I like science fiction as a genre, but I dislike most science fiction books I’ve tried. I start with books that come highly recommended and give up on most of them. But here are a few I’ve read and enjoyed.
12 thoughts on “Science fiction recommendations”
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Hi, John
I cannot help but to recommend this one book: Time Probe
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3429778-time-probe
It is a selection of short stories made by Arthur C. Clarke. They are VERY good stories, especially the ones about a Metheorogist and another of a Medical Suitase. I believe you’re gonna like the book (or at least those two stories) by the type of things you use to post here.
Kelly Link, Magic for Beginners. Short story collection; may not technically count as SF, but they’re really, really good.
As I’ve read three of the six and found them to be excellent, I’m taking the remaining three as high-value recommendations. Thanks.
Based on the books from your list I have read (Canticle, Speaker, Mote), I will definitely check out the rest.
I haven’t read Speaker for the Dead in twenty years, it might be worth giving it a go again. Canticle and Mote are on my own short list of favorite science fiction books.
I don’t know if this counts as “hard” sci-fi, but you might like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Begins_on_Saturday. It a satire about a Soviet research institute where scientists study magic.
In the same vein, I would also recommend Red Plenty by Francis Spufford for a fictionalized version of the real thing.
I haven’t read two on your list, thanks, I’ll have a look at them.
From my reading of your blog, I think you would enjoy hard science fiction, with intersections between computation and cognition. I suggest (hopefully you haven’t already tried and discarded):
Vernor Vinge – A Fire upon the Deep
Greg Egan – Permutation City
My unsupported recommendation: Ted Chiang’s “Stories of Your Life and Others”.
The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold might be worth checking out. I haven’t started it yet, but I have heard great things about The Expanse by the fictitious James S.A. Corey. Either of these series could keep one entertained for some time.
I have to echo Globule’s recommendation. A friend of mine bought me the Ted Chiang short story collection, and it was amazing.
Based on what you’ve liked so far, a few recommendations:
The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks
Hyperion, by Dan Simmons
The Dragon Never Sleeps, by Glen Cook
Sewer, Gas, & Electric, by Matt Ruff
The Fortunate Fall, by Raphael Carter
The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell
Dune, by Frank Herbert
A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge
These are not my personal favorites; rather I think they’re the best matches for those you cite above that I have read.
Based on you liking A Cantile for Leibowitz, I recommend checking out David Brin’s Startide Rising. It is quite clever in its use of language and having Dolphin’s think and act differently then humans, rather then point humans with pointy ears.