SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

We need 7 nominees, we can have more or less if there is really a demand for nominees in this category.

Everyone gets one nomination and one second. Due to time, the first 7 nominations that qualify will make up our list and we'll vote from there!

I'll keep an eye on nominees and update this post with the nominees.

Nominations should appear like this Percy Jackson and The Olympians: Lightening Thief By Rick Riordan.

That's it! Let's hear those nominees!

Well, I couldn't think of any until I checked out Goodreads listopia, which has the following lists: Best Books About Mythology, The Best of Mythic Fiction, and I shot the Pharaoh – Novels on Egyptian Myths and Mysteries. But honestly, the pickings still look a bit slim.

After all that research, I think I'd like to nominate The Alchemyst by Michael Scott.

(BTW, it'd be nice if folks could use the "add book/author" tool so their nominations become active links. Makes it easier to everyone to do their research.)

Author Piers Anthony has a couple i believe
Easy reads

I have more then 3 dozen books that have been inspired by mythology that I have read or want to read. So if we're really slim for books I can look through those but I'm not too worried about the list.

There's so many types of mythology, Norse, Greek, and such that I'm sure we'll get some good nominees.

WebMage, by Kelly McCullough

ummm does ilium count as sci fi or fantasy?

I would think Ilium as sci-fi because of the Mars aspect but I've never read it, so if anyone has feel free to jump in.

I've read Illium and I'd put it in the SciFi genre, rather than Fantasy.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Piers anthony and the series "Incarnations of Immortality" and as Nora comments.. easy read but fun

You can always find some reference to mythology in a lot fantasy novel

The Third Magic by Molly Cochran. A modern fantasy with flashbacks, built around the Arthurian legend and early Celtic myths. Great read -- adventure, humor, good story, interesting 3-dimensional characters, good/evil.

Hades' Daughter by Sara Douglass

Synopsis from book page:

In the ancient world, Crete is not the only land with a Labyrinth at its heart. Labyrinth magic protects Troy and the Greek city-states, as well. Then Theseus steals away Ariadne, Mistress of the Cretan Labyrinth, who for love of him betrayed her own father. But Theseus abandons Ariadne for her sister, and in revenge, Ariadne unweaves the magic of all the world's remaining Labyrinths, unleashing an age of catastrophe. The gods weaken, Atlantis sinks, and Troy falls. Then Brutus, the warrior king of lost Troy, is promised a new Troy and a new Labyrinth if he carries out the destructive will of a mysterious, beautiful figure who appears to him in visions. But is she the goddess Artemis, as she claims, or a vengeful woman who has abandoned both mortality and mercy?

Hades' Daughter is a dark, bloody epic of power, passion, and betrayal. The opening is bumpy--which is no surprise, for the early events range from Theseus's treachery to the fall of Troy and beyond. The prose and pacing become smoother as the saga focuses on Brutus and the princess Cornelia, whose father Brutus killed and whose city he destroyed. Brutus takes Cornelia as his wife with as horrible an act as possible, short of death. Nonetheless, a relationship grows between them. Unfortunately, given their extremely rocky start, it's never clear why Cornelia undergoes a change of heart, but this self-contained first novel of a new trilogy will appeal to some fans of high fantasy, historical fantasy, and those who enjoy Greek and British legends. --Cynthia Ward

I suppose Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light is ultimately science fiction, though it's a great novel, draws very heavily on Hindu mythology, and reads rather like fantasy.

Would it be offensive to nominate Steven Brust's To Reign in Hell, since it's a re-imagining of the creation story of Genesis and Paradise Lost and many people would think of that as Truth, as religion rather than mythology? In any case, I'll nominate it because it's a very good novel and I, at least, feel like it fits the category. In brief, the story is told with Satan as the protagonist, but it's not a story where Satan is the bad guy but we get things from his perspective and so come to understand him, nor is it simply a reversal (i.e. Satan is the good guy, God is the bad guy): rather, it's a political/philosophical disagreement between friends that gets out of hand, exacerbated by misunderstandings until the damage is more or less irreparable. That doesn't really do it justice, but it gives something of a sense of the story.

So: To Reign in Hell by Steven Brust.

It's been on my TBR list for some time now, so I second To Reign in Hell.

How about The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan?

I recommend American GodsbyNeil Gaiman even though I have read it already I'd have no trouble re-reading :)

I second American Gods by Gaiman Neil and would like to add All the Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth Bear, for the lovely play on the Norse mythos.

Ilium is definitely a sci-fi-er, but that made me think of another Dan Simmons, so I nominate:

The Song of Kali, by Dan Simmons

And if John's mention of Paradise Lost, by John Milton counts as a nomination I second that. What a fascinating idea for our group.

I nominate http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10... #1) by Mickey Zucker Reichert .

It is a very good sword and fantasy novel with God's from norse mythology

I would second All the Windwracked Stars. I haven't read it, but I like other books I have read by Bear.

Brad wrote: "And I just thought I'd back Jon with "

with what???

You didn't finish your sentence. :P

Jeffrey wrote: "I nominate http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10... #1) by Mickey Zucker Reichert .

