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Anyone a Science Fiction Romance fan?

7K views 43 replies 17 participants last post by  TriciaJ82 
#1 ·
I could have sworn there was a thread on this already. But I must have dreamed it. Good sci fi romance is harder to find than the elusive unicorn it seems. So here is a thread to share the stuff we liked, read and want to read.

Today I got an email about the Galaxy awards they gave out and I am already digging through the lists. They are really open about the themes and stuff and on the right of the list, you can go to all the rounds. The first listed is the latest #7.
http://sfrgalaxyawards.blogspot.com/2016/01/4th-annual-sfr-galaxy-awards-round_31.html

Unfortunately, a few I thought looked oh so interesting and when I found them, they were only novella length series. Sigh. I pretty much only read full length stuff. But there is still plenty of other things to find for me I hope. I like that they lay out the stuff that interests especially SFR readers. As suppose to just SF readers.

I'll start here by listing a couple of SFR that I totally loved



Yes same author. ;D

I think I lean more towards earth connected sci fi, if that makes sense. I think if its new species and new planets and not a atom of earth included in a story, if feels a lot like fantasy to me.
First contact, new colonies, or even SFR without aliens at all. But I am open to anything really. I mean I love the JD Robb series, flove it. And there are no aliens in it. Although its not SFR in that sense, more like a SF procedural with a romantic line going through? How does one categorize that series. I have not find anything even remotely like it. Brilliant is what it is. Just read #21 in the series and it was the best yet for me. Yet, I do not like Nora Roberts romances, go figure. 8)
 
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#4 ·
I read anything from no steam to lots of steam, as long as its SFR and not just SF. For some reason, I love watching SF stuff, but not read it. But I love SFR. Go figure.  :p. The steam as in any romance subgenre must fit the story and characters. Its not its own entity, but interwoven with the emotions and actions.

I'll take a closer look at that Sharon Lee title. Blurb reads a lot like fantasy. Probably with the dragon in the title and all those weird names . Is that a romance? I mean at the least I don't want an entity of the couple to be dead at the end, but together. Doesn't have to be picket fence HEA, its sci fi after all, but a positive HFN at the least. Hard to tell by the blurb who the hero/heroine are. Its Outlander length  ;D. Something to sink the teeth into.
 
#5 ·
its light sci-fi romance with a great story. I would say positive and feel good. The good guys win, not sure there are even any bad guys in first book. Scout's progress is my favorite. Not fantasy, Dragon is the name of the family/clan.

Actually, Agent of Change in the 2nd omnibus is probably my favorite.

Most of the books involve the getting together of a couple within the family

I would be very surprised if they didn't grab you  :)
 
#6 ·
Thank you, adding them to my list. I am keeping a collection on my kindles and I send samples to of stuff. Not usually one to read samples in general, but they make good placeholders on the device and I can read all the way through from there when needed. ;D

eta: wait, the one you listed is not the beginning according to goodreads. I am of the OCD reading order so I have to star with Chrystal Soldier. The one you listed seems to have book 4-6 in it. OH dear, the reading order is even more complicated according to goodreads, some intertwining series and then some different publication order. Yikes, I'll have to sort that one out first. I have to make sure the first is the first. Chronological that is. Why do authors do this. Whyyyyyyyyyyyy. :-X Those earlier ones sure look like straight up SF though. Hmmmm.

These words from the author give me the hives :eek: :eek:

The author suggests several reading orders, from her website
:-X :eek: :p
 
#7 ·
Atunah said:
Thank you, adding them to my list. I am keeping a collection on my kindles and I send samples to of stuff. Not usually one to read samples in general, but they make good placeholders on the device and I can read all the way through from there when needed. ;D

eta: wait, the one you listed is not the beginning according to goodreads. I am of the OCD reading order so I have to star with Chrystal Soldier. The one you listed seems to have book 4-6 in it. OH dear, the reading order is even more complicated according to goodreads, some intertwining series and then some different publication order. Yikes, I'll have to sort that one out first. I have to make sure the first is the first. Chronological that is. Why do authors do this. Whyyyyyyyyyyyy. :-X Those earlier ones sure look like straight up SF though. Hmmmm.

These words from the author give me the hives :eek: :eek:

:-X :eek: :p
LOL, I see your dilemma. I would definitely start with the omnibus I listed, then second omnibus, that was how they published and I think the early chronological ones are only interesting if you want to find out more about how the universe started, but would not grab a new reader I think. Definitely not necessary and not a continuation of story
 
#8 ·
I am a fan of Cathryn Cade, she is definitely romance. She has two series that would fit your particular interest. The first one is her Orion series, I am pretty sure that earth isn't really involved except in a very minor way. Tyger, Tyger burning bright is the first in the series. Its okay but there are others that are better in the series. The other series is loadstar. It is a 4 book series with the first and last featuring the same couple. The first book does have a cliff hanger.

There is also Evangline Anderson who writes the kindred series. It is set on modern day earth and the heroines are human. The first book in the series is free Claimed (Brides of the Kindred Book 1)
 
#9 ·
Hey Atunah, I've got a couple of recs for you. I don't read that much SFR, but The Best of All Possible Worlds, by Karen Lord, was an exception. I won it in a contest and since the hero was described as being like Spock, I had to read it. It ended up being one of my favorite books of 2013. It's a road trip novel. It's been criticized as being slow and I'll admit, there isn't a ton of action, it's more of a cultural exploration, but I loved it. The romance is understated, but lovely, as the heroine slowly is introduced to and comes to understand, appreciate, and respect the hero.



