Welcome to bookchat where you can talk about anything...books, plays, essays, and audio books. You don’t have to be reading a book to come in, sit down, and chat with us.
Whether we call the story science fiction, fantasy, realistic fiction in a made up setting, or space opera, it is magical, full of imagination and suspense that draws us in with characters we can enjoy.
I always worry that some stories will be lost especially if they were written many, many years ago. I am always glad when favorite books can still be found. I can’t list every book that I have read and enjoyed, but I am going to list some and it should leave my readers with plenty of their favorites to mention in comments below.
For those readers who do not like this genre, skip down to comments and just talk about the books you do like and what you are reading.
It is only a list, but it took a long time to choose my favorite books and put them under the right heading.
Some of us have been wondering how many of the stories we read have women protagonists vs. men. Some stories have both. I have tried to make a count just out of curiosity. It is subjective, I know, to choose if it is a male or female who has the most clout in the story. I have a feeling that everyone who tried to count these would come up with a different number, but I have Males 39, Females 16, and Both 35. I should not have been surprised about the both. That makes a good story, I think.
My most favorite books of all time: (I have re-read some of these several times)
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Riddle of the Stars series by Patricia McKillip
Riddle-Master of Hed
Heir of Sea and Sky
Harpist in the Wind
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Fionavar Tapestry series by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Acts of King Arthur and his Noble Knights by John Steinbeck
The Mary Stewart series
The Crystal Cave (1970) The Hollow Hills (1973) The Last Enchantment (1979) The Wicked Day (1983)
Way of Kings vol 1 The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson
Words of Radiance vol II
Fred Saberhagen:
Complete Book of Swords has
First, Second, Third Books
Lost Swords: First Triad
Woundhealer’s Story
Sightblinder’s
Stonecutter’s
Lost Swords: Second Triad
Farslayer’s
Coinspinner’s
Mindsword’s
Lost Swords: End Game
Wayfinder’s
Shieldbreaker’s
….….………..
Favorite books with aliens:
Foreigner series by C. J. Cherryh
James White
Tales of Sector General series
Galactic Gourmet, Final Diagnosis, Mind Changer
Genocidal Healer
Silent Stars Go By
Double Contact
Hospital Station
Star Surgeon
Major Operation
Ambulance Ship
Sector General
Star Healer
Code Blue
General Practice
Alien Emergencies
Mary Doria Russell
The Sparrow
Children of God
Night Train to Rigel and sequels by Timothy Zahn
The Third Lynx
Odd Girl Out
The Domino Pattern
Judgment at Proteus
The Uplift series by David Brin
Sundiver
Startide Rising
Uplift War
Brightness Reef
Infinity’s Shore
Heaven’s Reach
Enemy Papers trilogy by Barry Longyear
Enemy Mine
Tomorrow Testament
Last Enemy
….…….…...
Beautifully written:
A Green and Ancient Light by Frederic S. Durbin
Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn
prequel: Heaven’s Net Is Wide
Across the Nightingale Floor
Grass for His Pillow
Brilliance of the Moon
….………….
Wonderful stand alone stories (which may have sequels coming):
Crosstalk by Connie Willis
The Great Symmetry by James. R. Wells
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
The Martian by Andy Weir
Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton
The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword each by Robin McKinley
Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu
…..…..…..
Books I liked when I was a young woman which I remember fondly:
The Cygnet and the Firebird by Patricia McKillip
The Elfin Ship by James P. Blaylock
First Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
Nine Princes in Amber
Guns of Avalon
Sign of the Unicorn
Hand of Oberon
Courts of Chaos
Dragon Lance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Dragons of Winter Night
Dragons of Spring Dawning
Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation
And the robot stories by Asimov
The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle
Witch World series by Andre Norton
Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Lord Valentine’s Castle by Robert Silverberg
Dune by Frank Herbert
Journeys of the Catechist series by Alan Dean Foster
Carnivores of Light and Darkness
Into the Thinking Kingdoms
Triumph of Souls
The Rift War Saga by Raymond E. Feist
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
…….…….…...
Scary, but great stories:
The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham
The Dragon’s Path
The King’s Blood
The Tyrant’s Law
The Widow’s House
The Spider’s War
The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban’s War
Abaddon’s Gate
Cibola Burn
Nemesis Games
David Feintuch:
- Midshipman's Hope (1994)
- Challenger's Hope (1995)
- Prisoner's Hope (1995)
- Fisherman's Hope (1996)
- Voices of Hope (1996)
- Patriarch's Hope (1999)
- Children of Hope (2001)
The Name of the Wind: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day One by Patrick Rothfuss
The Wise Man’s Fear, The Slow Regard of Silent Things
.……..……….….
