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Author Topic:   Sci-Fi Books

Titan posted 11-10-98 05:36 PM ET
Since SMAC is Sci-Fi, I think many of you like saci-fi stories. So Here I will post my list of the best Sci-Fi books I've read. Feel Free to add your favorite books. I'd like to know them especially if there different from mine, so I could read them some time soon.
1. Dune (and the sequels)
2. Red Mars (and Green Mars, and Blue Mars)
3. The Hammer of God (Arthur C. Clarke)
4. Foundation trilogy
5. 2001: the Space Odyssey (+sequels)
6. Rama (+sequels)
7. Sphere
8. Stargate
Again I would like to know what other Sci-Fi books you like.
Vive le Qu�bec! Vive le Canada! Vive SMAC!
Spoe posted 11-10-98 07:06 PM ET
Stranger in a Strange Land -- RAH
Starship Troopers -- RAH
War of the Worlds -- Verne
The Time Machine -- Verne
Ringworld(or most of the Known Space material) -- Niven
Legacy of Heorot -- Niven + Pournelle
Eon -- Bear
Snow Crash -- Neal Stephenson
The Diamond Age -- Neal Stephenson
The Elijah Bailey books(first three) -- Asimov
The Uplift books -- Brin
Might come up with a few more.
DHE_X2 posted 11-10-98 10:24 PM ET
I've only read the foundation series, some I robot(asimov kicks), and the first three Dune books, all of which are good.
Brother Greg posted 11-10-98 10:54 PM ET
Yes, definately EON and it's sequel(s) by Greg Bear. Eternity was one I think...
Also a series by Orson Scott Card (from memory) called Ender's Game (or was that the title of the last/first book), or something. been a long time since I read it, and I don't have the books here to reference.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (a trilogy in 5 parts - or is it 6 now?) by Douglas Adams. VERY FUNNY. Though you really have to hear the audio tapes - they had me in stiches.
Brother Greg Woodstock,
Peacekeeper,
Defender of the Sacred NIM,
Chevalier of the order of Azugal,
Hammer of the Spartans.
Spoe posted 11-10-98 10:57 PM ET
Ah, yes. I forgot about Ender's Game(it was the first book in the series). Excellent.
Talon posted 11-10-98 10:58 PM ET
I liked 1984 by Orwell
DJ RRebel posted 11-11-98 12:30 PM ET
Hitchhicker is upto 5 books now ???
I thought it was only 4 ???
What are #5 & #6 called ????
Autarch posted 11-11-98 01:29 PM ET
Crusade
On Death Ground
Insurrection
Bye David Weber & Steve White
The Mote In God's Eye
The Gripping Hand
Falkenberg's Legion
Prince of Sparta
Prince of Mercenaries
King David's Spaceship
The War World Anthologies
By Jerry Pournelle
The Forbidden Borders Trilogy
By W. Michael Gear

These are all excellent books...they ought to keep you up late for a long time...enjoy
BoomBoom posted 11-11-98 01:54 PM ET
I just finished a book called Titan by Stephen Baxter (I think). Quite good, if a little technical in places. Is about a manned mission to Titan, so actually has some relevance to this forum.
Seely posted 11-11-98 01:58 PM ET
1. Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein
2. Neuromancer, Gibson
3. The Left Hand of Darkness, LeGuin
4. The Andromeda Strain, Crichton
5. The Forever War, Haldeman
6. Brave New World, Huxley
7. Childhood's End, Clarke
8. The Time Machine, Wells
9. The Space Merchants, Pohl and Kornbluth
10. The Hitchiker's Guide (all of them) Adams
Fluke posted 11-11-98 04:13 PM ET
Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is in 5 parts. #5 is called "Mostly Harmless" and I heard that Adams' publisher pushed him to write it (don't know how).
Hope so since it sucks.
And it's definately the last one.
Don't read it.
Titan posted 11-11-98 05:22 PM ET
Thank you for these suggestions. i have read some, but others I will read soon. I will most certainly read Titan suggested by BoomBoom as soon as I can. I cant wait to read stranger in a strange land either. Looks good, and when you know Heinlein, you're sure
it's going to be good, although a little bit weird. If you like him I suggest you read the Number of the Beast, it's very good.
