originally posted by hosanna
Thank you Janny!! I will definitely follow this up! Honestly, I am so new to reading SF I haven't heard of any of those names. An opinion I can trust is like gold!
Thanks to "the other Anna" too! I know you've been a lot more active on the forum than me for quite a while now so maybe I am the Other one and you are the Official Anna 
I browse and lurk here regularly but only post about every 6months or so … or when a new book comes out 
Cheers
the Other Anna
You're welcome, and I forgot:
Check out Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liadon books which "begin" with Agent of Change. (This is not the beginning chronologically, but is a good entry point)
originally posted by Cheryl Detmer
Definitely try Carolyn Cherryh or CJ Cherryh as fans know her. Julie Czerneda's Company of Others I also recommend. Great book and her Survival Speciies series is pretty good. I haven't read the others to know though. I am more a fantasy reader also. I saw that Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's books at B&N last time I was there so now I can buy them when I'm ready for them. I always regretted not buying them there at Dragon Con that day at the counter. Beautiful covers. Now I can buy them at the store. I never knew CJ Cherryh's first name was Carolyn until I talked with Jane Fancher once. lol I thought Cherryh was a man for a long time.
originally posted by Sandtiger
I'll second the Miller and Lee nomination. Fabulous books. I haven't read Crystal Dragon yet, but I am looking forward to it immensely. I love their work.
And CJ Cherryh too - Her Foreigner series has a special place in my heart.
And needless to say, Julie Czerneda's books are terrific. I've known Julie for a fair while, and her work in my mind just keeps getting better. I thought Regeneration - the last of the Species Imperative books was one of those perfect endings that you don't get enough of in trilogies.
I don't tend to read huge amounts of SF - usually I read it when it is recommended to me. (Haven't tried The Myriad books yet, for instance, though they are on my list.)
Miller and Lee are a good entry point in that their stories can be read almost as one-offs, though they also fit together as a whole. I also liked Balance of Trade which was a bit different from the rest of them.
For pure fun, I recommend Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books - Memory is my personal favourite - the best balance of character in the series, but all the books are wonderful stories.
originally posted by Frank T Davis
Gosh!! It is really great to get back into the Fantasy genre. For the past six months, I've been reading mysteries since this is my wife's favorite genre and she has many many in our library that I had not read yet. Plus when I found an author that I liked like, Lisa Scottoline, Dick Francis, JA Jance, etc; she ordered the ones she didn't have yet. So, during the past 6 months while I have awaited the one we're all waiting for (I keep tabs Janny and I know you're working as fast as you're able to get it done and in our hands for which I am truly thankful) I read at least 6o mysteries.
Well, I decided enough is enough so I picked up my first fantasy read and read it again. It was the three books involving the Murry family: Meg, Charles Walace and the twins and friend Calvin. The three are "A Wrinkle in Time", "A Wind in the Door" and "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" by Madeleine L'Engle. These were as good as I had remembered and very very easy to read as were written for young people. I also read her "The Arm of the Star Fish" which was pretty good. Anyone who has youngsters interested in reading should encourage them to pick up books from the Yearling series of books.
After whetting my appetite for Fantasy, I ordered Carol Berg's latest and the three latest by Robert Newcomb. I had read his "THe Fifth Sorceress" in 10-05 and liked it. I have just finished Carol's "Daughter of Ancients", book four of her Bridge of D'Arnath series, and really enjoyed it. I believe it is the best of the four. Have just started Newcomb's "The Gates of Dawn".
By the way, I have saved your Book Nook notes that provide recommendations and have a long way to go to get caught up. Thanks for your input.
Did some checking on the availibility of JV Jones latest and it appears that she's following the standard set by George Martin. I had thought her latest would have been out already and found that it has been delayed until late 2007.
Gotta close and go work on flower beds for my sweetheart. Am modifying recently installed sprinkler system to provide water to newly erected bed. It appears that we have about 5 years of outside work for our new house which we built and moved into this past March.
Frank
originally posted by Trys
Frank,
I do love those three L'Engle books. I re-read A Wrinkle in Time when the TV film version of it came out a while back. The book did not fail to entertain or engage the same feelings it did the first time I read it. The film version… not so much. 
Trys
originally posted by Frank T Davis
Trys,
I understand that she has now written one involving mainly the twins? Comments please.
Thanks,
Frank
originally posted by Trys
Frank,
It's been a while since I read Many Waters but it didn't have the magic for me. I think this is because I found the characters of Meg and Charles Wallace to be so captivating that the twins just didn't spark for me. Probably worth a read when you don't have anything else pressing that you want to read.
Trys
originally posted by Andrea Wohlhuter
I have just finished Well of Shades from Juliet Marillier, book 3 of the Bridie Chronicles and I have really enjoyed this series so far. Starting off with The Dari Mirror and then Blade of Fortriu. The story is set in ancient Scotland at the time of the picts.
