Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library discussion

I love fantasy books: All things Pern, All things Valdamar, Black Jewels novels,David Eddings,Jim Butcher,Laurell Hamilton,Lara Adair,J.R.Ward...talk to me...has anyone read INTRIGUES by Mercedes Lackey Yet? How was it?

Hello, i read fantasy books, does anime count, i mostly read those

yes,anime counts at least in my opinion. I really love fantasy: authors who build whole different worlds with different customs,sometimes different languages, different climates...Dune,Pern,Valdemar or alternate realities set on earth impress me to no end.

I think McCaffrey considers Pern to be sci fi. It does take place on another planet. I think it reads more like fantasy though because it's not a technological society.

I love fantasy and Sci Fi. One of my favorites is David Eddings. I am right now re-reading The Belgariad, and then I will re-read The Mallorean. I love The Elenium and The Tamuli also and re-read those quite often.

I recently read Sarah Monette's "Doctrine Of Labyrinths" series and loved that too.

I like seeing authors different versions of magic. How they make magic work in their universe.

Here's a question: define fantasy.

polgara rules.

Sephrina, too.

I love fantasy novels, for some reason they are the most likely to capture my attention and keep me up all night reading. :-)

+1 to what Jillian said.

When you start reading a fantasy book, the world described with magic/adventures and things like that consumes me and I loose my self in that world, which is fascinating, I mean really - can't imagine spending the evening doing anything else nowadays.

We tend to get immersed in that particular world while we read, not so different from Bastian (The Neverending story) At least it works for me that way.
Oh! by the way I'm Kashi and I'm new here. HI!

Michele wrote: "Here's a question: define fantasy."

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place in fictional worlds where magic is common. Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction in that it does not provide a logical (or pseudo logical) explanation for the scientifically impossible events that occur, though there is a great deal of overlap between the two (both are subgenres of speculative fiction). - Wikipedia.

Funny, I just mentioned in another post somewhere that David & Leigh Eddings Belgariad & Malloreon are my most favorite fantasy series. Those ten books with all the stand alone novels that go with...it's fantastic!

i liked some of Pern books, but did not care for heavy politics that ensued. ive read m. lackey, mckillip, clare bell, and many more.

Anybody read Lynn Flewelling here? While I still graviate towards Jordan (starting 3rd re-read of WoT), Bakker, Martin, Farland, etc., I really enjoyed the Nightrunner series... good fun adventure with enjoyable characters.

Yes I also enjoyed the Nightrunner series( the first three at least ) and I will read the Tamir Triad books at some point.
I have to agree that I still prefer the likes of Bakker, Martin, Lynch, and Kay.
We do not agree on Farland though, I hated The Sum of all Men when I tried it.

I have not read Jordan in years. I'll re-read WOT when the final book is released. I hope it stands the test of time better than Sword of Truth, I loved it first time, but was bored senseless when I tried to re-read it.

Gavin, there is so much in the WoT series that I think the re-read will be worth it... well, until about Book 7 or so. The first five are great, and then Knife of Dreams kicks it up, with the final three being much faster...

I enjoyed Farland's first Runelords book a lot and the next couple. Was a very interesting concept.

The more I consider it, the more daunting a re-read of WOT seems. It will probably take me a good six months.
I'm a big fan of Brandon Sanderson so a least that's a plus.

Yes, I liked the concept of Runelords just not the reality. I never warmed to the characters for some reason and found the Heroes "endowments" of other peoples attributes to be rather villainous.

I'm sure I also bought the first three Runelords books at about the same time as I bought Tad Williams's, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series, and Ian Irvine's View from the Mirror series.
I ended up giving the lot of them to the library having only read about half a book from each series.
I suppose I learned a valuable lesson, Don't buy the whole series before you have a least read the first book!.

Jack wrote: "It's nice to see so many people out there with similar interests. I can't seem to meet any out in the real world!"

Same here. Before I discovered Goodreads I was relying on amazon recommendations to find new authors

I love reading fantasy. A favorite author of mine is Jennifer Roberson with her Sword Dancer series and her new series, Karavans.

I've been reading almost exclusively fantasy and SF for about 10 years though it's always been my favorite genre. Last year I read 125 novels, almost all fantasy. Jack Vance is my favorite.

I love the older Pern books, before Anne started co-writing with one of her family members (I think it was her son?). Also enjoy GRRM, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, etc. Lately I've been reading more of what I write--urban fantasy--like Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, KMM, Nicole Peeler, etc.

<3,
-J

I like older books also, A Storm Upon Ulster by Kenneth C. Flint and The Drawing of the Dark by Tim Powers in particular, but I also like Jim Butcher, and Melanie Rawn (Wish she'd have finished her second fantasy trilogy. I've never found the thrid book to "Exiles."

