SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Even though my tbr is never ending and I honestly don’t NEED to add anymore books to it I WANT to.

I’m looking for some recs of books that you enjoyed but aren’t talked about too often on social media or youtube. I really enjoy most genres but sci-fi and fantasy or high fantasy are what I read most. I have no problem going out of my comfort zone, always looking to expand my horizons so anything is appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance!

I read the Kingfountain series last year (starts with The Queen’s Poisoner) and truly loved them. I don’t see them talked about very often.

It’s completely fantasy, but it’s inspired by the War of the Roses. It imagines what might have happened to the Princes in the tower.

I see you have a few YA books on your shelves, two others I enjoyed that are YA and I also don’t see talked about often are:
The Diabolic by S.J.Kincaid (sci-fi)
Markswoman by Rati Mehotra (fantasy)

I really liked An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock. It's inspired by the courts of Louis XIV and Charles II, but set in it's own very creative and interesting magical world. It also has a great heroine. I keep trying to find something to nominate it for, but the most recent categories haven't really fit the bill. It was a really fun read!

One of my favorite authors is Carol Berg, and I rarely see people talk about her. I’ve only read 7 of her books so far, but I loved them all. She tends to write epic fantasy, but they’re often duologies or trilogies instead of massively long series. She’s very good at both writing characters I care deeply about and at writing interesting stories/plots. Her world-building is pretty original (in my experience) and it's subtly woven into the story without info dumps.

These are the 7 I've read and can recommend:

* Rai-Kirah trilogy, starting with Transformation. The cover is hideous, and the first review on the Goodreads page is funny but completely off base, so please try not to let those things put you off.

* The Lighthouse Duet, starting with Flesh and Spirit.

* The Sanctuary Duet, starting with Dust and Light.

Those last two duets are related to each other. They’re set in the same world at around the same time, with the same political backdrop affecting both stories, but they tell different stories and focus on different sets of characters. Lighthouse was published first, but they can be read in any order.

Some lesser known books I have enjoyed:

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance - Magical realism with some great quirky characters.

Blood Engines - the start of a really great Urban Fantasy series. This author has become one of my absolute favorites

The Last One - A really interesting take on a reality show that happens to coincide with a nationwide pandemic.

Wit'ch Fire - An epic fantasy series that I read years ago that I still think about sometimes. Amazing characters and brutal battle scenes.

When the Moon Was Ours - Magical realism with a transgender main character and gorgeous prose.

I definitely think that these books should get more love than they do.

Happy Reading!

I could do up a pretty huge list but here are a few that I really liked from authors who have received too little attention:

Memory by Linda Nagata: Memory is a top notch effort of creative world design. Original and logically consistent, it successfully merges fantastical ideas with just enough science to make the fantasy-like elements seem rooted in the real world--without any technological geek-outs to bore those disinterested in hard science.

Forgotten Suns by Judith Tarr: Tarr simply writes characters very well, and wisely focuses most of her attention on character dynamics and personal interplay... The various characters are well drawn individuals, and the teenage protagonist is extremely well played: quite the strong character.

vN by Madeline Ashby: This is a smart, action-filled, darkly humorous, hard-hitting, imaginative, no-holds-barred take on the old “robot with human intelligence” trope that stands up well against the better known writers of the (often disturbing) future such as Philip K. Dick, Rudy Rucker, Stephen Baxter, Alastair Reynolds, Iain M. Banks, Ken MacLeod, etc. Not that it’s derivative of them in any way. Ashby has her own distinct voice which is hard-edged, sharp-witted, and wickedly entertaining.

Grey by Jon Armstrong: Think fashionpunk rather than cyberpunk. A Romeo and Juliet story set in a highly commercialized, stylized, corporatized, commoditized dystopia ... tongue firmly in its cheek. Fashion, satire, fashion, violence, and fashion. And did I mention fashion? It's inspired by the author's time spent in Japan where fashion magazines exist for every niche market and appearance/style are fetishized among a certain segment of society. It's glossy, imaginative, odd, and self-consciously melodramatic. I found it fun.