It is a very good sword and fantasy novel with God's from norse mythology"

I love this series. I'll second it, although my copy of this book is several thousand miles east of me leant to my uncle. :)

Well Brad, since I've only got one nomination, it's for Brust's book, not Paradise Lost. I read PL in college and, while it's an important work, it's not one I'm planning on re-reading, not even for the SF&F book club! :)

Geoffrey wrote: "It's been on my TBR list for some time now, so I second To Reign in Hell."

I've been wanting to read that one too.

I suppose David Gemmell's Rigante series would fit the theme. So I recommend the first book in that series, David Gemmell's Sword in the Storm.

I would suggest Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock

Jon wrote: "Brad wrote: "And I just thought I'd back Jon with "

with what???" Oops. Sorry.

I second Mythago WoodbyRobert Holdstock, have wanted to read this.

Geoffrey wrote: "It's been on my TBR list for some time now, so I second To Reign in Hell."

If anyone needs a copy, I put mine up in my BookMooch inventory yesterday: http://bookmooch.com/m/detail/0312870493

There is so much that has been inspired by Irish mythology I'd hardly know where to start. All of Morgan Llewellyn and all of Kenneth C. Flint. Andrew M. Greeley's The Magic Cup is so much fun. Nancy Springer's Chains of Gold isn't Irish specifically, more European in general, and it is one of my alltime fave fantasies. There are also quite a few based on Native American mythology, like Judith Berman's Bear Daughter and Andre Norton's Fur Magic, for the first two off the top of my head. Gail Van Asten's The Blind Knight is my favorite Arthurian fantasy. I won't list all of those I can find because the list would NEVER END, but Judith Tarr's Rite of Conquest was good.

I also nominate The Imperium Game by KD Wentworth. This urban fantasy has all of the characters stuck in a computer game based on Roman Mythology, and the Pluto is plotting revenge. see http://www.fictiondb.com/author/kd-we...

I recently read The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. It focuses on Egyptian gods. I didn't like it as much as the Percy Jackson books, but I think that was because I know more about Greek mythology than Egyptian. Still a good read though if anyone is interested in Egyptian mythology.

Personally I loved Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles, which is a retelling of King Arthur. Along that same vein is The Raven King trilogy by Stephen Lawhead, which is a tale of Robin Hood.

in that case i pick the Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

I second The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. I've been meaning to read it for a while now.

There are books by Henry Treece for example Oedipus or Jason that might fit the bill. Myths as if they actually happened, in their historical settings.

If nobody else has, I'll second The Lightning Thief. The Percy Jackson series was fun.

Oh! I thought of a good one that fits. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman. It involves the Chinease zodiac and a blend of Chinease and Japanease mythology- dragons and stuff. A bit different than a lot of the other choises because of the Asian culture. I really liked the book.

Well if we're going for mythic fantasy, then I recommend Age of Ra!

The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley

I second American Gods (Actually, I lost count. Am I thirding or fourthing here?)

Hey guys I think this will be my first time Nominating a book. Sorry I dont participate much. I think The Red Pyramid would be a good read. I also think American Gods would be I started it but didnt have time to finish it because it was a library book and I was moving.

I am going to nominate Amazon Inkby Lori Devoti which is an urban fantasy based in the Greek Amazon myths.

I'd like to second Eon: Dragoneye Reborn. It sounds good.

If I could add an Asian flavor to the stew here:

Bridge of Birds A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was by Barry Hughart.

But I'll also second (third, fourth, fifth, whatever) All the Windwracked Stars.

The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson. It's a classic fantasy novel written around the same time as The Lord of the Rings and features many characters from Norse mythology. A brilliant book.

Latro in the Mist is another great one. It makes use of Greek Mythology. As punishment for desecrating a sacred spot, Latro get's cursed to suffer severe amnesia, forgetting everything about himself (including his name). He is forced to keep a scroll-diary in order to know what has happened to him the previous day (the diary is what makes up the book). The curse placed upon him also gives him the ability to see and speak with all of the monsters, gods and goddesses around him despite their being invisible to many others. Latro's story continues in the award-winning Soldier of Sidon, which makes good use of Egyptian mythology.

Minglis wrote: "in that case i pick the Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper"

... I second this one!

I second Bridge of Birds A Novel of Ancient China That Never Was, since I screwed up my seconding last time.

I second Latro in the Mist. I've been wanting to read that one for years.

I don't wish to make a nomination, as each of the books I would nominate has already been noted.

Edit: Actually, I'm not sure if Tristan was nominating Latro or just mentioning it. If he was only mentioning, I'll nominate it.

Candiss, I meant to nominate it but forgot to say so. I'll second your nomination. :)

I'm seconding Cv's Bernard CornwellThe Winter King. I read it approximately 100 years ago -- it came out in 1995 -- and I remember really liking it.

I'll nominate one I've been meaning to read but haven't gotten around to yet. Nobody's Princess about Helen of Troy by Esther M. Friesner.

I thought Cornwell's Arthur Trilogy was historical fiction?