I enjoy the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The books are by various authors but do have a lot of action.
Other Science Fiction Universes Found Only in Books?
- Thread starter VulcanMindBlown
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Poul Anderson's Doninic Flandry series. Possibly one of the inspirations for Kirk (or both were inspired by Horatio Hornblower).
Flandry was more James Bond in space, really. Although I do think that, if they'd done a Flandry TV series in the '70s, Shatner would've been a good pick for the role. (Though I generally imagine Bruce Campbell as Flandry.)
The Flandry series is part of the larger Polesotechnic Universe which also includes the Nicholas van Rijn and David Falkayn stories in an earlier century, and various other standalone-ish works like The People of the Wind.
The Flandry series is part of the larger Polesotechnic Universe which also includes the Nicholas van Rijn and David Falkayn stories in an earlier century, and various other standalone-ish works like The People of the Wind.
Mike Resnick has his "Birthright Universe" where most of his CSci Fi books have taken place. Basically, its a universe of stories over a long period of time, separated into different eras (the eras things like Republic, Democracy, etc). I've only read one series set in this universe (his excellent Starship series), but there is something like 30+ books and 20 stories set in the universe, although not necessarily tied into each other directly since the Birthright universe covers a huge period of time.
I rather liked the Four Lords of the Diamond series.
The title sounds like something you'd like.
I've got two recommendations, one of which is "space opera"/"space fantasy":
- Margaret Weiss' Star of the Guardians universe
- Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert's original collaborative Trilogy Hellhole
- Margaret Weiss' Star of the Guardians universe
- Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert's original collaborative Trilogy Hellhole
James Blish - 'Cities in Flight' (four Novels)
Discovery of a device (called a Spindizzy') creates a travel field allowing virtually anything become a starship. Earth is worn out and various cities take flight, each with a specialty, to range across the universe. It starts off in contemporary Earth, follows the discovery and then jumps ahead to the launch of Scranton, PA. Eventually the story settles on New York and it's journey and winds up at the end of our Universe and the next big Bang.
Jack L. Chalker - 'Midnight at the Well of Souls' (Wellworld Series)
Imagine an artificial planet covered in hexagons, each with a totally unique planetary ecosystem and technological level. Created by an ancient alien race, this planetary laboratory designed our inhabited universe. This is one of the most interesting book series I have ever read,
Discovery of a device (called a Spindizzy') creates a travel field allowing virtually anything become a starship. Earth is worn out and various cities take flight, each with a specialty, to range across the universe. It starts off in contemporary Earth, follows the discovery and then jumps ahead to the launch of Scranton, PA. Eventually the story settles on New York and it's journey and winds up at the end of our Universe and the next big Bang.
Jack L. Chalker - 'Midnight at the Well of Souls' (Wellworld Series)
Imagine an artificial planet covered in hexagons, each with a totally unique planetary ecosystem and technological level. Created by an ancient alien race, this planetary laboratory designed our inhabited universe. This is one of the most interesting book series I have ever read,
John Christopher - The Tripods Trilogy - Earth has been conquered by aliens called the Masters who stride the Earth in Tripods, gigantic three-legged walking machines, and who uses brain cap devices to enslave humans from the age of 14. Originally aimed at teens and young adults. There was a BBC TV series in the 80s based on the first two books but I suspect it'd look very dated now.
Charles Stross - The Laundry Files - mixes Lovecraftian horror, British spy thriller, science fiction, and office politics with dashes of black humour.
Dan Simmons - Hyperion and Endymion series - hard to summarise easily but includes SF, horror, fantasy and theophany. I think Bradley Cooper wanted to make a TV series based on Hyperion but don't know if it came to pass.
Charles Stross - The Laundry Files - mixes Lovecraftian horror, British spy thriller, science fiction, and office politics with dashes of black humour.
Dan Simmons - Hyperion and Endymion series - hard to summarise easily but includes SF, horror, fantasy and theophany. I think Bradley Cooper wanted to make a TV series based on Hyperion but don't know if it came to pass.
