Science Fiction Book Recommendations Please

[rodia77]

Was going to suggest the same, although I understand some of the ideas are somewhat frowned upon these days, so perhaps buy it while you can...

M

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Oh, mind elaborating? I've read them all and only one motif comes to mind but even with that I can't remember anything that could be deemed controversial these days. (If there are spoilers or content unsuitable for G&D, feel free to PM me -- I'm asking out of curiosity, not to start a debate).

[DanielBB]

Oh, mind elaborating? I've read them all and only one motif comes to mind but even with that I can't remember anything that could be deemed controversial these days. (If there are spoilers or content unsuitable for G&D, feel free to PM me -- I'm asking out of curiosity, not to start a debate).

I would assume that from a 2022 perspective, parts of the book (towards the end, not using any spoilers) could be seen as homophobic, but I get what the author was doing and in context he was making a statement about nonconformism and parallel changes with his experience coming back from Vietnam War.

As a side, I generally struggle with the idea that one should judge historical perspectives by today's standards - and 'Forever War' (haven't read the other books in the series) has aged comparatively well given the fact that it was written almost 50 years ago.

[Scepticalist]

Back to the OP question - I assume you've read Arthur C Clarke's output?

I devoured virtually all of his books in my 20s. Might re-read to see if they still stand up. I recall "Childhood's End" and "Rendezvous with Rama" in particular.

[davide]

Back to the OP question - I assume you've read Arthur C Clarke's output?

I devoured virtually all of his books in my 20s. Might re-read to see if they still stand up. I recall "Childhood's End" and "Rendezvous with Rama" in particular.

Yes indeed I read most of Arthur C Clarke as far as I recall - I was really trying to find some more contemporary writers to catch up on my years lost to SF - I've had plenty of great suggestions here.

[misterzero]

Rendezvous with rama was a great book the sequels were shocking though .

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[snowman]

I would assume that from a 2022 perspective, parts of the book (towards the end, not using any spoilers) could be seen as homophobic, but I get what the author was doing and in context he was making a statement about nonconformism and parallel changes with his experience coming back from Vietnam War.

As a side, I generally struggle with the idea that one should judge historical perspectives by today's standards - and 'Forever War' (haven't read the other books in the series) has aged comparatively well given the fact that it was written almost 50 years ago.

Yes, this basically.

M

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[alslater]

Not usually keen on SciFi but that looks interesting. Unfortunately doesn’t seem readily available in English - unless someone knows differently!

Vialibri.net turns up quite a few copies - not particularly uncommon but more copies in the US than UK..


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[rodia77]

I would assume that from a 2022 perspective, parts of the book (towards the end, not using any spoilers) could be seen as homophobic, but I get what the author was doing and in context he was making a statement about nonconformism and parallel changes with his experience coming back from Vietnam War.

As a side, I generally struggle with the idea that one should judge historical perspectives by today's standards - and 'Forever War' (haven't read the other books in the series) has aged comparatively well given the fact that it was written almost 50 years ago.

Yes, this basically.

M

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OK, thanks. That was the thing that 'came to mind' -- I remember the references but not a controversial take, time to refresh the series.

[davide]

I wanted to thank everyone again for the SF recommendations.

I've started with Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time and am really enjoying it - it's everything SF should be (for me). I'll be trying some others from the list soon.

[Tatters]

I wanted to thank everyone again for the SF recommendations.

I've started with Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time and am really enjoying it - it's everything SF should be (for me). I'll be trying some others from the list soon.

Great choice. I am currently reading the sequel, Children of Ruin, and the third instalment, Children of Memory, will be out 24th of November.

[Mr.D]

Something from an earlier age
“The Stars My Destination” Alfred Bester , generally a favourite of many sci fi authors.

For some cyberpunk;

Hardwired and Voice of the Whirlwind

Walter Jon Williams ( also his Praxis ; Dread Empire’s Fall series are good crunchy space opera.

The Sprawl series ( Neuromancer , Count Zero , Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson ( anything by Gibson is great)

Neal Asher ; about as close to Iain Banks space opera you can get . He’s not as well weitten but the scale is there . All the polity universe books are good fun . Seriously violent ( His “Owner” series is one of the most unpleasantly violent scifi books I can think of)

[VoleBoy]

I wanted to thank everyone again for the SF recommendations.

I've started with Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time and am really enjoying it - it's everything SF should be (for me). I'll be trying some others from the list soon.

Excellent, so pleased you are enjoying it. As I was reading it, I noticed some flashes of humour, quite dry, and black at times. Which is when I looked the author up and he is English (I was wrong footed by the name).

As Tatters says, CoM out soon, and I plan to spend the Xmas break with it. I got the sense at the end of Ruin that it was open to a follow up and I am pleased there is one on the way.

[Ventura]

Neal Asher ; about as close to Iain Banks space opera you can get . He’s not as well weitten but the scale is there . All the polity universe books are good fun . Seriously violent ( His “Owner” series is one of the most unpleasantly violent scifi books I can think of)

I tried reading Asher, but couldn't get into it. The closest I personally found to Iain's Culture books, but more Culture lite, are two books by Charles Stross called: Singularity Sky and Iron Sunrise.

[Qatar-wol]

I'm into the third act of The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu, a Chinese author - good stuff, big, philosophical, and set in China (of course), so full of references that I don't get. Thankfully, the footnotes from the translator are excellent. It won the Hugo Award in 2015, so I'm not the only person who likes it.

[Tatters]

I'm into the third act of The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu, a Chinese author - good stuff, big, philosophical, and set in China (of course), so full of references that I don't get. Thankfully, the footnotes from the translator are excellent. It won the Hugo Award in 2015, so I'm not the only person who likes it.

I particularly liked the context of the Cultural Revolution in the first book - it really gave a sense of the awfulness of it.

[VoleBoy]

Bumping this as I have read another really very good book

Ray Nayler - The Mountain In The Sea

It's a kind of future Sci-Fi thriller. Great ideas and very readable pace. I think it's up for a couple of awards.

[DanielBB]

Bumping this as I have read another really very good book

Ray Nayler - The Mountain In The Sea

It's a kind of future Sci-Fi thriller. Great ideas and very readable pace. I think it's up for a couple of awards.

Just looked that one up, looks very promising. Thanks for sharing.

[Orange Peel]

Joe Haldeman - The Forever War - and its sequels: Forever Free, Forever Peace.

+1 This was a cracking book. I read the omnibus edition (Peace & War) well worth a go.

[pacifichrono]

On Amazon...4-1/2 stars..."Cat’s Cradle is Kurt Vonnegut’s satirical commentary on modern man and his madness. An apocalyptic tale of this planet’s ultimate fate...that is at once blackly fatalistic and hilariously funny. A book that left an indelible mark on an entire generation of readers, Cat’s Cradle is one of the twentieth century’s most important works—and Vonnegut at his very best.

.......................

[Phil Lee]

I am loving The Expanse books by the writing duo James SA Corey. They are just as good as the TV series, in fact they show just how good that was as an adaptation. I’m on book 3 at the moment and will read the remaining 6 back to back.

[Harry Smith]

I am loving The Expanse books by the writing duo James SA Corey. They are just as good as the TV series, in fact they show just how good that was as an adaptation. I’m on book 3 at the moment and will read the remaining 6 back to back.

The Expanse series is one of the best I have ever read, twice. I will probably read it a third time sometime in the future.

[RABbit]

I’m also reading The Expanse series as a result of this thread. Just finished book 7. Really good.