Favorite dragon tales:
Dragondoom by Dennis L. McKiernan
Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey
Dragon Flight
Dragon Quest
White Dragon
Harper’s Hall of Pern series
Dragonsong
Dragonsinger
Dragondrums
Master Harper of Pern
Robin Hobb
Farseer Trilogy
Royal Assassin
Assassin's Apprentice
Assassin's Quest
Liveship Traders series
Ship of Magic
Madship
Ship of Destiny
Tawny Man
Fool’s Errand
Golden Fool
Fool’s Fate
The Rain Wilds Chronicles
Dragon Keeper
Dragon Haven
City of Dragons
Blood of Dragons
Fool’s Assassin
Fool’s Quest
The Temerarie series by Naomi Novik
….…..…..….….…..
Favorite children’s stories:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Sweetwater by Laurence Yep
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
The Book of Three
The Black Cauldron
The Castle of Llyr
Taran Wanderer
The High King
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
The Jinx series by Sage Blackwood
Jinx
Jinx’s Magic
Jinx’s Fire
The Wizard of Oz by Baum
Harry Potter by Rowling
Moominpappa at Sea by Tove Jansson
….…..….……...
Stories with romance:
The Liaden series by Lee and Miller
ISC, Imperial Space Command series by Catherine Asaro
Skyfall
The Final Key
Primary Inversion
The Radiant Seas
The Ascendant Sun
The Moon’s Shadow
Spherical Harmonic
The Quantum Rose
The Ruby Dice
Diamond Star
Carnelians
Catch the Lightning
Undercity
The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
Star of the Morning
The Mage’s Daughter
Princess of the Sword
A Tapestry of Spells
Spellweaver
Gift of Magic
Dreamspinner
River of Dreams
Dreamer’s Daughter
Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Series by Patricia Keneally-Morrison
The Copper Crown (1984)
The Throne of Scone (1986)
The Silver Branch (1988)
Humorous stories:
Detective Strongoak and the Case of the Dead Elf by Terry Newman (sad, too, but presented in a satirical way)
The Myth series by Robert Asprin
Good Omens by Pratchett and Gaiman
All the Pratchett books
Bad Prince Charlie by John Moore
Songs from the Seashell Archives vol. I by Elizabeth Scarborough
Song of Sorcery
Unicorn Creed
……..…..…….…..
Time Travel:
Connie Willis
Doomsday
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Blackout
All Clear
Time and Again by Jack Finney
Time Travelers Never Die by Jack McDevitt
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
…….….…..
Favorite authors: I like everything.
C. J. Cherryh everything
Patricia McKillip everything
Kelly McCullough
WebMage
Cybermancy
Codespell
MythOS
SpellCrash
Fallen Blade series
Broken Blade
Bared Blade
Crossed Blades
Blade Reforged
Drawn Blades
Darkened Blade
Janny Wurts
Wars of Light and Shadow series
Curse of the Mistwraith
Ships of Merior
Warhost of Vastmark
Fugitive Prince
Grand Conspiracy
Peril’s Gate
Traitor’s Knot
Stormed Fortress
Initiate’s Trial
Daughter of the Empire with Feist
Mistress of the Empire
Servant of the Empire
Michelle West who is also Michelle Sagara
Sun Sword series by West
Broken Crown
Uncrowned King
Shining Court
Sea of Sorrows
Riven Shield
Sun Sword
Chronicles of Elantra series by Sagara
Cast in Moonlight a prequel from an anthology Harvest Moon
Cast in Shadow
Cast in Courtlight
Cast in Secret
Cast in Fury
Cast in Silence
Cast in Chaos
Cast in Ruin
Cast in Peril
Cast in Sorrow
Cast in Flame
Cast in Honor
Cast in Flight
Jack Campbell
The Dragons of Dorcastle
The Hidden Masters of Marandur
The Assassins of Altis
Paul Sinclair novels
A Just Determination
Burden of Proof
Rule of Evidence
Against All Enemies
Lost Fleet series
Elizabeth Moon everything
….………..
Steampunk:
Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti
Clockwork Lies: Iron Wind
Clockwork Secrets: Heavy Fire
….…..………..
Setting is interesting and important:
Jaran series by Kate Elliott
Jaran
An Earthly Crown
His Conquering Sword
Law of Becoming
Chronicles of Cheysuli by Jennifer Roberson
Omnibus 1-4= 8 stories
Vol. 1+2: Shapechanger's Song (2001)
Vol. 3+4: Legacy of the Wolf (2001)
Vol. 5+6: Children of the Lion (2001)
Vol. 7+8: The Lion Throne (2001)
Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
….….……..
Now, it is your turn. Remember that many people may not have heard of your authors.
You may relist your favorites that are the same as mine, of course.
As for the poll…I know you can’t choose, but flip a coin or something. (I had to put some together. If you disagree with one of the pair just mention it in comments)
Diaries of the Week:
Write On!
By SensibleShoes
www.dailykos.com/…
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Introducing the New Kos Katalogue!
By Avilyn
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