Sci-Fi Fan needs some recommendations

[suedenim]

Revelation Space was the worst of Reynolds books the rest get much better.

The Lost Fleet is good if you quickly read over Jack Blacks introspection

No mention of Neal Ashers Polity series?

Michael Marshall Smith has done some good sci-fi (warning: a tad extreme at times)

David Brin's Uplift series.

A Quantum thief by Hannu Rajaniemi

Robert Reed has done some good stuff too.

[fancybee]

I can really recommend the Dunes Chronicles by Frank Herbert

[OverHaze]

I think its time I read Dune...

[Dopedangel]

I didnt see anyone recommend Walter Jon William's Dread Empires fall its one of my favourite series. And one of the only series where I curse the publisher for not ordering a new book in the series instead of ordering new books and ruining the series like they normally do.

[JAcheson]

Walter Jon Williams has also written a somewhat unconventional trio of books around a modern-day character named Dagmar Shaw who creates Alternate Reality Games as advertisements for blockbuster movies and games (Think of the ilovebees promo for Halo). But as it turns out, her skill set, combined with the intelligence and skills of her players, makes her kind of a mastermind. She attempts to user her powers for good while dealing with difficult real world situations.

The first book, THIS IS NOT A GAME, has some structural problems. It is written in three acts, and the first act is not terribly well integrated with the others, so that the book just seems to end in the middle and start over. Nonetheless, I would still recommend it just because I can't think of anything like it.

The second book, DEEP STATE, has Dagmar hired by spies to set up a "game" that backs a revolution against a totalitarian regime.

In the third book, THE FOURTH WALL, Dagmar goes Hollywood and runs a super-ARG in the manner of a Hollywood blockbuster. Interestingly, the narrator of this book isn't Dagmar herself, but rather the star of her game, giving you a very different perspective on Dagmar Shaw.

They're all interesting books, and I honestly can't think of anything like them. I say check them out.

Also, if you ever wanted to read his early Age of Sail historical adventure novels, they are now available as e-books. Good stuff.

[OverHaze]

I'm going to bump this as I really need new recommendations.

When I look at the books I love; Anathem, A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky, The Forever War, the thing they have in common apart from strong central concepts is a focus on characters and their interactions. Any suggestions along those lines?

[Merischino]

Originally Posted by OverHaze

....
My favorite books are Anathem, A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky, The Forever War and Hyperion.

Basically I love an intelligent Space Opera, the exploration of a strange yet believable world and the struggle of a soldier caught in the stupidity of war.

Any ideas?

For an older series, have you considered Tarot by Piers Anthony? (space opera, maybe more fantasy than science fiction but a really interesting version of your basic last-priority-to-colonize type world where suckers get sent until someone figures out a way to survive)

A favorite of mine by Robert A. Heinlein is: Friday (combat courier, involves
space travel in a believable "federation space" type universe)

You started with Reynolds... if you haven't yet read everything of his, I say go for it. My personal favorite of his was Cryptonomicon (not a space opera)
my favorite space opera of his was Chasm City (though it continues in Revelation Space and Redemption Ark)

[Merischino]

Originally Posted by OverHaze

I'm going to bump this as I really need new recommendations.

When I look at the books I love; Anathem, A Fire Upon the Deep, A Deepness in the Sky, The Forever War, the thing they have in common apart from strong central concepts is a focus on characters and their interactions. Any suggestions along those lines?

ok, after seeing this I have to go back to heinlein and recommend a few more.

Friday
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Podkayne of Mars
Rocket Ship Galileo
The Puppet Masters * (a favorite. i dont know for sure but believe that various adaptations of this concept became the movies of that name. If based on heinlein, they are very loose because heinlein does not do horror.)
The Rolling Stones (nothing to do with music)
Farmer in the Sky
Starman Jones
Citizen of the Galaxy
The Number of the Beast
JOB: A Comedy of Justice
Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon
I Will Fear No Evil

any of the Lazarus Long series, although plan for lots of strange genetics connections and sexual relationships among folks that are essentially all multiple generations and both genders clones of the same dude. The stories and explorations of this theme are quite interesting and can keep you occupied reading for quite some time.
Some of these are: The Door into Summer, Time Enough for Love, Methuselah's Children, From the Notebook of Lazarus Long, To Sail Beyond the Sunset

Despite the length of this list, these are just my favorites. There's a ton more of Heinlein's stuff out there, but I consider these the goodies.
Then, of course, there's
Stranger in a Strange Land
which I'm mentioning last because I'm assuming you've either read it or heard of it before

Bold is for uber favorites.

[Greg Anos]

You might try Eric Frank Russell's Wasp.

How to be an interstellar (sactioned) terrorist...

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Merischino

The Number of the Beast

Bold is for uber favorites.

Finally someone who likes The Number of the Beast . I like it too, but most people I've met don't.

[WillAdams]

C.J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union books are pretty much the poster child for intelligent space opera driven by character interaction and decisions. Read in publication order.

Downbelow Station is tough sledding, but well worth the effort for enabling one to appreciate the other books.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Merischino

You started with Reynolds... if you haven't yet read everything of his, I say go for it. My personal favorite of his was Cryptonomicon (not a space opera)
my favorite space opera of his was Chasm City (though it continues in Revelation Space and Redemption Ark)

Cryptonomicon is by Neil Stephenson, not Alastair Reynolds. I second everything by Reynolds, though

[Valhalla]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

Finally someone who likes The Number of the Beast . I like it too, but most people I've met don't.

I have been a huge Heinlein fan for over 40 years. The Number Of The Beast is the only book I have ever physically thrown across the room! No - I didn't like it

[Bossman]

i set myself to read the top 100 books of this list

http://scifilists.sffjazz.com/lists_books_rank1.html

so far i have enjoyed most of them

[Merischino]

Originally Posted by mbovenka

Cryptonomicon is by Neil Stephenson, not Alastair Reynolds. I second everything by Reynolds, though

Of course you are right. Actually, he had started with stephenson (anathem) and later also mentioned reynolds. either way, everything reynolds is worth the trip. (I feel the same way about Stephenson, actually).