Look for some good futuristic, spaceships and aliens Sci-Fi

[JD]

Lately, I've been working on expanding my reading horizons, and I was hoping to try some original sci-fi, I'm mainly wanting stuff with aliens, and space travel, and futuristic technology. I'd be happy with at least two of those those criteria, I know there's lots of good sci-fi out there that doesn't necessarily involve all three of those.
If possible, I'd prefer stuff available for the Nook, but I am still willing to do paperbacks if there's no way to read them on the Nook.

 

[Pemmer Harge]

You might want to check out Iain M Banks's Culture novels. They're very futuristic, much more so than the sort of sci-fi on TV.

 

[Greg Cox]

Check out Peter Hamilton, beginning with THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION.

 

[RoJoHen]

"Ender's Game" is my favorite novel of all time, and it involves aliens, space travel, and futuristic technology. I have yet to meet anyone who didn't like it.

 

[JD]

I actually read EG when I was in High School, and I loved it. I also own, but have never read Speaker for the Dead. At this point I have mixed feelings about OSC, after hearing about some of his politics, I find it hard to support him by reading his books. I might, read SftD since I already own it, but I don't think I'll spend any more money on his books.
The title of the thread is supposed to be looking, I missed the -ing. Could a mod fix that for me?

 

[RoJoHen]

If you loved Ender's Game, you should absolutely read Speaker for the Dead. It is just as good as, if not better than, Ender's Game, and it has a much bigger focus on alien life (if that's something you're looking for).

Depending on how you feel about Speaker for the Dead, you may feel the urge to continue with the rest of the Ender novels.

 

[Hyperspace05]

My perpetual recommendations in the space opera genre, top two:

Dan Simmon's "Hyperion" series. (4 books) - More dealing with AI and a diverse humanity than aliens, but they are present

John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" series. (3 books plus tie-in) - Lots of alien races

 

[Silvercrest]

The Mote in God's Eye.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Any of Iain M Bank's stuff -- try Consider Phlebas to start with. I also like David Brin's Uplift Universe series -- especially Startide Rising and The Uplift War. You might also like Stephen Baxter's XeeLee Sequence and the Manifold Trilogy.

 

[Bob Morton]

The Mote in God's Eye.

The Mote in God's Eye is excellent, one of my favorites. Those 3 armed aliens are very original and the military aspect of the novel is superb.

Ken Macleod's Newton's Wake is very futuristic and has super modern spaceships and very developed cultures.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The Mote in God's Eye.

The Mote in God's Eye is excellent, one of my favorites. Those 3 armed aliens are very original and the military aspect of the novel is superb.

Unfortunately, the sequel The Moat around Murcheson's Eye aka The Gripping Hand is not very good.

Which reminds me that many of Larry Niven's Known Space series of books are worth a read, although the quality of the more recent works does not compare favourably to the early stuff.

 

[JD]

Is John Ringo's stuff any good?

 

[Stevil2001]

My perpetual recommendations in the space opera genre, top two:

Dan Simmon's "Hyperion" series. (4 books) - More dealing with AI and a diverse humanity than aliens, but they are present

I second the recommendation for Hyperion.

Also, if you want to go classic, fun, and pulpy, there's E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman novels, which are absurd.

 

[Mistral]

Any of Iain M Bank's stuff -- try Consider Phlebas to start with. I also like David Brin's Uplift Universe series -- especially Startide Rising and The Uplift War. You might also like Stephen Baxter's XeeLee Sequence and the Manifold Trilogy.

Yes. ^ And Brin's Sundiver.

Also, there's The Star Beast by Heinlein, Ken MacCleod in general, a lot of Jack McDevitt's books (Chindi springs to mind), Alan Dean Foster has a mixed bag of stuff out there too numerous to name individually, H Beam Piper has Uller Uprising and Little Fuzzy, Cordwainer Smith's Instrumentality stories, the HeeChee saga, Charles Sheffield's work, Saberhagen's Beserker stories/novels, James Hogan's Inherit the Stars, Gentle Giants Of Ganymede, etc.
I do NOT suggest John Ringo unless you want pulp-style reading. Scalzi is good. You might try some of the older guys, like Leinster or Jack Williams as well.

 

[John Clark]

Is John Ringo's stuff any good?

I haven't read any of his stuff yet (Getting round to it) but Baen (The publishers) have some of his books up on the library site for download so he's worth trying anyway.

His can be found here:-
http://www.webscription.net/s-84-john-ringo.aspx?CategoryFilterID=1&ManufacturerFilterID=0&

 

[Mistral]

Is John Ringo's stuff any good?

I haven't read any of his stuff yet (Getting round to it) but Baen (The publishers) have some of his books up on the library site for download so he's worth trying anyway.

His can be found here:-
http://www.webscription.net/s-84-john-ringo.aspx?CategoryFilterID=1&ManufacturerFilterID=0&

It's "rocket ships and rayguns" of the worst cliche variety, IMO.

 

[Auralis]

If you can read German, might want to give the Perry Rhodan series a try. Especially the issues 650-1499. Even its classified as pulp, those are easily on par in depth, complexity and other values with other renown sci-fi works.

 

[JD]

I added Hyperion and the Reality Dysfunction today. I'll be sure to share my thoughts with everyone once I read the stuff from this thread.

 

[DrMaturin]

I would also suggest A Fire Upon the Deep and its sequel A Deepness in the Sky, both by Vernor Vinge.

Gregory Benford has a Galactic Center series which has future tech and space travel. Titles include: Great Sky River and Furious Gulf.

For aliens from the alien's point of view, you might consider C. J. Cherryh, especially the Chanur series.

 

[Starbreaker]

Dune by Frank Herbert
The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank M. Robinson
As On A Darkling Plain by Ben Bova

This one might be right up your alley:

Raft by Stephen Baxter An introduction to my favorite sci-fi universe after Dune...