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.

Upon rereading it for the second or third time (when I first read it I was waaaaaay to young, 9 or 10 or so) I noticed myself liking the later books as well, with their enormous scope. Probably why I like Foundation as well, it's really ambitious and pulls it off (though Dune falters a little bit towards the end).

I totally have forgotten to mention the Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski for fantasy.

I also liked "Off to be a Wizard"

Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.

What could possibly go wrong?

which is the first book in a series.

And i have also heard that the Lost Fleet series should be a good scifi read, can anyone confirm that?

@OneKelvin

Thanks for mentioning the Riyria Chronicles, i read the first book a long time ago and always wanted to read the other ones but they hadn't been released here yet so i forgot about them, and thanks to you i now know that they split the books here so i've only read the first story/half of the first book and that's why i will buy them in english from now on.

And i have also heard that the Lost Fleet series should be a good scifi read, can anyone confirm that?

I've read 5 or 6 of the books from the series and it's some of the best 'hard' sci-fi I've read. Does a great job of dealing with combat at realistic speeds. The first couple books are mostly pure mil-sci fi stuff, after that the series does something interesting that I won't mention for the sake of it being a major spoiler.

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.

Parts 1 and 2 are sitting on my bookshelf. My wife enjoyed them, but I haven't worked myself into cracking them open. They're a bit intimidating and I don't want to get stuck in a series with no end.

And i have also heard that the Lost Fleet series should be a good scifi read, can anyone confirm that?

I've read 5 or 6 of the books from the series and it's some of the best 'hard' sci-fi I've read. Does a great job of dealing with combat at realistic speeds. The first couple books are mostly pure mil-sci fi stuff, after that the series does something interesting that I won't mention for the sake of it being a major spoiler.

Thanks for the answer i think i'll give them a try then.

Something else, if you know/like Warhammer Fantasy or 40K there are also a ton of book from the Black Library you might want to read, of course they are not "high literature" but if you like the setting they can be quite a good read.

Another I enjoyed when it first came out, "Flight Of The Dragonfly" by Robert Forward - had some discussion with OneKelvin about it in the Rebels thread:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/127140-star-wars-rebels-discussion-thread/page-277#entry2496099

Not exactly 'hard', but an interesting concept for a realistic interstellar mission, with a good technical section

And i have also heard that the Lost Fleet series should be a good scifi read, can anyone confirm that?

I've read 5 or 6 of the books from the series and it's some of the best 'hard' sci-fi I've read. Does a great job of dealing with combat at realistic speeds. The first couple books are mostly pure mil-sci fi stuff, after that the series does something interesting that I won't mention for the sake of it being a major spoiler.

Thanks for the answer i think i'll give them a try then.

Something else, if you know/like Warhammer Fantasy or 40K there are also a ton of book from the Black Library you might want to read, of course they are not "high literature" but if you like the setting they can be quite a good read.

Urgh black library books are really hit and miss and the price is astronomical.

I am about to do another re-read of Naomi Novak's Temeraire series, as that is about to wrap up (or did, haven't kept track of the release of the final book). Fun series that does a lot of fun things with the idea of Dragons in the Napoleonic Wars. The books mostly become a series of globetrotting adventures, setting up a neat landscape of this world.

I would also recommend Jay Kristoff's Lotus War Trilogy. Samurai Steampunk Fantasy.

Since you did read the Dresden Files, I would also recommend Butcher's new book, the Aeronaught's Windlass. Fun book, though not quite a series yet.

Not sure if somebody else already mentioned. If you like your books with some humor but not being an outright comedy, I recommend you the Vlad Taltos books by Stephen Brust.

And i have also heard that the Lost Fleet series should be a good scifi read, can anyone confirm that?

I've read 5 or 6 of the books from the series and it's some of the best 'hard' sci-fi I've read. Does a great job of dealing with combat at realistic speeds. The first couple books are mostly pure mil-sci fi stuff, after that the series does something interesting that I won't mention for the sake of it being a major spoiler.

Thanks for the answer i think i'll give them a try then.

Something else, if you know/like Warhammer Fantasy or 40K there are also a ton of book from the Black Library you might want to read, of course they are not "high literature" but if you like the setting they can be quite a good read.

Urgh black library books are really hit and miss and the price is astronomical.

Of course there are good and bad books but thanks to the internet you can easily find the good ones and the prices for most of them here are 9-12€ newer ones go up to 16€ but 9-12€ for paperback is normal around here i would say some cost even more, the aformentioned Carter & Lovercraft costed me 18€ so the newer ones are on the higher end but ones they are older the price is teh price of a normal paper back book here.

Of course these are Amazon prices for the english books, don't know if they are more expensive at bookstores or GW shops. Of course those limited edition books and whatnot are expensive but i am talking about normal book like the Horus Heresy ones.

But back to readable books, i did enjoy Jonathan Cabal Necromancer it's not a fantasy book but i liked it, didn't know it was a series so i can't say anything about the later books.

