Conscientious
You feel it's important to work according to a plan and finish every task, to do things correctly and thoroughly.
You are not the kind of person who abandons a project before finishing it, or slacks off when you've lost interest.
Scrupulous
You are an honest, fair person. You don't lie or cheat to get ahead. You treat others with respect and hope for the same in return.
You do not feel that you are above the rules that everyone else follows; you are definitely not willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead.
Organized
You like to think a task through before you embark on it. If it's the slightest bit complicated, you make a list (even if it's only in your mind) and methodically work your way through it. When you have a goal in mind, you're not satisfied until you reach it.
You are not one of those people who ignore the details, and you don't understand how anyone can get anything accomplished without thoughtful planning ahead of time.
Prudent
You look before you leap, think before you act, consider what you're about to say before you open your mouth to speak; that's why you rarely have to eat your words.
You usually don't get excited easily or blurt out the first thing that comes to mind without considering the consequences.
Introspective
You like your own company; you're a very interesting person. Tracking your own mental processes, knowing what you're thinking and why you do what you do, is important to you. Often, what's going on in your mind is more compelling than what's going on outside. For the most part, those with a high score on the "introspective" trait enjoy reading, taking long walks, learning new things, and other solitary activities.
You are not someone who is constantly looking to be among a group of friends; you never feel bored when you are by yourself.
Reserved
You are somewhat shy, or at least unwilling to spend all your time socializing. With you it's true that "still waters run deep," which is why many of your acquaintances never get to know you well.
You are not always ready to talk at the drop of a hat. Whether you're in the office or at a party, you're not likely to be found gabbing away in the middle of a group of people.
Discreet
You tend to hold onto your thoughts until you have something important to say, and even then you're not comfortable imposing your ideas on others unless you know they're truly interested.
You don't enjoy talking for the sake of talking, and you have no desire to be the center of attention.
Responsible
You fulfill your obligations and responsibilities, are true to your word, and generally obey the rules. While the majority of those who have a high score on the "responsible" trait enjoy traveling, they are usually very happy to return home — and don’t mind staying put for a while.
You're opposed to making hasty decisions, you don't insist that you're above the rules, nor do you feel compelled to color outside the lines.
Focused
You know how to lock in on what's important. You quickly prepare yourself for a task, you don't procrastinate, and you don't let up until the job is done to your satisfaction.
You are the opposite of scattered. You don't procrastinate before starting a task, and you almost never lose track of what you're doing.
Aesthetic
You appreciate art, beauty, and design; you know that they are not superficial but absolutely crucial to living the good life. You have good taste, and you're proud of it. Those with a high score on the "aesthetic" trait are often employed in literary or artistic professions, enjoy domestic activities — doing things around the house — and are enthusiastic about the arts, reading, and travel.
You don't think it's pretentious to be moved by art and beauty. You're not one of those who believe it doesn't matter what something looks like as long as it does its job.
Personally, I think Murakami is horribly over-rated, but he's a current literary darling, so Kafka on the Shore or Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World might be worth a look.
One big recommendation: China Miéville is the most thrilling voice to hit fantasy in years and years. Brilliant stylist; his prose easily equals Chip Delany or Ursula Le Guin, surpasses (imho) George Martin or Gene Wolfe.
But not for everyone. Not Tolkienesque elves & hobbits, no kinda-like-rural Englands, no monolithic all-bad Dark Lords. You're more likely to find characters derived from Egyptian myth (like the Khepri--a race of artists with human bodies and the heads of scarabs), Hindu epics, even a version of the cactuars from Final Fantasy video games.
The core setting of his best known novels-- Perdido Street Station; The Iron Council; The Scar--is the immense, relentlessly magical city of New Crobuzon. This is a steampunk world--more intense than, but similar to, the setting of Fullmetal Alchemist.
And Miéville's very political. His paradigm (again, like Fullmetal) is that magic will inevitably be co-opted by oligarchs, militarized, and used against the masses; while artists, scientists & outlaws invent new magics to fight back.
Result: in New Crobuzon, class warfare is at once wondrous, gorgeous, psychedelic, and dripping with eldritch horror...
Bottom line: if you like Moorcock, Tim Powers, Thomas Disch, M. John Harrison, J.G. Ballard, Brian Aldiss, Michael de Larrabeiti, Emma Bull, or Kelly Link, you might love Miéville. commented on Mar 21
This will seem odd at first, for Lady Dorothy Dunnett didn't write sf/f. She wrote a hugely epic and epically romantic historical series: the six-volume Lymond Chronicles and an eight-volume prequel, The House of Niccolò
This isn't a personal recommendation: I could never get into them. But that's true of much romance.
What I can say is this: every female fantasy author and editor whom I've known even slightly has been absolutely madly in love with Dunnett's novels. Given that her hardcore fans have included writers like Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey, it's likely that Dunnett may be (directly or by one degree of separation) the single greatest influence on romantic fantasy in the past half century. For that reason alone... commented on Mar 21