Moving from SF to contemporary fiction recommends please

richrock · 12-28-2011, 07:54 PM

I'm just looking for something different and interesting to read. My only area of reading is SF - Space Opera, Cyberpunk, Military SF. I like Peter F Hamilton, Heinlein, William Gibson, Richard Morgan. I'm pushing myself into Jeffrey Thomas territory - I just love Blue War and wish it was an ebook.

I've dabbled in Tom Clancy (great, but I'm no gun nut), Roberto Bolano's 2666 (intriguing, but never finished) and managed the Bourne Trilogy - but put off by the connection to Van Lustbader. Never liked his work.

Can anyone recommend works in another genre that may pique a SF nut's interest? I'm looking at trying some crime fiction, never read that, or even just some plain contemporary. I don't like period drama, so stuff set earlier than 1900 may be pushing it (unless it's free

) and even then...

Any ideas? Got some money to put down on some ebooks...

hidari · 12-28-2011, 09:04 PM

Try Raymond Chandler....twas a great writer...good crime fiction...

Haruki Murakami

Orphan Pamuk
J.M. Coetze....

Quote:

Originally Posted by richrock

I'm just looking for something different and interesting to read. My only area of reading is SF - Space Opera, Cyberpunk, Military SF. I like Peter F Hamilton, Heinlein, William Gibson, Richard Morgan. I'm pushing myself into Jeffrey Thomas territory - I just love Blue War and wish it was an ebook.

I've dabbled in Tom Clancy (great, but I'm no gun nut), Roberto Bolano's 2666 (intriguing, but never finished) and managed the Bourne Trilogy - but put off by the connection to Van Lustbader. Never liked his work.

Can anyone recommend works in another genre that may pique a SF nut's interest? I'm looking at trying some crime fiction, never read that, or even just some plain contemporary. I don't like period drama, so stuff set earlier than 1900 may be pushing it (unless it's free

) and even then...

Any ideas? Got some money to put down on some ebooks...

hidari · 12-28-2011, 09:06 PM

Margret Atwood

Toni Morrison.

Michael Bulgakov

xg4bx · 12-29-2011, 04:17 AM

Tom Piccirilli, he writes modern noir about very damaged people.

Dr. Drib · 12-29-2011, 10:38 AM

As a transition author, you might wish to try Haruki Murakami, who straddles sci-fi/mystery and literary fiction.

Don

HarryT · 12-29-2011, 10:41 AM

Try Jeffrey Deaver. Superb crime/thriller author. I haven't read a book of his that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed.

MrTeatime · 12-29-2011, 02:54 PM

David Mitchell is another good "transition" author: Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas have (some) SF elements, and are highly acclaimed (Cloud Atlas won the British Book Awards Literary Fiction Award).

All of his books are available in ebook form (in the UK at least).

Iain (M.) Banks is also worth a look: he writes sci-fi under "Iain M Banks" and mainstream fiction under "Iain Banks". "The Bridge" is one of the latter and has a neat sci-fi "feel" to it.

I don't know much about crime fiction, alas :/

xg4bx · 12-30-2011, 06:04 AM

maybe David Morrell. i haven't read much of his work but Creepers was a cool story about urban archaeologists/a treasure hunt and First Blood introduces John Rambo (yup, that Rambo) but the book was faaaaar better than any of the movies.

Nancy Fulda · 12-30-2011, 07:29 AM

Have you considered nonfiction?

Michael Brooks' 13 Things that Don't Make Sense is a fascinating read, as is Lisa Randall's Warped Passages. (I've also been eyeing I am a Strange Loop by Douglas R. Hofstadter, although I haven't read it yet.)

owly · 12-30-2011, 07:55 AM

Michael Crichton has several like Jurrasic Park, the Andromeda Strain or Timeline http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton#Fiction_2

DiapDealer · 12-30-2011, 08:38 AM

Carlos Ruiz Zafrón's The Shadow of the Wind

Dr. Drib · 12-30-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Carlos Ruiz Zafrón's The Shadow of the Wind

I loved this book!

Don

kennyc · 12-31-2011, 09:24 AM

T. C. Boyle writes hip, contemporary works that almost always has a twist of some kind.

Short Stories Greasy Lake. Modern Love, etc.

Coops · 12-31-2011, 10:21 AM

Douglas Adams' 'Dirk Gently' novels are wonderful. I reckon they're under appreciated due to being filed under the 'Science Fiction' section...

Only two of them: "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" and the lovely titled " The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul".

'Tea-time' opens with:

It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression "As pretty as an airport."

Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort.....

ps just bought a copy of "The shadow of the wind" , sounded well worth a go.... the backlog of books in my calibre collection is getting a bit out of hand...

and I thought of another recommendatio for the OP...
Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5" . I re-read this some while back, and intend to read it again just to check whether it's as wonderful as I think it is...

