Essential Sci-Fi/Fantasy for the Beginner....

[-Carlos-]

I am about to start reading the fifth installment of King's masterwork: The Darktower series. I have fallen in love with the genre. The problem is I do not know who's who. I want to read quality stuff folks and I would much prefer long tales like the above King novels. Who are the best in this genre and which are the top series/books in Sci-Fi/Fantasy?

Thank a million for your input!

 

[ions]

Tough question really. What do you like about Stevie's seiries? The setting? The saga? The writing? The ability to stay in the world book after book?

Anyway these dudes seem to be popular without being shitty:
Jack Whyte
George Martin
Guy Gavriel Kay

 

[-Carlos-]

I like it all really.

 

[angerball]

How about The Talisman, also by Stephen King?

That is kinda/sorta in the same vein as The Dark Tower series, or at least parallel worlds and quests. He wrote it with Peter Straub.

You can read more on it here.

 

[Billy]

Some good fantasy authors who I have read are:

Raymond E Feist
George Martin
Robin Hobb
Katherine Kerr
Sara Douglas

Of course, there is always Tolkien as well.

 

[Ainulindale]

Although I don't consider theebest woek to be in a seies to a large degree, here are what are in my mind some of the best SF/Sequences (in no particular order)

A Song of ice and Fire By George R.R. Martin (on going)
Malazan Book of the Fallen by steven erikson (on going)
Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
Viriconium by M John Harrison
The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
Dune by Frank Herbert
The First Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
Pyat Quartet by Michael Moorcock
Jerusalem Quartet by Edward Whitemore
Cornelius Quartet by Michael Moorcock
Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons
Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson
The Prince of Nothing by R. Scott Bakker (on going)
Golden Age trilogy by John C. Wright
Heroes Die and Blade of Tyshalle by Matthew Stover (on going)
Culture sequence by Iain M. Banks
Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe
Merchant Princes by Charles Stross
Cley Trilogy by Jeffrey Ford
Arabesk by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Takeshi Kovacs by Richard Morgan
Helliconia Trilogy by Brian Aldiss
Fall Revolution by Ken Macleod

 

[Hugin]

Hi

I might be repeating someone, if I do sorry.

Ok who are the big names in Sci-fi and fantasy? Some great books are listed but let me give you my personal favourites.

First is Raimond E. Feist, he writes a very good story and his stories are epic. His first series (Magicial, Silvethorn and Drakness at Sethanon) are renowened. His colaboration with Janny Wurts (Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire and Mistress of the Empire) is probably my favourite fantasy series ever, politics and intrigue!

For Sci-Fi Anne McCaffrey (hope I spelled that right) is a big name. Everyone raves over her Pern series (numerous books) but I love her Rowan series (Rowan, Damia, Damia's children....I forget the rest)

David Gemmel is a fantastic fantasy writer, his books can be read individually, although they do follow on each other, I would suggest his Rigante series or his Drenai books.

After you have read some fantasy pick up a book by Terry Pratchet if you haven't already. You will either love him of loath him.

Hope this helps

 

[GOLLUM]

Hi there Ainulindale!...

I think we may have crossed paths on another forum or two in which I use the same call sign....

Needless to say your list is quality with a capital Q and I've read the majority of those listed, although I see neither Jeff Vandermeer or Italo Calvino are reperesented but I guess they're not so much writers of specific sequences per se.

I'm looking foward to checking out Mr. Vandermneer's work in 2006, hopefully it'll be as enjoyable as M. John Harrison, Gene Wolfe, Bakker, Calvino, Mieville, Erikson et al..

 

[Brys]

Now how to avoid repetition?

For fantasy:
I haven't seen Graham Joyce or Charles de Lint mentioned, so I'll recommend them. Add to that Ian R Macleod's the Light Ages - equal to Perdido Street Station IMO.
Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series.

For Science Fiction:
Anything by Philip K Dick
Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester
The Forever War - Joe Haldeman