CONduit discussion

If you could only recommend one science fiction book, one fantasy book and one horror book; what would they be?

That's difficult, but at the moment, I think I would recommend The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (which is actually an omnibus, but that's my pick), The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz, and Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Good stories, all.

Gosh, just one each? There are so many!

I don't read much horror, but I can recommend the "Newsflesh" series by Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire). The first in the series (Feed) was nominated for the Hugo. It's an inventive take on the coming zombie apocalypse, and, as we all know, zombies are scary! It's got derring-do, intrigue, and action. There is no supernatural component to the story, so in an important sense it is more akin to science fiction than to horror. But it has gen-yoo-ine zombies.

For fantasy I recommend "The Inheritance Trilogy" by N.K. Jemisin. The first in the series (The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms) was nominated for the Nebula, and the first and third one have been nominated for a Hugo. People getting mixed up in a war between the gods themselves. Romance! Intrigue! No dwarves or elves! No vampires (sparkling or otherwise) or werewolves! What's not to like?

For straight up SF I think I'd recommend Vernor Vinge's Rainbow's End. This story won the Hugo. Vinge writes about where the internet and crowd sourcing might take us. For some of us old-timers, there's a certain wish-fulfillment component, too, I suppose. (Who wouldn't like to be restored to youthful vigor?) But I loved Vinge's vision of how technology will seem like magic. He demonstrates that Clarke's Law will hold even when we do know what's going on.

Sadly I guess I am too genre specific, or maybe I don;t read enough anymore.

The last books that could be considered horror at all were some of the clan novels from white wolf like Tremere, and some from Mage the Ascension.

Fantasy I actually enjoyed The Children of Húrin which was finalized by Chris Tolkien, from partial manuscripts of his father's.

As for scifi, its gota be the book where Chewie gets killed by a moon falling on him. I mean comeon nothing tops a death by lunar collapseStar Wars: Vector Prime