Looking for good Sci-Fi.

[Max Jenius]

I've been looking for some good science fiction material to get into. Maybe even Science Fantasy as long as the story is good. I'd prefer something grande and epic, but I'll pretty much take anything with substance as much of the good sci-fi illustrates a point about humanity etc. I like space and the nature of reality type stories, but it really doesn't matter too much what the story is based around. I've just been looking for a good book to read honestly because I've been reading mostly science fact/theoretical physics/astrophysics crap lately and I could use a break.

So I ask you MWers that are more literate on the subject than I am to post some of your favorites and maybe a quick blurb about why you like them. I don't mind small spoilers, but don't go giving up the ending or anything that critical.

[bsu legato]

I've been looking for some good science fiction material to get into. Maybe even Science Fantasy as long as the story is good. I'd prefer something grande and epic, but I'll pretty much take anything with substance as much of the good sci-fi illustrates a point about humanity etc. I like space and the nature of reality type stories, but it really doesn't matter too much what the story is based around. I've just been looking for a good book to read honestly because I've been reading mostly science fact/theoretical physics/astrophysics crap lately and I could use a break.

So I ask you MWers that are more literate on the subject than I am to post some of your favorites and maybe a quick blurb about why you like them. I don't mind small spoilers, but don't go giving up the ending or anything that critical.

Any particular medium you're looking for? Books, movies, uhh...movies based on books? Novelizations of movies?

[Necron_99]

I would recommend anything by the Big Three (Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein). For me, they can do no wrong, but these sort of things are relative.

The last 4 book I have read i've enjoyed, some more than others, but I would recommend them all

Clarke- RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA

I re-read this when I heard of his death. This is a classic of the golden age of sci-fi, because it's plot is centered in the mystery of exploring new worlds, it doesn't have lot of action but it's really interesting to read a story where an object is the main character. One of Clarke's must read books.

H.P. Lovecraft-Black Seas of Infinity

For any lover of horror/fantasy fiction this is truly a great selection. This book contains some of Lovecrafts greatest works, and is a great starting place for anyone who has never had the enjoyment of reading Lovecrat's fiction.

Frank Herbert- Dune

Firstly, This book puts the movies to shame (and i'm a big David Lynch fan )This Book is a must have of any science fiction library. The story is timeless and everyone should read Dune at least once. After I had read this, I went to Amazon to order the next 4 books in the series.

Richard Paul Russo-Ship of Fools

Think of any haunted house movie you've seen, only, it's in space. With Predators (kinda). Really good ending, I thought.

Right now I am reading I, Asimov. A memoir.

Hope this helps

[Necron_99]

Any particular medium you're looking for? Books, movies, uhh...movies based on books? Novelizations of movies?

I've just been looking for a good book to read honestly because I've been reading mostly science fact/theoretical physics/astrophysics crap lately and I could use a break.

[drifand]

Iain M. Banks... his 'Culture' universe is beautifully imagined, stories well-told. Plenty of AIs and high-technology involved, but it's usually in service to very human-centric plots. His 'orbital' structures were inspired by Larry Niven's slightly over-ambitious 'ring world' designs, and in turn inspired Bungie's HALO. Best jump-off point: "The Player of Games", or perhaps the superb "Use of Weapons".

[eugimon]

Kim Stanley Robinson the Three Californias, a series of books exploring possible near futures of california.They're great reads and Kim explores the human condition and how it's impacted by the world (social and economic and environment). His other books are fantastic as well, the Mars trilogy and the more recent series on global climate change.

His characters tend to be very similar from book to book though.

[Max Jenius]

Frank Herbert- Dune

Firstly, This book puts the movies to shame (and i'm a big David Lynch fan )This Book is a must have of any science fiction library. The story is timeless and everyone should read Dune at least once. After I had read this, I went to Amazon to order the next 4 books in the series.

Yeah, I'm a big Dune fan. I've read all 6 of the originals and the first half of Dune 7(while interesting, I'm afraid Brian Herbert doesn't capture the same magic for me).

