What is your favorite fantasy/sci fi novel?

[Lizzy F.]

What's your favorite fantasy/sci fi novel (or series)?

And yes, I know they are distinct genres but some authors like to mix them together and sometimes they get blurred.

My favorite fantasy series are the Chronicles of Prydain. Lloyd Alexander used the same sources as Tolkien did for The Lord of the Rings, so there is some similarity but Alexander wrote for kids.

Alexander also has more female leads. While I'm more forgiving of male-dominated older fantasy NOW, I wasn't when I was a kid.

But they are my favorites because Alexander doesn't use "fate" to have the heroes overcome the bad guys. The series focuses on an Assistant-Pig-keeper who saves Prydain because of the choices he makes and his acceptance of responsibility.

I'm seeking out new stuff to read, so what's your favorite?

ETA: I've gone through the post and have summarized the suggestions into an alphabetized list. Enjoy!

Multiple Authors
---Arabian Nights

Adams, Douglas.
---1.The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
---2.The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
---3. Life, the Universe and Everything
---4.So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
---5. Mostly Harmless
---6. And Another Thing...

Adams, Richard.
---Watership Down

Adlington, L.J.
---Diary of Pelly D

Alexander, Lloyd. The Chronicles of Prydain
---1. The Book of Three
---2. The Black Cauldron
---3. The Castle of Llyr
---4. Taran Wanderer
---5. The High King

Anthony, Piers.
-------Incarnations of Immortality Series
---1. On a Pale Horse (1983)
---2. Bearing an Hourglass (1984)
---3. With a Tangled Skein (1985)
---4. Wielding a Red Sword (1986)
---5. Being a Green Mother (1987)
---6. For Love of Evil (1988)
---7. And Eternity (1990)
---8. Under a Velvet Cloak (2007)


Asimov, Isaac.
---I, Robot
--------------Foundation Series
---Prelude to Foundation
---Forward the Foundation
---Foundation
---Foundation and Empire
---Second Foundation
---Foundation's Edge
---Foundation and Earth.
---------------Empire Series
---The Stars, Like Dust
---The Currents of Space
---Pebble in the Sky

Atwood, Margaret.
--Handmaid's Tale

Bradbury, Ray.
---Fahrenheit 451

Butcher, Jim.
----------Dresden Files Series
---Storm Front
---Fool Moon
---Grave Peril
---Summer Knight
---Death Masks
---Blood Rites
---Dead Beat
---Proven Guilty
---White Night
---Small Favor
---Turn Coat
---Changes

Cameron, Eleanor.
---Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet

Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game Series
---Ender's Game
---Speaker for the Dead
---Xenocide
---Children of the Mind
---Ender's Shadow
---Shadow of the Hegemon
---Shadow Puppets
---First Meetings - short story collection
---Shadow of the Giant
---A War of Gifts: An Ender Story
---Ender in Exile


Chesterton, G.K.
---Man Who Was Thursday

Christopher, John. (AKA Samuel Youd)
---------Tripods Series
---1.The White Mountains (1967)
---2.The City of Gold and Lead (1968)
---3.The Pool of Fire (1968)
---4. When the Tripods Came (1988)

Dawkins, Richard
---The Blind Watchmaker

de Larrabeiti, Michael.
---The Borribles

Dekker, Ted.
---1.Black: The Birth of Evil (2004)
---2.Red: The Heroic Rescue (2004)
---3.White: The Great Pursuit (2004)
---4.Green: The Last Stand (2009)
---5.The Circle (2011)

Dick, Philip.
---Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Duane, Diane
---The Wounded Sky. #13. 1983.
---Spock's World. 1988.
---Doctor's Orders. #50. 1990.
---Sand and Stars. 2004

DuPrau, Jeanne.
---1.The City of Ember
---2.The People of Sparks
---3.The Prophet of Yonwood
---4.The Diamond of Darkhold

