The Sci-Fi Book Thread

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Jefferson_sl

shitlord
272
1
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Because Asimov is Hari Seldon. I expect a time capsule to be opened soon with his instructions to save us from global warming any day now

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Fyro

Golden Squire
127
0
Hyperion / The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons

The Shrike is the ultimate Grendel in my opinion.
 

fresh

<Gold Donor>
43
32
Revelation Space and its sequels by Alastair Reynolds are the best sci-fi I've read lately.
 

Harshaw

Throbbing Member
21,214
100,364
Armor by John Steakly and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Although the rest of the books in the Ender series get kind of.. out there. The first is definitely a good read.
 

Sylverlokk

Golden Knight of the Realm
1,554
492
I have been on a John Scalzi kick lately reading through Old Mans War trilogy, and Redshirts.
 
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Void

Experiencer
<Gold Donor>
9,374
10,987
Might be a little difficult to find in print if you like physical books, but the Paratwa trilogy by Christopher Hinz is probably my second favorite series ever (behind The Black Company). First book is called Liege-Killer, and the premise is that back in the last war that made Earth mostly uninhabitable, they used genetically engineered assassins called Paratwa, a person that has two bodies but one consciousness. I mean literally one being that just happens to be in two places at once, like your right hand and your left hand working in unison without you having to even think about it. This made them the ultimate killing machine, masters of disguise and infiltration, etc. and often used to kill (and often assume the identity of) prominent figures. Reemul, the Liege-Killer, was the one that was sent out to kill other rogue Paratwa, so obviously he was the baddest of the bad. Supposedly most/all of the Paratwa were destroyed decades ago, but someone secreted Reemul away and put him in cryogenic stasis, and now he's been awakened to a world not used to Paratwa. Dun dun dun!!!

There is quite a bit of political intrigue and maneuvering mixed in with the all-out carnage of the Paratwa, along with a fairly unique take on what life would be like in such a world. I've read the book probably five different times at least, and the entire series three times I think. I have recommended it to like ten different people with varied tastes over the years, and every single one of them has liked it and wanted to read the other two books. So if you like sci-fi at all, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
 
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Decado

Golden Knight of the Realm
94
44
Anyone read Peter F. Hamilton's Void series? If so, how is it?
I thought it was excellent, as was the Pandora Star/Judas Unchained pair. Neutronium Alchemist set was okay but bit too long winded and silly for me.
 

Renault

N00b
134
1
Hamilton's stuff is definitely in the space opera category of sci-fi with lots of fantastical stuff as opposed to the more grounded in reality books of someone like Alistair Reynolds. They are fun books with some cool concepts though it just depends what type of sci-fi you are looking for.

In addition to the suggestions so far I'd throw out two older authors Alfred Bester, mainly The Demolished Man and The Stars My Destination originally titled Tiger, Tiger; and Roger Zelazny who's stuff influenced a lot of later sci-fi and fantasy authors.
 

LadyVex_sl

shitlord
868
0
Day Eight series by Ray Mazza. The author is a friend of mine, and despite that bias I still think the series is amazing, without knowing him. It's worth checking out if you're looking for something new. It's sci-fi, but as the author says, it's the sort of sci-fi you can read without having to be a sci-fi fan, if that makes sense?

Anyways, look into it; pretty cheap on kindle and paperback.
 

Beef Supreme_sl

shitlord
1,207
0
Hyperion Cantos already mentioned so I'll throw out some of Simmons other great works, Ilium and Olympos. Fucking goooooooooooooooood.
 

khalid

Unelected Mod
14,071
6,775
A Fire Upon the DeepandA Deepness in the Skyby Vernor Vinge.

A Fire tied for the Hugo in 1993 and Deepness won in 2000. Absolutely incredible books set in the same world but essentially completely stand-alone. A Deepness wrestles with the idea of space empires set where it is impossible to break the light speed barrier. A Fire deals with the problems that can arise when superhuman intelligences can intermingle with mere mortal intelligence.