A Science Fiction Novel YOU would recommend

Dr. Drib · 05-22-2009, 07:49 AM

Ok: You demanded it, even though NOT ONE SINGLE email came to me. The fact is, I could sense it because I'm TELEPATHIC and have abilities far beyond your silly, meager boundaries of understanding. (I'm also able to control the magnetic/berium brains of UFOs through my ability at TELEKENESIS and my mind-warp infusion at the binary-polaroid juncture. HEY! I can write nonsense SF with the best of them!) -- Ok, enough stupidities and sillinesses.

What am I talking about? Here's the explanation for this thread:

There's been some cross-pollination in the the other two threads that I started that have similar titles. It's sometimes hard to distinguish where one type of fiction "bleeds" in to another genre, but there certainly were some SF novels posted in the Fantasy thread I started. So, putting my two brains together, I decided to create YET ANOTHER, BUT DIFFERENT thread on the topic of science fiction novels YOU would recommend to someone.

Here's one I recommend (the novel, not the novelette): Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel F. Keyes. This novel won the Nebula Award for Best Novel when it was published. As a film with the name of Charly, it was a memorable movie starring Cliff Robertson, who won an Academy Award as Best Actor.

This is a great novel, in my opinion. Give it a try, if you haven't read it.

Don

P.S.: And remember, zombies are not brain surgeons
P.P.S: Thanks to wayspooled for getting the name of the film correct. I had a wrong spelling.

YGG- · 05-22-2009, 08:24 AM

Martian chronicles by Ray Bradbury
The illustrated man by the same
Absolute masterpieces...
[edit : and I agree for "Flowers for Algernon" great piece]

BenG · 05-22-2009, 09:54 AM

I've recommended Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog in other threads, so I'll go with Ursula Le Guin's The Lathe of Heaven.
(That's a sneaky way of getting in 2 recommendations)
http://www.sfsite.com/04a/lh173.htm

(I can't help it, but recently I've begun thinking of George Orr as George Orr Binks.)

sabredog · 05-22-2009, 10:19 AM

The Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell.

All 5 of them!

weateallthepies · 05-22-2009, 10:27 AM

You mind-stole my choice you swine! Yep go read Flowers for Algernon.

Failing that I'm going to beat you in awards Top Trumps by recommending a Nebula and Hugo winner:

Gateway by Frederik Pohl

Dave Berk · 05-22-2009, 10:33 AM

I will pick a few books with the same theme, one that I really love: that of a genetically engineers/modified soldier.

Armor by John Steakley.

The Cobra Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.

Blackcollar by Timothy Zahn.

Old Man's War by John Scalzi. First in a series.

I'd recommend any of them but I love Blackcollar the most.
Also I'm sure I missed more than a few. Would love to find them out.

poohbear_nc · 05-22-2009, 10:43 AM

The Difference Engine - by Gibson & Sterling - wonderful story plus the history of the computer! Not yet on eBook that I'm aware of - worth clicking on that button!

ggendel · 05-22-2009, 10:55 AM

In the Sci-fi genre:

Just about anything from Arthur C. Clarke. More science, less fiction than most authors. However, The Rama series is one of the best.

For fantasy, I would go with Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game. He also has some incredible short stories.

WillAdams · 05-22-2009, 01:16 PM

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein, then Victor Milan's _The Cybernetic Samurai_ (the two make an interesting pair 'cause the former is the favourite book of a computer programmer in the latter)

William

wayspooled · 05-22-2009, 01:47 PM

C.J. Cherryh

The Pride of Chanur - nominated for 1983 Hugo Award, if you like Orson Scott Card, David Brin, Larry Niven or Lois McMaster Bujold.

Cyteen - won the 1989 Hugo Award, if you like Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark, Vernor Vinge, William Gibson and Philip K. Dick. NASA named an asteroid for her, saying she challenged their view of future of mankind in space. Unfortunately I don't see it in ebook anywhere and she's very close to having recovered the rights to much of her backlist to offer ebooks from her own site, so this may be legally available shortly.

I'm not in love with her fantasy stuff, very much like about half - but most of her sci-fi knocks my socks off.

I can definitely recommend to anyone The Pride of Chanur, Heavy Time, Cyteen and Merchanter's Luck as some of the best stuff in sci/fi. I can also whole-heartedly recommend the rest of the Chanur books but only the first 2 of the 3 book followup trilogy (Chanur's Venture, The Kif Strike Back) are ebooked. Missing Chanur's Homecoming from the trilogy.

This is my Cherryh great stuff list. Don't try the other Cherryh stuff until or unless you're hooked and already know how good she can be. Like I said, not much is available in ebook. The Foreigner trilogies for example, the very first book isn't available lol..

