/sffg/ - Science Fiction and Fantasy General

I tried to respond with a spoiler but I'm not sure how to get it working, so I just deleted it. I thought I just click the spoiler box but I'm probably retarded newfag.

spoiler just hides the image

Book of the New Sun tbph

Paperback obviously, easily to carry around

What is the appeal of a hardback anyway?

Durable, doesn't get weird wrinkles or creases

>I'm an aspiring writer
THIEF! THIEF!

But I have paperbacks I've re-read 4 or 5 times and they're still in one piece.

Creases and wrinkles are fine imo. They add character. They are a visual reminder of how fond I am of that particular book. A typical day in my life:

*walk through front door after some grocery shopping*
*put the shopping away*
*re-arrange fridge items because there's no room*
*saunter over to bookshelves*
'hmmm what shall I read today'
*notice how creased and worn Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb looks*
'ahhh, yes' I think to myself, and smile like pic related, then move on

Could the above play out with a bookcase of hardbacks? No. No it couldn't.

I win today.

what's good of his shorter work?

Of what I read of his short stories my favorite has to be Cadbury, The Beaver who Lacked, along with Faith of our Fathers which is absolutely killer. Retreat Syndrome, Holy Quarrel and I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon are also great desu. That being said I do prefer him in novel form, though he said himself that his best ideas are in his short stories and he could never turn them into novels despite his efforts.

type "spoiler" and "/spoiler" in brackets

Read through all of Black Company last week

pretty good

is there any Lady/Soulcatcher smut fanfic?

>not selecting text and pressing ctrl-s

well, what do you actually like reading, and why do you want to write fantasy if you don't like any of it?

the answers to those questions will help narrow down a list of suggestions. I think the only way LotR could put you to sleep (assuming you didn't ruin it by watching the movies first) is if you are either not particularly used to reading older books, or if you just don't actually like fantasy settings and only think you do because of video games or something.

I don't mean either of those as necessarily an insult, I often find myself building up a sub-genre in my head as something great and awesome that I'm missing out on and then I get there and think "wait, what's the actually *good* example of this?" and I never end up finding it because what was in my headcannon doesn't really exist.

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Does this actually work
Holy shit it does

test
book of the new sun

LMAO

I can vouch for Schild's Ladder and Diaspora being good.

The only anthology of Dick's I've read was a collection of his earlier stories from the 50s (The Phillip K. Dick Reader), which were generally meh. Faith of our Fathers is incredible though -- I read it in Dangerous Visions. Thanks for the recs.

Of the twenty or so I have read, the Electric Ant, The Mold Of Yancy, If There Were No Benny Cemoli stand out. They're the same sorts of ideas, style, and themes as his novels, without the uneven pacing and digressions that can afflict his longer fiction. The main difference is the novels have more character writing and plot arcs, which is great if you hit it off with the story, otherwise not.

As for the aspiring author user in the last thread who wants reading material, here is my suggestion. Instead of reading Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, WoT, and the long-winded crap everybody else reads, look at now less trendy writers who can tell stories in an entertaining and more concise way: Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories, Leigh Brackett's Sword Of Rhiannon. Robert Howard's Conan stories, Jack Vance's first Dying Earth book; economical storytelling, visual prose, exotic spectacles, fight scenes, camaraderie, humor, magic. I limit my suggestions to fantasy because it sounds like you want to focus on that.

WoT gets less generic after the first book, but if you didn't like Eye of the World at all, you probably won't be thrilled with the series in general. I think you might do well to avoid longwinded series, and instead read one-offs or at least defined trilogies.

Consider these authors:
>Guy Gavriel Kay
>Gene Wolfe
>Jack Vance
>Ray Bradbury

I like the idea that a world can be built from the ground up, without any ties to this world or its history/physics. It gives it a lot of freedom and potential for great stories. I think that's why I like fantasy fiction.

And well don't get me wrong, I loved The Hobbit and other fantasy books, but it seems I like the premises and ideas for these stories than the actual books themselves because of minor flaws I sometimes see in them (cliches, Dark Lord tropes, too reliant on magic, not enough magic, etc.) and because of my dumb low-attention span or impatience I sometimes have. I wouldn't go so far as to call any of these books "bad" because obviously they've acquired huge amounts of love and fandom and I can see how the ideas themselves are really, really good. But because I'm also really picky, I'm wondering which books would be best to read and which would hypothetically be a waste of time. Maybe no book is a waste of time and I should just be more open to reading books I don't absolutely love once in a while but I'm very cautious about time-wasting and it feels like a setback when I spend too much time on a book which just doesn't click with me.