The time machine is excellent book, I dont know how I could have forgotten it in my original list.
Oh, by the way, have any of you read the Martians Chonicles by Bradbury. I heard a lot about it, but cant ecide myself to read. If you have read it, is it good.
Presently I'm finishing the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, I suggest it to everybody, especially that it speaks about the colonisation of another world. It is not alphacentauri, but the inhabitants of Mars have indeed divided themselves in many factions. Very good books.
Vive le Qu�bec! Vive le Canada! Vive SMAC!
Philippe Mipz Lepage posted 11-11-98 05:29 PM ET
A little precision about Spoe's post...
"War of the Worlds" and "The Time Machine" have been written by H.G. Wells and not Jules Verne.
I'm a little surprised not to see the following books in Autarch's favorites...
The Books of the New Sun (by Gene Wolfe)
-----------------------------
1.Shadow of the Torturer
2.Claw of the Conciliator
3.Sword of the Lictor
4.Citadel of the Autarch
With a name like "Autarch" you would expect to see those 4 books in his all time favorite. Or am I mistaking about the origin of his name...
Spoe posted 11-11-98 07:20 PM ET
You're right, my bad. Ok then, a real Jules Verne book, 20k Leaguse Under the Sea -- I liked that one as well.
Autarch posted 11-11-98 07:26 PM ET
Philippe you are correct as to the origin of my name. I've read so many books that it was impossible to list them all. So thanks for the reminder! Those books are also an excellent treat.
Lee Johnson posted 11-12-98 11:05 AM ET
Hi, Titan! Since you seem to be a fan of Clarke, your next book should be "Childhood's End". Really, it's the best novel he ever wrote. Other Clarke novels I've enjoyed are "The Fountains of Paradise", "Imperial Earth", and "2010: Odyssey Two". (Forget "2061" and "3001", unless you really *must* read all of them.) It would also be worth reading some of the anthologies of Clarke's short fiction, such as "The Nine Billion Names of God".
You mentioned "Rama", but it was unclear whether you meant "Rama II", or the original "Rendezvous with Rama". The latter is a good book, but in my opinion, the subsequent collaborations with Gentry Lee were reeking piles of dung in comparison.
Clarke's later solo works, notably "The Hammer of God" and "3001: The Final Odyssey" are somewhat lacking in the plot department; they're more like optimistic travelogues of future civilization.
MikeH II posted 11-12-98 11:16 AM ET
I've just finished Icehenge by Kim Stanley Robinson and I'm halfway through Antarctica both are superb. Anyone who liked the Mars trilogy will get something out of them.
Lee Johnson posted 11-12-98 11:18 AM ET
Ah, Greg Bear... Probably my favorite SF author right now. If you like wild but plausible speculative SF, Bear's your man. Recommended works:
Blood Music
Eon/Eternity/Legacy (however, be warned: the last is a prequel, and not epic in scope like the first two)
The Forge of God/Anvil of Stars (the first is a end-of-the-world story, the second is not (well, not really... :-); the sequel actually surpasses the original)
Queen of Angels/Slant
Moving Mars
Titan posted 11-12-98 03:00 PM ET
Lee Johnson, when I spoke of Rama, I was talking about the whole serie. I agree that Rama II and The Gardens of Rama are way inferior to the original, but I found the Rama revealed had a very interesting end. In the whole Rendez-vous with Rama is the best of the serie, but the ending of the sequel, as i said, is very good.
Contrary, I found the Hammer of God an excellent book. 3001: The Final Odyssey is a good book too. I agree that it doesn't have a very good plot, but I like to read about the vision of the authors once in a while. For instance the Time Machine by H.G Wells had not avery good plot, but it was just a pretext to say his vision of what may happen to the human specie.
Heckler posted 11-12-98 11:05 PM ET
Hmph I can't go into the library in New York because once I withdrew the entire sci-fi section and then they wanted me to bring it back! Seriously though
Number of the Beast
Just about anything by Asimov
The Pern series
Known Space
innumerable others these are the top few.
