So what are the best science fiction books you have read.
I'll kick off with Borus by Neil Asher. It's about a couple of smooth talking war machines sneaking into Cp'n Borus's old
space freighter. They get sprung by the secretary and have to sign on as crew. They look like  ten foot iron cockroaches with enough fire power to destroy a large city. extremely well written, humorous. ripping yarn.
Then Tim Holt's Blonde bombshell'. The planet of intelligent dogs send a very intelligent bomb to blow up the earth but unfortunately it has an existential problem. A very funny yarn

haven't read those so I can't comment on them ... one of my favourites was Space Odessy 2001 ...

I mentioned galileos dream in another thread. Bloody good book.

Anything by Larry Niven

SOB

I like to read it.

not possible to name just one. 

But there is no doubt in my mind that science fiction contains the best of literature....

 

Emma wrote on Aug 29^th, 2012 at 7:47pm:

not possible to name just one.  But there is no doubt in my mind that science fiction contains the best of literature....

Indeed it does.

SOB

what I really love about reading science fiction...( not the movie of the same name) .... is that there are no limits to creativity.

Because you can't  really just say 'science fiction',  and expect to encompass it's breadth.

That's not to say that there haven't been some excellent movies based on SF novels. Or novellas.

First to mind of course must be Blade Runner.  Closely followed by the 2001  ;A Space Odyssey, Silent Running,  Soylent Green... and Alien  etc etc
The film AVATAR.... was a conglomerate of many science fiction 'genres'.

But they cannot match the written work.
They may never... because  a person reads a book...  a unique and individual experience.

That can't really be said of  passive movie watching.

You can split science fiction onto many 'genres', as I've suggested , above.
'Science fiction'  is a limiting term... er no offense Bludger.  :)

Its not like Romance - or Thriller, or Mystery , or Horror,  it includes all of that.!!

There really is nothing like a good SF read.!! :)

but ... the visual media  did impact on my consciousness as a young child in the early 70's.

I was an outdoor type, BUT Dr WHO, and LOST IN SPACE were never to be missed.!!

Altho I was reading at the time, it took a few yrs before I discovered science fiction novels.

BLISS!! :)

OOOOPs   I am getting old.!!

That should have been  ...in the 60's.

And lets not forget the Jetsons,....  and even Buck Roger int the 2? th Century.!!

These are what lead me to read science fiction. :)

bludger wrote on Jul 27^th, 2012 at 8:58pm:

So what are the best science fiction books you have read.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

hoping to get a grip eh? :)

Emma wrote on Aug 30^th, 2012 at 9:03pm:

hoping to get a grip eh? :)

No. Part of the job.

so ...you like..!! work in Science Fiction.??? :)

Emma wrote on Aug 30^th, 2012 at 8:01pm:

what I really love about reading science fiction...( not the movie of the same name) .... is that there are no limits to creativity. Because you can't  really just say 'science fiction',  and expect to encompass it's breadth. That's not to say that there haven't been some excellent movies based on SF novels. Or novellas. First to mind of course must be Blade Runner.  Closely followed by the 2001  ;A Space Odyssey, Silent Running,  Soylent Green... and Alien  etc etc The film AVATAR.... was a conglomerate of many science fiction 'genres'. But they cannot match the written work. They may never... because  a person reads a book...  a unique and individual experience. That can't really be said of  passive movie watching. You can split science fiction onto many 'genres', as I've suggested , above. 'Science fiction'  is a limiting term... er no offense Bludger.  :) Its not like Romance - or Thriller, or Mystery , or Horror,  it includes all of that.!! There really is nothing like a good SF read.!! :)

I dont like the way the bookshops are classifying all that vampire crap as scifi though. It pollutes the genre.

SOB

"The Day of the Triffids" - John Wyndham, as good now as when it was written.

"Out of the Silent Planet", "Perelandra" and "That Hideous Strength" - C S Lewis.

