Reccomend Me some books

I need something new to read. Recently ive been into big SF trilogies (RIngworld Mars, then a re read of dune, followed by Nights dawn and pandoras star/judas unchained. So im looking for something in a similar vein, although i would settle for something a bit shorter (i really enjoyed dancers at the end of time).

The above probably sums up my taste, although im not avers to a bit of fantasy of the strictly classical tolkien esque variety, and i enjoy a bit of gibson/stephenson.

So, anyone got any good suggestions?

"American Gods" by Neil Gaiman.
Neither sci-fi nor fantasy, but if you like both is will definately appeal, probably the best book I've read in the last couple of years.

Last Sci-Fi I read was "Inversions" by Iain M Banks - which ironically seems like a fantasy for the most part. Another good clever read though.

The Otherland series by Tad Williams. 4 books and its a cracking read.

Don't read a great deal of sci-fi myself these days, last books I read were autobiographies "Dirt" by motley crue and " Scar Tissue" by Anthony Keidis, great books even if you have no interest in the bands themselves what so ever.

On the Sci-Fi theme I'd have to go with Altered Carbon and Broken Angels by Richard Morgan. [MArket Forces his other book is ok, but the main character doesn't grab your attention as much].

In terms of big Trilogies then A song of Fire and Ice by George R R Martin is my current favourite. A War of the Rose style plot and story set in a medival fantasy setting.

Most interesting book I've read recently is Moon Dust "In search of the men who fell to Earth". Rather than your typical NASA style story about the moon landings, it is more about how the Apollo missions affected the lives of the twelve men that went to the moon. At the same time discussing how they affected the author, his and subsequent generations. The most compelling thing for me however was that the book brought home a very powerful point.

Although the debate rages about whether they actually went to the moon or not, and I belive they did. There are now only nine of the twelve left alive. So before long there will be no one left on this Earth who has set foot another celestial body.

Good call on Peter Hamilton, the Greg Mandel books are worth a read as they are set in the same universe as Pandora Star etc.

If you're looking for something different from sci-fi then try Emperor : The Gates of Rome

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...485921-0311146

First in a set of four semi historical books about Julius Caesar and very enjoyable. A friend who does classics at Uni demolished the first 3 in two days and didn't pick very many holes in the history at all.

A good one if you haven't allready read it is War Of The Worlds, it shows up how poor Spielberg's film realy is considering what source material he had !.

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. Utterly amazing book. If you like it the three sequels are pretty readable too.

I think a lot of sci-fi fans like The Relic and the related books in that series. I have read The Relic. It reads very smoothly. I read the book in one day. I don't like sci-fi very well.

I've been recommending a non-fiction book to some people--Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life. I thought it was very clever.

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Originally Posted by Fatboy40

A good one if you haven't allready read it is War Of The Worlds, it shows up how poor Spielberg's film realy is considering what source material he had !.

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Very true... and the officially recognised sequel "The Time Ships" is even better than the film (although not a patch on the original!)

Harry Harison's Stainless Steel Rat series are always good for a chuckle

Definately. A Stainless Steel Rat is born is a good prequel to the series as well...

Thanks guys, ive ordered a couple of those. Ive read war of the worlds, although im not generally a wells fan. Didnt even go watch the film, tomcruise ruins everything.

at least the earth wasnt saved by a bizare religious cult in cruises version.

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Originally Posted by father smurf

at least the earth wasnt saved by a bizare religious cult in cruises version.

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I must have missed that part of the book. Or are we talking another film?

I don't really read much Sci-Fi, but may as well plug my favourite book:

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...101269-4102359

Perhaps something to do with Tom Cruises's interest in Scientology... :)

Anyway - yes, the book is definately superior to the film... although there was a 1880's based low-budget film version of the story which was released around the same time.

I'm interested in seeing the forthcoming Jeff Wayne version - based on the musical version :)

(Are we off topic enough yet? :))

I also think he's refering to Cruise being a scientologist..... and with his acting sometimes I can see why people may think that he's been possessed by and alien soul living in volcanic craters ;-0

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Originally Posted by Yohji

I don't really read much Sci-Fi, but may as well plug my favourite book:

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...101269-4102359

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My favourite author :)

'Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World' is a bit more sci-fi related, made me cry big manly tears at the end as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...073195-4459101

Anything by Arthur C Clarke. My personal favorite Alistair Reynolds (Chasm City, Revelation Space are good starters) I would highly recommend, his concepts are truly staggering. Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. Adam Roberts I found to be quite good (Stone, Salt).

