What are some of your favorite science-fiction novels?

Evo

The Star Beast by Heinlein.

Aaronvan

Timescape by Gregory Benford.
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear.

Ryan_m_b

You've got a lot of enjoyable reading ahead of you the next Culture book, The Player of Games remains one of my favourite novels. Similarly to Consider Phlebas it takes place mostly outside the Culture albeit with characters from it. This was a good method by Banks IMO as by setting the first few stories mostly at a remove from the Culture he stoked up interest that would last a lot longer than if readers were plunged into the nigh-omnipotent utopian Culture straight away.

Sadly the latter half of the Culture books have steadily marched down the road to staleness in my opinion (though I've spoken to others who echo it) as the Culture has been set up as too powerful for there really to be much engagement with whatever struggle is the centrepiece of the plot. That and some story elements have become quite repetitive. I'm hoping that for the next book Banks takes it back to how it began and starts telling stories at a smaller scale, removed from the Culture itself rather than repeating the "epic catastrophe that sucks in a few small characters but is ultimately solved by omniscient Minds piloting omnipotent warships" style of plot that seems to becoming endemic to his novels.

phion

Eon, by Greg Bear.
Foundation's Fear, by Gregory Benford.
Foundation and Chaos, by Greg Bear.
Foundation's Triumph, by David Brin.

MalcolmB

Revelation Space and Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds.

Aero51

If you like Greg Bear you would love Blood Music. Its another novel he wrote originally as a short story.

phion

He's so good. Being the huge Halo nerd that I am, next on my queue are his three Halo books; Cryptum, Primordium, and Silentium. I'm so psyched about reading them I don't even know what to do with myself. Silentium will be available for purchase on the 19th on March I believe.

I'll be sure to check out Blood Music too.

Aero51

To be honest I had no idea Greg Bear was so popular. Never been a Halo fan - I keep thinking of 12 year olds on XBox live screaming obscenities haha. A few of my friends are really into it though.

Have you read any of Michael Crichton? I liked Prey, I think I read timeline too years ago when I was in my early teens.

phion

Yea I agree, which is why I always have voice turned off and don't use a mic. I just like to shoot stuff in the face, haha.

I did read the first Jurassic Park, I liked all his films I saw; Twister, Jurassic Park. I'm pretty picky about what I read outside of non-fiction though, and honestly couldn't tell you in the last several years what I've read that wasn't science fiction.

quantumfoam

I think Timeline by Michael Crichton was a pretty good SF. The whole thing of time travelling into the middle ages is really awesome! And Michael always puts the science in how the characters achieve their technology!(:

AnTiFreeze3

I can't believe I didn't notice this until now!

That's good to know that The Player of Games is an excellent book, considering I've been finished with Consider Phlebas for a while and would like to continue on with the series.

One interesting aspect of Iain Banks' writing was that I felt as if I were watching a movie, and not reading a book. He is very visually descriptive, to where I had no difficulty at all imagining something in my mind, whereas other books aren't so kind.

I would wholeheartedly agree that he does a great job of creating intrigue about the Culture; I was almost disappointed with how little of a role it played in the book (despite Consider Phlebas revolving around a war involving the Culture), but there was enough in there to satiate my curiosity, and to allow my imagination to work with what it was given.

AnTiFreeze3

In my British Literature class, we have been supplied with a textbook containing poems, short stories, and a few brief novella. I obviously skipped over the fecal matter inside and immediately started reading the included works of George Orwell and H.G. Wells.

I found The Star by H.G. Wells, and fell in love with it instantly. I originally had a brief summary typed up here, but realized that short stories rely upon surprises and quick emotional surges for their potency, so I wouldn't dare risk ruining it for you by giving away too much information.

It can be read here for free, and it would probably take up less than 10 pages of a printed book, so you really have no excuse not to read it.

Ibix

I was trying to work out how that could have a twist ending given its mechanistic style. Awsome when it came, though.

Borek

So I have just finished The Lord of the Icy Garden by Jarosław Grzędowicz. Sci-Fi that mixes with fantasy in an unexpected way. Only in Polish at the moment, but if it will be ever translated, do read - all four books, to the very end. Somehow in the end he makes all ends meet, even if by the time I started to read the third book I lost my faith the story will ever end still making sense.

R_beta.v3

I haven't read many science-fiction books, but recently I began reading Asimov books.
-The End of Eternity
-Prelude to Foundation
-Forward the Foundation

I liked them a lot. Especially "The End of Eternity".

brenan

I became an Asimov reader at a very early age. I was one of those
people that read everything he wrote on any subject.
His short stories (and Clarkes) were particular favourites on train journeys.
I loved all his science articles and even his intro's into his stories.

I can recommend any of his collections as being well worth the time.
There seems to be very little he wrote that wasn't hugely enjoyable.
Not bad for someone who just sat down and typed with hardly any revision.
However I DON'T recommend his autobiography. I have 2 volumes and find it impossible to read.
That was quite a shock at the time.

If you enjoy the longer stuff like the Foundation trilogy ( I refuse to accept a 4th -
its a trilogy damn it!) you might also like some of E.E. Doc Smiths stuff -
Oh and of course Harry Harrisons Stainless Steel Rat series.

Riemann Metric

Ender's Game series was definitely nice, and I must say the physics of Halo along with its novels make for another source of entertainment, apart from the action and plot of the actual storyline. It's nice to think about what humans could eventually achieve.