[dizman]

Well if you just want to watch a plain old fun movie with a large social commentary in the back try Dawn of the Dead (original). Yes it may not be as deep as Dune (nor as long) but it is sci-fi and I suppose illustrates a few points about humanity. The movie is fairly old and it shows but it is worth watching the whole movie to see the amazingly silly/amazing end. As far as books go (im in a zombie mood for some reason) try World War Z, a fairly good read (it was a tad bit dry in the middle) with a few good messages we all can learn from. Heh, hopes this helps .

[Gubaba]

Most of the SF I've read is the stuff everyone's read (Asimov, Heinlein, Herbert, Card...), but on the somewhat obscure side, I really liked Gregory Benford's Galactic Center books. They were out of print for a while, but I thnk they've been reissued in the past couple of years. In the Ocean of Night is the first book, and there are six books in the series. It gets a bit wonky at the end, and the second one ends on a maddening cliffhanger which is not resolved for a while, but they're really, really good.

[briscojr84]

Well I don't know if this would fall into what you are looking for but David Weber's Honor Harrington Series is pretty good along with stuff he's done with John Ringo, and Steve White.

HH throws pretty much everything into the pot, political greed, and intrigue, social stuff, Space Naval Combat, Some Science Fact [although at times I feel like throwing a calculator at David], plus it has character's that actually evolve and age, as well as "the horror" characters you like getting killed quite a bit.

All around good series, oh there is also the various BOLO books done by several different authors including Weber, and Ringo. And Ringo's Posleen Wars [although I would probably suggest avoiding Cally's War], and his other series he's writing at the moment as well, sorry can't remember the name. Oh and a hard to find little trilogy by James Axler called Earth Blood which is more post apocalypse than SCI-FI.

[eugimon]

Yeah, I'm a big Dune fan. I've read all 6 of the originals and the first half of Dune 7(while interesting, I'm afraid Brian Herbert doesn't capture the same magic for me).

I've read all the new books including the prequels... I look at them as good fan fiction. The prequels don't match up with what we know in Dune in a few ways and I really didn't like the direction the sequels took.

[Mr March]

Author Iain M Banks "Culture" novels are some of the most innovative and - most importantly - well written science fiction works currently being published. The stories are very human and maintain a great balance between grand and personal storytelling. The narratives are immersive, the fiction is provocative and the finales are incredibly rewarding. I'd recommend the Culture books to anyone interested in new sci-fi that is actually new and creative. I also cannot stress enough that Banks is a good writer, not just someone writing good sci-fi. Banks is unquestionably a talent.

I'd recommend Consider Phlebas or The Player of Games as perfect introductions into the Culture universe. They are definitely the most accessible of the books, well written but not too challenging in structure and both have very rewarding finales. Use of Weapons is a good middle novel and State of the Art is a collection of short stories, only a few of which are actually set in the Culture. Look To Windward and Excession are definitely later reads that are hard to get through without a Culture primer. Excession in particular should never be read by anyone that isn't already 2-3 books into the Culture series. I've not yet read Matter (his newest addition to the Culture series, published just a few weeks ago)

[Max Jenius]

I've read all the new books including the prequels... I look at them as good fan fiction. The prequels don't match up with what we know in Dune in a few ways and I really didn't like the direction the sequels took.

Yeah, in the sequels now all of a sudden it's like "Look! All the crap from the prequels just all of a sudden showed up!"

[Gubaba]

Yeah, in the sequels now all of a sudden it's like "Look! All the crap from the prequels just all of a sudden showed up!"

To me, the new Dune books seemed more like a marketing venture than an artistic one...I never touched them. Certain worlds are simply too personal to be carried on by someone else. Dune, Foundation, Mists of Avalon...hell, even Gone With the Wind...no matter how talented the sequel writers are (and the Foundation sequels were written by indisputably great writers), it feels like someone who used to be a friend who you just don't know anymore. Leave the sequels-by-other-hands to Star Wars and Star Trek.

Next up: Michael Valentine Smith Reborn, by New York Times Bestselling Author Kevin J. Anderson™ in "collaboration" with Robert Heinlein's wife's cousin's nephew, Jeffy!

[Gubaba]

Crap...I almost forgot. The Gap series by Stepehen R. Donaldson is absolutely stunningly brilliant. It's long, and it's REALLY dark, but it's among the best space operas ever. Plus, it's a "space opera" in more ways than one!

