Favorite Sci-fi Universe

[mklynds]

Originally Posted by Andybaby

I like to fall into a world. and stay there, for a long time. a short story is like a hit of Coke. but then the author wont sell you anymore.

Here here. I am with ya. I love an ongoing story were the writer(s) have the freedom to continue the story and expand characters beyond the scope of a single book. I love that there can be inside jokes in large series for those of us that read all the books. For this reason I am drawn into series entirely based on the length of the series. I have been in book stores (usually used book stores) and seen a series of 4, 5 or more books and bought the lot just because there was a thorough series being written. Most often I am pleased by longer series as it usually requires a more thorough and well thought out world/universe/etc... But as with all things there has been the odd dud as well.

As far as specific series go I will add to the list the Star Wars series of books. This tends to be a love it/ hate it series. I have been reading the books since I learned to read and own over 75 Star Wars books alone. I love the universe. I love that there are books based on so many different characters. I will say that I love the older stuff (New Republic Era) best of all and that again like anything there have been duds. All I will add to this is that if you can read the Timothy Zahn duology or his trilogy and not find yourself back to those exciting days of watching the original 3 movies as a youngster then you are a stronger man than I.

Oh and I have yet to delve into Star Trek novels as my wife already groans everytime I mention a new book in all the different series I follow that I am scared if I add a series as vast as Star Trek she may impose a budget.... Although she really loved the new movie so maybe I can get her hooked on the novels... win win

Mike

[kacir]

I must bring in some more:
- a man-made universe "The Way" in Eon by Greg Bear http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_(Greg_Bear))
- The first universe that really got me started - The Dune universe by Frank Herbert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_universe
- The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton - great space opera universe with multitude of [Human] civilizations, colonists, sentinent habitats in space, .... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night%27s_Dawn_Trilogy

- last but not least I will mention in this post is The Otherland series by Tad Williams.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otherland
This is great, great adventure that takes place mostly in man made worlds created inside virtual reality simulators. The computers, as you will find out are powered by ... No. No spoilers ... ;-)
If you look up when the series was written, Tad Williams is really quite prescient about the future of Internet, the technology, ...
I really, really enjoyed all four really thick volumes.

[Andybaby]

Tad Williams isn't a Name Ive seen before, and my first delve into cyberpunk was not very successful (neuromancer)

I might just give him a shot. that's the second book I've found from this thread. glad its popular already.

Ill Third Anything by Niven (but he did write alot, there are some crappy ones. but Knowns Space and Moties are both great series)

Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination" was an Interesting Novel to say the least, but it also created a new society based on the thesis, what happens to a society where humans can teleport wherever they want to. And Instead of following a good guy trying to protect people or save the world. It follows someone who is insane who is trying to take revenge, a Greedy Business man, An Assassin with changing loyalties, and other unlikeable sorts. it's a novel where you hate everyone, but the world it creates is just so real its scary. its not one of those Utopian books.

[ylefox]

my favourite would be the stainless steel rat by series harry harrison,with asimov`s foundation series coming second and all ee doc smith`s series.
i have lost count how many times i have went back and read the complete series of the stainless steel rat again, some people will read a book once and not read it again but i like to read to go back and read them again

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Andybaby

Tad Williams isn't a Name Ive seen before, and my first delve into cyberpunk was not very successful (neuromancer)

Otherland is a little bit different breed of Cyberpunk.
Be careful! You start reading the first few chapters of the first book and then you will *have* to buy the next three. ;-)

[Cabe]

I have the Otherland Quadrilogy in hardback they are treasured possessions.

I am a big fan of Neal Ashers Polity universe, also particularly fond of the Takeshi Kovacs universe created by Richard Morgan and Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series

[Andybaby]

Originally Posted by ylefox

my favourite would be the stainless steel rat by series harry harrison

you just caught me with that name. sounds like a fun series. I've heard of harry harrison before, but I never heard a single thing about him then just his name and a name of a random book. thanks for the recomendation

[ahi]

Originally Posted by kacir

I must bring in some more:
- a man-made universe "The Way" in Eon by Greg Bear http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_(Greg_Bear))
- The first universe that really got me started - The Dune universe by Frank Herbert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_universe

I loved "The Way"!

Also a big Dune fan. I have a question, in fact: do other Dune fans agree that Frank Herbert's son's prequels feel incongruous with the original books? I have not read all of them, but the few I have read left me feeling like the world he described doesn't seem like a world that could ever have given birth to the Dune universe.

- Ahi

[Andybaby]

Originally Posted by ahi

I loved "The Way"!

Also a big Dune fan. I have a question, in fact: do other Dune fans agree that Frank Herbert's son's prequels feel incongruous with the original books? I have not read all of them, but the few I have read left me feeling like the world he described doesn't seem like a world that could ever have given birth to the Dune universe.

- Ahi

Eons been on my watch list for a long time. it just made it to my read list.

ahh, this thread has given me 5 series to read. there goes a year of my life. thanks guys!

[ahi]

Originally Posted by Andybaby

Eons been on my watch list for a long time. it just made it to my read list.

ahh, this thread has given me 5 series to read. there goes a year of my life. thanks guys!

Alastair Reynolds is apparently pretty amazing too. Revelation Space (both a series and the first book therein) has 5 books, and he also has some other novels and short stories too.

Haven't read him yet... but someone in a thread of mine on the topic told me they think Alastair outshines Iain M. Banks. So make it a 6th. What is that, another 2-3 months?

- Ahi

[Andybaby]

Originally Posted by ahi

Alastair Reynolds is apparently pretty amazing too. Revelation Space (both a series and the first book therein) has 5 books, and he also has some other novels and short stories too.

Haven't read him yet... but someone in a thread of mine on the topic told me they think Alastair outshines Iain M. Banks. So make it a 6th. What is that, another 2-3 months?

- Ahi

evil, pure evil! that's another one I've heard things about but never got around to checking it out.

[Fathermole]

For Sci-fi I love Dr. Who ,an ever changing arena for adventure . For fantasy I would say The Recluce saga by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

[wayspooled]

Originally Posted by Andybaby

I acknowledge that there are good short stories.. but my problem with them is that they are so short!. I watch TV shows because movies are so short. I read books cause TV shows are so short. I read book Series because books are so short.

I like to fall into a world. and stay there, for a long time. a short story is like a hit of Coke. but then the author wont sell you anymore.

I'm with Andy on this one. When I love something, I hate for it to have ended.

My favorite sci/fi universes are Vinge's and Brin's and Cherryh's... Man when I finished Fire Upon a Deep, I put it down and walked around it a couple days and then picked it up and read it again. Seriously hehe... Fire Upon The Deep (damn what great ideas!), all six Uplift Books (man, he just makes you Care!), Heavy Time and The Pride of Chanur (space opera with brains and seeing events through a character's biases, experiences, and goals.). All brilliant, different writing focuses but all quality, thought provoking books. And none of the three authors are a full-fledged race from one action scene to another. But that's what I like best. I really enjoy Weber and Bujold and Julian May too but they're more action oriented and my very favorite ones are the ones that both entertain and make me think.

[ylefox]

Originally Posted by Andybaby

you just caught me with that name. sounds like a fun series. I've heard of harry harrison before, but I never heard a single thing about him then just his name and a name of a random book. thanks for the recomendation

there are harry harrison books in the library converted by nate the great,try them i think you`ll like them

[Amalthia]

I really liked the universe in Joan D. Vinge's The Snow Queen and her Cat series.