) by Nick O'Donohoe
Murder by Magic: Twenty Tales of Crime and the Supernatural Editors: Rosemary Edghill, Mercedes Lackey
Household Gods by Judith Tarr & Harry Turtledove
Daughter of the Sword by Steve Bein
Firebird by R. Garcia y Robertson

**Older books but still decent:
Previous Up Next
Women of Futures Past edited by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Tea With the Black Dragon by R. A. MacAvoy
Chicks in Chainmail edited by Esther M. Friesner
- a mix of serious and hilarious short stories
The Healer's War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Native Tongue (Native Tongue, #1) by Suzette Haden Elgin
Jirel of Joiry by C. L. Moore
The Door into Fire by Diane Duane
Eyes of Amber and Other Stories by Joan D. Vinge

Anything by Kelley Armstrong, she's written a lot of books (YA and Adult) in different genres.

Tanya Huff's Blood Series, starting with Blood Price. It involves relationships, but they are simply a part of the tale as are mysteries, murders, realistic handicaps that could drag a woman down but don't, life on the streets, and the supernatural. I am not heavily into the vampire genre because I personally detest vampires that walk around with all the females in thrall of the thought of being bitten by his lordship, or mass superiority kicks. This was well thought out though, and I enjoyed the world Tanya Huff had created so much I read the entire series.

The D'neeran Factor
Slow Bullets
Neptune's Brood
The Academy and Alex Benedict series by Jack McDevitt

Think MiB, but British.


Think Oceans 11, but in an overthrow the evil magic emperor kind of way.

Both books have a female lead, are new, and not erotic.

Walking The Tree
Ash: A Secret History