pink_angel asked:
I haven’t read much in the genre, but I am a voracious reader of books in general and would like to try reading some good SF novels. I have read one Sheri S. Tepper book a long time ago, I read the Orson Scott Card “Ender’s Game” series, Madeliene L’Engel (if she counts as SF), I tried to plow through “Dune” a long time ago and never got through it but I was in labor with my son at the time–not exactly light reading! Can anyone recommend any good SF that’s not TOO technical, but not too light either? I’m going to try “Dune” again but if anyone can recommend any classics or just a really good read, I’ll try them all. Thanks for your help!
Pearl
I haven’t read much in the genre, but I am a voracious reader of books in general and would like to try reading some good SF novels. I have read one Sheri S. Tepper book a long time ago, I read the Orson Scott Card “Ender’s Game” series, Madeliene L’Engel (if she counts as SF), I tried to plow through “Dune” a long time ago and never got through it but I was in labor with my son at the time–not exactly light reading! Can anyone recommend any good SF that’s not TOO technical, but not too light either? I’m going to try “Dune” again but if anyone can recommend any classics or just a really good read, I’ll try them all. Thanks for your help!
Pearl
Tags: Light Reading, Long Time, Sheri S Tepper
Dune was GREAT, way better than the movie. If you’ll send me an email to remind me, I’ll give you the name of one later that I just can’t think of right now.
I read it last year - it’s about two sort of “opposing” societies, it was really interesting! Found myself still reading at 2 and 3 in the morning…
I’ll find it for you and get you the name later!
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The book I was remembering is called “The Dispossessed” by Ursula K. Leguin.
That book kept me awake many nights! Hope you enjoy it.
love the movie with sting not the tv version. tv version ******.
Dune is a wonderful book but I, too, found it to be hard to read the first couple times I tried it (and I am usually a very strong reader). I found that audible.com has a WONDERFUL new audio version of Dune that really brought the story to life for me. I enjoyed it SO much - I am now a huge Dune fan.
You’ve got to read The Stars My Destination, by Alfred Bester. This is an AWESOME sci-fi book! It’s got a pretty heavy theme, but it’s written brilliantly with just the right amount of subtle humor so it’s very enjoyable.
I liked Songmaster and Wyrms, both by Orson Scott Card. I believe both these novels predate the novel version of Ender’s Game (there was an early short story version). They are “soft sci-fi,” which is the subgenre that focuses more on the society and less on the technology in sci-fi. I think that’s what you should be on the lookout for - good soft sci-fi reads. Songmaster and Wyrms are both rather dark and some terrible things happen to some of the characters, but they are really wonderful, powerful books.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin is another soft sci-fi favorite. I love that book.
The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold is a very highly regarded soft sci-fi work that I haven’t read yet, but have heard many good things about. People seem to love this one, so give it a shot. I’ve heard it compared to Dune, but with a less “weird” writing style.
Moonflash by Patricia McKillip is a short soft sci-fi book that has a very interesting society at its core. I read the whole thing while waiting for new tires to be put on my car - it’s that short, really a novella - but it’s a good story.
Dune is good.
Classic Sci-Fi
Try Asimov’s Foundation Series.
Ursala LeGuin, start with Lathe of Heaven
Aurthur C. Clark, many books, maybe start with Childhood’s End
Heinlein, Stranger in a Strangeland
There are lots of different authors for all types of Sci-Fi, (examples: Hard Science, Fantasy, Space Opera, Post Apocalyptic). Get some short story collections and pick your favorite writers
Forget Dune - if you couldn’t get through it while in labor, it will seem like labor to try it now.
Go for the early Robert Heinlein - “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” and “Number of the Beast”. If you like those, you can try his later stuff like “Friday”
Try Isaac Asmiov - the “I, Robot” stories are much better than the movie. His “Foundation” series is classic sci fi.
Arthur C. Clarke - especially the “Rendezvous with Rama” trilogy.
If you want your reading a bit on the “odd” side, try Harlan Ellison “A Boy and his Dog” (a short story, actually).
The early stuff, too, is fun. Smith’s “Lensman” series — and the stuff by Ursula LeGuin “I know why the Caged Bird Sings”
Frederick Pohl and James P. Hogan. In all of these, the story overwhelms the science, so you can accept (or not accept) the technology as a prop and don’t have to worry about it’s implications.
Have fun.
John Wyndham’s “Day of the Triffids” & “The Chrysalids”
H. G. Wells’s “The Time Machine” & “War of the Worlds”
Ray Bradbury’s “Farenheit 451″
My personal favourite is Douglas Adams “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” trilogy of 5. It’s not only really good sci-fi but it’s really good comedy as well.
Also there a lot of good sci-fi short stories.
Enders Shadow- Card, this is Beans story and its fantastic.
Armor- Steakly, fine book and cult classic.
The Phules company series is fun from Asprin.
Dune inspired OSC, so if you like the Ender’s series you will appreciate Dune once you can plow through it (it is good but slow going).
