# SF&F recommendations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-f-recommendations/465847 "2008-09-30T14:25:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-f-recommendations/465847/41 "2008-10-01T13:25:18Z")
I liked the _First Law_ trilogy better than **Critical1**. It’s by Joe Abercrombie and the books are _The Blade Itself_, _Before They Are Hanged_, and _Last Argument of Kings_. Most of the first book is spent developing the characters – it’s all set-up, and the action doesn’t get going until the end. The next two books are almost non-stop action, with even more character development. I liked Joe’s writing style. It’s modern without being anachronistic, and he writes excellent fight scenes. I’d recommend R. Scott Bakker’s _Prince of Nothing_ trilogy, but he ruined it for me by excessive rumination in the third book, and generally inane and dense philosophizing in the others. But when he wasn’t doing that, the books were pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-f-recommendations/465847/42 "2008-10-01T16:06:47Z")
Looking at the OP, I’d recommend checking out Jack Chalker - his work seems to be in the same ballpark. Start with his Well World series (_Midnight at the Well of Souls_ is the first book and works as a stand-alone novel). The downside is that Chalker died in 2005 and most of his books are out of print, so you’ll have to hunt down used copies. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-f-recommendations/465847/43 "2008-10-01T16:22:52Z")
> [@beowulf573](#): > > I’ve been reading the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde which are kinda sorta sci-fi’ish. British absurdity. Fun stuff, specially for a book lover. just the 2 are there? I spotted them in Tesco at 3 for a tenner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-f-recommendations/465847.md?page=2)