Can someone please recommend...

**Arith** · August 2nd, 2003, 03:14 PM

A good series of books that are kind of like starwars. I loved the starwars books set after jedi with Grand Admiral Thrawn and i would love to read something similar not in the star wars universe. Something with good characters, cool badguys, huge battles, tons of spaceships. Is Forever War a good book? It sounded like what i was looking for. I havent read much Sci-Fi so i could use some help, any suggestions? thanks guys!

**scooter13** · August 2nd, 2003, 04:54 PM

"The Forever War" is a good book, but not like Star Wars.

I enjoyed the Thrawn trilogy too, but I am not sure if anything else that I have liked would be along the same lines as Star Wars. I think "Revelation Space" by Alastair Reynolds is a great space opera, but with a hard sci-fi mix. "Redemption Ark" is the follow up to that, but only out in hardcover in the US. There is David Brin's first Uplift Trilogy ("Sundiver", "Startide Rising", and "The Uplift War"). That was a great series with many different races of aliens and very unique societies, as well as battles (from what I can remember, read them over 10 years ago). Then there is Iain M. Banks' Culture novels. There is a chronological order to them (which I don't know), but they are all stand alone novels.

Hope this might help you a little bit. Good luck!

**Duraccione** · August 3rd, 2003, 11:41 AM

Originally posted by Arith
A good series of books that are kind of like starwars. I loved the starwars books set after jedi with Grand Admiral Thrawn and i would love to read something similar not in the star wars universe. Something with good characters, cool badguys, huge battles, tons of spaceships. Is Forever War a good book? It sounded like what i was looking for. I havent read much Sci-Fi so i could use some help, any suggestions? thanks guys!

I don't like spaceships battles too much (infantry is an army's spine

), but in my search for good military sf I bumped into authors such as David Weber (Honor Harrington series - ten books so far) and Steve White, who's written some novels with Weber and some on his own. I didn't test their works myself, but I've read they both are very skilled in describing space battles and tactics: surely they're worth a try. On Baen Free Library you should be able to download complete novels by Steve White.

"Forever war" is a nice novel, but not the kind you're looking for (as for spaceships, it rotates around space travel and its lags rather than huge space battles).

**Colonel Worf** · August 3rd, 2003, 12:42 PM

Check out Vernor Vinge's a Fire Upon The Deep / A Deepness in the Sky.

**Ouroboros** · August 3rd, 2003, 02:48 PM

You could try Peter F. Hamilton's Nights' Dawn trilogy. If it fails to be very like Star Wars, it's probably only because it's much better (IMO)

Also try Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan novels... excellent space opera, a good mixture of melodrama, tactics, coming-of-age theme and light relief.

For a series very like Star Wars there's always Simon R. Green's Deathstalker series... but be warned, the dialogue is even more ridiculous than George Lucas' worst.

**Guymelef** · August 5th, 2003, 06:37 PM

Bank's works go (spelling guessed in some places)

Consider phlebeas
player of games
use of weapons
agaisnt a dark background
inversion
excession
look to windward
the state of the art (short stories centered around culture)

reyneld's go

revelation space
chasm city
redemption ark (arc?)
absolution gap (forthcoming)
turquise days/diamond dogs (short stories)

**Soon Lee** · August 5th, 2003, 09:51 PM

I'll chime in with a comment before this gets subsumed by the recommendations 'sticky'.

Arith, seeing as you enjoyed the Star Wars books, are you looking for more at the same reading level; some of the writers like Iain M. Banks and Vernor Vinge require that the reader do some of the work, or are you open to more substantial books?.

I've had a look in the SF recommendations 'sticky' but couldn't find a 'if you like X, you might like Y'-type thread.

I'm thinking you're looking for Space Opera type books (like some of the ones others have recommended e.g. Hamilton, Banks, Reynolds) or even Military SF (I see you started THAT thread) (like David Weber's Honor Harrington books).

Even the Dune prequels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson might be what you're after; they are a lighter read than Frank Herbert's Dune books and I found them shallow but YMMV. Actually, do try Frank Herbert's Dune. It's a classic.

Hope this helps.

