The Best of the Best of SF & Fantasy (of the XX century and beyond)

[neomedjeni]

Nema na čemu, mada iste rezultate dobijaš i sa Songs i sa Song.

Iskreno, ma koliko ludo zvučalo, ja sam ubeđen da tebe Nightflier plaća da mu duvaš u žar na temi. 

Uglavnom iste rezultate, i niko mi nije kriv što ih ne čitah, jer obraćah pažnju samo na (nepostojeće) knjige knjige kojima na koricama piše Songs. 

A to za plaću u stvari i nije loša ideja. Nightfliere, deder, spremi novčanik!!!

[divča]

niko mi nije kriv što ih ne čitah

Hehe, ova ti je dobra -- a možda ti je i monitor bio ugašen? Uopšte mi nije jasno što se zaplićeš -- kažeš čitao si Pesme snova, a pitaš šta je Song for Lya. Kažeš nisam uspeo da nađem na netu, a onda kažeš ma nisam ni čitao rezultate pretrage.

O čemu se bre ovde radi 

[Nightflier]

A to za plaću u stvari i nije loša ideja. Nightfliere, deder, spremi novčanik!!!

Ko je pominjao novčanik? Ja rekoh da ćeš dobiti procenat od onoga što Boban meni plaća

[divča]

Neo, medeni -- klon li si, bot li si, ne znam, al ja ti platu ne bi dao.

[neomedjeni]

Majku mu, raspravljamo oko ničega. Bukvalno.

Pesmu za Liju sam čitao odavno, čini mi se u nekom od Monolita pozajmljenom iz biblioteke. I čitao sam je ponovo u Pesmama snova. Fora je u tome što je Nightflier napisao Songs for Lya a ne Song for Lya, pa sam "mislio" da je Martin baš tako naslovio neku zbirku svojih priča koja sadrži i Song of Lya i druge priče. Pa pošto sam tražio neku zbirku koja u naslovu ima Songs, nisam obraćao pažnju na rezultate koji su se odnosili na Song of Lya.

Jbg, verovao ili ne, ima i ovoliko glupih ljudi.

[neomedjeni]

Neo, medeni -- klon li si, bot li si, ne znam, al ja ti platu ne bi dao.

Nema veze, daj mi plaću, kako sam i tražio. 

[Nightflier]

Hajde da se manemo plata i da se držimo knjiga, moliću lepo. Ako nekome nešto znači, ja nisam čitao nijednu (isključivo) Martinovu zbirku, sem Tuff Voyaging.

[divča]

Tuff

Ja...ne mogu da odolim -- misliš Tuf?

Nije mi za drugo, nego da medenog opet ne zbuni Gugl 

[neomedjeni]

Veoma mi je milo što imam nekoga ko je spreman da preuzme brigu o meni i brani me od strašnog gugla. Ili beše gogla? Ili googla? Ili Googla? Ili Googlagla?

Možemo sad, kad znamo da si neizmerno duhovitiji od mene, da prekinemo ovo? Molim te?

[divča]

Prekidam čim priznaš da si klon.

Šalim se, prekidam odma -- izvini, ponelo me malo.

[Nightflier]

Tuff

Ja...ne mogu da odolim -- misliš Tuf?

Nije mi za drugo, nego da medenog opet ne zbuni Gugl 

Mislim na jebenog Tafa, da.

[Nightflier]

Lords of Creation by S. M. Stirling



Žanr: SF, alternativna istorija

Ocena: 5/5

Duologija Lords of Creation sastoji se iz romana The Sky People i  In the Courts of the Crimson Kings. Romani polaze od premise da su Venera i Mars zapravo upravo onakvi kakvim su ih zamišljali SF pisci s početka dvadesetog veka. Dakle, naseljeni čovekolikim vanzemaljcima i obiljem egzotičnih biljaka i životinja. Hladnoratovske supersile požurile su da osnuju kolonije na ovim planetama, tako da se trka u naoružanju koju poznajemo iz naše istorije u Stirlingovom alternativnom svetu pretvorila u trku u osvajanje Sunčevog sistema.

Prvi roman odvija se na Veneri, krajem osamdesetih godina dvadesetog veka, dok se drugi odvija na Marsu - hronološki nešto malo nakon prvog. Dva romana suštinski nisu povezana i mogu da se čitaju samostalno, premda sadrže tananu nit koja ih povezuje.



Stirling je jedan od mojih omiljenih pisaca, ako ne i omiljeni. Ovaj autor, koji je sada već doajen alternativne istorije, pokazao je kreativnost u pisanju kakva se retko sreće. Ova dva romana su pre svega divan omaž klasicima SF-a, nadasve Barouzu. Stirling inače ima običaj da u svoje romane ubacuje skrivene omaže velikanima žanra, ali Lords of Creation predstavlja direktan povratak fantastici koja je iznedrila najvažnije pisce naučne fantastike koji danas stvaraju. Lords of Creation su prilika da se iskuse pustolovine koje su oblikovale savremenu popularnu kulturu, ali bez klišea i predrasuda; bez utiska da je to književnost za bele muškarce, koja se bavi belim muškarcima i koju su napisali beli muškarci. Istini za volju, Stirling ume da oda utisak "velikog belog lovca", što je kletva većine autora alternativne istorije - sa izuzetkom Harija Tartldava pre svega - ali u tome nema ni traga njegovih stvarnih političkih stavova i načela, već je to posledica njegove zaljubljenosti u korene SF-a. Na kraju krajeva, Džon Karter je bio južnjački gospodin, koji se borio na strani Konfederacije. Tarzan je zapravo lord Grejstok. Kod Stirlinga nema te moralne superiornosti bele rase, koja bi danas bila bljutava svakom normalnom čitaocu, ali je ipak uspeo da sačuva sav onaj osećaj čudesnosti i otkrivanja novih svetova, karakterističan za fantastiku dvadesetih i tridesetih godina, pre nego što smo oguglali na sve to.

[roland]

Da li postoji prevod ovih knjiga (mislim na tvoj poslednji post) kod nas? 

[Nightflier]

Nažalost, ne. Ideja iza ove teme upravo je da se bavim knjigama koje kod nas nisu objavljene, a smatram da bi trebalo da budu. Mislim da je ono što je objavljeno uglavnom dostupno, bilo u knjižarama bilo u antikvarnicama, i da tržište - odnosno čitaoci - treba da svoj sud o tome. Ovde izdvajam naslove koje bih voleo da podelim sa drugima - u originalu, kada je reč o onima koji znaju engleski - ili u nekom budućem prevodu, ako se neki izdavač zainteresuje.

[roland]

Nažalost, ne. Ideja iza ove teme upravo je da se bavim knjigama koje kod nas nisu objavljene, a smatram da bi trebalo da budu. Mislim da je ono što je objavljeno uglavnom dostupno, bilo u knjižarama bilo u antikvarnicama, i da tržište - odnosno čitaoci - treba da svoj sud o tome. Ovde izdvajam naslove koje bih voleo da podelim sa drugima - u originalu, kada je reč o onima koji znaju engleski - ili u nekom budućem prevodu, ako se neki izdavač zainteresuje.

Možemo samo da se ponadamo da će Laguna (kao pionir izdavanja fantastike u Srbiji) biti zainteresovana i hteti da prevede ovu duologiju. Priča je za 10+!

[divča]

Laguna (kao pionir izdavanja fantastike u Srbiji)

[Nightflier]

Ne bih baš rekao da je Laguna pionir fantastike u Srbiji. Ali svakako jeste najplodonosniji izdavač fantastike u poslednjih desetak godina. To rekavši, mislim da nema nade da Laguna objavi Stirlinga. Jednostavno, SF se loše prodaje. Takođe, kod nas ne postoji tradicija te palp književnosti iz tridesetih, tako da nema ni faktora nostalgije. Međutim, bez obzira na sve to - stoji da su ovo sjajne knjige.

[Nightflier]

Hajde da dodam i sinopsise ovih knjiga, premda ih je lako naći na Amazonu.

The Sky People by S.M. Stirling

Marc Vitrac was born in Louisiana in the early 1960's, about the time the first interplanetary probes delivered the news that Mars and Venus were teeming with life—even human life. At that point, the "Space Race" became the central preoccupation of the great powers of the world.

Now, in 1988, Marc has been assigned to Jamestown, the US-Commonwealth base on Venus, near the great Venusian city of Kartahown. Set in a countryside swarming with sabertooths and dinosaurs, Jamestown is home to a small band of American and allied scientist-adventurers.

But there are flies in this ointment – and not only the Venusian dragonflies, with their yard-wide wings. The biologists studying Venus's life are puzzled by the way it not only resembles that on Earth, but is virtually identical to it. The EastBloc has its own base at Cosmograd, in the highlands to the south, and relations are frosty. And attractive young geologist Cynthia Whitlock seems impervious to Marc's Cajun charm.

Meanwhile, at the western end of the continent, Teesa of the Cloud Mountain People leads her tribe in a conflict with the Neanderthal-like beastmen who have seized her folk's sacred caves. Then an EastBloc shuttle crashes nearby, and the beastmen acquire new knowledge... and AK47's.

Jamestown sends its long-range blimp to rescue the downed EastBloc cosmonauts, little suspecting that the answer to the jungle planet's mysteries may lie there, among tribal conflicts and traces of a power that made Earth's vaunted science seem as primitive as the tribesfolk's blowguns. As if that weren't enough, there's an enemy agent on board the airship...

Extravagant and effervescent, The Sky People is alternate-history SF adventure at its best.



In the Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling

In the parallel world first introduced in S. M. Stirling's The Sky People, aliens terraformed Mars (and Venus) two hundred million years ago, seeding them with life-forms from Earth. Humans didn't suspect this until the twentieth century, but when the first probes landed on our sister worlds, and found life—intelligent life, at that—things changed with a vengeance. By the year 2000, America, Russia, and the other great powers of Earth are all contending for influence and power amid the newly-discovered inhabitants of our sister planets.

