Recommend a Sci-Fi Book

[Arachon]

[...]ghost in the shell is in the same cyberpunk vain as neuromancer its a manga though,[...]

I'm sorry, but as the Cyberpunk maniac I am, I felt compelled to respond to this. Ghost in the Shell is very unlike Neuromancer, as a matter of fact, I don't really consider Ghost in the Shell Cyberpunk, but rather post-Cyberpunk (look it up on Wikipedia), it lacks the dystopian and "high-tech, low-life" themes of "proper" Cyberpunk such as the Sprawl Trilogy or Snow Crash. Not saying that Ghost in the Shell is worse than "proper" Cyberpunk, just felt that I needed to point out the differences.

Also, no offence meant, but your post could use some structuring and punctuation, I found it somewhat difficult to read.

 

[hittite]

He prefers the kind of SF set in space, often with a large-scale storytelling method (Space Operas I believe they're called?).

In that case, try the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. It's a long one, but chronicles the story of one naval officer as she rises through the ranks from the simple Captain of a Light Cruiser all the way up to being a full fledged Admiral. It's highly reminiscent of the 18th Century wet navy books (such as Master and Commander, or the Horatio Hornblower series) but is set in space, which adds a whole other dimension. It sometimes gets bogged down in the politics, but then makes up for it with gigantic space battles. Seriously, in the most recent book, there are about 1000 ships on either side and most of them would be able to own the Death Star in a one-to-one brawl. Weber is widely hailed as the King of Space naval combat.

 

[Comma-Kazie]

"Star Dragon" and "Spider Star", both by Mike Brotherton--some of the best hard sci-fi you could ask for.

 

[dalek sec]

The X-wing series is actually pretty good stuff if you like that kind of sci-fi.

 

[AkJay]

The Hunger Games is kind of sci-fi/fantasy, and it's amazing.

 

[Admiral Stukov]

The Foundation Trilogy books bi Isaac Asimov. The're heavy but totally worth it. Isaac Asimov is one of the best, (if not THE BEST) sci-fi authors ever.

 

[shabs]

Any 'Culture' novel by Iain m Banks. And now the thread is finished

 

[AvsJoe]

Has anyone mentioned In Conquest Born? No? Okay, how about Mike Resnick? No?? How about Yevgeni Zamyatin? No??? Wow, I must've read a lot of Sci-Fi that no one's ever heard of.

Recommendations:

In Conquest Born by (I forget the author's name)
Kirinyaga and Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick
We by Yevgeni Zamyatin

EDIT: I just realized that Stalking the Unicorn is more of a Fantasy than Sci-Fi. Recommendation still stands though.

 

[LeeHarveyO]

"Starship Troopers" by Robert A. Heinlein.

 

[Arachon]

"The Reality Dysfunction" by Peter F. Hamilton. It's part of a very, VERY long trilogy and it is an amazing story, as long as you can keep up with the huge number charachters. I don't think I can say much about it as the plot. It is a truly epic story and I'm gonna start reading again soon.

It's a little bit in the "New School" of sci-fi as it's a relativley new book, but seeing as I'm a fan of the old school myself, it is a book that can be enjoyed by most Sci-Fi fans.

It seemed interesting, how does it compare to Dune or Foundation? Similar?

 

[Firia]

Buy Neal Stephenson greatest cyberpunk work, "Snow Crash." (others would contest that Cryptonomicon was the best. I say, close second. )

As a matter of fact, I've both purchased and read Snow Crash, and whilst I liked it (thought Neuromancer was better though), I don't think he would. He prefers the kind of SF set in space, often with a large-scale storytelling method (Space Operas I believe they're called?).

Oh, very well then. I don't know of any space operas, but may I suggest a manga series? "Battle Angel Alita." Space doesn't come into play until the 12th book in the series but the cyberpunk themes are strong leading up until that point.

oooor am I just suggesting a series of books for you to read, fellow fan of the 'Punk?

 

[Joos]

Hamilton - Fallen Dragon
Modern stuff that is pretty good.

 

[high_castle]

I suggest anything by Philip K. Dick, but particularly A Scanner Darkly, The Man in the High Castle (incidentally the source of my screen name), and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. They're old-school pulp SF with a strong literary bent. Dick wrestled with the nature of humanity and reality in particular, and his books are must-reads for any SF fan.

 

[The Hairminator]

"Starship Troopers" by Robert A. Heinlein.

Haha, I can't believe someone actually recommended that book. I suppose it's fun reading though.

If I could suggest a sci-fi novel the first book I think of is Ender's game by Orson Scott Card.
Brilliant book.