**Arith** · August 6th, 2003, 12:00 PM

Hi guys, thanks for the help on this. I will definetly look at some of the books meantioned. Soon, i have no problem with the reading level, any books you can recomend would be great. I just like the kind of story that some of the starwars books have, big space battles, alien races, cool heros and villians.

**Soon Lee** · August 6th, 2003, 06:45 PM

In that case, definitely check out the Space Opera and Military SF links and the rest of the suggestions here. There's bound to be something here that suits your taste. Happy reading.

**Arith** · August 8th, 2003, 12:41 PM

Hi guys, thanks for all the help. I just went to Barnes and Nobles and picked up the first book of Peter F. Hamilton's Nights' Dawn trilogy. Im about 50 pages into it and am really liking it so far. I need to get used to his style though, man does this guy guve detail. The second chapter when he is describing the homeworld of those creatures that turn into ghost-like beings was so indepth i had to read it twice but so far so good. Thanks again...

**Dystran Hart** · August 8th, 2003, 07:27 PM

Originally posted by Guymelef
[B]Bank's works go (spelling guessed in some places)

Consider phlebeas
player of games
use of weapons
agaisnt a dark background
inversion
excession
look to windward
the state of the art (short stories centered around culture)
B]

My opinion

I would read the order Guymelef posted them in. Except "against a dark background" is not a 'culture' (part of the other books) novel but is totally separate. Still a great book though" and can be read anytime as a stand alone.

Start with consider phlebus or player of games - either is okay - but probably consider phlebus first.

Then use of weapons - liked that book a lot!

Inversion is related to the others - but not so much.

Look to windward is his newest - lots of diologue - pretty thoughtful book. I loved it personally, very deep. Personalyy inversions or look to windward can be read in any order#?

**Mugwump** · September 1st, 2003, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by Arith
Hi guys, thanks for all the help. I just went to Barnes and Nobles and picked up the first book of Peter F. Hamilton's Nights' Dawn trilogy. Im about 50 pages into it and am really liking it so far. I need to get used to his style though, man does this guy guve detail. The second chapter when he is describing the homeworld of those creatures that turn into ghost-like beings was so indepth i had to read it twice but so far so good. Thanks again...

Excellent choice Arith, that particular series is well worth the effort. Be warned though that there are certain points in the book (in fact all three books) where you can get seriously ‘bogged down’ – so patience is the keyword.

You might also try to pick up E.E. 'Doc' Smith's Lensman series (old, but still around). Plenty of 'Space Opera' in there too, of course - it is a touch more concise.

**Keyoke** · September 2nd, 2003, 12:40 AM

A other book that has been recommend to Star Wars fan is by Timonthy Zahn, and it's called the Conqueror's Trilogy. I read the first book, and enjoyed it. I just recently acquired the second and third novel, and they are on the to read list.

I believe the first book is Conqueror's Pride.

Keyoke

**Hungry Jo** · September 2nd, 2003, 03:55 PM

Originally posted by Dystran Hart

Inversion is related to the others - but not so much.

Inversions is a culture book? I have to say I never noticed

But it has been a while since I read it.

It can certainly be read out of order to the others, but I wouldn't reccomend reading it as your first Banks novel.

Feersum Endjin also one of my fav's but it's not an easy one to start with either - half of it's written in phonetics for a start

**FicusFan** · September 2nd, 2003, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by Arith
Hi guys, thanks for all the help. I just went to Barnes and Nobles and picked up the first book of Peter F. Hamilton's Nights' Dawn trilogy. Im about 50 pages into it and am really liking it so far. I need to get used to his style though, man does this guy guve detail. The second chapter when he is describing the homeworld of those creatures that turn into ghost-like beings was so indepth i had to read it twice but so far so good. Thanks again...

When you are reading the books just keep in mind that in the UK they were printed as 3 books. In the US the books were split into 6. So if you are reading book 1 of Reality Dysfunction , don't be upset when it ends and there is no wrap up or any real ending. The book was never mean to end there, it is really the middle of a book. You need to read Book 2 of the Reality Dysfunction to complete 1 book in the trilogy. The same is true for both books of the
Neutronium Alchemist, and The Naked God. They are quite a journey, but are enjoyable.