Good Sci Fi Books (Including Star Wars)

[*Don*]

Has anyone read any good Sci Fi books lately?

 

I recently picked up Ringworld by Larry Niven and I gotta say that it definitely is one of the best SF books that I read in a while (even though the book is from the 80's)

[adamqd]

I'm far from a Book worm, But I have picked up and enjoyed all the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force Novels released in the last year or so.

[SilentScope001]

Some stories that I remember fondly:

 

*1984

*Farihent 451

*Ender's Game

*Slaughterhouse Five, and Galapagos (Technically, the author says both books are not sci-fi, but it is usually classifed as such)

[The Seeker]

If you like star wars, pick up the Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zahn. I remember that as being a really tightly woven, but more simplistic plot wise than most sci fi. Really good chase book.

 

Also, Ender's game is an all time favorite. I thought about picking up some Niven, but have yet to get around to it.

[Igos]

I really enjoyed "The End of Eternity" by Isaac Asimov. As for Star Wars books, my personal favourite is the Thrawn trilogy, particularly "Heir to the Empire".

[mur'phon]

Anything by Asimov or Douglas Adams, one for thinking he other for fun.

[Fish.Stapler]

Ender's shadow >>>>>>>>>> Ender's game. But the sequels to Ender's Game vastly rule over those of Ender's shadow.

 

Everytime someone says books, I feel I have to give these ones a shameless plug. I've read Ender's shadow something on the order of I think 37 times now.

[Mace MacLeod]

Essential authors:

 

William Gibson

Bruce Sterling

Isaac Asimov

Ray Bradbury

Iain M. Banks

Peter F. Hamilton

Stanislaw Lem

Arthur C. Clarke

Kurt Vonnegut

 

I'm sure more will come to me as soon as I click "Reply"...

[swphreak]

Orson Scott Card does rule. There's also Timothy Zahn's other books. Asimov or Douglas Adams for the win, as well. I also consider the Net Force books semi-scifi.

[Negative Sun]

Essential authors:

 

William Gibson

Bruce Sterling

Isaac Asimov

Ray Bradbury

Iain M. Banks

Peter F. Hamilton

Stanislaw Lem

Arthur C. Clarke

Kurt Vonnegut

 

I'm sure more will come to me as soon as I click "Reply"...

Philip K. Dick

 

My personal favorites:

The World Jones Made ~ Philip K. Dick

The Gods Themselves... ~ Isaac Asimov

Thrawn Trilogy ~ Timothy Zahn

[Darth InSidious]

"Sometime Never..." by Justin Richards,

Empire of Glass by Andy Lane,

The Sands of Time, by Justin Richards,

"A Very Private Life" by Michael Frayn.

[Pavlos]

Philip K. Dick

 

Yes, but reading Dick is dangerous if you're not prepared to be sucked into the whole messy world of "What is real?"

 

Then again, you can completely ignore that side of his books, if you like; he's a captivating author and one of the pillars on which cyber-punk was built. Everyone should read A Scanner Darkly and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep at least once in their life . His paranoia (seemingly drug induced) seeps its way into his works so they end up telling us as much about the author as they do about whatever point he's driving towards.

 

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a good read, more relevant than ever and peculiar in that at the time, all the others were talking about the dangers of nuclear weapons while he was discussing genetics.

 

Unfortunately, I find a lot of science fiction misses out on what the genre is best at - deconstructing the world we live in and presenting us with alternatives (no matter how unlikely - though generally some sort of post-nuclear dystopia ) to explore philosophical notions or ideas. It's a great genre to deal with real social issues, even if it is by proxy (alien races instead of different ethnicities and so forth).

[Darth InSidious]

Yes, but reading Dick is dangerous if you're not prepared to be sucked into the whole messy world of "What is real?"

Nothing is real...and nothing to get hung up about.

 

[King Dando]

The last Sci-Fi book I read was Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, the novel which later became Blade Runner, which is one of my favourite movies.

 

This was my introduction to Philip K Dick and indeed more modern Sci-Fi in general since before, the only books I'd read were The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The War Of The Worlds, by of course, H.G Wells. I also have The Island of Doctor Moreau, but I've yet to read it.

 

I try and read Wells from the perspective of someone who lived in the time the books were first published, since nowadays everybody seems used to the idea of alien invasions, time travel and suchlike.

 

I hear Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World are meant to be good,

they came highly recommended by my sweetheart

[stingerhs]

don't forget Frank Herbert's Dune series. its a bit like Star Wars in that its sci-fi fantasy and not true science fiction, but its still excellent stuff.

[swphreak]

I have a handful of Dune books, but never got around to reading them. I can't remember if I finished the first book or not. I'll have to add that to my book reading list.

[Negative Sun]

Unfortunately, I find a lot of science fiction misses out on what the genre is best at - deconstructing the world we live in and presenting us with alternatives (no matter how unlikely - though generally some sort of post-nuclear dystopia ) to explore philosophical notions or ideas. It's a great genre to deal with real social issues, even if it is by proxy (alien races instead of different ethnicities and so forth).

That's why Asimov rules

 

 

don't forget Frank Herbert's Dune series. its a bit like Star Wars in that its sci-fi fantasy and not true science fiction, but its still excellent stuff.

Very good stuff indeed...The David Lynch movie is awesome!

[King Dando]

Very good stuff indeed...The David Lynch movie is awesome!

 

David Lynch you say? The same man behind Twin Peaks? I love that show.

[Negative Sun]

David Lynch you say? The same man behind Twin Peaks? I love that show.

Yep, Kyle MacLachlan is in it as well, check it out you won't regret it!

[swphreak]

I preferred miniseries version of Dune (and Children of Dune) more than David Lynch's. The visual effects in Lynch's version was like jamming a knife in my eyes.

 

I ordered the COBRA trilpgy by Timothy Zahn. You can read it for free at the Publisher's site.

 

Also, everyone should check out the Conqueror's trilogy by Zahn.

[Negative Sun]

I preferred miniseries version of Dune (and Children of Dune) more than David Lynch's. The visual effects in Lynch's version was like jamming a knife in my eyes.

Meh, twas the 80's whatchu expect?

 

Story and acting was still good though...If you watch the 3hr version it'll give you a lot of the story too.

[King Dando]

My sweetheart bought Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? from a book store on a whim, since I've mentioned it a few times along with Blade Runner. She read the whole thing through in less than a day, and she tells me she quite enjoyed it

[Cygnus Q'ol]

Bobby Heinlein

Artie Clarke

 

Isaac 'Hayes' Asimov

Herbie Wells

 

Orson Scott Card

Mikey Cricton

Ray Bradbury

 

 

Authors that'll change your life:

 

Tevannian - (Shibumi, Summer of Katya, Eiger Sanction)

Ben Bova - (Colony, Orion)

 

Oh yeah, Frank Herbert Sucks!

I can't count how many times I fell asleep trying to read Dune.

But try it anyway. Some people say that about Asimov. You never know, it might work for you.

 

Phillip K. Dick is retarded, but the book is OK.

I very, very rarely say this, but Blade Runner was much better than his novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I like the film director's adaptation of the story better than the story itself. Wierd.

 

...but that's just me.

[Pavlos]

Phillip K. Dick is retarded, but the book is OK.

I very, very rarely say this, but Blade Runner was much better than his novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I like the film director's adaptation of the story better than the story itself. Wierd.

 

Blasphemy! How can you not like Androids?

[Samnmax221]

*Snow Crash

*The Diamond Age