Fantasy/Sci-Fi books?

Question

What is the best fantasy or science fiction book that you've ever read? What was it about?

Answer 1

I really like the Demon War Saga by R.A Salvatore. It's grips you from the beginning and keeps hold of you through the entire series.

Answer 2

I have two science fiction books

The Foundation, Isaac Asimov.
The galactic empire thing is falling apart, and a scientist called Hari Seldon can predict it (he invented something called psychohistory, using numbers and such from the past and present in these equations to determine the most probable course of the future) he knows humanity will have a sort of dark ages all over again for 30,000 years, he also predicts a course of events that can shorten the time to 1,000 years. So he begins placing those events into place, by setting up the Foundation, and so it begins.

Dune, Frank Herbert
Clan Atreides has been given the fief/planet Arrakis, which is the only source of the spice/drug Melange, they lose it (in a attack by the Emperor and the Harkonnens, who are jealous of the power and support his clan was geting) and the Duke dies so his son and wife hide with the natives, the Fremen, and change. There's a lot more involved, like the prophecy, the politics, and the dream of water, but you have to read the book to understand.

Answer 3

My favorite such book is The Two Faces of Tomorrow, which I believe is by James P. Hogan. It's about some people doing an experiment with a sentient computer that goes wrong. I won't give away any more for fear of spoilers. ;) Other good books of these genres include Lord of the Rings, Foundation, Colossus, Sabriel, The R-Master, Renaissance, His Dark Materials, Artemis Fowl, Harry Potter, the Tripod series and just about anything by Harry Harrison, Larry Niven or Poul Anderson.

Answer 4

Silly, 1984 is the best science fiction book I have ever read, that's an easy one. It was written in 1949, by a man named George Orwell. It details a dystopia in the year 1984 where the government controls everything, including all human thought. In it, a man named Winston tries to achieve freedom and self expression in a world where these things don't exist.

Highly recommended book!

Answer 5

Ohh, can't pick just one!

1) ditto on Discworld. It's a great blend of humor and philosophy, the sort of thing that can have you near tears at the beginning of a paragraph, and howling in laughter by the end. I usually give people "Lords and Ladies," to start with. (it's my favorite gateway drug.) It's about... well, it's about elves. And witches. And kings. And cats. And bees. And blacksmithing.

2) "The Unschooled Wizard," by Barbara Hambly. It's about a barbarian mercenary captain who discovers he's a wizard, and his lieutenant, who discovers she's in love with him. Sounds pretty generic, right? In reality, the characters are incredibly well-drawn, the story (stories - it's actually two books in one) is entertaining and insightful, and the author has a knack for language that I envy. It's the kind of story that your mind keeps returning to, mostly because of the characters - everyone says "they seem like real people," when talking about a book they like, but the thing is, in this one they really do. Check it out, I can't say this enough.

"Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls," by Jane Lindskold. This one is a weird little book; I don't know if you'd really call it fantasy/sci-fi, but I don't know what else you'd call it either. It's about a woman named Sarah who can't speak except in quotes. She's turned out onto the street when the insane asylum that had been her home undergoes budget cuts, only to be picked up by a street gang that models themselves after Kipling's "Jungle Book," led by the charismatic and insane Head Wolf. Oh, and she also has a pet 2-headed toy dragon named Betwixt and Between, which talks to her - and only to her.

"Ender's Game," by Orson Scott Card. The classic. Kid soldiers training in space. Geniuses and the pressure put on them. Breaking points. Treacherous adults. Manipulative kids. Trust. Ethics of war. Go read it.

"The Last Unicorn," by Peter S. Beagle. This one is absolutely beautiful. It's about a unicorn who learns she is the last one in existence, and leaves her forest to find out what happened to the others. It's... it's joy, it's pain, it's life, it's fairytales that never were and fairy tales that should have been. If you ever saw the cartoon as a kid, it's all the good parts and more without the cheesy parts.

Answer 6

Transformation by Carol Berg

Hands down, the best book ever. It's one of those books where describing it really doesn't do it justice (well, I guess all books are like that, huh) but I'll try my best.

Seyonne's race was conquered and enslaved by the Derhzi Empire. Now, after 16 years of slavery he is sold to the crown prince of the Derhzi himself: Alexsander, heir to the throne. And then begins the remarkable transformation of two characters, and the ultimate salvation of them both.

Read it, I guarantee you'll like it. I got bored after reading the first few pages, put it down. Then a few weeks later I picked it back up and didn't put it down until I was done.

Enjoy!!

Answer 7

Hey have you read "the house of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer its really interesting book hear read the back.

"Matteo Alacran was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patron, lord of a country called Opium--a strip of poppy fields lying between the united states and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster-- escept for El Patron. El Patron loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patron's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacran Estate is no guarantee of freedom, Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect"

Answer 8

My favorites are the Terry Brooks series "The Knight of the Word". They are about what the earth is like after current cultures self-implode. The most recent book is also tying this series to his other series "The Shannara Series" which is similar to the Lord of the Rings.

Answer 9

Terry Pratchett's Disc World series.

The disc world is a flat planet that rides on the backs of four elephants who in turn ride on the back of a giant turtle.