[vermillion01]

I recommend a little known author by the name of Michael Marshall Smith... he's done 3 sc-fi books that are among my all time favourates. His style is dark and witty and usually mixes fantasy with sci-fi. I cant praise "spares" and "only forward" highly enough! "one of us" is also brilliant! seriously, you wont be dissapointed.

[electric indigo]

I found out that just enough time has passed to re-discover William Gibson's Cyberpunk trilogy. The "Burning Chrome" collection of short stories is a good point to test if you like his style, then "Neuromancer" takes you quite for a ride. If you keep in mind that this is stuff from the 80s, it's surprising how little popular SF has evolved since then. The plots are somewhat anti-climatic at times, but there's all kinds of coolness to make up for it.

[lord_breetai]

How about EE "Doc" Smith's Lensman novels? it's more Space Opera then hard scifi but still very interesting.

[F-ZeroOne]

Peter F. Hamilitons "Nights Dawn" trilogy is pretty good. Also, Alastair Reynolds is one to watch out, SF so hard you could use it to armour a Gundam. And another vote for Iain M. Banks; Use of Weapons has one of the best endings I've ever read, but I'll also add a vote for "Excession". Its a universe where twenty-kilometre long sentient spaceships go round with names like "What Are The Civilian Applications?".

[Necron_99]

Looks like i'm going to have to check out this Iain M. Banks fellow. I've been hearing alot of good things about him lately

[Twoducks]

Looks like i'm going to have to check out this Iain M. Banks fellow. I've been hearing alot of good things about him lately

Same here!

[Gubaba]

How about EE "Doc" Smith's Lensman novels? it's more Space Opera then hard scifi but still very interesting.

Too bad he never wrote Book 7...it would've been, um, quite revolutionary.

But yeah, the books are a lot of fun if you can get past the paid-by-the-word pulp style...

[lord_breetai]

Too bad he never wrote Book 7...it would've been, um, quite revolutionary.

But yeah, the books are a lot of fun if you can get past the paid-by-the-word pulp style...

Basically Heinlein (who was told the plot of the book) hinted that it boiled down to Kim's kid's having incestuous sex to create the new super-duper guardian species. That would have been unprintable at the time.

[the white drew carey]

For books, I've always been a fan of Frank M. Robinson's "The Dark Beyond the Stars", and I always suggest it for friends who are looking for a good read.

Movies, I like to suggest the obscure-ish Kiwi film from the 80's "The Quiet Earth".

All good stuff.

[Gubaba]

Basically Heinlein (who was told the plot of the book) hinted that it boiled down to Kim's kid's having incestuous sex to create the new super-duper guardian species. That would have been unprintable at the time.

Bah...he should have written it anyway and kept the manuscript locked up, to be published after his death. Mark Twain did it that way, why couldn't dear ol' Doc Smith?

[Hiriyu]

Another couple-few to add to the pile:

Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon is a really fun read, centering around cryptology and information technology over the last 60 years, from WWII to the very near future, with an enigmatic story woven around three generations of several families. There's too much involved to get into here, but it's well worth a look.

I'd also recommend David Brin's Uplift series (and in fact, anything by Brin). Really cool far-future stories having to do with the expansion of man into an already-crowded galaxy.

Greg Bear is also definitely worth a read, though I find some of earlier stuff (ie; Blood Music) kind of tedious. The first two books in the Eon series (Eon and Eternity) are great though - truly epic tales of both near and far-future exploration and human expansion.

Anything by Larry Niven is great, though in my mind he tends toward the lighter side of hard sci-fi. Neutron Star, a collection of short stories, is a great place to start.

Speaking of Mark Twain ^^, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is really a great book, and borders on sci-fi for the time it was written.

Edited April 2, 2008 by Hiriyu

[chrono]

Author Iain M Banks "Culture" novels are some of the most innovative and - most importantly - well written science fiction works currently being published.

I thought that as well, once. But then I began to realize that nearly all of his books were based on his own version of negative current social deconstruction (almost raving at times & completely disregarding the story because of it). Only within a few of his pieces show what he is capable of. I've not gotten around to reading The Algebraist as of yet or any of his more current stuff because his last few works put me off. The State of the Art book is a brilliant collection of work though!