You may also enjoy the “Shadow Series,” which starts with Ender’s Shadow, also by OSC. It is a sort of side series set in the “Enderverse.”
Though not Sci Fi, OSC’s Alvin Maker series is also quite good.
Asimov is almost a must for a Sci Fi fan (it takes a special kind of sci fi writer to get a magazine named after him).
If you want short stories, pick up “The Year’s Best Science Fiction” anthology. I have the 2001 and 2002 versions I believe and they were quite good.
Oh gosh….I could go on and on but I will spare you as much as I can
Anne mcCaffrey and her different series…everything from the ‘Talent’ to her Dragonriders of Pern..
Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time Series…
Terry Goodkind and his Sword of Truth series…
George R. R. Martin and his Sword Of Fire & Ice
Grordon R. Dickson and his Dragon And the George series
Elizabeth Kerner and her Song in the Silence series…
Naomi Novik and her Temeraire series….
Marjorie B. Kellogg and her Dragon Quartet
Jane Yolen and her The Pit Dragon Trilogy
Timothy Zahn and his DragonBack Bargin
(he also writes stories for Star Wars as well)
Mercedes Lackey and her books are good.
Yeah there is a theme here, but what can I say, I love dragons!
Anne McCaffrey is my personal favorite. Her “Dragonriders of Pern” series is amazing, but she’s got many more. She intertwines so many different concepts but manages to keep a strong storyline no matter what. Science and music play major roles in most of her stories, but the characters are what really get you hooked. Her hero’s aren’t perfect, they’re human… well most of them
You feel like you could really connect with them even in the most improbable situations.
please try anything by S. Lem, the most intelligent and incisive science fiction writer of the 20th century, and the least known… but I warn you, you will find none of the “grandfather paradox” tripe in his work… but if you like ontology which he talks about with rare insight, you are going to love him. SOLARIS was his classic in the west, but he wrote MANY works MUCH better than that one.
He was ostracized by US science fiction writers as he refused to focus his writing on time travel and imagery he considered unworthy of somebody who truly lives in the future.
Highly recommended, he just might change your mind about your ideas of true science fiction.
Serious Sci Fi: Isaac Asimov’s “The Foundation Trilogy”
Best comedy Sci Fi ever: Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series (you will absolutely *** your pants!)
I agree with you about Dune. I would suggest almost anything by Robert Heinlein or Isaac Asimov. Among current writers, try Harry Turtledove’s War World series, which if I haven’t miscounted runs to 11 books. If that intimidates you, try anything by Jack McDevitt, whose books are a lot of fun to read. Somewhat similar, but heavier, are those by Peter Hamilton.
Two older books that may be hard to track down that I loved are “And Having Writ” by Benson; and “The Butterfly Kid” by Chester Anderson.
S. M. Stirling has two books under the general heading of The Lords of Creation. The first book is out, and a great read. The second is due out in a month or two.
My novel is more Futuristic than Sci-Fi but would fall into that Genre.. The first draft will be finished early Jan 2008.
Readers so far say they can’t stop reading..
I’m looking for reviews…Can you help?
Most Sci-Fi I read is boring in comparison..
I agree with some of the other answerer’s …Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke but it’s dated now.
At the moment I’m reading Neal Stephenson…Quicksilver..
Great but not easy reading at all..
I recently read Best new SF 20 …best short Sci-Fi Stories…All boring..
Let me know if you’ll read mine and you can even take part in the creative process..
Miles Vorkosigan Adventures series by Lois McMaster Bujold
It is about a man who was poisoned as a baby and grew stunted and with brittle bones, part of the warrior/ruling class on a future planet just getting reconnected with the star worlds.
Because of his deformitys and limitations, he learns to use his brain and influence people to succeed- and has many wild adventures.
Try David Brin’s ‘Uplift Series’ , Fantastic. Also Jack Mcdevitt’s books are very good.
I also can’t recommend S. M. Stirling enough. If you read any of his, read them in order!
Sci Fi is the greatest!
All of the above. I am also a fan of William Gibson though. Futuristic reality type novels.
YES!
My all time favourite SF novels are:
1) A classic written by Aldous Huxley called “Island”
2) An adventure fantasy trilogy written by James Redfield that begins with “The Celestine Prophesy”, followed by “The Tenth Insight”, and ends with “The Secret Of Shambala.”
3) “The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy”, by Douglas Adams, Starring Peter Jones as “The Book.”
I recommend them to any and all sentient and aware organisms!
I couldn’t get through “Dune” either.
“Contact” by Carl Sagan is wonderful, the movie was OK too.
Isaac Asimov wrote fiction as well as nonfiction. Anything by Asimov.
Alas Babylon is good; I read it in college.
There are many good SiFi writers but I’m not as up on them as most you will hear from.
Have you read “Weaveworld” by Clive Barker ?
Good stuff
Dune was my all time favourite but I also liked “The Illustrated Man” by Ray Bradbury.