I'm so happy that someone mentioned Revelation Space. It's by Alastair Reynolds. I love his books so much. Revelation Space is part of a trilogy, and he has several other excellent books. I am currently rereading a pair of shorter stories, Diamond Dogs and Turquoise Days. Really good, and an easier read than his longer books.

Asoiaf is a good series to get into, but I would wait at least for winds to come out before starting it back up. Similarly the King Killer Chronicles is a pretty good series but it's as yet un finished. Have you read the Ender saga, or better yet the shadow series the spins off from it?

I totally have forgotten to mention the Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski for fantasy.

I also liked "Off to be a Wizard"

Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.

What could possibly go wrong?

which is the first book in a series.

And i have also heard that the Lost Fleet series should be a good scifi read, can anyone confirm that?

@OneKelvin

Thanks for mentioning the Riyria Chronicles, i read the first book a long time ago and always wanted to read the other ones but they hadn't been released here yet so i forgot about them, and thanks to you i now know that they split the books here so i've only read the first story/half of the first book and that'S why i will be them in english from now on.

No problemo; a good book is a joy forever.

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.

I'll have to ask...what did you think of them? Personally, I love the depth of the world and the fact that Martin doesn't spoon feed you information. He teases it out to you and characters talk about events that you don't fully understand. You end up getting the importance of an event before you even know what the event is. I love that.

Btw, if you do not mind a (good) bit of well written eroticism the Kushiel series is pretty darn good fantasy. By Jacqueline Carey.

Thanks for the answer i think i'll give them a try then.

I noticed that spellcheck struck again. I meant relativistic speed as in they're fighting at a meaningful % of the speed of light which has a pretty big impact on how combat works. They also use kinetic rounds to take out 'stationary' targets like star bases.

Something else, if you know/like Warhammer Fantasy or 40K there are also a ton of book from the Black Library

I have one or two omnibus' for Space Marines, Blood Ravens and I think a Ultrasmurf book. I never really got into them though.

I'll have to ask...what did you think of them?

To be honest, I loved the first book... The scene where Eddard executes the deserter was masterful and brilliant. I figured I was in for something truly awesome... But by the time I got to the 2nd or 3rd book, I thought to myself "you know this just a bit too much incest for my taste". I don't have an issue with erotica, I thought it was well done in the SoT series, but for some reason that just turned me off the Song of Ice and Fire

I am about to do another re-read of Naomi Novak's Temeraire series

I have the first 6 books at home, there was a deal when I got the first one about buy 2 get 1 or something so I ordered a bunch because I really enjoyed the first one. But by book 3... I just lost interest. I keep trying but I just can't see to get into it. It's very well written, and a very cool concept... It's not her it's me.

I'll have to ask...what did you think of them?

To be honest, I loved the first book... The scene where Eddard executes the deserter was masterful and brilliant. I figured I was in for something truly awesome... But by the time I got to the 2nd or 3rd book, I thought to myself "you know this just a bit too much incest for my taste". I don't have an issue with erotica, I thought it was well done in the SoT series, but for some reason that just turned me off the Song of Ice and Fire

There's only one couple that does the incest, though. It's not even that often. So, I'm a bit surprised at the answer. No worries, though.

There's only one couple that does the incest, though.

I know, but I guess I just have a low threshold for that... Well that and what I remember as being effectively a **** when the sister was married off.

I guess what put me off was the way it was done. It's like the show Spartacus from Showtime, I completely get why they had so much sex in it, but on the other hand I believe the show would've been just as popular and more open to the mainstream without it. I got the same feeling from GoT that the sex was mostly there for shock value. I again don't have an issue with sex, as long as it makes sense but don't care for it when the only point is shock value or an attempt to sell something that wouldn't make it on it's own.

Lostgirl was an example of a show that it made a lot of sense in for example.

Daenarys' wedding night in the book was very, very different than what they showed on tv though. The show's been upping the dramatics and shocks to keep people interested.

But again, there's so many good books, and you can't read them all so it all evens out in the end, ASOIAF is good, but it's not the be all, end all in fantasy.

I wonder if you'd like The Warlord Chronicles . Strictly speaking not fantasy, but as it deals with mythological characters...

Strictly speaking not fantasy, but as it deals with mythological characters...

I'll check it out. I don't read only sci-fi, I also enjoy things like James Bond books, or the Reacher novels, and have read a number of WEB Griffin books. But my first choice is normally sci-fi/fantasy.

I don't know if this has benn mentioned already, but the Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss is worth a read.

Only two volumes so far (and a hell of a kooky spin off), but I'm much more interested in seeing the release of The Doors Of Stone than I am The Winds Of Winter at this point.

Not gonna read the whole thread (since the first page was stuff I would have recommended), so pardon if this is a duplicate, but I've liked the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell.

A "hard science" approach to fleet combat, not much humor, though.

I also liked Jack Whyte's spin on the Arthurian tales.

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

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

Not sure where you are from, so I don't know if you are aware of the show Red Dwarf, but the books are excellent.

The dark tower series.

/Drop mic

The dark tower series.

That's another one I've meant to read for some time but never remember when I'm looking for a book.