Sci-fi books

2

Replies

  • mrsduke2924
    mrsduke2924 Posts: 104 Member
    I just finished reading WOOL by Hugh Howey and really enjoyed it

    Freaking amazing. Have you read any of the fan fiction that goes with it? I think there may be more of that then there is the original story by Hugh.

    I've started reading SHIFT now and then DUST will be out soon so I'll have to have a look out for the fan fiction after those.

    Dust is already out. I read it on Kindle. Did not disappoint. :drinker:

    I second this - read the whole trilogy on holiday this year and I literally devoured it! Awesome trilogy - a bit sci fi, but mainly a great insight into human emotion and the paths we could take. I had it on kindle, too. Similar feel about the Hunger Games - I enjoyed the film, but loved the books. Probably enough drama and realism there to quell any nerves of the non sci-fi goers lol

    Also liked his dark materials, philip pullman.

    Enjoy :)
  • Excepticon
    Excepticon Posts: 83 Member
    I second "The Handmaid's Tale" - it's my favorite Atwood novel.

    I read through the other posts briefly and didn't see (to my surprise and/or negligence!) .... H.P. Lovecraft! and Arthur C. Clarke! (Probably negligence - I skimmed through the posts quickly.)

    I've always loved Clarke's short stories, and The Nine Billion Names of God is my absolute favorite ever. You can find it in basically any Clarke compilation.

    Lovecraft... what can I say? He's more horror than sci-fi, but it's like... if the movie Event Horizon had a lovechild with a book and went on an acid trip to a World of Warcraft land... ish. It's interesting to say the least, and his ability to develop complex characters with amazingly weird backgrounds is outstanding.

    Cheers to a good book, and enjoy your book club!
  • StinkyWinkies
    StinkyWinkies Posts: 603 Member
    I second Darwin's Radio as a good choice for a book club. Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress also has some really interesting ideas in it. Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler is another favourite of mine (this is actually a trilogy of fairly short books but I don't think you can get them separately any more).

    Awesome! I read "Beggars in Spain" when it was a short in Issac Asimov Magazine...then the book when it came out...def second it as well. "The peas and I do not have a mutually beneficial arrangement, dad, so I don't have to eat them." (severally paraphrased)
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    Neuromancer is a good one. I read the Wind Up Girl recently as well-- that was good.
  • pauldix
    pauldix Posts: 35 Member
    Ian M Banks beats all-comers in my book. Sadly he passed away this year but left the magnificent 'Culture' series behind.

    These are substantial novels, funny, highly thought provoking, very ambitious. Unmissable.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is a classic.


    You could look into The Dresden Files.

    More fantasy than Sci-fi about a modern day wizard working as private investigator.
  • PaulaKro
    PaulaKro Posts: 5,788 Member
    My god, it's censored someone's last name.
    Philip K. Duck, but replace the 'u' with an 'i'.
    Do androids dream of electric sheep, by Phillip K. D i c k
  • valandario
    valandario Posts: 30 Member
    I'm not entirely sure what you are looking for, you said sci-fi but your examples were fantasy and many of the suggestions from others have been fantasy. Is that what you meant?
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game"
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    Lots of non sci-fi in this thread.

    DUNE.
    Hyperion
    and too much to choose from by Isaac Asimov

    Really though, Dune just can't be beaten.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    Holographic Universe.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    "Book of the New Sun" by Gene Wolfe.
    Just about anything by Ray Bradbury, though my favorites are "Fahrenheit 451" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes".

    If you want fantasy, well then...