I love Brandon Sanderson, Richard Knaak and also His dark materials. And many more. :)

Fantasy is the majority of what I read. I have read the WOT series ages ago, and I'm not that old. There are a few writers that I like enough to read several times, like Robin Hobb, mainly her Farseer Series. Its great that there are no demons, long bloody battles or evil gods which I hate - odd considering I am a fantasy fan. Tolkein is another favourite. Being a writer myself I try to set my own story lines away from this well beaten path and challenge myself to come up with something different.

If you love fantasies try my newest book "The Hemlock Forest", it's the prequel to "Run Run Run Away". Free today on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/The-Hemlock-For...

I love fantasy and SF (much of "SF" is really fantasy, IMO), and have been reading them for years, so a comprehensive listing of favorite books/authors might exceed the character limits here. I love the same classics as pretty much eveyone else, I'm sure: Tolkein, LeGuin, Alexander, Lewis, Bradley, Norton, McCaffrey...

Relatively new authors I've ben enjoying lately when I have a spare moment to read include Myke Cole, J.D. Hallowell, and Patrick Rothfuss, among others. I'm slowly, slowly working on getting everything I've read rated, and then I'm going to go through and do reviews, if I ever have the time.

I've read almost everything by Anne McCaffrey including her romantic novel Stitch in Snow. I find the co-written books to be of a very high standard - the Planet Pirates especially. The Acorna series is more fantasy but she tends to be a sci-fi/fantasy crossover author.

Mercedes Lackey is another of my favourites.

I would heartily recommend Diana Wynne Jones as an author to work your way through. She writes supposedly for a younger audience but in my opinion her work is well worth a read for any adult interested in fantasy - she has a very unique 'voice' and her books are different enough to be surprising and the same enough to be very easy to read.

She predates a lot of authors and has influenced many who came after her - Neil Gaiman in particular.

I'd be here forever listing all the fantasy I've enjoyed. One book I'd definitely suggest everyone who likes fantasy should read is Stephen King and Peter Straub's The Talisman - although steer clear of its sequel Black House - the sequel is a horror - in more ways than one ;)

I have been reading fantasy my whole life, but before last year I realized I was missing out on all kinds of good books and after joining Goodreads and I have been getting into all kinds of cool new(and old) stuff. I am almost finished with the 3rd Amber Chronicles book. Really enjoying it.

Tim wrote: "I have been reading fantasy my whole life, but before last year I realized I was missing out on all kinds of good books and after joining Goodreads and I have been getting into all kinds of cool ne..."

The Chronicles of Amber were some of the first fantasy books I ever read and they really influenced my love of the genre. I read them in the mid-1980s.

I've been somewhat obsessed w SciFi/Fant for a few years now, but find that when shooting in the dark there are as many misses as hits. I generally like getting the 'best of' year end compilations and then mining them for authors that I like (short stories), and then delve into their novels from there. I also went through the Hugo and Nebula winners going back to the '70s thinking that I would get all the best - but the reality is that with certain notable exceptions, I did not like the winners much past the last decade...but it was a good experiment and I feel like I learned something about the progression of the genres. If I were to recommend the best books of short stories I would suggest George RR Martin's Dreamsongs I and II; and Scott Card's Maps in the Mirror. For novels/authors: George RR Martins (now famous) Fire & Ice series is fantastic; Robin Hobb has several trilogies which are superb and loosely related (Tawny Man; Farseer; Liveship; Rain Wild *in progress, less good thus far); Jordan's Wheel of Time are wonderful, and Scott Card's Ender series & Songmaster series is really really good. Less well known are Glen Cook's The Black Company series which are epic (and dark); Lovecraft is fun to cuddle up to (truly a genius), and Octavia Butler (z'l) is well worth the reads. I loved Tad Williams: The War of the Flowers but did not like his other books; Max Brooks: World War Z is AWESOME; and my new favorite author is Paulo Bacigulupi- seriously, he is so good. Start with Windup Girl, then get his short stories: Pump Six and other stories. His other books delve into the 'young adult' category which is ok for what it is. At this point, I would read anything that he writes- he is that good. My last suggestion would be Austin Grossman's: Soon I will be Invincible. (delightful, I wish he would write 10 more like it).

I see I've found my people. :o) I'm primarily an epic fantasy fan, but every once in a while I'll read urban fantasy or a good SF novel.

Janalyn wrote: "I see I've found my people. :o) I'm primarily an epic fantasy fan, but every once in a while I'll read urban fantasy or a good SF novel."