1984?

Try Michael Marshell Smiths "Spares" and see how that holds up against "The Island" ;) (the studio pinched one of many ideas in this book without paying...) "Only Forward" and "One of Us" are also very good - and close to the William Gibson vien.

For epics try the uplift saga from David Brin - or of course the good old Foundation series from Isaac Asimov.

I'd recommed the Foundation saga (Asimov), pretty compelling, although the first books are a tad short. Nothing beats HHGTTH (hitchhikers guide to the galaxy) that IS teh pwnage.

Read foundation, and most of the robot stuff, H2G2, 1984, got 3 hours on the train tommorow to get started on american gods, Hell was even reduced to reading bloody ursula le guinn the other day (only thing on my shelf i havent read) and put it down after 10 pages for the second time running, dodgy feminist sci fi for teh lose.

Umm.. how about Robert Jordan.. thats sure to keep you busy for at least a week.
(Wheel of Time)

Robert Asprin - for a quick laugh :)

Yes forgot Asimov. Reminds me of a true story. A work colleague bought a book (don't think it was a sci-fi one) at a second hand bookstore. When he got it home he found that someone had left a postcard in the pages, obviously using it as a book mark. Who was the postcard from? Non other than a certain Isaac Asimov, full authentic signature and everything. Seen with my own eyes.

Wow!

His none-fiction work is as interesting as his fiction as well.

Some of Piers Anthony's stuff is ok as well... although some is a bit naff (Mercycle definately top of that list...)

All these Sci Fi readers and not one mention of Philip K. Dick

Basically try these books by him:

The man in the high castle

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich

Ubik

They are all classics of his and there are plenty more. If you really want your head mashed in read Stigmata first ;)

Didn't want to scare him off sci-fi with the tripped out pieces that Philip K Dick always puts about 2/3rds of the way through his books :) The "Game Players of Titan" one has absolutely nothing to do with the story at all!

PKD certainly has some moments of "enhanced experiences"...

Hitman Diaries and The Burglar diaries by Danny King.

Best books I have ever read........ EVER!, they make you litterally laugh out loud so it's best to read them in private...

'nuther vote for Michael Marshell Smiths .... 'Only forward' is just great. Very funny.

Not sci-fi but try The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. I must have read it over 10 years ago but it still sticks in my mind as one of the truly groundbreaking books. Then have a go at some of his sci-fi books which he writes under a psuedo name - Iain M Banks :mrgreen:

The Gap Series by Stephen Donaldson

If you dont mind Fantasy then the follwing are awesome, kinda like LOTR but for adults.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever: "Lord Foul's Bane", "Illearth War" and "Power That Preserves" (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) by Stephen Donaldson

The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: "Wounded Land", "One Tree" and "White Gold Wielder" by Stephen Donaldson

As DavidM says below, Chronicles can be very very heavy reading, but well worth it. The first one Lord Foul's Bane, is really really slow, but im glad I stuck with it, after the first 100 pages it kicks off and I couldn't put it down.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - heavy reading, but very good.

A much lighter read would be Alan Dean Fosters "Spellsinger" series :)

Thoroughly enjoying Hidden Empire - the saga of the seven suns (Book 1 of 5).

If you haven't already read them, you HAVE to read Raymond E Feist's Riftwar trilogy, "Magician", "Silverthorn" and "A Darkness in Sethanon". Just finishing the last one now, they really are fantastic :) :)

Nimbu ... that was a thread bump of the highest order. I was reading through thinking I've recommend Michael Marshal Smith, only to find that I'd already done so...FIVE MONTHS AGO!

But not to worry, since seeing a list of worth reading scifi is always a good thing

A Gathering of Storm Clouds by C. Craig R. McNeil ;)

The song of ice and fire series/ Not sci fi more fantasy based but not too OTT sometimes it comes across as more civil war ish. Ive not explained that very well but they are great books. Avoid Robert Jordan 1-3 are OK 1 and 2 are pretty good the rest just go on and on and on without getting anywhere

The Book of the New Sun tetralogy by Gene Wolfe
Anything by Iain M. Banks
Jack Vance: Dying Earth series, The Languages of Pao, Big Planet, The Last Castle

Ursula le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed are classics of silver-age SF :p.