Difference between revisions of "Book Recommendations"

 
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*So You Want To Write by Marge Piercy  
 
*So You Want To Write by Marge Piercy  
 
*Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft by David Morrell
 
*Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft by David Morrell
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=== Books on World Building ===
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TrudyG wrote:
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''So, does anyone have any good book recommendations for worldbuilding, in any categories of world creation, maps, culture, creatures, beings, political units, etc? I have the start of a collection of them, and I’m always interested in new ones. Note that all the ones I list have at least some things in them I’ve found useful, even if it’s basics.''
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Available at Amazon:
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* Creating Life: The Art of Worldbuilding Book 1 by Randy Ellefson: Looks at creating creatures, beings, and some elements of culture.
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* Creating Places: The Art of Worldbuilding Book 2 by Randy Ellefson: Looks at creating worlds, continents, countries, etc. including basics of mapping.
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(Note that both the above do have a potentially irritating amount of references to the author’s website, but they can be useful.)
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* Way With Worlds Book 1: Crafting Great Fictional Settings by Steven Savage: Looks at basic philosophies, essentials, magic & tech, religion, sex, species, and characters.
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* Way With Worlds Book 2: Details and Discussions by Steven Savage: Looks at heroes, villains, & author’s pets, utopias & dystopias, conflicts, communication, tools & techniques, skills, and originality.
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Available on Smashwords
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* Pantheon Building by Julie Ann Dawson: Looks at creating gods and religions, for both stories and RPGs
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* Worldbuilding 101 by Julie Ann Dawson: Looks at the basics of worldbuilding for both stories and RPGs; based on a workshop that she holds.
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Both the above are short and were created more for RPGs, but can be useful for fiction worldbuilding as well.
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WriterofNumenor wrote:
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Storyworld First by Jill Williamson is the best!
  
 
= References =
 
= References =

Latest revision as of 07:42, 30 June 2019

[edit]

Favorite SF books for reading/inspiration (feel free to add yours)

  • The Childe Cycle by Gordon R. Dickson (also known as the Dorsai books. Tactics of Mistake and Soldier, Ask Not are very good)
  • Cities in Flight, by James Blish (imagine New York city in flight through space...)
  • The Riverworld series, by Philip Jose Farmer (imagine everyone who ever lived on Earth suddenly all being resurrected on the banks of a million-mile long river...)
  • Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
  • Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card
  • Ender's Shadow, by Orson Scott Card
  • Pastwatch, Orson Scott Card
  • Startide Rising, by David Brin
  • Eon and Eternity, two excellent, thought-provoking novels by Greg Bear
  • Last Legends of Earth, an epic SF adventure by A. A. Attanasio
  • Replay, by Ken Gibson

Favorite Fantasy books for reading/inspiration (feel free to add yours)

  • Black Easter and the Day After Judgement, by James Blish (what if the forces of heaven lost?)
  • Three Hearts and Three Lions, by Poul Anderson (fantasy about Ogier du Danske)
  • The Compleat Enchanter, Le Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
  • The Gift, by Patrick O'Leary (wonderful adventure tale with magic)
  • Seventh Son, by Orson Scott Card
  • Lyonesse, by Jack Vance
  • The Green Pearl, by Jack Vance
  • Madouc, by Jack Vance
  • The Black Company, by Glen Cook (great fantasy series with terrific, memorable characters and neat concepts)
  • Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman
  • American Gods, Neil Gaiman
  • Stardust, Neil Gaiman
  • The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman
  • 9 Princes in Amber, Roger Zelazny
  • The Hollowing, Mythago Wood and Lavondyss, by Robert Holdstock