Chanur
1. The Pride of Chanur
2. Chanur's Venture (1 of trilogy)
3. The Kif Strike Back (2 of trilogy)
4. Chanur's Homecoming (3 of trilogy)
5. Chanur's Legacy

Heavy Time
Hellburner (read Heavy Time before Hellburner)
Downbelow Station (Foundational novel 1)
Merchanter's Luck
Rimrunners
Tripoint
Finity's End
Cyteen (Foundational novel 2)
Regenesis (Foundational novel 3)
(all standalone but this is roughly chronological order)

Foreigner 1
1. Foreigner (1994)
2. Invader (1995)
3. Inheritor (1996)
Foreigner 2
1. Precursor (1999)
2. Defender (2001)
3. Explorer (2002)
Foreigner 3
1. Destroyer (2005)
2. Pretender (2006)
3. Deliverer (2007)
(read as trilogies)

Faded Sun
1. The Kesrith (1978)
2. The Shon'Jir (1978)
3. The Kutath (1979)

Fantasies of hers that I liked a lot -
Angel with the Sword
The Morgane Trilogy (Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth)
Rider at the Gate (kinda combo sci/fi - fantasy, gotta love carnivorous
horses who think the greatest thing humans brought with their
colonization team was BACON, heh)
The Paladin
The Goblin Mirror

wayspooled · 05-22-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggendel

In the Sci-fi genre:

For fantasy, I would go with Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game. He also has some incredible short stories.

Yeah, The Folk of the Fringe is a great book of short stories.

BlackVoid · 05-22-2009, 01:53 PM

Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds

Set in space and distant planets, with horror elements and an investigation of an extinct alien race. It is realistic, has a good pace. Alastair Reynolds was working for the Europan Space Agency before becoming a writer.

BlackVoid · 05-22-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayspooled

C.J. Cherryh
...
I'm not in love with her fantasy stuff but most of her sci-fi knocks my socks off.

It has the same effect on me, as I fall asleep from extreme boredom.

mtravellerh · 05-22-2009, 02:00 PM

Henry Kuttner - The Time Axis

Available for download here on MobileRead!

Rafardeon · 05-22-2009, 02:16 PM

I suggest the books by Alastair Reynolds (Especially Chasm City). I'm waiting for ebook versions though (or maybe I just didn't find them yet).

05-22-2009, 07:49 AM	#1
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,747 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	A Science Fiction Novel YOU would recommend Ok: You demanded it, even though NOT ONE SINGLE email came to me. The fact is, I could sense it because I'm TELEPATHIC and have abilities far beyond your silly, meager boundaries of understanding. (I'm also able to control the magnetic/berium brains of UFOs through my ability at TELEKENESIS and my mind-warp infusion at the binary-polaroid juncture. HEY! I can write nonsense SF with the best of them!) -- Ok, enough stupidities and sillinesses. What am I talking about? Here's the explanation for this thread: There's been some cross-pollination in the the other two threads that I started that have similar titles. It's sometimes hard to distinguish where one type of fiction "bleeds" in to another genre, but there certainly were some SF novels posted in the Fantasy thread I started. So, putting my two brains together, I decided to create YET ANOTHER, BUT DIFFERENT thread on the topic of science fiction novels YOU would recommend to someone. Here's one I recommend (the novel, not the novelette): Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel F. Keyes. This novel won the Nebula Award for Best Novel when it was published. As a film with the name of Charly, it was a memorable movie starring Cliff Robertson, who won an Academy Award as Best Actor. This is a great novel, in my opinion. Give it a try, if you haven't read it. Don P.S.: And remember, zombies are not brain surgeons P.P.S: Thanks to wayspooled for getting the name of the film correct. I had a wrong spelling.

05-22-2009, 01:47 PM	#10
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	C.J. Cherryh The Pride of Chanur - nominated for 1983 Hugo Award, if you like Orson Scott Card, David Brin, Larry Niven or Lois McMaster Bujold. Cyteen - won the 1989 Hugo Award, if you like Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark, Vernor Vinge, William Gibson and Philip K. Dick. NASA named an asteroid for her, saying she challenged their view of future of mankind in space. Unfortunately I don't see it in ebook anywhere and she's very close to having recovered the rights to much of her backlist to offer ebooks from her own site, so this may be legally available shortly. I'm not in love with her fantasy stuff, very much like about half - but most of her sci-fi knocks my socks off. I can definitely recommend to anyone The Pride of Chanur, Heavy Time, Cyteen and Merchanter's Luck as some of the best stuff in sci/fi. I can also whole-heartedly recommend the rest of the Chanur books but only the first 2 of the 3 book followup trilogy (Chanur's Venture, The Kif Strike Back) are ebooked. Missing Chanur's Homecoming from the trilogy. This is my Cherryh great stuff list. Don't try the other Cherryh stuff until or unless you're hooked and already know how good she can be. Like I said, not much is available in ebook. The Foreigner trilogies for example, the very first book isn't available lol.. Chanur 1. The Pride of Chanur 2. Chanur's Venture (1 of trilogy) 3. The Kif Strike Back (2 of trilogy) 4. Chanur's Homecoming (3 of trilogy) 5. Chanur's Legacy Heavy Time Hellburner (read Heavy Time before Hellburner) Downbelow Station (Foundational novel 1) Merchanter's Luck Rimrunners Tripoint Finity's End Cyteen (Foundational novel 2) Regenesis (Foundational novel 3) (all standalone but this is roughly chronological order) Foreigner 1 1. Foreigner (1994) 2. Invader (1995) 3. Inheritor (1996) Foreigner 2 1. Precursor (1999) 2. Defender (2001) 3. Explorer (2002) Foreigner 3 1. Destroyer (2005) 2. Pretender (2006) 3. Deliverer (2007) (read as trilogies) Faded Sun 1. The Kesrith (1978) 2. The Shon'Jir (1978) 3. The Kutath (1979) Fantasies of hers that I liked a lot - Angel with the Sword The Morgane Trilogy (Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth) Rider at the Gate (kinda combo sci/fi - fantasy, gotta love carnivorous horses who think the greatest thing humans brought with their colonization team was BACON, heh) The Paladin The Goblin Mirror Last edited by wayspooled; 06-02-2009 at 12:16 AM.

05-22-2009, 01:53 PM	#12
BlackVoid Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 510423 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony PRS-505	Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds Set in space and distant planets, with horror elements and an investigation of an extinct alien race. It is realistic, has a good pace. Alastair Reynolds was working for the Europan Space Agency before becoming a writer. Last edited by BlackVoid; 05-22-2009 at 01:55 PM.

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05-22-2009, 08:24 AM	#2
YGG- Dry fruit Posts: 1,157 Karma: 1047086 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: Bookeen Opus + HTC Desire HD	Martian chronicles by Ray Bradbury The illustrated man by the same Absolute masterpieces... [edit : and I agree for "Flowers for Algernon" great piece]

05-22-2009, 09:54 AM	#3
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,729 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	I've recommended Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog in other threads, so I'll go with Ursula Le Guin's The Lathe of Heaven. (That's a sneaky way of getting in 2 recommendations) http://www.sfsite.com/04a/lh173.htm (I can't help it, but recently I've begun thinking of George Orr as George Orr Binks.)

05-22-2009, 10:19 AM	#4
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	The Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. All 5 of them!

05-22-2009, 10:27 AM	#5
weateallthepies Lord of the Pies Posts: 252 Karma: 103458 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle Scribe, Kindle Oasis 3, Kobo Sage, Onyx Boox Leaf 2, iPad Pro	You mind-stole my choice you swine! Yep go read Flowers for Algernon. Failing that I'm going to beat you in awards Top Trumps by recommending a Nebula and Hugo winner: Gateway by Frederik Pohl

05-22-2009, 10:33 AM	#6
Dave Berk Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 138556 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	I will pick a few books with the same theme, one that I really love: that of a genetically engineers/modified soldier. Armor by John Steakley. The Cobra Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. Blackcollar by Timothy Zahn. Old Man's War by John Scalzi. First in a series. I'd recommend any of them but I love Blackcollar the most. Also I'm sure I missed more than a few. Would love to find them out.

05-22-2009, 10:43 AM	#7
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 58,856 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	The Difference Engine - by Gibson & Sterling - wonderful story plus the history of the computer! Not yet on eBook that I'm aware of - worth clicking on that button!

05-22-2009, 10:55 AM	#8
ggendel Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 54 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Cybook 3	In the Sci-fi genre: Just about anything from Arthur C. Clarke. More science, less fiction than most authors. However, The Rama series is one of the best. For fantasy, I would go with Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game. He also has some incredible short stories.

05-22-2009, 01:16 PM	#9
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein, then Victor Milan's _The Cybernetic Samurai_ (the two make an interesting pair 'cause the former is the favourite book of a computer programmer in the latter) William

05-22-2009, 02:00 PM	#14
mtravellerh book creator Posts: 9,635 Karma: 3856660 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Luxembourg Device: PB360°	Henry Kuttner - The Time Axis Available for download here on MobileRead!

05-22-2009, 02:16 PM	#15
Rafardeon Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Germany Device: Sony PRS-505	I suggest the books by Alastair Reynolds (Especially Chasm City). I'm waiting for ebook versions though (or maybe I just didn't find them yet).

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