Sci-fi book recommendations?

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by AntonyF, Sep 22, 2009.

  1. AntonyF

    AntonyF Official Tahmoh Taster Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2000
    Location:
    London, UK
    I started a thread like this once upon a time, and got a lot of great feedback. Sad thing is due to the pruning of old (partially of my own doing) the thread got lost, and I am slow.

    But pruning is a thing of old, and I need to try this again!

    So I ask for any suggestions for sci-fi books, to read, I'm eager for a new read.

    If any of you have read the Tenebrea Trilogy by Roxann Dawson and Daniel Graham, I loved this. Loved it.

    I guess that could be described as sci-fi drama and space opera. I want more of that.

    While I love complicated TV, I'm not so good with complicated books. I like a complicated story, but find with books if there's too many characters I get confused and switch off. BUT, if I do get engaged then I commit and love it.

    Any suggestions from you all? :)
     
  2. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2007
    Location:
    Between the candle and the flame
    OK, brother, you asked for it:

    The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress-R.A.H.

    Santiago:A Myth of the Far Future-Mike Resnick

    1632-Eric Flint(and the Universe he created, try Baen'sBar for free e-versions)

    Little Fuzzy-H Beam Piper
    Paratime- "
    Federation- "
    Empire- "

    The Coming Of the Quantum Cats-Pohl(?)

    anything by Allen Steele, anything at all

    The Mote In God's Eye-Pournelle/Niven

    Axis of Time trilogy by John Birmingham

    Island In the Sea of Time by S M Stirling(actually, most of his stuff is good although some of his last 2 trilogies is a little heavy-handed)

    Conquistador-S M Stirling

    The Peshwar Lancers-Stirling

    Freehold- Michael Z Williams

    Old Man's War-John Scalzi

    Startide Rising/The Uplift War-David Brin

    Stirling's Draka series(only available in omnibus form new, very expensive individual novels used)-some of the most horrifying alt hist stories I've ever read.

    The Chronicles of Amber-Roger Zelazny

    Flash Forward-Robert Sawyer

    Desolation Road-Ian McDonald

    The Riverworld series-Phillip Jose Farmer

    Starborn-Andre Norton

    Armageddon Blues-Daniel Keyes Moran

    BOLO-Keith Laumer

    The Stainless Steel Rat-K Laumer

    The Guns of the South- Harry Turtledove

    Pavane-Keith Roberts

    The Lord Darcy series by Randall Garrett

    Lest Darkness Fall-L Sprague DeCamp
     
  3. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2007
    Location:
    Between the candle and the flame
    and...

    Time and Time Again-Jack Finney

    Shakespeare's Planet-Clifford Simak

    Norstrillia-Cordwainer Smith

    Cowboy Angels- Paul J. McAuley

    The Big Time - Fritz Leiber

    A Canticle for Liebowitz-Walter Miller

    The Forever War-Joe Haldeman

    Rainbow's End-Vernor Vinge

    The Peace War-Vernor Vinge

    The Postman-David Brin

    Emergence David R Palmer

    Time Enough For Love-R.A.H.

    The Time Patrol-Poul Anderson

    Flowers For Algernon-Daniel Keyes

    Dorsai!-Gordon R Dickinson

    Kage Baker's Company series(The Garden Of Iden, et al)

    by Ken MaCleod-

    1. Cosmonaut Keep (2000; US paperback ISBN 0-7653-4073-9) -- Clarke Award nominee, 2001 [11]; Hugo Award nominee, 2002 [12]
    2. Dark Light (2001; US paperback ISBN 0-7653-4496-3) -- Campbell Award nominee, 2002 [13]
    3. Engine City (2002; US paperback ISBN 0-7653-4421-1)
    And that should keep you busy.;)
     
  4. pookha

    pookha Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2002
    Location:
    pookha
    thomas harlan's the wasteland of flint..
     
  5. Joy

    Joy Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2004
    Location:
    Springfield, MO, USA
    I second Kage Baker's Company series... Absolutely brilliant series.

