07-08-2011, 01:03 PM | #31 | |
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Quote:
As far as sci-fi goes, my favorites would be: Dan Simmons' Hyperion books. Stephen R Donaldson's Gap series. Peter F. Hamilton's Commonwealth Saga + Void trilogy. I love classic sci-fi, but it's mostly a nostalgic (pot-roast and potatoes) kind of love for me... and I consider most of it to be the foundation for more satisfying contemporary efforts. *shrugs* |
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07-08-2011, 01:06 PM | #32 |
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07-08-2011, 03:37 PM | #33 |
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Childhood's End was a shocking book to me as a teen. A whole new level of where science fiction could go.
But I think my all time favorite is Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven. The aliens were much more realistic to me than most other books and their society and culture were amazing. |
07-08-2011, 03:56 PM | #34 |
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In the last decade or so, Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon The Deep has been the most compelling science fiction read for me. Really looking forward to his sequel, Children In The Sky, coming out this summer.
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07-08-2011, 04:13 PM | #35 |
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Foundation series - Isaac Asimov
Last edited by ilovejedd; 07-08-2011 at 04:16 PM. |
07-08-2011, 04:28 PM | #36 |
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Too many books, too little time....
Anyone any idea how long it'll take to read all the suggestions herein ?
I got to around 3 years and wilted..... Ruthless selection is the answer - oh bugger, Diap's waded in again... That's another couple of months..... |
07-08-2011, 05:22 PM | #37 |
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Some of these I've heard of and know a little about and others I've never heard of at all. Lots to check out. That's kind of why I started the thread. I like sci-fi best, and I'm having a hard time finding anything new to read. I should be able to find something good out of all this!
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07-08-2011, 05:47 PM | #38 | |
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The Stars Are Ours by Andre Norton Night of Masks by Andre Norton The Time Traders by Andre Norton Citizen of the Galaxy by Heinlein As and adult now I would say: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke There is probably a lot of more recent stuff, over the last three decades, that I am just not aware of that I might like. Science Fiction hasn't been a priority for years. |
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07-08-2011, 08:32 PM | #39 |
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07-08-2011, 08:58 PM | #40 |
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Best All-Time Science Fiction Novel is indeed difficult to name.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert A. Heinlein Closely followed by a bunch of other books by Heinlein, Asimov, etc. It's a wide, deep and long field with many a sub-genre spanning at least 3 axes in time. |
07-09-2011, 01:08 AM | #41 |
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How about some Eastern European choices (if you want a little garlic in your stories):
War with the Newts, Karel Capek Fiasco, Stanislaw Lem Omon Ra, Victor Pelevin |
07-09-2011, 12:30 PM | #42 |
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1984 and A Canticle for Leibowitz are my two all time faves. A few people already suggested the Hyperion books, but I'd only go so far as Hyperion and then The Fall of Hyperion (they're effectively one book).
The Frank Herbert Dune books are also a good choice. Maybe John Scalzi's The God Engines for something different. |
07-09-2011, 02:42 PM | #43 |
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It depends if you limit it to books that available as ebooks or not, it also depends if you mean SF or SF/F.
Many of the old classics (Zelazny's books for example) aren't available in ebooks yet and they are certainly in the mix for my favorite SF books. Just books that are available as ebooks and SF rather than SF/F - Certainly Asimov's Foundation trilogy. I would throw in to the mix some of James Hogan's books, especially his early books (The Gentle Giants series). Many of the Pournelle/Niven books such as the previously mentioned Mote in God's Eye. Probably some of David Weber's books (not great literature, but great stories). For the most part, which one is best really depends on what mood I'm in. |
07-09-2011, 04:16 PM | #44 |
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The Mote in God's Eye - Niven
The Gripping Hand - Niven |
07-10-2011, 08:09 AM | #45 |
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