Venus is a primitive world. But on Mars, early hominids evolved civilization earlier than their earthly cousins, driven by the needs of a harsh world growing still harsher as the initial terraforming runs down. Without coal, oil, or uranium, their technology was forced into different paths, and the genetic wizardry of the Crimson Dynasty united a world for more than twenty thousand years.

Now, in a new stand-alone adventure set in this world's 2000 AD, Jeremy Wainman is an archaeologist who has achieved a lifelong dream; to travel to Mars and explore the dead cities of the Deep Beyond, searching for the secrets of the Kings Beneath the Mountain and the fallen empire they ruled.

Teyud Zha-Zhalt is the Martian mercenary the Terrans hire as guide and captain of the landship Intrepid Traveller. A secret links her to the deadly intrigues of Dvor il-Adazar, the City That Is A Mountain, where the last aging descendant of the Tollamune Emperors clings to the remnants of his power...and secrets that may trace their origin to the enigmatic Ancients, the Lords of Creation who reshaped the Solar System in the time of the dinosaurs.

When these three meet, the foundations of reality will be shaken—from the lost city of Rema-Dza to the courts of the Crimson Kings.

[roland]

Ne bih baš rekao da je Laguna pionir fantastike u Srbiji.

Ne verujem šta sam napisao... Prvo sam mislio da je neko drugi napisao ovo. 

Ali svakako jeste najplodonosniji izdavač fantastike u poslednjih desetak godina.

Svakako da jeste, pa sam, misleći o tome i napisao svoju "umotvorinu". 
Šteta za serijal... Mada, nada umire poslednja.

[Nightflier]

The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan




Žanr: Mač i magija, sajens fantazi

Ocena: 5/5

A dark lord will rise. Such is the prophecy that dogs Ringil Eskiath—Gil, for short—a washed-up mercenary and onetime war hero whose cynicism is surpassed only by the speed of his sword. Gil is estranged from his aristocratic family, but when his mother enlists his help in freeing a cousin sold into slavery, Gil sets out to track her down. But it soon becomes apparent that more is at stake than the fate of one young woman. Grim sorceries are awakening in the land. Some speak in whispers of the return of the Aldrain, a race of widely feared, cruel yet beautiful demons. Now Gil and two old comrades are all that stand in the way of a prophecy whose fulfillment will drown an entire world in blood. But with heroes like these, the cure is likely to be worse than the disease.

Noir SF author Morgan (Thirteen) delivers a promising but obscenity-laden epic fantasy trilogy opener. As the Yhelteth Empire recovers from a devastating war, embittered veterans Archeth, Egar and Ringil embark on parallel but vastly different journeys. The emperor sends drug-abusing Archeth to gather details about a rumored invasion. Egar becomes a steppes clanmaster, but the other horsemen despise him for seducing teenagers rather than leading. Ringil attempts to locate and free a cousin sold into slavery. All three soon discover the dwenda, a race of magical beings thought long dead. Despite stereotypical plot elements, including a prophecy that states A dark lord will rise, the well-developed characters and realistic battle scenes ring true, as do some gruesomely explicit sex scenes. The intriguing conclusion to the dark, gritty tale will have readers hoping for a more plot-heavy and less visceral sequel. (Jan.) 


U prvi mah, ovaj roman sam batalio nakon prvih desetak-dvadeset stranica. Pre svega, činilo mi se da je reč o hrpi klišea, a potom - bilo mi je muka gej fantastike. To ne znači da imam nešto protiv gej tema i motiva u fantastici, ali u to neko vreme činilo mi se da se svi živi hvataju urbane fantastike i gej protagonista, sa isključivim ciljem da pospeše prodaju svojih romana. Međutim, tri godine kasnije The Steel Remains dobio je nastavak i kritičari diljem interneta polomili su se da ga nahvale. To me je ponukalo da pomislim kako sam možda ipak negde pogrešio, te da se vratim Morganovom izletu u fantazi.

Nisam se pokajao.

Morgan se u suštini bavi fantazijskim klišeima: protagonista kojeg niko ne razume, otpadnik od društva, mračni gospodar, mračni vilovnjaci, mračno ovo-ono, ubica zmajeva, neostvarena ljubav, veliki crni mač... Bljak, zar ne?

Međutim, Morgan je rešio da odvrne potenciometar do kraja. Njegov otpadnik od društva nije neki tamo emo. Čovek čak nije ni gej, već PEDER - velikim slovima i bez potrebe da se ikome pravda zbog toga. Iako sam i ranije čitao fantazijske romane sa gej protagonistima - ovo je prvi sa kojim sam mogao da se identifikujem. Gil je BAMF kakav se retko sreće i Morgan je beskompromisan kao pisac i bespoštedan prema svojim likovima i prema čitaocima, još malo pa kao Džordž Martin.

Ova dva romana - The Steel Remains i The Cold Commands - u neku ruku podsećaju na stilsku vežbu koja za cilj ima da se uzme sve što je kliše i prežvakana priča u pre svega maču i magiji, pa potom fantaziji u širem smislu, pa da se od toga napravi nešto sveže i uzbudljivo, ali na odvažan i beskompromisan način.

[Nightflier]

Whitechapel Gods by S.M. Peters



Žanr: Stimpank, alternativna istorija

Ocena: 4/5

"Bogovi Vajtčepela" odigrava se u alternativnoj viktorijanskoj Engleskoj, u kojoj su četvrt Vajtčepel preuzela dva entiteta - bezmalo lavkraftovska božanstva - zvana Mama Mašina (Mama Engine) i Deda Časovnik (Gradnfather Clock). Vajtčepelom hara tehnovirus, koji ljude lagano menja u mašine. Protagonista je agent britanske krune, koji pokušava da nađe način da uništi tuđinske bogove i trajno ukloni pretnju po Imperiju.

Ovo je Petersov debitantski roman i može se reći da je pisac dao sve od sebe. Roman je pisan veoma ambiciozno i natrpan je dešavanjima - možda i previše. Čitalac je na momente ophrvan čudnom vizijom stimpankovskog Vajtčepela, a čini se da je i pisac na trenutke gubio niti i da nije objasnio sve što je nameravao. Neke stvari su ostale nedorečene, dok su neke druge mogle biti bolje rečene. Sve to na stranu, Whitechappel Gods je retko dobar prvenac i prava je šteta što je Peters (Piters?) nestao sa spisateljske scene nakon objavljivanja svog drugog romana (nevezanog za prvi). Whitechappel Gods je odličan izbor za čitaoce koji bi da se upoznaju sa stimpankom, a ne žele da čitaju romane koji koketiraju sa ljubićima. Naročito bih ga preporučio ljubiteljima Kima Njumena, ali i ljubiteljima Lavkrafta i njegovih naslednika.

[Nightflier]

Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay



Žanr: epska fantastika, primese alternativne istorije.

Ocena: 5/5

Keja inače ne volim preterano.

Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay objavljen je 2010. godine, tako da sam ga pročitao sa godinu dana zakašnjenja - a i to na insistiranje Patrika Sen-Denija, čuvenog kanadskog SF&F blogera. Kej ne da nije među mojim omiljeni piscima, već njegovu sortu kvazi-istorijske fantazije aktivno prezirem. Doduše, kada sam promislio o tome, shvatio sam da je to stoga što poprilično dobro poznajem periode evropske istorije o kojima je on pisao, te mi sve to njegovo pisanije izgleda kao neopevani plagijat.   
Sumnjam da je slično i sa Under Heaven - ali kinesku istoriju gotovo da uopšte ne poznajem, pa sam mogao da se opustim i da sa velikim uživanjem čitam roman napisan prelepim jezikom, vanrednim stilom, sa savršeno doziranom fantastikom i brilijantno izgrađenim protagonistom. Juče je objavljen novi roman smešten u isti svet kao Under Heaven, pa ćemo videti da li ću se vratiti na staro mišljenje o ovom piscu.

[Nightflier]

Majk Stekpul je meni veoma drag pisac. Nije u istoj kategoriji kao Erikson ili Martin, ali je krajnje jaka B kategorija, ako ne i B+. Stekpul je zanatski pisac-najamnik, što znači da mahom piše u etabliranim univerzumima, odnosno piše taj-inove poznatih franšiza. Ime je stekao pišući pre svega Star Wars romane, a potom i Battletech. Ono što ga izdvaja od većine literarnih najamnika jeste činjenica da je za četiri koplja bolji od većine. Stekpul piše i svoje originalne radove, koji po pravilo prolaze daleko lošije od taj-inova. Jedan od tih radova je i nezasluženo neprimećeni biser epske fantastike, Talion: Revenant.

Talion: Revenant by Michael A. Stackpole



After his native land and his family are conquered by a brutal   king, Nolan ra Sinjaria seeks revenge by joining a breed of feared   warrior-judges called the Talions, but when the usurping king and his   troops are imperiled, Nolan is assigned to protect them.



Žanr: epska fantastika/mač i magija

Ocena: 4+/5

Stekpul maestralno vodi priču u ovom romanu, koji je možda pre mač i magija nego klasična epska fantastika. Čitalac se smesta vezuje za protagonistu, a "sistem magije" je svež i inovativan za romane ovog žanra, naročito za vreme kada je roman pisan i objavljen. Po kakvoći stila i jezika, kao i zanatskom umeću prikazanim u ovom romanu, Stekpul je mnogo bolji od današnjih fantazijskih zvezda tipa Sandersona, Linča ili Viksa. Recimo da bih Talion: Revenant stavio na istu policu sa "Kraljem trnja" Grega Kiza.

[Nightflier]

 Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding



Žanr: Sajens-fentezi, primese stimpanka.

