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Anyhow, I’ve enjoyed the Ender Series and the Alvin Maker series (which is more magic and supernatural) by Orson Scott Card. I very much enjoyed and highly recommend Broken Time by Maggy Thomas, it has a very interesting concept affecting time. I also recommend The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. Bag of Bones by King is also very good, although I wonder if that’s straying too far away from “science fiction” – the lines between genre really do blur. I just listened to Shadows by John Saul on audio book and it has a very interesting story line about a school for genius kids – I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to ruin it, but I would say that what goes on at the school would fall under science fiction. I’ve listened to The Traveler by John Twelve Hawkes, which is the first book of the Fourth Realm Trilogy – I haven’t gotten to the others yet. I also really enjoyed The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. There is a movie based on the book, although I haven’t seen the movie. The book seemed to haunt me – I saw it first while browsing at a book store in Santa Cruz, then Mike’s aunt was reading it, then I saw it at Barnes and Noble locally, and someone else mentioned it, so I finally had to get it – and I enjoyed it very much.

Anyhow, I apparently do read a lot of science fiction now, but it doesn’t “feel” like science fiction when I’m reading it. It’s the characters and their thoughts that keep me going.

What you said about Butcher has me intrigued, so I’ll check it out. At the very least, I may see how not to do it (which is sometimes more helpful than how TO). I’ve actually read quite a bit of Koontz and King – neither are really where I’m going, but they are both pretty strong in their 3rd person narrative skills. I’ll have to take another gander at them for help with technique.

You’ve given me A LOT to go on! Thank you so much. I’ll, no doubt, be posting little reviews and comments about what I’ve read as the year goes on.

If you like Neal Stephenson, you might also try Vernor Vinge or Cory Doctorow. James Patrick Kelley is also great. I think those last two have quite a bit of shorter stuff free online.

For fantasy, Bradley’s right about Robin Hobb, although it sounds like some of the stuff she wrote under the name of Megan Lindholm might be closer to what you’re writing. I also reccomend Scott Card’s Alvin Maker series. He also wrote some stand alone contemporary fantasies that are closer to what you’re writing, of which Magic Street is probably the best in general, maybe Enchantment. I love Treasure Box, but it’s more of a “fun” book than a serious one, and I don’t reccomend it to everyone because not everybody enjoys reading a writer who just seems to be playing around and having fun in a book more than they’re trying to write the next Great American Novel. I sometimes do, though. Treasure Box worked for me.

If you like Adams and Pratchett, though, the next logical step into a little more of a mix of the dramatic and the humourous is Neil Gaiman. Your story might be in the same general ballpark as Neverwhere.

I know you said not mainstream, but for what it sounds like you’re writing, I’d also suggest dabbling in some Koontz and King (in that order).

I haven’t read it yet, but for life after death, I’ve heard good things about Neal Shusterman’s Everlost. I have also heard that his book Unwind is powerful. They’re both YA novels, the first one a fantasy, the second one Sci-Fi, but I’ve only talked to adults who have read them, and everyone’s liked them, strongly enough that I’m recommending them without reading them.

Also, you might want to read a Jim Butcher novel, not because you’re going to love it (I’ve only read the first book in the series, didn’t love it, but I’ve heard they get better) but because it’s sort of what every gritty contemporary magical urban fantasy is being compared to right now. The good news is you might see it as a low hurdle to jump. Ask someobody who likes Butcher, they might be able to tell you a good one you’ll enjoy more than I liked Storm Front, the first book.

Anyway, thank you muchly for the suggestions! I’ll take a gander at them (wonder if Jim has any of them already). I’ll probably post excerpts or bits of notes a little later to give more of an idea where this story’s going.