    Joy
     
  6. Australis

    Australis Writer - Australis Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2005
    Location:
    The Edge of Reality
    The Culture novels by Iain M Banks (start with Consider Phlebas)

    The Sprawl trilogy by William Gibson (important for the shape of the net today)

    Any books you can find by Howard Waldrop (mainly a short story writer but dazzlingly good).
     
  7. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2008
    Location:
    Just around the bend.
    Mistral! I'm shocked! How could you not suggest Space Viking (doesn't get more opera than this) and Cosmic Computer aka Junkyard Planet? Both by Piper. Space Viking has even seen a reprint in the last few years, picked up a new copy a couple months ago.

    Also
    The Berserker books by Fred Saberhagen (and now other authors)

    Still waiting for someone to write a Berserker VS Bolo book. That would rock!
     
  8. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2007
    Location:
    Between the candle and the flame
    I figured if he liked the 4 I suggested by Piper he'd find those on his own. I didn't suggest A Planet For Texans either but its one of the better stand-alone novels he wrote. For that matter, there's Earthblood by Keith Laumer-now that's opera at its finest.:cool:
     
  9. Hyperspace05

    Hyperspace05 Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2005
    Anything by Dan Simmons, John Scalzi, Vernor Vinge, Peter F Hamilton, and Alastair Reynolds. And in that order. :)
     
  10. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2007
    Location:
    Between the candle and the flame
    The Lensmen series by EE "Doc" Smith-that and Olaf Stapledon's work were the original space operas.
     
  11. AntonyF

    AntonyF Official Tahmoh Taster Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2000
    Location:
    London, UK
    Bejesus, that's a lot of suggestions. Thanks guys. I'll need to trawl Amazon and read about them.

    I wish I had an eBook reader, it'd be easier! :)
     
  12. Maestro

    Maestro Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2004
    Location:
    Maestro
    Antony, if you have an iPod Touch or an iPhone, you can get a nice eReader ap for it. I have one and never use it.

    On to my suggestions:

    Old Man's War by John Scalzi

    The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson

    The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald

    Dune by Frank Herbert

    The Calling by David Mack
     
  13. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2001
    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank M. Robinson (Lambda award winner)
    Raft by Stephen Baxter
     
  14. indianatrekker26

    indianatrekker26 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2006
    I just started reading Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling. I'm really enjoying it.
     
  15. Mick of Time

    Mick of Time Lieutenant Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2005
    Midworld, by Alan Dean Foster. It's a wonderful and thought-provoking work. One of his best, in my opinion.
     
  16. Kegg

    Kegg Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    Location:
    Ireland.
    Keith Laumer, people say?

    If someone's looking for a space opera satire about diplomatic politics (and who isn't) his Retief series is very funny.
     
  17. RandyS

    RandyS Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2007
    Location:
    Randyland
    Two of my favorites: The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold (Of "The Trouble With Tribbles"), and Tommorrow and Tommorrow, a time travel romance by Charles Sheiffeld.
     
  18. Lookingglassman

    Lookingglassman Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2006
    Location:
    America
    My favorite is Titan by Stephen Baxter.

    Stay away from 3001 by Clarke. It sucks!
     
  19. Mistral

    Mistral Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2007
    Location:
    Between the candle and the flame
    Keep in mind, Antony, that what I posted was a distilled list of 31 years of reading scifi at an average rate(until 3 yrs ago when my son was born) of 5 books a week. What I listed is truly cream-of-the-crop stuff, albeit an incomplete list of same.

    I dug it too but he gets very heavy-handed about the Wicca stuff later on. Don't say I didn't warn you. I actually found myself skimming in sections of the later books. I never did that in his Nantucket trilogy.:shifty:
     
  20. MyCylon

    MyCylon Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2004
    Location:
    Am I a Cylon?
    Just one suggestion for now. This is the most recent one I read:

    "Ubik" by PKD