Fantastic Fantasy and Science Fiction discussion

I find that my favorite science fiction series define science fiction for me, or at least sets the parameters for what I look for. I am going to painstakingly go through my list of reads and add a list. I would like you all to do the same. Let's see if our combined books will give us a cohesive sense of how we all define this genre for our group. Yes, we can do that. This is our little world so we can make the rules:)

Tops for me is Bujold's Vorkosigan saga.

Do you mean the series by Lois McMaster Bujold or just the particular books of "Cordelia's Honor"? That is a really long series. Is it complete?

Actually, no, I just discovered that a new one is out. I've been taking my time (years) to read them because I like them so much and also because they're pretty self-contained stories. The characters are the same, but the adventures start and end within each book.

I started from the beginning with an omnibus of Cordelia's story. Then I read the rest more or less in chronological order. They're all good, but a few are real gems and have won Hugo/Nebula awards.

It is long, but many of the books include short stories and novellas--in other words, not all the titles are full novels.

To clarify . . . the first two novels are about Cordelia, then the rest are about Miles.

The "Dock universe" series by Linnea Sinclair Shades of Dark Hope's Folly Rebels and Loversthe her single titles An Accidental Goddess Games of Command Down Home Zombie Blues Finders Keepersthen Katriena Knights and her two Starchild EarthchildI have read some other in the past..but they have more "tech" stuff & less romance/adventure...which I would rather have..so love to hear more recommends from others..oh Jenna Starbornby Sharon Shinn was good but not a series.

I just remembered a really good series byMargaret WeisKing's Test The Lost King Ghost Legion King's Sacrifice

If your interested jD..there seems to be a new trend in sci-fi/romance for post-apocalyptic /romance settings.Our world has come to an end..so it really falls into the "re-building"of a new world..I have great recommends if you want to start a new thread with this later? these books are about hope/perseverance/finding love in times were characters overcome adversity/re-build a new world.some are with "other beings" and some not.

Thanks Sandi. Normally I don't enjoy futuristic or stories happening in space although I did enjoy Dune but I was in HS and not as easily distracted. I am still having a problem with my list for here. I think of JIm Butcher and Simon Green as Science Fiction but I am seeing their books fall under Urban Fantasy on many other groups.

I would say Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. I did not like it - but I would classify it as Sci-Fi.

On my bookshelves, I have Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series as Sci-Fi. It is set in the far future, but the world has the technology of 18th century. Also, the characters have special powers. Darkover is part of a larger galactic government that does have space travel and advance technology - but the main world does not. I guess it isn't pure Sci-Fi.

I usually prefer fantasy to sci-fi, but my favourite sci-fi book would have to be the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

i guess mine would have to be the gap series by Stephen R. Donaldson it was really the first sci fi series i ever read and it left a very big impact on me as a young reader.

I'm new to the group, but have some ideas. I liked Asimov's Foundation series, including the expansions. I liked Stephen Donaldson's "white gold wielder" series (can't remember the name of it), Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, David Wingrove's Chung Kuo series, David Brin's Uplift series, really like Allen Steele for "close future" sci-fi. Really getting into Kindle offerings lately - anybody have any Kindle scifi/fantasy recommendations?