Dragons & Jetpacks discussion

Ok, so, new discussion thread.

My idea, and the other mods at least didn't tell me it was a horrible one, is that you pick one book or series that you think is really impressive, and why you're recommending it. Discussion is fine, obviously, and kind of the idea, but please stick to just one recommendation at least until folks have a chance to chime in, hopefully at least a month or so from now.

For mine, to start things off, I'm going with the Traitor Son Cycle by Miles Cameron. We did book one, The Red Knight, a while back as a BOTM, and I loved it enough to find the rest of the series. It's a 5 book story, all of them are out, so the only thing you have to wait for is your own reading pace. No "When the hell is the next book coming?" for this one, which is part of why I'm recommending it: the author honored his deadlines and commitments.

I loved the characters and the world, He came up with some great ideas that I've never seen put together quite this way before. What impressed me most was something few fantasy authors pull off: he had very detailed combat/fight scenes, that were believable and easy to follow, and a very detailed magic system, which made sense within itself and even customized itself a bit user to user.

It also had one of the best endings, and best final lines, I can remember reading.

So. There's mine. Think about it, and what's yours?

Great thread Wayland :-)

I didn't need to think to long to make my choice but ...ask me the same question tomorrow and I will have a difference answer! Today it is The Buried Giant.

This is a fairytale that really packed a punch. It is set in Britain sometime after the death of King Arther. The main characters are an elderly couple setting out to find their son, only they don't know where he is or when they were parted. There is a mist over the land that seems to fade away memory. There are tales of trolls, knights and dragons and of chivalry along the way.

This is an intense read! It is full of hidden meaning and deep, dark truths. If you are looking action and laughs, or indeed for answers, this is not the book for you!! All this book supplies are questions. It will leave you thinking for a long time.

Bought that when it came out. I really need to get to it.

I'm gonna have to sit and think of something a little less well-known, since my absolute favourite is The Lord of the Rings ;)

Although of course I can't just narrow it down to one, but that's what I tend to say when people ask. So I'll think up my list and pick one that really stands out, and share it soon.

I'll do one.... each, for SF and fantasy...

SF: The Culture series, by Iain M Banks. Simply the best SF series of this generation... complex, layered, varied and challenging.

Fantasy... Lord of The Rings. Possibly because it was my first epic fantasy series and I've re-read it several times but mainly because both the world feels plausible and the characters feel well-rounded.

For me it would be something i started talking about in the challenge thread...it's the sub-genre litRPG, it's pretty addicting to me to watch the MC level up and gain skill points and also get sweet loot. There are few different premises, with some being leveling up in an online game and getting loot like that, sort of like Ready Player One, and then there is where a person gets taken to a new realm that is built around leveling and loot. Personally I prefer the second one and I'm a huge fan of the series called The Land. It starts with The Land: Founding. It is not widely available in print, but is available in Kindle, not sure how many books it is supposed to be but seven have been published already.

Roger wrote: "For me it would be something i started talking about in the challenge thread...it's the sub-genre litRPG, it's pretty addicting to me to watch the MC level up and gain skill points and also get swe..."

Oh I like the sound of that! Added :-)

I'd have to say Wheel of Time. Or for those who want to lynch me for choosing that, swap it out for the Discworld books.

I would have to go with the Golgotha series by R.S. Belcher as my one recommendation. (The Six-Gun Tarot book #1)
It's a genre mash-up but still heavy on the fantasy element with fantastic characters. I try to get everyone I can to read these books.

One of my favorite pretty unknown series is the Nightwalkers Trilogy. (Insomnia, Paranoia, Mania)

A high school student can’t sleep – when he goes to bed, he sees the dreams of the last person he made eye contact with. He meets a new girl at school, and somehow he can sleep in her dreams. Getting sleep becomes an obsession, and she picks up a stalker, and he doesn’t know if it’s him or not.

That sounds interesting. I might have to check that out, Audrey.

Cupcakes & Machetes wrote: "I would have to go with the Golgotha series by R.S. Belcher as my one recommendation. (The Six-Gun Tarot book #1)
It's a genre mash-up but still heavy on the fantasy element with fa..."

I really need to read the next book in the series, I thought the first one was great. It definitely is a mash up of many different elements and it works really well.

Read the first two of those and really enjoyed them.

I was supposed to meet the author at a small con last year, but he cancelled.

Roger the second book was even better.

I'll give three: The Tales of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding. The Low Town trilogy by Daniel Polansky. And anything from the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie.

These three series have stuck with me the most. There are many more series I consider great, but these are the pinnacle for me.

I have to go with the Icewind Dale Trilogy - Drizzt is my favorite character of all time. Forgotten Realms really started my love of fantasy.

I agree with Lancer on the Ketty Jay series. I'm a (recovering) UF junkie, so I'll say The Rook. Haldeman's The Forever War is my personal fave SF novel. And i'm torn between Strange Wine and The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories for story collection.

The forever war was fantastic. Didn't know anything about it and got it for a random Xmas gift and loved it. Seemed ahead of its time.