SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

I'm reading the Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling at the moment and I'm wondering, if I only just read the wrong books so far, or if there is a lack of novels with a good SFF plot and a non-doomed adult relationship for the MCs?

I'm happy for any recommendations with a caring mc couple where the romance does not steal the plot. No triangles, no coming of age, no lovers-have-to-be-apart-by-fate-death-destiny, no mc-is-in-a-relationship-but-the-partner-plays-no-role-in-the-plot. What I'm looking for is two people loving and caring for each other and together facing whatever adventures, accidents or world-savings the plot throws at them.

Apart from the Nightrunner series only the TV series "The Colony" comes to mind here (at least in the first two seasons since the third is not yet availabe in Germany)

I enjoyed the romance subplot of Infomocracy by Malka Ann Older.

I feel like there was also a romantic subplot in Provenance by Ann Leckie.

Neither were love triangles or doomed to fail or anything.

Thank you very much, Sarah! I will have a look into both novels.

You’re welcome! I didn’t realize how few books in sci-fi have that til I looked at my list.

The Abhorsen series has a couple that is happy and involved in the same undertakings as each other. It starts with Sabriel.

There's Dune if you haven't read that yet.

I have a few others on my shelves but not ones that scream "Oh I bet Gabi would like these."

Corey's The Expanse series
Scalzi's Old Man's War's first few books
Kloos's Frontline series

Somehow they are all space opera, with some military SF touches in it. The romances there (involving the main characters) did not annoy me and I believe tick all your boxes too.

Maybe a few books in the time travel genre, à la 'Outlander'?

There's a well-established relationship at the center of Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly. The couple is older than most protagonists we see in high fantasy, and I really enjoyed reading about them being in sync with each other and working together as a team. The book itself is an interesting, subversive take on the sword-and-sorcery subgenre, complete with an impossible quest, a dragon to kill, a throne to save, and princeling who gets in the way.

I wish I had recs for you, but I myself am still looking for the next couple like this. There are other couples/relationships I like as much, but they're not what you're looking for.

Most recently the Lady Astronaut novels The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky (as well as the original short stories found in Word Puppets) feature grown-ups in solid relationships.

A Closed and Common Orbit features a very SFnal take on a relationship.

Lessa and F’lar in the Dragonriders of Pern series also come to mind.

Watchers meets all requirements + super intelligent golden retriever.

Gabi wrote: "I'm reading the Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling at the moment and I'm wondering, if I only just read the wrong books so far, or if there is a lack of novels with a good SFF plo..."

Jennifer Roberson's Tiger & Del series fits this: Sword-Dancer - it's a bit sexist to start as it's all told from his point of view

The Jaran series by Kate Elliott has a matched pair that work together

Lois McMaster Bujold has a mature couple get together in Shards of Honor, and continues their story in the subsequent books of the Vorkosigan series--sometimes in the foreground, sometimes in the background.

For Fantasy stories, I'd recommend Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville stories. They start out with cycling through a few different romantic interests, but by the end of the third book in the series she forms a serious relationship that lasts the rest of the series.

Another series I might suggest would be Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson. It starts out as a bit of a love triangle, but I think by around the fifth book she chooses one and that releationship lasts the rest of the series.

Both books feature adult main characters, Kitty is IIRC in her 20's and Mercy in her 30's.

Thank you so much for all your recommendations! I'm grateful for all the help in this group!
I will have a look at all those novels and see, if they sound like something that would meet my taste (I'm horribly picky when it comes to relationships, though ^^')

Poison Study from Maria V. Snyder's Soulfinder series have a Romeo/Juliet couple from different countries working together

All three of the Infomocracy books had romance sub-plots that I enjoyed.

Melissa Scott often has good relationships in her books - the Astreiant series is one of my favorites, although they don't get together until book 2. Death by Silver is also good, although more focused on the romance.

Tanya Huff often has nice relationships/romances in her books. A few that I like more on the romance side are Heather Rose Jones's Alpennia books and K.J. Charles's spec fic.

Finding this thread fascinating, and highly informative. Thank you all for these recs, and thank you Gabi for posing the question! *giddily jots down notes for future use*

Jemppu wrote: "Finding this thread fascinating, and highly informative. Thank you all for these recs, and thank you Gabi for posing the question! *giddily jots down notes for future use*"

You know me ... ;) I need a working relationship.

Question to all the wonderful recommendations poster: are some of those couples queer? (I'd guess with Becky Chambers this probably is the case)

Magic's Pawn is the first book of the Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. You may want to give that a shot.

@Gabi: Basically all the authors I mentioned write many/mostly queer characters, The central romance in the final Infomocracy book is queer.

Another that comes to mind (also queer) is City of Strife, which has many characters and several relationships that meet your criteria.

