Sci fi/dystopian fiction recommendations

[Heavenscent86]

So as the title says can anyone recommend me some really good Sci fi or dystopian books to read?

Oh, I forgot. "The Anubis Gates" by Tim Powers. It's a time travel story. I read it sometime in the 1990s and it's stayed with me ever since. It's very good.

I 'got' it perfectly well. I just didn't like it. Although, to be fair to the writer, it appears a work of genius compared to the travesty that was 'Dune' with that irritating woman who makes Mr yo-teen-speak-innit-like Boring Potato Astronaut Man seem positively fascinating in comparison.

Half Head by Stuart MacBride is a fantastic read. Really, really enjoyed it.

Remus - I love how you get the rage about Dune Almost as bad as I get when I remember that cast of muppets in On The Beach.

Re the astronaut in The Martian, though: You know I read that book An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth by Commander Mike Hadfield? I watched an interview with him, the author of The Martian, and the director of the film. Hadfield was saying that is exactly how an astronaut thinks and that positivity and a sunny disposition is a prerequisite.

Positive and sunny is good - I just prefer my astronauts to not sound like 14 year old boys whilst being positive and sunny.

I read The Death of Grass at school. I was about 13 and it has stayed with me ever since. Amazing book.

I have also recently enjoyed Ben Eltons Time after Time. It's about being able to go back in time to before the first world war and what we would change in order ro prevent it and how our world would look if events hadn't played put exactly as they did.

Also loved the Harry August one.

Hi I tried to find the Ben Elton book and this is what I got.
Time and Time Again www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0552779997/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_Fi5VwbPN67C44
Is this the book you mean NNalreadyinuse?
Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I really like the sound of ready player one and red rising too. There are so many suggestions on here I want to try.

Another vote for We by Zamyatin and also Darkness at Noon by Koestler.

Both brilliant (if literary) dystopias.

I like several of the above and would add The day of the triffids by John Wyndham and pretty much all his other books.

Yep, that was the one Heaven. Sorry for getting the title wrong

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde is dystopian, strange and funny.

Not a problem NNalreadyinuse. Just wanted to make sure it was the one you meant. I think I might give that one a try.

Downloaded some samples from this thread. Thanks for the suggestions.

Ridley Walker by Russell Hoban.

Came on to recommend, but shallishanti has mentioned my top three so shall just second those

Though echt has similarly mentioned my favourite book of all time. Skulks off.....

I'll echo Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, along with Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to which it alludes.

The Well- amazing.

Swansong by Robert McCammon is excellent. I see Dune mentioned a few times. I just couldn't get on with it at all years ago but have committed to read it this year. I am currently on 3% on my kindle so wish me luck. Has anyone read any if Terry Brook's Genesis of Shannara books? I started the first one a couple of days ago and am really enjoying it so far. Nice weave of a dystopian world with the shannara elves of his previous fantasy books.

IpitythePontipines - I love Jasper Fforde - I must put Shades of Greg on my wish list.

For Science Fiction Peter F Hamilton's "Fallen Dragon" is amazing. John Scalzi's "Old Mans' War" is brilliant and Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan" books are just great space opera romps.

If you'll permit a few fantasy recommendations, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy is brilliant and C J Cherryh's "Fortress In The Eye Of Time" is a great classic.

Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall had me gripped.

My recent favorites include....

Departure - A.G Riddle
NewsFlesh Series and Parasitology Serise - Mira Grant
Red Rising Trilogy - Pierce Brown
The Passage/The Twelve/The City of Mirrors (Being published May 2016) - Justin Cronin
Wool/Shift/Dust - Hugh Howey
Penryn and the End of Days Trilogy - Susan EE
Forest of Hands and Teeth Series - Carrie Ryan
Bird Box - Josh Malerman
Demon Cycle Series - Peter V Brett
Bone Season/Mime Order - Samantha Shannon

The Domination books are quite disturbing. Set in a slave owning alternate future. It all seems a bit too possible to be comfortable.

Also like Doris Lessing's Mara and Dann.

Does Mark Lawrence count as dystopian? I adore Mark Lawrence.