Can someone recommend a good fantasy/sci-fi book?

Question

I prefer books that AREN'T stereotypical. Also, no goodie goodie heroes.

P.S. If anyone has a good fantasy/steampunk book, i'd be happy to know.

Answer 1

Well, what have you read already? How do you define stereotypical?

Try these, they're obscure, but good:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fafhrd_and_the_Gray_Mouser

Of course you have read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_%28novel%29
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringworld

I've been meaning to read all the Nebula award winners:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award_for_Best_Novel

and Hugo Award winners:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel

Answer 2

I have recently discoverd Alistair Reynolds. He is an English novelist who writes space operas ( vast sweeps of time space and cultures, fantastic technologies that function within the story more for the dramatic effect than to back up scientific or technological speculation of the author, ultra-dramatic oh-my-god-we've-got-to-save the-entire-universe storylines ). The whole Star Wars series is an example of space opera. It's a genre I've never liked very much, though I like a lot of other sci-fi. Alistair Reynolds is really good at it though. His stories are really exciting, he's an exteremely good writer, the characters are sympathetic, and he doesn't get too carried away with how big his story gets; the drama and tension heighten and heighten but he never loses control of the readers experience for a single page. The two books I've read by him are called Century Rain and Absolution Gap, and I will read anything else I find by him. Hope you find something good to read!

Answer 3

I never read anything by Roger Zelazny that I didn't like. There's a REASON he won so many Hugo and Nebula awards! Check out the Chronicles of Amber-- don't be put off by the beginning, I got confused early on and put it down because I thought it wasn't what I wanted-- but keep on reading and you will soon see what happens. I'm so glad that I picked it up again, years later! I would have missed out on it.

13 DEC 06, 2225 hrs, GMT.

Answer 4

it depends what kind of a read you want- easy read, hard/complicated read. But i would recommend The Supernatualists By: Eoin Colfer. Its not to long, but its not an easy easy read. It's a good book

Answer 5

blame and king of hell are my best choices