I agree with your choices Felon......
I've read so many I can't remember them all...  but  I definitely remember them. !
I've enjoyed all the Wyndhams I've read,  and C S Lewis ..outstanding.

and yeah vampire books are not science fiction. More romantic horror fantasy. :)

I think the last SF novel I read , from memory,  ::), that really grabbed me, was

a novel published in 1996... and I've read a few since I read this...  which was only a couple of years ago...

'Richter 10',  by Arthur C Clarke & Mike McQuay.

I think it pretty  much  has it all....

Or it might have been 'Next'  by Michael Crichton..

Or   ...... was that  'Specie'  :-/

See my problem ??

Of course, these are  basically earth-based SF.

If you go for galactic epics.., or gritty future-war,  there is a whole lot out there, that is for sure.

I'll NEVER be able to read all the books I'd love to.  Thats just a fact.  Sigh.

Read some larry niven. He is considered "hard scifi" thought im not sure what that means. He wrote the ringworld series and several doomsday books (i think he wrote the book that movie about the asteroid was based on).

SOB

good advice...have reads lots of Niven....one of my faves.

Don't know ...but Footfall  By Larry Niven was about the Earth under attack from extra-terrestrials who used meteor and space rocks and asteroids to wipe the enemies.
Pretty neat .

I'd have to vote for at least one CJ Cherryh    probably

DownBelow Station........

But loved the series she did of first contact with 'others'.  Foreigner ..Invader...damn can't remember ...but a stunning opus IMO :)   

I thought footfall was the one about the baby elephants?

i thought the asteroid one was lucifers hammer or the hammer of god (cant remember which) . . .. No matter he has written a lot of books.

SOB

well you could be right... my memory has too much stuffed in it. 

Lucifer's Hammer sounds familiar,  :), but I still think it was Footfall.... I try to trust my memory, but I'm certainly not  infallible.

I haven't read what I term 'Speculative fiction' for a long time. But my favourite author was Ursula Le Guin. Favourite book... 'The dispossesed' naturally :-)

Ursula Le Guin  was certainly one of my favourites, back when.

I still have her on my shelves. 

I'd recommend  her works.

Also like Doris Lessing, Kate Wilhelm....

and love C J Cherryh.
Most all of her novels are worth reading,  and she is very diverse in her subject, theme and style.

For a really good read  try

The Saga of the Hani  ...comprising

The Pride of Chanur
Chanur's Venture
The Kif Strike Back
Chanur's Homecoming

Alien worlds, with a human stuck in the middle, again.  Loved it, and have them on my shelf as well.

I also really liked Alan Dean Foster's series  'The Book of the Damned'.

:)

Emma wrote on Sep 9^th, 2012 at 5:51pm:

Ursula Le Guin  was certainly one of my favourites, back when. I still have her on my shelves.  I'd recommend  her works. Also like Doris Lessing, Kate Wilhelm.... and love C J Cherryh. Most all of her novels are worth reading,  and she is very diverse in her subject, theme and style. For a really good read  try The Saga of the Hani  ...comprising The Pride of Chanur Chanur's Venture The Kif Strike Back Chanur's Homecoming Alien worlds, with a human stuck in the middle, again.  Loved it, and have them on my shelf as well. I also really liked Alan Dean Foster's series  'The Book of the Damned'. :)

A great deal of speculative fiction is written by women. Certainly a lot of the most intelligent speculation, Vonda McIntyre, (of mist and grass and sand) deserves mention and Joanna Russ, (we who are about to...). It's markedly different from a lot of the 'cowboys and Indians in space' written by males. Why do you think this is? And of course there are exceptions like Frank Herbert, (the jesus incident).

I find the same is true in the cop and murder novels I read a lot of at the moment. I think that Michael Connelly and Lee Child are a lot of fun, but I'm currently reading a Linda La Plante, ( the red dalhia) and I'm very impressed by the grasp she has of good detective work. A very clever woman, I think she should be read as a 'how too' book for aspiring detectives. 

Anybody read a Tara Moss by the way? I was REALLY impressed by her on Q & A (ie I agreed with everything she said  ;D ); and I went to have a look at her blog. Interesting reading, I subscribed.

http://taramoss.com/the-invisible-women/

yes I have been reading a lot of the murder/thriller killer genre lately too.

