Tailored Book Recs
I enjoy recommending stuff. It's kinda my thing. I love science fiction and fantasy. I love them so much I dedicated most of my professional life to publishing and translating science fiction and fantasy books.
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You may love sff. Maybe you used to like it as a younger person but got out of the habit of reading it. Maybe you think you don't like it at all. I'm here to tell you that if you love reading, I can find an sff book you will like.
So here's my idea for today: In the comments, name 3-5 books you love - of any genre - and I will recommend a science fiction or fantasy novel for you. If you have a clear and informed preference as to which, state that as well.
I feel from my experience giving recommendations to people that knowing what they dislike is almost as important.
Anyway, I prefer fantasy to sci-fi but am a voracious reader of both.
I love everything Roger Zelazny.
I like Glen Cook's The Black Company and A Cruel Wind (hadn't tried his sci-fi yet).
I absolutely love Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep.
I am eagerly awaiting the third part of The Kingkiller Chronicles.
I've read almost every single Discworld novel. Most more than once. Some more than 5-6 times (especially Vimes's books).
I don't care for Tolkien and Stephenson.
I don't care for fan-fic style and quality writing (Naomi Novik in fantasy, Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet as an example in sci-fi).
I'm going to say Zen Cho's Sorcerer To The Crown. Zen Cho loves Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and is happy when her book is compared to it. I also compare her book to it, when I say it's like Strange and Norrell, if Strange and Norrell wasn't boring as hell. And if it was funnier. And smarter. And sharper. It is both a super fun Regency pastiche and super smart social commentary all in one great package.
I'll have to check it out! I like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell a lot, and I disagree with you that it was "Boring as hell." (and that's why I can't read Stephenson and Tolkien) The first 100 pages and the last 100 are a bit of a slog, but it's incredibly sharp and engaging in between.
I also hope you've read the book in English. It's one of those that no translation can do justice.
Great idea! Here we go:
Seveneves - Neal Stephenson
Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace
2001: A Space Odyssey, Arthur C. Clarke
Space, innovation, sense of wonder... I'm gonna go with Yoon Ha Lee's Machineries of Empire trilogy, starting with Ninefox Gambit. I've read the entire trilogy, including the upcoming REVENANT GUN, and they just get better and better. And the first was a Hugo and Nebula finalist, and won the Locus for Best First Novel.
Wonderful. Thank you!!!
Giving good recommendations is an art.
Far too many people recommend you what they like, rather than what you would like. So I am happy seeing this.
Good luck, and good reading to one and all!
This is why it's so critical that people say what they like, for me to make a good rec. Now, I just want someone to ask!
Oh this is awesome! Okay, I prefer fantasy, but have been trying to read more sci-fi ('cause I wrote a space opera, so I figure I should read more of them, but haven't been able to get into the ones I've picked up...) Anyway, either SF or F, I'm game.
I love the obvious ones: Harry Potter, LOTR, Fionavar Tapestry. I also love Lamb, by Christopher Moore, and the Hitchhiker's Guide, of course. And I prefer books with romance in them, if at all possible. Can't wait to see what you come up with. :) Feel free to ask questions. I love talking about books!
You seem to like a classic story, so I'll give you a new classic of fantasy: Uprooted by Naomi Novik. This is a book I loved so much, I published it in Hebrew.
Also, you didn't mention Terry Pratchett, but did mention Adams. If you haven't read TP's work, Small Gods is, to my mind, the best place to start.
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I haven't read either. I'll look them up! :)
Oh, wow. You have so much Pratchett goodness to look forward to!