Science Fiction
Discussion
StuH said:
However, my all-time favourite sic-fi novel(s) is Hyperion/Endymion by Dan Simmons - simply mind-blowing. Tough at the start but well worth sticking with - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Hyperion-Omnibus-Fall-...
Another vote for Simmons here - the Hyperion books are epic. Great stories and far future tech geek appeal 
arfur said:
Evan Currie can be a good read, as can Elizabeth Moon.
My Kindle list is over 100 books from the Kindle store now, mainly Sci-Fi/High Tech.
Ha, missed this - I really enjoyed On Silver Wings not especially deep, but it's like the author thought, "Right, I'm going to include every cool bit of military tech I've ever wanted and put it in this ONE book."My Kindle list is over 100 books from the Kindle store now, mainly Sci-Fi/High Tech.
Mentioned before Nights Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton starting with this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reality-Dysfunction-Nights...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reality-Dysfunction-Nights...
toon tvr said:
Mentioned before Nights Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton starting with this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reality-Dysfunction-Nights...
Great series! Reading his latest box Great North Road very good so far! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reality-Dysfunction-Nights...
chunkymonkey71 said:
Really liked "Communion" by Whitley Streiber
There's a sequel to Communionhttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/656939.Transfor...
Not a fan of Baxter - too heavy going without really DOING anything (qf. Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy - one of my favourite series ever, a must read! Or even Peter F Hamiltons opuses (opii?) - long and occasionally long-winded but beautifully crafted).
Outside of the classics (Niven and Bester, for starters, but just go through the whole "Sci Fi Masterworks" series), I can recommend:-
- Dan Simmonds, as above - Hyperion is a superb piece of work, and Ilium/Olympos are a rather unusual view of Greco-Roman mythology.
- Charles Stross for lighter (& light-hearted) geeky current-day sci-fi. Just finished the last of the Bob Howard quartet, and if you've read any HP Lovecraft you'll be pissing yourself.
- Richard Morgan for modern, violent cyberpunk.
- Jon Courtenay Grimwood for alternative-universe detective-style novels. Set in a quasi-Arab city, too, just to be different.
- favourite debut novel, for sheer ingenuity, is another alt-universe one: The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi (sp?)
Outside of the classics (Niven and Bester, for starters, but just go through the whole "Sci Fi Masterworks" series), I can recommend:-
- Dan Simmonds, as above - Hyperion is a superb piece of work, and Ilium/Olympos are a rather unusual view of Greco-Roman mythology.
- Charles Stross for lighter (& light-hearted) geeky current-day sci-fi. Just finished the last of the Bob Howard quartet, and if you've read any HP Lovecraft you'll be pissing yourself.
- Richard Morgan for modern, violent cyberpunk.
- Jon Courtenay Grimwood for alternative-universe detective-style novels. Set in a quasi-Arab city, too, just to be different.
- favourite debut novel, for sheer ingenuity, is another alt-universe one: The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi (sp?)
Wulfsyarn, by Phillip Mann
I have read a lot of sci-fi, and this is one book I keep coming back to every few years. Closest thing to it is probably Banks' culture books, but only really for the scale of the imagined worlds. Not a barnstorming adventure, but a slow-burning reveal in an unusual style. Recommended
I have read a lot of sci-fi, and this is one book I keep coming back to every few years. Closest thing to it is probably Banks' culture books, but only really for the scale of the imagined worlds. Not a barnstorming adventure, but a slow-burning reveal in an unusual style. Recommended
Silver Smudger said:
Wulfsyarn, by Phillip Mann
I have read a lot of sci-fi, and this is one book I keep coming back to every few years. Closest thing to it is probably Banks' culture books, but only really for the scale of the imagined worlds. Not a barnstorming adventure, but a slow-burning reveal in an unusual style. Recommended
Thanks for the recommendation - downloaded and looking forward to delving in. I have read a lot of sci-fi, and this is one book I keep coming back to every few years. Closest thing to it is probably Banks' culture books, but only really for the scale of the imagined worlds. Not a barnstorming adventure, but a slow-burning reveal in an unusual style. Recommended
Recently read The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi, definately worth a read. I have to admit I actually bought this as it was recomended for fans of Alistair Reynolds and Richard Morgan (of which I am).
He doesnt often take time to fully introduce elements of the book but by the half way point they become second nature (one such example was the 'gevulot'), however it is still really good and I will be buying the next book in the series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quantum_Thief
He doesnt often take time to fully introduce elements of the book but by the half way point they become second nature (one such example was the 'gevulot'), however it is still really good and I will be buying the next book in the series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quantum_Thief
BevR said:
Recently read The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi, definately worth a read. I have to admit I actually bought this as it was recomended for fans of Alistair Reynolds and Richard Morgan (of which I am).
He doesnt often take time to fully introduce elements of the book but by the half way point they become second nature (one such example was the 'gevulot'), however it is still really good and I will be buying the next book in the series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quantum_Thief
I am about half way through The Quantum Thief. It has taken a couple of goes to get into it but I am quite enjoying it now.He doesnt often take time to fully introduce elements of the book but by the half way point they become second nature (one such example was the 'gevulot'), however it is still really good and I will be buying the next book in the series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quantum_Thief
The second book is out at Amazon
can't fault the recomendations so far read most of them.
but also check out the spinward fringe books by Randolph Lalonde very good series.
also not in the same mould as earth bound and a touch fantasy as well is the beyond armageddon books by tony de cosmo.
both of those ones are kindle only i think, but some excellent ideas and i enjoyed them very much, Tony De Cosmo is writing another set of books and by all accounts they are equally as good, but I will wait till they are all available as I was frustrated waiting for each book in the beyond armageddon series (5 books)
but also check out the spinward fringe books by Randolph Lalonde very good series.
also not in the same mould as earth bound and a touch fantasy as well is the beyond armageddon books by tony de cosmo.
both of those ones are kindle only i think, but some excellent ideas and i enjoyed them very much, Tony De Cosmo is writing another set of books and by all accounts they are equally as good, but I will wait till they are all available as I was frustrated waiting for each book in the beyond armageddon series (5 books)
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