Sci Fi books
wholelottarosa
Posts: 74
Hi all,
does anyone here read sci fi? I've noticed I just keep buying whatever's new from my favourite author and don't experiment so much anymore. Or if I do, I usually wind up with entertaining yet fluffy pulp.
Authors I like are:
Iain M. Banks
Charles Stross
Peter F. Hamilton
Octavia Butler
Alistair Reynolds
Cory Doctorow
Greg Egan
Neal Asher
Does anyone have recommendations for what else to try?
Oh, and of course if anyone wants recommendations, I'd be happy to rant about the merits of some of the stuff I've read.
does anyone here read sci fi? I've noticed I just keep buying whatever's new from my favourite author and don't experiment so much anymore. Or if I do, I usually wind up with entertaining yet fluffy pulp.
Authors I like are:
Iain M. Banks
Charles Stross
Peter F. Hamilton
Octavia Butler
Alistair Reynolds
Cory Doctorow
Greg Egan
Neal Asher
Does anyone have recommendations for what else to try?
Oh, and of course if anyone wants recommendations, I'd be happy to rant about the merits of some of the stuff I've read.
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Replies
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I've read some, but I think the only one on my bookshelf is by Elizabeth Moon : Rules of Engagement. It was a pretty good one:)0
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Thanks, I've never read that one. 0
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Go back to the classics
Asimov
Clarke
Heinlein
Vance
DeCamp
Pratchett0 -
Unwind by Neal Shusterman is what I consider Sci Fi. It's YA but the premise of the novel reminds me of Margaret Atwood. The Joe Ledger series is not quite Sci Fi, but I think it's very entertaning and Jonathan Maberry writes from a comic book background, but there is quite a lot of science and urban fantasy/ myth themes.0
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The War against the Chtorr series by David Gerrold is one of my favorites.0
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Go back to the classics
Asimov
Clarke
Heinlein
Vance
DeCamp
Pratchett
Agree. There is a lot of great older stuff out there.
I would also add names like:
Theodore Sturgeon
Harlan Ellison
Greg Bear
Joe Haldeman
Orson Scott Card
William Gibson0 -
Best short story book I ever read was Star Shine by Frederic Brown (1954)
Also good,
Harry Harrison
Clifford Simak
Philip Jose Farmer
Douglas Adams
Gordon R. D1ckson
(Apparently no is called the nickname for Richard on here)0 -
Oooh, Frederic Brown, I love his work.
I've read most of the classics, I was just wondering if there were any new hot authors on the rise.
I've never tried Joseph Haldeman or DeCamp though, I'll definitely check it out.
Thanks for all the suggestions!0 -
I've read some, but I think the only one on my bookshelf is by Elizabeth Moon : Rules of Engagement. It was a pretty good one:)
I loved that book!
First book that come to my mind is Dune. I freaking loved those books. I still do. They do get a bit too weird even for me towards the end, but still a great series.
I'm also a big Philip K **** fan.
Douglas Adams
Robert A Heinlein did Starship Troopers. I enjoyed that read, but honestly liked the movie more.0 -
I liked 'The Snow' by Adam Roberts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_(novel)
I also want to read most of these....
http://io9.com/5911265/most-mind+blowing-surprise-endings-from-science-fiction-and-fantasy-books
I like twists0 -
Also I can't recommend Ready Player One enough.0
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Also I can't recommend Ready Player One enough.
LOOOOOOOOVED that book.0 -
Also I can't recommend Ready Player One enough.
LOOOOOOOOVED that book.
I just googled for it.
"Ready Player One is Ernie Cline’s genre-busting debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed. "
Alright, I'm sold. Giant robots. 0 -
I read a ton of sci-fi growing up, Heinleien (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is GREAT!), Herbert, Gibson, Sterling, Bear, Clarke but drifted away due to having to read literally millions of words for the degrees I earned, but now I'm back at it. I'll second the Joe Ledger stuff (Patient Zero is the best of the bunch), like Tom Clancy meets George Romero, Richard Morgan (Altered Carbon here) has some fun stuff in a similar vein.
Lately though I've been burning through some older "pulpy" style stuff that I've found for free or cheap on Kindle for fun, but the one I'm inthe middle of is A Mote in God's Eye and it's very good so far. But if you want a couple of classics to read, try Neuromancer or Snow Crash, I would label both seminal works of cyberpunk by far 2 of my favorite books ever (and favorite authors too!)
And as for the Starship Troopers movie being better than the book...the movie glosses over all the stuff that Heinlein was trying to say about the "current" conflict and the social/political commentary therein. At least they kept the best line, "C'mon you apes, do you want to live forever!"0 -
I've read some, but I think the only one on my bookshelf is by Elizabeth Moon : Rules of Engagement. It was a pretty good one:)
Forgot to mention one because the series kind of loses the Sci Fi for a while...but the Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. Really enjoyed those.0 -
I am so HAPPY! I have been wondering what to read but can't find any good recommendations...you guys rock! I loved DUNE and read 4 othe books. So many recommendations I don't know where to start!0
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I usually read more fantasy than sci-fi, but thanks to a science fiction focused English class I took in college I discovered most of the classic authors already listed. But here are some others;
Philip K. **** is one of my faves. Hollywood likes him as well but his books are def. better than the movies. [Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep ((Blade runner)) , A Scanner Darkly, We can remember it for you wholesale ((Total Recall)), etc.]
