Sci fi books
 

Does anyone know any good sci fi books I could read? I've decided to read fiction for the first time in six years (I only read textbooks and New Scientist magazines these days).

I'm like you, I much prefer factual books. My sister is visiting this weekend and is a big sci fi reader. She does so much reading of any genre. I will ask her what she recommends and get back to you.

H. G. Wells, The Time Machine (1895)
Philip K. Dick, The Man in the High Castle (1962
J. G. Ballard, The Drowned World (1962)
Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
William Gibson, Neuromancer (1984)
China Miéville, Embassytown (2011)

Those are all books that I had to read for my Sci-fi module at university and I really enjoyed them all!

The Hitchhiker's trilogy

The forever war is a great book

George Orwell 1984.
Not exactly sci-fi, but has some dips into it, and it's am important book to read in my opinion.

I recommend Philip K. Dick. He wasn't the most skillful of writers, but he invented or popularised many of the more iconic characteristics of science fiction and he had an incredible imagination. I haven't read any of his novels yet, but I do recommend his short stories. I know you've struggled to get through novels in the past, so maybe you'll find short fiction easier to start with.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Scienc...ion_(Bookshelf)

lots of scifi books here

I don't know if Metro 2033 counts, but it is good and you should read it anyhow.

Not read the book but the film is amazing!

Lucifer's Hammer, I'm currently reading it,

Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers
The Last Policeman trilogy [third coming out soon]
John Dies at the End

I am pretentious as heck and those did not irk me.

Thanks.

I tried to read a story (not a book though) recently and I couldn't focus past page 6. I then went to read a textbook and covered 45 pages in one sitting.

:/

I think the original Dune novel is a masterpiece, Frank Herbert, really really top stuff, can't recommend it highly enough. Unfortunately he did go on and write way too many sequels which just got plain boring, why do all author's do that? It's like Hollywood sequel syndrome only for writers. Fortunately for us he's dead now so can't cash in on any more of them.

One sci-fi book I have never read but really would like to is "Planet of the Apes", the original book is supposed to be stunning, as is the original film with Charlton Heston, don't be fooled by the rubbish remake with Helena Bonham-Carter, they really spoiled it, the book is meant to be amazing though.

I read Hyperion by Dan Simmons earlier this year (that's my one book for the year, well maybe i'll get up to two if I'm lucky). It started off really quite promising with a really interesting oh I wonder how this develops type of plots, sadly it was let down by a very poor ending, and when I say poor ending I mean tragically poor ending, I really think I coud have come up with a better ending and I'm definitely no writer. None of the major mysteries are solved and it just finishes with all the main characters skipping along the sand dunes singing "we're off to see the wizard", yes the very one from the Wizard of Oz, I really couldn't believe it, I felt so cheated, invested all that time and was building up for the big ending and I got that. Sorry if I have ruined the ending for anyone but really if you have got it just throw it away and don't for pity sake lend it to a friend because they wont be a friend afterwards. And if on the very vague chance Dan happens to ever read this site I just want to say you need your ass kicked for that one geezer, really getting paid for coming up with an ending like that, hang your head in shame and have no xmas turkey.

I remember reading a book yonks ago called Earth Abides by George Stewart, it's about a plague that wipes out most of humanity and what comes along to take it's place. It was pretty good as I recall but the sad bit was the reason I read it in the first place. I only read it because I found out Jimi Hendrix had read it and it was one of his favourite books so me being a big Jimi Hendrix fan had to have a read of it. Yeah I know a bit sad, I was young and gullible, still worth a read though.

Douglas Adams is spectacular.

Pretty much anything by Ray Bradbury

Light by M. John Harrison

As said, Dune is wondrous

Richard Matheson (more horror, but certainly some sci fi elements)

Honestly, I'm more of a fantasy reader than a sci fi reader, so there may be some fantastic elements within those books.

greg egan (since he not been mentioned)

I've read just about every book mentioned in this thread and while most are considered great works, I found very few of them interesting.

Here are a few books or series that I loved

Anne McCaffrey:
The Brain & Brawn Ship series
The Crystal universe
The Talents universe
The best of all Acorna universe

Steel Beach - John Varley (first time I was introduced to the concept of gender swapping, might be a tad weird but I loved it.)
Battletech: Legend of the Jade phoenix trilogy are in my opinion amazing, I'd never read a battletech book before but now I'll read anything by Robert Thurston.

Books that have been adapted to films
The starship troopers book is amazing, written in 1959 and has influenced almost every branch of the military. - ignore the film
Enders game
Hunger Games


Book I wish i'd never read.
Stay away from Fahrenheit 451 unless you like feeling suicidal.
Neuromancer was awful!
Anything by Ray Bradbury, unless you like extremely detailed descriptions of EVERYTHING!
A clockwork orange

I'll add more when I think of them.

Oh, Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge is something you may like. It is very rooted in technology.

Player of Games - Lain Banks
Enders game

If you like sci-fi fantasy, Legend of Drizzt is a great series to lose yourself in.

Deaths Head series by David Gunn
I'd also recommend Dune by Frank Herbert it's awesome but the second one isn't so great but I have the third one which I'll read at some point, I'm going to give the series another go.
The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce sterling
Transition Iain Banks