The Eye of the World was good enough for me to ignore several chapters that I didn't care for, and it became better as it went through. But I'm wondering how the series is as a whole.

test to the test
black text

I haven't read his 50's stuff. But I'm guessing that it's mostly pulp stuff for some of that cold hard magazine cash? I'll get around to it eventually though. But I've been really interested in reading Dangerous Visions, if there's any stories there that are nearly as good as Faith of our Fathers then it'll be worth a read.

>Severian has the soul of a woman inside him, whom sometimes takes control of his body.
Does this mean Severian is transgender?

I liked some parts of the Eye of the World but felt it got a bit slow and generic at times. The latter half was good. Perrin's storyline was really good. The whole concept of its magic system and Aes Sedai is also really interesting. I like the idea but if they could make a TV series of it something it might be better for me.

And ahhh thanks user! I'll check out these writers. Of these I've only read Bradbury (and I really enjoyed him).

I don't think so, really, it's two separate people sharing a body rather than someone who changes from one gender to another. Though I really don't know that much about trans stuff so maybe? But it would sort of jar with Wolfe's old-school Catholicism.

I've just finished reading pic related as my first PKD novel and I'm kind of at a loss about what happened.

Is it part of an arching plot? Are there sequels/prequels or side stories I'm supposed to read in order to know what's going on?

Overall I've enjoyed reading it but it's left me with more questions than answers; is this normal?

Valis next definitely

tfw no thecla gf

the lack of answers is mightily disappointing

Are there any books that answer the question of whether traps are gay?

No problem user. Just know it's not cool to try and fondle my child.

test

UBIK

Is WoT overrated? I read it as a kid but I don't remember much standing out in particular. I remember thinking it was funny how they miraculously seem to end up in every single location on the map in kind of a formulaic way.

>all of these newfags exposing themselves
>pretty sure 100% of them are from that red safe space place with the alien antenna mascot

Sorry for not reading the thread and seeing there's already a discussion going on

A guy at school loved it, but he was a communist also, so that put me off.
Is WoT communist propaganda?

Could be. Theres a stronk womyn aspect to it but I think they end up pretty much useless in the long run anyway

>read through last thread
>read this one
>general is infested
>the braid tugging user is back and this thread looks like it will be Jordan flavored
>dick anons trying hard but they can't fight the skirt smoothing autism
JUST

I already asked that question in a previous thread.

Are there any good recent (90s-present) Cyberpunk novels that aren't just a poor copy of Neuromancer (hacker VS evil corporation)?

I made a short list of books that look interesting. Tell me if it's good :

>Brazil
>Metrophage
>Accelerando (someone recommended it)
>Damien
>Ware Tetralogy
>Snow Crash
>Vacuum Flower
>Altered Carbon

What are some fantasy/scifi authors that Veeky Forums people actually like in an unironic way?

Peter hamilton

>not being a communist
Shiggy

What does "strong women" have to do with communism?

Ubik is a representative example of PKD's discombobulating/disorientating quality. I think it's a big reason why people read him. That said, not all of his novels are as freewheeling and Russian-doll like as Ubik. Read Valis after a few PKD books IMO.

I browse SFFG and post most days. I could make this a de facto PKD general if it was my will, just like the guy who made it a Gene Wolfe centric thread for a week or two. Instead, however,I want to give props to a couple of novels by PKD's contemporaries: Gateway by Frederik Pohl and Mockingbird by Walter Tevis. I think Dick fans would appreciate those two just like I did - considerable thematic overlap of ideas.

>>Snow Crash
What's the book equivalent of kino? It's that.

Why don't ARCs ever get uploaded to the internet and shared?

>come back to thread
>newfags testing spoiler tags
Y'all are real fucking queer.

Well, thanks for the response. I'm around four chapters into both Schild's Ladder and Transcendence and I am still very neutral toward both. I like the way he writes, overall, but there is not much gripping me yet, for some reason. I also have his Orthogonal trilogy so maybe I should try that instead for now.

Fuck these nerds responding to you. You should have read VALIS as your first PKD like I did. Don't take one tab, user. Strap the entire sheet to your forehead.

Most people would rather wait for the finished book?

No one in the 21st century west is actually using the word "communism" to refer to an economic system in the same way no one is accusing you of belonging to an ancient german socialist party if they call you a nazi for criticising brown people

Why isn't The Culture more frequently discussed?

This book is fucking great

There's a gay-ass bullshit "gender" called "Two-spirit" that I only know about because of Kim Stanley Robinson
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2312_(novel)#Sex.2C_sexuality_and_gender

Ubik

It's definitely the strongest book of the series in my opinion. What would you like to discuss?

The Dread Empire's Fall series was fun. Are there any other books about normal people living in a brutally authoritarian and highly bureaucratic empire? Bonus points if they never try to overthrow it. I'm not interested in plucky Hunger Games rebels.

