Favorite fantasy/sci-fi literature other than Tolkien
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:06 pm 
 

Thought I would give this thread a bump!  :D

Has anybody read this? Is it any good?

http://www.lulu.com/content/1081164


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Post Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:44 pm 
 

No one ever responded to this, so I'm going to give it a go a year and a half later.
Mars wrote:I keep on meaning to read Guy Gavriel Kay's The Fionavar Tapestry and Jack Whyte's Skystone.  Has anyone read these?

Pulling the details from memory here, but I've read The Fionavar Tapestry.  It's good, but not great.  There are some definite Tolkien influences to it (not surprising, given that Kay helped finish up The Silmarillion), but over all it's a much lighter read than Tolkien.

I'd say it's a decent book to give to somebody who's had little experience with fantasy, but probably not going to end up as the favourite book of anybody who's read a fair amount of the genre.  Doesn't mean it's not worth reading though.

  

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Post Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:04 pm 
 

jasonw1239 wrote:Thought I would give this thread a bump!  :D

Has anybody read this? Is it any good?

http://www.lulu.com/content/1081164


No.

It is, however, a piece of gaming history...from the era in which Gygax left TSR and branched out into novels.

Some people read the Gord the Rogue novels and loved them.  I found them tiresome and derivative...specifically of Fritz Leiber.

Gygax is writing about a D&D character, so the combat all has D&D overtones and the story is D&D driven...to the detriment of the overall action and plotline.

However...as I said above...some people loved the series and read every book.  It is Gygax, after all.

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Post Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:25 pm 
 

Well, to be honest, I don't tend to read a lot of high-fantasy. Sci-fi wise, i'll always love the 1950's stuff, I highly recomend getting a hold of The Golden Age of Science Fiction for anyone who's never had the pleasure of reading some of the wierd scifi of the 50s. It's a great collection, very varied.

As for other books, well, my favorite author is Neil Gaiman (yeah yeah, typical I know but he's great) yet my favorite book of all time is The Neverending Story. I really do enjoy children's fantasy.
When my son is old enough, we're sitting down with my first edition copy of TNES and reading it together. Unfortunately all subsequent printings are too hard to read thanks to the stupid italicised font. Green and red text was far far better!

Other than that, well.. i'm a comic girl.. I love my comics and graphic novels.. heh.


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Post Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 7:04 pm 
 

I read an Asimov compilation a few weeks ago, and I have to admit I was highly impressed, and I am NOT a SF nut.


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:16 pm 
 

Deadlord39 wrote:I read an Asimov compilation a few weeks ago, and I have to admit I was highly impressed, and I am NOT a SF nut.


Wierd...I was just scrolling down from flying_purple_monkfish's post and I was going to say almost exactly the same thing as you just said, Frank.  8O

I bought four Asimov short story compilations (for 45 cents each at St. Vincent De Paul) and I have been reading them whenever I have a spare moment in the car (where I keep the books...ferry rides, waiting for football practice to end, etc...).

Asimov had a couple of bad habits as a writer, but his imagination is wonderful.  There is a whimsy to his stories that makes them quite charming.  

One of the books is a compilation of all the robot stories.  They are his best stuff.

Later in life, Asimov became interested in Mother Gaia and having sex with robots (don't read the second Foundation trilogy...stop with the first three books).  

The stuff he wrote in his prime is very entertaining.

Mark


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:24 pm 
 

FormCritic wrote:
Wierd...I was just scrolling down from flying_purple_monkfish's post and I was going to say almost exactly the same thing as you just said, Frank.  8O

I bought four Asimov short story compilations (for 45 cents each at St. Vincent De Paul) and I have been reading them whenever I have a spare moment in the car (where I keep the books...ferry rides, waiting for football practice to end, etc...).

Asimov had a couple of bad habits as a writer, but his imagination is wonderful.  There is a whimsy to his stories that makes them quite charming.  

One of the books is a compilation of all the robot stories.  They are his best stuff.

Later in life, Asimov became interested in Mother Gaia and having sex with robots (don't read the second Foundation trilogy...stop with the first three books).  

The stuff he wrote in his prime is very entertaining.

Mark


    Interestingly, I found a couple of Harlan Ellison compilations and like you tossed them in the back of the car for "light" reading when I'm out and about. Hadn't read his stuff in ages, when it blew me away in college, well it still does.  What a frikken genius the man was/is...too bad he's such an absolute lunatic in real life.  But stuff like "I have No Mouth and I Must Scream", "Deathbird", and "The Beast that shouted Love at the Heart of the World" were so far ahead of their time....  Many don't know it but he started out as a "true crime" sort of writer, with stories about gang life.  Some of his crime stories have also won awards and are pretty impressive efforts.  
 Also was great friends/rivals with Asimov when he was still alive...apparantly their "roasts" of each other at SF conventions were legendary, people literally rolling on the floor in laughter as the insults flew....

