Introductory books for New SF/Fantasy readers

[K. Riehl]

I'm interested in books you would recommend to non-science fiction/fantasy readers to get them started reading in the genre.
I've worked for a bookstore for years and I learned to ask leading questions about previous books read and types of stories enjoyed.
Do you like character driven stories? big ideas? intrigue? action?

I then listed three to five titles for each style and posted them for other employees as recommendations: Examples

Action
Honor Harrington series- David Weber
Enders Game- Orsen Scott Card
Dune- Frank Herbert


Intrigue
Amber series - Roger Zelazny
Mordants Need Duology- Stephen Donaldson
Game of Thrones etc..- George RR Martin

Remember these need to be accessable to readers new to the genre. If you have a style/sub-genre list please include them in your short lists.
Thanks
Ken

 

[BookStop]

SF

CJ Cherryh's Chanur series
Robert Heinlein - Starship Troopers, Door into Summer
Steven Brust - Cowboy Feng's Space Bar & Grille

F

Charles De Lint - Moonheart, Spiritwalk
Terry Brooks - Shannara series is being repackaged as YA

I am not a hardcore SFF reader, mysteries still being my alltime favorite genre, but these books, as well as some you mentioned, are all good and easy to get excited about.

 

[K. Riehl]

The Chanur series is a favorite of mine as well.

I recommended it a few times but I found people who were new to SF were put off by the alien language and confused quite often by the concepts.

I now recommend the series after the newbie has read a few other titles and wants to move to more involved concepts. This is why I don't start anyone new on Fire Upon the Deep even thought it's one of the best stories I've ever read.

 

[K. Riehl]

I also think you are right on with Charles De Lint. He has such an elegant style that brings the reader right into the world he has created.

Thanks!

 

[elvet]

When you read the 'What got you started' thread, a large proportion of fantasy readers started out with the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Now maybe because of the movie exposure the LotR would loose its magic, but I still think it is one of the best works of Fantasy to start off with.
For young adults, I'd recommend either Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials, or Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy.

 

[Fried Egg]

I can tell you from experience that Gemmel is an excellent author to suck people in the the genre. It has worked on people I know countless times in the past.

 

[chrispenycate]

I always try to tailor the infective agent to the particular victim; I've hooked people on fantasy with works as diverse as Pratchett and Jennufer Roberson's "Sandtiger and Dell" books, and science fiction including Niven, Flint and Bujold.
Once their immune system has let something through, later steps into total addiction can bet estimated.

 

[Spade]

For Sci-fi, definitely Ender's Game, Starship Troopers, The Forever War, or Dune. My personal favorite that no one's likely to have heard about is Frank M. Robinson's The Dark Beyond the Stars.

 

[hedgeknight]

I would start out with some "stand-alone" books (even though they might be part of a longer series). Here are a few ideas, though not in any order:

• Legend by David Gemmell - great military, sword/sorcery fantasy; just top notch reading and not too long either!
• Redwall by Brian Jacques - even though it is the first book in a huge list of sequels, it can be read alone and is fine fantasy!
• Santiago by Mike Resnick - one of the best space thrillers I've ever read!
• The Hobbit by Tolkien - wonderful storytelling, great characters, what's not to like!
• Legends edited by Robert Silverberg - two volumes of fantastic short stories by some of the best authors in the field of fantasy/sci-fi fiction today! George R.R. Martin, Robert Silverberg, Anne McAffery (sp?), Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind - a bunch of others! A good place for beginning readers in the genre who really don't know what they want to read.

Help me out folks - what are some other good stand-alone books?
-g-

 

[Thadlerian]

Anything written by Ursula K. Le Guin should be pretty safe. Very character-driven.

 

[Jason_Taverner]

I can tell you from experience that Gemmel is an excellent author to suck people in the the genre. It has worked on people I know countless times in the past.

I agree