JasonAfrika | 06 Aug 2014 3:54 p.m. PST |
I have never read any Fantasy or Scii Fi novels but would like your suggestions for some. My problem has always been where to start..there are 100s of series out there. I would like something that is military history based with battles and weapon systems…some political intrigue, a well-developed universe so to speak with different nations and peoples, etc. I would like to avoid as much romantic or politically correct type writing as possible as gender and racial preferences have come to dominate current thriller/military novels and simply take away from the story. Authors seem more intent on placing the "correct" gender or ethnicity onto a character rather than writing a good story. Basically, I'm just looking for good oldd action and adventure with a minimum of romance novel or left wing PC stuff. Any ideas? Thanks |
smolders | 06 Aug 2014 4:16 p.m. PST |
How about trying "A Games of Thrones" G.R.R Martin if you want fantasy…it should be easy to find because the TV show has made it quiet popular at the moment. It has it all, war, murder, politics! or "Starship Troopers" R. A. Heinlein for Sci-Fi…its military based, the political correctness it has is used to further the story and develop the politics of the period. |
seldonH | 06 Aug 2014 4:22 p.m. PST |
Frank Herbert Dune, ( love smolders recommendations too ) :) Do we really need to recommend Lord of the Rings, or such a fantastic books are of course already considered?… so cool to read all this stuff for the first time… Francisco |
Pictors Studio | 06 Aug 2014 4:25 p.m. PST |
I'd start with Dune as well. I don't know that I'd read anything beyond the first book but the first book is somewhat of a combination of sci-fi and fantasy in many ways and is very well written. After that Forever War by Joseph Haldeman is a book that does exactly what science fiction literature is supposed to do. Also don't miss Frankenstein and Jekyl and Hyde, both excellent science fiction literature. |
mad monkey 1 | 06 Aug 2014 4:26 p.m. PST |
David Drake's Hammers Slammers series. Scifi Glen Cook's The Black Company. Fantasy John Scalzi's Old Man's Wat. Scifi Marko Kloos Terms of Enlistment. Scifi Karl Edward Wagner Dark Crusade. Fantasy |
HostileContact | 06 Aug 2014 4:43 p.m. PST |
How about the Honor Harrington stuff? Basically broadsides Naval combat in space with some political, and intrigue aspects. Admittedly I have only read the first 4 or five books, so not sure how it plays out later. HostileContact |
Privateer4hire | 06 Aug 2014 4:49 p.m. PST |
Read the first 2-3 of David Weber's Honor Harrington series (On Basilisk Station is first one). They are Hornblower in space. Some people enjoy the dozen plus novels in the series while others feel Weber loses his way after the first few. |
JasonAfrika | 06 Aug 2014 4:52 p.m. PST |
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Sargonarhes | 06 Aug 2014 4:57 p.m. PST |
The Dirigent Mercenary Corps by Rick Shelley (the first book is titled 'Cadet' the last book is 'Colonel') There is always the Lensman series if you want to avoid political correctness. That series was made way before that term was even invented. |
pzivh43 | 06 Aug 2014 5:10 p.m. PST |
David Drake's Leary and Mundy series is great, too. |
Ivan DBA | 06 Aug 2014 5:18 p.m. PST |
If you have never read any Fantasy, then you ought to start with Lord of the Rings. |
Sue Kes | 06 Aug 2014 5:18 p.m. PST |
C J Cherryh's "Foreigner" books (read in order). You might also go onto the Fantastic Fiction website, check out the fantasy and s/f sections and work through the resumes of various authors' books. And I don't intend any insult here, but don't assume that only male authors write the kind of story you think you might like (I only say this because some people who have never read these genres have been lead to believe that there is a definite difference between the work of ALL male and female writers). |
bandit86 | 06 Aug 2014 5:20 p.m. PST |
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mad monkey 1 | 06 Aug 2014 5:24 p.m. PST |
