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top fantasy/urbanmythic/steampunk/scifi authors?

44 replies

immortalwife · 19/03/2014 01:17

I need more authors! I have series by:

Maria v Snyder
Trudi canavan
Gail carriger
Robin hobb
Kevin hearne
Tamora pierce
Garth nix
Kristin cashore

Also read kate mosses historical fiction in between.

Any ideas? Tried p c cast,and Emily gee seems to take for-ev-err writing. Am at my wits end I keep re reading shit I've read four times already!!

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Stokey · 19/03/2014 11:19

I Adore China Mieville - if you want a huge tome Perdido Street Station is one of my all-time favourites and a shorter more literary option is The city & the City

I also really like Justina Robson, the Quantum Gravity series, think the first one is Keeping It Real.

Others not on your list are Neal Stephenson & William Gibson.

And if you want a bit of feminist fantasy Sherri Tepper is great. Loved Grass.

UptoapointLordCopper · 19/03/2014 18:06

Have you tried the Mortal Engines series by Phillip Reeve? Love them.

Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series too. They are young adult fiction but honestly they are so good.

Ursula Le Guin?

I couldn't get on with Perdido Street Station though ...

Goblinchild · 19/03/2014 18:13

For urban mythology and fantasy, my DS recommends The Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher and the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne.

TallyGrenshall · 19/03/2014 18:16

Brandon Sanderson

Peter V Brett

Brent Weeks

Patrick Rothfuss

saintmerryweather · 19/03/2014 18:20

If you have a kindle I very much enjoyed Nyx by D M Livingston. Cant find any other books by that author but I thought it was funny, original and well written

TerrariaMum · 19/03/2014 18:21

Urban fantasy, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Takver · 19/03/2014 18:40

Have you read the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch?

If you don't mind YA fantasy/SF, Diana Wynne Jones, I've also just read & really enjoyed the Uglies series by Scott Westerfield

immortalwife · 19/03/2014 18:51

Ahh goblinchild, I adore Kevin hearne. My OH buys me them as presents. There's quite a lot on the list so far, thanks people!

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Thewhingingdefective · 19/03/2014 22:09

The Battles of Ben Kingdom by Andrew Beasley

saintmerryweather · 20/03/2014 07:53

Oh yes agree with ben kingdom book

ThreeBeeOneGee · 20/03/2014 08:07

I just read The Name of the Wind.
Best fantasy novel I've read in years.

TabbyM · 20/03/2014 12:56

Diana Wynne Jones is very good, so are Patricia McKillip and Robin McKinley. Also read Songs of Earth by Elspeth Cooper and The Copper Promise by Jen Williams lately which were very good.

If you like dragons I would recommend Naomi Novak's Temeraire series too.

BlueChampagne · 20/03/2014 13:31

Jasper Fforde (The Eyre Affair etc) is a huge hit with me & DH.

pointythings · 20/03/2014 14:15

I'm working my way through the Dresden Files courtesy of our library, they're a really enjoyable read.

What about Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (only the third two series, the third is dreadful)? And have you tried Guy Gavriel Kay?

BlueChampagne · 20/03/2014 15:24

Rattled through Julian May's pliocene series as a teen (as did my Mum and sister).

OwlCapone · 20/03/2014 16:12

The Rivers of London series is fabulous. I also enjoyed the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka. Both magical but set in London.

OwlCapone · 20/03/2014 16:14

I did read Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series but wasn't overly impressed although I can't out my finger on why. Certainly the ideas were good.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 20/03/2014 20:49

Stephen King's Dark Tower series

Philip Pullman's Dark Materials series

Yes to Philip Reeves - have just re-read them all

Across the Nightingale Floor series - it's sort of adventure-ish/fantasy-ish in a sort of ancient Japan-esque setting

Can't be doing with Rivers of London (although have read them all but won't read more) or Jasper Fforde personally - too much trying to be funny and not enough trying to write well imvho

Some classics like Brave New World, War of the Worlds etc, although obvs stand-alones.

Jackthebodiless · 20/03/2014 21:01

Agree with Blue Champagne re Julian May's Pliocene series plus her Galactic Milieu series and Intervention. That lot will keep you going for a while.

pointythings · 20/03/2014 21:15

Oh, and try Tim Powers, especially his old stuff - The Anubis Gates, Dinner at Deviant's Palace, On Stranger Tides (nothing to do with Captain Jack Sparrow, Disney just used the title), The Stress of her Regard.

Teladi · 20/03/2014 21:19

Some fab suggestions on here that I will be adding to my reading list too!

You need Scott Lynch and 'The Lies of Locke Lamora' in your life!

Steampunk swashbuckling adventure - Chris Wooding and the Tales of the Ketty Jay. The first one is 'Retribution Falls'.

Someone you won't have heard of - Laura Lam and the Micah Grey series, the first book, the author's debut, is 'Pantomime', and there's a sequel out now too. If you like Robin Hobb, you will very probably like this.

immortalwife · 21/03/2014 13:43

I've got some Diane Wynne Jones, and my mum got me the first and last book of the across the nightingale floor books I just need grass for my pillow. I'm got to try and make a list of these now and go charity shop hunting Smile

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TerrariaMum · 21/03/2014 14:08

Oooh, yes, agree with pointythings about Tim Powers. Last Call and Declare are the ones I'd add to her list.

VivaLeBeaver · 22/03/2014 11:10

The String Diaries was good

Also loved The Bone Season.

ThreeBeeOneGee · 22/03/2014 11:47

I loved The Bone Season and am looking forward to the sequel.