I've gone through all of the Robert Jordan books, ditto for Terry Goodkind, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, etc. I tend to gravitate towards sci-fi/fantasy, but I can read just about anything except romance (I like a plot...).
I figured the EC community might give me some ideas for the next time I wander around Half-Price Books trying to walk off the three or four pints I just consumed before trying to drive home.
Thanks in advance!
The first book is called A Game of Thrones. The fourth book is finally coming out this November.
The writing quality, characterization, and plot blow most other fantasy writing out of the water. It also is very light in the magic department (making its rare appearances more interesting), and doesn't throw in any cliche humanoid races like dwarves, elves, etc. In other words, it is far from a Tolkein clone.
Castle Perilous, by John DeChancie.
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Nae had this to say about John Romero:
The Riverworld series by Philip Jose Farmer.
I think I somehow wound up with the second book of that series (garage sale or something). Wasn't Farmer a protege of Heinlein?
Now if only I can remember these names when I'm drunk.... *madly starts writing down authors on sticky notes and putting them in his wallet*
Uhh.. The Beach House, by James Patterson.. It's one of his newer ones, but it's not Alex Cross, so it's actually decent. Oh.. And The Jester too.. VERY not normal for Patterson
Hrm..
Forever, by Pete Hamill. It's... different. But I read the whole book without a cigarette break, so that should say something positive. Kaiote fucked around with this message on 08-19-2005 at 02:21 AM.
Kate Forsyth
Tad Williams
Neil Gaiman
Unfortunatley his second part, "Judas Unchain", of the Commonwealth series, will be availible in the states around Feburary 06. 
I would recommend the following:
David Brin - Uplift Series, Earth, and Kiln People (Sci-Fi)
James Morrow - Only Begotton Daughter, Towing Jehova, Blamless in Abbadon (religious satire)
Tad Williams - "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn", War of the Flowers (fantasy)
I'd also recomend Neal Stephenson. While Snow Crash is the book you tend to hear a lot about I preffered Cryptonomicon and Diamond Age. I haven't read any of his newer books though.
This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman is an incredible Sci-Fi book as well. Her Coldfire Trilogy is alright, but not spectacular from what i can remember, although it's been a while since i've read it.
And second or third or whatever Song of Fire and Ice. Just finished A Game of Thrones and my only complaint it is the end opens up as much as it finishes. Too obviously part of a series.
EDIT: And how is Frankenstein book 2? Have the first and forgot to snag the second at work. Another case of OH GOD CLIFFHANGER YOU BASTARD WRITER. Alaan fucked around with this message on 08-19-2005 at 02:36 PM.
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith
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Karnaj's fortune cookie read:
As always, I recommend H.P. Lovecraft.
Seconded, with much love.
Umm... I'd suggest the Coldfire trilogy crap if I actually liked fantasy. Maybe.
enjoyable light reading
Some people are like Slinkys... Not really good for anything, But they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
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Lady Delirium had this to say about pies:
i just finished Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
it was kinda lame...but it's also kind of interesting...its sci-fi
it might be worth checking out if you like that sort of thing
I loved that book back in Jr. High, the later books in the series became political thrillers, hard to describe. They were still pretty good, just not sci-fi anymore.
Oh, and I'll second Zair's Game of Thrones books. Amazing writing, makes me laugh at any other so called 'epic' fantasy novels.
"Don't want to sound like a fanboy, but I am with you. I'll buy it for sure, it's just a matter of for how long I will be playing it..."
- Silvast, Battle.net forums
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Lady Delirium had this to say about Jimmy Carter:
it was kinda lame...but it's also kind of interesting...its sci-fi
it might be worth checking out if you like that sort of thing
You should die. You should fall to the ground and die.
It's not something people hear about.
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Naimah had this to say about Tron:
Raymond E. Feist, starting with the Magician series.
Raymond E. Feist
I will never understand why A Song of Ice and Fire is more popular than this. Gritty epic fantasy (although I must say that the first book is way not as good as the rest.) Niklas fucked around with this message on 08-23-2005 at 07:17 PM.
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And what is a Niklas? A miserable little pile of secrets!
The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson starting with Gardens of the Moon followed by Deadhouse Gates.I will never understand why A Song of Ice and Fire is more popular than this. Gritty epic fantasy (although I must say that the first book is way not as good as the rest.)
I finally picked this up in paperback, haven't read it yet. As for popularity, part of it may be that the Song of Ice and Fire has been available in the US for much longer.
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Niklas had this to say about Captain Planet:
The Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson starting with Gardens of the Moon followed by Deadhouse Gates.I will never understand why A Song of Ice and Fire is more popular than this. Gritty epic fantasy (although I must say that the first book is way not as good as the rest.)
Because A Song of Ice and Fire is more understandable and flows better than Malazan Book of the Fallen. I read Gardens of the Moon and while it was a good book and I enjoyed it, most of the time I was scratching my head and going "What the hell are they talking about?" The author seems to think the reader knows all about his world and so is very light with the connections between things.
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Channeling the spirit of Sherlock Holmes, Liam absently fondled Watson and proclaimed:
I'm currently reading Kurt Vonnegut Jr's Slaughterhouse Five, and Elliot Leyton's Killing People. Both pretty neat books, and I suggest checking them out. Leyton's focuses on serial killers (He's an anthropologist from Newfoundland) and Slaughterhouse Five is actually rather hilarious, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear you already read it.
I don't really like Slaughterhouse Five, but The Sirens of Titan and Breakfast of Champions are brilliant.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
--China Mieville: Perdido Street Station and The Scar: Very good fantasy books. Amazing use of language for a fantasy author. Highly recomended!
Non-fantasy/Sci-fi: (since you mentioned willingness for other books too.)
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--The Lovely Bones (I've forgotten the author, perhaps Seabold, or something like that): A tale of a rape and murder of a young girl, and it's affect in a town, portraying the different ways people can express grief, as told from the point of view of the ghost of the murdered girl.