Douglas Adams [ HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency,]
Piers Anthony, [Chthon, Bio of a Space Tyrant].
Philip Jose Farmer [Riverworld Series]0 -
I liked Ender's Game and The Giver (not sure if that counts). I've also read a few Star Trek books (Immortal Coil and I, Q) as well as some of the young adult Starfleet Academy novels (I've got the three stories that have Data as the main character but can't remember their titles.) And of course Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!
Someone told me that the Hunger Games trilogy counts as sci-fi? LOVED those.0 -
I could go on for years about authors! I have all of those you mentioned and then about a 1000 others! Haha my poor husband has to keep boxing them up and putting them in the loft as we have no space!0
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I've read some, but I think the only one on my bookshelf is by Elizabeth Moon : Rules of Engagement. It was a pretty good one:)
Forgot to mention one because the series kind of loses the Sci Fi for a while...but the Dragon Riders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. Really enjoyed those.
I've never read her dragon books but read absolutely everything else she's done ( not into dragons see ) Fab author!0 -
Also I can't recommend Ready Player One enough.
LOOOOOOOOVED that book.
I just googled for it.
"Ready Player One is Ernie Cline’s genre-busting debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed. "
Alright, I'm sold. Giant robots.
I JUST bought that one off Amazon, really looking forward to reading it, heard great things!0 -
Anything by Allen Steele. I also have read and am still reading Asimov, Heinlein, John Twelve Hawks' Traveler Series and similar authors. Also your Star Trek and Star Wars books.0
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I read Ringworld by Larry Niven after my friend was on a jury with him. Wasn't sorry I did. My favorite (paraphrased) line: "The gods do not protect fools. Fools are protected only by even greater fools."
I love Orson Scott Card's Ender series too, though I feel strongly enough to add that I disagree wholeheartedly with the man's politics. His book, Pastwatch, is also one of my faves.0 -
I read a ton of sci-fi growing up, Heinleien (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is GREAT!), Herbert, Gibson, Sterling, Bear, Clarke but drifted away due to having to read literally millions of words for the degrees I earned, but now I'm back at it. I'll second the Joe Ledger stuff (Patient Zero is the best of the bunch), like Tom Clancy meets George Romero, Richard Morgan (Altered Carbon here) has some fun stuff in a similar vein.
Lately though I've been burning through some older "pulpy" style stuff that I've found for free or cheap on Kindle for fun, but the one I'm inthe middle of is A Mote in God's Eye and it's very good so far. But if you want a couple of classics to read, try Neuromancer or Snow Crash, I would label both seminal works of cyberpunk by far 2 of my favorite books ever (and favorite authors too!)
And as for the Starship Troopers movie being better than the book...the movie glosses over all the stuff that Heinlein was trying to say about the "current" conflict and the social/political commentary therein. At least they kept the best line, "C'mon you apes, do you want to live forever!"
I just got a copy of Starship Troopers audio book. I'm excited about it. (Yes I know real books are better, blah blah. I drive two hours a day :P)0 -
Does Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy count as sci-fi? It's my fav!
I honestly have not read a lot of other sci-fi. A couple random novels here and there and a load of Doctor Who New Adventures (the ones from the 90s)0 -
Hi all,
does anyone here read sci fi? I've noticed I just keep buying whatever's new from my favourite author and don't experiment so much anymore. Or if I do, I usually wind up with entertaining yet fluffy pulp.
Authors I like are:
Iain M. Banks
Charles Stross
Peter F. Hamilton
Octavia Butler
Alistair Reynolds
Cory Doctorow
Greg Egan
Neal Asher
Does anyone have recommendations for what else to try?
Oh, and of course if anyone wants recommendations, I'd be happy to rant about the merits of some of the stuff I've read.
Oh wait, yes. please rant! I am always looking for new and interesting stories to read.0 -
Oh wait, yes. please rant! I am always looking for new and interesting stories to read.
Alright, you asked for it. Muhahahahahahha. *Ahem.*
So. Stuff I'd recommend.
Kiln People by David Brin. It's got everything: it's a detective story, there's clay cloned versions of you to do your daily chores, there's a bit of philosophical meandering about the self (not so much it will get in the way of the plotline though) and there's lots of action. Better than the Uplift series, better than anything I've ever read. (I wasn't too impressed with most of the other stuff.)
Iain M. Banks - read everything. Just don't start at the first one (consider Phlebas), that one didn't do much for me. Start with Player of Games. If that one strikes your fancy, whip out your credit card and buy everything else. It is one of the best developend sci fi universes I've stumbled into, mostly about the Culture - a group of human and robot factions that don't know disease, poverty or war. Not having anything better to do, they tend to meddle in other people's affairs, not always with the best results. Sometimes extremely funny, other times extremely bleak, always well written.
If you like your basic space opera with lots of explosions, cool gadgets and gratuitous sex and violence, try Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter Hamilton. It's a 3000 page romp of undead mayhem, hivemind technology and bloody big spaceships. I finished the whole series within the week, though I admit that was before I had a job and more importantly before I had internet.
I could go on. Should I?0 -
I'm re-reading Christopher Stasheff's Warlock series - managed to have elements of both Sci-fi & fantasy at the same time. Caution - he has a full blown pun addiction.I usually read more fantasy than sci-fi, but thanks to a science fiction focused English class I took in college I discovered most of the classic authors already listed.0
