Sci-Fi Recommendations - for the unenlightened

[Neal Asher]

Thanks iansales.

And thanks ScotSF - the picture on your post reminded me which John Meaney cover was reused on the German edition of Cowl.

[ScottSF]

No problem, I’ve been trying to promote his work so he can keep at it and one day Steve Spielberg will make movies out of it. And isn’t it about time for a ‘next Spielberg’ especially on the sci-fi side. Some have called Shyamalan the next Spielberg but I don't see him doing any science fiction (if he did I would go see it!) We have the technology to tell any story we want to now. (pardon the tangent)

Wow, I asked about an author and he shows up a few posts later. I was asking about different authors because the forums seem to be heavy on the fantasy side lately and sometimes I try out sci-fi books that read more like fantasy in space. Maybe I’m drawing a fine line and I wouldn’t want to limit anyone’s creativity but I wanted a change from reading about galaxy spanning empires when there is so much to explore in our own cosmic back yard. My reading list is getting much longer these days. I really envy people that read really fast without missing out on any content.

[iansales]

Originally Posted by Neal Asher

Thanks iansales.

Keep writing them, I'll keep reading them :-)

[GOLLUM]

I'm going to be reading Stephen Baxter's Time Ships (1985) soon, the "authorized" sequel to HG Wells "Time Machine" that celebrated 100 years since publicaion of the original. Supposed to be pretty good, let you know.

[T5.2]

These are books that I recommend readers of science/fantastic-fiction to read.
Why? Because the gave me a feeling of either hope or wonder that only, and I say that in the most serious sense, that only science fiction can ever give.
These are books that can stand to be read many times over and you will still find wonders and details that you didn´t think of or missed the other past time.
In alphabetical order:

Aldiss, Brian HELLICONIA SPRING (and the following two books in the trilogy, Helliconia Summer, Helliconia winter)

Aldiss, Brian NON-STOP.

Anderson, Poul TALES OF THE FLYING MOINTAINS.

Anderson, Poul TAU ZERO.

Asimov, Isaac FOUNDATION (and the following books in that series, Foundation And Empire, Second Foundation, Foundation´s Edge, Foundation And Earth)

Baxter, Stephen SPACE.

Clarke, Arthur C. THE CITY AND THE STARS.

Clarke, Arthur C. RENDEVOUZ WITH RAMA (and the following books in that series, Rama 2, The Garden Of Rama, Rama Revealed)

Eskridge, Kelley SOLITAIRE.

Farmer, Philip José TO YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO (and the following books in that series, The Fabulous Riverboat, The Dark Design, The Magic Labyrinth, Gods Of Riverworld)

Hamilton, Peter F. PANDORA´S STAR. (and the sequel Judas Unchained)

Hamilton, Peter F. THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION (and the following books in that series, The Neutronium Alchemist, The Naked God)

Heinlein, Robert A. STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND.

Heinlein, Robert A. ´THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST`.

Herbert, Brian & Anderson, Kevin J. DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES ( and the following books in that series, Dune: House Harkonnen, Dune: House Corrino)

Herbert, Brian & Anderson, Kevin J. DUNE: THE BUTLERIAN JIHAD.

Herbert, Frank DUNE (and the following books in the series, Dune Messiah, Children Of Dune, God Emperor Of Dune, Heretics Of Dune, Chapter house: Dune)

May, Julian JACK THE BODILESS (and the following books in the series, Diamond Mask, Magnificat)

May, Julian INTERVENTION.

May, Julian THE MANY COLORED LAND (and the following books in the series, The Golden Torc, The Non-Born King, The Adversary)

McDevitt, Jack THE ENGINES OF GOD (and the following books in the series, Deepsix, Chindi, Omega)

Robinson, Kim Stanley THE YEARS OF RICE AND SALT.

Silverberg Robert LORD VALENTINE´S CASTLE.

Williamson Jack TERRAFORMING EARTH.

[Milk]

Originally Posted by ScottSF

I just recently finnished Ophiuchi Hotline. I was glad to finally learn more about the invasion. Persistence of Vision is one of the reason I read books today. I mean, I was a teen that just didn't read untill I found that. Varley is the one writer I can call a sure thing. I know he won't let me down. Steel Beach is my all time vavorite. My other new favorite as you can see is John Meaney. Now, I'm reading some Kevin J. Anderson and like it well enough but It's not quite what I'm looking for in Sci-fi. Any suggestions for a Varley, and Meaney fan? Also, I was browsing in the book store today and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on Asher or Bova?

