Recommendations for fantasy, horror, sci-fi books?

Yanicka1
Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
edited December 16 in Chit-Chat
What books in those genres do you recommend? Doesn't need to be new, just the kind of book you do not want to close and is worth making cold cereals supper when your family say they are hungry :)

Right now for me, is "the strain " from Del Toronto. For those who like there vampires in a none sparkly variety. Very dark.
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Replies

  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
    Swan Song by Robert McCammon... Such a beautiful book
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    Anything by Phillip K ****. Really it bleeped his last name.
    delta
    indigo
    charlie
    kappa
  • DieVixen
    DieVixen Posts: 790 Member
    Richelle Mead either her dark swan series or her sucubus series
    Kim Harrison hollows series
    I can let you know more when I'm back home where my kindle is
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    I just finished the Strain, that was fun.

    I'd recommend anything by China Mieville. Especially "The Scar" - very cool dark urban fantasy.

    Horror - try "20th Century Ghosts" and "Heart Shaped Box" by Joe Hill (Stephen King's very talented son).

    If you're looking for something light and fun any of Joe R Lansdale's novels are always awesome. If you're looking for a bit more literary - "House of Leaves" by Mark Danielewski is scary as hell.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    Some of the books currently on my all-time favorites list (I read way too much fantasy and science fiction :)):

    Another vote for China Mieville (Perdido Street Station, The Scar and Kraken are also good). New Weird.
    The New Weird, an anthology by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer.
    John C. Wright's Golden Age trilogy. Far distant future science fiction.
    Ian MacLeod's Light Ages and House of Storms. I'd probably also classify this as New Weird.
    John Crowley's Little, Big and his Aegypt tetralogy. Literary fantasy.
    Alistair Reynold's Revelation Space trilogy. New British space opera.
    Tad Williams' Shadowmarch trilogy. Fantasy.
    Tad Williams' Otherland tetralogy. Science fantasy (I guess).
    Iain Banks' Culture novels. More new British space opera.
    R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing and Aspect Emperor trilogies. VERY dark Tolkeinesque fantasy.
    Gene Wolfe's Fifth Head of Cerberus, Book of the New Sun, Book of the Long Sun, Book of the Short Sun trilogies. Cerebral fantasy.
    Cordwainer Smith's collected stories. Unique literary science fiction.
    Ursula K. LeGuin, Left Hand of Darkness. Anthropological science fiction.
    William Gibson, Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive. Cyberpunk.
    William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, The Difference Engine. Steampunk.
    Jack Vance, The Dying Earth. Science fantasy.
  • quara
    quara Posts: 255 Member
    I always reread "The Stand" when I'm up for something apocolyptic (Stephen King).
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    Here's another list ... what I consider essential authors of horror and ghost stories from the Victorian era and early 20th century:

    Ambrose Bierce
    Edgar Allan Poe
    Robert Chambers, The King In Yellow (inspired by both Bierce and Poe)
    H. P. Lovecraft (inspired by Bierce, Poe, and Chambers)
    Algernon Blackwood
    M. R. James
    J. S. LeFanu

    There are some good collections of Victorian ghost stories on Amazon.
  • AntShanny
    AntShanny Posts: 359 Member
    Not normally a fan of Dean Koontz but I do like his Frankenstein series and I love the Odd Thomas series!
  • Vikingmiss
    Vikingmiss Posts: 22 Member
    Eh mye Gawd. These mostly fall under Fanatasy..
    I love The Kushiel Trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. It's pretty sexy too.. :D
    As of now I am reading A Clash of Kings, by R.R Martin to prepare for the second HBO series to come out. SO GOOD.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
    I recommend Haruki Murakami, but I don't know if he fits into any o f those genres. Bizarre things happen in his novels, but they are grounded in ordinary people doing ordinary things. Start with Kafka by the Shore, and tell me what you th ink.
  • mmstgr
    mmstgr Posts: 578 Member
    I really like the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.
    Also the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz
  • EricNCSU
    EricNCSU Posts: 699 Member
    I just finished the first four books of the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R R Martin (Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows) I highly highly highly recommend them.. they are awesome.

    I dont read much horror, but Stephen King of course is always a classic. Christine is my favorite.
  • tkcasta
    tkcasta Posts: 405 Member
    Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
  • ShifuYaku
    ShifuYaku Posts: 504 Member
    If you want a fantasy about dragons, but fits into about 19th or 20th century times, then read the "In His Majesty's Service" series by Naomi Novic. I started reading the first book a couple days ago, and I'm really hooked. I love dragon stories, and this one is perfect for me. :smile:
  • lidybug1984
    lidybug1984 Posts: 71 Member
    Wow, I can't wait to look up all these books!!!
  • dragongirl78
    dragongirl78 Posts: 14
    I agree about Richelle Mead and Kim Harrison but my favorite author is Laurel Hamilton. She has two series out and they ach have a ton of books in each series.
  • caseysray
    caseysray Posts: 57 Member
    "Ender's Game" and "Ender's Shawdow" by Orson Scott Card are must reads for any sci fi lover.

