Fantasy/Sci-Fi books - GAF Reads sometimes.

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Listening to fantasy and sci-fi books has become my go-to during my daily commute (I drive two hours every day). That's why I created this thread—to see if other members also enjoy reading these genres. Here are some of my favorite series:

Brandon Sanderson's cosmere
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A long, continuous series of excellent books that's quickly becoming my favorite. Brandon is one of the hardest-working writers out there, and he's taking on one hell of a challenge with this universe. If you're interested, I suggest watching this YouTube video—it gives a great overview of the kind of universe he's building and the type of story you can expect.

Joe Abercrombie's First Law and Age of Madness
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If you enjoy books like George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, then you'll love Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. So far, the series includes three trilogies: the first is called The First Law, the second is a set of three standalone books, and the third is The Age of Madness trilogy. They're all dark, low-magic political fantasy stories with amazing characters, distinct personalities, and richly developed cultures.

Christopher Ruocchio's Sun Eater
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I'm currently reading this series—it's set in a very interesting universe, far in the future, somewhat like Dune. The series consists of seven books and five novellas, and it's wrapping up this year. Highly recommended if you're into characters who walk the gray line between good and bad.
 
I listened to a couple of Joe Abercrombie's novels as audio books. The books all have the same narrator (Steven Pacey) and he's really good. A good narrator makes a good book even more enjoyable.

 
Favorite Sci Fi guy is Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Martian (John Carter) series is amazing.


I would look at Aldus Huxley.


Larry Niven and Jerry Pournel are also good.

 
Listening to fantasy and sci-fi books has become my go-to during my daily commute (I drive two hours every day). That's why I created this thread—to see if other members also enjoy reading these genres. Here are some of my favorite series:

Brandon Sanderson's cosmere
best-books-brandon-sanderson-ranked-featured.jpg

A long, continuous series of excellent books that's quickly becoming my favorite. Brandon is one of the hardest-working writers out there, and he's taking on one hell of a challenge with this universe. If you're interested, I suggest watching this YouTube video—it gives a great overview of the kind of universe he's building and the type of story you can expect.

Joe Abercrombie's First Law and Age of Madness
review-of-a-little-hatred.jpg

If you enjoy books like George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, then you'll love Joe Abercrombie's First Law series. So far, the series includes three trilogies: the first is called The First Law, the second is a set of three standalone books, and the third is The Age of Madness trilogy. They're all dark, low-magic political fantasy stories with amazing characters, distinct personalities, and richly developed cultures.

Christopher Ruocchio's Sun Eater
Christopher-Ruocchio-Motion-Audiobooks_e02d303f-a511-41a6-b7bb-e2de73a6cc6d.jpg

I'm currently reading this series—it's set in a very interesting universe, far in the future, somewhat like Dune. The series consists of seven books and five novellas, and it's wrapping up this year. Highly recommended if you're into characters who walk the gray line between good and bad.
Sun eater looks interesting. Got a Cole's notes on it?

I've been reading g Warhammer 40K novels for the last few years and really like most of them.

I will say they are very hit and miss though. I have not been wild about some that people loved. Devastation of Baal was… not good. Lots of people loved it though. Conversely, I haven't ready a heresy novel I haven't liked yet which some people disagree with a great deal.
 
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I always take the opportunity to recommend Galaxy Outlaws from J. S. Morin, especially if you're looking for a sci-fi audiobook, as the narration is top-notch.


It's the best single credit you can spend on Audible, in my opinion. If you like it, it spawned several spin-off series that are also on Audible as "complete collections" and use the same narrator.
 
Sun eater looks interesting. Got a Cole's notes on it?

I've been reading g Warhammer 40K novels for the last few years and really like most of them.

