best science fiction books ever

[robbo]

yo compadres.

just wondered if anyone cares to give there favourite three science fiction books.

mine are.

1. Dune.
2. Rendezvous with Rama.
3. Slan.


suprise me.

i may go out and buy a new book.


robbo.

[Funkstar]

Pretty much anything by Ian M Banks although his newest one is probably the best. Also anything by Terry Pratchett, although thats most fantsy fiction than science fiction

[DavidM]

Not sure which others - but would have to include the Foundation Trilogy in mine ..

[capt_cornflake]

I'd probably go with (in no particular order):

Diaspora - Greg Egan
Ring - Stephen Baxter
Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut

But ask me again next week, and you'd probably get something completely different...

[edit]I know you only asked for 3, but Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson deserves an honourable mention as well.[/edit]

[Tumble]

Just for the absolute scale of the thing, it's all about a trilogy by Peter F Hamilton...

The Reality Dysfunction
The Neutronium Alchemist
The Naked God

They're three huge books, along the lines of Lord of the Rings size.... but by 'eck it's a good read.

[kalniel]

1) Snow Crash
2) Dune (though this is fantasy really)
3) Lots of books tied for third, can't pick one

[Rack]

Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, Rise of Endymion by Dan Symmons.

Have read quite a few of those books above, I found these to be brilliant, by far my favourite books. Most books I only read once, but these have so much depth and thought to them I've read them a few times over the years.

This is a good thread, will put ones I haven't read on my list to buy.

[Butcher]

Anything by Ian M Banks, he rocks. Think Use of Weapons is my favourite.

[LWA]

Anything by Ian M Banks, he rocks. Think Use of Weapons is my favourite.

Yep I'm a big fan of his, The Player Of Games is my favourite at the moment (I have not read all of his though).

[hemi]

Hi!
my favorite is "the tripod"

[chrestomanci]

Dune is definately up there as one of the greats, though not any of the endless sequels (all medecre at best).

Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trillogy is very good.

I have also read a lot of Robert Heinlen. Much of it is lightweight, or overly political, but I would definately make room in my top 3 for Stranger in a Strange land, Glory Road or Time Enough for Love.

[DavidM]

The original "Enders Game" was a pretty good story ... the sequels are a bit more heavier going though.

[menthel]

Again, anything by Iain M Banks, my fave is Consider Phlebas, and I also loved the Mars Trilogy, red, blue and green. Can't remember the author.

[Sinizter]

Rendezvous with Rama ...
Brian Lumley stuff

[DavidM]

Brian Lumley stuff

Seconded & Thirded

(Except for PsychoMech - which was just weird )

[Mutley]

Again, anything by Iain M Banks, my fave is Consider Phlebas, and I also loved the Mars Trilogy, red, blue and green. Can't remember the author.

Kim Stanley Robinson is who you are looking for I think (for the Mars trilogy). Fantastic stuff.

Like others, I can't get enough of Mr. Banks. He is, to me, like the Tarantino of Science Fiction books. Just finished The Algebraist - just brilliant. I think Use Of Weapons is my favourate of his though, especially the ending.

Foundation and Empire saga by Isaac Azimov - these days its quite qaint and naive really, but still a great feat of imagination.

Most of Arthur C. Clarkes stuff, although I though his later 2001 books were poor, and only written due to fan demand. Rendezvous with Rama is excellent.

Greg Bear is a brilliant hard-science writer. Eon has definate echos of Rendezvous with Rama, but its a mind-bending book. Forge of God is amazing, and utterly believable, very compelling.

Of course we can't leave Philip K. Dick out of the list.