Best Sci-fi books?

[Bun-bun]

C.J. Cherryh, the Foreigner series.

+1

Also cherryh: the Chanur series

[Speedbag]

Might have to get some of these, I haven't read any "new" sci-fi in over a decade.

Huge Bradbury fan. 

[factorPlayer]

Battlefield Earth -L. Ron Hubbard. The best of the best.

ga-whaaaaaa?  Think you forgot the deadpan smiley there or sumthin'

Though it certainly might be an interesting read, L-Ron was always an imaginitive guy.  But if I want 1000+pages of pathos I'll go back to the unabridged version of The Stand

[Speeddog]

Damn near anything from Asimov is great, I particularly liked the Ringworld stuff (really cool technical concept there).

I *think* I read The Dosadi Experiment, but it's been a loooong time since I've read SF.

[Triple J]

Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut.

+1

His book Timequake is also good...and fairly recent.

[Bun-bun]

Damn near anything from Asimov is great, I particularly liked the Ringworld stuff (really cool technical concept there).

I *think* I read The Dosadi Experiment, but it's been a loooong time since I've read SF.

I agree, Asimov is a wonderful writer.


So is Larry Niven, the guy who wrote Ringworld.

[darylbowden]

Anything by Kilgore Trout.

[Speeddog]

I agree, Asimov is a wonderful writer.


So is Larry Niven, the guy who wrote Ringworld.

My memory is officially shot. 

[sleestak]

Greg Bear is a contemporary SF writer who comes to mind for me.  His "Darwin's Radio" is about six years old and is an intelligent take on "quantum leaps" in evolution.  I enjoyed it and it's follow-up, "Darwin's Children."

[hbliam]

ga-whaaaaaa?  Think you forgot the deadpan smiley there or sumthin'

Though it certainly might be an interesting read, L-Ron was always an imaginitive guy.  But if I want 1000+pages of pathos I'll go back to the unabridged version of The Stand

Have you read it?

[hbliam]

Speaking of Bradbury

http://www.lbreport.com/news/jun08/bradacre.htm

[Spike]

Starship Troopers, Robert Heinlein.

[krolik]

Starship Troopers, Robert Heinlein.

I just reread it for the umpteenth time a couple of months ago.



Bugs Mr Rico!  Zillions of 'em!  I'm a-burnin' down!

[ducsix]

Greg Bear is a contemporary SF writer who comes to mind for me.  His "Darwin's Radio" is about six years old and is an intelligent take on "quantum leaps" in evolution.  I enjoyed it and it's follow-up, "Darwin's Children."

Agreed, Bear is excellent (most of the time, although I thought Darwin's Radio & Children were a kind of stale myself).  The Forge of God series is good tho.

Dan Simmons (Hyperion series is excellent) is another excellent contemporary sci fi writer who likes to work with the relationships between religion and technology.

My favorite sci fi author of all time is Gene Wolf.  He has an amazing range, especially in his short stories, but his main theme is exploring what it means to be human.  Sounds campy I know, but he does this in a way totally different from other writers.  If you haven't read this guy, check him out.  The Fifth Head of Cerberus is a good place to start (a triad of connected stories, one of his early works), or The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories which is a great set of short stories that exposes his range.  He is also one of the few fantasy writers I can stomach.  His stuff really isn't sci fi or fantasy, but more "speculative fiction" in the mode of Vonnegut without the political commentary.  Check out The Book of the New Sun series if you like the fantasy angle.  I can't recommend this guy enough, if you like sci fi and haven't read Wolfe you are really missing out.

[abby normal]

Anything by Kilgore Trout.

+11ty billion.  i have a copy of 'venus on the halfshell'.  it's one of my prized possessions.