Flynn, Michael.
---Eifelheim

Foglio, Phil and Kaja.
---Girl Genius

Foster, Alan Dean.
---Splinter of the Mind's Eye (early Star Wars book published before episodes 5 and 6 were made)
---The Tar-Aiym Krang (1972)
---Bloodhype (1973)
---Icerigger (1974)
---Midworld (1975)
---Orphan Star (1977)
---The End of the Matter (1977)
---Mission to Moulokin (1979)
---Cachalot (1980)
---Nor Crystal Tears (1982)
---For Love of Mother-Not (1983)
---Voyage to the City of the Dead (1984)
---Sentenced to Prism (1985)
---The Deluge Drivers (1987)
---Flinx in Flux (1988)
---Mid-Flinx (1995)
---The Howling Stones (1997)
---Phylogenesis (1999)
---Dirge (2000)
---Reunion (2001)
---Diuturnity's Dawn (2002)
---Flinx's Folly (2003)
---Drowning World (2003)
---Sliding Scales (2004)
---Running from the Deity (2005)
---Trouble Magnet (2006)
---Patrimony (2007)
---Quofum (2008)
---Flinx Transcendent (2009)
-----------SpellSinger books
---Spellsinger (1983)
---The Hour of the Gate (1984)
---The Day of the Dissonance (1984)
---The Moment of the Magician (1984)
---The Paths of the Perambulator (1985)
---The Time of the Transference (1987)
---Son of Spellsinger (1993)
---Chorus Skating (1994)


Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart Trilogy
---1. Inkheart
---2. Inkspell
---3. Inkdeath

Gaiman, Neil.
---Good Omens
---Neverwhere

Haddix, Margaret Peterson
---Among the Hidden

Hale, Shannon
---Rapunzel's Revenge
---Calamity Jack

Harkaway, Nick.
---The Gone Away World

Hazard, David.
---A Place Behind the World

Heinlein, Robert A.
---Starship Troopers
---Stranger in a Strange Land

Herbert, Frank.
---Dune
---Dune Messiah
---Children of Dune
---God Emperor of Dune
---Heretics of Dune
---Chapterhouse: Dune

Hickman, Tracy & Margaret Weis
---Dragon Wing (February 1990)
---Elven Star (November 1990)
---Fire Sea (August 1991)
---Serpent Mage (April 1992)
---The Hand of Chaos (April 1993)
---Into the Labyrinth (December 1993)
---The Seventh Gate (September 1994)


Huxley, Aldous.
---Brave New World

Jacques, Brian.
---------Redwall Series
---Redwall (1986)
---Mossflower (1988)
---Mattimeo (1989)
---Mariel of Redwall (1991)
---Salamandastron (1992)
---Martin the Warrior (1993)
---The Bellmaker (1994)
---Outcast of Redwall (1995)
---The Pearls of Lutra (1996)
---The Long Patrol (1997)
---Marlfox (1998)
---The Legend of Luke (1999)
---Lord Brocktree (2000)
---The Taggerung (2001)
---Triss (2002)
---Loamhedge (2003)
---Rakkety Tam (2004)
---High Rhulain (2005)
---Eulalia! (2007)
---Doomwyte (2008)
---The Sable Quean (2010)

Jordan, Robert.
--------Wheel of Time Series
---1.The Eye of the World
---2.The Great Hunt
---3.The Dragon Reborn
---4.The Shadow Rising
---5.The Fires of Heaven
---6.Lord of Chaos
---7.A Crown of Swords
---8.The Path of Daggers
---9.Winter's Heart
---10.Crossroads of Twilight
---11.Knife of Dreams
---12.The Gathering Storm
---13.Towers of Midnight

King, Stephen.
-------Dark Tower Series
---The Gunslinger (1982)
---The Drawing of the Three (1987)
---The Waste Lands (1991)
---Wizard and Glass (1997)
---Wolves of the Calla (2003)
---Song of Susannah (2004)
---The Dark Tower (2004)

Kraus, Harry.
---Lethal Mercy

Le Guin, Ursula.
------EarthSea Novels
---A Wizard of Earthsea (1968)
---The Tombs of Atuan (1971)
---The Farthest Shore (1972)
---Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea (1990)
---The Other Wind (2001)

