A Good Sci Fi Read?

[Jarc42]

I'm looking for a good book to read, and wondered if you guys (and gals) could offer some recommendations? I'm looking for something science fiction-y; from 'techno thriller' to 'space opera', anything related to science fiction.

A few books I have already picked out: 1984, Brave New World (first two aren't very science, more fiction), Foundation (and the prequel), and Starship Troopers.

I've already read: Ender's Game (amazing read!), Dune, Hitchhiker's Guide, and War of the Worlds.

(I quickly scanned a search of this, didn't see anything).

 

[JokerGrin]

I'll probably be shot for suggesting this, but one of my favourites is the Mission Earth series by L. Ron Hubbard. Yes, THAT L. Ron Hubbard. No, I despise Scientology. I just think the characters are absolutely superb.

I picked up "The Patron Saint of Plagues" by Barth Anderson but just can't get into it. I'll give it another shot soon.

 

[ae86gamer]

Are the Mass Effect books considered sc-fi because if they are read those because there good.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

Oryx and Crake is pretty good, it's not space-y, but it has a lot about genetic engineering and the future of society. Also Dune.

 

[SmilingKitsune]

I'd recommend Urulsa LeGuin's "The left hand of darkness" It's not conventional sci-fi but it's fantastic.

 

[Avatar Roku]

The Honor Harrington series by David Weber. Fucking amazing 11 book Space-opera series (with more to come). If you're intersted, the first book is On Basilisk Station.

 

[CapnGod]

I've got to recommend a few books, even though they aren't really SciFi:

The Book of Joby
Good Omens
To Reign In Hell
I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell
Men Are Better Than Women

and this one is definitely SciFi:
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

You also might want to look into an anthology. The ones my mom used to get me The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. I had the 8th and 9th editions, and maybe the 10th. There's probably an analogue for SciFi. http://www.lcrw.net/yearsbest/

 

[MegaDale]

It has to be said, if its in the discworld series you can't go wrong...

 

[blacktwar]

Roger Zelazny's Amber series is the best sci-fi I have ever read. It is a mix of fantasy/sci-fi and his writing is incredible. A must read.

 

[VaultBoy]

I'm looking for a good book to read, and wondered if you guys (and gals) could offer some recommendations? I'm looking for something science fiction-y; from 'techno thriller' to 'space opera', anything related to science fiction.

A few books I have already picked out: 1984, Brave New World (first two aren't very science, more fiction), Foundation (and the prequel), and Starship Troopers.

I've already read: Ender's Game (amazing read!), Dune, Hitchhiker's Guide, and War of the Worlds.

(I quickly scanned a search of this, didn't see anything).

.....Necromancer?

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

The Dune series up to and including God Emperor of Dune are great reads (I see you've already read the first). The rest are decent, after God Emperor the psychosocial commentary takes a backseat but they're well written and have interesting stories.

The Halo novels are good to decent (except for The Flood, only read if you haven't played the game (Halo: Combat Evolved) or are a serious enough fan to wonder where the humans got all their stuff and what they did while the Chief was off being badass; not a bad book but just not worth reading unless you really want/need to).

If you somehow find it on its own Young Zaphod Plays it Safe (it's in the Hitchhiker's Guide series) is a great short story.

Oh yeah, the Mass Effect books. Better story-telling than the game and that's some high praise.

 

[Jarc42]

Are the Mass Effect books considered sc-fi because if they are read those because there good.

Eh, I didn't really like the game, probably won't like that kind of material.

Also Dune.

Yeah, read that. Kind of a hybrid of fantasy and science fiction if you ask me.

The Honor Harrington series by David Weber. Fucking amazing 11 book Space-opera series (with more to come). If you're intersted, the first book is On Basilisk Station.

Looks interesting, I'll pick it up.

and this one is definitely SciFi:
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Sounds fascinating (read the Wikipedia article a while ago), that's definitely on the list!

 

[Zildjin81]

Read the other books that come after Ender's Game.

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

A must read for any Sci-Fi fan, is Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. They are some of the most amazing books I have ever read. I think that these books are what gave Christopher Paolini some of his ideas for Eragon and the rest of theInheritance series.

 

[doctorwhofan]

Anne McCaffrey's Pern
If you like Starship Troopers, Read Midshipman's Hope.

 

[Ace of Spades]

A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. One of my favorite books ever.

 

[Wicky_42]

Anything by Ian Banks and you're sorted. His Culture series in particular is excellent.

The Honour Harrington series is ok to start off with, but the characters are pretty shallow and the story not much better. Nice action in it, but that's easily the best bit and as I understand it the later books drop the action in favour of politicking n stuff. Once you realise that most of the combat is based heavily on Napoleonic-era naval warfare it looses its charm a little.

A must read for any Sci-Fi fan, is Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. They are some of the most amazing books I have ever read. I think that these books are what gave Christopher Paolini some of his ideas for Eragon and the rest of theInheritance series.

Lets be honest here, they're mostly more fantasy than sci-fi - though yeah, they were a good read

 

[Jarc42]

The Halo novels are good to decent (except for The Flood, only read if you haven't played the game (Halo: Combat Evolved) or are a serious enough fan to wonder where the humans got all their stuff and what they did while the Chief was off being badass; not a bad book but just not worth reading unless you really want/need to).

Read three of them: The Fall of Reach, First Strike, and The Flood. I liked the First Strike, and Fall of Reach was great.

Read the other books that come after Ender's Game.

That's what a friend recommended; Speaker of the Dead and Ender's Shadow, I think their called (?).

It has to be said, if its in the discworld series you can't go wrong...

Wikipeda article: "The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft and William Shakespeare, as well as mythology, folklore and fairy tales, often using them for satirical parallels with current cultural, technological and scientific issues".

Sign me up!

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Sun of Suns by Karl Schroder, it's a swash buckling steam powered sci-fi adventure set in a world that's literally a giant balloon in space.

The Hungry City Chronicles by Phillip Reeve, they're technically sci fi, but they read more like Fantasy.

 

[PersianLlama]

The Time Machine and The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells are great novels.

Actually, anything by H.G. Wells is an excellent Sci Fi book.