A Feast of Sorrows by Angela Slatter. Story collection. The stories are connected by location and some cross-over characters. A somewhat fairy tale feel, but the original fairy tales, not Disney-like. Slatter is a terrific stylist.

The Bone Key by Sarah Monette. Story collection; horror stories for people who don't like horror stories. Monette merges the ghost story of M. R. James with the pulp horrors of H.P. Lovecraft (not his mythos so much, though), and in one story combines them with an Agatha Christie-like mystery.

In the Forest of Forgetting by Theodora Goss. Story collection. Fairy tale-like, but as filtered (I think) through readings of Ray Bradbury as well as Angela Carter. Really wonderful writing.

RM

City of Strife by Claudie Arseneault: Beautiful fantasy with a large and interesting cast of characters and great world-building. There's plenty of action and danger, and plenty of people doing nasty things to each other, but it's still really optimistic.

On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis is really fabulous sci-fi about people trying to survive a comet hitting earth.

Hunger Makes the Wolf by Alex Wells is also sci-fi, but more in the "Western in space" part of the genre. With a motorcycle gang.

I would also second the recommendation for When the Moon Was Ours, and I've loved pretty much everything I've read by Anna-Marie McLemore.

I would like to add Dreamsnake by Vonda N McIntyre. Its an older book (late 70s I think) but it doesnt feel dated at all!

The gist of it is that in the far future after the apocalypse there are healers roaming the wastelands, each with a set of genetically engineered snakes whose venom can treat injuries or in extreme cases, offer a painless death.

The main character is one such healer, who recently lost her rarest snake in an accident, and a replacement wont be easy to find.

Its a short and fast paced read, that still finds time to be thoughtful and heartfelt.

Dreamsnake
The Diabolic
Markswoman
to catch up on some links

I agree with Youkneek...Carol Berg is one of my favorite authors, and I don't understand why more people haven't heard of her. I have read her Lighthouse duet in particular at least a dozen times!

One that I recall with great fondness (and which I think would make for a good movie) is The California Coven Project.

My (probablyinaccurate) memory of it goes like this:

It’s about a woman whose mother’s cancer isn’t being treated effectively, so she goes in search of a holistic treatment in medieval texts. After much experimentation, she finds a recipe that not only alleviates the symptoms but actually cures the cancer. I don’t recall exactly what happens after that, but I do recall that the reason this was buried and ignored for hundreds of years is because it was a folk remedy by women. Her rediscovered cure is attacked by corporate interests and the patriarchy, of course.

Whereas at the time it was all about feminism and the ERA (framed as the “battle of the sexes” as we called it back then), it really speaks to the current women’s movement, which sadly is still fighting the same battles 40 years later.

I remember that it was set in an America that had both an economic and environmental collapse which wasn’t apocalyptic but rather a slow-motion destruction of everyone's standard of living... which also feels awfully prescient.

I’m a little afraid to reread it and discover that it is not as progressive as I remember, but I do have a copy around here somewhere.

Enchantment by Orson Scott Card is one of my favorites. The author is famous enough, but I don't think this particular book got much, if any, attention.

Enchantment

I've read two books by Kit Whitfield that were great, but I never hear anyone mention them. (I was thinking of her books recently when I recommended one for an Urban fantasy poll.)

Benighted, a different take on werewolves where they are the dominant group and people who don't change are a repressed minority charged with keeping the peace especially during full moons.

In Great Waters, the royal houses of Europe all intermix with mermaids (not your cutesy Disney mermaids).

There are a number, although one I have fond memories of disappointed me so much when I tried to reread it it was sad. BUT in case it's me and not the book itself (my tastes have changed), one I remembered for decades is The Ice People by René Barjavel if you can find a copy. It might still be in print in French, the original language, but I don't know. It's out of print in English.

I think Gene Mapper by Taiyo Fujii is a hidden gem. As is Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge. Both have 'big ideas' and also have some wonderful scenes with AR/VR/MR - all the digital realities mixed together.

I remember reading the Biggles series by Cpt. W E John. They were pretty good reads, considering the plot centered around the war at the time. Great for light reading.

