Best Fantasy/Scifi Stand-Alone Novels

[Fist and Faith]

I read Speaker. It was definitely better.

[ussusimiel]

Nice to know I've read some books that you guys haven't The ones I consider to be quality (rather than just personal faves) off this list would include all the Iain M. Banks books and these:


The Ethos Effect by L.E. Modesitt Jr
Adiamante by L.E. Modesitt Jr

Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

The Ambassador of Progress by Walter Jon Williams

Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear

Earth Made of Glass by John Barnes

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

A Fire upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge


I would also include Children of God by Mary Doria Russell (also recommended by Fist (and everybody knows how I like agreeing with the Pugilistic One ) but I don't own a copy of that so I've only it read once. (I noticed the bumped thread as well, thanks Fist!)

These books do what I consider a good science fiction novel (or maybe any novel for that matter) should do, they introduce a good idea and tell a good story at the same time. Even in some of these books the characterisation can leave a bit to be desired. (But if I want flat-down characterisation I can read literary fiction or the classics )

u.

[I'm Murrin]

Hmm, could easily add some I've read in the last few years to this thread:

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, Charles Yu
The Troika, Stepan Chapman
Finch, Jeff VanderMeer

[TerisasMirror]

Some of these may not be strictly Sci Fi, but some of my faves:

And the Devil Will Drag You Under - Jack L. Chalker (I wore dad's copy of that out in High School, MANY years ago! I still re-read it, too.)
The Coming of the Quantum Cats - Frederick Pohl
R.U.R. - Karel Čapek (O.K., technically a play, but still a thought-provoking read)
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (loved the TV short series, too)

And Piers Anthony was mentioned, so I will suggest a couple of his:

Tarot (Another book I wore out in high school!)
Chthon (his first published novel) <edit>Ooooops! Just found out this had sequels!!! Ain't the internet wunnerful? Well, read it anyway....

Not sure if this counts, but's it's still wonderful:

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

Ummmm, I'm sure I can come up with a bunch more later...like 3am...when I wake up going "Oh! That, too..." LOL

P.S. Murrin - Love your avatar! Sir Didymus rocks!

[Avatar]

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (loved the TV short series, too)

Finally, somebody else who likes Neverwhere. (I didn't much like the series though.) Let me recommend Roofworld by Christopher Fowler...excellent, sorta similar...well...a secret London...not really fantasy or sci-fi though, but very good.

--A

[stonemaybe]

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (loved the TV short series, too)

Finally, somebody else who likes Neverwhere. (I didn't much like the series though.) Let me recommend Roofworld by Christopher Fowler...excellent, sorta similar...well...a secret London...not really fantasy or sci-fi though, but very good.

--A

I've got vague memories of this: do they sharpen coins and shoot them?

[Avatar]

What?!? You've actually read it? Yes, they do.

--A

[Fist and Faith]

Neverwhere is the only book that Av particularly likes that I don't, but I read all the way through. I didn't finish Canticle or Illuminatus. Or those damned Gap books!

How's that for a useless post?

[Avatar]

Ender's Game too.

--A

[stonemaybe]

What?!? You've actually read it? Yes, they do.

--A

Yes I've read it, once a long long time ago (which means I remember virtually nothing). I remember it sitting on a bookshelf in my old room in my parents house for years, I'd see it every time I visited but something else always took my fancy for a re-read when I was home.

Dunno what happened to that bookshelf and all my old books that I didn't have room for when I came to England. Been missing for a few years now.

[Cambo]

A whole bunch of Phillip K Dick novels spring to mind.

[Avatar]

Yes I've read it, once a long long time ago (which means I remember virtually nothing). I remember it sitting on a bookshelf in my old room in my parents house for years, I'd see it every time I visited but something else always took my fancy for a re-read when I was home.

I read it every year or so. First got it from a library, then a few years back found my own copy. The coins of course are only a tiny detail, not central to the story at all. There's all the Egyptian mysticism which is interesting, but I probably like it a lot because I know London so well, (lived there for a few years on and off) and recognise all the places.

Another one I like is King Solomon's Carpet by Barbara Vine (IIRC), which focuses on the Underground.

--A

[stonemaybe]

Heading home in a few weeks for a visit so I'll look in some unlikely places and see if it's survived the clear-out.

[TerisasMirror]

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (loved the TV short series, too)

Finally, somebody else who likes Neverwhere. (I didn't much like the series though.) Let me recommend Roofworld by Christopher Fowler...excellent, sorta similar...well...a secret London...not really fantasy or sci-fi though, but very good.

--A

Yup. If you read the book first, I can see you not going for the TV short series as much. The book is defintely better. But the TV did have the chance to present somethings visually with better impact than in the book (to me, anyway) - Knightsbridge and scene where Door takes the Marquis into her home (and he gets assaulted by her memories) come to mind. And, the most important reason to like the TV - getting to stare at the gorgeous Patterson Joseph as the Marquis (grrwarrr!!).

I will check out Roofworld, though. Sounds interesting.

One other book I will add (now that I hunted down my copy):

To the Vanishing Point by Alan Dean Foster.

[Avatar]

Hope you can find it.

(Both of you.)

--A

[Endymion9]

My list:
The Postman by David Brin (even the third section many hate)
World War Z by Max Brooks
Merchantur's Luck by C.J. Cherryh
Indigo by Graham Joyce
The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers
The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers

[Holsety]

I don't really remember the course of the book, but I remember liking Richard Paul Russo's Ship of Fools.

[aliantha]

Indigo by Graham Joyce

Anything by Graham Joyce, pretty much. The Tooth Fairy scared the crap out of me. His most recent book is The Silent Land, which I liked very much.

[Endymion9]

I loved Tooth Fairy and was so dissappointed when the movie wasn't based on his novel. Also liked Requiem, Dreamside and Smoking Poppy by him.

[aliantha]

Was Requiem the one set in Jerusalem? That was amazing.