What are some of your favourite Science Fiction books?

Theomanic · Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:55 pm

I saw the topic for Fantasy and thought "That's not fair!"

So, what are your favourite Science Fiction novels? That's a pretty wide scope of books which I think includes steampunk and "speculative fiction" such as written by our dear Margaret Atwood (who will probably die before admitting she has written genre fiction).

bleachededen · Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:01 pm

Anything and everything Neil Gaiman.
Neuromancer - William Gibson
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
anything by Kurt Vonnegut
Madelaine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and its following sequels
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
1984 - George Orwell
Doomsday Book - Connie Willis

a lot more...I love science fiction.

Theomanic · Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:04 pm

Personally if I had to select a genre besides the all-encompassing "Fiction" as a favourite, I would choose Sci-Fi. I love Sci-Fi, and even though for the past five-ten years I've been expanding my horizons and trying not to stick to a particular genre, I find myself always returning.

I think my top pick would have to be Neuromancer by William Gibson. That is one of my favourite books ever written. I like a lot of Gibson's other work as well, particularly Idoru.

I also quite like Haruki Murakami's novel Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. When I used to read exclusively from the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genre, a friend of mine shook his head and said "Look beyond!" and introduced me to this book. While it's sci-fi(ish) and fantasy(ish), the author's style is that of Magic Realism. My friend was very smart and after that I read many of Murakami's books and began to read a lot of general fiction.

An author that is near and dear to me is Peter Watts. While he is from my hometown, I didn't know that before I read his most excellent novel Starfish. I really loved it! I think one of the most reread books in my collection. He also wrote a much critically acclaimed novel called Blindsight which was a bit too hard sci-fi for me. But if you like hard sci-fi (and 2001esque endings) I recommend it.

Theomanic · Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:13 pm


	bleachededen wrote: Anything and everything Neil Gaiman. Neuromancer - William Gibson Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson anything by Kurt Vonnegut Madelaine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and its following sequels The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood 1984 - George Orwell Doomsday Book - Connie Willis

Haha, I have to say, I love *all* those books. Interesting that you picked Doomsday Book as your favourite Connie Willis novel. I liked that one, but I think I liked Passage more. Less sci-fiy, though...

Eratosthenes · Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:34 pm


	Theomanic wrote: I saw the topic for Fantasy and thought "That's not fair!" So, what are your favourite Science Fiction novels? That's a pretty wide scope of books which I think includes steampunk and "speculative fiction" such as written by our dear Margaret Atwood (who will probably die before admitting she has written genre fiction).

How long is a piece of string:
The first series I ever read was THE LENSMEN by E.E.DOC SMITH...was captivating but a little old now (like me...lol)
Since then...apart from the obvious Hobbits...David Gemmel...David and Leigh Eddings...Raymond Feist...and (dare I say it) Stephanie Meyer!!

Kayta · Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:54 am

Loved Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. Literally couldn't put it down. Teenage daughter gave me first book to read one afternoon....finished it 3 am following morning. Was captivated. More fantasy than sci-fi.

Favourite sci-fi has to be Asimov and Heinlein. Asimov just had such creative, unexpected plot twists. Really enjoy his short stories. Love whole Heinlein's Lazarus Long storyline, especially Time Enough For Love.

Frank Herbert's Dune series is spectacular mainly for it's scope. To follow a universe of characters through thousands of years without leaving loose ends is downright clever.

GaryG48 · Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:41 am

1. Stranger in a Strange Land
.
.
.
2. Dune (but not the rest of the series)
3. J.O.B.
4. Ringworld Engineers (Ringworld is fascinating "science with a twist" but short on story value)
5. Ender's Game

Yes, Stranger, is IMHO head and shoulders the best SF ever written!
I was an SF freak in high school and college. After Orson Scott Card I just haven't found anything that compares to the mid-20th century stuff. I don't even care for Card's work after Ender. Of course, that is probably due more to changes in my taste that changes to the genre.