    Anything in the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey.
    The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I also recommend "Rose Madder", "Insomnia", "The Talisman" and "Bag of Bones".
    "Eon" by Allison Goodman, and it's sequel "Eona". BEAUTIFUL story, simply beautiful.
    Any of the Dragonlance stories by Weis & Hickman.
    Anything by R.A. Salvatore, especially if you're looking for epic battle scenes.
    The Green Riders series by Kristen Britain.
    The Elminster series by Ed Greenwood.
  • comalua1
    comalua1 Posts: 80
    The Handmaid's Tale is about one of my all time favorite books. I also like the Avalon books, particularly The Forest House.
  • EmilyTwist1
    EmilyTwist1 Posts: 206 Member
    Not exactly sci-fi, but they might enjoy Dies the Fire, by S M Sterling. Its the basis for the tv show Revolution. Basically, all modern tech stops working and people have to figure out how to survive.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    Not exactly sci-fi, but they might enjoy Dies the Fire, by S M Sterling. Its the basis for the tv show Revolution. Basically, all modern tech stops working and people have to figure out how to survive.
    that's very cool! i've recently gotten into "revolution" - didn't realize it was based off a book. i'll definitely be checking that out.
  • dward59
    dward59 Posts: 731 Member
    Ringworld - Larry Niven

    The Mote in God's Eye - Niven and Jerry Pournelle

    The Ship Who Sang - Anne McCaffrey

    City - Clifford D. Simak (I don't even know if this is still in print.)

    Any number of Robert Heinlein Books, Stranger in a Strange Land, or Farnham's Freehold

    Bio of a Space Tyrant series by Piers Anthony, although I doubt you are looking for a series for a Book Club, and I do not think any one book stands on it's own in the series.

    Have fun!
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Hands down the best book EVER is "The Accidental Sorcerer" by KE Mills. It's kind of a mix of sci-fi, fantasy and steam punk. Picked it up and and forever on the edge of me seat waiting for her to come out with the next installment of the series.
  • Bobbie8786
    Bobbie8786 Posts: 202 Member
    Nothing by Orson Scott Card. Unless of course you are okay with homophobic right wing ideology.
  • dejamos
    dejamos Posts: 53 Member
    Some books I've had suggested so far are The Handmaid's Tale, Snow Crash, and The Left Hand of Darkness. They should be books no one has read yet (so Brave New World, Catch 22, Flowers for Algernon, Fahrenheit 451, etc. etc. are all out).

    Of the three suggested above, <i>The Handmaid's Tale</i> and <i>The Left Hand of Darkness</i> would both be good choices for non sci-fi fans for a book discussion. Both have themes that transcend the genre and would make for good discussions based on both form and content, and should be of interest to any reader regardless of whether or not they like science fiction.
  • Vexicat
    Vexicat Posts: 3
    Shine Shine SHine by Lydia Netzer. Best book I read in 2012.
  • metaphoria
    metaphoria Posts: 1,432 Member
    Larry Niven's "The Integral Trees", "The Draco Tavern" or one he wrote with Brenda Cooper, called "Building Harlequin's Moon"
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
    Why not a time travel?
    A fascinating story (illustrated novel), Time and Again by Jack Finney!

    For those who don't like sci-fi, they might relish the illustrations from the 1882 period. In a few words, in November 1970, Simon Morley, an advertising sketch artist, is approached by U.S. Army Major Ruben Prien to participate in a secret government project. Si thus travels back to 1882 to accomplish his mission. An absolute must!
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    Snow Crash has already been mentioned but I reiterate READ this book.
    also by Neal Stephenson...
    Interface
    The Diamond Age: or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
    Cryptonomicon
    Zodiac

    Greg Egan...(some people, OK a lot of people find these books a little challenging but I think they are absolutely astounding)
    Quarantine
    Permutation City
    Distress
    Diaspora
    Teranesia
    Schild's Ladder
    Incandescence
    Zendegi


    Bruce Sterling...
    Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology
    by Bruce Sterling (Editor), William Gibson, Paul Di Filippo
    Islands in the Net
    Schismatrix Plus
    Heavy Weather Heavy Weather
    The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier
    Distraction
    Zeitgeist
    Schismatrix
    The Artificial Kid

    William Gibson...
    Sprawl trilogy:
    Neuromancer
    Count Zero
    Mona Lisa Overdrive
    The Difference Engine (1990; with Bruce Sterling)
    Bridge trilogy:
    Virtual Light
    Idoru
    All Tomorrow's Parties
    Blue Ant trilogy:
    Pattern Recognition
    Burning Chrome (1986, preface by Bruce Sterling)

    how could I forget..
    River of Gods by Ian McDonald...amazing.