Cheers
Wolfhunter
Good series, yes, but please for us US readers - don't post spoilers. We have only the Dark Mirror available now - Blade of Fortriu comes out in a few weeks, but the last one isn't due for over a year.
I may cut and run for the Down Under edition - it depends how she finishes the second one…but the first was truly gorgeous. I definitely cried through the defining moment.
But then I have always loved Marillier's work.
originally posted by Yvonne
Love Marillier too, but recently (when not re-reading WoLaS, of course!) have discovered "Chronicles of the Raven" and "Legends of the Raven", two trilogies by James Barclay. Wonderful fantasy, but I hate the way he occassionally kills off one of his main characters just as you have come to love them so much! Robin Hobb is also a favourite and I have recently finished her new novel "Forest Mage", the second in the Soldier Son trilogy
originally posted by bart
In between times of waiting for the next janny wurts to hit the shelves, I've just finished reading kate elliots 'crown of stars', the last book in a set of seven, what an experience.
The seris is one of those epic unputdownables that has you left begging for more.
I can't recommend it enough. The fact that the series is complete is a bonus because you can now lose yourself in the world that she has created without worrying about when the next book is coming out. ******
originally posted by Frank T Davis
Thank you very much Bart for the info re Kate's saga. I did not realize that the final book, "Crown of Stars" had been published. Will definitely place it on order, as I like you have enjoyed very much all of her writing. If you haven't already done so, strongly recommend that you read "The Golden Key" by Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson and Kate. If you like it you may want to read Melanie and Jennifer's many works.
Frank
originally posted by Ypso
Some weeks ago I started with "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo and I like it very much, on the one hand because of its story with all those little subplots, which may doesn’t driving the main plot forward, but which contain really interesting thoughts.
On the other hand it is written in a pleasant way, what surprised me a little bit because of the book’s age (but maybe it’s just a good translation). Besides it seems to be a bit ironical once in a while (the bishop Myriel is absolutely great in the way he is acting and sometimes it makes really fun "watching" him ;-).
By the way, is there anybody who had read "Beauty and the Beast" and "Song of Orpheus" by Barbara Hambly? It seems to be conected with this TV series from 1987-1989, which I liked when I was younger (even I can hardly remember what happened in the series). So I wonder if it is worth to look for the books?
originally posted by starstorm
quote:By the way, is there anybody who had read "Beauty and the Beast" and "Song of Orpheus" by Barbara Hambly?
You're correct about them being related to the show; they're both novelizations of two of the episodes. I went to look at Amazon and recognized the cover of Beauty and the Beast, which was the novelization of the pilot episode that I used to have. I honestly don't remember how it was, but the other things I've read by Hambly have been good.
Funny you should mention that show, because I've been watching my old VHS tapes recently, lamenting that it wasn't on DVD… and I just found out a couple weeks ago that the first season is going to be released in February
~Anna
originally posted by Ypso
Yes, I have heard this news regarding the DVD release too, and first I was pleased about it - 'til I remembered that there are different region codes for DVDs, means that an U.S. DVD will not work on an European DVD player.
One reason more to look for the books.
originally posted by Derek Coventry
Kate Elliott rang a bell so I searched my bookshelves and found 'Jaran'. It must be about 14 years ago I read it so I've put it on my 'to re-read shelf'. I've quite a few Melanie Rawn but not 'The Golden Key' so that goes on my 'to get' list.
I've recently been immersed in George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series and at present I'm two thirds through 'A Feast of Crows' and two days ago I received Trudi Canavan's 'Voice of the Gods' hand delivered from Melbourne courtesy of my son's brother-in-law. I have a Martha Wells trilogy lined up for after those. I don't find retirement boring at all!
originally posted by Laurence J Johnson
Hello one and all, well, I have finally had the time to catch up with some reading, that's one blessing which comes with the long winter nights.
I'm now up to date with Raymond E Feist's books, having recently read all 3 volumes of the CONCLAVE OF SHADOWS and the first 2 volumes of THE DARK WAR.
I found them to be enjoyable reading and it was difficult to put them down!
So now it's time for me to read PATRICK by STEPHEN LAWHEAD.
Skol from Laurence.
originally posted by Laurence J Johnson
Greetings Avid Readers!
Well, I have finished reading Patrick by Stephen Lawhead, it's an excellent yarn!
I recommend it.
The one criticism which I have, is that he uses the American spelling for words such as favour & harbour & honour, etc., in other words he omits the U.
I find this to be odd, when he is such an excellent writer, he even spells Latin & Gaelic words correctly!
Skol from Laurence.
originally posted by Laurence J Johnson
Hello one and all, I'm currently reading book 1 of Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars.
Does the story improve in the following volumes?
Skol from Laurence.