I will say they are very hit and miss though. I have not been wild about some that people loved. Devastation of Baal was… not good. Lots of people loved it though. Conversely, I haven't ready a heresy novel I haven't liked yet which some people disagree with a great deal.
I am in book 2 right now, the series follows a character that is basically a mass murderer or a war criminal, it is very interesting because different people view him differently depending on their allegiance, and ofc a lot of his own internal struggles and there is alot of action as well
 
I always take the opportunity to recommend Galaxy Outlaws from J. S. Morin, especially if you're looking for a sci-fi audiobook, as the narration is top-notch.


It's the best single credit you can spend on Audible, in my opinion. If you like it, it spawned several spin-off series that are also on Audible as "complete collections" and use the same narrator.
I picked this up on audible to burn a credit.....jfc its 85 hours!
 
Wind and Truth was 74 hours, and that was just one book 😂😂😂
I have tried to get into sandersons stuff so many times, but I just bounce off of them. I don't know why but they just cannot keep my interest.

I think is a hold over from when he finished the wheel of time series...maybe I am holding that against him subconsciously.
 
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The Red Rising saga has been amazing IMO.
I wasn't instantly sold on the first book, feels a bit derivative with another Battle Royale inspired setup though it's a fun read nonetheless.
But then starting with the second book it turns into this epic space warfare saga that I just couldn't stop reading. During some parts of the story I had to forbid myself reading at night in bed, because it would make me stay up too late and stuff would happen that made me too excited or upset to sleep lol.

It also does something that I rarely see happen in any storytelling media, where the follow up saga after the original planned trilogy somehow ended up being even better.
 
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The Red Rising saga has been amazing IMO.
I wasn't instantly sold on the first book, feels a bit derivative with another Battle Royale inspired setup though it's a fun read nonetheless.
But then starting with the second book it turns into this epic space warfare saga that I just couldn't stop reading. During some parts of the story I had to forbid myself reading at night in bed, because it would make me stay up too late and stuff would happen that made me too excited or upset to sleep lol.

It also does something that I rarely see happen in any storytelling media, where the follow up saga after the original planned trilogy somehow ended up being even better.

I came in here just now to praise the Red Rising saga. Nice to see another Howler on GAF. I get what your saying about it being a real page turner. Probably one of my favourite sci-fi series of all time. It's just so epic and the battles............wow. Some of the most intense and brutal combat I've ever experienced in a book.

Rumour has it, Red God is coming next year. Also, it might be so big that Pierce Brown might need to split it in two, so we might get two more books with Darrow and Co.
 
I just picked up a collection of Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone. I am very interested in reading this, it seems to be a huge influence on so much fantasy.
 
If you like bizarre Sci-fi that eventually starts making sense, I recommend Hyperion Cantos from the 90s (the first 2 books, the last 2 are way beyond bizarre, into the "what the fucking fuck is going on???!?" zone)
 

Stephen R. Donaldson is such a tremendous writer and oft forgotten part of the history of epic fantasy. I know many people don't like being so...close to a person who committed a repulsive act, and so full of toxic self-loathing as Thomas Covenant, the main character in most of the book, but I think he is one of the most interesting characters in epic fantasy.



Two book series that still stick with me.
 
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Stephen R. Donaldson is such a tremendous writer and oft forgotten part of the history of epic fantasy. I know many people don't like being so...close to a person who committed a repulsive act, and so full of toxic self-loathing as Thomas Covenant, the main character in most of the book, but I think he is one of the most interesting characters in epic fantasy.



Two book series that still stick with me.
This seems super interesting, I am definitely reading this after sun eater, thank you.
 

Stephen R. Donaldson is such a tremendous writer and oft forgotten part of the history of epic fantasy. I know many people don't like being so...close to a person who committed a repulsive act, and so full of toxic self-loathing as Thomas Covenant, the main character in most of the book, but I think he is one of the most interesting characters in epic fantasy.



Two book series that still stick with me.
Both of these series are on my to read list. They seem like they will be good.
 
I'm trying to write something, that might be considered SF (even if I see it as magical realism), I hope I'll be able to finish it at some point
 
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