A 21 Question Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Book Meme – SF/F/H Recommendations
Here’s a book meme that focuses on book recommendations.
You know the drill: Copy the questions below and paste them into the comments with your answers. Answer as many or as little as you’d like.
Science Fiction
- If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a new genre reader, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a science fiction book with lots of action, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a “book snob”, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a science fiction book series I loved, it would be:
- The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was:
- The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was:
- The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was:
Fantasy
- If I were to recommend a fantasy book to a new genre reader, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a fantasy book with lots of action, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a fantasy book to a “book snob”, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a fantasy book series I loved, it would be:
- The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was:
- The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was:
- The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was:
Horror
- If I were to recommend a horror book to a new genre reader, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a horror book with lots of action, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a horror book to a “book snob”, it would be:
- If I were to recommend a horror book series I loved, it would be:
- The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was:
- The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was:
- The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was:
SF
1. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
2. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
3. Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
4. The Books of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
5. Strange Bodies my Marcel Theroux
6. Chronospace by Allen Steele
7. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Fantasy
1. The Dying Earth by Jack Vance
2. Red Country Joe Abercrombie
3. The Once and Future King by T.h. White
4. Fafhrd & Grey Mouser by Fritz Leiber
5. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
6. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
7. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
Horror
1. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
2. nothing comes to mind
3. The Haunting of Hill House Shirley Jackson
4. nothing comes to mind
5. Last Days by Adam Nevill
6. nothing comes to mind
7. Nothing comes to mind
Science Fiction
1. Anything by Asimov.
2. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
3. Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany
4. Faded Sun by C J Cherryh
5. nothing particular comes to mind
6. nothing particular comes to mind
7. I forget these in a hurry.
Fantasy
1. The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien
2. Game of Thrones by George R R Martin
3. Secrets of Jin Shei by Alma Alexander
4. Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
5. The Golem and the Jinni
6. Ocean at the end of the lane by Neil Gaiman
7. Something by an unknown new writer to whom I thought I’d give a fighting chance but didn’t manage to get past the first third of the book (and best left on the Anonymous pile)
Horror
Don’t read much in that subgenre.
SF
1. Ender’s Game & Xenocide – O.S. Card
2. Hyperion- Dan Simmons
3. Anathem – Neal Stephenson
4. All series by Asimov
Fantasy
8. Ready Player One – Ernest Cline (!)
9. Name of the Wind – PatrickRothfuss
10. American Gods – Neil Gaiman
11. Mistborn – Brandon Sanderson
Wheel of Time – Robert Jordan
Science Fiction
If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a new genre reader, it would be: Leviathan Wakes by James A Cory
If I were to recommend a science fiction book with lots of action, it would be: Leviathan Wakes by James A Cory
If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a “book snob”, it would be: The Drowned World by J G Ballard
If I were to recommend a science fiction book series I loved, it would be: The Expanse by James A Cory
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was: Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer/Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was: The Three by Sarah Lotz
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was: can’t remember
Fantasy
If I were to recommend a fantasy book to a new genre reader, it would be: Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch/The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett
If I were to recommend a fantasy book with lots of action, it would be: Anything by David Gemmell
If I were to recommend a fantasy book to a “book snob”, it would be: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
If I were to recommend a fantasy book series I loved, it would be: Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson
The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was: Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch
The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was: The Goblin Emperor by Kate Addison
The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was: Winter Warriors by David Gemmell, haven’t finished YET!
Horror
If I were to recommend a horror book to a new genre reader, it would be: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
If I were to recommend a horror book with lots of action, it would be: Horns by Joe Hill
If I were to recommend a horror book to a “book snob”, it would be: The Drowning Girl by Caitlin Kiernan/The Third Policeman by Flan O’Brien
If I were to recommend a horror book series I loved, it would be: Newsflesh by Mira Grant/ Southern Vampire by Charlaine Harris
The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was: The Troop by Nick Cutter
The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was: Zone One by Coulson Whitehead
The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was: Don’t remember, it was book one of some really crappy zombie series
Would have put Haruki Murakami in the Fantasy list, but does Magical Realism genre count? If yes, then please add Thw Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, Kafka On The Shore and Hard-Boiled Wonderland to Fantasy under read, liked and recommend, please
1, 2 and 3 are all the same: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. I just think it works on a many different levels: as action and as an exploration of lots of interesting ideas.
4, an SF book series: The Vorkosigan Saga by Vonda McIntyre. I don’t even remember how many books are in the series (ten?) but by the time you catch up with the most recently published, you’ve seen a wide range of settings and stories.