L'Engle, Madeleine. (Note: Not all of these are fantasy books, but the characters overlap and this is the order they should be read if you want to get more out of the stories. Her Time Quartet has been bolded.)
---The Small Rain (1945)
---Camilla Dickinson (1951)
---Meet the Austins (1960)
---A Wrinkle in Time (1962)
---The Moon by Night (1963)
---The Arm of the Starfish (1965)
---The Young Unicorns (1968)
---A Wind in the Door (1973)
---Dragons in the Waters (1976)
---A Swiftly Tilting Planet (1978)
---A Ring of Endless Light (1980)
---The Anti-Muffins (1980)
---A Severed Wasp (1982)
---A House Like a Lotus (1984)
---Many Waters (1986)
---An Acceptable Time (1989)
---Troubling a Star (1994)
---A Live Coal in the Sea (1996)

Lewis, C.S.
---------Narnia
---1.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
---2. Prince Caspian
---3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
---4. The Silver Chair
---5. The Horse and His Boy
---6. The Magician's Nephew
---7. The Last Battle
----------Space Trilogy
---1. Out of the Silent Planet
---2. Perelandra
---3. That Hideous Strength
----------Other
---Till We Have Faces

Lovecraft, H.P.
---various collections available of his short stories

Lowry, Lois. Giver Trilogy
---1. The Giver
---2. Gathering Blue
---3. The Messenger

MacDonald, George.
---Princess and the Goblin
---Princess and Curdie (sequel to the above)
---Phantastes
---Lilith
---The Light Princess
---"Lost Princess" (novelette often published with other short stories)

Martin, George. R.R.
---A Game of Thrones
---A Clash of Kings
---A Storm of Swords
---A Feast for Crows
---A Dance with Dragons

McCaffrey, Anne
---Dragonflight
---Dragonquest
---Dragondrums

McKinley, Robin.
---The Blue Sword
---The Hero and the Crown
---Beauty
---The Door in the Hedge
---The Outlaws of Sherwood
---Deerskin
---Rose Daughter
---Spindle's End

Mieville, China.
---Perdido Street Station
---Kraken
---The City and the City

Myers, John Myers
---Silverlock

Myra, Harold.
---Children of the Night

Orwell, George.
---1984
---Animal Farm

Paolini, C.
---1.Eragon
---2.Eldest
---3.Brisingr
---4.Inheritance

Peters, Ralph.
---War of 2020

Pierce, Tamora
--Alanna: The First Adventure (1983)
--In the Hand of the Goddess (1984)
--The Woman Who Rides Like a Man (1986)
--Lioness Rampant (1988)
--Wild Magic (1992)
--Wolf-Speaker (1994)
--Emperor Mage (1995)
--The Realms of the Gods (1996)
--Sandry's Book (1997)
--Tris's Book (1998)
--Daja's Book (1998)
--Briar's Book (1999)
--First Test (1999)
--Page (2000)
--Squire (2001)
--Lady Knight (2002)
--Trickster's Choice (2003)
--Magic Steps (2000)
--Street Magic (2001)
--Cold Fire (2002)
--Shatterglass (2003)
--Trickster's Queen (2004)
--The Will of the Empress (2005)
--Terrier (2006)
--Melting Stones (2007)
--Bloodhound (2009)
--Mastiff (2011)

Pratchett, Terry. Discworld Series.
---1.The Colour of Magic
---2.The Light Fantastic
---3.Equal Rites
---4.Mort
---5.Sourcery
---6.Wyrd Sisters
---7.Pyramids
---8.Guards! Guards!
---9.Faust Eric
---10.Moving Pictures
---11.Reaper Man
---12.Witches Abroad
---13.Small Gods
---14.Lords and Ladies
---15.Men at Arms
---16.Soul Music
---17.Interesting Times
---18.Maskerade
---19.Feet of Clay
---20.Hogfather
---21.Jingo
---22.The Last Continent
---23.Carpe Jugulum
---24.The Fifth Elephant
---25.The Truth
---26.Thief of Time
---27.The Last Hero
---28.The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
---29.Night Watch
---30.The Wee Free Men
---31.Monstrous Regiment
---32.A Hat Full of Sky
---33.going Postal
---34.Thud!
---35.Wintersmith
---36.Making Money
---37.Unseen Academicals
---38. I Shall Wear Midnight

Riordian, Rick. Camp Half-Blood Series.
---1. The Lightning Thief
---2. The Sea of Monsters
---3. The Titan's Curse
---4. The Battle of the Labyrinth
---5. The Last Olympian

