Recs Sought!

[jij]

I'll be travelling a lot this summer, and I need to stock my ebook reader!  At the moment I have only seven books left to read in it, and I live in terror of running out (seriously, it's a phobia;  I've been known to INSIST on going book shopping because I only had a few hundred pages left and couldn't bear the prospect of running out).  So I

Comments

[crimsonquills]

I'm definitely going to second people's recs for Jim Butcher, Tanya Huff, Weber's Honor Harrington series, and Bujold's Vorkosigan series. With the last one, though, you really, really must start at the beginning and read them in order. It took me two tries to get hooked on that series because I came at it out of order the first time. The proper order is here. (I recommend beginning with The Warrior's Apprentice and skipping Ethan of Athos, which is good but in which Miles does not appear. You can also safely skip the short stories, although they are also good.)

To add new titles to the rec list, John Ringo's The Council Wars series (titles here) is the best fusion of science fiction and fantasy I've ever read.

Also everything by Elizabeth Moon. The Deed of Paksenarrion is my all time favorite epic fantasy novel, bar none. And her two space opera series are definitely favorites, too.

[jij]

With the last one, though, you really, really must start at the beginning and read them in order. It took me two tries to get hooked on that series because I came at it out of order the first time.

That might explain why I stalled out--I started with "Vor Game," which was good but didn't hook me in enough to look at the rest. But I shall go looking again!

I'll definitely look up the Ringo and Moon--I've heard of both of them but I don't think I've read anything of theirs...*ponders*

[crimsonquills]

That might explain why I stalled out--I started with "Vor Game," which was good but didn't hook me in enough to look at the rest.

Ah, yeah, I think the first time I tried I started with either that one or "Brothers in Arms". You definitely need the background to appreciate them.

I'll definitely look up the Ringo and Moon--I've heard of both of them but I don't think I've read anything of theirs...*ponders*

They both write mostly military SF&F. Moon has a bit more variety, but still is mostly the military stuff. I love them both. :-)

[smgriffin]

Michael A. Stackpole's DragonCrown (yes, one world) Cycle.

Seriously, I just bounce in happiness when I re-read these... all the time. Aaaaall the time. Remember to read the prologue 'Dark Glory War' and and and.... *bounces* Fortress Draconis (the actual part one of the series, not prologue) is good, but seems a bit cliche at points - that's because it's all set up. Once you hit the second book, everything that you were like 'eeeeeeh' about turns into complete and utter AWESOME. Stackpole's known for that. *is jealous of his storytelling abilities*

This is an 'in order' series, otherwise things just won't work for you. XD

Oh the otherhand - Ellen Kushner's books I insist you read out of order, or you'll kill something when you're done.

Reading order:

1. Privilege of the Sword
2. The Fall of the Kings
3. Swordspoint

For the record, these books are slash, written long before slash was in fashion, and made of complete and total WIN. Not to mention, she managed to make a pirate named Jessica who wasn't icky. I didn't know that was

[jij]

I've heard of the Stackpole! I'll have to make a note of that one. And I've heard great things about the Kushner as well. I know what you mean about proper order there--sometimes the right order isn't the chronological at all. (I get annoyed when the Narnia series is arranged chronologically...)

[tmelange]

I pretty much like everything from these authors:

Eddings, Donaldson, Martin, Bradbury, Zelazny, Flewelling

I have these titles on one of my "favorites" bookcases:

Avaryan Rising -- Judith Tarr (m/m relationship)

Patricia McKillip
Riddlemaster of Hed
Heir of Sea and Fire
Harpist in the Wind

The True Game -- Sheri S. Tepper

Michael A. Stackpole
Talion: Revenant
A Hero Born
An Enemy Reborn
Cartomancy
A Secret Atlas

R. Scott Bakker
The Darkness that Comes Before
The Warrior-Prophet
The Thousandfold Thought

CS Friedman
Black Sun Rising
When True Night Falls
Crown of Shadows

David Feintuch
The Still (m/m relationship)
The King
(His sci-fi series is also one of the best I've read...hmm...where are those books...I can't remember...)

