Recommendations

Arthur Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama (and the following RAMA trilogy w/ Gentry Lee) is a must read, along with Fountains of Paradise

Alastair Reynold's Century Rain (Sci-Fi/Alt History) and his novella collection: Diamond Dogs / Turquoise Days (both in the Revelation Space universe)

Richard Matheson's I am Ledgend is also a personal fav.

That's my two cents highlight pick.
 
I'm no where near as well read in SciFi as many who post here, but I've read my fair share.

In no order, books I loan to friends:

- Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. These two make a perfect pairing for any SciFi fan. Probably not Card's best work, but perhaps his most entertaining.

- Assimov's Foundation trilogy (w/ prequel if you're in the mood). This series hasn't left my main bookshelf in 15 years.

- Brave New World, 1984, and Farenheit 451. Yeah, those books they have you read in high school. They're good. Very good.

- Atwood's Oryx and Crake and Handmaid's Tale. This falls into the "speculative fiction" category, so if you're looking for spaceships look elsewhere. If you're looking for something to read after Brave New World, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451, give her a shot. I doubt you'll regret it.

- Snowcrash and Neuromancer. I'm not sure these two fit into a special SciFi category, but if you like one, I'm guessing you'll like the other. I can picture Gibson and Stephenson having drinks, talking what the what-ifs of our society.

- Robert A. Heinlein. The man who is perhaps responsible for my love of reading. I remember discovering Starship Troopers, the Puppet Masters, the Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Tunnel in the Sky, Have Space Suit-Will Travel... these books fostered a love for reading and writing that ultimately led to decent grades in high school and college. I'd suggest to anyone who's never really read Heinlein to visit your local library and check out and armful of his books. They're quick reads.

- Card's Speaker for the Dead and Xenoside. I've had college professors talk about these works, and they're worth reading. After reading Ender's Game, Speaker and Xeno you'll probably want to read the quartet's conclusion Children of the Mind, but that title is NOT on my recommended list. Basically... you have to read it, but that doesn't mean you have to like it. =)

- Le Guin's The Dispossessed. Like Atwood, she's good. Very good. After you're done go out and read her Earthsea quartet. Not SciFi, but hey, if you're reading SciFi you really should be reading fantasy, too.

Alright, that's enough.

Dyloot
 
The One said:
Although it doesn't seem to be a well-read novel, Involution Ocean by William Gibson is one of my favourites.
Click to expand...

It looks interesting. I may as well request that the campus library buy it. I really do feel the need to get my money's worth out of tuition. :)

Once again, I would really like to be able to discuss The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank M. Robinson with someone... get to reading. :p
 
Last edited:
Has anyone read any of Ben Bova's Grand Tour books? I wasn't sure I wanted to read any of them because I've heard mixed reviews, but then I read MARS and I thought it was excellent. Picked up MOONRISE after that, going in chronological order, and it was good, although I've heard its sequel MOONWAR is much better. And RETURN TO MARS is sitting on my TBR shelf.

So can anyone tell me if these books are worth reading all the way through? I know they are a bit more stand-alone than a real series, but I'm intrigued.
 
*sigh*

First post by JChristopher happens to mention a series of books by.....

Jonathan Christopher.

Hmmm.
SFFWorld Forum Guidelines said:
Promotion
We are more than happy for our regular members to make other members aware of their own writing and business successes etc, and have threads dedicated to discussions of this nature. However, we do not allow non-active or new members to post solely for the purpose of advertising their own products/sites etc. Nor do we allow users to start multiple threads of this nature. Such threads will be removed.

Using Private Messages for the purpose of promotion and/or advertising is not acceptable at SFFWorld. Members who do this will be banned without prior warning or acknowledgement.
Click to expand...

Post therefore removed.

Hobbit
 
New to Sci-Fi and looking for good stories - Wow - besides all those wonderful stories already listed, and believe me they are all outstandingly good reads, since I own them, I would add the following authors:

David Weber - His Honor Harrington series, for that matter, anything by David Weber.

Marion Zimmer Bradley - Her Darkover series. The Grand Dame of Science Fiction herself. The world lost a wonderful person she passed away a couple of years ago. Her book, Darkover Landfall, is what got me into Science Fiction.

Stephen R. Donaldson - His Sci-Fi epic - Unfortunately I can't remember the name of it. It was 6 books in length and was written in reverse. He would give you the ending of the story and then proceed to tell you about what led up to it and he finished each one with "Now you know the Rest of the Story". A great story written in a very unique fashion that I've never encountered since.