Well for Varley, damn, no one is like him, he is my favorite Sci-Fi writer atm. I would be hard pressed to decide if I liked Golden Globe or Steel Beach better. I'm always checking the web to see if any sequals are planned for that series. Sort of similiar to Varley? Hard to say. Chasm City by Alastar Reynolds was very good. Maybe Alastair Reynolds' space opera is similiar to Varley's. I dunno both were good and had many elements to them in common, its tough to compare. And I havent read John Meaney yet.

[baldur27]

Some books and authors I've enjoyed and would recomend are
Richard Morgan - Altered Carbon
- Broken Angels
- Woken Furies
Ken Macleod - anything of his its all good
Charles Stross - again anything

[ScottSF]

Thanks for the input Milk. I take suggestions to heart in here, so I'll put Reynolds on my list. Of course I'm restlessly jumping between three books right now so it may take a while. Oh recently I really enjoyed Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. It was an insane page turner for me, I could not put it down. I found it very well focused. Liked it much better than Ender's Game (which I also liked I just think Speaker took it up a few notches).

[SERAFINApekkala]

I've only seen Philip K. Dick mentioned a handful of times here. I think he needs more acknowledgement!

I've found a really good sci-fi/fantasy recently by H. Dahlquist, the latest edition of the Glass books of the dream eaters. I'd put that in my top ten as well

[vurtperson]

I would recommend Jeff Noon's Vurt trilogy.
The books were published in this order
Vurt
Pollen
Nymphomation

...but Nymphomation takes place before Vurt.

[tiny99]

Can I recommend Feist......Raymond E......start with "Magician" and just carry on from there.

[Briareus Delta]

This thread scarcely needs any more recommendations - some excellent stuff here. However, I've scanned through the pages and have not found any mention of Bob Shaw and I couldn't let that pass.

The Ceres Solution - Bob Shaw is one of the best books of any kind that I have read. It really turns the concept of beauty on its head and not being blessed in the looks department myself......

Also Other Days, Other Eyes and Vertigo by Bob - both excellent.

Also The Twilight of Briareus by Richard Cowper - from whence my online identity is derived. Good post-apocalypse book.

[Chrystelia]

Hi guys,

Need recommendation of great single volume fantasy titles, not series. Thanks in advance.

[j. d. worthington]

Hi, Chrystelia:

Take a look at the Fantasy Recommendations thread for a start; it's chock-full of both series and individual titles covering a wide variety of types of fantasy. There's also the question of whether you want the sort of fantasy that's being done now, or the more diverse classic fantasy, which would cover things as diverse as The Broken Sword, by Poul Anderson, to A Voyage to Arcturus, by David Lindsay, and The Sorcerer's Ship, by Hannes Bok. There's also The Well of the Unicorn, by Fletcher Pratt, and for humorous fantasy, The Complete Compleat Enchanter, by Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp. Lilith, by George MacDonald, is also very good, though somewhat dense and dark, and can be a little difficult for some. Several of William Morris' novels (the man who basically created the genre back in the 19th century), such as The Wood Beyond the World, The Well at the World's End, The Sundering Flood, etc., are excellent single fantasies (though Well is a two-volume novel).

But to start with, I'd definitely suggest taking a look at the companion thread devoted to fantasy; I think you'll find more than enough single titles to keep you busy for years, if not decades....

http://www.chronicles-network.com/fo...+unenlightened

http://www.chronicles-network.com/fo...ecommendations

[Hawk]

Hi, all... this is my saviour thread!

However, there are SO many recommendations in here, I really don't know what to do! If money was not a problem, I suppose I'd just randomly pick one which sounded good and buy that, but... I can't. "Why," I hear you ask, "don't you look in a library?"
Because the only one I have regular access to is our school one, and it has a very bad Sci-Fi section. We do have a City Library, but it really isn't worth mentioning. Its stocks have depleted significantly over the years and I'm not sure there's much left in it.

So. If you could recommend one single book, what would it be?

I have just finished reading Arthur C. Clarke's Rama Cycle... should I read another of Clarke's books, or try something different?