I don’t know about the rest of you, but when I find a good science fiction book, it doesn’t get put down much until it’s finished. God help my friends and family if it’s part of a series. If I’ve got more than one book of the series, you can count on not seeing me much outside of work and the gym because I’m constantly reading.
One of my favorite authors is a fellow named John Ringo. I’ve read every book to date in his Looking Glass and Paladin Of Shadows series, and I’ve just started A Hymn Before Battle. As usual, I love his writing (he’s ex military - was in the 82nd Airborne) because of how real it seems. He writes damn good military thrillers too.
Larry Correia has definitely captured my attention lately too. Monster Hunter International is my numero uno favorite book now from the sci-fi genre and Monster Hunter Vendetta was pretty cool too.
There’s plenty of other good sci-fi/fantasy authors out there and I’d love to read their work. Anyone else here into science fiction and/or fantasy?
[quote]Mad HORSE wrote:
And I wanted to add, sci-fi seems like the easiest genre to write. Research? Fuck that, I can make it up as I go along![/quote]
Hah, I think Frank Herbert might disagree with you there.
In terms of science fiction, I’m a big fan of Robert Heinlein, and I like Issac Asimov too. I’d be very interested to hear what other T-Nations read in this genre. I need new authors to read, my favorite two are currently dead.
I’m not a huge sci-fi buff, and I’m sure the sci-fi purists might chide me for saying this, but I really like Neal Stephenson’s stuff. I read Anathem first and thought it was interesting, so I picked up Cryptonomicon and loved it. I’m just starting the Baroque Cycle, and I’m really looking forward to it. His books are all a significant investment though, so don’t try them if you don’t have a lot of freetime.
How has no one mentioned Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (and the other books in the series)?
Some of Clive Cussler’s books can be classified as science fiction I think.
Michael Crichton has a lot of good science fiction books-Prey comes to mind (and Jurassic Park).
I love a lot of Harry Turtledove’s alternate fiction books. Guns of the South (time travellers arm the Confederates with Ak-47’s), and the whole worldwar/colonization series (aliens invade during world war 2), and Days of Infamy series (The japanese follow up Pearl Harbor with an invasion).
That’s all that I can think of right now for science fiction. My fantasy preferences can be found in that thread that miloofcroton linked to.
I like science fiction. Started out with Orson Scott Card and Robert Heinlein in middle school. High school brought me William Gibson, who has a really unique and immersive writing style. The Neuromancer Trilogy- Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive- are excellently written and developed and well worth your time.
One good thing deserves another, and so perhaps better to introduce the Cyberpunk genre of the SF section of the bookstore to new readers would be Neal Stephenson’s Snowcrash. Probably the most reader-friendly book I’ve ever read, the heroes name is Hiro Protagonist, and the novel is basically the lucid dream of a middle school nerd, with a mild version of RAPEAXE!!! thrown in for good measure.
On the more adult level of genre Gibson started comes Islands in the Net, a story about a female Texan (yeah!) whose voyage to champion the cause of net neutrality makes her a political prisoner and a stranger to her own kind. Deep and meaningful, it invites the reader to re-examine the way novel technologies can disrupt the power structures of nation-states.
Not to end on a serious note, for Comic books close to the cyberpunk section of the SF wing, I vote for Warren Ellis’s Transmetropolitan. Transmetropolitan is a comic book about the craziest journalist the world has ever seen. He’s Hunter S. Thompson on jumpstart and carcinoma angels, with a set of filthy assistants at his side and the vindictive, sinister mechanations of corrupt politicians and the world they control in front of him. The City is his home, and he hates it. It’s mutual. And the putrid narrative is dizzying in its pleasure. Would read again.
I enjoyed Piers Anthony in the Incarnations of Imortality series. Margret Weiss and Tracy Hickman are really good in just about everything they do. I’m surprised the Dragonlance series hasn’t made it to a movie yet. It would be epic.
[quote]Mad HORSE wrote:
And I wanted to add, sci-fi seems like the easiest genre to write. Research? Fuck that, I can make it up as I go along![/quote]
Hah, I think Frank Herbert might disagree with you there.
[/quote]
hehe, agreed.
The Dune universe still, in my opinion, remains the most lushly realised world I’ve stepped in to date. His inclusion and handling of philosophy, religion, ecology, economy, prophecy, nobility, politics, substance abuse, becoming a man (sorry, becoming a God)…and countless others are just so rich in detail and thought, it brings me back to it every few years.
[quote]Mad HORSE wrote:
And I wanted to add, sci-fi seems like the easiest genre to write. Research? Fuck that, I can make it up as I go along![/quote]
Hah, I think Frank Herbert might disagree with you there.
[/quote]
hehe, agreed.
The Dune universe still, in my opinion, remains the most lushly realised world I’ve stepped in to date. His inclusion and handling of philosophy, religion, ecology, economy, prophecy, nobility, politics, substance abuse, becoming a man (sorry, becoming a God)…and countless others are just so rich in detail and thought, it brings me back to it every few years.
Well, the first three books at least. ;p[/quote]
I stand corrected. I’ve been meaning to read Dune for years; it just got bumped up on the list.
[quote]Nards wrote:
I love Heinlein and Asimov a lot.
Dan Simmons has a great series whose fist book is called Hyperion.
I’ve read the first 4 Dune books and will start Heretics of Dune soon. Great series.
[/quote]
You can tell Asimov had a big influence on Herbert with the whole “I, Robot” theme. I personally love (and fear) the concept of mankind’s “machine” turning on man a la Terminator. It’s a popular theme. It’s also backbone of the Dune universe, but it’s so far beyond that event that it’s ancient history by the first novel. That’s vision for you!
[quote]Mad HORSE wrote:
And I wanted to add, sci-fi seems like the easiest genre to write. Research? Fuck that, I can make it up as I go along![/quote]
Hah, I think Frank Herbert might disagree with you there.
[/quote]
hehe, agreed.
The Dune universe still, in my opinion, remains the most lushly realised world I’ve stepped in to date. His inclusion and handling of philosophy, religion, ecology, economy, prophecy, nobility, politics, substance abuse, becoming a man (sorry, becoming a God)…and countless others are just so rich in detail and thought, it brings me back to it every few years.
Well, the first three books at least. ;p[/quote]
Besides the original what books from the Dune universe would people recommend? I have heard that there are a crap load and that the vary in quality considerably.
^^ I think start with the originals
1- Dune
2- Dune Messiah
3- Children of Dune
4- God Emperor of Dune
5- Heretics of Dune
6- Chapterhouse Dune
I have only read the first 4 but have the 5th on my shelf.
There are newer books written by the original author’s son and another writer. I read 3 of those (House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Corrino) and they were OK, but not as rich and nuanced as the originals.
Besides the original what books from the Dune universe would people recommend? I have heard that there are a crap load and that the vary in quality considerably. [/quote]
The first 6 are the original canonical books written by Herbert himself. His son has expounded on the universe a bit with further novels with Kevin Anderson; but he just isn’t his father in terms of vision and writing ability, which is unfortunate given Frank was on the cusp of writing about the Butlerian Jihad as a prequel to Dune before he died. Some people can palate the books and rate them as fine additions, but I’m just not a fan of the style.
The first three are relatively close to one another in terms of time, character and events so I would just start with thoseand if you’re hooked, well…you have plenty more to delve in to.