Hello Out There, The Engines of God, and Chindi by Jack McDevitt are excellent reading mainly because they deal with the higher lofter points in Space Opera.

Nearly every book by James Alan Gardner & Charles Sheffield.

The Starhawk series by Mack Maloney & Grunts by Mary Gentle for fun SF fluff.

[Mr March]

I thought that as well, once. But then I began to realize that nearly all of his books were based on his own version of negative current social deconstruction (almost raving at times & completely disregarding the story because of it).

IMO, you get out what you put in. I have no idea what negative current social deconstruction is but if Bank's construct has come as some kind of revelation that at first you somehow missed, all I can say is it sounds as if you didn't put much effort into it the first time through. Iain M Banks may have his own opinions and motives like any other writer, but he's never failed to lay it all on the table and like Asimov, he loves poking holes in his own creations whether politically or moraly. He's as honest with the flaws of the Culture as his is with his own society and I've never read any Banks book that was derailed by the fiction (especially given the fact that the Culture is relegated to such an unemphasized role within the stories themselves). The Culture "government" in particular is as much a factor of setting and circumstances than any conscious pontification on behalf of the author. I see more social relevance in Banks works than any other contemporary even willing to tackle the same issues and I see far less soapboxing and fundamentalism than widely embraced fictions like those of Roddenberry. But to each his own.

[chrono]

I have no idea what negative current social deconstruction

You see it all the time from one group or another that attempts to make another groups or people's viewpoint wildly incorrect, ignorant beyond reason, or just flat out raving mad for their own advancement. PBS, TV, Newpapers, and most major colleges/university's always do this or promote the practice.

is but if Bank's construct has come as some kind of revelation that at first you somehow missed, all I can say is it sounds as if you didn't put much effort into it the first time through.

Wow! Verbal smackdown. Just like how Banks devalues everything current socially in the fax form of SF. His constructs don't have "revelations" they only promote Banks own viewpoint which is why suddenly the entire story gets sidetracked off into what can be called an "internalized debate on paper" where the personal viewpoint is always correct. Reads more like a "If I was God." sermon from a PhD than SF book during those times.

Now I could be accused of that for Consider Phlebas since I read that when it first came out and attempted to debate it now. But no, not now. Reading State of The Art ripped my large fanboy blinders off. I was a HUGE Banks fanboy whore until last year.

Iain M Banks may have his own opinions and motives like any other writer, but he's never failed to lay it all on the table and like Asimov

Again I would've agreed, however after reading the State of The Art collection and then re-reading Excession on a whim and then remembering the bad taste that I had after reading Look To Windward I began to realize just what Banks was writing. His own deconstructionist viewpoint on our current culture with the intent of showing how his personal viewpoint is the clear & correct one. When Asimov did so at least he remotely attempted to cover it up in the guise of SF and sounded far less preachy than some of Banks multiple mid-book mini-sermons.

But to each his own.

YEP! Banks is love it or leave it kinda of author. But this is not the place for such.

[Mr March]

You mean like people in the public/media that angrily shout down anyone who doesn't mindlessly embrace our current government/society as anti-patriotic traitors? I'm sure these were the same people shouting at the top of their lungs for the support of the monarchy when their beloved democracy was only a whisper and a thought in the minds of forward-thinking visionaries. IMO, such partisan thinking is just as damnable.

As for the rest, it's distillation at it's worst. Rip it all down to the level of opinion that can be dismissed as no more valuable than that of anyone; with the cute ancillary benefit of doing none of the work Banks did. And Banks "sermons" are nothing of the sort; such labels are reactionary curses dispensed by those who cannot handle that his fiction challenges too many things held so sacred. I too have heard these cries; far too many a time and any verbal smackdown was already laid with the ham handed attempt to dismiss everything of Banks with a single brush stroke.

In one thing only can we agree, Max Jenius should read a Banks book for himself.