Heckler
Apocalypse posted 11-13-98 02:19 AM ET
1. Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers - Grant Naylor
2. Better Than Life - Grant Naylor
3. Doom: Knee Deep in the Dead - (forget)
4. Doom: Hell on Earth - (forget)
5. All the Wing Commander books
Most of the others have already been said.
Kirel posted 11-13-98 05:56 AM ET
Am I the only one reading Harry Turtledoves books? (Oops,the PUL-law again!)
1.The "Worldwar" series by the writer above
2 The "The damned" series by Alan Dean Foster
3 All books by William R Forstchen
4 The "Conqueror" trilogy by Timoty Zahn.
There you go.
(Stupid PUL-law!)
BoomBoom posted 11-13-98 07:48 AM ET
The foundation trilogy (even though i think there at least six now), is o good start for buddong sci-fi readers. It is not necessarily pure sci-fi, since most is about future philosophies. Good though.
OmniDude posted 11-13-98 10:32 AM ET
For excellent space opera, try "The Reality Dysfunction" and "The Neutronium Alchemist" by Peter F. Hamilton. No big surprises, but definitely well executed storytelling and a fascinating vision of a future history of man. If you like Asimov, you'll also like this (I think).
On a more serious notice, how come noone have mentioned Doris Lessings "Shikasta"-series. I only got around to the first one, but that one is right up there with Dune, Contact, Foundation and Gateway...wait a minute, "Gateway" by Frederick Pohl haven't been mentioned yet either. Geez, you ignorants!
Oh and does anybody know Niels E. Nielsen? Danish SF-writer, not much good, but danish
Mike posted 11-13-98 03:24 PM ET
I remember a while back there was a series of 13 or 14 (??) books written by
L.Ron Hubbard (??) I thought that these
were Very light reading. My favorite SF titles have all ben mentioned. The last
series I read was Red, Green, Blue Mars.
Roland posted 11-13-98 03:28 PM ET
Mike ? Which Mike ? Not MikeH ?
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Author	Topic: Sci-Fi Books
Titan	posted 11-10-98 05:36 PM ET Since SMAC is Sci-Fi, I think many of you like saci-fi stories. So Here I will post my list of the best Sci-Fi books I've read. Feel Free to add your favorite books. I'd like to know them especially if there different from mine, so I could read them some time soon. 1. Dune (and the sequels) 2. Red Mars (and Green Mars, and Blue Mars) 3. The Hammer of God (Arthur C. Clarke) 4. Foundation trilogy 5. 2001: the Space Odyssey (+sequels) 6. Rama (+sequels) 7. Sphere 8. Stargate Again I would like to know what other Sci-Fi books you like. Vive le Qu�bec! Vive le Canada! Vive SMAC!
Spoe	posted 11-10-98 07:06 PM ET Stranger in a Strange Land -- RAH Starship Troopers -- RAH War of the Worlds -- Verne The Time Machine -- Verne Ringworld(or most of the Known Space material) -- Niven Legacy of Heorot -- Niven + Pournelle Eon -- Bear Snow Crash -- Neal Stephenson The Diamond Age -- Neal Stephenson The Elijah Bailey books(first three) -- Asimov The Uplift books -- Brin Might come up with a few more.
DHE_X2	posted 11-10-98 10:24 PM ET I've only read the foundation series, some I robot(asimov kicks), and the first three Dune books, all of which are good.
Brother Greg	posted 11-10-98 10:54 PM ET Yes, definately EON and it's sequel(s) by Greg Bear. Eternity was one I think... Also a series by Orson Scott Card (from memory) called Ender's Game (or was that the title of the last/first book), or something. been a long time since I read it, and I don't have the books here to reference. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (a trilogy in 5 parts - or is it 6 now?) by Douglas Adams. VERY FUNNY. Though you really have to hear the audio tapes - they had me in stiches. Brother Greg Woodstock, Peacekeeper, Defender of the Sacred NIM, Chevalier of the order of Azugal, Hammer of the Spartans.
