re: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Recommendation & Discussion Thread

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I haven't heard of that one before, is it sci fi or fantasy?

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Someone else already answered, but its SciFi. Humans are colonizing the galaxy. There are a number of other species doing the same. There is only so much real estate out there, so the different species are constantly battling over colony worlds.

The human colonial government recruits Earthlings who are 75 years old to fight in their military. Why do they only recruit old people? Imagine an army filled with soldiers with 75 years of life experience; people who were going into their twilight years and would probably be dead in the next 10 years anyway.

How do they get old people, with their frail old bodies, to fight? You'll have to read the book to find out.

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And what i really love is the juxtaposition of the humor and banter with a world that seems as cruel and dark as Abercrombie's.

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Yeah, exactly. It's basically a great mix of three musketeers style high adventure with Abercrombie style grittiness.

Speaking of Sci Fi, did you ever read Lord of Light, I know you had said you were ordering it.

Just wanted to throw out a couple newer authors I read just recently that impressed me. Mark Lawrence has done a yearly self published authors fantasy blog off (SPFBO) where he sends about 300 authors stuff to fantasy review bloggers and narrows it down to a top ten and a #1 for each year. Both these authors were in this the last couple years.

Anyway, first author is Mike Shel,it's called the Iconoclast series, first book was in the top 10 of the SPFBO in 2018. They are a mix of fantasy, indiana jones/laura croft style temple raiding, and psychological horror elements. It's set in a kingdom that found the ruins of an older civilization and uses a guild of explorers to explore them to find magical artifacts and the like while fighting undead. The main character is a former explorer who retired due to one of his raids going bad and his party of friends getting destroyed, and gets called back in to help with a case. On paper it's a generic rpg storyline but it really goes into depth with good character development and builds the story with a nice creeping dread as it goes along.

The other author is M.L. Wang, the book is called The Sword of Kaigen, it won the SPFBO last year. The setting is an asian style world with a mix of high technology and fantasy elements (somewhat of an avatar last airbender battle world, where stuff like airplanes are used in war alongside people with magical powers that could take out entire armies as a group). The characters are amazingly well written, with a great story that doesn't really go necessarily where you would expect.

Going with the asian theme, I'll also throw out another author that I don't think I've seen mentioned in here, Fonda Lee. She has two books out of a trilogy, Jade City and Jade War. It's basically a mix of asian culture, fantasy, and the godfather. It's been a very entertaining series so far.

I’ve seen some really glowing reviews for Jade War. Fonda Lee’s name has been popping lately.

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Has anybody read Swords Against Death by Fritz Leiber?

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I read a big collection of Fafhrd and the grey mouser stories back in the day, but I'm not sure if that was one of the ones included in it or not.

Anyway, they were entertaining. As you said, they were tropey, much like Howard's Conan books, but good despite that.

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Fonda Lee. She has two books out of a trilogy, Jade City and Jade War.

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Just started this one, fellas. 2 chapters in and I like it so far.

Anyone read A Fire Upon the Deep? Just ordered it, heard it was a good, self contained sci fi / space opera

Thanks, ive been trying to get into more sci fi - really only read the older classics as well as the three body problem.




ETA: just finished greatcoats 2 / knights shadow. It was good but was so brutal in the 2nd half it was tough for me to keep my head in it.

I'm excited to get into lightbringer - its a little ways down the line on my list but I liked his trilogy, Darkangel I think it was called. But I love bigger worldbuilding series so have been looking forward to lightbringer with 5 big novels I think.