Just about to finish a book and find myself without anything to read. So I'm looking for recommendations of a good sci-fi or fantasy series to read.

I've read most of the classics, like Sword of Truth, Wheel of Time, Dresden files, everything by Eddings...

So any suggestions would be welcome. I like most anything but prefer a bit of comedy in my books.

Thinking about getting the rest of the Ender series as my wife wants to read that too.

Edit: I went ahead and ordered the Enders Quintet, Amazon had a box set of the first four books for $20 and picked up the 5th for $8...

But still looking for other ideas

I've just restarted the Foundation cycle by Asimov (just the Foundation, not the Robots or Empire).

Dune is always worth a reread of course (especially when paired with Foundation for the similarities).

Cities in Flight by James Blish is a classic trilogy.

Have you read the Malazan books of the Fallen? Can be somewhat grim, though there is humour there as well.

Non SF, non fantasy, but well worth a read: Masters of Rome by Colleen McCullough, as close as you can get to historical late Republican Rome.

Iain Banks' Culture Novels, Dan Simmons' Hyperion cycle, and his duology Ilium and Olympiad, Revelation Space by I can't remember, Thomas Covenant by I wanna say Donaldson?

For humour, look no further than the Discworld.

Ooh! Robin Hobb, Assassin trilogy, followed by the Lifeship Traders trilogy and the third trilogy I haven't read yet.

Not series, but quite possibly my favourite novelist so I'll suggest him: Guy Gavriel Kay, especially his later books. Fionavar trilogy is good, but nowadays a little too derivative of LotR (he wrote it after assisting on Silmarillion).

The Otherland series by Tad Williams (that one's SF, his fantasy series are quite enjoyable as well), and I neglected to mention William Gibson, but I assume you've read him. If not, The Peripheral seems to be very topical at the moment.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is always worth a read, as already mentioned.

The Metro (2032,2033, 2034) books are also quite good in my opinion though i haven't read the last one yet.

I just finished Carter & Lovecraft which is said to be the first book in a series, if you like Lovecraftian horror this might be something for you.

If you like Cyberpunk the Neuromancer trilogie is said to be good and i really liked Ready Player One and i'm listening to Altered Carbon from Richard Morgan which is the first book in a so far 3 book series. The Otherworld books are also said to be good.

The Dwarves series form Markus Heintz is a nice read if you like fantasy and especially dwarves.

And one should of course have read The Hitchickers Guide to the Galaxy.

I've just restarted the Foundation cycle by Asimov (just the Foundation, not the Robots or Empire).

I actually have the whole cycle in hardcover. Got it last year for Christmas and it was great.

Dune is always worth a reread of course (especially when paired with Foundation for the similarities).

Someday I'll have to try Dune again, but last time I tried I found the book to be even more dry than Arrakis itself.

Have you read the Malazan books of the Fallen?

No but I'll keep it in mind.

For humour, look no further than the Discworld.

I think I read at least part of that, but it was so long ago I honestly can't remember now.

I just finished Carter & Lovecraft which is said to be the first book in a series, if you like Lovecraftian horror this might be something for you.

I'll keep that in mind as well, I read a few Lovecraft collections.

If you like Cyberpunk the Neuromancer trilogie is said to be good

I'll keep that in mind as well. I've read some cyberpunk but that was so long ago it was still a fairly new concept.

And one should of course have read The Hitchickers Guide to the Galaxy.

The hardcover is in my library.

Which reminds me and don't want to derail this too much but BBC's Dirk Gently is actually pretty good and IMO captures the feel of the book.

You should definitely give the Discworld series another try in my opinion at least.

If you don't want to read there are also three live action movies (Colour of Magic, Hogswatch and Going Postal) and i think two animated movies (Soul Music, Wyrd Sisters) out there.

And thanks for the tip to the tv series.

Necroscope has sci-fi some fantasy and horror.

Tip for Discworld, don't start with the first two books, he needed to find the right tone.

This is a good reading order guide, just pick the first book for a colour and follow the line.

(just linked, for size)

http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/Discworld_ReadingGuide_Infographic_EpicReads.jpg

And I'm of the opinion one shouldn't at least have read HGTTG, one should have listened to it. .

Ready Player One is just a single book, but it's a really good book, especially if you are a child of the 80's. I think I heard they were even making a movie out of it.

I'll admit that Terry Pratchett grates on my nerves. I feel like it's targeted at me and my peers, but I just hate it. It's too silly for me.

If you like fantasy, I guess I'll be that guy who suggests the Game of Thrones books (really called "A Song of Ice and Fire". Forget the tv show. The books are really really good. Even my wife, who doesn't read Sci Fi and/or Fantasy books really likes the book series. She's given up on the tv show, but the books are awesome. I'd say that that book series is probably one of, if not my most favorite book series to read. The depth is crazy good. The tv show misses out on so much material and really just focuses on the sex and violence.

For more Sci Fi that is a little on the lighter side, I liked the Vorkosigan saga. There are something like 17 books, but I ignored the ones without the main character in them. Each book is small, but I really did enjoy them. More of an easy read.

I'm reading the Malazon Book of the Fallen series now. It's OK. I like it, but it's not super great. I'm enjoying having a large series in front of me to read when times are slow.

I guess I'll be that guy who suggests the Game of Thrones books

I read them, or least part of the series, some time ago.

For more Sci Fi that is a little on the lighter side, I liked the Vorkosigan saga.

I'll have to keep that in mind as well.

One more scifi book i just started "The first fifteen lives of Harry August", so far i like it and i t won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best Science Fiction Novel 2015, as i don't know that award i of course also don't know if that counts for much.