5, 6 and 7: People don’t really recommend books to me
8: Hild by Nicola Griffith. It expands your view of what’s possible in genre with a wonderful story and an impeccable prose style.
9 and 11: The Eternal Sky trilogy (which is being continued) by Elizabeth Bear. Bear’s prose is extraordinarily beautiful and the action is wild and wonderful.
10: Either Hild by Nicola Griffith or Among Others by Jo Walton.
12, 13 and 14: People don’t really recommend books to me
and I don’t read horror.
Only really read science fiction s:
Science Fiction
If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a new genre reader, it would be: Blackout/Allclear by Connie Willis. Recently did this and they loved it.
If I were to recommend a science fiction book with lots of action, it would be: Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a “book snob”, it would be:Blackout/Allclear by Connie Willis
If I were to recommend a science fiction book series I loved, it would be: Generally avoid series.
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was: Dante’s Equation by Jane Jensen
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was: I can’t remember the last time I didn’t struggle to the end of a book.
Science Fiction
1. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
2. The Darwin Elevator by Jason Hough
3. Embassytown by China Mieville
4. Iain M. Bank’s Culture Series
5. Inversions by Iain M. Banks
6. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
7. Crossover by Joel Shepherd
Fantasy
8. Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
9. Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
10 Viriconium by M. John Harrison
11. tie between Inheritance Trilogy from N.K. Jemisin and Gillian Philip’s Rebel Angels series
12 Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
13 A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar
14 The Green Rider by Kristin Brittain
Horror
I don’t read hardly any horror, but I’m sure horror fans would enjoy
15. Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Science Fiction
1. Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur Clarke.
2. Caves of Steel by Asimov.
3. Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow.
4. The Foundation Series by Asimov.
5. See answer to # 1.
6. The Bio of a Space Tyrant Series by Piers Anthony.
7. City of Golden Shadow by Tad Williams.
Fantasy
8. Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, particularly “The Sound of Her Wings”.
9. Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind.
10. Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
11. Sword of Truth, up to Pillars of Creation, but skipping Faith of the Fallen.
12. Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute by Jonathan Howard
13. ?
14. ?
Horror
15. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.
16. N0S4A2 by Joe Hill.
17. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.
18. Necroscope by Brian Lumley.
19. The Beautiful Thing that Awaits Us All by Laird Barron.
20. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
21. Too many to list. I leave bad, unfinished horror novels behind me like a trail of littered dead on the path to Perdition.
Science Fiction
If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a new genre reader, it would be:
– Hyperion by Dan Simmons (or Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge)
If I were to recommend a science fiction book with lots of action, it would be:
– Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover
If I were to recommend a science fiction book to a “book snob”, it would be:
– Blindsight by Peter Watts
If I were to recommend a science fiction book series I loved, it would be:
– The Breach series by Patrick Lee (or Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds)
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was:
– Calculating God by Robert Sawyer
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was:
– Eifelheim by Michael Flynn
The last science fiction book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was:
– None yet. Came close with Eifelheim.
Fantasy
If I were to recommend a fantasy book to a new genre reader, it would be:
– The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
If I were to recommend a fantasy book with lots of action, it would be:
– Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding (or Wolf in Shadow by David Gemmell)
If I were to recommend a fantasy book to a “book snob”, it would be:
-Perdido Street Station by China Mieville (or Ilium by Dan Simmons)
If I were to recommend a fantasy book series I loved, it would be:
– Drenai Saga by David Gemmell (or Rigante series by David Gemmell)
The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was:
– Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (kind of sci fi as well)
The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was:
– Can’t think of one.
The last fantasy book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was:
– Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Horror
If I were to recommend a horror book to a new genre reader, it would be:
– Swan Song by Robert McCammon
If I were to recommend a horror book with lots of action, it would be:
– The Tomb by F.Paul Wilson
If I were to recommend a horror book to a “book snob”, it would be:
– Weaveworld by Clive Barker (kind of dark fantasy I guess)
If I were to recommend a horror book series I loved, it would be:
– The Pine Deep Trilogy by Jonathan Maberry
The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I liked was:
-The Store by Bentley Little (always think of this book when in Wal-Mart.lol)
The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I finished but disliked was:
– Breed by Owl Goingback
The last horror book I read that was recommended to me and I didn’t finish was:
-The Terror by Dan Simmons (which hurts because he is one of my faves. Just too long winded lately)
Thanks. Love these lists.