A Science Fiction Novel YOU would recommend - Page 6

leandroide · 07-11-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnmedic

The Mote In God's Eye (and the follow-up, The Gripping Hand) by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Possibly one of the most important works of sci-fi to exist.

Mote In God's Eye yes, but I think that the follow-up (The Gripping Hand) is not so recommendable. Specially after Mote in God's Eye!

L.

Andybaby · 07-11-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leandroide

Mote In God's Eye yes, but I think that the follow-up (The Gripping Hand) is not so recommendable. Specially after Mote in God's Eye!

L.

I don't think the sequal was that bad, but it wasn't as good as the first. but still better than alot of stuff. if you liked the first one, you will like the second.

Mote is a 5/5
hand is a 4/5

griffonwing · 07-12-2009, 09:58 PM

I also heartily recommend The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. There are 10 books.

Andybaby · 07-13-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by griffonwing

I also heartily recommend The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. There are 10 books.

and atleast the first one is nice a short. I think ill read that next. all the books I've been reading lately have been 400-600 pages long

bmfrosty · 07-13-2009, 02:11 AM

Nancy Kress - Beggars in Spain - http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b1...cy-Kress/?si=0
Vernor Vinge - Marooned in Realtime - http://www.amazon.com/Marooned-in-Re...7465315&sr=8-1 sorry - couldn't find a non-kindle link.

ahi · 07-13-2009, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnmedic

The Mote In God's Eye (and the follow-up, The Gripping Hand) by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. Possibly one of the most important works of sci-fi to exist.

How so? Is this generally agreed upon? This is the first I heard these two books so highly praised.

Surely Niven's "Ringworld" trilogy (the fourth being but a shadow) eclipses these two books in significance by far. No?

Genuinely curious--not being sarcastic.

- Ahi

mtnmedic · 07-13-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

How so? Is this generally agreed upon? This is the first I heard these two books so highly praised.

Surely Niven's "Ringworld" trilogy (the fourth being but a shadow) eclipses these two books in significance by far. No?

Genuinely curious--not being sarcastic.

- Ahi

Not both books. Most people consider the sequel The Gripping Hand to be not nearly as good. The Mote In God's Eye is Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "acknowledged masterpiece." It is important in that it remains as a major "first contact" novel, one that many consider to be THE first contact novel. Certainly one of the best collaborative efforts of the genre.

Ask any person who has read The Mote In God's Eye for what he/she thinks. Heck, just google it for reviews and you're likely to be flooded with plenty of people who give it high praise. Many "best of" and "must read" lists puts it in the top 25 or the top 100.

It was nominated for both the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1975

Of course, I should mention the oft-printed accolades:

Robert A. Heinlein is quoted as saying the story was "possibly the finest science fiction novel I have ever read".

Theodore Sturgeon
"One of the most engrossing tales I've read in years...fascinating."

San Francisco Chronicle
"As science fiction, one of the most important novels ever published." (note the reviewer didn't say "sci-fi")

Frank Herbert
"A spellbinder, a swashbuckler...And, best of all, it has a brilliant new approach to that fascinating problem — first contact with aliens."

Some folks say it's not the best book they've ever read but they admit the message it contains is very important.

I could go on, but I'll agree that Ringworld is already considered a sci-fi classic considered to be one of the best sci-fi novels ever. But then there are folks like me who think Ringworld doesn't hold a candle to Dune or 2001. And I love anything by Larry Niven.

ahi · 07-13-2009, 12:52 PM

I guess I'll have to get around to reading it then.

I'm just about finished reading Stanislaw's Eden... so it might be best for me to wait a bit before jumping into The Mote in God's Eye.

- Ahi

wayspooled · 07-13-2009, 01:40 PM

hmm... With all those expectations, you'll likely be disappointed.

