I am in desperate need of a new sci-fi author to begin reading. I've read most of Clarke's work, and I am almost finished Asimov's Robots/Empire/Foundation epic. Ofcourse I've also read most of Card's fiction and find him to be the most compelling of the lot so far. My problem is that after these 3, I'm a bit at a loss of where to go next. I started to read Heinlein, and well, I didn't get too far in Strangers in a Strange land. Should I give it a chance?
My main request is, can anyone make any suggestions on what I should read now, based on what i've already read?
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
A tip (assuming you're not a new pseudonym for an already exsiting board member), pleas to OSC for help generally turn people off. You might get more traffic on your thread if you changed the thread title to something more explicative, like "SF author recommendations?"
That being said: Ursula LeGuin Frank Herbert
Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :
If you want some a little more contemporary I highly recommend Robert J Sawyer and Robert Charles Wilson.
Posted by Hari Seldon (Member # 9254) on :
Haven't Heard of LeGuin, thanks.
As for Herbert, Dune was incredible, but I think he started to use a few too many drugs after that.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Try Heinlein's "Moon is a Harsh Mistress." His best, in my opinion, and much tighter/better plotted than "Stranger."
Seconded: Robert J. Sawyer
Posted by Hari Seldon (Member # 9254) on :
that moon, she is one cold hearted b****
thanks
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
Here is more info, including bibliography, on Le Guin. From the article:
quote:Much of Le Guin's science fiction is distinctive in its strong emphasis on the social sciences, including sociology and anthropology. ... In th[e] loose background scenario, the human species originated on the planet Hain in the distant past, near the galactic center. A Galactic Empire had expanded far out across the galaxy over many millennia but, because it lacked FTL travel or communication, the Empire was finally stretched beyond its limits by the vast distances involved and it collapses catastrophically.
Thousands of years pass, during which time the populations of many outlying planets become so isolated from the central galactic civilisation that they lose all knowledge of their origins, reverting to more archaic forms of civilisation and technology.
I'm a bigger fan of her Earthsea fantasy series, but I think the SF stuff is very good as well.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
What authors do you like, other than Card? Knowing that will make it a lot easier to recommend stuff you're likely to enjoy.
Posted by Hari Seldon (Member # 9254) on :
ok, lets see,
I enjoy Tolkien, Clarke, Asimov, Crichton, Robertson Davies, Clancy
does that help?
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Octavia Butler. OSC liked a lot of her work. Her Xenogenesis series is just brilliant, but her first book, I can't remember the title was just awesome. Part historical fiction, part sci fi. I love that book. It's called Kindred I think.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Try Larry Niven. Also Niven and Jerry Pournelle's works, although I was never as fond of Pournelle's solo stuff.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Timothy Zahn, but only the Star Wars EU books.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Her Xenogenesis series is just brilliant, but her first book, I can't remember the title was just awesome. Part historical fiction, part sci fi. I love that book. It's called Kindred I think.
Yes, that was called Kindred. Was that really her first book? It's probably my favorite.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
Give Stranger a chance, or at least come back to it. I thought it started off slow too, but it picks up quite a bit.
Posted by Fitz (Member # 4803) on :
Your post seems to imply that you're looking for science fiction recommendations. If you'd like something outside of that genre, one author who OSC often recommends is Robin Hobb (fantasy). Start with the Assassin trilogy, which is followed by the Tawny Man trilogy. Both trilogies follow the life of Fitzchivalry Farseer, who grows up a prince's bastard in the court which his father abandoned. The basic premise of the books is that he is made a royal assassin, but the scope is far greater after the first book. George R.R. Martin also often lauds the talents of Robin Hobb. So that's two great authors recommending another. How can you go wrong? Also, if you haven't read George Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, then you don't really have any idea what you're missing.
I haven't been reading a lot of sci-fi in the last year or so. I did recently read Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson, and enjoyed it very much. One of the more original authors I've read in the last couple years is China Mieville. Perdido Street Station is a beautiful and strange novel.