Ocena: 5+/5 - NF's Seal of Approval.


Frey is the captain of the Ketty Jay, leader of a small, highly dysfunctional band of layabouts. An inveterate womaniser and rogue, he and his gang make a living on the wrong side of the law, avoiding the heavily armed flying frigates of the Coalition Navy. With their trio of ragged fighter craft they run contraband, rob airships and generally make a nuisance of themselves. So a hot tip on a cargo freighter loaded with valuables seems like a great prospect for an easy heist and a fast buck. Until the heist goes wrong, and the freighter explodes. Suddenly Frey isn't just a nuisance anymore – he's public enemy number one, with the Coalition Navy on his tail and contractors hired to take him down.
But Frey knows something they don't. That freighter was rigged to blow, and Frey has been framed to take the fall. If he wants to prove his innocence, he's going to have to catch the real culprit. He must face liars and lovers, dogfights and gunfights, dukes and daemons.
It's going to take all his criminal talents to prove he's not the criminal they think he is...


Kris Vuding je jedan od nainventivnijih i stilski najčistijih pisaca fantastike mlađe generacije. Po kvalitetu jezika beže mu samo Daril Gregori i Kej Kenjon. Tetralogija o "Keti Džej" je izvanredan spoj nekoliko žanrova i podžanrova, u tolikoj meri da se ni ne može govoriti o njenoj jasnoj žanrovskoj određenosti. Vuding i po pisanju nadilazi ograničenja pukog žanrovskog pisca i moglo bi se reći da se u njemu krije zrnce nekog novog Gejmana, premda manje urbanog a više sklonog eksplicitnoj fantastici. Vuding je inače izuzetak od mog samonametnutog pravila da ovde preporučujem pisce koji nisu objavljivani kod nas. Naime, Vudinga je objavila Narodna knjiga, ali taj roman - The Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray - prošao je nezapaženo. Za svaki slučaj, evo o čemu se u njemu radi:The Haunting Of  Alaizabel Cray is a Gothic horror/fantasy about an alternate Victorian  London overrun by the wych-kin, daemonic creatures that have rendered the city  uninhabitable south of the river, and which stalk the streets after dark. When  Thaniel Fox, a young wych-hunter, finds a mad girl wandering the streets in the  middle of the night, he is moved by pity to take her home; and in doing so, he becomes embroiled in a plot that reaches into the highest levels of government,  and into the darkest depths of the wych-kin's world.

[Berserker]

http://www.leo.rs/a/6b0bf047-b43c-407d-8043-48fb2660e2b3/Kris-Vuding.aspx

Nisam nasao Narodnu knjigu, jel probao neko ova izdanja (zbog prevoda) ?

[Nightflier]

http://www.leo.rs/a/6b0bf047-b43c-407d-8043-48fb2660e2b3/Kris-Vuding.aspx

Nisam nasao Narodnu knjigu, jel probao neko ova izdanja (zbog prevoda) ?

Ono drugo jeste izdanje Narodne knjige. Kupio sam ga za kevu na nekom buvljaku, ali nisam ga ni pogledao. Nisam siguran ni da ga je keva čitala, pošto je ona naklonjenija epskoj fantastici - što epskijoj, to bolje. Sa druge strane, Vudingovi prvi romani su Young Adoult, tako da nisam siguran da će ti se dojmiti. Nisam čitao te njegove ranije uratke, već samo "Saramirsku trilogiju" i "Priče sa Keti Džej".

[Berserker]

hm, po onome sto si napisao The Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray ne zvuci kao omladinska literatura. Ako jeste, verovatno bih preskocio, jer za razliku od omladinske literature objavljivane svojevremeno u Plavoj Ptici (Salgari, Karl Maj, Madlen Langl i sl) imam utisak da danasnja omladinska literatura podrazumeva Twilight sagu ili Harija Potera, sto mi bas ne lezi.

[Nightflier]

Ne znam da li je omladinska ili nije. Kao što rekoh, nisam čitao. Međutim, Vuding je tako dobar pisac da čisto sumnjam da bi napisao nešto tipa "Sumraka".

[Nightflier]

The best young novelists – from SF's universe

Speculative fiction can provide an equally inspiring set of young literary stars as Granta's latest list



The relationship between the literary and speculative fiction genres is like the episode of original Star Trek where Captain Kirk is teleported in to an evil, parallel dimension. Both genres have their own star authors, publishers, and of course literary accolades. (Which genre requires that you assassinate your rivals to advance is for you to decide.) Granta's lists of 20 novelists under 40 – American, Spanish-language, Brazilian and most famously the British contingent – being renewed for 2013 this week – have become an institution in literary fiction. SF has no direct equivalent, but if it did, who might be on it?

Two things connect the 20 writers on this list. The first is a fascination with the weird and fantastic. The second is their love and affection for the pulp roots of SF. One or two may be just a smidgeon over 40, but will no doubt be among the writers shaping speculative fiction for decades to come. And I have looked beyond Britain where I can to find the most interesting voices in what is increasingly an international SF genre.

Lauren Beukes is a South African author of "cyberpunk" science fiction whose novel Zoo City brought her very widespread acclaim, and a major publishing deal for upcoming novel The Shining Girls. James Smythe's The Explorer and The Machine are the kind of breathtaking conceptual SF long absent from the genre. Hannu Rajeniemi's soaring space opera The Quantum Thief and Madeleine Ashby's vN series both reawaken the slumbering body of "Hard SF" rooted in real science. French writer Aliette De Boddard fuses many ideas from SF and fantasy in both her novels and short fiction. And with indie publishing phenomenon Wool reaching more than a quarter of a million sales, Hugh Howey has become overnight one of SFs bestsellers.

Joe Abercrombie is the self-proclaimed Lord of "grimdark" epic fantasy, whose writing displays a wit and style beyond the battle sequences and torture scenes that dominate the gritty world of grimdark. NK Jemsin brings an immense storytelling talent to the tradition of epic fantasy, with a series of beautiful stories that have garnered Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy award nominations. The Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed is notable for its middle-eastern fantasy setting, but the work's real strengths are its deep sense of irony and dark humour. And of course British author China Miéville has re-worked the fantasy genre into many and varied weird forms from Perdido Street Station to Embassytown, though he is technically ineligible, as he turned 40 last year.

Joe Hill is arguably the most significant horror author of the last decade, with 20th Century Ghosts, Heart Shaped Box and the upcoming NOS4A2 setting the bar for the entire genre. Chuck Wendig's Blackbirds series fulfils the promise of an author who is a firm favourite among fans for his characterful online presence. Seanan McGuire scooped five Hugo nominations this year alone and as Mira Grant writes one of the most acclaimed and accomplished entries among a spate of recent zombie apocalypse novels. Robert Jackson Bennet's debut novel Mr Shivers drew acclaim by crafting an alternative fantasy from the milieu of the Great Depression. And any survey of the contemporary horror genre would not be complete without the bizarro masterpieces of Carlton Mellick III. If Mellick had written only Warrior Wolf Women of the Wasteland he would be on this list, but with dozens of other equally grotesque creations tearing up the world his name is set for sci-fi immortality.

Catherynne Valente's novels and stories range widely across the fantastic, but it is her dark urban fantasies such as Palimpsest that best showcase her baroque prose style. Tom Pollock's debut The City's Son marked the appearance of a powerful new imagination in SF, and hopes are high for the upcoming sequel. As they are for the debut novel of Elizabeth May, with The Falconer among the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2013. The young adult stories of Francis Hardinge follow in the footsteps of the great Diana Wynne Jones by being equally enchanting for children and adults. And Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor scooped its author a prestigious World Fantasy award in 2011, which we can only hope is the first of many.

Who have I missed from my top 20? It's almost a cliche to call the literary world elitist, but it's hard to escape the idea with lists like Granta's defining the best of the best. In contrast the SF genre is open and communal, driven by the passions of fans and the creativity of authors. The top writers in the field choose themselves by writing great books and engaging with the community. The door is open to any writer who wants to make their mark in the SF genre. All we ask is that you tell great stories.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2013/apr/15/best-young-novelists-speculative-fiction

[Nightflier]

Blood Song by Anthony Ryan



Žanr: epska fantastika, militaristička fantastika

Ocena: 5/5 NF's Seal of Approval

       From "a new master storyteller" comes the beginning of an epic fantasy saga of blood, honor, and destiny...            "The Sixth Order wields the sword of justice and smites the enemies of the Faith and the Realm."          Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order. The Brothers of the Sixth Order are devoted to battle, and Vaelin will be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate, and dangerous life of a Warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order.     
     Vaelin's father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the unified realm. Vaelin's rage at being deprived of his birthright and dropped at the doorstep of the Sixth Order like a foundling knows no bounds. He cherishes the memory of his mother, and what he will come to learn of her at the Order will confound him. His father, too, has motives that Vaelin will come to understand. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the realm, but the world. 
Sinopsis "Pesme krvi" najpre me je odbio da čitam ovaj roman, međutim popustio sam pred lavinom sjajnih kritika na internetu. Prvih pedesetak stranica romana pročitao sam ravnodušno, kao još jednu priču o odrastanju, bledu kopiju "Enderove igre" ili "Imena vetra". Međutim, utisak je veoma brzo počeo da se popravlja i moje poštovanje prema piscu i uživanje u romanu raslo je kako je priča odmicala. Brojne paralele mogu da se povuku između "Pesme krvi" i "Imena vetra" i čini se da Rajan donekle podražava strukturu Rotfasovog romana - ali on to čini na izvestan način uspešnije od Rotfasa. Najpre, izraz mu je sažetiji i nije sklon meandriranjima. Nažalost, to znači da Rajanov stil nema lepotu Rotfasovog izražavanja, ali ovom romanu to ni ne treba. U nekih nešto manje od 600 stranica, Rajanu je pošlo za rukom da smesti daleko više radnje, likova, karakterizacije, potke, worldbuildinga i svega ostalog što jedan roman čini dobrim i zabavnim nego što Rotfas uspeo u preko 2000. Stoga sam sasvim voljan da mu oprostim rečenice koje nisu odveć lirske.

