SF fans - help me out.

PatrickO

PatrickO

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I've been an SF addict for years. I know... I've tried therapy and keeping taking the pills, but the craving remains. Problem is, as I've got older my quality threshold is getting higher and higher. At one time if it was SF I'd read it. Now it's got to have everything: storyline, ideas, believable characters, scale and depth. Since the god-like Iain Banks sadly passed away, I have been on the hunt for decent SF authors.

Who would you recommend?
 
Never read him but have you tried Peter F Hamilton?
 
Unless you have read it already I would recommend 'Norstrilia' by Cordwainer Smith.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norstrilia

It's a bit pricy on google but Ebay has some cheaper copies.

I picked up my copy in the late 70s whilst working in California and I read it 3 times in the 4 months I was there.

So I will recommend it.

It may just feed your addiction.....

Steve
 
Actually I've been wanting to buy some SF too. I'm not into the fantasy/dragons type of stuff but really would like something science based centering on space exploration outside the solar system. Any ideas?
 
DorsetDude said:
Never read him but have you tried Peter F Hamilton?
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I think I have tried him in the past, but didn't get on with it. Possibly me being too picky.

RichardtheSane said:
Sci Fi
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Yes.

Hugh Jarse said:
Unless you have read it already I would recommend 'Norstrilia' by Cordwainer Smith.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norstrilia

It's a bit pricy on google but Ebay has some cheaper copies.

I picked up my copy in the late 70s whilst working in California and I read it 3 times in the 4 months I was there.

So I will recommend it.

It may just feed your addiction.....

Steve
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Cordwainer Smith. Now there's blast from the past. I'm sure I've read and liked some of his Instrumentality of Mankind stuff many years ago. I don't recall Norstrilia so definitely worth a look.

Ricardodaforce said:
Actually I've been wanting to buy some SF too. I'm not into the fantasy/dragons type of stuff but really would like something science based centering on space exploration outside the solar system. Any ideas?
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Where start? My personal fav author is Iain Banks. You could try Consider Phlebus which is a rattling good yarn, but is also full of amazing ideas and some great characters.
 
These you may have heard of

Robert Heinlein has some interesting stuff. His Stranger in a Strange Land is a hefty read. It was later morphed into the film 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' with David Bowie in the lead role.

Another writer known more for S/Fantasy is Michael Moorcock. He did a lot of SF in the late 60s early 70s and worked with the band Hawkwind with their albums In Search of Space, Doremesofatilo and the live tour and album The Space Ritual which brought us the Silver Machine and Born to Go singles

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/aug/01/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.bestbooks

He even formed his own band called The Deep Fix. A bit divergent from Hawkeind but SF in nature. So a root through the catalogue at the library (if you still have one) might be fruitful.

Steve
 
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Philip K Dick has written some great books that have been made into big Hollywood films. My favourite book of his is though 'The man in the high castle' which will no doubt get the Hollywood treatment eventually.
 
I'd definitely recommend Cordwainer Smith as suggested above. Try also Larry Niven's Known Space series, including the well known Ringworld books.

Personally I really like Harry Harrison, but he's probably too light hearted for what you want.
 
I've been a IMB fan for years.. I suggest Charles Stross, Neal Stephenson and Richard Morgan might appeal.
 
Anybody tried Jack Vance? Have read lots of his stuff, love it.
 
Hugh Jarse said:
These you may have heard of

Robert Heinlein has some interesting stuff. His Stranger in a Strange Land is a hefty read. It was later morphed into the film 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' with David Bowie in the lead role.

Another writer known more for S/Fantasy is Michael Moorcock. He did a lot of SF in the late 60s early 70s and worked with the band Hawkwind with their albums In Search of Space, Doremesofatilo and the live tour and album The Space Ritual which brought us the Silver Machine and Born to Go singles

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/aug/01/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.bestbooks

He even formed his own band called The Deep Fix. A bit divergent from Hawkeind but SF in nature. So a root through the catalogue at the library (if you still have one) might be fruitful.

Steve
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Read a lot of Heinlein in my yoof. Not sure I ever read "Stranger..."
That's a good link.

Vantage said:
Philip K d*** has written some great books that have been made into big Hollywood films. My favourite book of his is though 'The man in the high castle' which will no doubt get the Hollywood treatment eventually.
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Love Dick (so to speak). "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" is an all time masterpiece.

ancient_mariner said:
I'd definitely recommend Cordwainer Smith as suggested above. Try also Larry Niven's Known Space series, including the well known Ringworld books.

Personally I really like Harry Harrison, but he's probably too light hearted for what you want.
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I must try the Ringworld books again.

Alastair said:
I've been a IMB fan for years.. I suggest Charles Stross, Neal Stephenson and Richard Morgan might appeal.
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Charles Stross - don't know him - worth a look
Stephenson - :plus1:

Morgan's stuff I enjoyed, but the gore gets a bit repetitive for me.
 
