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Science fiction recommendations please

57 replies

MrsFTHC · 27/07/2013 23:08

Hi, I'm looking for science fiction book recommendations, the problem is I've never really read any so I can't say what kind of thing I like, can anyone help with any suggestions? Probably something fairly short to start with to see if I enjoy it thenI can always look for more by the same author. Thanks

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Oodelaranana · 27/07/2013 23:13

What other kind of books do you like? That might help with making suggestions. Why are you interested in reading some science fiction?

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Vatta · 27/07/2013 23:15
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MrsFTHC · 27/07/2013 23:24

Sorry I realise I'm not being very helpful, I'd like to read some science fiction because I like time travel, stuff from other planets, that kind of thing. I know I'm being really vague, I'm not trying to be I just can't quite pinpoint what it is I like. I enjoy stuff that is quite dark and scary, but not gory. I like a good human story where I can relate to the character's feelings and emotions. I'll have a look at some short stories to see if I can narrow it down a bit, thanks for trying to help

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Snorbs · 27/07/2013 23:34

Try Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh.

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Uptheairymountain · 27/07/2013 23:36

I really like Sheri Tepper's books, especially Grass, Beauty and Gibbon's Decline and Fall; cracking good tales with strong feminist undercurrents. Elizabeth Moon's Remnant Population is a lovely, uplifting sci-fi novel that you might enjoy - it has its moments of suspense as well. Also Lethe by Tricia Sullivan.

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Vatta · 28/07/2013 00:19

If you don't like gory, I would not read sheri tepper, I read beauty ten years ago and some of the gory descriptions still pop into my mind and bother me sometimes!

I agree with the Elizabeth moon recommendation though.

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ValentineWiggins · 28/07/2013 00:23

Enders game...and read it before the film comes out!

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Vatta · 28/07/2013 00:28

Omg yes Ender's game is amazing!

I also rate Cities in Flight, tiger tiger (also published as the stars my destination), the hope sequence by feintuch, The vorkosigan sequence by bujold, orphans of the sky by Heinlein, the sea and summer by George turner. Random list of my faves, but hope it helps.

If you look for the masterworks sf series, they republished a load of science fiction classics.

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DuchessofMalfi · 28/07/2013 06:49

How about something by the grandfather of science fiction - H G Wells? I read The War of the Worlds recently and enjoyed it and I wouldn't normally pick a sci-fi book to read. It is very good without being too complicated.

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ThreeBeeOneGee · 28/07/2013 07:41

Try The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey. It's a YA book so very accessible. I'm a hardcore SF fan and I loved it.

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Oodelaranana · 28/07/2013 17:47

Try John Wyndham The Crysalids. It has a good human story, is well written and has stood the test of time. It was one of the books that made me interested in science fiction.

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/07/2013 20:26

'Ender's Game' is fantastic, except for the ending imho.
'Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep' is good and I enjoyed, 'The War Of The Worlds' (again, apart from the ending).
John Wyndham is generally v readable.

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lljkk · 28/07/2013 20:31

Philip K. Dick for sure.
Anyone read the scifi by Iain Banks?

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ChunkyPickle · 28/07/2013 20:35

If you've got an e-reader I recently read a pretty good one called Wool -I liked the suspense of it. (OMG, I just found out there's some more to read - I'd only read the first 3)

I'm currently working my way through the Iain M Banks Culture series (I think you can read them in any order) which I'm finding not too hard going but not too simple either.

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CoteDAzur · 28/07/2013 20:54

Have you read any "old school" sci-fi like 2001: A Space Odyssey , Stranger In A Strange Land, and Foundation books? The authors of these 3 books (Arthur C Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Isaac Asimov) were all scientists and quite a few of their books are classics.

The classic book of sci-fi, which you have to read if you haven't already, is Dune. Forget the movie and the tv series, this is one book you must read.

I really like Philip K Dick, too. His wit & mind-boggling plots are truly singular.

Sci-fi has taken a different turn in the last 20 years or so, starting with William Gibson's book Neuromancer (where he coined the term "cyberspace"). His initial books are very good (Idoru , Mona Lisa Overdrive etc) although he went off the rails with the last few, imho.

Then came Neal Stephenson and he is now probably the most consistently brilliant sci-fi writer out there. His Snow Crash was selected into Time magazine's "100 Best English Language Books of All Time" list (there wasn't much sci-fi there). Among his books, Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, and more recently Anathem are all masterpieces.

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CoteDAzur · 28/07/2013 20:58

Remus - Ender's Game has a sequel where the ending is explained & continued. (It has quite a few sequels, actually but I stopped reading after #3)

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/07/2013 21:00

Hi Cote. I hoped you'd show up on here. I have finally bought 'Dune' and intend to start it tomorrow. Watch this space. :)

I don't fancy the, 'Ender's Game' sequels, as it was the battle stuff / kid relationship stuff which interested me.

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CoteDAzur · 28/07/2013 21:06

Ah, I just asked about Dune on your other thread.

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yegodsandlittlefishes · 28/07/2013 21:06

The best of Harry Harrison (short stories) is a good place to start.

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CoteDAzur · 28/07/2013 21:09

Meanwhile, I recently read an amazing near-future sci-fi book called Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Really awesome.

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VivaLeBeaver · 28/07/2013 21:13
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CoteDAzur · 28/07/2013 21:26

I have to say I wasn't impressed by Wool. It is a pretty OK first novel, but not among the best sci-fi out there at all.

You really need to want to suspend your disbelief to get over the glaring inconsistencies and lack of credible detail, imho. (Apologies to its fans)

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ThreeBeeOneGee · 28/07/2013 21:32

Wool is good, but it takes Howey a while to get into his stride. Shift is better.

I wouldn't recommend Wool for a first adventure into Sci-Fi.

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 28/07/2013 21:37

I couldn't read, 'Wool.' Too clunky. It failed my 30 page rule.

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Snorbs · 28/07/2013 22:14

I do love Philip K Dick, William Gibson and Neal Stephenson but I wouldn't say that emotionally complex characters were necessarily the strong point of any of them. Cracking stories, fantastic ideas, but often fairly two-dimensional characters.

Iain Banks did good character development although I do find some of his books hard work. His Use of Weapons is an incredible book with a stunning denouement but the work he had to put in as an author to bring that ending about made it tough going in places. Well worth the effort though.

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