Po običaju, neću ulaziti u dublju analizu ovog romana; to ću najverovatnije  ostaviti za blog kada mu se vratim. Za sada je dovoljno da kažem kako je ovo roman za koji smatram da bi trebalo da bude preveden kod nas i da bih uživao radeći na tom prevodu.

[Nightflier]

Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan



Žanr: Epska fantastika, militaristička fantastika, "barutska" fantastika

Ocena: 4/5

It's a bloody business overthrowing a king...
Field Marshal Tamas' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas's supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.

It's up to a few...
Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.

But when gods are involved...
Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should...

Onomad mi je uleteo Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan. Bio sam u nekoj čekaonici, a pogodilo se da mi je ta knjiga na mobilnom, iako nisam nameravao da je čitam. Moram reći da sam se prijatno iznenadio. U poslednje vreme samo iskaču novi pisci sa izvanrednim prvencima. Ovo me podseća na drugu polovinu prošle decenije, kada su se jedan za drugim pojavili Aberkrombi, Linč, Sanderson i Rotfas. Tada je, usred zatišja izazvanog Džordanovom bolešću i Martinovim kilavljenjem, relativno lako bilo postati zvezda epske fantastike. Izdavači su se lomili da na silu izguraju nove pisce i nove trilogije/serijale. Pokazalo se da su tek retki tada hajpovani pisci i danas popularni - pogledajmo samo Trudi Kanavan. No, u poslednje dve i po godine čitav niz mladih autora lagano se pretvara u tihe hitove. Iako ih izdavači ne hajpuju, blogerska zajednica i forumi čine svoje.

Promise of Blood bih opisao kao mešavinu Mistborna i Loka Lamore, samo bolje napisanu. Roman je očigledno početak serijala, ali se veoma lepo čita kao nezavisno delo (što je, doduše, i odlika prvog Mistborna). Likovi su slojeviti, premda ne u dovoljnoj meri dopadljivi. Odnosno, čitalac se ne vezuje za njih. Primetio sam da je u poslednje vreme takav način karakterizacije postao manir te nove generacije pisaca - likovi su sekundarni u odnosu na priču. Međutim, što se mene tiče, to je donekle osveženje u odnosu na Point of View stil pisanja, kakav su Džordan i Martin uspostavili kao bezmalo kanon i koji ume da bude iscrpljući za čitaoca.

Svet je zanimljivo osmišljen, iako su svega tri države/pokrajine razrađene do nekog detalja. Pisac je sebi ostavio više nego dovoljno prostora da unosi nove sisteme magije, nove likove i arhetipove, tako da se čitalac veoma lepo zabavlja. Problem je što roman nema jasnog protagonistu. Formalno, to je feldmaršal Tamas, premda sam se ja više vezao za njegovog sina - i to je zapravo razlog zašto sam romanu dao 4/5 zvezdica. Iako je karakterizacija veoma solidna i svaki lik ima svoje mesto i ulogu, nedostaje jasnije određenje protagoniste. Stiče se utisak da bi pisac nekako voleo da protagonista bude feldmaršal Tamas, ali mene je sve vreme više zanimalo šta se dešava sa njegovim sinom. Autor nije trebalo da dozvoli takvu nehotičnu dihotomiju.

[Nightflier]

 PANDEMONIUM/THE DEVIL'S ALPHABET/RAISING STONY MAYHALL - Daryl Gregory

Žanr: Fantasy/SF/Horror?

Ocena: 5/5, NF's Seal of Recommendation

Ako ste zbunjeni zbog ovolikog naslova romana, biće vam (valjda) lakše kada pojasnim da nije reč o jednom, već o tri dela. Gregorijevi romani su inače samostalni; nisu smešteni čak ni u isti univerzum, ne dele likove, pa čak ni motive. Ne postoji ni nekakav univerzalni negativac koji spaja potke različitih romana u jedan magnum opus. Dakle, tri potpuno različita romana, koja dele autora, a pored toga kao zajedničku odliku imaju samo to da su sva tri remek-dela.

Dapače, Gregori je jedan od retkih žanrovskih pisaca koji je u stanju da izađe na crtu ma kom savremenom prozaisti i da ga komotno dobije. Spreman sam da odem i tako daleko da kažem kako je - što se mene tiče - reč o anglosaksonskom Markesu.

Gregori se čita kao vanbračno dete Filipa K. Dika i Rodžera Zelaznija u najboljem izdanju.

Sada dugujem objašnjenje zašto sam ova tri nezavisna romana strpao na prvo mesto, premda su nezavisni.

Najpre, zbog toga što sam ih pročitao u dahu, što mi se sve ređe dešava. Potom, prva tri Gregorijeva romana bave se potpuno suprotnim temama, ali opet na komplementaran način.

"Pandemonijum" je roman koji se u biti bavi stanjem duha. Uz veoma mnogo referenci na klasike SF-a, poglavito na Filipa K. Dika, "Pandemonijum" je ujedno omaž jednom od najvećih SF pisaca svih vremena i fascinantno i provokativno delo o stanju duha, svesti i ličnosti. Na kraju, u svom ambicioznom prvencu Gregori je otvorio pitanje kojim će se baviti i u narednim romanima - šta je osnovna značajka čoveka? Šta nekoga čini ljudskim bićem?

Godinu dana nakon "Pandemonijuma", Gregori objavljuje "Đavolju azbuku" ( The Devil's Alphabet). Sviknut na serijale i nastavke, očekivao sam nastavak priče iz "Pandemonijuma" - i u prvi mah se razočarao kada sam shvatio da je reč o samostalnom romanu. (Doduše, ne gubim nadu, pošto je kraj "Pandemonijuma" pomalo otvoren.) Međutim, smesta sam se navikao na protagonistu, koji je gotovo odraz u ogledalu glavnog junaka "Pandemonijuma". Dakle, reč je o skrajnutom čoveku, koji za svoje životne neuspehe ima da krivi samo sebe. Suočen sa delanjem više sile, protagonista se ne snalazi najbolje i donosi ne baš najbolju odluku, koja će mu obeležiti život i neumitno dovesti do suočavanja sa prošlošću.

Već na prvi pogled, očigledno je da "Pandemonijum" i "Đavolja azbuka" dele više nego slične protagoniste i više nego slične početke. Međutim, vrlo brzo nakon uvodnih stranica priča skreće u potpuno drugačijem smeru i obrađuje u suštini istu temu kao u prethodnom romanu, ali na svež i maštovit način.

Razočarenje je vrlo brzo bilo zamenjeno vanrednim zadovoljstvom i užitkom u čitanju.

Ako se "Pandemonijum" bavi duhom i stanjem svesti, "Đavolja azbuka" se bavi telom, razlikama u ljudskim telima, rasama, spoljašnošću koja nas čini drugačijim i koja je - da se ne lažemo - prvo što nas predstavlja i prvo po čemu druge osobe donose sud o nama.

Ako se "Pandemonijum" čita kao lav čajld Dika i Zelaznija, "Azbuka" se čita skoro kao Morisonovi X-Meni ukršteni sa Lavkraftovim mitosom. Premda je "Azbuka" u suštini SF, i to tvrđe sorte, elementi horora naglašeni su iz perspektive protagoniste, koji se vraća u gradić svog detinjstva, među rođake i komšije, koji su izmenjeni kao da ih je sve do jednog Dagon posetio.


"Odgajati Stonija Mejhala" je treći roman u ovom nizu. Gregorijev prvenac bavi se duhom, drugi roman telom, dok se treći roman bavi smrću i šta biva posle smrti. Neću vam mnogo spojlovati ako otkrijem da je protagonista - zombi. Doduše, not your typical zombie. Stoni je uljudan, načitan, vispren, pametan - i još svašta nešto na -an.

Nisam neki stručnjak za romane o zombijima. Mahom su mi dosadni. Stoga, sledeća izjava možda i neće imati neku posebnu snagu - ali "Odgajati Stonija Mejhala" je najbolji roman o zombijima koji sam u životu pročitao.

Originalan pristup temi, sada već poslovično izvrsno pisanje i karakterizacija, kao i okretanje naglavačke žanrovskih klišea i očekivanja ovaj roman čini najboljim "hororom" koji se u poslednjih nekoliko godina pojavio - za nekoliko kopalja boljim od Del Torovog "Pada" ili Kroninovog "Prolaza".

Nažalost, slabi su izgledi da neko od naših izdavača objavi Gregorija. Ovaj pisac je - čini mi se - predobar da bi služio kao jeftina zabava & eskapizam, a sa druge strane nosi taj kaljavi pečat žanrovskog pisca, tako da je a priori odbačen od poklonika kobajagi ozbiljne književnosti.

Bilo kako bilo - ovaj pisac ne da ima Nightflier's Seal of Approval, ovaj pisac je budućnost fantastike.

[Berserker]

Ajmo sad jedan mass spam na lagunin sajt da otkupi ovog pisca za prevod, za nas lenje koji ne zele da ga citaju na engleskom! Mozda je bolja taktika poturiti ga Skrobonji na citanje, ako se on primi eto kompletnog Gregorija u Paladinu vec dogodine. Jos neki predlog?

[Nightflier]

Ne verujem da će se Laguna opredeliti za Gregorija. Mislim da on jednostavno nema nikakvih izgleda da prođe iole dobro. Za neku manju kuću, to bi možda i moglo da bude relativno uspešan poduhvat - ali pod uslovom da troškovi budu najmanji mogući. Ja sam već preuzeo da za Gorana prevodim dva Njumenova romana po dramatično sniženoj ceni u odnosu na ono koliko me Laguna plaća, ali to ima svoju pak cenu - ne stižem da prevodim Njumena od poslova koje radim da bih preživeo.