If you want to get into Niven but are starting from scratch, try to find A Gift From Earth as a first book. It sets the scene for a space-travelling humanity before they make first contact with alien races, and is a great intro to the Known Space series.

For more off the wall science fiction, see if you can find The Secret Songs by Fritz Leiber. It's a collection of short stories, not heavy on science, but very lateral thinking.

Another author one hears little of these days is Julian May. He wrote a series of books set in earth's past, involving 2 alien races and some humans that have gone back in time to escape a technological society. The books are large, well written and detailed.

Also consider A E Van Vogt (great vintage scifi) Philip Jose Farmer, Gordon R Dickson and Alan Dean Foster (better known for Alien). These are the authors I have on my bookshelf alongside Asimov and Clarke (and Harrison and Niven).

A year or so back I also worked my way through and enjoyed the Edgar Rice Burroughs 'John Carter of Mars' series of books, and Andre Norton's time traveller books, all as a free download on KoBo (on my phone, as it happens). ERB was very silly but mostly entertaining, AN less silly, but without the edge that a male writer brings (AN was a woman).
 
Ricardodaforce said:
Actually I've been wanting to buy some SF too. I'm not into the fantasy/dragons type of stuff but really would like something science based centering on space exploration outside the solar system. Any ideas?
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Peter F. Hamilton is pretty much my benchmark for sci fi. The Naked God trilogy is amazing.
Alastair Reynolds as well. The Revelation Space novels are proper hard sci fi very interesting.

A newer series that I have enjoyed recently is the Expanse series by James A. Corey. Starting with Leviathan Wakes. Very promising so far. It's actually co-authored. Good space opera.
 
Asimov's Foundation Trilogy is still the benchmark for me. His Wendell Urth stories and, of course, I Robot and The Rest of The Robots are pretty good too.

OK, I'm an Asimov fan, have been for a very long time.

Heinlein is up there too. His 666, The Number of the Beast was my first introduction to the concept of computer logic.

Can't remember who wrote Farmer in the Sky, but that's another cracker.

Note to self - must get past the 1950s.o_O
 
norters said:
Peter F. Hamilton is pretty much my benchmark for sci fi. The Naked God trilogy is amazing.
Alastair Reynolds as well. The Revelation Space novels are proper hard sci fi very interesting.

A newer series that I have enjoyed recently is the Expanse series by James A. Corey. Starting with Leviathan Wakes. Very promising so far. It's actually co-authored. Good space opera.
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I second Norters post. Alastair Reynolds and Peter F Hamilton should keep you busy and it's very rewarding SF. The Hamilton trilogys are v v good. I would recommend the nights dawn series.
 
Good the hear some of the greats being mentioned.

Heinlein's, 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' is excellent.

Almost anything by Philip K Dick; his ideas on reality are interesting.

If you want an amusing easy read have a look Harry Harrison's, - 'Bill the Galactic Hero'

'Neuromancer' by William Gibson is excellent. First winner of the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award and the Philip K Dick Award and interesting to see some of the ideas in it are very close to existing now.

The Culture novels by Iain M Banks. It is not the first but 'The Player of Games' is a good one to start with.

The Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood is well worth a read, but then Margaret Atwood is such a good writer that she could make a shopping list a good read.

Dave
 
PatrickO said:
Read a lot of Heinlein in my yoof. Not sure I ever read "Stranger..."
That's a good link.



Love d*** (so to speak). "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" is an all time masterpiece.



I must try the Ringworld books again.



Charles Stross - don't know him - worth a look
Stephenson - :plus1:

Morgan's stuff I enjoyed, but the gore gets a bit repetitive for me.
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You HAVE to read Stranger...
 
Forgot to mention Ursula K Le Guin's 'Left Hand of Darkness' and the Earthsea novels.

Dave
 
Also the best sci-fi/fantasy series I've ever read are the Julian May Saga of the Exiles. Wonderful stuff!
 
Tringa said:
Forgot to mention Ursula K Le Guin's 'Left Hand of Darkness' and the Earthsea novels.
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"The Left Hand of Darkness" is probably her best IMO, but I like "The Disposessed" and her short stories.



The23rdman said:
Also the best sci-fi/fantasy series I've ever read are the Julian May Saga of the Exiles. Wonderful stuff!
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Never read Julian May. Is that more SF or fantasy?
 
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PatrickO said:
Never read Julian May. Is that more SF or fantasy?
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Mostly fantasy but in a sciency sort of way. Worth a look. Only comparable author I can think of is Stephen Donaldson who wrote a vast fantasy series and also a pretty impressive SF one.

BTW best SF book I have read in a very long time is "The Martian" by Andy Weir. Very different from most SF but very very good.

ancient_mariner said:
Another author one hears little of these days is Julian May. He wrote a series of books set in earth's past, involving 2 alien races and some humans that have gone back in time to escape a technological society. The books are large, well written and detailed.
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All of this is true. Except for the pronoun. Julian's a girl.
 
So many to list not enough time to read them all.

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series.