link Link to Tank Lords. David Drakes Hammer's Slammers. Baen Sci fi has a free library, very nice selection. |
jgawne | 06 Aug 2014 5:36 p.m. PST |
Chronicles of Old Guy by tim gawne |
Dentatus | 06 Aug 2014 5:59 p.m. PST |
For Sci Fi: John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" books. For Fantasy, try Joe Abercrombie's "First Law" Trilogy. |
altfritz | 06 Aug 2014 7:12 p.m. PST |
Fantasy: The Elric series, the Hawkmoon series, the Corum series…all by Michael Moorcock. Fritz Leiber's "Fafryd and the Gray Mouser" stories. Also almost anything by Jack Vance. Don't forget Tolkien, either, nor some guy named Robert E. Howard! Or Edgar Rice Burroughs! ;-P Sci/fi: "Bill the Galactic Hero" and "The Stainless Steel Rat". Dune is also good. |
Grizzly71 | 06 Aug 2014 7:34 p.m. PST |
Check Baen's free library. It will typically have the first book in several of the series that have already been mentioned. That way you can get a feel for a series, without buying it. You can always pick it up later if you really enjoy one. link With that said, try: Sci Fi Off Armageddon Reef David Weber Ghost John Ringo's Paladin of Shadows series The Second Ship Richard Philips The Rho Agenda series Into the Black Evan Currie Odyssey One series Fantasy Dragons of Autumn Twilight Margaret Weis/Tracy Hickman Dragonlance Chronicles Eye of the Moonrat Trevor Cooley The Book of Souls series Theft of Swords Michael J. Sullivan Riyria Revelations series |
Coelacanth | 06 Aug 2014 7:36 p.m. PST |
Almost everyone has mentioned Tolkien, but nobody has said anything about The Hobbit! It's a more logical place to start, it's a quick read compared to Lord of the Rings, and most public libraries will have a copy. Ron |
JasonAfrika | 06 Aug 2014 7:56 p.m. PST |
Thank you all so much for taking the time to help me. I just picked up The Black Company at a local shop about an hour ago so I will start there. I will certainly explore all of your great suggestions. |
PaulCollins | 06 Aug 2014 7:58 p.m. PST |
The Hobbit and Starship Troopers were two of my earliest entries into the wonderful worlds of fantasy and sci-fi. I think you could do a lot worse for a starting point. |
thosmoss | 06 Aug 2014 9:05 p.m. PST |
H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" is remarkable in many ways. First, a fine story. But you have to remember this is also the very dawn of science fiction writing -- he was creating "other worlds" from a void where most readers had never considered such a thing. The setting is remarkable, too -- everything that seems everyday to the characters is for us a snapshot of what was their reality at the turn of the century. |
MHoxie | 07 Aug 2014 2:24 a.m. PST |
Roger Zelazny's "The Lord of Light." Greg Bear's "Hardfought." Alistair Reynolds' "Revelation Space." Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep." The Dorsai series by Gordon R. Dickson. Lots of H. Beam Piper stuff (some are free on Project Gutenberg). "Blindsight" by Peter Watts. Jack Vance's "Planet of Adventure" series. |
Dave Jackson | 07 Aug 2014 6:43 a.m. PST |
Science fiction top 100: link Fantasy top 100: link |
dragon6 | 07 Aug 2014 1:48 p.m. PST |
Jerry Pournelle's CoDominium series or the Mote in God's Eye, The Gripping Hand, Footfall |
Huscarle | 07 Aug 2014 2:16 p.m. PST |
C J Cherryh's "Morgaine" quartet (Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth & Exile's Gate), The Paladin, The Chanur Saga, "The Faded Sun" trilogy. Lois Mcmaster Bujold's "Vor" series (1st is "The Warrior's Apprentice"). Paul Edwin Zimmer's Dark Border series. Julian May "Saga of Exiles" series. Roger Zelazny's "Amber" series. Karl Edward Wagner's "Kane" books. He also edited the excellent "Echos of Valor I-III". Larry Niven "Man-Kzin Wars" David Gemmell's Drenai series Richard C Meredith "We All Died at Breakaway Station Brian Daley's "A Tapestry of Magic", "Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds", "Doomfarers of Coromonde. Poul Anderson's "Flandry" series, "The Broken Sword", "The High Crusade", "Three Hearts & Three Lions", "The Mermen's Children". Alan Dean Foster "Spellsinger" |