Bilo kako bilo, bojim se da je mrka kapa za Gregorija.

[Nightflier]

Belisarius Series by Eric Flint and David Drake

   
• An Oblique Approach (1998)
• In the Heart of Darkness (1998)
• Destiny's Shield (1999)
• Fortune's Stroke (2000)
• The Tide of Victory (2001)
• The Dance of Time (2006)

žanr: Alternativna istorija, SF, militaristička fantastika
Ocena: 5/5


Serijal o Velizaru je moj najdraži serijal vojno-orijentisane fantastike, sa mogućim izuzetkom prvih 7-8 naslova o Honor Harington - između ostalog i stoga što je reč o jednom od retkih serijala koji se bavi istočnom stranom sveta na iole pozitivan način. Osnovna postavka je da su dve zaraćene strane u dalekoj budućnosti poslale izaslanike u prošlost, kako bi promenile ishod svog rata. Negativci su svog izaslanika poslali u Indiju, a pozitivci u Vizantiju, u Justinijanovo doba, sa tačno određenim zadatkom da pronađe mladog vojskovođu Velizara.

Flinta je ovaj serijal proslavio i omogućio mu da izađe iz senke poznatijih pisaca. U ovom slučaju, ideja za romane je Drejkova, dok je sva izvedba Flintova. Flint je maestralno prikazao fine detalje šestovekovne Vizantije, Persije i Indije - i pokazalo se da je vanredno nadaren kada je reč o opisu bitaka i taktičke situacije na terenu, koja uključuje kombinovanje različitih nivoa tehnologija - poput musketa i teške konjice nalik srednjovekovnim vitezovima. Flint je, doduše, kombinovao istorijske ličnosti iz različitih perioda istorije. Na primer, jedan od glavnih likova na protivničkoj strani - radžputski kralj Rana Sanga - zapravo je živeo drastično kasnije. Međutim, tome se ne može ništa zameriti, između ostalog i stoga što su tipičnom zapadnjaku te istorijske ličnosti potpuno nepoznate, a Flint je oslanjajući se na njih stvorio izvanredne, duboke, duhovite i neverovatno životne likove. Dapače, serijal o Velizaru valja čitati i zbog piščevog specifičnog humora, a ne samo vratolomne akcije ili odličnog opisa Vizantije s početka srednjeg veka.

[Nightflier]

Ne sećam se da smo ranije spominjali ovo glasanje. Učestvovalo je 60000 glasača, dok je naslove nominovalo njih 5000. Ne znam za masovnije učestvovanje u nekom odabiru najboljih SFF knjiga.

1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

[Nightflier]

1 - Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card - 1985
2 - Dune - Frank Herbert - 1965
3- Foundation - Isaac Asimov - 1951
4 - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams - 1979
5 - 1984 - George Orwell - 1949
6 - Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A Heinlein - 1961
7 - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury - 1954
8 - 2001_ A Space Odyssey - Arthur C Clarke - 1968
9 - Starship Troopers - Robert A Heinlein - 1959
10 - I, Robot - Isaac Asimov - 1950
11 - Neuromancer - William Gibson - 1984
12 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K Dick - 1968
13 - Ringworld - Larry Niven - 1970
14 - Rendezvous With Rama - Arthur C Clarke - 1973
15 - Hyperion - Dan Simmons - 1989
16 - Brave New World - Aldous Huxley - 1932
17 - The Time Machine - H G Wells - 1895
18 - Childhood's End - Arthur C Clarke - 1954
19 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert A Heinlein - 1966
20 - The War of the Worlds - H G Wells - 1898
21 - The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 1974
22 - The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury - 1950
23 - Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut - 1969
24 - Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson - 1992
25 - The Mote in God's Eye - Niven & Pournelle - 1975

26 - The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K Le Guin - 1969
27 - Speaker for the Dead - Orson Scott Card - 1986
28 - Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton - 1990
29 - The Man in the High Castle - Philip K Dick - 1962
30 - The Caves of Steel - Isaac Asimov - 1954
31 - The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester - 1956
32 - Gateway - Frederik Pohl - 1977
33 - Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny - 1967
34 - Solaris - Lem Stanislaw - 1961
35 - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne - 1870
36 - A Wrinkle in Time - Madelein L'Engle - 1962
37 - Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut - 1963
38 - Contact - Carl Sagan - 1985
39 - The Andromeda Strain - Michael Crichton - 1969
40 - The Gods Themselves - Isaac Asimov - 1972
41 - A Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge - 1991
42 - Cryptonomicon - Neal Stephenson - 1999
43 - The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham - 1951
44 - UBIK - Philip K Dick - 1969
45 - Time Enough For Love - Robert A Heinlein - 1973
46 - A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess - 1962
47 - Red Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson - 1992
48 - Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes
49 - A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M Miller - 1959
50 - The End of Eternity - Isaac Asimov - 1955

51 - Battlefield Earth - L Ron Hubbard - 1982
52 - Frankenstein - Mary Shelley - 1818
53 - Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne - 1864
54 - The Dispossessed - Ursula K Le Guin - 1974
55 - The Diamond Age - Neal Stephenson - 1995
56 - The Player of Games - Iain M Banks - 1988
57 - The Reality Dysfunction - Peter F Hamilton - 1996
58 - Startide Rising - David Brin - 1983
59 - The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut - 1959
60 - Eon - Greg Bear - 1985
61 - Ender's Shadow - Orson Scott Card - 1999
62 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go - Philip Jose Farmer - 1971
63 - A Scanner Darkly - Philip K Dick - 1977
64 - Lucifer's Hammer - Niven & Pournell - 1977
65 - The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood - 1985
66 - The City and the Stars - Arthur C Clark - 1956
67 - The Stainless Steel Rat - Harry Harrison - 1961
68 - The Demolished Man - Alfred Bester - 1953
69 - The Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe - 1980
70 - Sphere - Michael Crichton - 1987
71 - The Door Into Summer - Robert A Heinlein - 1957
72 - The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch - Philip K Dick - 1964
73 - Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds - 2000
74 - Citizen of the Galaxy - Robert A Heinlein - 1957
75 - Doomsday Book - Connie Willis - 1992

76 - Ilium - Dan Simmons - 2003
77 - The Invisible Man - H G Wells - 1897
78 - Have Space-Suit Will Travel - Robert A Heinlein - 1958
79 - The Puppet Masters - Robert A Heinlein - 1951
80 - Out of the Silent Planet - C S Lewis - 1938
81 - A Princess of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs - 1912
82 - The Lathe of Heaven - Ursula K Le Guin - 1971
83 - Use of Weapons - Iain M Banks - 1990
84 - The Chrysalids - John Wyndham - 1955
85 - Way Station - Clifford Simak - 1963
86 - Flatland - Edwin A Abbott - 1884
87 - Altered Carbon - Richard Morgan - 2002
88 - Old Man's War - John Scalzi - 2005
90 - The Road - Cormac McCarthy - 2006
91 - The Postman - David Brin - 1985
93 - VALIS - Philip K Dick - 1981
96 - The Lost World - Arthur Conan Doyle - 1912
97 - The Many-Colored Land - Julian May - 1981
98 - Gray Lensman - E E 'Doc' Smith - 1940
99 - The Uplift War - David Brin - 1987

[Nightflier]

U priličnoj meri sam se manuo pisanja i preporučivanja knjiga (što je i očito), ali sinoć sam dovršio presladak roman, koji me je neopevano iznenadio. Reč je

Generation V by M.L. Brennan


Evo o čemu se radi:

Fortitude Scott's life is a mess. A degree in film theory has left him with zero marketable skills, his job revolves around pouring coffee, his roommate hasn't paid rent in four months, and he's also a vampire. Well, sort of. He's still mostly human. But when a new vampire comes into his family's territory and young girls start going missing, Fort can't ignore his heritage anymore. His mother and his older, stronger siblings think he's crazy for wanting to get involved. So it's up to Fort to take action, with the assistance of Suzume Hollis, a dangerous and sexy shape-shifter. Fort is determined to find a way to outsmart the deadly vamp, even if he isn't quite sure how. But without having matured into full vampirehood and with Suzume ready to split if things get too risky, Fort's rescue mission might just kill him....

E, sad - ovaj romančić objavljen je pre godinu dana. Sve vreme sam ga ignorisao što zbog naslova, što zbog naslovnice. Međutim, potpuno slučajno sam ga uzeo u ruke, krenuvši da čitam Broken Monsters, ali bez dovoljno koncentracije da se nosim sa onolikim POV poglavljima. Doslovce sam uzeo nešto da prelistam pred spavanje i da raskrčim gužvu na tabletu. Ovaj roman mi je pao pod ruku samo zbog toga što su knjige bile poslagane abecedno po prezimenu autora. I bio sam zatečen. Evo mog kratkog osvrta sa Goodreadsa:

Urban fantasy became a worn-out and tired mish-mash of old horror tropes and soft porn in the last decade or so, moving quite far from its noir roots. This novel is a breath of fresh air. Very tightly written, with an excellent command of both language and style, Brennan's first novel is at absurdly high level of quality, easily equal to early Laurell Hamilton and some of the best works by Jim Butcher.

Dakle,  Generation V by M.L. Brennan 5/5

[Nightflier]

Nightflier's Bookspace: Najbolji naslovi pročitani u 2014.http://nightfliersbookspace.blogspot.com/2014/11/najbolji-naslovi-procitani-u-2014.html?spref=tw

[Perin]

Hm...overiću Blood Oranges. Čita mi se malo UF, a čini mi se da je ovo nešto u stilu Jima Butchera.

[Nightflier]

Hm...overiću Blood Oranges. Čita mi se malo UF, a čini mi se da je ovo nešto u stilu Jima Butchera.