Orson Scott Card - Anything by him, especially his Ender series of books

Iassic Asimov - Classic Sci-Fi - very detailed and can get a little weighty but every story I've read always makes me think and ponder. A definate plus in my opinion.

I could keep going and going and going. Welcome to the infinite worlds of possibility. Enjoy.
 
Has anyone read Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes?

That was a pretty good book and I'd recommend it. It's about a mentally retarded man that undergoes an experimental surgery to increase his intelligence and he becomes a genius. The problem, he finds out that he will eventually revert back to his low intelligence as his brain detoriates back. I really liked how it was written from a first person diary perspective, you get to see this man from the viewpoint of the before and after.
 
Has anyone read Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes?
Click to expand...
i vaguely remember this being required reading in a Lit class in high school. at the time, i think it was over my head, but i've thought of the book often. it's a good read. i wonder how somethign like that would be received, if it was written today?
 
redhead said:
i vaguely remember this being required reading in a Lit class in high school. at the time, i think it was over my head, but i've thought of the book often. it's a good read. i wonder how somethign like that would be received, if it was written today?
Click to expand...

It's a good book so if you get a chance you should read it again. It was a sad story, you get pulled into Charlie's world and all he goes through.
 
I glanced over most of the recos and thought I would add a few o my own.

1. SANTIAGO by Mike Resnik (A very light read.)
2. THE WIDOW MAKER by Mike Resnick
3. THE GAP CYCLE by Stephen R. Donaldson
4. MISSION EARTH by L.Ron Hubbard
5. GLORY ROAD by Robert Heinlein
6. THE CARLUCCI BOOKS by Richard Paul Russo
7. THE CORNELIUS CHRONICLES by Michael Moorcock
8. THE CHRONICLES OF SCAR by Ron Sarti
9. CITY OF DARKNESS by Ben Bova
10. EON by Greg Bear

I could have added more but I didnt wat to compile a mountain of books.:)
 
No one at this site ever mentions Jon Courtney Grimwood so I think I will.

His stories are mainly fast and action filled and I love his style of writing. He mixes mythology from various cultures with sci-fi tech and cool, super smart characters with obvious mental problems. Sometimes reminds me of PKDick and sometimes of manga-esque cartoons.

I would recommend reMix or Stamping Butterflies or if you like detective/sci-fi then any of the Arabesque series. The main character is like Sam Spade of the future, in the middle east, with a talking fox in his head. 'nuf said. (can you tell I like him:rolleyes: )

Or if you truly are new to sci-fi then I recommend City of Illusions by Ursula K. LeGuin, if you can find it. It's a true classic. And she is a genius. In fact read all of her work before you read any other sci-fi. or not. I've not. But I should.
 
Great thread...

Hi all. I've been lurking here for a while and thought I would finally come out and post. I read SciFi and Fantasy and I tend to lean toward military action. Looking at my collection of the most re-read authors/books (and with and eye toward SF military) my favorites look somthing like this:

1. David Drake (pretty much everthing and including the fantasy stuff)
2. David Weber (again, everything. I just finished "Off Armageddon Reef" - Excellent! Left me wanting more.)
3. S.M. Stirling (Co-wrote The General series. He seems to co-author more great books than he actually writes by himself.)
4. Jerry Pournelle (I havn't read as much of his stuff as I want. Something I plan to remedy soon!)
5. John Ringo (Gust Front and March Upcountry are good. Most of what I've read of this guy I really like.)
6. Charles Sheffield (Very prolific and his Heritage Universe is a place worth visiting.)
7. Harry Turtledove (A prodigous mind and maybe the best military SF author out there)
8. Orson Scott Card (I doubt I need to say anthing about this author.)
9. Frank Herbert (Go past Dune. You'll be glad you did.)
10. Eric Flint (His alternate history stuff is great.)
11. Roger Allen McBride (in addition to great co-writing he does some great stuff on his own.)
12. Joe Halderman (His Forever War is a great read IMO.)

Other SF authors I read and often re-read (in no particular order)
Leo Frankowski
Peter F. Hamilton
Andre Norton
William C. Dietz
Piers Anthony
Larry Niven
Allan Cole and Chris Bunch
Gregory Benford
Anne McCaffery
Poul Anderson
Arthur C. Clark
Timothy Zahn
Alan Dean Foster
C J Cherryh


I could go on, but I'll stop there with apologies to the many good authors I'm leaving out. I would like to make one more honourable mention - the late Jim Baen. I always regarded Mr. Baen as a very good writer in his own right and, of course, we have him to thank for much of what we read today...
 