Um, what else? Neal Stephenson is great. I haven't met anyone who didn't at least enjoy Cryptonomicon and most people seem to love it. And if you like that one, plus a generous dose of history, you'll also really enjoy his Baroque Cycle trilogy.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head:
quote:Her Xenogenesis series is just brilliant, but her first book, I can't remember the title was just awesome. Part historical fiction, part sci fi. I love that book. It's called Kindred I think.
Yes, that was called Kindred. Was that really her first book? It's probably my favorite.
No, her first book was Patternmaster, written in 1976. She didn't write Kindred until 1979. She was coming out with books at a steady clip at that point, so Kindred was actually her 4th book. Her abilities, by the time she'd written Kindred had been honed quite a bit.
Posted by Celaeno (Member # 8562) on :
I will always recommend Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles to anyone who asks for book suggestions.
And I would stick with Stranger. It's definitely worth getting through.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Give Stranger a chance, or at least come back to it. I thought it started off slow too, but it picks up quite a bit.
Stranger is one of those books that if I had known how little I would enjoy it, I would never have read.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Given the authors that you've listed, I suspect that Chris is right in thinking that you'd enjoy Niven. You'd probably also enjoy Frederic Pohl and early James P. Hogan.
Niven's most famous novel is probably Ringworld, and isn't a bad place to start if you want to see what his stuff is like. Legacy of Heorot, a collaboration between Niven, Steve Barnes, and Jerry Pournelle is also quite good, as Niven books go (I'm not a huge fan of Niven, personally, but many people like him).
With Hogan, be forewarned that his more recent work is more of the "Robert Anton Wilson silly conspiracy theory" bent, according to starLisa.
[Edit--Lisa, if I've misrepresented what you said about Hogan, feel free to correct me.]
[Edit II--I'm not particularly fond of Niven's work, myself. His characters are fairly two dimensional, and his dialog is astoundingly bad. His ideas, though, are pretty cool, and the fact that you like Asimov and Clark suggests to me that idea driven fiction is something that you enjoy. If I'm wrong in that assumption you may find Niven irritating]
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fitz: Your post seems to imply that you're looking for science fiction recommendations. If you'd like something outside of that genre, one author who OSC often recommends is Robin Hobb (fantasy). Start with the Assassin trilogy, which is followed by the Tawny Man trilogy. Both trilogies follow the life of Fitzchivalry Farseer, who grows up a prince's bastard in the court which his father abandoned. The basic premise of the books is that he is made a royal assassin, but the scope is far greater after the first book.
Hobb also wrote the Liveship Traders trilogy, which takes place in the same world as the Assassin and Tawny Man ones (but in a different geographic location) and with some (subtle) character crossover. Chronologically, it comes after Assassin and before Tawny Man. Hobb is an awesome writer, definitely worth reading!
I'm more of a fantasy person myself, but in an effort to branch out into sci-fi, right now I'm reading Dan Simmons' Hyperion (after seeing other Hatrackers' recommendations of it), and I'm really enjoying it.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
quote:Originally posted by Fitz: I haven't met anyone who didn't at least enjoy Cryptonomicon and most people seem to love it.
I thought Cryptonomicon was lousy; didn't enjoy it at all. I got about 400 pages in and then decided to stop complaining about what a collossal boor Stephenson was and just quit reading (with appr. 800 pages left to go).
Posted by Fitz (Member # 4803) on :
Yeah well, I haven't met you, so Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Niven's emphasis on ideas is why I suggested him.
...Robert Anton Wilson silly conspiracy theory...
I reread Illuminatus! every couple of years Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I figured as much, Chris (about your recommendation of Niven, that is).
I read Illuminatus! years ago, but it didn't do all that much for me.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
And the torch has been past on...
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
quote:Stranger is one of those books that if I had known how little I would enjoy it, I would never have read.
Heinlein's one of those authors where all his books (all the ones I've read so far anyway, have a distinct ethos. I liked Stranger a lot, and much more so than say, Starship Troopers. But I think that's because the idealistic side of me was much more sympathetic to the ethos of Stranger.