Više je zajebancija i sprdnja sa UF. Bolje uzmi Generation V. To je baš bučerovski, a objavljene su već tri knjige. Prve dve su 5, treća solidna 4.

[Perin]

Hah a bas mi se sinopsis te knjige nije svideo.

[Nightflier]

Malo jeste nesrećno urađen marketing. Ali je cela stvar veoma bučerovska. Klinac je smotan, vampirske super moći još mu nisu proradile, usput otkriva svet natprirodnog i bori se da ostane normalan pored svoje psihopatske porodice...

Blood Oranges su... uf, riba koja piše horor rešila da se zajebava sa UF i krenula da tuče po svim klišeima i usput proziva mejdžor autore. Prva knjiga je odlična, ali već je druga malo izlizana.

[Nightflier]

Novel The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Tor)
Trial by Fire, Charles E. Gannon (Baen)
Ancillary Sword, Ann Leckie(Orbit US; Orbit UK)
The Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu ( ), translated by Ken Liu (Tor)
Coming Home, Jack McDevitt(Ace)
Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer(FSG Originals; Fourth Estate; HarperCollins Canada)


Čitao sam pola knjiga sa spiska, a do marta ima vremena i za ostale, rekao bih. Moram reći da mi je za sada "Goblin" favorit, mada je Ancillary Sword odmah za njim.

[Nightflier]

Čisto da ostane zapisano, spojio sam dve pređašnje samostalne teme u novu i dao joj nov naziv, sa ciljem da je malo fokusiram i pojasnim joj namenu. A sledi i tekst na temu...

[Nightflier]

Melkor me je ritnuo da se pokrenem glede pisanja prikaza, pa sam sastavio kraći spisak serijala kojima bih se pozabavio. U narednim danima očekujte tekstove o sledećim serijalima:

Coldfire Trilogy
Low Town
Chronicles of Kencyrath
Raven's Shadow
Broken Empire
A Land Fit for Heroes

Ovde je zaista reč o naslovima koje bih preporučio svim sladokuscima & objavio da kojm slučajem imam izdavačku kuću i Gejtsove milijarde.

U temi o novim knjigama biće prikazi:

Operation Arcana by J. J. Adams
Dark Intelligence by Neal Asher

i još ponešto, takođe u skorije vreme.

[Nightflier]

http://www.abebooks.com/books/features/50-essential-science-fiction-books.shtml

[Nightflier]

http://www.tor.com/2015/07/23/buddy-can-you-spare-a-thaum-the-metaphors-of-max-gladstones-craft-sequence/

[Nightflier]

Last year's best reads:

Shattered Sea Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
Moon's Artifice & Old Man's Ghosts, Tom Lloyd
Dark Intelligence, Neal Asher
Wisp of a Thing: A Novel of the Tufa, Alex BledsoeThe
Liar's Key, Mark Lawrence
A Kiss With Teeth, Max Gladstone
Fool's Quest, Robin Hobb
Linesman, S.K. Dunstall
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, Lois McMaster Bujold
The Dread Wyrm, Miles Cameron
The Incorruptibles & Foreign Devils, John Hornor Jacobs
Uprooted, Naomi Novik

[Nightflier]

Evo posta koji sam spominjao. Ovo nije moje delo, već ručni rad jednog od prvih ebook pirata, s početka '00.

The Best of the Best of Fantasy Literature


Introduction

Take a stroll through any mega-bookstore, and you will be inundated by isles and isles of fantasy titles. A few will be great, some good and most, appallingly bad. Finding a good fantasy book is difficult, like sifting for gold among sand. But occasionally, you'll find that rare nugget, that grain of gold to forever treasure. I find myself in a unique position as a "fantasy pundit", since I have read most of the fantasy books out there. I often find myself recommending the same books over and over. Tired of this, I decided to create a comprehensive list of "The Best". Tastes change from person to person, but I think most astute fantasy readers will agree that the books on my list stand out above the rest.

Before I start, let me get this out of the way. People often ask me if authors such as "Dark Elf" RA Salvatore and the myriad of D&D type books (such as Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms) are any good. Let me put it this way: training wheels are good when you first attempt to ride a bike. RA Salvatore, and Dragonlance books work the same way. They are good for people who are neophytes to the fantasy literature scene, but they are only training wheels. I call these "training wheels" the "McDonald Cheesburgers" of Fantasy. They might be filling, but eventually you might want to sample the fancy French cuisine.

D&D-type novels have given fantasy literature a bad name. The typical cover usually features some fair-haired, buxom princess clutching a Conan character's meaty arm. Sort of reminds me of those cheesy Harlequin book covers that make me want to puke right there in the middle of the isle. The only difference between the two is the requisite dragon and wizard fighting in the background. It comes as no surprise then that D&D books give people the shivers—and not the good kind!  Your average Joe often associates "fantasy" with the shaggy-haired kid standing in the corner of the high school hallway, muttering about a level 35 druid named Ragnoth. These books literally scream "nerd", "geek", and "social loser" to the world.

Yet rest assured there are some very well written fantasy books out there, books that can compete arm to arm with "literature".

You just have to know where to look.

Here is my comprehensive list of the BEST of the BEST fantasy books. I have created several lists. The first is a list of what I consider to the "Top 25" fantasy works. Books that I consider to be very good (but not the best of the best) comprise the "Honorable Mention" list. Then there is the "Good Fantasy Books" list—books that are worth checking out, after you read through the first two lists.

Every book on these lists I consider to be the books that stand out above the thousands of lesser works. The books on these lists are the crème of the crop (especially the Top 25 & the Honorable Mentions). If you love fantasy, make sure you read through the Top 25—you won't be disappointed!

Note: my Top 25 list tends to gravitate towards the "Epic Fantasies", that is, stories that are not contained in a single volume, as opposed to standalone Fantasy Books. Perhaps the title, "Best of the Best of Fantasy Literature" is a bit of a misnomer, as most of my top twenty-five are part of trilogy or saga. This may be my own personal preference shinning through here, as I appreciate complex world building, something a single standalone fantasy book rarely accomplishes.  If you are the type that despise epics, than skip my top 25, and peruse the "Honorable Mentions" and "Good Fantasy Book" lists, which include some outstanding single volume works.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
The Top 25 Epic Fantasy Novels


#1 George R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice saga

Series Completion: NOT COMPLETED

A projected 7 books in the series. 3 books out. Book four will probably make a December 2004 release.

-This brilliant series starts with A Game of Thrones. What can I say about this series other then READ IT! It is universally known as the best fantasy series, ever. Martin writes with flair, deftly weaving multiple storylines in a gritty, even brutal, world that consists entirely of grey characters instead of the classic black and white. It's a vast chess game spanning continents, and the pieces are lords, bastards, knights, wizards, ladies, and children. What really stands out in this series is Martin's penchant for axing the major characters. That's right. No character is safe from the author's noose. Despite the demise of major characters, the plot lines continue stronger than ever. Tired of protagonists walking through fire without a scratch, falling hundreds of feet without a bruise, and defeating superhuman creatures with the same amount of effort that one puts into scratching an arm? Then this series is your fix. The sheer unpredictability of the series renders a delectable experience.  Dare you to predict the winners and losers? If you haven't read the series yet, go to your local library or bookstore and procure the series.

Similar recommendations: If you like Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice saga, try Greg Keyes' The Briar King, the first in his not-yet-complete trilogy which features delicious prose, gritty realism and an enticing plot. You can also try R. Scott Bakker's The Darkness that Comes Before, which features superlative prose, a unique, but fascinating storyline, and the gritty realism that Martin exhibits.


#2 Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time saga


Series Completion: NOT COMPLETED: A projected 13 books in series. 10 books out + a prequel

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

-I can truthfully say that Jordan is the King of Fantasy, if not in complexity, then in page count. This monstrously big series spans over 13 massive books (each at least 700 pages). As of September 2004, he has 10 of the 13 projected books finished. One of the blurbs on the cover pages of Jordan's books state that "Jordan has come to dominate the world Tolkien started to reveal". This quote is no exaggeration. If you thought Tolkien was complex, you ain't seen nothing yet, baby. Jordan is a skillful writer, able to inject dramatic tension into every aspect of his world. Plenty and plenty of political scheming, power struggles, gender struggles, a very well conceived (perhaps the best of any fantasy book) magic system, a world portrayed in pedantic detail, and great characters. There is a reason why Jordan is the #1 selling Fantasy author. He is one of my favorite authors, and I bet will be yours too if you give him a shot. A caveat: hoards of people are pissing mad at Jordan for dragging on the series too long. It's commonly agreed his first four books are fantastic, but he really starts to drag after the seventh book, notable his last two (book 9 and 10). The series is as of yet unfinished, so realize if you start, you will be pining away waiting for the next two books. If you like Tolkien, you will probably like Jordan.

Similar recommendations: Give George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice a try. It's a massive epic like Jordan's Wheel of Time (not as long), and it's universally held in the highest esteem, a sort of paragon of what all Fantasy books should strive to be. You thought those "Dragonlance" books were good? Try Martin for a taste of what fantasy books should be like. If you like fantasy, do yourself a favor and read Martin. He is the best of the best. You might also try Tracy Hickman & Margaret Weis's Death Gate Cycle. A monolithic seven book saga that's reminiscent of Jordan's style, heavy on the magic, tension and action, but unique enough not to be a banal hack. Also try Michelle West's Sun Sword Saga, another large epic fantasy saga (six books) that shares some similarities with Jordan's Wheel of Time. West's writing style is drastically different that Jordan's, however--more subtle, and often ponderous. If you are an action freak, The Sun Sword pacing will probably be a bit too slow for you. You might also try Raymond E. Fiest's Magician duology, as he writes in a style and flavor similar to Jordan (heavy on action and magic).