And because no one else mentioned it Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit

@heychadwick

According to the internet Ernest Cline sold the movie rights for Ready Player One even before the book was published and according to the it's Wikipedia side the movie will be released in 2018.

Tip for Discworld, don't start with the first two books, he needed to find the right tone.

This is a good reading order guide, just pick the first book for a colour and follow the line.

(just linked, for size)

http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/Discworld_ReadingGuide_Infographic_EpicReads.jpg

And I'm of the opinion one shouldn't at least have read HGTTG, one should have listened to it. .

I love the guard series of books it's great seeing characters grow and develop the way they do.

Of course anything with death is a must read.

I like the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. It is a fantasy book with some interesting magic systems.

Tip for Discworld, don't start with the first two books, he needed to find the right tone.

This is a good reading order guide, just pick the first book for a colour and follow the line.

(just linked, for size)

http://www.epicreads.com/uploads/blog/Discworld_ReadingGuide_Infographic_EpicReads.jpg

And I'm of the opinion one shouldn't at least have read HGTTG, one should have listened to it. .

I love the guard series of books it's great seeing characters grow and develop the way they do.

Guard is the first and only book of the discworld series that I read. I...didn't like it. A lot of my friends like it. I was wanting to like it. I didn't.

Nah, Pratchett might not be for everyone, nothing wrong with that. It might that other, later, books of his would click but with so many good books out there, there's no rush.

Reaper Man is my personal favourite and might be the first that wasn't really focused on being funny all the time.

I must say, with regards to series, that I usually these days either avoid them, or wait until they are finished. Too often I've gotten stuck in a series where the wait was so long you'd have to restart just to know what was going on. Not just asoiaf, but a good many.

Of course anything with death is a must read.

I remember reading one of the discworld books because it had Death in it, in fact I think he may of been the main character. It involved a happy medium who was actually closer to a small.

I must say, with regards to series, that I usually these days either avoid them, or wait until they are finished.

Yeah I've had the same issue, start reading something only to find out it was going to be X years until it was finished.

If you haven't read The Expanse you're missing out on the best sci-fi series that is currently running. And it'll be finished within 5 years or so unlike some of the others.

If you haven't read The Way of Kings I'd highly recommend it, but it'll be decades before the series is finished, if ever.

If you haven't read The Expanse you're missing out on the best sci-fi series that is currently running.

I saw the first couple episodes of the Syfy show based on it and liked it. Reminded me of the Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

If you haven't read The Way of Kings I'd highly recommend it

I'll keep that in mind as well. I'm thinking after I finish the Ender series I really should give Dune another shot.

Dune is good, but it's like the Hobbit. You have to get through x many pages before it gets interesting. There are so many of background info, and then you start getting into the good stuff.

I love those books with extra bits of lore at the top of chapters. Makes the world so much larger.

Dune is good, but it's like the Hobbit. You have to get through x many pages before it gets interesting. There are so many of background info, and then you start getting into the good stuff.

So true!

I know you're after series, but here's some singles suggestions to maybe try:

"Hardwired" by Walter Jon Williams, best CyberPunk novel I've ever read...

"Tactics Of Mistake" by Gordon R. Dickson - first of a trilogy, will confess I didn't enjoy 2&3, but Tactics is excellent and can stand alone.

"Code Three" by Rick Raphael - old school short story, published in Analog [Oct '67, I think] - dad had a large Analog collection kept in the bathroom cupboard ! - read it in my teens, and still think it's the best solution to road traffic control I've ever heard of - may only be available as a pdf

Book Of The New Sun - four book series by Gene Wolfe - again, I always thought the first "Shadow Of The Torturer" was the best...

Oh, Sandman!

Graphic novel it might be, but it is so well written by Neil Gaiman.

"Hardwired" by Walter Jon Williams, best CyberPunk novel I've ever read...

I looked that one up and it so happens to be the first cyberpunk book I read. And yes it was great! I knew it was the one the moment I saw the cover art, because wow does that scream 80s!!! I most likely read it not long after it came out in fact.

The Riyria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan.

It's a low-fantasy series with a nice blend of grim, dramatic, and comedic dialogue. The two main characters (a thief and a paladin) have diametrically opposed outlooks on life, and yet are forced to work together to achieve their goals. If you ever wanted to see cynicism and idealism clash in a fantasy backdrop, this is your book. The author doesn't favor either outlook, and it's interesting to see the solutions the two mains come up with.

Terry Pratchett is what I you want for comedy.

My first Pratchett book was Guards! Guards! and it really set the tone for me. It managed to parody hard-boiled noir, poke at fantasy tropes, and toss a few real-world allusions into the mix while maintaing a cast of diverse and likable characters. Well, at least it did for me. Lots of dry humor though; I like it, others don't - it's a taste thing.

Aaaaand Dune .

Space Opera, possibly the first, definitely the archetype. Lasers, knife-fights, duels, monsters, romance, sex, MEIND-EXPANDING DRUGS , nobles, stormtroopers, magic: you name it, Dune 's got it. In the first book at least. After that, well... well the first book is good. Really good. You want to know how this whole fantasy-in-space thing started, you read Dune . Full stop.

"Hardwired" by Walter Jon Williams, best CyberPunk novel I've ever read...

I looked that one up and it so happens to be the first cyberpunk book I read. And yes it was great! I knew it was the one the moment I saw the cover art, because wow does that scream 80s!!! I most likely read it not long after it came out in fact.

Still got mine - this cover: