Looking for a new book to read.

[Karzak]

Hello all.

I'm looking to expand my horizons a bit and read some more science fiction. Outside of Trek and other movie tie-in reading, I'm sorry to say my reading list is pretty dismal. I quite enjoyed The Martian Chronicles, and would love something along those lines perhaps.

In short - what's a great science fiction book you read?

I've been researching a bit (as time allows) and came upon the Hyperion/Endymion series by Dan Simmons which seems interesting, so if anyone's read it I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, and if not, I'd also be interested in any recommendations you might have. What have you read? What have you liked?

Regardless, thanks for taking the time to read and consider!

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

Hyperion is great.

Similar format to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and each "pilgrim" tells a unique story, with each story full of interesting ideas and settings. Definitely a lot of different flavors in this book and a healthy mix of genres. Simmon's style is extremely readable. His characters are well-constructed and distinct.

Highly recommended.

 

[Kor]

2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
Foundation, by Isaac Asimov
The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories, by Isaac Asimov
I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
Ringworld, by Larry Niven

Kor

 

[TRON JA307020]

H.G. Wells is always good. War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man(Both good for Halloween) and The Time Machine. All excellent reads.

 

[Pondwater]

Brave New World.

 

[Saga]

Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom novels. the first three are great (A Princess of Mars, Gods of Mars, Warlord of Mars).

 

[BigJake]

I just finished Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey. It's pretty much pitch-perfect "hard SF" space opera; plausible science without being a physics textbook in drag, convincing and interesting characters, gripping action and suspense and some horror elements that are genuinely spooky and will stick with me a long while afterward. Definitely recommend it.

 

[BillJ]

Hello all.

I'm looking to expand my horizons a bit and read some more science fiction. Outside of Trek and other movie tie-in reading, I'm sorry to say my reading list is pretty dismal. I quite enjoyed The Martian Chronicles, and would love something along those lines perhaps.

In short - what's a great science fiction book you read?

I've been researching a bit (as time allows) and came upon the Hyperion/Endymion series by Dan Simmons which seems interesting, so if anyone's read it I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, and if not, I'd also be interested in any recommendations you might have. What have you read? What have you liked?

Regardless, thanks for taking the time to read and consider!

I've enjoyed Manifest: Time and Manifest: Space by Stephen Baxter. There is a third book, Manifest: Origins that I haven't gotten to yet. He also wrote The Timeships, a follow-up to The Time Machine.

Baxter's work can be pretty scientifically dense though.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

Asimov's Robot novels, "Caves of Steel", "The Naked Sun", "Robots of Dawn" would be a great start.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_series_(Asimov)

I actually started with the 3rd book when I saw the cover in the book store's window when it was first released. (Much more inspiring than the cover in the wiki article )

 

[Bob Morton]

So many...

I mostly enjoy STL (slower than light) spaceship stories.

Some of my favorites are Poul Anderson's Starfarers, Vernor Vinge's A Deepness in the Sky and Ken macLeod's Learning the World.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

I recommend Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space Universe and anything by Iain [M] Banks -- Culture series, non-Culture SF, or non-SF. Those would keep you entertained for several months I think. You might also enjoy David Brin's Uplift Universe novels, especially Startide Rising.

Also I recommend the greats -- Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein -- of course, but maybe best to avoid their later works at first.

Another suggestion is to sample from the SF masterwork list on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=SF+masterworks
or
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=SF+masterworks

I tend to skew toward space opera rather than the psychological stuff, but a lot of the latter I enjoy as well.

 

[Bagofmostlywatr]

They're often a bit more horror than scifi, but anything by Richard Matheson. "I Am Legend" is a good starting point.

"Swarm", by Michael Crichton is probably the best book he's written, particularly if you're into software.

 

[Shawnster]

I've been where you are now. I used to read mainly/only Star Trek and Star Wars novels. It's good to expand your horizons.

Instead of specific books, I'll recommend some authors.

Larry Niven - Writer of TAS "The Slaver Weapon." His Kizinti novels and Ringworld series are classics.