    ETA: My list is way too long but this is a great start.
  • kansasrunner2046
    kansasrunner2046 Posts: 2
    Yes, try Tad Williams I love his Otherland series. Four books in the series. Book 1. City of Golden Shadow, Book 2. River of Blue Fire, Book 3. Mountain of Black Glass and Book 4. Sea of Silver Light.

    These books are old but they are very good if you like Sci-fi books..and also I must say, being a series they might be hard to find.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    Nothing by Orson Scott Card. Unless of course you are okay with homophobic right wing ideology.

    i realize OSC is bat **** crazy, but do you really think it leaked into Ender's Game?

    ETA: wow. just found this: http://skipendersgame.com/

    dude's works aren't getting $.01 more from me. I knew he was bad, but didn't realize how extreme.
  • addysolari
    addysolari Posts: 181 Member
    Friggin' loved 'War of the Worlds' by H.G. Wells
    also '20,000 leagues under the sea' - Jules Verne
  • Ian_Stuart
    Ian_Stuart Posts: 252 Member
    Let me recommend an online free one. Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (HPMoR)
    Harry Potter fan fiction where Harry's Aunt Petunia married an Oxford professor. He uses science to study magic.
    It pulls heavily from Ender's Game and much other classic Sci-Fi. (Give it until the sorting hat to decide if you like it.)

    The reading version: http://hpmor.com/

    The podcast (read with multiple voices like a radio play): http://www.hpmorpodcast.com/
  • addysolari
    addysolari Posts: 181 Member
    Let me recommend on online free one. Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (HPMoR)
    Harry Potter fan fiction where Harry's Aunt Petunia married an Oxford professor. He uses science to study magic.
    It pulls heavily from Ender's Game and much other classic Sci-Fi. (Give it until the sorting hat to decide if you like it.)

    The reading version: http://hpmor.com/

    The podcast (read with multiple voices like a radio play): http://www.hpmorpodcast.com/

    Holy crap. That's gold
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    I know it's just been made into a film but Enders game is a good read or my personal favourite The saga of the seven suns.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saga_of_Seven_Suns

    I'm reading Enders Game at the moment because my partner recommended it. I'm just not digging it. Perhaps because I don't really like sci-fi? Although, sci-fi isn't just about space & aliens. Hmmm. I will persevere.
  • valandario
    valandario Posts: 30 Member
    For Sci-Fi you can't really go wrong with Frank Herbert - Dune. It is a classic Sci-Fi novel that is easy enough to get into for those unfamiliar with Sci-Fi. For a shorter read which is surprisingly good not to mention shocking considering its age then I would highly recommend H.G Wells - War of the Worlds or The Time Machine. Both are an easy read and quite amazing reads. Don't judge any of the above on film adaptations, they really are nothing like and as such the films in no way spoil the books, in fact thanks to the films most people think they know what to expect and get quite a shock at how different and better the books are. H.G Wells is quite amazing in his talent to paint a picture of events. When you consider the age they were written it is extremely shocking and there is sure to be a great deal to talk about afterwards...

    If you actually meant Fantasy and not Sci-Fi then, of course, the field opens up some more. Sci-Fi isn't really recommended to just dive into, Fantasy is. Robin Hobb's Assassins Apprentice is a lovely story. It is a beautifully written story following the life of a young boy who is the *kitten* son of a king and is secretly trained as an assassin. Alternatively you could go for some humorous fantasy such as a Terry Pratchett Discworld Novel. Men at Arms could be a good one to start with as there would be plenty to discus afterwards.

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