Illusion by Paula Volsky

This book is...a combination of high fantasy and alt-history. I haven't read it in at least two decades... but it haunted me for years. I had to track it down and put a copy in my permanent library.

It's a re-telling of the French Revolution, Fantasy style. It's a little grim and bloody. I don't recall any real romance in it, either. It follows a young noble girl as she's brought to nothing due to the Revolution. And I remember the terrifying parts were the parts with the sentient guillotine - and it even has a name!

It's not an easy read, per se: the book is 500+ pages and people compare it to literature like Animal Farm. I can say that I remember this being an amazing, amazing but a little creepy read.

Biggles by W.E. Johns for a link.

i am not sure how much publicity this series gets due to its strange premise as well as the fact its young adult.the series is set in a world sort of like the wild west of america except guns do not exist/ appear much. magic is used instead hence the name spellslinger. the main character has a couple of quirky sidekicks including my personal favourite a squirrel cat

I love Spellslinger!!

And for the link, Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell is the first in the series.

Sarah wrote: "I love Spellslinger!!"

I'm yet to read Spellslinger, but I've read and enjoyed first two books of his four-volume Greatcoats series

Cheryl wrote: "Biggles by W.E. Johns for a link."

Thank you for the link, I haven't seen this series in quite awhile.

The rest of the greatcoats series is wonderful as well. Don’t be put off by the YA genre tag- Spellslinger has all the elements that made the Greatcoats great.

MrsJoseph wrote: "Illusion by Paula Volsky

This book is...a combination of high fantasy and alt-history."

I read this one late last year--only a couple decades late to the party!--and it's great. It's a fun wall-o'-words fantasy that also has some well-considered things to say about large-scale political change.

on Volsky: she wrote a number of fantasies in the '80s and '90s, changed (or was required by her publisher to change) to a pseudonym Paula Brandon for The Veiled Isles Trilogy and seems to have vanished after that. :(

Beth wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "Illusion by Paula Volsky

This book is...a combination of high fantasy and alt-history."

I read this one late last year--..."

I wonder why

Oooh, Spellslinger sounds fun, especially because there is a squirrel cat.

There’s a couple that I personally don’t hear about much, but they may be. The first are the Humanx Commonwealth books by Alan Dean Foster featuring Pip and Flinx, a young man and a minidrag (flying snake-like creature).

The second is a more recent YA sci fi series, the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. They’re basically a future retelling of the Grimm fairy tales. One difference is that the characters become connected in the novels. The first is a retelling of Cinderella, called Cinder. The second is called Scarlet, and is based on Little Red Riding Hood, with Cinder’s story continuing. The same process is repeated throughout the rest of the series. It gets a little crowded though, with less time being devoted to the title character with each following story. Cinder has the most important role, series-wise.

I would like to recommend Daniel Arenson, he has written several fantasy and science fiction series I enjoyed very much!

Bruce wrote: "The second is a more recent YA sci fi series, the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer."

Readers with a finger on the YA pulse will definitely have heard of these! More general readers may not.

Beth wrote: "Bruce wrote: "The second is a more recent YA sci fi series, the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer."

Readers with a finger on the YA pulse will definitely have heard of these! More general readers ..."

True. First thing I thought was...that series was everywhere, lol.

These are more on the YA end of the spectrum, but are definitely a worthwhile read for all ages.

The Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris are a witty retelling of King Arthur saga (that make a lot more sense that many of the originals!). I enjoy anything Arthurian, but these books will always be my favorites.

Diana Wynne Jones always seems to be ignored by the adult reading community - and she really shouldn't be. All of her books are well done, but Derkholm, The Chrestomanci Series: Entire Collection, and Howl's Moving Castle are especially good.

Patricia C Wrede also tends to be underrated.
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles are somewhat juvenile and better known than some of her other works, but are great fun and very well written. The Lyra Novels seem to be written for an older audience, but are not well known.

Between the Forest and the Hills is a charming, slightly odd and possibly fantastical romp through ancient Britain.

Bruce wrote: "There’s a couple that I personally don’t hear about much, but they may be. The first are the Humanx Commonwealth books by Alan Dean Foster featuring Pip and Flinx, a young man and a minidrag (flyin..."