Yes to Murakami also... may want to start with "Norwegian Wood" ( a less mystical/weird Murakami novel) and then go straight to "The Wind Up bird Chronicle" - and if you like him, make sure you read "Underground" - sounds a bit dull, but is oddly extremely interesting writing on the sarin gas poisoning in Japan...

kennyc · 12-31-2011, 10:35 AM

Now wait a minute we have DIA here in Colorado....it's Arty!

12-28-2011, 07:54 PM	#1
richrock Sony Reader Fanatic Posts: 43 Karma: 254098 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS 505	Moving from SF to contemporary fiction recommends please I'm just looking for something different and interesting to read. My only area of reading is SF - Space Opera, Cyberpunk, Military SF. I like Peter F Hamilton, Heinlein, William Gibson, Richard Morgan. I'm pushing myself into Jeffrey Thomas territory - I just love Blue War and wish it was an ebook. I've dabbled in Tom Clancy (great, but I'm no gun nut), Roberto Bolano's 2666 (intriguing, but never finished) and managed the Bourne Trilogy - but put off by the connection to Van Lustbader. Never liked his work. Can anyone recommend works in another genre that may pique a SF nut's interest? I'm looking at trying some crime fiction, never read that, or even just some plain contemporary. I don't like period drama, so stuff set earlier than 1900 may be pushing it (unless it's free ) and even then... Any ideas? Got some money to put down on some ebooks...

12-29-2011, 04:17 AM	#4
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	Tom Piccirilli, he writes modern noir about very damaged people. Last edited by xg4bx; 12-29-2011 at 04:22 AM.

12-29-2011, 02:54 PM	#7
MrTeatime Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 513276 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Sony PRS-350	David Mitchell is another good "transition" author: Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas have (some) SF elements, and are highly acclaimed (Cloud Atlas won the British Book Awards Literary Fiction Award). All of his books are available in ebook form (in the UK at least). Iain (M.) Banks is also worth a look: he writes sci-fi under "Iain M Banks" and mainstream fiction under "Iain Banks". "The Bridge" is one of the latter and has a neat sci-fi "feel" to it. I don't know much about crime fiction, alas :/ Last edited by MrTeatime; 12-29-2011 at 02:59 PM.

12-31-2011, 10:21 AM	#14
Coops Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 77756 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle Oasis, Sony T3 backup	Douglas Adams' 'Dirk Gently' novels are wonderful. I reckon they're under appreciated due to being filed under the 'Science Fiction' section... Only two of them: "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" and the lovely titled " The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul". 'Tea-time' opens with: It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression "As pretty as an airport." Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort..... ps just bought a copy of "The shadow of the wind" , sounded well worth a go.... the backlog of books in my calibre collection is getting a bit out of hand... and I thought of another recommendatio for the OP... Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5" . I re-read this some while back, and intend to read it again just to check whether it's as wonderful as I think it is... Yes to Murakami also... may want to start with "Norwegian Wood" ( a less mystical/weird Murakami novel) and then go straight to "The Wind Up bird Chronicle" - and if you like him, make sure you read "Underground" - sounds a bit dull, but is oddly extremely interesting writing on the sarin gas poisoning in Japan... Last edited by Coops; 12-31-2011 at 10:31 AM.

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12-28-2011, 09:06 PM	#3
hidari MR Drone Posts: 1,613 Karma: 15612282 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: DRONEZONE Device: PB360+, Huawei MP5, Libra H20	Margret Atwood Toni Morrison. Michael Bulgakov

12-29-2011, 10:38 AM	#5
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,613 Karma: 60184181 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	As a transition author, you might wish to try Haruki Murakami, who straddles sci-fi/mystery and literary fiction. Don

12-29-2011, 10:41 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Try Jeffrey Deaver. Superb crime/thriller author. I haven't read a book of his that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed.

12-30-2011, 06:04 AM	#8
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	maybe David Morrell. i haven't read much of his work but Creepers was a cool story about urban archaeologists/a treasure hunt and First Blood introduces John Rambo (yup, that Rambo) but the book was faaaaar better than any of the movies.

12-30-2011, 07:29 AM	#9
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	Have you considered nonfiction? Michael Brooks' 13 Things that Don't Make Sense is a fascinating read, as is Lisa Randall's Warped Passages. (I've also been eyeing I am a Strange Loop by Douglas R. Hofstadter, although I haven't read it yet.)

12-30-2011, 07:55 AM	#10
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Michael Crichton has several like Jurrasic Park, the Andromeda Strain or Timeline http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton#Fiction_2

12-30-2011, 08:38 AM	#11
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,891 Karma: 207182180 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Carlos Ruiz Zafrón's The Shadow of the Wind

12-31-2011, 09:24 AM	#13
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	T. C. Boyle writes hip, contemporary works that almost always has a twist of some kind. Short Stories Greasy Lake. Modern Love, etc.

12-31-2011, 10:35 AM	#15
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Now wait a minute we have DIA here in Colorado....it's Arty!