What should I read if my favorite work of science fiction is Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri?

What's a series a bit like a more mature Discworld? Used to love those books as a kid. Now that I open them I'm...well, underwhelmed. Actually, this is the sense I get when I open most books these days. Tried Malazan and Cat's Cradle (which probably isn't Sci-fi) and, wow, that feeling hit me pretty hard. Same with Game of Thrones (except far worse, its prose is nasty). I recently got into Book of the New Sun and, wow, I actually like it even if it might be a Veeky Forums meme.

I'm in that weird place of being a pleb but also being picky.

The sign of a newfag is that he's still proud of how long he's been here, rather than appalled by it

>Theres a stronk womyn aspect to it

Wow I've never read it but this leftist faggot was just telling me how sexist and misogynistic it was the other day

Read Sanderson. Embrace competently done plebby pulp.

All the females in WoT are absolute cunts. Some people think it's an empowering "you go girl" portrayal of women and some see it as misogynistic.

Sadly, I tried Mistborn and felt underwhelmed, too, even though I liked the general setting and world building (it was at least slightly above average). Really wanted to like it.

Haven't tried Way of the Kings yet, though. How is that one?

I haven't read it. But maybe give Elantris a try. Its a very very simple story written on a high school level, but I found it very refreshing after all the dark broody amoral rape filled nihilistic GRI bullshit I'd read recently before then. Warbreaker is good too.

Way of Kings is decent if you skip all flashback and Shallan chapters.

I dunno man, it's possible they're recent arrivals from a board without spoiler.
I've been here for 8 years Jesus christ and never frequently used spoiler boards until a couple years ago. I only found out about ctrl-s this year.

>simple story
Honestly I hate stories like that. Complicated ones are juicy to me, as long as they're not history circlejerks or something.
Okay, I promise to try that.

I also plan to go on a roadtrip with someone and would like an audiobook for us both. Something uplifting, preferably. I'll read up on Elantris and Way of Kings to see if they're suitable.

>hours later
Incandescence, not Transcendence.

Is Red Rising any good? I can't find it via XDCC, wondering if I should buy it or not

>“Y-you came back ...”
>“For yo—”

BRAVO BAKKER

It's Roman Hunger Games. Darrow's surgery was the only good part.

Childhood's End is probably the most influential while also being the easiest read. If you haven't already picked one go with that. BotNS is a masterpiece but also quite heavy, might want to save that for last.

Read LoGH instead.

Ubik is a meme and you got memed on. I consider it one of Penis' weaker works and I have no idea why it's so well known and acclaimed. The good ones are Valis, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, 'Flow My Tears' the Policeman Said, A Scanner Darkly and The Man in the High Castle. Also 'The World Jones Made' is underrated.

How does this derivative garbage get on the NYT best sellers? It doesn't even sound that entertaining.

Is it better than the show?

Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, David Lindsay. R.A. Lafferty, Lord Dunsany, Peter S. Beagle, maybe Olaf Stapledon and a few others I've forgotten. The guy who wrote 'Little, Big'.

>How does derivative garbage sell

If you can ask that, you know the answer.

Probably all the stuff the Alpha Centauri devs read, Asimov's 'Foundation' series (original trilogy at least, the rest if you're really into it) his 'Robot' series (the big works at least), Clarke's most well known works (Childhood's End, 2001, Rendezvous With Rama), Stapledon (Star Maker, The Last and First Men), Heinlein (Starship Troopers, The Moon is A Harsh Mistress, Stranger In A Strange Land).

At least a few of those are bound to be what you're after.

If you want reading that's 'fun' but not pleb fodder garbage try Jack Vance. His Tales of the Dying Earth stories are well written, and the followup 'Cugel the Clever' stories are very funny.

>NYT best seller
Realize that this phrase means LITERALLY nothing

More like the book equivalent of anime. It's more interested in taking the reader for a wild ride at the expense of being more realistic or "hard". Fun read.

>Is it better than the show?
Yes, actually. And I say this with the caveat that the show is already very good.

>Calling anything else anime when Sanderson, anime incarnate, exists.

I really want to know why people keep calling Sanderson anime. His shit isn't that different from every other writer focused on 'muh magic systems'. And compared to anime, he at least doesn't break his rules he sets. The dialogue is close though.

His characters are why. They act like cartoon characters.

Have you read his dialogue? It's legit aimed at 8 year olds who don't know what humour is.

Any book with a really immersive feeling of autumn? I want to hear the leaves beneath feet and picture the wheat fields. I want to feel the cool breezy wind.

Wayne is the only character of his I've read that I thought was even a little bit funny.

Name of the wind desu.

I've noticed Vance books are priced at a premium for some reason, even second hand. It's like some conspiracy