I want to read some sci fi

"It is explained, Cote. The minds are able to create matter, removing supply, demand and scarcity. "

If you consider that "explanation", I suppose it is no mystery that you would find Ian M Banks' Culture books "thought provoking". Sorry.

You could try Elizabeth Moon - the Serrano series, and the Vatta's War series.

Lots of spaceships and adventure.

Oh and cote, Time Enough For Love?! Really?!

Second the Culture novels, the Hyperion cantos and Ringworld and practically any PK Dick written in the 60s or 70s.

Tiger Tiger (aka The Stars my Destination) by Alfred Bester is a rip roaring romp of a novel with lots of spaceships which I would highly recommend (caveat, does contain rape). The Forever War by Joe Haldeman is also v good.

It is explained, Cote. The minds are able to create matter, removing supply, demand and scarcity.

It's not egalitarian, nor a utopia.

Ursula Leguin, Lefthanded Side of Darkness.

I second Orson Scott Card - Enders Game. Oh, seem to remember Ringworld by Larry Niven was great too. More recently, although more fantasy than sci fi but the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson and loved them.

madeupstuff, I agree about Charles Stross - I really like his work. His very geeky Laundry series and "Halting State" / "Rule 34" books really hit the spot for me.

Another vote for Ender's Game.

I recently read two novels by Vernor Vinge - A Deepness in the Sky and A Fire Upon The Deep - they have spaceships and interesting alien planets, and I really enjoyed them.

Definitely agree with Ender's Game and Hyperion. Both are very good. Especially the first two Hyperion books are brilliant.

Ian M Banks's "Culture" is an egalitarian utopia where everyone has everything and robots live in harmony with humans (and aliens? can't remember), where everyone has access to drugs directly secreted into their brains. Somehow everyone has all they need and nobody needs to work. And all this works great and everyone is happy, including the robot population

None of this is really explained and none of it makes sense. I love sci-fi and have always have read loads of it. Enough to know that things need to make sense and explained in a credible way for the book to be good.

I've just read Marion Zimmer Bradley's Survey Ship, really interesting, not too long, not at all what I was expecting. Set mostly on a spaceship but really about a small group of people setting off to explore space, and the dynamics between them.

oooo yes, can I second the Hyperion Cantos - by Dan Simmons - although it makes me cry for plot-spoiling reasons I won't share.

YY to Asimov, Heinlen, Frank Herbert's Dune series. Ursula LeGuin also not bad.

Ray Bradbury is not so much adventure, more stuff that makes you think.

lljkk as it happens I am re-reading The Martian Chronicles at the moment - it's in my handbag!

I recently read Ringworld by Larry Niven which is proper old-school sci-fi - great storytelling and concepts. Asimov is good too. My only disclaimer is these can seem a little bit dated/sexist, you have to remember they're a product of their time I guess.

House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds.

Iain M Banks is fantastic, but I don't find him easy to read, not sure why but I have to concentrate and read carefully instead of skimming through as I do with some books!

Lois McMaster Bujold (Vorkosigan series) is pretty good. I like Sheri Tepper, though her stuff crosses over towards fantasy at times.

Dh is a big sci fi fan and he recommends

Revelation Space by Alistair Reynalds
Hyperion by Dan Symons
Foundation Trilogy by Asimov

These are well written accessible books for newbie sci fi readers. He said he would personally leave Ian M Banks as his books are quite complicated, same for Peter Hamilton.

I really enjoyed the Player of Games- it was my first go at Iain M Banks after his more mainstream books. Easy to pick up the basic concepts of the world he created.

Orson Scott Card, Enders game trilogy. It is a very accessible start to sci fi.

Another vote for Iain M Banks culture series - superb!

alistair Reynolds is also very good.

Charles Stross (Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise perhaps or Saturn's Children (re-reading right now) are all full of lovely spaceships and are really very well written IMO)

Or Peter F. Hamilton - fatter books, more epic, but still good.

Both of the above are modern science fiction authors, although I'd agree with anyone who's mentioned Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke etc.

Definitely Iain M Banks, incredible ideas and stories

Could I tempt you towards sci-fi-fantasy?

For starships try Anne McAffrey's brainship books (eg the ship who sang), although if you will pass on starships particularly then try Restoree, or any of her books!

Also if you are willing to flex on the starships, how about Marion Zimmer Bradley's darkover chronicles?

No spaceships, but if you like it slightly rude and rock and roll, try the Gwyneth Jones Bold As Love books.

Player of Games was good. They're not great works, but I don't agree at all that they're brain dead.

DS is reading Arthur C Clarke's Rama books at the moment and is riveted. David Brin is good for a sweeping read, the Uplift Series.

Don't agree about "Time Enough For Love". That was smack-bang in the middle of Heinlein's wibbley-wobbly timey-wimey alternate universe bilge themes as well as him being a lot more open about his, um, peculiar views of female sexuality.

His "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" is a lot better IMO.

"a good sci fi with starships and a rip roaring adventure"

2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C Clarke
Dune - Frank Herbert
Foundation - Asimov
Time Enough For Love - Robert Heinlein

All of the above are "old-school" sci-fi. As someone else said, the sci-fi written in the last 20 years or so tends to be more about life here on earth in the very near future. More about internet & technology's effect on our lives than space travel.

Ian M Banks writes brain-dead soap operas in space. I read about ten of his books before coming to the sad conclusion that he has never written a brilliant book and he never will. Player Of Games and Inversions were slightly better than his other books, iirc.