#3 J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

Series Completion: COMPLETED: Three Books

-Do I even need to discuss it? The father of modern fantasy, the recreation of the English myth, an apex of English Literature; Lord of the Rings is more than mere Fantasy, it is both myth and a fictional history so real, so enticing, that it can be read as "real". Peter Jackson's movies capture the imagination of the books with astounding clarity—yet at the same time, the books deliver a different yet equally satisfying experience.

Similar recommendations: Sean Russell's A Swan's War trilogy. Russell prose is lyrical and beautiful, a very poetic style. Magic remains a mysterious and rare (like Lord of the Rings), and his world is full of mystery and wonder. Also try Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, Thorn saga, which is very reminiscent of Lord of the Rings. It's is unique however, and Williams, while sometimes to verbose, is a skilled wordsmith. Tolkien is universally praised for his magnificent world building, though his characterization is often criticized. Robert Jordan is another writer in the same epic vein as Tolkien, though, in my opinion, he writes far better characters than Tolkien. Like big epics? Like well constructed magic systems? Like political intrigue? Like gender power struggles? Like the end of the world? Then Jordan is a MUST read. His Wheel of Time is a magnificent epic fantasy that will suck you in. Just make sure you have enough time on your hands when you start!

#4 Greg Keyes' A Kingdom of Thorn and Bone saga

Series Completion: NOT COMPLETED: Three books projected; two books released so far

                I: The Briar King

                II: The Charnel Prince

-Keyes stunned the fantasy community with his phenomenal new high fantasy novel, The Briar King, last year. This guy is a master of the English language. His writing is both witty and beautiful; sort of an Oscar Wild meets J.R.R. Tolkien synergy. His plot is thick, rich with interesting characters (and the dialogue is top notch and at times, hilarious), and the world fairly gritty, though less than Martin's. Keyes takes old fantasy cliques and makes them into something completely new. I can't recommend this series enough.

Similar recommendations: If you like Greg Keyes' The Briar King, try R Scott Baker's The Darkness that Comes Before, which features superlative prose, an unique, but fascinating storyline, and the gritty realism that Martin exhibits. Also try Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice saga and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga.

#5 R Scott Baker's The Darkness that Comes Before.

Series Completion: NOT COMPLETED: Three books projected; two books released so far

                I: The Darkness That Comes Before

                II: Prince of NOthing

In a world saturated by religious fanaticism, Maithanet, enigmatic spiritual leader of the Thousand Temples, declares a Holy War against the infidels. Ikurei Conphas, military genius and nephew to the Nansur Emperor, embarks on a war to conquer the known world in the name of his emperor....and himself. Drusas Achamian, spy and sorcerer of the mysterious northern sorceries, tormented by visions of the great apocalypse, seeks the promised one, the savior of mankind. Anasurimbor Kellhus, heir to the shattered northern kingdom, whose ruins now lay hidden in the deepest north, a place now desolate, home to only the No-Men. Gifted with extraordinary martial skills of hand and foot, and steering souls through the subtleties of word and expression, he slowly binds all - man and woman, emperor and slave - to his own mysterious ends. But the fate of men--even great men—may be cast into ruin. For in the deep north, the hand of the forgotten No-God stirs once more, and his servants tread the lands of men once more...

-First novel by Canadian novelist, Baker, The Darkness That Comes Before is shockingly good, featuring first rate prose, a dark storyline and a Steven Erickson-like epic scale. This book is sort of like a Clive Baker horror novel meets Steven Erickson meets Robert Jordan. The story will grip you harder than a vice. His second book, Warrior Prophet, maintains the impossibly high standards he set in the first book. Without a doubt, Bakker has established himself as one of the top fantasy authors.

Similar recommendations: The vast scope of A Darkness that Comes Before is very redolent of Steven Erickson's A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen saga, though the characters are less grey, and the story more focused. Also try George R.R Martin's A Game of Thrones, which is very epic and very gritty.

#6 Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars saga.

Series Completion Status: NOT COMPLETED: Six books projected; five books released so far

-First book is King's Dragon. Complex politics, well thought out magic system, clash between religious and secular powers, an ineluctable catastrophe looming, long lost creatures walking the lands once again, GREAT characterization...what more can you ask for in a fantasy saga. Plot? Good enough to taste.

Similar recommendations: Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, Thorn saga. William's has beautifully reinterpreted Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (and no it is not in the least bit a clone, and no, there is no One Ring), creating a vast world of mystery and magic. Characterization is top notch.

# 7 Sean Russell's The Swan's War trilogy

Series Completion Status: NOT COMPLETED: Three books projected; two books released

-First book in this trilogy is The One Kingdom. Brilliant, brilliant books. Russell's prose is gorgeous. So gorgeous it almost seems lyrical; his world is full of mystery and beauty. In many cases, Fantasy books are so overloaded with magic that it soon ceases to mean anything--a simple Pug or Richard gains-new-power and defeats-even-more powerful villain, ad infinity . Russell opts to keep magic mysterious and rare. He never explains how it works. Martin does this in "A Song of Fire and Ice" and Tolkien in Lord of the Rings as well. If you want to read books that will sweep you off your feet with their beauty, passion and superlative plot, check this trilogy out.

Similar recommendations: J.R.R. Tolkien's A Lord of the Rings. The Swan's War trilogy seems both similar yet different than Lord of the Rings. The mysterious and rare nature of magic is a trait shared by both books, as is the beautiful prose that seems half poetry, half fiction (though Russel's work is more "modern" and novelistic).

#8 Stephen R. Donaldson's FIRST, SECOND, and LAST Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

Series Completion Status: First 7 Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant  COMPLETED; First book of "Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant released this month (October 2004)"

Book Description
The first book in one of the most remarkable epic fantasies ever written, the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever.
He called himself Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever because he dared not believe in the strange alternate world in which he suddenly found himself. Yet he was tempted to believe, to fight for the Land, to be the reincarnation of its greatest hero....
THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER
Book One: LORD FOUL'S BANE
Book Two: THE ILLEARTH WAR
Book Three: THE POWER THAT PRESERVES

-Stephen R. Donaldson changed the face of fantasy in 1977 with the publishing of Lord Foul's Bane ( book one in The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant). It took the world by storm. Hailed as a masterpiece of fantasy literature, TC went on to sell over 6 million copies. And for good reason. Donaldson's magnum opus is regarded as one the most emotionally compelling fantasy works ever created. Covenant is through and through an antihero. From anti-hero to hero, from tragedy to victory, this is one man's quest to save The Land from Evil and in the process, find his own redemption... If you love fantasy, READ THESE BOOKS. They are beyond phenomenal. Words cannot describe how good the books are. Donaldson is one of the best characterization writers, ever.

Note: After 17 years, Donaldson has released the first book in his new Thomas Covenant saga (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant), entitled The Runes of the Earth. I recently finished it. Was it worth the wait? HELL YEA! Fans of TC, hold on to your birches, cause' your in for one hell of a ride!

#9 Patricia A. McKillip's Riddle of Stars trilogy



Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Three Books

-Starts with The Riddlemaster of Hed. This trilogy has been around for a while, but by no means is it any less worth reading. It is one of the "classics" like Lord of the Rings, that every fantasy enthusiast should read. Fear not, the books are not archaic by any means (published 20 or so years ago).  The story is gripping, the characters indelible, and the prose lyrical--in the style of say Sean Russel. These books are everything fantasy should be and more.

Similar recommendations: J.R.R. Tolkien's A Lord of the Rings. I also recommend Ursula le Guin's classic The Earthsea trilogy, which features the same lyrical writing style as McKillip, and the hauntingly beautiful tale of a young boy's journey from boy to wizard. You might also try Sean Russel's The Swan's War trilogy which features lyrical prose, a pervading sense of pathos and a world full of opportunity, were magic is as mysterious as it is dangerous.

#10 Robin Hobb's Assasin's Trilogy, Liveship Traders trilogy, and Tawny Man trilogy

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Three Books in each trilogy, all released

-Hobb is, bar none, the best characterization writer, ever. Her characters are vividly real, leaping out of the pages into our minds as "living" characters. She has no qualms about allowing her protagonist to suffer, and suffer dreadfully. I don't even think Hobb has any concept of Dues Ex Machina. If her protagonist falls into a pit, no mysterious burst of air pads his fall; no, the protagonist will break both legs and likely his arms too. Hobb also creates an interesting magic system and a gripping plot. You will cry and laugh as her characters struggle to overcome their obstacles.

Similar recommendations: Guy Gaverial Kay's Tigania. This books is packed with emotion. If you like the emotional intensity and pathos of Hobb, you will love Tigania.

#11 JV Jones A Sword of Shadows saga

Series Completion Status: NOT COMPLETED: Three books projected; two books released so far

-Starts with A Cavern of Black Ice. Gritty, cold fantasy, with a flair for the gruesome. This fabulous trilogy is jam packed full of goodness. Characterization is great, and Jones, like Robin Hobb and Martin, is shows no quarter to her heroes. This is Sword and Sorcery the way it's meant to be. Jones has really come into her own the past few years and Sword of Shadows is her masterpiece. My only complaint: It's taking so damn long for the next book to be released.

Similar recommendations: Try George Martin's A Game of Thrones, which features a brutal world set in an ice filled milieu. You might also try JV Jones's other excellent Book of Words fantasy saga (starts with A Baker's Boy).

#12 Jennifer Fallon's The Second Sons Trilogy

Series Completion:  COMPLETED: Three books, all released.

MAGNIFICENT BOOKS! Starts with The Lion of Senett. Commentary on trilogy to be added shortly.



#13 E.E. Knight's "Vampire Earth"

Series Completion:  NOT COMPLETED:  I predict there will be many books in this too-addicting saga. Each book continues Valentine's story.