Eratosthenes · Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:51 pm


	Kayta wrote: Loved Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. Literally couldn't put it down. Teenage daughter gave me first book to read one afternoon....finished it 3 am following morning. Was captivated. More fantasy than sci-fi. Favourite sci-fi has to be Asimov and Heinlein. Asimov just had such creative, unexpected plot twists. Really enjoy his short stories. Love whole Heinlein's Lazarus Long storyline, especially Time Enough For Love. Frank Herbert's Dune series is spectacular mainly for it's scope. To follow a universe of characters through thousands of years without leaving loose ends is downright clever.

Good point, I guess I missed Dune...I thought the first three were brilliant but I think, like many publishers, it became a cash cow. They tell me the recent one written by hi son (name escapes me) is very good. The Lensmen was brilliant in its story but was written in another time and technology and would stand up today, it would be interesting however to re-write the story with modern thinking...maybe a project for me...I shall have to write to the publishers and ask them....

Eratosthenes · Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:53 pm


	Kayta wrote: Loved Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. Literally couldn't put it down. Teenage daughter gave me first book to read one afternoon....finished it 3 am following morning. Was captivated. More fantasy than sci-fi. Favourite sci-fi has to be Asimov and Heinlein. Asimov just had such creative, unexpected plot twists. Really enjoy his short stories. Love whole Heinlein's Lazarus Long storyline, especially Time Enough For Love. Frank Herbert's Dune series is spectacular mainly for it's scope. To follow a universe of characters through thousands of years without leaving loose ends is downright clever.

Have you read The Host yet by Stephanie Meyer...also a good read but different type of story...also get a read of Fallen by Lauren Kate if you like that sort of genre...its another different twist.

Eratosthenes · Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:55 pm


	GaryG48 wrote: 1. Stranger in a Strange Land . . . 2. Dune (but not the rest of the series) 3. J.O.B. 4. Ringworld Engineers (Ringworld is fascinating "science with a twist" but short on story value) 5. Ender's Game Yes, Stranger, is IMHO head and shoulders the best SF ever written! I was an SF freak in high school and college. After Orson Scott Card I just haven't found anything that compares to the mid-20th century stuff. I don't even care for Card's work after Ender. Of course, that is probably due more to changes in my taste that changes to the genre.

With a recommendation like that I will have to get Stranger...have not read it yet. Thanks for the thought.

Kayta · Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:59 am

Careful when you get Stranger. Was originally published with a different (and horrible) ending, where Michael isn't "grokked." They republished with Heinlein's original ending many years later. I much prefer the (later) unedited version.

Kayta · Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:07 am


	Eratosthenes wrote: Good point, I guess I missed Dune...I thought the first three were brilliant but I think, like many publishers, it became a cash cow. They tell me the recent one written by hi son (name escapes me) is very good....

You're right, Dune, Dune Messiah & Children of Dune were great. Heretics and God Emperor were good but Chapter House, I think, picked up the standard again. Have only read 1 or 2 of son's books, Brian Herbert & someone else?, and wasn't thrilled. Seem too much like added-on books rather than a part of the series.

Eratosthenes · Sun Mar 14, 2010 4:19 pm


	Kayta wrote: Careful when you get Stranger. Was originally published with a different (and horrible) ending, where Michael isn't "grokked." They republished with Heinlein's original ending many years later. I much prefer the (later) unedited version.

Thanks for the warning...but won't that mean I will need to read the end first to see if I have the right one... :lol:

3amd5.Royo · Mon Mar 15, 2010 2:46 am

I'm so glad Kayta mentioned Heinlein! Before a couple years ago I only read hardcore fantasy, but finally decided the genre was getting too predictable, so I started reading more sci-fi. I have some buddies that are sci-fi obsessed, and Stranger in a Strange Land was automatically the first book they had me read! It was refreshing and enjoyable, lol.

I also just read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, who's books and graphic novels I scramble for whenever I'm in a book store.

froglipz · Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:18 pm

I like the Lazarus Long stuff by Heinlen, Also Race Against Time by Piers Anthony. I probably have more fantasy by 10:1 over scifi, but I have enjoyed everything mentioned above except Gaiman, who I am about to go look for...

What would you call Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy?

Tad Williams wrote a great scifi/fantasy book I wouldn't be sure which to call it. It was The City Of Golden Shadow series, which is set in a modern time within a virtual reality or realities (science) but the characters do go on a quest (fantasy). It was a great read, I had already liked Williams from the Dragonbone Chair series.

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