The other rec is for the Paradox series by Rachel Bach starting with Fortune's Pawn. I haven't read this yet, but I absolutely adore her Heartstriker's series (Nice Dragons Finish Last) which is UF rather than SF. I think there might be a romance subplot, but I'm not sure. If there is, it's not the focus of the series. I first heard about it when Ilona Andrews recommended it on her blog - since she's my favorite UF writer, I really want to read it.

 
#10 ·
Well, since Ilona Andrews recommended them.  ;D

"The Best of All Possible Worlds" sounds really interesting. And thank lard its available at my library, 11.99 for an ebook?  :eek: :eek: :eek:
Putting in on the wishlist at library for now. I don't mind slow, I don't have to have action all the time. And your recommendation has a lot of weight with me anyway.

Thanks everyone. Glad I started this thread. Its a tough genre to find stuff in and in other genres where there is lots to pick from I have the luxury of being picky. Its hard to be picky when there isn't a lot in the pool so to speak.
 
#11 ·
Atunah said:
"The Best of All Possible Worlds" sounds really interesting. And thank lard its available at my library, 11.99 for an ebook? :eek: :eek: :eek:
Putting in on the wishlist at library for now. I don't mind slow, I don't have to have action all the time. And your recommendation has a lot of weight with me anyway.
I was lucky enough to win an ARC in a contest, otherwise I probably wouldn't have read it. Plus, The Book Smugglers blog had just written a really good review of it, because otherwise, it would have languished on the TBR mountain forever.

Another one that I'll mention is The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith. I haven't read it but it has gotten rave reviews on the blogs I read and has a 4.20 rating on Goodreads. It's self-pubbed and 900 pages long, but it's $6.50 which is why I haven't bought it yet, although that price is reasonable given the length. It's also a stand-alone.



Similar theme, but much more lighthearted is the Ice Planet Barbarians series by Ruby Dixon. The first book is $0.99, so much more affordable. ;) Haven't read this one either.

 
#12 ·
I own the Hour of Gann.  :p. Bought it with those book credits we got back in early 2014. Of course I haven't gotten to it yet. I think it might have gotten lost in my pile too. Shame on me. That is a weekend read, when I have longer blocks of time since its a long one. Its loanable worktolive if you want to borrow it from me.
 
#14 ·
worktolive said:
Thanks for the offer! I've got a bunch of library books that I'm trying to read, and my book club picked The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt this month, which is 750 pages long :eek:, so I'm swamped right now. I may take you up on that offer later though.
Just send me a pm whenever you want it. It'll be there for you. Don't matter if its in a month or 6. Just let me know.
I have not yet seen that authors books go on sale, one I found in KU, but only one. They pretty much are 6.50 all the time.
 
#15 ·
Ooh, I know one. Ruby Lionsdrake (pen name for a KB member, but I have only just joined, so I don't know if she's "out" here?) has the Frost Station Alpha series of novellas. There are six little books that add up to one pretty good story with a fair amount of steam.
 
#17 ·
It doesn't have to be explicitly a romance, but I do like stories that have at least some romantic potential between characters if nothing else. I greatly prefer characters who can care for things beyond themselves, and having a romantic possibility is a good way to show that.
 
#18 ·
I second Ruby Lionsdrake.

She's a prolific author too, so I believe she's got the Frost Station Alpha series, the Mandrake Company series (I recommend this series most), and a standalone. She may have published something while I wrote this. Most of it's in Kindle Unlimited if you're a subscriber.
 
#19 ·
I'm sort of weird because I love romance novels and I love science fiction novels, but I tend to be not that hot on sci-fi romance as a sub genre. Don't get me wrong, I love having romance as a subplot of science fiction books, but straight up sci-fi romance usually falls flat for me for some reason. I think maybe it's because I'm reading the wrong stuff. The books I've tried, usually the world building and science are a complete afterthought (and rather sloppy), I think if I found something that combined all three really well, I'd probably love it.
 
#20 ·
Dang, I had to dig deep to find this thread. Just shows again how little of this subgenre there is to find.

But here is a freebie. So yay. ;D

I could not make a link of the kindle version that is free for some reason. Only the paper. So click through to the right one before you hit the buy now button.



I also read this one recently and really enjoyed it. Leave it to Carina Press to come up with some SFR.


I am looking forward to the next in the series.
 
#24 ·
soche said:
I love science fiction romance! My very favorite is Lord of the Storm by Justine Davis and another one that I loved is Shamara by Catherine Spangler.
I just looked up Lord of the Storm and found out I bought it on sale in 2015. I had no idea. :-\ Got lost in the shuffle I guess. Moved it up on my list.
Thanks for those recs.

Glad to see a few more SFR readers in the thread.

eta: and I just realized I own the first in that Spangler series, Shamara being the 3rd. The first called Shielder was also lost in the depth of my books.
I did not see them in my SFR collection for some reason, I must not have added them. No wonder they got lost.
 
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