Picture a dark, apocalyptic world set in the near future. A world conquered by vampyric aliens, where humans are kept as nothing more than feeding and breeding stock. This is not your normal post-apocalyptic novel. Knight creates a rich milieu, almost reminiscent of an epic fantasy world. Make no mistake, this novel cannot be pigeon-holed into a single genre, it has elements of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. This is one hell of a thrill ride with a dark tension that keeps you pinned from the moment you open the cover to the second you wipe your eyes at 3 in the morning...

#14 Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, Thorn saga.

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Four books

-MST is Williams's version of Lord of the Rings. No, it is not a clone; in fact, it's very different—in a good way. William's characterization is top notch; you follow the journey of young Simon from boy to man, from kitchen scullion to hero. The plot is thick and often crawls at a snails pace, but the series is an undisguised jewel. A must for any fantasy aficionado.

Similar recommendations: Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. Another book that shares some similarities is Michael A Stackpole's The Dragon Crown Cycle, which features an epic, black & white struggle, struggle between good and evil. Tad Williams will be releasing a new epic fantasy saga entitled "Shadowmarch" come November. Based on his past track record of fabulous novels ( and the early reviews that are practically glowing ), you might want to keep an eye out for Shadowmarch. It looks to be a gem.

#15 Ursula Le Guin's The Earthsea Trilogy

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Three books (two more have been added since the original trilogy was written, making a total of 5 books in the series)

-Starts with The Wizard of Earthsea. This is a coming of age story; leaps and bounds above the usual run of the mill boy-becomes-wizard-and-saves-world. With prose so good that you will want to lick the pages, and a story equally as enthralling, you will do no wrong buying—yes they are worth BUYING—this series. They are the types of book you can read over and over, then some more. Touching, beautiful, at times sad, this trilogy is one of the great masterpieces of fantasy literature.

Similar recommendations: J.R.R. Tolkien's A Lord of the Rings. I also recommend Phillip K. McKillip's wonderful Riddle of Stars trilogy, which features similar prose and a similar, though at the same time, very different, story. You might also try Sean Russel's The Swan's War.

#16 Steven Erickson's  A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen saga.

Series Completion Status: NOT COMPLETED: Projected series is ten books; Five Book released so far;

-Since Tolkien, Fantasy has rarely been revolutionary, instead becoming more of an evolution and reinterpretation of Tolkien's original work. Well, I can honestly say Erickson's saga is revolutionary. No fantasy series is more epic in scope than ATotMBotF. His saga combines both military and epic fantasy into a delightful mix. Brilliant prose, epic storylines, gritty realism, fascinating mix of grey characters, Erickson combines the best of George R.R. Martin with the epic scope of the Greek Classics such as the Odyssey. One word when reading it: epiphany. A refreshing change from the usual Robert Jordan-esque fantasy clones that pop up like weeds these days.

Similar recommendations: George R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice saga also features an epic scope and the grey characterization that Erickson so loves. Martin's work is smaller is scale though and tends to be more focused, plot wise. You can also try Scott R. Baker's The Darkness that Comes Before, which features a vast epic scope and great prose. You might also try Thomas Harlan's superb Oath of Empires saga, which is an alternative history saga, were the Roman Empire has never fallen and magic works. Oath of Empires is epic, featuring massive magical battles and huge opposing armies (Persian and Roman) clashing so hard you can hear the horses scream.

#17 Thomas Harlan's Oath of Empires saga

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Four books

-Alternative history. It is 600 AD and Rome has never fallen. The Roman Empire of the East will join the Roman Empire of the West to invade the inimical Persians who threaten the very gates of Constantinople itself. Featuring epic battles, beautiful babes, and powerful magic, Oath of Empires is an epic story so full of energy that your hair will sizzle. It features the epic scope of a Steven Erikson novel, a Robert Jordan Wheel of Time like struggle, and the George Martin propensity for axing main characters. Yummy!

Similar recommendations: Steven Erickson's  "A Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen" saga, which is as epic as they come, and features an array of massive battles like Oath of Empires. The dazzling magic battles are also very similar is scope and size. Harlan's work focuses more closely on individual characters, however, while Erickson zooms out. You might also try Michelle West's Sun Sword saga which features a similar type scenario as in Oath of Empires (two culturally different empires clashing, while an ancient evil stirs behind the scenes orchestrating a conquest of the mortal world...).

#18 Raymond E. Fiest Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Two books

-Classic fantasy at it's best. These are the books that started it all for super popular fantasy author Raymond E. Fiest. They are the best of his works. Fiest's books emphasize heavy uses of magic, and political tensions.

Similar recommendations: Robert Jordan's A Wheel of Time saga. Jordan's masterpiece is chocked full of magic. If you really like Magican, try Fiest's other novels of Midkemia. All of them are set in the same world, though most of them live up fail to meet the first brilliance of his first two books: 'Apprentice' and 'Master'. The one exception might be his Empire Trilogy coauthored with Janny Wurts. The Empire Trilogy is a fantastic read, and I whole heartedly recommend it.

#19 Deborah Chester's The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice Trilogy

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Three books

-Elves and Dwarfs have become the new byword for unoriginality in a fantasy book. Every time I see the word "Elf" or "Dwarf", I cringe. Chester however does something original. She writes a Sword and Sorcery trilogy, but unlike Conan, the characters actually have emotions and a brain as opposed to pure brawn or thigh. Characterization is very well done. Who ever thought there could be a Sword & Sorcery with depth? Well Chester's done it! Make sure you acquire of all three books in the series before you start on the first, because when you finish the first, you will want to tear through the rest.

Similar recommendations: Jennifer Roberson's Sword Dancer saga. Also try her Realm of Light trilogy, which reads is similar (though not as good) to The Sword, The Ring, and the Chalice.

#20 John Marco's Tyrant & King's

Series Completion Status: COMPLETED: Three books

-Starts first with The Jackal of Nar. Great trilogy. Military fantasy at its best! Marco's characters are never black and white. Each character, even the supposed "bad guys", are portrayed as "human" as opposed to just "the requisite bad guy". And you can viscerally emphasize with them all, even if you don't agree with their actions. Add to this a healthy mix of action, a fantastic plot, and these books are a MUST READ!

Similar recommendations: You might want to give Chris Bunch's Seer King trilogy series a shot. If you like Marco's refusal to pigeon-hole characters as either black or white, try his other series, The Eyes of a God and the sequel, Devil's Armor. If you like military setting of "Tyrants & Kings", check out Glenn Cook's Black Company saga.

#21 Elizabeth Haydon's Rhapsody Trilogy

Series Completion Status: Compelted: Three books

-Great books. Haydon creates a vivid word that will keep you reading for days and days. Her books have a decidedly romantic feel to them (no, they are not bodice-rippers, thank God), which while some romance is a common theme in epics, it's rare to have a saga built on the concept. But it works, very well. For the Rommeos and Julliets, this book is a gem.

#22 Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Deathgate Cycle

Series Completion Status: COMPLETE: Seven Books

-As you know, I am no big fan of D&D type literature, and Weis and Hickman expending a lot of energy writing those kind of books. This massive epic fantasy saga is no Dragonlance-type book, however. It's massive, ambitious, and well worth the read. I gleefully lost myself for a few weeks in this very addicting saga. If you like Robert Jordan, and Raymond E. Fiest, then you will probably like the Deathgate Cycle saga.

Similar recommendations: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Raymond E Fiest's Magician books.

#23 Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori trilogy

Series Completion Status: COMPLETE

                I: Across the Nightingale Floor

                II: Grass for his Pillow

                III: Brilliance of the Moon.


-This fantastic series starts with "Across the Nightingale Floor". This series is one of my favorite. Not in several years have I read a book this good, and I have read many—most of the books mentioned here, and more. To tell you the truth, I have read so many books that are trash that I have grown used to, perhaps even expecting poor quality when I read a fantasy novel. Pure drivel like Robert Newcomb's "The Fifth Sorceress" or Terry Goodkind's "The Naked Empire" are popping up like weeds these days.

But amidst the piles and piles of rubble, sometimes you find that rose of exceptional beauty. And "Across the Nightingale Floor" is that rose. It's vastly different than the usual run-of-the-mill fantasy novels, unique even.

The setting of the book takes place in a mythical Japanese-like society, though it's not a direct allusion to actual history, and it features a smattering of magic. It's a coming of age story, but not in the usual Robert Jordan type of way. Perhaps the best way to describe it is as a recipe: Take the majestic backdrop of "Shogun", mix it with the cool assassin factor of "Hero's Die" (Tekio and Caine would get along nice, me thinks), imbue it with the mysticism of Eric Lustbader's "Ninja", then toss in a fabulous plot, superlative characterization, a good dose of pathos, a chunk of romance and you have what I consider to be one of the best books, ever.

If you have read "A Song of Fire of Ice" fifteen times, spun through the "Wheel of Time" more times than Nynaeve pulls her braid, consumed every Hobb novel, then give this book a shot; it won't disappoint.

It's a sweeping epic of love, betrayal, loyalty, magic, and a high quest for revenge, and so dam fine a read you will want to lick the cover when you're done. I HIGHLY recommend you check this book out.



Similar recommendations: If you like the martial art themes or are fascinated by the Far East, read Sean Russell's "Brother Initiate". You might also try Curt Benjamin's epic fantasy with an Asian flavor—a sort of "Wheel of Time" set in china.

#24 Jennifer Roberson's The Sword-Dancer Saga


Series Completion Status: COMPLETE: Six Books

-These books are fantastic. Witty, humorous, action packed, and romantic, these books are worth anybody's time. Great interaction between the two, sometimes diametric protagonists.

Similar recommendations: Deborah Chester's The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice Trilogy. Like The Sword Dancer Saga, Chester's Sword & Sorcery trilogy is full of rich characterization.


#25 Patrick Tilley's The Amtrack Wars