Spoe	posted 11-10-98 10:57 PM ET Ah, yes. I forgot about Ender's Game(it was the first book in the series). Excellent.
Talon	posted 11-10-98 10:58 PM ET I liked 1984 by Orwell
DJ RRebel	posted 11-11-98 12:30 PM ET Hitchhicker is upto 5 books now ??? I thought it was only 4 ??? What are #5 & #6 called ????
Autarch	posted 11-11-98 01:29 PM ET Crusade On Death Ground Insurrection Bye David Weber & Steve White The Mote In God's Eye The Gripping Hand Falkenberg's Legion Prince of Sparta Prince of Mercenaries King David's Spaceship The War World Anthologies By Jerry Pournelle The Forbidden Borders Trilogy By W. Michael Gear These are all excellent books...they ought to keep you up late for a long time...enjoy
BoomBoom	posted 11-11-98 01:54 PM ET I just finished a book called Titan by Stephen Baxter (I think). Quite good, if a little technical in places. Is about a manned mission to Titan, so actually has some relevance to this forum.
Seely	posted 11-11-98 01:58 PM ET 1. Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein 2. Neuromancer, Gibson 3. The Left Hand of Darkness, LeGuin 4. The Andromeda Strain, Crichton 5. The Forever War, Haldeman 6. Brave New World, Huxley 7. Childhood's End, Clarke 8. The Time Machine, Wells 9. The Space Merchants, Pohl and Kornbluth 10. The Hitchiker's Guide (all of them) Adams
Fluke	posted 11-11-98 04:13 PM ET Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is in 5 parts. #5 is called "Mostly Harmless" and I heard that Adams' publisher pushed him to write it (don't know how). Hope so since it sucks. And it's definately the last one. Don't read it.
Titan	posted 11-11-98 05:22 PM ET Thank you for these suggestions. i have read some, but others I will read soon. I will most certainly read Titan suggested by BoomBoom as soon as I can. I cant wait to read stranger in a strange land either. Looks good, and when you know Heinlein, you're sure it's going to be good, although a little bit weird. If you like him I suggest you read the Number of the Beast, it's very good. The time machine is excellent book, I dont know how I could have forgotten it in my original list. Oh, by the way, have any of you read the Martians Chonicles by Bradbury. I heard a lot about it, but cant ecide myself to read. If you have read it, is it good. Presently I'm finishing the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, I suggest it to everybody, especially that it speaks about the colonisation of another world. It is not alphacentauri, but the inhabitants of Mars have indeed divided themselves in many factions. Very good books. Vive le Qu�bec! Vive le Canada! Vive SMAC!
Philippe Mipz Lepage	posted 11-11-98 05:29 PM ET A little precision about Spoe's post... "War of the Worlds" and "The Time Machine" have been written by H.G. Wells and not Jules Verne. I'm a little surprised not to see the following books in Autarch's favorites... The Books of the New Sun (by Gene Wolfe) ----------------------------- 1.Shadow of the Torturer 2.Claw of the Conciliator 3.Sword of the Lictor 4.Citadel of the Autarch With a name like "Autarch" you would expect to see those 4 books in his all time favorite. Or am I mistaking about the origin of his name...
Spoe	posted 11-11-98 07:20 PM ET You're right, my bad. Ok then, a real Jules Verne book, 20k Leaguse Under the Sea -- I liked that one as well.
Autarch	posted 11-11-98 07:26 PM ET Philippe you are correct as to the origin of my name. I've read so many books that it was impossible to list them all. So thanks for the reminder! Those books are also an excellent treat.