Kristen Britain
First Rider's Call
Green Rider

Patricia Briggs
Dragon Bones
Dragon Blood

CL Cherryh
The Faded Sun

Heather Gladney
Teot's War
Bloodstorm

Carol Berg
Restoration
Revelation
Transformation

Steven Erikson
Gardens of the Moon
Memories of Ice
Deadhouse Gates
House of Chains

JV JonesA

[jij]

Ooh! *takes copious notes*

I've got the latest Covenant book but haven't read it yet. I liked the first of the new trilogy, though.

I read a fair amount of Tarr in high school and college and liked it--I think I'd like it even more now that I have a slashier appreciation. :)

I've heard a lot of these mentioned, and I've read all of Lee's fairy tale retellings and the McKinley, but I'll definitely be hunting for the rest of them. Thanks for the recs, you're a lifesaver!

[vespa331]

Eee, you're the only other person I've met who's read Silver Metal Lover! I'm so happy to see it's not just me. :D
A rose by any other name
Would get the blame
For being what it is-
The color of a kiss,
The shadow of a flame.
A rose may earn another name
So call it love;
So call it love I will.
And love is like the sea,
Which changes constantly,
And yet is still
The same.

[tmelange]

Tanith Lee is one of my favorite authors, so I've read just about everything she's ever written that I could find. I desperately want to be able to write just like her. LOL Silver Metal Lover is a great book. :)

[icarus_chained]

Hee! Lots of good recs here! I'll second the Butcher Dresden Files (one of my favourite characters of *all time* comes from those books - keep an eye out for Gentleman John Marcone!). I'll also second Pratchett (the Watch series is my personal favourite of the Discworld subsets), and someone mentioned Perdido Street Station, which I found to be a lot of work (it's *huge*, and a bit dense), but totally worth it

[jij]

I'm very much a library and secondhand person...when I can be. :) The only secondhand English bookstore in town closed a few years ago... *sniffles*

I'd already been contemplating the Butcher simply because you've talked about it so glowingly, and when everyone else jumped in to rec him I decided I'm just going to have to get my hands on that.

Specific Jones recs are great! I do love her style, like you described it, "warm-hearted."

I think I've heard of "The Centauri Device" as well...it saddens me how many great scifi books I have no inkling of whatsoever! *droops* But I shall try to fix some of that...*looks resolute*

Thanks so much for the recs!

[marmalade_girl]

If you've never read her before, you should try Connie Willis. She writes science fiction - not the space and aliens sort, but rather the social science fiction that takes a look at human society. Passage is an excellent book to start with, but Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog are pretty brilliant as well. The first deals with a scientific exploration of near-death experiences and the other two are time travel stories. (Though set in the same universe and with some shared characters, Doomsday Book is very serious stuff, while To Say Nothing of the Dog is more like a hilarious romp through a Victorian manners play.)

Another author you might enjoy is Sharon Shinn. I *highly* suggest her Archangel, the first in her Samaria series. It seems to be fantasy, but as you read more in the series, it's clear that it's really a science fiction series. I also suggest Mystic and Rider, which is the first of a quartet. It's definitely more classic fantasy. Shinn is one of the best character-builders I've read. ^__

[animeartistjo]

On Sharon Shinn, her most recent Angel book, Angel Seeker is very good--has two parallel plot lines that intersect in the coolest of ways (spoiler, maybe? XD)

[jij]

Ooh, they sound really cool. *makes a note of it* I'll go looking!

[jij]

I think I bought my father some Willis for Christmas a couple of years back, because he loved time-travel and I've heard such good things about her. I don't think he's gotten to them yet, so maybe I will first. :)

The Shinn sounds awesome as well, I'll definitely look into them both! I have a weakness for fantasy-style science fiction, somehow. I don't know what's so cool about it, but I love it.