Have read most of her novels.  Gritty. 

No doubt you've read Val McDiarmid?  powerful!!  and Karin Slaughter,
or even our home-grown Leah Giarratno.... ?

just read her novel..  'Watch the World Burn'.  Not bad at all.
And Michael Connelly's  The Fifth Witness, and Peter Robinson's Bad Boy and....

Love  the righteous Jack Reacher.. :) created by Lee Child  :)  ... but can you imagine..???!!!??

They're making  ( the ubiquitous 'they' ) a movie  based on Reacher, !! and 
GROAN!! it's said that  TOM CRUISE will play Reacher.!!!!! >:( >:( :( 

Can you believe it??  BOOOOOOooooooooooooooo!!

For F's sake,... Reacher is 6 Ft 5 inches tall  IN HIS SOCKS....   and Cruise ??
Cruise is 5 Ft 6 inches tall IN HIS SHOES.!!! ::) ::) ::)

Please let them re-consider. :P

<Groan> Cruise needs to get an adviser, or to take a break...or die or something. 

ooh oooh   :)

Have you read the books by a Mr Lindsey ( I think) ?  any way he wrote the book/s that were turned into 'Dexter'   ...a television program.  Can't help it... I'll admit...I loved the show. 

The books were better...  as usual,...but the show's not bad..

But we only saw up to Season 4 here,  I think..
.... in fact I didn't watch it for the first couple of yrs... but when I caught up??
...makes me laugh... ;D ;D ;D

But I read somewhere it's up to Season 7 in the States.
Anybody know?

No I haven't read those Authors Emma. I've been reading my way through Authors and collecting the works. Damned if I know why. But I've got the full Rankin, Connelly, Cruz-Smith, Mankell, and Reggie Hill collections and Lee Childs and La Plante are building.
:-) I do enjoy a Peter Corris sometimes, he says a bit shamefaced. :-)

yes  sigh ..  Ian Rankin  -  his character ...  ::)shucks...  great writing... I can still remember the impact that Knots and Crosses had.  Magic.

I continue to read new authors (to me) and am still astonished at the ability of a good piece of writing to take you there. :)

Emma wrote on Sep 10^th, 2012 at 12:51am:

yes  sigh ..  Ian Rankin  -  his character ...  ::)shucks...  great writing... I can still remember the impact that Knots and Crosses had.  Magic. I continue to read new authors (to me) and am still astonished at the ability of a good piece of writing to take you there. :)

True, I think certainly one of my favourite characters is Cruz Smiths 'Renko', who took the stage in Gorky Park. They don't come more morose than poor old Arkady Renko, at the begining of Havana Bay he even comes close to suicide, but's saved by somebody else having the same idea, (of killing him)  ;D

Nice to talk to you Emma gotta sleep now goodnight.

Once I read a book about a little boy who was transparent. Everybody read their thoughts. It was an interesting book for young children. I do not remember the name.

yes Renko is a classic.

There are too many !! :(
:) :)  a feast for gluttons.

Back to SF  though... Iain M Banks,...  aka Iain Banks... very intriguing..

David Brin's marvellous and positive look at the future... beginning I think .. with 'The Uplift War'.  :)

The first "grownup" scifi book i read (i got ot from my mothers bookcase) was the star beast by heinlein.

http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/9781451638073/9781451638073.htm

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515HT5NGJ3L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg

SOB

Yes ... he is one of the reverred elders of Sf.
Rather dated now, but I like reading older novels, 'cos they reflect a society .... and it's expectations,  and here we are decades later... and some hold true and some seem blatantly prejudiced ...  non- PC...  I always enjoyed Heinleins robust ethic ....classic good v evil.

I particularly liked the novel.??... where everyone had to have a weapon, and duels were an accepted custom.. all carefully hedged about with rules. 
People went to the planet to engage in  a lottery which involved the ultimate prize.. 
well maybe I have a couple of books mixed up... long time ago now.

Oh Grey?  V Mc Diarmid wrote the book 'Wire in the Blood' ...adapted to a series, seen on ABC  here ....  amongst other standouts. :)