Good Sci-Fi Book Recommendations

[Vigormortis]

I am having a hard time finding good books to get involved with, and since I have three whole hours every weekday where my stepkids are in school and my girlfriend is at work, I want a nice deep world to get absorbed into.

Well, you've already started in on some Philip K. Dick stories, so I can recommend more of those.

But, besides the usual recommendations; Issac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Arthur C. Clarke, Carl Sagan, H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Mary Shelley, etc; I can offer these:

Michael Crichton
Vernor Vinge

There are plenty more but these two have written quite a few very good novels and are a good place to start.

And, seeing as you're looking for "human" tales with grand scope and epic battles, you may enjoy Vinge's works. He's quite good at weaving epic tales on a grandiose scale.

 

[Lawyer105]

If you don't mind sci-fi being the setting rather than the focus, I'll point you towards the Vorkosigan Saga (Lois McMaster Bujold). It's hard to classify the series as a whole because it develops over time (with the changing circumstances of the protagonists) so that it ranges from spy-fi thriller to the wierdly awesome mix of political rom-com. All in all, an utterly awesome series and one of my all-time favourites.

 

[Spade Lead]

First: Have you read the Republic Commando books?
Second: What if the dragons were genetically engineered?

1)I have 124 of the Approximately 135 commonly recognized Star Wars novels, including the first three Republic Commando novels. (I collect Star Wars books. I have the pictures to prove it if you want to see. It only took me 12 of the last 14 years to amass this collection.)

2) I guess it would depend on what the storyline was. Like I said, I really don't like dragons, although I did enjoy "Reign of Fire" in an abstract "Hehe they killed it with guns" way. Plus, you know, Bruce Willis.

You have already mentioned Honorverse in your read list, so why not read the Bolo! series. It's about sentient battle tanks with discussions on philosophy and loyalty.

Those were great, thanks for that. I only got to read "Bolo!" and "Old Soldiers," since my library doesn't have any of Laumers works, and is missing the Bolo trilogy by Weber.


I want to say thank you to everyone who has made suggestions. I am going to get around to reading as many of them as I can.

Since my go to books (Ender's game and the Foundation series) have been suggested already, I'll just add the Saga of the Seven Suns by Kevin Anderson. Pretty expansive series. It has semi sentient trees and aliens living in gas giants, and a huge multi alien war going on. What's NOT to love?

Picking up those right now, in fact. I always loved Kevin J. Anderson's work in the Star Wars novels, so I figured I would check this one out next.

Begin with 'Consider Phlebas', and prepare yourself to be hooked into a great series.

I am loving all the Iain M Banks reccommendations. I used turn my nose up as Sci-fi completely until a friend got me to the read this book - now I have discovered more great authors (Clark, Dick, Stephenson) that I never would have tried.

I will plug Peter F Hamilton's two parter series with the books:

Pandora's Star
and
Judas Unchained

He also has a trilogy of books that follow these called the Commonwealth Saga and they are also very good.

They are both great reads and a big improvement from the Duex Ex Machina resolution of the Night's Dawn Trilogy (which is a fine enough series but the ending is as described).

Stephen R Donaldson wrote a Sci-fi series called the gap saga. I found it very tense and well-plotted but it might be a bit rough for some people as it deals with some pretty dark themes (sexual violence, human trafficing) which has caused some to give up and assume its misogynist bs - but if you persevere through the, often bleak, story its worth it (although this was over a decade ago so I may not be remembering it quite right).

Alright guys, I love this suggestion, and I will pick this series up next. It sounds awesome.

 

[JaceArveduin]

First: Have you read the Republic Commando books?
Second: What if the dragons were genetically engineered?

1)I have 124 of the Approximately 135 commonly recognized Star Wars novels, including the first three Republic Commando novels. (I collect Star Wars books. I have the pictures to prove it if you want to see. It only took me 12 of the last 14 years to amass this collection.)

2) I guess it would depend on what the storyline was. Like I said, I really don't like dragons, although I did enjoy "Reign of Fire" in an abstract "Hehe they killed it with guns" way. Plus, you know, Bruce Willis.

You might try Dragonriders of Pern. The earlier books they don't realize they're genetically engineered (I supposed that bit's a spoiler... oops) but later on they start getting into technology more.

Oh, and there's a fourth Commando novel (Order 66) and the first book to Imperial Commando, which would have probably finished the story of the Skiratas, if someone hadn't of pissed Traviss off.

 

[RufusMcLaser]

I'll stand with my fellow PK Dick fans and recommend Time Out of Joint and Ubik.
Overall, Vernor Vinge, William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, Larry Niven, and Pournelle are reliably good writers.

I'll second the recommendations for Neuromancer, Mote In God's Eye, and Forever War. Apart from that it depends on whether you want entertained by sci-fi action, or to be fascinated with new ideas. David Weber's "Dahak" series is good for starship fleet battles. Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon the Deep and Deepness In the Sky are good candidates for the latter.

Yeah, you almost can't go wrong with more P.K. Dick. I say "almost" because his later stuff was a little too disjointedly religious for me. See, he went kind of crazy towards the end...