One of my absolute favorite fictional couples is Richard and Alec from Swordspoint, though they don't really have a happily ever after. But I also wouldn't describe them as doomed, either. And Tess and Kaab are fantastic in Tremontaine: The Complete Season One although I haven't gotten through the later seasons yet.

If you're open to triads, The Horse Mistress: Book 1 is very good (and I think the first book may still be available free).

Kaa wrote: "@Gabi: Basically all the authors I mentioned write many/mostly queer characters, The central romance in the final Infomocracy book is queer.

Another that comes to mind (also queer) is [book:City ..."

Terrific to know! Thanks a lot! I will go and enlarge my TBR list.

And yes! I'm absolutely open to triads. ETA: Just checked, book 1 is still free - that's a knockout argument :)

@Soo: is this good? I skimmed the reviews and it sounded like it's a bit on the melodramatc side. (which could be good ... or it couldn't)

Loving all these recommendations.

Soo wrote: "Magic's Pawn is the first book of the Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. You may want to give that a shot."

Waaaaaarning! They are not a happy love story. I am glad I read the book but I was sobbing, and apparently it does not get better in the later books.

I really want to fit Too Like the Lightning into my recs but there are so many caveats that I'm not sure this is the correct spot for it. I do love the MC's twisted, fierce love for his significant other. There are queer relationships alll over the place but also a lot of messaging that takes significant discussion to see as anything other than bigotry. What a weird, captivating series this has been so far!

Allison wrote: "I really want to fit Too Like the Lightning into my recs but there are so many caveats that I'm not sure this is the correct spot for it. I do love the MC's twisted, fierce love for..."

Your recs so far have been good for me, so this goes on my TBR :)
And thanks for the warning for Magic's Pawn. If I don't care for the charas, then I'll go with any devastation. But as soon as I fall in love with one of them such twists can destroy me. Well ... Of course I only know which way it is, if I read the book ...

Gabi wrote: "Allison wrote: "I really want to fit Too Like the Lightning into my recs but there are so many caveats that I'm not sure this is the correct spot for it. I do love the MC's twisted,..."

Read or listen (I like the narrator a lot) to the sample first. It's a bizarre storytelling style that you'll either find interesting or painful. I do not blame you if you find it painful. It's a seriously odd story, but it reverberated all around my head as I read it, and it was part of a truly fascinating buddy read.

Are you willing to read five silly novels about other people first, only getting tiny little glimpses of the amazing couple? And then only get one novella about them as a couple? And some tiny glimpses again in yet another novel series about other people? Would it help if the novels are perfect brain candy, amazing on audio? If yes, then check out Soulless, but don't look further into the series or anything she's written, or you'll spoil who the couple is, and it's part of the charm to find out as you read.

I didn't read it for years because it sounds so stupid and it has all the things I usually avoid, but when I finally did, I was awarded with one of my top three relationships in literature <3

If you ever do decide to read it, then read all five novels first, and try to avoid looking at all the other things she's published in this and other series. There's a clear reading order depending on what you do and don't want to read.

It's not really what you're asking for, but it's the couple I feel is as strong as Seregil and Alec.

I LOVE Souless and the novella series she’s doing to match them all up now. They just make me happy.

You have to like the strong woman in silly Victorian clothes plus werewolves lol

And Anna can you say in tags which relationship is your fav?? I have my guess but...

Now you've really got me interested! (and that although I'm usually not interested in Victorian era stories)

Everything about the premise and setting and paranormal creatures is something I normally avoid like the plague, but I love the series to death. So I'd say give it a try? It's on the group bookshelf so the very least you'll cross one of those out :) And I do highly recommend the audio, but as always, try the sample first.

Rachel, I'm pretty sure you know the one. They have their own novella, and there are no other couples that do. From the main series that is.

Gabit, Herald Mage is one of my fav series and I've read a bunch of the Companion stories/series. I've read that trilogy several times. I don't mind bitter-sweet tales and it's not completely bleak. If you click with the character, you will care and there will be a range of emotional responses.

I'm not posting a bunch of recs because I'm not entirely sure what you're looking for. I am guessing at a good story with an good relationship. Good does not mean happily ever after for me. It can be a root for them & cry deal and I would still be happy if it's done well.

The recommendations that are made are interesting because it's cool to see other people's perspective. I rather adore that. It's pretty darn cool.

Thank you, Soo, for the explanation.

I'm very happy with this huge amount of different recommendations as well and I'm looking forward to see, if I find something I love among them.

so far I have read most of these books so I agree with the Jaran series by Kate Elliott and Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

I will throw in another series that ahs a few couples that work together against various adversaries : John Conroe's Demon Accord series