[Colonel Worf]

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Outstanding. Much better than another book I've read in the genre, Timeline by Michael Crichton. I had never even heard of the book until someone on this board mentioned it and I realized it had won both the Hugo and the Nebula. I would recommend this book to sci-fi fans and general lovers of literature alike.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Something I had read a lot about, but never really bothered to pick it up, thinking it would be juvenile. I was pleasantly surprised at how fun this book is to read. I bought Speaker for the Dead because I am extremely curious about the next chapter of the story.
The Long Walk by Stephen King
Kinsman by Ben Bova
More like a collection of short stories, but they all fit together very cohesively. Chet Kinsman has become one of my favorite characters. I was more disappointed in:
Millennium by Ben Bova
Interesting characters, but I wasn't a big fan of the story. I prefered Kinsman much more. But, at least there was some resolution to Chet and Diane.
Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson
I actually liked the extreme weirdness of this book. It really never decided on a genre, but it was so odd that I loved it.
Jupiter by Ben Bova
Awesome. I was captivated until the very end. Possibly Bova's best novel. I would love to see a sequel. Saturn is getting one...
The Saga of Seven Suns: Hidden Empire by Kevin J. Anderson
Vivid worlds and an exciting plethora of characters makes this one outstanding book. I would definetely recommend it to anyone who even remotely likes space opera. Don't be turned off by the author. I talk about this book almost as much as I do Dune.
The Saga of Seven Suns: A Forest of Stars by Kevin J. Anderson
I read this a lot faster than the first one. I'm looking for book three right now because I'm going crazy to see what happens next!
Nemesis by Isaac Asimov
Better than Foundation in my opinion. The concept of the sun's companion, Nemesis, is interesting and the character of Marlene kept me coming back to read more. Highly recommended.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
It's okay. I don't understand why everyone views it as some of the best sci-fi ever. There were a few stories I enjoyed, but I don't think I'd ever want to read it again.
Prey by Michael Crichton
This book started off really well, but became very dull and almost corny near the end. I enjoyed the whole househusband thing at the beginning more than I did the actual plot of the novel...
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
I'm a big fan of the movie, so It's no surprise that I enjoyed the book ten times more. So many things are much easily conveyed in the novel, and some of the more interesting scenes are nowhere to be found in the movie.
Contact by Carl Sagan
Do you think it's weird that I like the movie more? The book started to wander a lot. I like the ideas presented, but I think the screenplay portrays the message a lot better.
Dune: The Machine Crusade by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
It's Dune. You have to love it. I'm pretty upset that The Battle of Corrin will include almost none of the characters from the first two books of the trilogy. Anyway, this is a must read for any Dune fans.
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert A. Heinlein
This was a very fun and exciting book! It was my first experience with a Heinlein book, and I thought it was great. I didn't like the ending, but it's okay, because the rest of the book was funny and holds up very well.
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
These loosely related Mars tales are excellent. Some are extremely creepy. Recommended for people who are fascinated by Mars. It's a science fiction classic.
The Martian Race by Gregory Benford
I've forgotten all the characters. The story was good at the time, but It's not as good as Ben Bova's Mars.
Mars Crossing by Geoffrey A. Landis
Barely interesting. I don't understand how it got a Hugo nomination. There are tons of Mars novels better than this one.
Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Just like Foundation, I think it's an overrated novel. Having almost no plot, I'm surprised it held my interest. It's really not a bad novel though.
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Nothing like either of it's movie adaptations. I'll be honest. I didn't really like it. I felt like pulling my hair out while I was reading it.

[ShellyS]

Just the SF I've read this year so far?

The Whole Wide World by Paul McAuley
This was a bit disappointing. It's a murder mystery set in the not-too-distant future, but it felt almost old to me. I expected something more innovative re: cyberland and more suspense.

Replay by Ken Grimwood
I've had this for over a decade, but finally got around to reading it after folks on an AOL's readers board started to read it and I didn't want to be left out. It's amazing. It starts with the protagonist dying and he keeps replaying the last 20 or so years of his life, constantly trying to do it better. An award winner.

The Upright Man by Michael Marshall (Smith)
A mystery/suspense, but since he first wrote SF, I've included this. I love his writing. If you're not reading his books, and you don't mind graphic violence, he's well worth it.

Timescape by Gregory Benford
Another old one, and a classic, that I finally got around to reading. Feels very dated now -- told in two time periods, it deals with ecological disaster and trying to send a message to the past -- and he obviously improved on his writing and characterization since then, but it's fascinating, even if the science got away from me at times.

Dog Warrior by Wen Spencer
Book 4 in the Ukiah Oregon series. I'm in love with Ukiah and friends and with the alien culture on Earth she's developed. I just wish these were better edited. I keep finding errors, usually grammatical.