I'd say Mote was one of the best 10 sci-fi I've read and I've read a lot of 'em. heh.. Most important? hmm.. dunno.. As "one" of the best first contact novels perhaps but I don't see it better than all of them. Clarke's Childhood's End for example. I'd recommend Mote unconditionally to anyone interested in sci/fi. And all of those below as necessary reading to say you read sci-fi

Mote -niven
Fire Upon The Deep -vinge
Gateway -pohl
Pride of Chanur -cherryh
Ringworld -niven
Titan (John Varley)
Ender's Game -card
Startide Rising -brin
Dune -herbert
Foundation -asimov
Childhood's End -clarke
Armor (John Steakley)
The Forever War -haldeman
Neuromancer -gibson
The Diamond Age -stephenson
Timescape -benford
Stand on Zanzibar -bruner
The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin

some others.. (maybe another 10-15 of the classics, Dick, Bester, Aldiss, Blish (case of conscience), Harrison, Keyes, Cordwainer Smith, more Le Guin - lots of things I've read once and remember as great but don't have a desire to cycle back into my rereads like the above..) Vance, Wolfe and Moorcock too though they're better known for their fantasy I think.
I'd recommend those to anyone. I used to recommend most Heinlein to anyone but .. I dunno, some of them seem to have aged more than others and I wouldn't do it now without rereading them first myself and I haven't had a chance. I'd guess Moon is a Harsh Mistress is probably still "finest kind"..

wayspooled · 07-13-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnmedic

But then there are folks like me who think Ringworld doesn't hold a candle to Dune or 2001. And I love anything by Larry Niven.

heh, I've never thought 2001 was a great book. Was okay but Clarke wrote 3 or 4 or .. lotta.. that I thought were better.
Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama, The Fountains of Paradise come to mind.

ahi · 07-13-2009, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayspooled

hmm... With all those expectations, you'll likely be disappointed.

Well, perhaps I ought to tone them down and wait a long time after finishing Eden... which is shaping up to be the best first contact sci-fi novel I've read thus far. If you want to read it, avoid the wikipedia page as I think it is spoiler-full.

http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Helen-Kur...7507833&sr=8-1

The words "swashbuckle" being associated with "The Mote in God eye" is suggestive that the book has aspirations not (just) in the "serious science fiction" but also in the "grand adventire IN SPACE!!!" category. A category, mind you, that I have some love for... but enjoy it on a wholly different level and in a wholly different way from the former.

- Ahi

wayspooled · 07-13-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Well, perhaps I ought to tone them down and wait a long time after finishing Eden... which is shaping up to be the best first contact sci-fi novel I've read thus far. If you want to read it, avoid the wikipedia page as I think it is spoiler-full.

http://www.amazon.com/Eden-Helen-Kur...7507833&sr=8-1

- Ahi

Yah, I've read it. I also enjoyed it. Excellent read.

I'm waiting for Flood by Stephen Baxter to come out in ebook. Trying to resist buying the hardcover. Baxter's written some good books too if any of them look interesting. Oh, and I noticed someone recommended Vinge's Marooned in Realtime above.. Yes, me too. Another good read.

donslade · 07-13-2009, 03:03 PM

Just finished reading the Lost Fleet series from Jack Campbell and really enjoyed them.

I also recommend John Ringo's Aldenata Universe books if you like military scifi:
A Hymn Before Battle
Gust Front
When the Devil Dances
Hell's Faire

And with Tom Kratman:
Watch on the Rhine
Yellow Eyes

The Empire of Man series with David Weber is also great reading:
March Upcountry
March to the Sea
March to the Stars
We Few

The Council Wars series is also very good:
There will be Dragons
Emerald Sea
Against the Tide
East of the Sun, West of the Moon

I actually have all these in pbook form, and now also in ebook form from the http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com site.

bmfrosty · 07-13-2009, 03:43 PM

I'm seeing a lot of great books that I've read. Especially the David Weber and John Ringo.

It's funny thinking about how much business Baen's received from me directly just because they've made their catalog available as DRM-Free eBooks.

