# Recommend me some good Sci-fi novels



## MoshJosh (Aug 8, 2015)

Usually I never read unless its studying for class, and even then I avoid it when possible. Recently I picked up a copy of The Martian by Andy Weir because I saw a preview for the upcoming film that looked really good, and I'm really enjoying it. The best part about The Martian, at least for me, is that it is very believable, all the science seems legit (though admittedly I don't have a Phd in applied physics or Rocket science so I can't say for sure) anyway can you guys recommend me any Scifi in a similar vein?


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## Dusty Chalk (Aug 9, 2015)

Not familiar with The Martian (yet -- it's on my list), but...

everything by Alastair Reynolds.

That is all.


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## chopeth (Aug 9, 2015)

Everything by old good Asimov


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## Beowulf Von Thrashmeister (Aug 9, 2015)

MoshJosh,

Here are a few classics to get you started !!!. 

H.G Wells `The First Men On The Moon`

Isaac Asimov `Foundation`

Frank Herbert `Dune`

Ray Bradbury `Faranheit 451`

Jules Verne `Journey To The Centre Of The Earth` 

H.G Wells `Selected Short Stories`

Enjoy !!!.


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## Skyblue (Aug 9, 2015)

To me, Dune by Frank Herbert is one of the best sci-fi novels I've ever read. absolutely amazing. 

And, as mentioned, Asimov is pretty much the kind of sci-fi. If you haven't read I, Robot do so quickly. It's different and so much better than the movie.


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## synrgy (Aug 9, 2015)

I love Dune overall - truly - but I find Herbert's writing style tedious. Here's a book about a desert planet, and he takes several pages to describe a single grain of sand. 







Hard Sci-Fi can be tricky to recommend.. We each have varying levels of understanding when it comes to science, so one reader's 'hard' could be another reader's 'ridiculous'. That said, maybe try perusing through a list like this one.


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## TimothyLeary (Aug 9, 2015)

100 best sci-fi movies: 100 - 91


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## MoshJosh (Aug 10, 2015)

Alright, I finished The Martian. . . And it was AWESOME! Kind of afraid to see the movie now, in fear that it will suck haha

Also I bought I, Robot, because I loved the movie! 

And I also rented Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds and The Invisible man by H.G. Wells(they didn't have any of your other Wells recommendations)

Thanks for the recommendations guys, I've got lots of reading to do


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## cwhitey2 (Aug 10, 2015)

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card


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## Dusty Chalk (Aug 10, 2015)

MoshJosh said:


> Also I bought I, Robot, because I loved the movie!


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## Dusty Chalk (Aug 10, 2015)

Oh, and can I add some of the Jerry Pournelle novels, both with and without Larry Niven: Lucifer's Hammer, Footfall, The Gripping Hand -- probably my favourite is The Legacy of Heorot, but I think the most popular is the first one, The Mote in God's Eye.

You may also want to check out goodreads.com -- I think they have a "RIYL" engine, too, so just find your favourites, and look at the recommended list.


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## asher (Aug 10, 2015)

Bit further from hard Sci FI, but Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson.

And pretty much anything else by him or William Gibson.

The Ender's Game series and the spinoff series about Bean (Shadow of the Hegemon, etc) are indeed very good.

You'd probably be into Heinlein, too.  All You Zombies.


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## skeels (Aug 11, 2015)

Philip K.Dick not mentioned? Shame!

Also, H. Beam Piper's Fuzzy novels are good. Not as sci-ey-fi-ey as some but great reads.

A lesser known excellent author - Gordon R. Dickson. Love Not Human is a great collection of shorts- very thought provoking and entertaining. 

Also, Ringworld series. A must read.


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## asher (Aug 11, 2015)

skeels said:


> Philip K.Dick not mentioned? Shame!



I will commence penitent self-flagellation.


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## USMarine75 (Aug 11, 2015)

Here's some novels with brief teasers:

As mentioned above... *Orson Scott Card*, and not just the Ender's Game series and spinoffs, but also these: 
"Folk of the Fringe" - his take on post-WWIII post-apocalyptic world short stories
"Worthing Saga" - series, simple people protected from harm by Watchers, but no longer protected.
"Pastwatch" - series, "Redemption of Chris Columbus" retells history with timetravel to past and intervention

*Robert Heinlein*... 
"The Cat Who Walks Through Walls" - probably the first scifi book I ever read and is what hooked me. What's cool is this book has references and connections to many of his other novels.
"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" - explores a revolt on the moon, fav of libertarians.
"Stranger in a Strange Land" - post-WWIII human raised on mars returns to earth as a stranger... in a strange land.
"The Puppet Masters" - movies based on it, as well as every story you've ever read where parasites controls humans and try and take over.
"Time Enough for Love" - short stories, examines unusual and usually considered debaucherous relationships/love (i.e incest, polyamory).
"Tunnel in the Sky" - Lord of the Flies... in space.
"Starship Troopers" - a must read staple of scifi... just read it.

Also:

Frank Herbert "Dune" - often called the Lord of the Rings of Scifi.
Isaac Asimov "Foundation" Series - considered one of the very best scifi books/series of all time... scientists try and predict future before it happens to save humanity.
William Gibson "Neuromancer" - cyberpunk/dystopian future, and if you like this read "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson.
Douglas Adams "Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" - funny take on all things scifi, pretty much a cult classic.
George Orwell "1984" and "Animal Farm" - dystopian future must-reads
Aldous Huxley "Brave New World" - dystopian future
Ray Bradbury "Fahrenheit 451" - more dystopian future , if you like this watch the movie "Equilibrium" with Christian Bale.


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## skeels (Aug 11, 2015)

asher said:


> I will commence penitent self-flagellation.



skeels... um.. skeels is uh, not sure if skeels likes this.


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## Dusty Chalk (Aug 11, 2015)

Dune series is great, I'll second that. It gets a little weird in the later books, just stop reading when it gets too weird -- it never gets less weird...it's not even asymptotic, it just goes and goes and goes...

Also second the Ender's Shadow series -- same story from a different perspective, I always admire an author that can do that.

Definitely second Neal Stephenson. One of my favourites. Diamond Age is another great one.

Oh, and if you like cyberpunk, I heartily recommend */ (Slant)* by Greg Bear. There were a lot of good short stories in a compilation called *Mirrorshades*, I need to investigate further every author in that compilation.


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## Xaios (Aug 11, 2015)

synrgy said:


> I love Dune overall - truly - but I find Herbert's writing style tedious. Here's a book about a desert planet, and he takes several pages to describe a single grain of sand.



Indeed. Dune can be a bit... dry.


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## asher (Aug 11, 2015)




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## SeditiousDissent (Aug 12, 2015)

I've completed _Dune_ three times now, and I finally "got it" after the last read. 

I recommend the _Silo_ series by Hugh Howey: _Wool_, _Shift_ and _Dust_.


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## Xaios (Aug 12, 2015)

Dusty Chalk said:


> Oh, and can I add some of the Jerry Pournelle novels, both with and without Larry Niven: Lucifer's Hammer, Footfall, The Gripping Hand -- probably my favourite is The Legacy of Heorot, but I think the most popular is the first one, The Mote in God's Eye.



Forgot to mention, +1 to this. Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes wrote some great stuff together.


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