what's your favourite fantasy/scifi book?

[Tippster]

and i hate bakker's prince of nothing series. it is gruesome and underwhelming.

I agree. I kinda liked The Darkness That Comes Before but after that I lost interest.

I want to second a previous poster's recommendation of Raymond Feist's books, especially the Riftwar Saga. They're just friggin' FUN reads.

[Grange]

I picked up a bunch of books including several fantasy books from my bother-in-law. Most notable are the first 3 books in the Wheel of Time series. Not sure when I'll open them up though since I'm trying to finish the second book in the Song of Fire and Ice series and a new release i ordered coming early next month and then the new Dresden book in December.

[Alaskan Rover]

Not necessarily my alltime favorite, but I like Ender's Game and the other 'Ender' series books. OSC spins a great tale.

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[doughboyshredder]

You're all wrong (except those that mentioned Forever War...that was good). I also enjoyed American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

But the correct answer is the "In Her Name" series by Michael R Hicks.

The "in her name" series kicks sooooo much ass. Good call.

[boarddad]

Another vote for "Ready Player One". I loved this book! It helps if you grew up in the 80's though.

[legon22]

I'd also really reccomend any of Feist's stuff- it's kinda stereotypical fantasy but insanely well done.
The Name of the Wind (not sure of the author) is also really great.

[Ksyrium]

The Name of the Wind (not sure of the author) is also really great.

That'd be Patrick Rothfuss, the second book, The Wise Man's Fear, is really good as well.

[TheDon]

Anyone read any of the Star Wars books?

I realize there are about 100 but have been thinking about reading some. And do not know where to begin.

One person told me to start by reading the originals then move to the Han Solo books? No idea if that is cool or not.

I have bought the first Boba Fett book though and plan on reading it sometime... whether before or after the han solo book IDK.

[summit]

Never read any, but I've heard that there are few sets that are very good even if you aren't a die-hard Star Trek fan.

I generally don't recommend the Babylon 5 books unless you are a diehard (and then only some are worth reading).

Anyone read the 6th Hitchhiker's Guide Book: And Another Thing? Is it worth a read?

[TheDon]

Anyone read any of the Star Wars books?

Never read any, but I've heard that there are few sets that are very good even if you aren't a die-hard Star Trek fan.

Screw Star Trek, I'm talkin WARS man. Luke Sky Walker, Darth Vader and the Force baby! Not this Star date boring shit!

[TheDon]

I found this: http://scifi.about.com/od/starwarsgl...e-universe.htm

It gives a few suggestions on how to go about starting Star Wars.

[summit]

Typo... meant to type Star Wars. Never heard anyone say a Star Trek book was worth reading... and I like Star Trek TOS and TNG.

[TheDon]

Never heard anyone say a Star Trek book was worth reading...

Re-post worthy material

[Danno]

Maybe no Star Trek book is worth reading, but some stories sure are. The City on the Edge of Forever, for example.

[Buster Highmen]

Anyone read any of the Star Wars books?

I realize there are about 100 but have been thinking about reading some. And do not know where to begin.

One person told me to start by reading the originals then move to the Han Solo books? No idea if that is cool or not.

I have bought the first Boba Fett book though and plan on reading it sometime... whether before or after the han solo book IDK.

My son has read around 75 of them; he thinks Boba Fett is awesome.
But his current favorites are the Zamonia books by Walter Moers like the 13 1/2 LIves of Captain Bluebear, The City of Dreaming Books and Rumo. Not quite up to 'Hitchhikers' level, but close and great for kids.

[summit]

Maybe no Star Trek book is worth reading, but some stories sure are. The City on the Edge of Forever, for example.

Well, Harlan Ellison does kick ass...

[schuss]

The Zahn books are awesome for Star Wars and I've heard good things about the Stackpole series. Also check out the Dark Empire graphic novels, as they directly follow Return of the Jedi and setup the Zahn books. The earlier stuff (including a lot of the Han Solo stuff) is mostly terrible and weird.

[TheDon]

Thanks, that helps. I think I'll start with the Zahn books.

The Zahn books are awesome for Star Wars and I've heard good things about the Stackpole series. Also check out the Dark Empire graphic novels, as they directly follow Return of the Jedi and setup the Zahn books. The earlier stuff (including a lot of the Han Solo stuff) is mostly terrible and weird.

[crackboy]

So recently started reading the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. It is really good, interesting take on 'powers/magic'

also if you havn't read Justin Cronin's The Passage, you should, especially since he just released its sequal called the
Twelve

[dookeyXXX]

I've got to put in a few votes for Harlan Ellison.

While his novels are few and far between, he penned some seriously great sci-fi/fantasy short stories and novellas.

Amongst my favorites of his:

"Along the Scenic Route" - from Deathbird Stories

"Repent Harlequin!, Said the Tick-Tock Man" - from All the Sounds of Fear; also found in Alone Against Tomorrow; also found in Paingod and Other Delusions (or you can read it here: http://compositionawebb.pbworks.com/...%2BEllison.pdf)

"Santa Claus vs. S.P.I.D.E.R." - from The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World

"A Boy and His Dog" - from The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World

In terms of fantasy novels, two that have stuck with me are:

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman's tweak on the Alice in Wonderland/Portal Fantasy genre

Practical Demonkeeping - Christopher Moore's debut novel is a rather clever spin on genies (djinn) and demons.

[Grange]

I couldn't get through the second book of the Song of Ice and Fire series as I found I wasn't paying much attention to what I was reading. So I started reading the Wheel of Time series based on a recommendation. It's too early to know if I'm going to like the series since I'm still on the first book, but so far it's pretty damn good. The author goes into a lot of detail, but so far the storyline is making it bearable.

[Tippster]

You have no idea what kind of slog you have ahead of you.

[Jer]

The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut


For some reason I read the Star Wars book about what Darth Maul was up to before he met up with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. It was really horrible.

[TheDon]

For some reason I read the Star Wars book about what Darth Maul was up to before he met up with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. It was really horrible.

Ha you honesty made me laugh.

I ended up starting the Timothy Zahn ones and also the Boba Fett books. The Boba Fett books are like teen novels so the read very fast but they are kind of fun nothing amazing but fun.

[dookeyXXX]

^The only Star Wars spin-off books I ever read came out back in the late '70s:

There were three Han Solo novels written by Brian Daley that I read (and still have copies of laying around somewhere). By all accounts that I can find, these were the first Star Wars spin-off novels to be written in the wake of the films:

Han Solo at Star's End
Han Solo's Revenge
Han Solo and the Lost Legacy

And then there was Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster from 1978. I remember that being pretty good. And this is the first full-length Star Wars novel to be released after Star Wars IV: A New Hope. It's a sequel to the movie, in effect. Of note is the fact that Alan Dean Foster ghostwrote the first Star Wars novel: Star Wars: From The Adventures of Luke Skywalker and Splinter of the Mind's Eye was the sequel (Wiki goes on to state that Splinter was intended to be the sequel film, as well, if the first Star Wars tanked!)