fiction or SF book recommendations please?

[isee]

Just finished reading Ascent by Jed Mercurio and quite liked it.
Went on the Amazon to see what the bestsellers are and it seems that going with the majority public opinion for a book recommendation is like asking those who do not need to work, what the best daytime TV programme is... It's pointless. the bestseller list is full of "Twillight" and "Harry potter" etc.

What I am intesrested in, is SF (but not fantasy or the past) and Fiction (but not crime or lovestory as a central plot).
I know it sounds like I have no idea what I want, but that is not the case, I am just struggling to explain it...

...Basically, something to do with technology and vehicles I guess. But not so far out that it's starwars tech. something believable and of course with some sort of interesting point, philosophical or moral.

Am I making any sense?

Cheers anyway

[Digger]

From the other thread it would seem that Cryptonomicon might be a recommendation. Can't help with vehicle based stories though. Let me get the link.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by Digger on Friday 16th October 15:15

[RegMolehusband]

How about the fascinating subject of UFOs and extra-terrestrial life!? There's so many new publications as a result of the huge increase in UFO sightings in the last 2-3 years. There's a good website here with a brief review of the top books UFO Sightings and Books


Three good titles worth reading
Beyond UFOs The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Its Astonishing Implications for Our Future
Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence
Flying Saucers and Science

[GingerNinja]

Ian M Banks - Use Of Weapons.

Revenge, murder, torture, love, obsession, sentient drones, godlike computer minds, advanced technology.

All presented by an award winning writer of both fiction and science fiction.

[Hugo a Gogo]

a few great SF books by Richard Morgan, Altered Carbon, Broken Angels, Woken Furies - a great trilogy
and 'Black Man' is in a similar vein set in a similar world, just set a bit earlier

his other books aren't as good though

[Digger]

Let me know if Black Man interests you. Just finished it and enjoyed. Happy to chuck it in the post.

[DrTre]

read ascent a few months ago. Have you read Bodies by JM? Just brilliant.

[HellDiver]

Greg Bear's "The Way" books are excellent. Eon, Eternity and Legacy I've read, I've yet to read The Way of All The Ghosts.

Quantico is also worth reading, as are Darwins Radio and Darwins Children - they all deal with biological weaponry themes.

His books are worth reading if you're in to the science end of SF.

Also check out the Second Foundation Trilogy by Brin Bear and Benford. Modern prequal to Asimov's Foundation books (and they make Asimov's books make sense IMHO).

[Lurking Lawyer]

Peter F Hamilton - the Night's Dawn Trilogy especially.

Alastair Reynolds - the Revelation Space series is a good read.

[WelshBoyo]

Anything by Arthur C Clarke, just finished reading "Childhood's End" which was excellent - very clever chap!

[The Black Flash]

Most things by Henlein are rather good, with a consistent phillosphical approach (which you may or may not agree with.)

[MartG]

David Weber's 'Honor Harrington' series - believable starship technology and weaponry, good characters, good stories. Start with 'On Basilisk Station'

Charles Sheffield, Timothy Zahn, Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven - the list of good authors is pretty long

[Lurking Lawyer]

MartG said:

Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven

And even better are the ones that the write together - Footfall and Lucifer's Hammer are among my favourites.

But perhaps my favourite sci fi book of all is The Mote in God's Eye, also a joint effort by the two of them. Epic.

[JimNoble]

Hugo a Gogo said:

a few great SF books by Richard Morgan, Altered Carbon, Broken Angels, Woken Furies - a great trilogy
and 'Black Man' is in a similar vein set in a similar world, just set a bit earlier
his other books aren't as good though

I thought Market Forces was superb. Haven't read the latest one yet. But otherwise, I concur. The Takeshi Kovach series is brilliant.

Neal Stephenson does great sci-fi (The Diamond Age, Snow Crash). I really enjoyed Zodiac, which is near future rather than full on sci-fi. His co-written Stephen Bury books are great as well. Haven't read anything more recent as it doesn't appeal to me.

Charles Stross may be worth a look. Just started reading one, but not really been sucked into it properly yet.

Jim

[Trax]

As GingerNinja has already menioned, Ian M Banks, his culture novels are out there, and very addictive.

[GekkoRules]

The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas.

Its a science based tiume travel type affair and although not normally my bag I thought it was excellent.

[gilla]

anything by john case... start with the genesis code, then read their (husband and wife writers0 others.. dan brown for intelligent people

[EllenaTovey]

Take a look at Joe Abercrombie, its good stuff.

[King Herald]

isee said:

I know it sounds like I have no idea what I want, but that is not the case, I am just struggling to explain it...

...Basically, something to do with technology and vehicles I guess. But not so far out that it's starwars tech. something believable and of course with some sort of interesting point, philosophical or moral.

Am I making any sense?

Cheers anyway

Lucifers Hammer. An old end-of-world story, massive asteroid, collision, survivors etc, but real interesting and believable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer%27s_Hammer

[dibbly_dobbler]

GingerNinja said:

Ian M Banks - Use Of Weapons.

Revenge, murder, torture, love, obsession, sentient drones, godlike computer minds, advanced technology.

All presented by an award winning writer of both fiction and science fiction.

^^ This ^^ Fabulous fabulous book.

Or try the Hyperion books by Dan Simmons - far future sci-fi but woven with genuinely moving human stories.

You will love both of these - I guarantee (*) it !




* this guarantee contains no actual guarantees