Penforhire · 07-13-2009, 04:30 PM

Ringo is what I call a guilty pleasure. I admit to enjoying most of his books but, on his own, he is rather juvenile. The Council Wars could have been epic but I get the feeling he shrugs off any editors. The worst offender is his 'Paladin of Shadows' series, probably what Robert E Howard might write today if he was still alive, or Tom Clancy if he had much less sensibility. Rainbow Six is pure non-fiction by comparison

07-13-2009, 01:40 PM	#84
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	hmm... With all those expectations, you'll likely be disappointed. I'd say Mote was one of the best 10 sci-fi I've read and I've read a lot of 'em. heh.. Most important? hmm.. dunno.. As "one" of the best first contact novels perhaps but I don't see it better than all of them. Clarke's Childhood's End for example. I'd recommend Mote unconditionally to anyone interested in sci/fi. And all of those below as necessary reading to say you read sci-fi Mote -niven Fire Upon The Deep -vinge Gateway -pohl Pride of Chanur -cherryh Ringworld -niven Titan (John Varley) Ender's Game -card Startide Rising -brin Dune -herbert Foundation -asimov Childhood's End -clarke Armor (John Steakley) The Forever War -haldeman Neuromancer -gibson The Diamond Age -stephenson Timescape -benford Stand on Zanzibar -bruner The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin some others.. (maybe another 10-15 of the classics, Dick, Bester, Aldiss, Blish (case of conscience), Harrison, Keyes, Cordwainer Smith, more Le Guin - lots of things I've read once and remember as great but don't have a desire to cycle back into my rereads like the above..) Vance, Wolfe and Moorcock too though they're better known for their fantasy I think. I'd recommend those to anyone. I used to recommend most Heinlein to anyone but .. I dunno, some of them seem to have aged more than others and I wouldn't do it now without rereading them first myself and I haven't had a chance. I'd guess Moon is a Harsh Mistress is probably still "finest kind".. Last edited by wayspooled; 07-13-2009 at 02:06 PM.

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07-12-2009, 09:58 PM	#78
griffonwing Suave Swabby, Savvy? Posts: 1,602 Karma: 520350 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Harrison, ARrrr, USA - southern Ozark mountains Device: Slate Blue PEZ (Astak Pocket Pro), CVSCX-9300 Quad-band watch phone	I also heartily recommend The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. There are 10 books.

07-13-2009, 02:11 AM	#80
bmfrosty Too Maner Secrets Posts: 32 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Hanline V3 (current) Hanlin V5 (future)	Nancy Kress - Beggars in Spain - http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b1...cy-Kress/?si=0 Vernor Vinge - Marooned in Realtime - http://www.amazon.com/Marooned-in-Re...7465315&sr=8-1 sorry - couldn't find a non-kindle link.

07-13-2009, 12:52 PM	#83
ahi Wizard Posts: 1,790 Karma: 507333 Join Date: May 2009 Device: none	I guess I'll have to get around to reading it then. I'm just about finished reading Stanislaw's Eden... so it might be best for me to wait a bit before jumping into The Mote in God's Eye. - Ahi

07-13-2009, 03:03 PM	#88
donslade Member Posts: 24 Karma: 140 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: El Paso, TX Device: PRS-505, Nook STR, Kindle PW3	Just finished reading the Lost Fleet series from Jack Campbell and really enjoyed them. I also recommend John Ringo's Aldenata Universe books if you like military scifi: A Hymn Before Battle Gust Front When the Devil Dances Hell's Faire And with Tom Kratman: Watch on the Rhine Yellow Eyes The Empire of Man series with David Weber is also great reading: March Upcountry March to the Sea March to the Stars We Few The Council Wars series is also very good: There will be Dragons Emerald Sea Against the Tide East of the Sun, West of the Moon I actually have all these in pbook form, and now also in ebook form from the http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com site.

07-13-2009, 03:43 PM	#89
bmfrosty Too Maner Secrets Posts: 32 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Hanline V3 (current) Hanlin V5 (future)	I'm seeing a lot of great books that I've read. Especially the David Weber and John Ringo. It's funny thinking about how much business Baen's received from me directly just because they've made their catalog available as DRM-Free eBooks.

07-13-2009, 04:30 PM	#90
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Ringo is what I call a guilty pleasure. I admit to enjoying most of his books but, on his own, he is rather juvenile. The Council Wars could have been epic but I get the feeling he shrugs off any editors. The worst offender is his 'Paladin of Shadows' series, probably what Robert E Howard might write today if he was still alive, or Tom Clancy if he had much less sensibility. Rainbow Six is pure non-fiction by comparison