The Paratwa trilogy by Christopher Hinz is a must have set of books.

Liege Killer, Ash-Ock and Paratwa have got to be amongst the most detailed and well-realised science fiction books in the known universe and I would recommend them to any fans of science fiction interested in speculation as to the future of mankind as we progress ever onwards into the war torn uncertainty of the future.
 
"Paratwa" stands on my shelf for years. I've read "Anachronisms", but don't dare to pass third part without knowing these first and second. Your post mobilized me , and I bought them on Ebay in an instant. Now waiting.
I want to recommed one of best SF books I read in years, if not in my life. And it is "Inne Pieśni" / Other Songs / by Jacek Dukaj. After Stanisław Lem death Dukaj is his natural succesor / if not in diversity of literary kinds - surely in intellectual deepness /. I don't know if it is translated in english, or other language. Hope so. It is not an easy lecture, but worth to devote attention. It is very consistent told story about world ruled by aristothelian laws of physics. Very obese novel for those who like long-distance intellectual effort.
 
Couple of my favorites...

Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun and pretty much anything else he has written
Frank Herbert - Dune
Dan Simmons - Hyperion
Heinlein - hard to go wrong with Heinlein, Moon is a Harsh Mistress is my favorite though


Some terrific SF books that I don't think have been mentioned.

The Forest of Peldain by Barrington J. Bayley

Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin

The White Mountains by John Christopher

The Wooden Spaceshipsby Bob Shaw - Shaw has quite a few nice little SF books that aren't in print (Good luck finding them...).

Orbitsville by Bob Shaw

Night Walk By Bob Shaw

Cyteen By C.J. Cherryh

The Peace War By Vernor Vinge

Marooned in Realtime by Vernor Vinge
 
Another little novels by C J Cherryh Serpent's Reach and Merchant's Luck are small, yet intense novels that give you a great view of her universe without being overly expositional.
 
my recomendations, fantasy and sci-fi

(SCI-FI)
Books and short stories by Robert A. Heinlein
Issac Asimov's Robots and Murder stories
E.E. "Doc" Smith's chronicles of the Lensman, starts with Triplanetary, definitely read this first and everything else falls into place
H.G. Wells' Time Machine, War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, and any other books of his, cant name em all you know.
Jules Vernes 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is a good sci-fi, though some would beg to differ, and of course The Journey to the Center of the World is good.
any anthology thats properly put together will have really good short stories in them. you can usually find about one or two of them in your local library.

(Fantasy)
Bag on it all you will but David Eddings series The Belgriad is a darn good rootin Tootin series. its The Mallorean series i didn't all care much for. Belgerath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress were both good because all the untouched stories in the Belgriad and Mallorean series are extrapalated here.
R.A. Salvatores books are all good. even though i wasn't that big of a fan of the Canticle series doesn't mean i didn't not buy every single one and finished it.
Paul Kearney is a British author whose's Sea Beggar series im currently enjoying.
of course there is also Terry Brook's books. most ive read but still hammering them out.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is of course good. for a starter! dont forget that the Fellowship series was rather like an opera. i couldn't finish the first book. but The Samillrion was good. if you're into seing how things got to where they are in the other books.

in a short snippet thats what ive enjoyed lately.
 
Hello everyone,

I've read "Illium" written by Dan Simmons and I would like to recommend this book. I think it's even better then "Hyperion". Also, I agree with bio (miło powitać znajomego z forum "Nowej Fantastyki" :) ) that you should read Jacek Dukaj, but only one short story is fully in English. "The Golden Galley" Dukaj wrote when he was 16, and it was published in "The Dedalus Book of Polish Fantasy", anthology edited by Wiesiek Powaga. In this story hell is a spaceship and is coming to Earth on full speed.

Now some of short stories are being translated by Michael Kandel. You can find passages from one of this stories, "The Iron General", on official website. http://http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/utwory/TheIronGeneral.html

Also you can read passages from other short story, 'The Cathedral'. http://http://dukaj.fantastyka.art.pl/utwory/TheCathedral.html It is probably the best short story written by Dukaj. Short animated movie based on this story was nominee to Oscar in 2002.

Zeran.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsors


We try to keep the forum as free of ads as possible, please consider supporting SFFWorld on Patreon


Your ad here.
Back
Top