Best sci-fi book you've ever read

[DJTruthsayer]

OMG! You made me sign in after 6 months. Six months. Simply because no one mentioned Ian M. Banks.

I mean really people: Ian M. Banks. Read "Excession" of course and read "Feersum Endjinn" too, but anything else really.

And also Charles Stross, but not nearly so much, read "Halting State".

a) Iain M. Banks, not Ian.

b) If you want to read any of the Iain M. Banks culture books, you need to read Consider Phlebas first. the rest of the books dont make much sense if you dont read that first.

c) Feersum Endjinn is part written in phonetics. its horrible, and practicaly unitelligable.

As for the best sci fi ever, either the Foundation series by Asimov, the Rama series by Clark, H2G2 by Adams or the Culture series by Banks.

Terry Prachett writes the best fantasy. fact. Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea Quartet are worth a read as well.

 

[ars731]

The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch or Ubik by Philip K Dick

 

[otakon17]

I have to say, The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov. Not only that, it was a parting gift from a teacher of mine from high school before he moved and went to work at his new job. At NASA.

 

[Marowit]

Dune

The speaker for the dead is my next favorite

 

[Wilbot666]

I don't know if I'd call it the absolute best that I've ever read, but Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton http://www.peterfhamilton.co.uk/index.php?page=Pandora_s_Star is a great read, and I really must search out the second book in the series.

Great concept and lots of intrigue. Well worth a look.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

The fall of Reach, although that's probably quite bias because I'm deeply in love with anything to do with Halo.

But you know what? To hell with those people. Some of the greatest stories I've ever read were based in science fiction and fantasy.

Hear hear!

 

[Lord Kodous]

Off the top of my head I'll go with either:
Star Wars: Republic Commando: Triple Zero
or
Star Wars: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream

Those are both really good.

 

[octafish]

The Three Stigmata Of Palmer Eldritch or Ubik by Philip K Dick

Because everyone who says Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? must not have read these two, which are two of the three must read Phillip K. Dick novels the third being of course The Man in the High Castle. His writing can be a little "utilitarian" at times (mostly in some of his short stories) but the ideas in his stories soar to another level.

snip
And no one likes Vonnegut? Slaughterhouse 5 was probably his most famous novel, but Cat's Cradle was by far my favorite.
snip

No damn cat, no damn cradle! I myself am very fond of Player Piano and The Sirens of Titan as well as Slaughterhouse 5.

My personal favourite would be the entirety of the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson, beautifully written, intricate, and complex without ever being overwhelming. A real delight to read. So what that it is set in the 17th century? It is still sci-fi to me.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I have been meaning to look into the Honor Harrington series. Any recommendations?

 

[w00tage]

Sci-fi only? I'll throw in a couple.

Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series. I advise starting chronologically with Shards of Honor. And please ignore the later-released "Harlequin Romance" omnibus covers, I don't know WHAT the friggin' publisher was thinking

C.J. Cherryh's Chanur Saga, starting with The Pride of Chanur. Her grammar gets a little choppy at times, possibly as an artistic decision, but that's the only imperfection. What a great story, and more, what a great twist on a concept that's been done to death.

Fun books

Keith Laumer's Renegade's Honor. Middle book of the series and the only one I've read, but great classic space opera sci fi.

David Weber's Honor Harrington early books, the first three or 4 were great.

David Weber's Empire of Ashes series - Mutineer's Moon etc. Nice work and a great look at some things that might be in our near future.

Michael Stackpole's Battletech books - surprising lot of political intrigue and character work for a book about giant robots. I still think this universe is an insanely good fit for an MMO too.

...I don't usually recommend Star Wars books, buuuut - Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover was well written and a surprisingly good read, well above all of the others I've read.

 

[w00tage]

I have been meaning to look into the Honor Harrington series. Any recommendations?

Yes, the first 3 or 4. Later he gets into a lot of heavy, multipage conversations and technical descriptions that really bog down the books. Not his fault, his editor should be on top of that, but apparently not.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

The Barsoom series. John Carter of Mars!

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I have been meaning to look into the Honor Harrington series. Any recommendations?

Yes, the first 3 or 4. Later he gets into a lot of heavy, multipage conversations and technical descriptions that really bog down the books. Not his fault, his editor should be on top of that, but apparently not.

Ah, I see. I was interested in it when I heard about the subject of rebuilding naval tactics after they had degraded over centuries of apathy.

 

[Toenz]

Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan.

Though, all of his books are great.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Ender's Game. The best book I've ever read. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy come in second.

Basically that in reverse order, I like the humor of the Hitchhiker better.

Ummmmmm the Bible

I do believe you mean the book of Scientology, though it's significantly worse to read.

 

[Roan Berg]

Tie between Foundation and His Dark Materials.
Wait, His Dark Materials isn't sci-fi? Then I choose neither!

 

[Ashcrexl]

the hitchhiker's series is actually one of my favorite series of ALL TIME. EVER. so i think it would definitely qualify as best sci fi book i've ever read. my personal favorite is Restaurant.

 

[Yearlongjester]

The first four Dune books, as well as the first three Ender books.

Best. Damn. Sci-Fi. Books. Ever.

Deep, compelling, genuinely interesting characters, thought-provoking plot, and most importantly it didn't deal with space marines or the end of the world. It was far more grandiose than that.

Honestly, if you haven't check either out before you should consider it.

Edit: Yeah, I figured someone would say those before me. My faith in Humanity has been restored!

Other than those I'm not particularly well-versed in the Sci-Fi genre, as most have to do with the aforementioned space marine drama. I know a lot of good fantasy titles though!

 

[Fanfic_warper]

Anything Star Wars really for me.