I really liked Lunar Chronicles. Have you read the Wires and Nerve comic off-shoots of them?

Also, I looked into Humanx Chronicles, and then I saw 28 books! o_O *eep*

by D. Alexander Smith: Marathon
and its sequel: Rendezvous
I think I found out about them in one of Gardner Dozois’ annual Best Science Fiction anthologies — he mentioned them in the introduction maybe.

Scientists on a spaceship with an AI ship computer, First Contact with aliens, onboard relationships, deception etc.


(Looks like his author record is messed up on Goodreads.)

The Earth Girl trilogy. Y/A by British author Janet Edwards. Yes, the title is lame. A girl who can't leave earth due to a serious allergic reaction when off-planet and so her parents have to send her to earth right after birth. She wants to be an archaelogist so starts college for this and its onsite. It's better than it sounds, and the series goes somewhere.

Bonnie wrote: "by D. Alexander Smith: Marathon
and its sequel: Rendezvous ."

Sounds interesting but sadly no re-prints or e-books :(

I really loved Soldier of Fortune by Kathleen McClure. It was extremely entertaining! A mashup of sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and a ton of comedy.

Has anyone read anything by Ian Sales? Adrift on the Sea of Rains looks really interesting to me....

A Plague of Angels
I really like Sherri S. Teppler but I never hear anyone talking about her. This was the first book I read by her and seriously, her books never end up the way I expected them to go.

love Sherri S Tepper

there are a lot of authors I like that are not current authors and very mentioned on this site. Kate Elliott is another one, Sara Douglas, Kyle Chan,

Sheri S. Tepper
Kate Elliott
Sara Douglass
Kyle Chan
for the links, except I'm pretty sure that's not the right Kyle Chan. What's a book by them?

Cheryl wrote: "Sheri S. Tepper
Kate Elliott
Sara Douglass
Kyle Chan
for the links, except I'm pretty sure that's not the right Kyle Chan. What's a bo..."
books by kylie chan:
White Tiger
Scales of Empire

Ty! Kylie not Kyle as you said first. :)

Kateb wrote: "love Sherri S Tepper

Sherri is such an underrated author. I've only ran across you who've read anything by her. Unless I made someone read her stories. Sighs, seriously her stories are so good.

Cephrael's Hand by Melissa McPhail was a surprise find for my husband and me. It's the start of a series that is not yet complete (fair warning), but is super great. I have listend to them on Audible and love the audiobook version, but have not tried reading the book version (some are better one way than the other I find, but I'm not sure on this one). It's fantasy, bordering on epic fantasy with a breadth of characters and storylines that I just love to follow.

Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock is good and unusual. I don't see it talked about much. It's one of the few books that is convincingly inside the myth.

M.L. wrote: "Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock is good and unusual. I don't see it talked about much. It's one of the few books that is convincingly inside the myth."

I'll second all that.

I love Guy Gavriel Kay's first series, 'The Fionavar Tapestry.' 1980s high fantasy, with an alternate world/portal travel element. Lots of Celtic mythology references. I have friends who've read his newer stuff, but no one who has read these (yet!)...

Book 1 is The Summer Tree; 2 is The Wandering Fire; 3 is The Darkest Road.


I also love Michelle West's 6- book series, 'The Sun Sword' ... Amazing epic fantasy world-building & characters/races. High level of detail, intricate plot(s). Great writing!

Book 1- The Broken Crown
2- The Uncrowned King
3- The Shining Court
4- Sea of Sorrows
5- The Riven Shield
6- The Sun Sword

There is also a spin-off series, that are a set of prequels.


Also, Sylvia Izzo Hunter's trilogy, (sometimes called the "Noctis Magicæ" books). Alternate fantasy version of England/France/Europe, a lá late 1700s- early 1800s. Great magic system, wonderful characters, quirky heroes, very detailed (has some comedy-of-manners elements).

Book 1- The Midnight Queen
2- Lady of Magick
3- A Season Of Spells

Sorry for the lack of links!! I'm on my phone app.