[Mugwump]

Babel-17 by Samuel Delaney:

I didn’t understand it. I doubt I will ever ‘get’ Delaney who never fails to expand the boundaries of pretentiousness. One to forget.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson:

Great reading if you’re an angsty, caffeine-fueled teenager with dreams of skateboarding glory. I am not. Compared favorably with Neuromancer. I can’t understand why.

Time out of Joint by Philip K. Dick:

Clearly a big inspiration for The Truman Show. I enjoyed it more than others seem to have. Not perfect but I like my SF paranoid-side-up.

Helliconia Spring, Summer and Winter by Brian Aldiss:

Brilliant! Encore! Encore! I shall talk about this later in the forum.

Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson:

Clearly one book in the series too far. Gibson obviously had his eyes on a new Lear Jet. Not bad, but it’s embarrassed by the first in the series.

Ringworld by Larry Niven:

Rubbish.

Hyperion by Dan Simmons:

Promising start to the series. Some of the tales are very well told. Others make no sense and left me with a bitter aftertaste.

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks:

Kicks off at a cracking pace but the book tails off after halfway. By the end it’s silly.

The Crystal World by J.G. Ballard:

Typical, plot-less, Ballard - surreal, dreamy, almost hypnotic environments that burn themselves into your brain forever.

Pavane by Keith Roberts:

Highly original alternate reality story that is both engaging and beautifully written.

The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner:

No surprise to find Brunner upset about something else. He was a remarkable writer but his politics were best brushed under the carpet.

[Monty Mike]

Dark Light
Engine City
Nine Princes in Amber
Guns of Avalon
Sign of the Unicorn
Hand of Oberon
Courts of Chaos
Of Mice and Men

[emohawk]

After digging around the forums, I've compiled a list of the SF novels I read in 2004:

Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky: 3/5
The Dreaming Jewels by Theodore Sturgeon: 4/5
Venus Plus X by Theodore Sturgeon: 5/5
The Last Castle by Jack Vance: 4/5
The Barbie Murders by John Varley: 4/5
Slan by A. E. van Vogt: 4/5
Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison: 3/5
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut: 5/5
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan: 3/5
Neverness by David Zindell: 4/5
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Eighth Annual Collection ed. Gardner Dozois: 4/5
The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke: 5/5
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fourteenth Annual Collection ed. Gardner Dozois: 2/5
Triplanetary, First Lensman, Galactic Patrol and Grey Lensman by E. E. "Doc" Smith: 2/5
The Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang: 5/5
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fifteenth Annual Collection ed. Gardner Dozois: 4/5
Changeling by Roger Zelazny: 4/5
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon: 5/5
Paycheck by Philip K. Dick: 2/5
Downward to the Earth by Robert Silverberg: 5/5
Greybeard by Brian W. Aldiss: 3/5
Inverted World by Christopher Priest: 4.5/5
Fugue for a Darkening Island by Christopher Priest: 3/5
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov: 3/5
The Crystal World by J. G. Ballard: 4/5
The Unlimited Dream Company by J. G. Ballard: 2/5
The Locus Awards ed. Charles N. Brown and Jonathon Strathan: 5/5
The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carrol: 5/5
Light by M. John Harrison: 2.5/5
Felaheen by Jon Courtney Grimwood: 3/5
Genesis by Poul Anderson: 2.5/5
Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler: 4/5
Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the Twentieth Century ed. Orson Scott Card: 3/5
Heroes and Villians by Angela Carter: 3/5
Brontomek! by Michael G. Coney: 4/5
Engine Summer by John Crowley: 2/5
334 by Thomas M. Disch: 3/5
On Wings of Song by Thomas M. Disch: 5/5
Permutation City by Greg Egan: 4/5
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson: 4/5
Time and Again by Jack Finney: 5/5
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank: 5/5

[ArthurFrayn]

I didn't get to read as much SF as I would have liked this year, I had other reading commitments. A lot of old stuff this past year. New stuff will be read this coming year including recommends from youse:

Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury***
I was a bit disappointed in this one, considering how often it is sited as the best SF novel ever written. No way. First of all, it isn't a novel -it's a collection of short stories that are united tenuously by the Martian theme. Some, like the first couple are too dated and hokey to even discuss. Some are nicely done character studies. But... "There Will Come Soft Rains" about the demo smart house self destructing is an outstanding piece of writing. Very,very impressed with that one story.
Stars my Destination - Alfred Bester*** The first half of the book has some terrific stuff. The "Scientifics" are an absolute riot. But I don't buy Foyle's motivation for revenge, and there seems to be some indication along the line of the story that Bester senses it's not strong enough either.He has second thoughts though; he realizes he can't "reform" Foyle if he is motivated by external forces, and he let's Foyle's initial motivation stand. I don't buy the end at all. The responsibility for the destruction of the universe should be placed in the hands of everyone? Hogwash!!
Soldier,Ask Not - Gordon R. Dickson**** This was great. Although it ultimately is not about the same thing, it draws themes and motifs from Stendhal's "The Red and the Black" right down to Stendhal's surly tone. This guy is a good writer -I look forward to more Dorsai reading.
Ship of Ishtar - A Merritt -***** Top drawer "men's adventure", Conan type fantasy from the 20s. Some highly memorable scenes. Much more fun than I could have dreamed it would be. Really violent!! :D
Farmer in the Sky -Robert Heinlein**** I wasn't prepared for how good this was. So simply told, so thoroughly convincing. And with the chewy bits of real science. Such a real, human story, that I was disappointed when an alien presense pops up at the end. Don't worry, that's not a spoiler really. ;)
The Paradox Men - Charles Harness *****Mind blowing VanVogt like tale. Space and Time are silly putty. Really, really well done. Moves like a freight train -woops- excuse me -a transwarp speed transport.
Mission of Gravity -Hal Clement ***** I got both of these recommends from the Pringle list. Excellent. Such a simple story.Very impressed. I don't get why people don't like the characters. Went right on my top 10 list.
The Dragon Masters-JackVance*****An enormous saga told in 150 pages. How did these magazine guys do it? Today this would be a thousand pages. He does write very well- he manages to get mood, characterization and location with great precision.I like his dialogue as well.
Breed To Come -Andre Norton **Very disappointing sentient kittycat book that I reread from when I was a kid. She takes on way more story than she can handle in the allotted length, and invalidates any animal rights points she might have been making by assigning morality to various animals she obviously likes or dislikes, as in kittycats good -rats evil. The novel resolves very unsatisfactorily with regard to it's central character. Considering this is a character driven book, that's a real problem for me.
Weaponshops of Isher -AEVanVogt***&The Weapon Makers-AEVanVogt***
I often have an inverse relation to the books everyone loves by a given author. I thought these and Slan had too many silly unresolved things in them to be other than OK. Not amongst my favorite Van Vogt books so far.
Empire of the Atom -AEVanVogt****&The Wizard of Linn -AEVanVogt****
I loved these. Obviously based on "I Claudius". To me that's a plus, not a negative.Comparing these to the original books by Robert Graves was an entertaining counterpoint.Thoughtful characterisations for VanVogt, who more often, creates cypher-pawns to move around in staggering vistas. Granted he's not alone in this.;)
The Silkie -AEVanVogt *** Insane stuff. Essentially 3 stories about the Silkies-shape shifting cops for the planet Earth. Each story is more preposterously ambitious in scope, and screwier than the last. I kinda dug it. Not the place to start reading VanVogt.
The Changeling -AEVanVogt *** Insane again is the operative word. Paranoid is another good word.
Van Vogt stuffs more ideas and plot points into a 96 page story than he could possibly resolve, acts like it's a matter of course, and resolves it with great certainty in the last two pages. Not convincingly, not even close, but so what? I don't know why, but I forgive him, and pick up the next one.
It's books like this that Phil Dick has in mind as a point of departure when he writes things like "Time Out of Joint".

[FicusFan]

Date
Read Title First Name Last Name

0104 Singularity Sky, Charles Stross
0104 Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut
0104 The Phoenix Exultant, John Wright
0204 Slave Masters, Susan Wright
0204 Slave Trade, Susan Wright
0304 The Truth Machine, James Halperin
0304 Altered Carbon, Richard Morgan
0304 Broken Angels, Richard Morgan

0304 Hard-Boiled Wonderland
and the End of the World, Haruki Murakami

0304 Memory, Linda Nagata
0304 Maul, Tricia Sullivan
0404 The House of the Scorpion, Nancy Farmer
0404 Hunting Party, Elizabeth Moon
0404 Sporting Chance, Elizabeth Moon
0404 Winning Colors, Elizabeth Moon
0404 Dark Passage, Junius Podrug
0404 Consequences, Kristine Kathryn Rusch

0404 Stories of Your Life and Others, Ted Chiang

0404 Michael Swanwick's Guide to
Mesozoic Megafauna, Michael Swanwick

0504 The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami
0504 The Dark Path, Walter Hunt
0504 The Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon
0604 Messiah Node, Lyda Morehouse
0604 Apocalypse Array, Lyda Morehouse
0604 Archangel Protocol, Lyda Morehouse
0604 Fallen Host , Lyda Morehouse
0704 Robots and Empire, Isaac Asimov
0704 The Robots of Dawn, Isaac Asimov
0704 The Naked Sun, Isaac Asimov
0704 The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov

0804 The Wreck of the River
of Stars, Michael Flynn

0804 The Astonished Eye, Tracy Knight
0804 Lust, Geoff Ryman
0904 Sundiver, David Brin

0904 Earthclan,
(#2 & #3 Uplift Saga) David Brin

1004 Light, M. John Harrison
1104 Beautiful Soup, Harvey Jacobs
1204 Down and Out in the
Magic Kingdom, Cory Doctorow

[Francis]

Gene Wolfe:
The Book of the New Sun
The Urth of the New Sun
The Book of the Long Sun
The Book of the Short Sun

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K. Dick
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke