Book Recommendations?

[qos]

I'm in need of an engaging, at least slightly escapist, satisfying novel to read. In moods like this I'm mostly drawn to fantasy, space opera and historical fiction.

Something along the lines of Guy Gavriel Kay, Lois McMaster Bujold, Jacqueline Carey, Anne Bishop, Sara Donati, Parke Godwin, Sean Stewart. . .

I just finished re-reading Kushiel's Mercy, and it's making me impatient with everything else I try to pick up.

Comments

[queenofhalves]

i just finished _the sparrow_ and _children of god_ -- best sci-fi i've read in a long time -- but the former might be too grim for your mood.

ever read _grass_ by sherri tepper? also, i quite liked the naamah books by carey (third one is pending this summer).

[qos.livejournal.com]

I've loved those books for years!

:-)

[haggispatrol.livejournal.com]

Little, Big by John Crowley.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Read it last year at Oakmouse's strong encouragement.

;-)

[haggispatrol.livejournal.com]

Read it again. You may get more out of it now. *grin*

[punzel.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to think of things you probably haven't read. I enjoyed the first book of Orson Scott Card's homecoming series. (In terms of world logistics, it reminded me a bit of Sharon Shinn's angel/jovah books, which are charming sci-fi poetic/romances if you are looking for something heavy on characters and smooth writing, and not much else.)

Anyway, Card. His books are such a mixture for me, I can't stand most of them; however, Memory of Earth had a lot going for it, including several clever ways to explain the world by action/crisis for a protagonist instead of 'splainin in in a boring way. Might be something you can share with Wolfling, since it has some cool teen characters. The cast has a variety of personalities and ethical sensibilities.

I can't vouch for the whole series, as I have merely been meaning to continue it.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've read a bit of Card, primarily his short stories. I'll check these out.

I'd forgotten the Jovah's angels seies. I read them years ago and enjoyed them.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

I'd seriously avoid most of Card's work - it's chock full of misogyny and other nastiness.

If you want SF that feels like fantasy and is excellent, take a look at the Steerswoman series by Rosemary Kirstein - it's wonderful.

I just finished The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells - I'd never read anything by her before, and loved it.

I also highly recommend Kage Baker's Company series (the first book is In the Garden of Iden. Also, if you haven't read anything by P.C. Hodgell, find yourself of copy of Godstalk or The God Stalker Chronicles (the first 2 books) by P.C. Hodgell - they are my absolute favorite fantasy.

You also might like Alastair Reynolds. His latest book Terminal World is very good indeed. Also, I recommend Pushing Ice, House of Suns and his Revelation Space series is also excellent, as is Ken MacLeod's novel Newton's Wake

Elizabeth Bear's recent SF trilogy Dust, Chill, and Grail is also excellent and Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy was both good and surprising - it initially looks considerably more generic than it turns out to be.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggetsions!

I had forgotten I read a sample of Dust on my Kindle and had been planning to read more. I downloaded the rest of it and have been reading it, but it's not engaging me all that much.

Steerswoman looks intriguing. I may check that out next.

[queenofthenight.livejournal.com]

I'm about to re-read Susan Kay's "Phantom", a wonderful retelling of the Phantom of the Opera story. Highly recommend that.

[qos.livejournal.com]

I'll check it out. Thanks!

[selenite.livejournal.com]

For space opera I'd suggest Darkship Thieves (here's the sample chapters (http://www.webscription.net/chapters/1439133174/1439133174.htm?blurb)). For historical, have you ever tried Heyer?

[oakmouse]

Concur on Heyer, although I'm not sure you'd like some of her fluffier works. I'd suggest these titles of hers:
Venetia
The Spanish Bride
Beauvallet
You might also like
The Masqueraders
An Infamous Army

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestions, Selenite and Oakmouse.

I've looked at a few on Oakmouse's list, but they haven't drawn me in.

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

I am a HUGE fan of Jim Butcher's works.

That being said, the men in my life have been raving over this author's works:
http://patrickrothfuss.com/content/index.asp

[qos.livejournal.com]

I really like the Dresden books, but have not tried his Alera books. I love Rothfuss and recently inhaled "Wise Man's Fear".

:-)

[stiobhanrune.livejournal.com]

A Rumor of Gems, by Ellen Steiber. It's a stand-alone, and I fear it will remain so, because it didn't do very well in the market... but you will wish it was just the beginning.

GODS, I love that book!

[qos.livejournal.com]

I'll see if my library has it, Rune. Thanks!

[rocket-jockey.livejournal.com]

Slaves of the Volcano God by Craig Shaw Gardener as well as the follow-ups, Bride of the Slime Monster and Revenge of the Fluffy Bunnies are very fluffy and silly, but amusing if you know film tropes at all well.

Pyramid Scheme by David Freer and Eric Flint combines an alien artifact, Greek myths, Egyptian gods, and a mercilessly-wielded Purse of Doom and turns classics studies on their ear.

Pride and Prejudice nad Zombies adds the sorely-lacking element of an invasion of the undead to Jane Austen's late-18th-century comedy of manners and proper English society (I haven't read this, but pathdancer enjoys it a lot).

[qos.livejournal.com]

If Pride and Prejudice drove me nuts and I didn't finish it, would I like it better with zombies? ;-)

Little-known Classics

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

_Freckles_ and _Girl of the Limberlost_ by Gene Stratton Porter. They're out of copyright and available on Google Books.
Also, _Eight Cousins_ and _Rose in Bloom_ by Louisa May Alcott should also be available, free... they're the lesser known works but I find them quite charming.

On the SF front, I loved _Young Miles_ by Lois McMaster Bujold Goofy Wikipedia entry here, and plan to find more of the books in the series.

Re: Little-known Classics

[qos.livejournal.com]

My mother used to talk about "The Girl of the Limberlost" being her favorite book, but I've never read it.

I've never been particularly fond of Alcott, but thanks.

As for "Young Miles" -- see my original post. Bujold is one of my favorites, and I adore the Vorkosigan series. If you haven't yet read "Cordelia's Honor" (combining "Shards of Honor -- one of my all-time favorites -- with "Barrayar") that's definitely where you should go next! I love, love, love Cordelia and Aral, and my one complaint with Bujold is that she never gives them a long book of their own again.

[rin-x-x.livejournal.com]

Did you ever get into reading her Naamah Trilogy? I read the first book, and picked up the second, but never bothered to keep reading. I really should though, seeing as she's coming out with the final book in that trilogy.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've read the Naamah books. They were okay. I liked the first one, with the princess and the dragon far more than I liked the second -- but I do have the third book on pre-order.