As soon as Jack L. Chalker's name got mentioned above, it was an immediate reminder of a series I found at a flea market several years ago but don't think I still have: The Rings of the Master.
If you're interested in comics there's a lot of interesting stuff there too.
One that gets a lot of attention that I started and then decided it wasn't for me is Saga. It's kind of a Star Wars style space fantasy mainly focusing on a couple who come from opposite sides of an interstellar war, and what it takes for them to raise their daughter. I read the first one, and bought the second one, but after I flipped through the second one I decided that the series was to sexually explict for me and decided not to continue. A lot of people love it though, so if you don't mind that stuff it might be worth checking one.
Another one getting a lot of attention is Bitch Planet, which takes place in a future in which "non-compliant" women are sent to an off-planet prison.
One that gets a lot of attention that I started and then decided it wasn't for me is Saga. It's kind of a Star Wars style space fantasy mainly focusing on a couple who come from opposite sides of an interstellar war, and what it takes for them to raise their daughter. I read the first one, and bought the second one, but after I flipped through the second one I decided that the series was to sexually explict for me and decided not to continue. A lot of people love it though, so if you don't mind that stuff it might be worth checking one.
Another one getting a lot of attention is Bitch Planet, which takes place in a future in which "non-compliant" women are sent to an off-planet prison.
I liked it too. Also I liked the Quintara Marathon. Not so much the Flux and Anchor books.
Have anyone read the Blackfleet trilogy?
I've read good reviews but haven't read It myself
I've read good reviews but haven't read It myself
I loved the Lord Ironwolf comic series.
https://nothingbutcomics.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/ironwolf-limerick-rake-chaykin.jpg
https://nothingbutcomics.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/ironwolf-limerick-rake-chaykin.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Rhodan
The largest entity in SF, its bigger than Star Trek, Star Wars and whatever there is more, it has sold more than two billion copies, the main series is 2900+ novellas, 850 novels of the spin off series called Atlan, 400 paperbacks and 200 hardcovers.
I'm not even going to try and explain the whole thing but the main character is a man called Perry Rhodan and he is the first man who lands on the moon.. and then all hell breaks lose and his adventures brings him to all corners of several universes and spans thousands of years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayreon
The second universe I like is called Ayreon and its in music, since 1995 Arjen Anthony Lucasses has been working on massive prog/metal/folk/electronic operas kinda which tell the tale of the Forever, the first human like beings, his latest album is called "The Source" and it is about how the human like Alphans become the Forever.
On his albums he typically uses one vocalist for a character, some of his albums have 17 different singers with people like Floor Jansen, James LaBrie, Simone Simons, Tobias Sammet, Tommy Karevik and about every other legend from the metal/prog world.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCihO6uVisilu1mn4x2u-HOA
Arjen's youtube channel, he has put the new album online entirely.
The largest entity in SF, its bigger than Star Trek, Star Wars and whatever there is more, it has sold more than two billion copies, the main series is 2900+ novellas, 850 novels of the spin off series called Atlan, 400 paperbacks and 200 hardcovers.
I'm not even going to try and explain the whole thing but the main character is a man called Perry Rhodan and he is the first man who lands on the moon.. and then all hell breaks lose and his adventures brings him to all corners of several universes and spans thousands of years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayreon
The second universe I like is called Ayreon and its in music, since 1995 Arjen Anthony Lucasses has been working on massive prog/metal/folk/electronic operas kinda which tell the tale of the Forever, the first human like beings, his latest album is called "The Source" and it is about how the human like Alphans become the Forever.
On his albums he typically uses one vocalist for a character, some of his albums have 17 different singers with people like Floor Jansen, James LaBrie, Simone Simons, Tobias Sammet, Tommy Karevik and about every other legend from the metal/prog world.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCihO6uVisilu1mn4x2u-HOA
Arjen's youtube channel, he has put the new album online entirely.
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