    Right now I'm reading "Last Watch" by Sergei Lukyanenko; it's the fourth book in the Night Watch series. The series is fantastic! I've really been enjoying it. The series is about "Others" - people with special abilities that live among humans and keep an eye on each other.
  • ShalisaClam
    ShalisaClam Posts: 190
    I love the Anita Blake series by Laurrell K. Hamilton.
    It by Stephen King. Slept with the lights on!!
    Love the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz.

    If you liked The Strain, read books 2 and 3 (The Fall and The Night Eternal, respectively).

    One of the most compelling books I've read recently was "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. A sequel also just came out for it, called "The Twelve". There will be a third book also, making the series a trilogy. You won't be sorry.


    Happy reading!
  • pooloftears
    pooloftears Posts: 20 Member
    If you haven't read Stephen King's Dark Tower series, I highly recommend it. I'd start with the Drawing of the Three instead of Gunslinger though. "There are other worlds than these..." Roland the Gunslinger
  • mangorabbit
    mangorabbit Posts: 219 Member
    A couple authors that I have found to be delightful (if quirky, possibly sarcastic, and generally right up my alley):

    Douglas Adams (more sci fi)
    Terry Pratchett (more fantasy) - especially the Discworld books
    Neil Gaiman

    All three I just, well I read one, and then I went on a quest to read pretty much anything else they had written.
    Haruki Murakami (as a previous poster suggested) is also a grand, if a bit bizarre read. Not for everyone perhaps, but always worth a try!

    Happy Reading!
  • mixedfeelings
    mixedfeelings Posts: 904 Member
    If you haven't read any of his books already I would highly recommend any and all books by John Wyndham.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    I'm a patricia McKillip fan. she's my favorite.

    also most from the late anne mccaffrey. I don't like the acorna bit, or the seal stuff.. forget their names....but I like the dragonrider series, the books that started in 'to ride pegasus' almost to the end of the damia stuff...I like the way she ties worlds together...and i like most of the ship who sang stuff.

    steven brust made me laugh early on

    peter beagle of course...
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    I can't believe that no one's suggested Clive Barker in this genre. As far as I'm concerned, he's da man. And while his early stuff is gory, holy cow! horror, the later stuff is very rich in story line.. I absolutely love his Weaveworld, Imajica, The Great and Secret Show, Coldheart Canyon, Galilee, Abarat, and The Thief of Always. I completely get lost in Weaveworld, Imajica and TGASS, they are big books, but the details are so vivid, you feel like you're *living* there, not just reading it.
  • shanna0413
    shanna0413 Posts: 600 Member
    Sunshine-vampire book
    Hunger games
    Anita Blake series-vampire
    Eragon series
  • Saffyra
    Saffyra Posts: 607 Member
    The Deathgate Cycle by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman (fantasy)

    It's a series of seven books and starts with Dragon Wing.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    I just finished the first four books of the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R R Martin (Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows) I highly highly highly recommend them.. they are awesome.
    years ago I was playing with reviews at amazon and I recently realized I read the first in the game of thrones series and gave it one star! it makes me laugh that it's such a huge success now..what do I know?
  • hoosier_red
    hoosier_red Posts: 57
    Sorry to do this, but I couldn't resist -- if you like short story collections in e-book format, my short story collection RANDOM REALITIES (author name Melanie Fletcher) is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It includes SF, fantasy, and horror with a little bit of comedy and mystery thrown in there (because sticking to a genre? What means this term?).
  • esphixiet
    esphixiet Posts: 214 Member
    I second the Kushiel Series vote, and also the George RR Martin vote. I'm just finishing the second book, Song of Ice and Fire, and I'm wracked with anticipation for the second season of Game of Thrones on HBO which starts on April 1st.
  • esphixiet
    esphixiet Posts: 214 Member
    years ago I was playing with reviews at amazon and I recently realized I read the first in the game of thrones series and gave it one star! it makes me laugh that it's such a huge success now..what do I know?

    You know what you like!! :)
  • khagador
    khagador Posts: 175 Member
    Someone already mentioned:
    Inheritance Cylce by Christopher Paolini
    Hunger Games series

    Anything by Ray Bradbury. My favorites are:
    Martian Chronicles
    Fahrenheit 451

    Reread the classics like Catch 22, Brave New World, and Lord of the Flies.
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