Rowling, J.K.
---1.Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
---2.Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
---3.Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
---4.Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
---5.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
---6.Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
---7.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Shinn, Sharon
----------Samaria series
--Archangel (Ace Books, 1997)
--Jovah's Angel (Ace Books, 1998)
--The Alleluia Files (Ace Books, 1999)
--Angelica (Ace Books, 2003)
--Angel-Seeker (Ace Books, 2004)


Tennyson, Lord Alfred
---Idylls of the King

Tolkien, J.R.R. LOTR.
---The Hobbit (Prequel)
---1. The Fellowship of the Ring
---2. The Two Towers
---3. The Return of the King
---The Silmarillion

Velde, Vivian Vande.
---The Rumpelstiltskin Problem

Verne, Jules.
---20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

White, T.H.
---Once and Future King

Williams, Tad.
---Tailchaiser's Song
-------Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series
--The Dragonbone Chair (1988)
--Stone of Farewell (1990)
--To Green Angel Tower (1993).

[Abdiel]

I really like Silverlock. It's a fun read to try and figure out who the characters are that were taken from other literature.

[pastor's wife]

I've seen Lloyd Alexander's books but never read them. I need to since I read lots of YA literature.

Does "Watership Down" count? It has rabbits as main characters not people, but it's an amazingly well-crafted world. This is one of my all-time favorite books ever.

The following are all YA books:
1. "Inkheart" - I liked the first in the series better than the next two, which is always a disappointment. You want the series to get BETTER!
2. "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix really fascinating about a future society where people were only allowed two children. Any more would be killed, so some parents hid their third children. I enjoyed the whole series.
3. "The City of Ember" as well as its sequel. I didn't enjoy the third as much.
4. "The Giver" - incredible!!!! (There are also two more that go with this - one is "Gathering Blue"; I forget the other.)
5. "The Rumpelstiltskin Problem" - the author says the fairy tale never rang true to her so she give six alternate versions. Fun!
6. "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" - definitely books for young people, but I found them fun, light reading with enough adventure and references to mythology to keep my enjoying them.

I like several short story anthologies including "The Door in the Hedge" by Robin McKinley, "Imaginary Lands" ed. by Robin McKinley, and "A Knot in the Grain" also by Robin Mckinley.

A Christian fantasy novel that I found interesting is "Children in the Night" by Harold Myra about people who live in darkness underground. The author builds up an interesting and believable society and an interesting orphan boy as the main character. The beginning of the book is my favorite when the boy is young. I haven't read the second in the series and didn't really like the third, but the beginning of the first book (I feel the part about the boy Yoshi could really stand alone) is excellent.

Another Christian book is called "A Place Behind the World" by David Hazard. It's allegorical and really moved me. I really felt the main character's confusion and her growing feeling of entrapment at the continual pursuit of the hunter. It's a bit simplistic compared to the BEST of nonChristian writers, but it's one I liked.

Maybe I'd better stop now!

[Michelle]

Ender's Game. Awesome book.

[Darrell]

(01-19-2011 03:12 PM)Michelle Wrote:  Ender's Game. Awesome book.

That's definitely somewhere in my top 5.

[Jordan M. Poss]

For me, it's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, hands down.

I also recently read The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare, by G.K. Chesterton, which was an incredible piece of fantasy.

And if we're counting Watership Down, that's definitely among my favorites, too.

Anyone read George MacDonald? I'm about to begin Lilith.

[Darrell]

(01-19-2011 03:40 PM)Jordan M. Poss Wrote:  Anyone read George MacDonald? I'm about to begin Lilith.

I've only read some of his non-fantasy stuff such as Sir Gibbie (aka The Baronet's Song)

[Michelle]

Jordan - my husband always recommends Ender's Game as a part of his Marine's required reading. It has some interesting thought on leadership.

[pastor's wife]

I haven't read a lot of George MacDonald, but I LOVE "The Lost Princess." His "The Princess and the Goblin" is better known and he also wrote one called "The Light Princess", but my fav is "The Lost Princess." I found parts really convicting.

[Jordan M. Poss]

Thanks for the recommendations. I already own a copy of Ender's Game and will definitely bump it up the priority list. And re. MacDonald, I've heard good things about The Princess and the Goblin. I'll add that to the "to read" list.