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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:30 pm 
 

Badmike wrote:  Also was great friends/rivals with Asimov when he was still alive...apparantly their "roasts" of each other at SF conventions were legendary, people literally rolling on the floor in laughter as the insults flew....


It's just a small taste of it, but Asimov's intro to Dangerous Visions (and his intro to Ellison's stories in some of the Hugo winner collections) contain bits of their "rivalry".  Mainly shots at Ellison's height, if I recall correctly, but also a few digs at his determination/stubbornness/willingness to get in fights.

  

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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:39 pm 
 

Sex with robots? That's a bit weird. I guess there'd be some bonuses, though; none of that cuddling crap, be as quick as you want, and it wouldn't complain about making you a sandwich afterwards.
I know I've read "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" before.........


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:41 pm 
 

Badmike wrote:
    Interestingly, I found a couple of Harlan Ellison compilations and like you tossed them in the back of the car for "light" reading when I'm out and about.

Mike B.


Speaking of light reading....Harlan Ellison did some work for Marvel Comics back in the day.  He had a couple of short stories that were adapted into graphic form for Epic Illustrated which imo were quite good.  Those magazines had some really great stories and putting artwork to the stories made them even better (for the most part).


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:37 pm 
 

FormCritic wrote:Later in life, Asimov became interested in Mother Gaia and having sex with robots (don't read the second Foundation trilogy...stop with the first three books).  

The stuff he wrote in his prime is very entertaining.

Mark


You may or may not know that not long after the whole Hugo Awards began, there was a one-time award for "Best All-Time Series" in 1965.  Up for nomination were;
Foundation Series by Asimov,
Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs,
Future History series by Robert A. Heinlein,
Lensmen series by Edward E. Smith, and
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.  
Asimov's Foundation Series won.

http://www.nesfa.org/data/LL/Hugos/hugos1966.html

I also like Micheal Moorcock's Stormbringer series and Roger Zelazny's Amber series.  Great stuff!


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 pm 
 

Harlan Ellison was the creator or a Canadian TV science fiction series back in the early 70's called the Starlost. Interesting concept with cheesy special effects and dull acting.

Still, when I was about 12 it was the highlight of my TV week although it was a one season wonder.

Ben Bova spoofed the whole thing in his novel Starcrossed.

Harlan Ellison in protest of the poor production qualities refused to allow his name to be placed on the product and had it replaced using Cordwainer Bird.


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:12 pm 
 

There's a novelization (not by Ellison, but including an introduction by him) based off of his original script, though I believe it's somewhat difficult to find: http://islets.net/novels/starlost.html

  

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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:12 pm 
 

jasonw1239 wrote:Harlan Ellison in protest of the poor production qualities refused to allow his name to be placed on the product and had it replaced using Cordwainer Bird.


I think I just found my new internet handle!


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Post Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 9:08 pm 
 

Kingofpain89 wrote:
Speaking of light reading....Harlan Ellison did some work for Marvel Comics back in the day.  He had a couple of short stories that were adapted into graphic form for Epic Illustrated which imo were quite good.  Those magazines had some really great stories and putting artwork to the stories made them even better (for the most part).


I just had to go digging through my old Epic Illustrated magazines after I got home and after reading through the first issue I leafed through the contents of issue #2.  Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised that the first story is part one of a graphic adaptation of Robert E. Howard's Almuric.  :D


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Post Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:55 pm 
 

Terry Pratchett and Michael Moorcock, especially Terry Pratchett. Sadly, he doesn't have a big following here  :cry: , but I read his works in English (and I but the Italian editions when they come out, usually one book once a year  :x ).

  


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Post Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:13 pm 
 

In no particular order and off the top of my head:

J.V. Jones The Baker's Boy trilogy
David Eddings The Belgariad...haven't read them all
Brooks...the first 3 Shannara books were good before burining out.
Original Dragonlance trilogy..again the first 3 books plus some others
Saberhagen...Book of Swords
Bellairs...the Face in the Frost
Herbert...Dune

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Post Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:32 pm 
 

Terry Pratchett is absolute genius and, like Bombadil, I think Robert Asprin's Skeeve series is great for a fun read.  :D

Leiber was the first series of fantasy books I read after Tolkiens and being so different it was great to really get me into things.

Brooks Shannara was ok to begin with but became too samey too quickly and I'm still working through Robert Jordans Wheel of Time series, although it's certainly a shame with his passing.  :(

Craig Shaw Gardners various series of books are just madness but can be very, very funny too!


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