[drifand]

This kind of argument will only degenerate into rhetoric. There have always been controversial SF authors with socio-politcal POVs that irked a portion of the left/right wing supporters. But the best ones like Heinlein (and Banks) never forgot to tell a good story and keep the reader entertained. I like some of my Sf with a good dose of 'civic mindedness'... balanced by regular helpings of intelligent exploration of near and far-future trends, galactic empire intrigue and PF Hamilton sexual excess.

[chrono]

You mean like people in the public/media that angrily shout down anyone who doesn't mindlessly embrace our current government/society as anti-patriotic traitors? I'm sure these were the same people shouting at the top of their lungs for the support of the monarchy when their beloved democracy was only a whisper and a thought in the minds of forward-thinking visionaries. IMO, such partisan thinking is just as damnable.

Yep that's a good example, however inflammatory. But that's human nature via group dominance. Even the Culture still suffers from it.

As for the rest, it's distillation at it's worst. Rip it all down to the level of opinion that can be dismissed as no more valuable than that of anyone; with the cute ancillary benefit of doing none of the work Banks did. And Banks "sermons" are nothing of the sort; such labels are reactionary curses dispensed by those who cannot handle that his fiction challenges too many things held so sacred. I too have heard these cries; far too many a time and any verbal smackdown was already laid with the ham handed attempt to dismiss everything of Banks with a single brush stroke.

Oh he challenges just fine (i really should say that his teachers ideas), but then he let his politics start to decide his books for him instead of his creativity and down the drain he went. Like I said it wasn't until last year that I realized just what Banks was actually doing with his writing.

Throw out all of his glaringly obvious political agenda, like Volar(spl), and the guys a good writer! But if you don't... ugh.

http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?no_d2...8/03/19/1344250

---------

ALL of that aside.

I completely forgot about James P. Hogan and his Cradle of Saturn and it's sequel The Anguished Dawn great books about the hypocricy of the science establishment and the transition from a material, market society to a society of true social and equal value.

[chrono]

This kind of argument will only degenerate into rhetoric. There have always been controversial SF authors with socio-politcal POVs that irked a portion of the left/right wing supporters. But the best ones like Heinlein (and Banks) never forgot to tell a good story and keep the reader entertained. I like some of my Sf with a good dose of 'civic mindedness'... balanced by regular helpings of intelligent exploration of near and far-future trends, galactic empire intrigue and PF Hamilton sexual excess.

SOOOOOoooooo.... damned RIGHT!

[Mr March]

This kind of argument will only degenerate into rhetoric. There have always been controversial SF authors with socio-politcal POVs that irked a portion of the left/right wing supporters. But the best ones like Heinlein (and Banks) never forgot to tell a good story and keep the reader entertained. I like some of my Sf with a good dose of 'civic mindedness'... balanced by regular helpings of intelligent exploration of near and far-future trends, galactic empire intrigue and PF Hamilton sexual excess.

It already has, but the rest of us didn't get it last year so we apparently have to be subjected to agenda on the subject, just not Bank's I agree that Banks can't be accused of slant more than any other writer, especially a provocative one. And his politics don't over shadow his skill as a writer or his creativity and storytelling. To say so is to dismiss any writer for his views. Damn that evil Herbert and his environmentalist agenda. I'm so glad I picked up on that last year

Btw, I hear PF Hamilton is really good. I've not had the pleasure, but several friends have recommended his books.

[drifand]

Ah... Peter F Hamilton, another love him or hate him SF author. Personally, I find he's at his best (and most lucid) when writing single-volume novels like his gritty 'Greg Mandel' stories. One of my favorites is 'Fallen Dragon' which explores alien bio-tech and corporate-sponsored terraforming. His multi-volume epics like the souls-from-another-plane 'Night's Dawn' series, or the galaxy-spanning 'Pandora's Star' are still pretty entertaining, but the huge cast becomes a challenge to keep track of, and the main characters seem to veer toward comic-book cliches... with high libidos to boot.

One more recommendation for the military-SF sub-genre: 'Old Man's War' by John Scalzi is excellent for its well thought-out technological premise and supporting world view. Borrows the best of Heinlein and Joe Haldeman and mashes it into a convincing tale of 'super experienced' bio soldiers holding the line against competing alien races for limited resources.