CJ Cherryh. She is one of my favorites. I love her Alliance-Union series, the Chanur novels and the Foreigner series.,

Poul Anderson - Classic. Incredible stories and well-thought-out universes.

Ben Bova

Kim Stanley Robinson - Mars trilogy. Heavy political drama

Harry Harrison - Stainless Steel Rat and the West of Eden trilogy about sentient dinosaurs.

 

[Corran Horn]

Old Man's War
The Mars Trilogy - specifically Red Mars
The Lost Fleet - series
The Frontiers Saga - series
Dresden Files - series
Ready Player One
Off to be the Wizard

 

[JD]

I just finished Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey. It's pretty much pitch-perfect "hard SF" space opera; plausible science without being a physics textbook in drag, convincing and interesting characters, gripping action and suspense and some horror elements that are genuinely spooky and will stick with me a long while afterward. Definitely recommend it.

This book, and the series it starts is in the process of getting an adaptation by Syfy. They actually premiered the first episode earlier this week at NYCC and the TV premiere is December 14th.
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydKmedH336Q[/yt]
The show has inspired me to pick up the Leviathan Wakes, and it's one of the next things I plan on reading.
I've just started reading non-tie ins the last few years, so I'm in a similar place that you are.
Most of what I've read so far has been YA post apocalypse stuff and Urban Fantasy. If you're interested in those genres I'd be happy to share my thoughts.

 

[Lucky]

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is pretty great. There is a bunch of them in that series, but Ender's Game is where you should start.

Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels are amazing as well.

 

[Technobuilder]

I recommend Series with good characters that you can invest yourself in over multiple books.

Series:
-The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (Contemporary Fantasy / Magical Science Fiction) [15 books, Multiple Short Stories & Original Comic Book Tales] [Currently Ongoing]

-The Codex Alera by Jim Butcher (Contemporary Fantasy / Magical Science Fiction) [6 books] [Finished]

-The Honorverse Novels by David Weber (Military Science Fiction) [19 books, 6 Short Story Anthologies, 2 Spin-Off Series set in various timeframes, Comic Books] [Currently Ongoing]

-The Ring Of Fire (1632 series) Novels by Eric Flint (Alternate History / Science Fiction) [22 books, Short Story Gazettes] [Currently Ongoing]

-The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss (Modern Fantasy) [2 Books, Short Stories & Novellas] [Currently Ongoing]

 

[JD]

Since Technobuilder recommended The Dresden Files I'm gonna go ahead and recommend a few other series.
Kate Daniels series: I absolutely love this series, it takes place in a cool world, and the narrator/title character is one of my absolute favorites. It takes place in a future, I think it's somewhere around 2030s-2050s, where a disaster has knocked things out of whack and the world now randomly switches back and forth between magic and tech. When the magic is up no tech works, and when the tech is up then magic does not work. It drives me crazy that this series hasn't been adapted to movies or TV, it really should be.

The Hollows: I'm not quite as in love with this one as I am with Dresden Files or Kate's books, but I still enjoy this. It follows a witch in a world were vampires, witches, weres ect. exist openly alongside humans following a plague carried by Tomatoes.

Iron Druid Chronicles: I've only read the first book and a couple short stories/novellas in this series, but I loved them. It deals a lot with different mythologies, the first book deals with Irish mythology and based off of the descriptions, Norse and Native American mythologies also come into play in later books. It follows an immortal Irish Druid living in modern day Tempe, Arizona. The main character's sidekick is an Irish Wolfhound who he communicates with telepathically.

 

[martok2112]

Simple!

Dune by Frank Herbert. I would recommend three books afterward in the series: Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, and God Emperor of Dune. Dune I have re-read and re-read time and again, and I love it.

I also am probably one of the few who actually enjoyed Dune: House Harkonnen by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Not to many people enjoyed the prequel novels, or the novels that Brian and Kevin wrote to expand upon the Dune universe....so read con cuidado.

 

[SPCTRE]

Hyperion/Endymion series by Dan Simmons

If you enjoy that, I'd definitely recommend his Illium/Olympos books.

(The sex scenes are kind of weird though.)