Than why not give my "Cassiopeia" series a try? It's good, hard, ensemble sci-fi with a healthy dose of fantasy thrown in! Epic, hard sci-fi AND fantasy....? Sounds right up your alley!


The Last Voyage of the Cassiopeia
Almagest
3700
The Avedon Question

I agree that Pern novels are SciFi but feel that they can be read with the abandon of fantasy: 200% enjoyment.

Zelazny's Amber Chronicles (1st five books) are great.

Also, Cherryh's The Dreaming Tree and The Morgaine Saga are way cool, although the latter may fit fantasy as does McCaffrey's Pern series.

Dragonflight
The Chronicles of Amber
The Dreaming Tree
The Morgaine Saga

Stephen wrote: Than why not give my "Cassiopeia" series a..."

Sounds interesting, Stephen. We might like each other's books. :o)

Tom wrote: "I agree that Pern novels are SciFi but feel that they can be read with the abandon of fantasy: 200% enjoyment.

Well put, Tom.

Tim wrote: "I have been reading fantasy my whole life, but before last year I realized I was missing out on all kinds of good books..."

I know what you mean. My to-read list is growing!

Janalyn wrote: "Stephen wrote: Than why not give my "Cassiopeia" series a..."

Sounds interesting, Stephen. We might like each other's books. :o)"

Go here: www.lastvoyageofthecassiopeia.com. There are excerpts there.

Hope you like it!

The Last Voyage of the Cassiopeia

I read fantasy and would love some friends on Goodreads to chat fantasy with! I'm currently into Brandon Sanderson, but I've read a wide selection.

I love humorous fantasy. Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and (going back a while) Harry Harrison are just some of my favourites.

Did Harrison write the Stainless Steel Rat? I think I have the trilogy on my shelf but haven't gotten around to it yet.

How about David Weber? His Honor Harrington series is my current obsession. I've already read the first 6 books this year and plan on continuing until I read them all.

Yep, Harry Harrison wrote the Rats... I really liked them, but they are probably a bit dated now. I haven't read any Honor Harrington's so I've added the first one onto my TBR... thanks for the steer.

I couldn't possibly list all the series I enjoy. That's what my book list is for.

But,
For the epic quality... Jordan.
For the blood and grit... Martin.
For the adventure... Burroughs. (I cheated)
For pure joy... Mine.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007YK1YYU/r...

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that I have a new review site at www.kimsbooklife.blogspot.com and I would love to have you stop by. Thanks and happy reading.

For the fantasy and sci-fi lovers, I publish my stories on the blog. Free for all visitors. Currently running two short story series.

One is dark fantasy series titled "Legend of the Tyrant."
The other is science fiction/dystopian series "Factory 21."

Read, review, or just watch trailers. I try to make the blog interactive. Visit http://iron2112fist.blogspot.com/

My published novels are crime thrillers but SF/fantasy is my favourite genre.
Joe Abercrombie is untouchable, China Mieville amazing. If you haven't already tried these guys you've got a treat in store.
Dave

I've read the Heralds of Valdemar series by Lackey and loved it. My all time favorite author though is Robert Asprin, especially the Myth books. Fantasy with quirky sarcastic characters. I also enjoy Simon Green, Lori Devoti, and Terry Pratchett.

For humorous fantasy it's hard to beat Terry Pratchett and he's written enough to keep anyone busy for a month or two. Mort was my favourite.

Hi, I am a long time reader of Fantasy and Si-fi.. Favorites would be Erikson, Tom Lloyd, Alan Campbell, Brett, Patrick Rothfuss , and so many more.. interested in finding some new authors/ books that haven't crossed my path.

I love the Robert Asprin both his shared world series Thieves World which is a swords and sorcery style series written by lots of great authors, as well as the humorous Myth books which are a particular favorite.
If you like lighter funnier fantasy along with Pratchett, L. Sprague de Camp has a wonderful series of stories about Harold Shea a college professor Compleat Enchanter.
Another series of fantasy novels with a twist I really enjoy are Glen Cooks Garrett series. Jim Hines Jig the Goblin series is another lighter series that I've enjoyed.
A bit darker, I also just recently read the first 4 Drizzt novels in publication order, and find them quite entertaining.
Of course I like all the classics that I grew up on as well Tolkien, Leiber, Howard, Tanith Lee, Burroughs, Lovecraft. I even like Kim Harrison's urban fantasy Hollows series, at least the first 10 novels that I've read.

I like most of the standards such as Tolkien, Lewis, and Lovecraft. Alan Campbell has a trilogy set in a steampunk dystopia. I enjoyed all of them.

JK Rowling has the wonderful Harry Potter series. Lev Grossman has the Magician series. I t is a more grown up HP series and Chronicle of Narnia.