Lee Johnson	posted 11-12-98 11:05 AM ET Hi, Titan! Since you seem to be a fan of Clarke, your next book should be "Childhood's End". Really, it's the best novel he ever wrote. Other Clarke novels I've enjoyed are "The Fountains of Paradise", "Imperial Earth", and "2010: Odyssey Two". (Forget "2061" and "3001", unless you really must read all of them.) It would also be worth reading some of the anthologies of Clarke's short fiction, such as "The Nine Billion Names of God". You mentioned "Rama", but it was unclear whether you meant "Rama II", or the original "Rendezvous with Rama". The latter is a good book, but in my opinion, the subsequent collaborations with Gentry Lee were reeking piles of dung in comparison. Clarke's later solo works, notably "The Hammer of God" and "3001: The Final Odyssey" are somewhat lacking in the plot department; they're more like optimistic travelogues of future civilization.
MikeH II	posted 11-12-98 11:16 AM ET I've just finished Icehenge by Kim Stanley Robinson and I'm halfway through Antarctica both are superb. Anyone who liked the Mars trilogy will get something out of them.
Lee Johnson	posted 11-12-98 11:18 AM ET Ah, Greg Bear... Probably my favorite SF author right now. If you like wild but plausible speculative SF, Bear's your man. Recommended works: Blood Music Eon/Eternity/Legacy (however, be warned: the last is a prequel, and not epic in scope like the first two) The Forge of God/Anvil of Stars (the first is a end-of-the-world story, the second is not (well, not really... :-); the sequel actually surpasses the original) Queen of Angels/Slant Moving Mars
Titan	posted 11-12-98 03:00 PM ET Lee Johnson, when I spoke of Rama, I was talking about the whole serie. I agree that Rama II and The Gardens of Rama are way inferior to the original, but I found the Rama revealed had a very interesting end. In the whole Rendez-vous with Rama is the best of the serie, but the ending of the sequel, as i said, is very good. Contrary, I found the Hammer of God an excellent book. 3001: The Final Odyssey is a good book too. I agree that it doesn't have a very good plot, but I like to read about the vision of the authors once in a while. For instance the Time Machine by H.G Wells had not avery good plot, but it was just a pretext to say his vision of what may happen to the human specie.
Heckler	posted 11-12-98 11:05 PM ET Hmph I can't go into the library in New York because once I withdrew the entire sci-fi section and then they wanted me to bring it back! Seriously though Number of the Beast Just about anything by Asimov The Pern series Known Space innumerable others these are the top few. Heckler
Apocalypse	posted 11-13-98 02:19 AM ET 1. Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers - Grant Naylor 2. Better Than Life - Grant Naylor 3. Doom: Knee Deep in the Dead - (forget) 4. Doom: Hell on Earth - (forget) 5. All the Wing Commander books Most of the others have already been said.
Kirel	posted 11-13-98 05:56 AM ET Am I the only one reading Harry Turtledoves books? (Oops,the PUL-law again!) 1.The "Worldwar" series by the writer above 2 The "The damned" series by Alan Dean Foster 3 All books by William R Forstchen 4 The "Conqueror" trilogy by Timoty Zahn. There you go. (Stupid PUL-law!)
BoomBoom	posted 11-13-98 07:48 AM ET The foundation trilogy (even though i think there at least six now), is o good start for buddong sci-fi readers. It is not necessarily pure sci-fi, since most is about future philosophies. Good though.
OmniDude	posted 11-13-98 10:32 AM ET For excellent space opera, try "The Reality Dysfunction" and "The Neutronium Alchemist" by Peter F. Hamilton. No big surprises, but definitely well executed storytelling and a fascinating vision of a future history of man. If you like Asimov, you'll also like this (I think). On a more serious notice, how come noone have mentioned Doris Lessings "Shikasta"-series. I only got around to the first one, but that one is right up there with Dune, Contact, Foundation and Gateway...wait a minute, "Gateway" by Frederick Pohl haven't been mentioned yet either. Geez, you ignorants! Oh and does anybody know Niels E. Nielsen? Danish SF-writer, not much good, but danish
Mike	posted 11-13-98 03:24 PM ET I remember a while back there was a series of 13 or 14 (??) books written by L.Ron Hubbard (??) I thought that these were Very light reading. My favorite SF titles have all ben mentioned. The last series I read was Red, Green, Blue Mars.
Roland	posted 11-13-98 03:28 PM ET Mike ? Which Mike ? Not MikeH ?