Also, Left hand of darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (or anything else by her, for that matter).

 

[waggmd]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it is a trilogy of five, and I am pretty sure you can the complete series in one book. It has a more comedic approach to science fiction, but it is still a great series.

 

[Stainless]

"The Reality Dysfunction" by Peter F. Hamilton. It's part of a very, VERY long trilogy and it is an amazing story, as long as you can keep up with the huge number charachters. I don't think I can say much about it as the plot. It is a truly epic story and I'm gonna start reading again soon.

It's a little bit in the "New School" of sci-fi as it's a relativley new book, but seeing as I'm a fan of the old school myself, it is a book that can be enjoyed by most Sci-Fi fans.

It seemed interesting, how does it compare to Dune or Foundation? Similar?

Hamilton is part of the new wave of Hard SF writers that write epic, big scope space operas. I don't know how to compare it to Dune, as that was always a sort of actiony politics in space sorta thing for me, but it's pretty similar to Foundation. I personally found The Reality Disfunction really, really hard to get into. The first couple of chapters were close to impenetrable for me. The payoff was definitively there after I powered through, but god damn what a horrible start.

I'd really recommend Alistair Reynolds over Hamilton, he also writes epic space operas that have the required amount of far-fetched theoretically plausible science, but he doesn't bore you as much with the details. He wrote a series called Revelation Space (which is also the name of the first book). If your dad is into the hard-boiled private eye side of Sci-fi (Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep style books, that is) you could look into getting him Chasm City or Century Rain by the same author. They're both in a league of their own.

EDIT: Actually, if Dune is his jumping off point, then I'd really recommend A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin . It's a fantasy series, but it has the same underlying theme of conflicting royal houses, high-powered politicking and massive amounts backstabbing. Plus there's none of the hokey magic that usually puts me off these kinds of books untill you're so fully immersed in the series that you buy everything at face value. And even then it's toned down.

 

[Arachon]

Oh, very well then. I don't know of any space operas, but may I suggest a manga series? "Battle Angel Alita." Space doesn't come into play until the 12th book in the series but the cyberpunk themes are strong leading up until that point.

oooor am I just suggesting a series of books for you to read, fellow fan of the 'Punk?

Can't say I'm a fan of Manga or Anime in particular, but I've actually read parts of Battle Angel Alita(thanks to some very pushy friends), it was a while ago, but from what I remember, I see your point.

As far as Cyberpunk go, I would heartily recommend Neuromancer, the one that spawned it all (in case you havn't read it), also, the rest of the Sprawl Trilogy (being Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive), whilst they're good, I thought that they didn't quite live up to Neuromancer. I recommend Burning Chrome as well, not all Cyberpunk, but some very good stories nevertheless.

However, apart from Snow Crash, my knowledge of Cyberpunk kind of fades beyond Gibson... Do you have additional recommendations? I get the feeling that I've managed to derail my own thread though, so would you mind shooting me a PM instead?

 

[G1eet]

Usually anything that's won either (or both) the Nebula or Hugo Award. Ender's Game, the Forever War... these are all good.

Also, from what I remember of Eric Brown's Helix, it was pretty good.

 

[Omega Hunter 9]

City of Pearl, by Karen Traviss. It's the first book of a six part series that's amazingly deep both in book and metaphorically. The books have a tendency of tying things up and then suprising you right at the last second.

 

[Avatar Roku]

He prefers the kind of SF set in space, often with a large-scale storytelling method (Space Operas I believe they're called?).

In that case, try the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. It's a long one, but chronicles the story of one naval officer as she rises through the ranks from the simple Captain of a Light Cruiser all the way up to being a full fledged Admiral. It's highly reminiscent of the 18th Century wet navy books (such as Master and Commander, or the Horatio Hornblower series) but is set in space, which adds a whole other dimension. It sometimes gets bogged down in the politics, but then makes up for it with gigantic space battles. Seriously, in the most recent book, there are about 1000 ships on either side and most of them would be able to own the Death Star in a one-to-one brawl. Weber is widely hailed as the King of Space naval combat.

You make it sound like the politics are a bad thing. But yeah, this was going to be my recommendation as well.

Don't be confused, though. Space combat is important in this series, but it's also very character driven, and is notable for making sure every side, with the possible exception of State Security, has at least one sympathetic character, and even the good sides have flaws (coughcoughHighRidgecough), so it's rarely "Good vs Bad" so much as "light shade of gray vs dark shade of gray". Again, the only exception to this State Security, who are portrayed as pure evil.