Herberts Dune (Including the ones continued by his son)

Helliconia Trilogy Brian Aldiss.

John Wyndham.

Lots of the Baen Library like David Drake, Eric Flint, David Weber, John Ringo and others.

Gene Wolf

Harry Turtledove for some good Alternate History ones

E.E. Doc Smith for classics

Michael Moorcock

Stephen Baxter


The list goes on and on
 
None of these are new, they are all very good:

Timescape - Gregory Benford
All of David Brin's Uplift novels.
The shockwave rider - John Brunner (Stand on Zanzibar by the same author as well)
Neuromancer - William Gibson
 
If you're reading Ian M. Banks you need to start with Consider Phlebas, even though it is easily his worst sci fi, a bit lame in places if you ask me.

The rest of his books are great. The majority are all in the same universe (The Culture), but there are many standalone novels which are IMO the better. Matter, Feersum Endjinn, and The Algebraist are very good. Surface Detail, The Hydrogen Sonata and Excession probably my favourite Culture books.
 
Really enjoyed Heinlein's "Starship Troopers".
Michael Dempsey: Necropolis. An excellent story with a really unusual premise that is actually made believable.
Jason Hough: The Darwin Elevator. Another great story, well written.
All of William Gibson's cyberpunk novels are all good. (Count Zero, Neuromancer, Burning Chrome, MLD etc.)
Richard Morgan: The Black Man.
Steve Perry's "Aliens" books are a real fun read if you enjoyed the movies. Very pulpy though and not highbrow literature.
Joe Kimball's/J.A. Konrath's "Timecaster Symmetry" duology are pretty good too. V trashy though.
 
My fave stuff over the years has been Assimov and I did love the ACC Rama stuff, made for lots of thought :)
 
I also did like the Foundation stuff which was Asimmov
 
I enjoyed the Stephen Baxter book Voyage about a NASA mission to Mars, a development of the Apollo program and would love to find something in a similar vein. But none of the above suggestions seem to be of that ilk.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
I enjoyed the Stephen Baxter book Voyage about a NASA mission to Mars, a development of the Apollo program and would love to find something in a similar vein. But none of the above suggestions seem to be of that ilk.
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Try Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series mentioned higher up. About the settling of Mars. It's very good. He had a new book out last year called 2312 IIRC. I enjoyed that a lot too. Different to the SF I would normally read, it's mostly set in our solar system but is very entertaining.
 
The23rdman said:
You HAVE to read Stranger...
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Got "Stranger in a Strange Land" on Saturday. Half way through and loving it. It's the extended version which was brought out after Heinlein's death.

JonathanRyan said:
BTW best SF book I have read in a very long time is "The Martian" by Andy Weir. Very different from most SF but very very good.
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Also got Weir's "The Martian" on order.
 
norters said:
Try Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series mentioned higher up. About the settling of Mars. It's very good. He had a new book out last year called 2312 IIRC. I enjoyed that a lot too. Different to the SF I would normally read, it's mostly set in our solar system but is very entertaining.
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Thanks for the tip. Read the Mars books and I've read the Ben Bova ones about the solar system. Really looking for the realistic space exploration type stuff and not the grand space opera.
 
PatrickO said:
Got "Stranger in a Strange Land" on Saturday. Half way through and loving it. It's the extended version which was brought out after Heinlein's death.



Also got Weir's "The Martian" on order.
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The extended version is great. They're all great, actually. I'd also read Fear No Evil as that's his other truly great social commentary.
 
The23rdman said:
The extended version is great. They're all great, actually. I'd also read Fear No Evil as that's his other truly great social commentary.
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Well, finished Stranger..." . A real classic. Obviously seems a bit dated now, but it's rare I come across a modern SF novel which has so much to say and says it with such wit and flair.

JonathanRyan said:
It ain't going to last you a day ;) Not because it's small but because you'll want to read just one more chapter....
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I enjoyed the first third or so of "The Martian", but then started to lose interest. The central character is just too "nice" and one dimensional. After a while the plot was just a series of "disaster strikes, ingenious solution found" followed by "disaster strikes, ingenious solution found". Rinse and repeat. I gave up about half way through. It's had some good reviews so may just be me.

Just started "The Man in the High Castle". Like "Stranger in a Strange land" it feels slightly dated, but enjoying so far and some great characters and interesting ideas.
 
PatrickO said:
Well, finished Stranger..." . A real classic. Obviously seems a bit dated now, but it's rare I come across a modern SF novel which has so much to say and says it with such wit and flair.
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Then you will also love Fear No Evil. :)
 
PatrickO said:
I enjoyed the first third or so of "The Martian", but then started to lose interest. The central character is just too "nice" and one dimensional. After a while the plot was just a series of "disaster strikes, ingenious solution found" followed by "disaster strikes, ingenious solution found". Rinse and repeat. I gave up about half way through. It's had some good reviews so may just be me.
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I guess it would be dull if we all liked the same stuff ;) I certainly wouldn't have read a sequel.
 
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