Recommend a book - SciFi only

[IBM]

I'm looking for a fairly particular type of book from the SciFi genre. It has be from the third person perspective, fairly epic (although if it's more limited in scope I'm not too fussed) and the type of book which starts with a fairly innocent character who turns out to the saviour of the known world/galaxy/universe.

I've read plenty in the Fantasy genre (Belgariad, Wheel of Time, Black Magician, His Dark Materials) but not so much in SciFi....

Anyone recommend anything?

[LWA]

I like The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks:

In The Player of Games, Iain M. Banks presents a distant future that could almost be called the end of history. Humanity has filled the galaxy, and thanks to ultra-high technology everyone has everything they want, no one gets sick, and no one dies. It's a playground society of sports, stellar cruises, parties, and festivals. Jernau Gurgeh, a famed master game player, is looking for something more and finds it when he's invited to a game tournament at a small alien empire. Abruptly Banks veers into different territory. The Empire of Azad is exotic, sensual and vibrant. It has space battle cruisers, a glowing court-- all the stuff of good old science fiction--which appears old-fashioned in contrast to Gurgeh's home. At first it's a relief, but further exploration reveals the empire to be depraved and terrifically unjust. Its defects are gross exaggerations of our own, yet they indict us all the same. Clearly Banks is interested in the idea of a future where everyone can be mature and happy. Yet it's interesting to note that in order to give us this compelling adventure story, he has to return to a more traditional setting. Thoughtful science fiction readers will appreciate the cultural comparisons, and fans of big ideas and action will also be rewarded. -- Brooks Peck

Great read which gets even better after you've read it a couple of times.

[nichomach]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reality-Dysf...e=UTF8&s=books

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neutronium-A...e=UTF8&s=books

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Naked-God-Ni...e=UTF8&s=books

Epic enough for you?

[IBM]

Big Leon ... thanks, Iain M Banks is a god of SciFi, and I can't remember if I've read that one, but his style of very definate, and not quite what I'm looking for.

Nichomach ... Epic indeed, I've read the first and the third. Thanks for the reminder about the second.

Anyone else?

[Fabula]

The "gap" series by Stephen Donaldson is quite good. Starts small scale but grows out to encompass everything.

"Dune" is a bit obvious, but fantastic.

[g8ina]

Start with early schlok scifi like the Lensman series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lensman
THEN work up to new age chaos stuff like Banks.

If you get any of the following, it may be a good start :

EE "Doc" Smith (Lensmen)
Ray Bradbury (Martian Chronicles)
AC Clarke (Rama, 2001, Fall of moondust, Childhoods End etc)
Asimov (Robots, Foundation/Empire)
Heinlein (Stranger in a strange land, Time enough for love)
Philip K Dick (any/all, fab!)
James Follett (Earthsearch, Savant, Dominator, Torus, Trojan - very accurate science)

hth

[IBM]

Fabula .. thanks, I haven't read any of the Gap stuff, although I'm sure I've been through some of the Thomas Covenant stuff before. I'll pick up a copy of The Real Story and see what it's like...

G8ina ... Is it what I'm looking for though. As I said, I'm looking for a fairly particular type of story, and a few of the books on the list don't adhere to the criteria (as incredible as they may be), specifically the zero to hero concept. I'm reasonably well versed in SciFi literature already, and not looking for an introduction to genre, rather particular types of books. I must commend you on your taste however. Are there any in there that have what I'm looking for?

[g8ina]

Glad you approve

Lensman is a nice series, which involves "ordinary" folk being turned into Galactic Police !

Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein would also (nearly) fit your requirements. The stranger is quite special and ordinary at the same time I spose, with a nice twisting ending

I'll post back if I think of any more zero to hero types (oh, H2G2 ?).

[DavidM]

Asimov: Perhaps Currents of space.. although that's quite an old one

[rox0r]

Just chewing my way through the first of Peter Hamilton's latest pair, Pandora's Star. A good read, if a little muddied in places by Hamilton's excessive descriptives but all in all a decent epic romp with a good few twists here and there.

[IBM]

Thanks, thanks, and thanks, although not necessarily in that order

[Agent]

Ill second Dune !

edit - infact you look like a freman in that pic !

[Whiternoise]

Foundation saga.. should keep you busy.

[DavidM]

It would... but its a bit different to what he was after

(anyone know if the "Authorised" prequel & sequels are any good?)

[El Gordo]

Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy is great and they don't come much more epic than that.

All of Alistar Reynold's work is much in that same vein, but is more scienced based as before he started to write he used to work for the European Space Agency.

[shaithis]

If you like it with a horror-edge......

The Necroscope series by Brian Lumley.....14 books in total now, truely epic and a thoroughly good read from start to finish