I may bathe, and I don't hug trees, but I guess deep down I'm kind of a hippie.
Posted by cheiros do ender (Member # 8849) on :
Ben Bova. . .. ... .... ... .. . Ben Bova.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: And the torch has been past on...
Posted by Amilia (Member # 8912) on :
I have not read anything by Connie Willis that I have not loved. I would particularly recommend To Say Nothing of the Dog (which is even better if you have Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat), Bellwether and Passage. You have no idea how hard it was for me to limit my recommedations to three. . . . Willis's short stories are also excellent.
I also really enjoy Jasper Fforde, but he isn't really like any of the authors you listed. His books are very clever; more brain than heart. But oh so funny.
Posted by Fahim (Member # 5482) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: Niven's most famous novel is probably Ringworld, and isn't a bad place to start if you want to see what his stuff is like.
Personally, I think "Destiny's Road" is one of his best. I loved the world, the history and the characters ... but YMMV Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
lol.
Posted by Hari Seldon (Member # 9254) on :
"I reread Illuminatus! every couple of years"
Who is it by? Is it about what I think its about? B/C if it is then I'm scared if I read it I'll end up in a pool of my own blood with an ambigram burned into my chest Posted by Hari Seldon (Member # 9254) on :
Thank you for all of the great suggestions - perhaps I wont give up on Stranger just yet. Its great that on even such a seemingly benign topic, such passion can be aroused.
By the way, has anyone read State of Fear by Crichton - I know he's a bit pulpy, but it does raise some interesting notions re: global warming hysteria.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series is a personal favorite.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Hysteria is babbling senselessly instead of fixing the problem, getting out of harm's way. So you're right, Crichton is certainly hysterical.
[ March 17, 2006, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I have had issues getting through Cryptonomicon myself, but I found Snow Crash good, and Diamond Age to be uncomfortably excellent. These two books are much shorter than Cryptonomicon as well.
-Bok
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld series is a personal favorite.
To Your Scattered Bodies Go was one of the two books that drew me back into reading SF, back in 8th grade (Dune being the other). I'm not sure how I'd feel about the Riverworld series if I were reading it for the first time today, but I have an enormous soft spot for it myself.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
To Your Scattered Bodies Go is one of the better SF novels -- a "must read" classic if ya want to fancy yourself to be an SF fan -- though it does stray out of my personal tastes towards the end. I read the rest of the Riverworld series, and it just kept drifting ever farther away from what I think of as interesting, and more toward standard SF adventure. However, the Riverworld and Other Stories anthology matches the quality of the first novel.
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
I will second Amilia's endorsement of Connie Willis, especially those three novels. All 3 are exellent, in fact I was thinking about rereading Passages (for the 3rd or 4th time) just this week.
Willis' characters are very real and believable, and she has a fantastic way of writing humor. To say nothing about the dog... has a McGuffin/joke called "the bishop's bird stump" that drives the whole plot, and it's not until the end of the long novel that it's significence becomes clear.
Posted by David G (Member # 8872) on :
I am a fan of Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars? This trilogy was brilliant on several different levels. And a great example of the use of point of view in telling a story and in character development.
Greg Bear is another excellent sci-fi author who has a diverse collection of books. I suggest Darwin's Radio, Moving Mars, and Eon.
For fantasy, I recommend Stephen R. Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. He also has done science fiction - The Gap Series.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
"I reread Illuminatus! every couple of years"
Who is it by? Is it about what I think its about?
Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. It is a massive tome -- originally a trilogy -- that was written because Shea and Wilson used to be editors at Playboy and read thousands of letters from true believers of every conspiracy theiory you've ever heard of. They responded by writing a hilarious, outrageous book that combined every single conspiracy theory, ever and made them all fit together, more or less.
However, it is most definitely and intentionally blasphemous and you may not like the language, adult situations, or treatment of various religions. Me, I'm laughing when I read about people suing Dan Brown for writing about Jesus and Mary Magdelene's relationship and offspring: Illuminatus! included that theory 30 years ago. And better written.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
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