[Books] Science Fiction

[Deleted]

I'm about to be out of contact with the internets for about 7 months and am stockpiling books to keep me sane during that time. I prefer science fiction - good science fiction that tells a story about the human condition but has some technology/twist thrown in that changes things.

I'm looking for any science fiction gems that anyone might recommend, to help guide you the past few science fiction books I really enjoyed were: The Windup Girl, In Conquest Born (oldy but still really good), and in general books by Alistair Reynolds/Vernor Vinge.

Thanks in advance.

[Skelington]

Theres one book i have called The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories

As you may have guessed, its a book of a bunch of science fiction stories. I think all of them are very good, but none of them are very modern, going from about 1900ish - 1980s.

[Willeonge]

Anything, anything, by Robert A. Heinlein should keep you interested. Some of my favorites are:
Time Enough for Love
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Number of the Beast
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
To Sail Beyond the Sunset (you should read some of his short stories and definitely Time Enough for Love before reading this one)
-Two in particular are: Revolt in 2100 and Methuselah's Children

[Bane Falcon]

Go get anything by Clarke or Asimov, and build from there.

[Deleted]

Heinlein is a bit preachy for me - and perhaps I should have been more clear; I've read most of the 'greats' including almost everything Asimov has ever written. I'm looking for more recent stuff and/or hidden gem type books. For example, The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi is recent (2010 Hugo winner) though obviously not a hidden gem. (Shameless plug: It's also a really great book, 'biopunk' based in south east asia.)

[Deleted]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Songs_of_Distant_Earth

It even has music for it - enjoy!

[Memory]

I would strongly suggest Solaris by Stanisław Lem, and The Black Cloud by Fred Hoyle.

[knightraven736]

i would reccomend battlefield earth buy L. Ron Hubbard that is actually the first book i took the time to read. it is the book that got me interested in reading becasue it is such a good book good luck

[saberon]

i would reccomend battlefield earth buy L. Ron Hubbard that is actually the first book i took the time to read. it is the book that got me interested in reading becasue it is such a good book good luck

That's actually a fantastic book. It's fairly long (over 1000 pages iirc), but it's definitely worth the read.

As for my own suggestions... *shrug*

Star Wars is my SF Bible. But I don't think that matches your criteria.

[Grimmak]

Anything by Harlan Ellison. I have a giant story collection of his that lasted me quite a long time. Very underrated author, imo

Dune, if you haven't read it.

Kurt Vonnegut has some amazing SF, though he would hate it if you called it that.

[Deleted]

If you're into fantasy too u should read The Painted Man / The warded man ( US title ) also The desert spear - same author
Peter V. Brett

[Deleted]

Definately check out Ender's game by Orson Scott Card, one of the best books I've ever read.

EDIT: Quantum thief by Hannu Rajaniemi, it's his first book and has gathered much praise, a very promising new author.

[Obayl]

The Man In the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. While not entirely Science-Fiction, it does touch upon it. It is essentially an alternate history about what the world would be like is the axis powers won WWII. The cold war still exists; however, instead of the two major players being the U.S. and the USSR, it's Japan and Nazi Germany. Eventually the story goes on to how they drain the Mediterranean Sea to create more farmland... how Germany colonizes mars and various parts of the solar system... and so forth. It's a pretty decent read, at least in my opinion.

[Deleted]

Dune.

Seriously, just Dune.

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

[Valthios]

Alastair Reynolds is one of the best current space-oprah science fiction writers. His "Revelation Space" books are flat-out amazing. They can be read in order or independently. They're based in the same universe but are separate stories. If you only read one, get Chasm City. One of the best books I've read in years. EDIT: (Oops just reread your post and saw that you've read his work.)

Armor by John Steakley is my favorite book. I've read it so many times that the book keeps falling apart and I have to buy a new one. It's one of those once-a-year-must-read books. Luckily I've made the switch to a Kindle so no more wrecking my books.

The Gateway series by Frederik Pohl is another fantastic, genre-defining set. I believe there's 6 or 7 books.

If you want some fun, light reading I'd suggest the Mag Force 7 series by Margaret Weis and Don Perrin, as well as their Star of the Guardians books. Fast paced fun about a group of mercenaries running around saving the universe.

Greg Bear is another of my favorite authors. He tends to do more more hard-core science fiction. Blood Music is a classic. Darwin's Radio and the sequel, Darwin's Children are about the next step in human evolution and it's effects on society.

[Sevyvia]

The Hyperion Saga by Dan Simmons I found to be very good. It's not a very well-known series, at least not where I'm from, and it's getting on a bit in years (Though the science-fiction is still just that. Way ahead of us). Takes a bit to get going and understand, but everything is weaved together well. I can only recommend it. The entire series is 3 or 4 books, I'm not certain. Should last you a little while!

[Vandexander]

I agree completely with most of the recommendations so far - Dan Simmons, Greg Bear, Clarke, Harlan Ellison, Fred Pohl, Orson Scott Card (earlier stuff - his later stuff gets a bit preachy), Frank Herbert.

Others to check out:
Cory Doctorow - much of his work is available in electronic format, and is creative commons licensed. See http://boingboing.net for more on him, and other good recommendations.
Peter Watts
Lois McMaster Bujold - multiple Hugo winner
Connie Willis - softer SF, but very good. Also multiple Hugo winner.
Terry Pratchett - Fantasy, and usually very funny.
Neal Stephenson - esp Snow Crash and The Diamond Age.
William Gibson - esp Neuromancer
John Scalzi
Charles Stross

Finally, check out Baen Books and the Gutenberg project - both have extensive free electronic libraries for your e-reading pleasure.

---------- Post added 2011-09-13 at 08:37 AM ----------

Regarding Dan Simmons - It's actually called the Hyperion Cantos, and consists of four (weighty) books:
Hyperion
Fall of Hyperion
Endymion
Rise of Endymion

[Deleted]

I like strong technology based sci-fi operas - big universes and big concepts. My favourites would be:

Iain M Banks - his culture novels are very good sc-fi, great tech
Dan Simmons - Hyperion series is quite good space opera, good concepts also.
Peter F Hamilton - space opera with excellent sci fi and tech - the nights dawn series is epic.
Richard K Morgan- Takeshi Kovacs series, market forces and Black Man (thirteen in the US) excellent sci-fi - personal favourite.
Kevin J Anderson - Saga of Seven Suns series is good, and his star wars stuff is surprisinly decent too.
Alastair Reynolds - More good tech sci-fi opera

[Kerath]

You may have already read these, but as I haven't seen his name mentioned yet: Iain M Banks - I've read Consider Phlebas and The Player of Games and found them very good.
Particularly enjoyed The Player of Games.

Ok, runawaybishop beat me to it by a few minutes

[wowisme]

Some good suggestions here. As someone previously mentioned that I will reinforce, if you haven't read it, Dune, Dune, Dune.

Also a couple of authors I haven't seen mentioned (could have overlooked) that you might want to check out are Phillip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury.