Your top ten sci-fi novels

[Wyrminarrd]

I like a very balenced selection, I'll try anything really- I read the first Honour Harrington book and absolutly loved it (aside from a few sections that got a little too- explanitory, I thought there was quite a bit that could have been shortend at the beginning), do you know what the second is called? I was wondering if there were two different titles, or if the list I was reading had it confused- the title I thought was the right one didn't turn up in a search on my library website.
I've kept meaning to read Foundation since last summer, just haven't gotten round to it, love Ender's Game, read that not long ago.

If you liked Honor Harrington then try out the "Stars at war" series, it´s even better.

In answer to your question, book two is called "The honor of the Queen". See the link to a detailed list on the series.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...563002-6324759

EDIT: Added a link to "Stars at war" series, don´t let the rating fool you, it´s that low because peole thought this was the next book in the series and not the first three books packed into one

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/074...g=UTF8&s=books

[Trek_Girl42]

If you liked Honor Harrington then try out the "Stars at war" series, it´s even better.

In answer to your question, book two is called "The honor of the Queen". See the link to a detailed list on the series.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...563002-6324759

EDIT: Added a link to "Stars at war" series, don´t let the rating fool you, it´s that low because peole thought this was the next book in the series and not the first three books packed into one

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/074...g=UTF8&s=books

Thanks! I think I did have a different title then that.

[Mika]

not a list of favourate scifi books - just a list of some writers you cant really go wrong with, because even when they are crap - they still pretty good (like stargate)

Issac Asimov
Heinlein
Larry Niven
Orson Scott Card

If Arthur C CLarke seems missing from that list its only because I've never really got on with his books (Big, big exception being rendezvous with ranma - which is magically wonderful) - everyone else seems to love him though.

[warmbeachbrat]

Great recommendations guys, I'll definitly have a good summer reading list, here are my favs:

Hitchhiker's Guide- love the books, just bought a new set because my old copy (which wasn't even mine really) was so battered, but I haven't read the last two in the trilogy yet for some reason. I've had this obsessive thing with looking for the number 42 ever since reading it.....
I, Robot
The Sparrow- One of the best books I've ever read, amazing, amazing, amazing, reading the Sequel Children of God right now
Dune- I've only read the first in the series, my first conscious choice of a sci-fi book
Ender's Game/Speaker for the Dead- just finished Speaker for the Dead a couple weeks ago, I think I'll continue with the series this summer
2001: A Space Odyssey- I thought the book was better then the movie, but I saw the movie when I was ten and swore never to watch it again. Might have to now.
1984
Farenheit 451

And that's all I can think of right now.....

Oh! The Sparrow... I didn't get to read the whole thing (I kind of paged through it in the bookstore--no money *sigh*), but what I did read was marvelous! And I, Robot--a classic that stands the test of time.

[Trek_Girl42]

Oh! The Sparrow... I didn't get to read the whole thing (I kind of paged through it in the bookstore--no money *sigh*), but what I did read was marvelous! And I, Robot--a classic that stands the test of time.

It's very much worth it- that book gave me things to think about for months afterwards. It just left such an impression, best thing I read last summer.

[Mcfergeson]

Steel Beach by John Varley -- imaginative, and funny, epic about surviving humans living on the moon after the human race is wiped out on Earth

Guns Of The South By Harry Turtledove -- one of the best time travel/alternate earth stories ever

Startide Rising By David Brin -- a great epic space opera

The Dune novels by Frank Herbert -- Herbert's books are great; ignore the prequels

2001, 2010, 2061 and 3001 by Arthur C. Clarke -- a fun, enjoyable ride overall

Sean

[Orion's Star]

I won't mention any that have already been said. Except for one.

Hyperion - Dan Simmons: One of my favorite sci-fi books, it is beautifully done and very literary to boot. A confusing but great story.

Ilium - Dan Simmons: For the novelty of reading about the Greek gods being real, and seeing how the Trojan war really took place. Thought it would be appropriate for here.

Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein: Probably my favorite sci-fi book, and I think a must read for any one who likes Heinlein. It will help you get some insight into how one of the best sci-fi writers ever really thought.

Forever War - Joe Haldeman: Simply a fantastic book about war and humanity.

The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle: I've been told it's one of the foundation books for the sci-fi genre. I think you have to read it for yourself to really be the judge and see if that's true or not.

Those are the ones I could think of off the top of my head. The other important or great books have already been said. Hope it helps you.

[langdonboom]

Has nobody mentioned Philip K. Dick? The two of his I've loved the most are:

Man in the High Castle -- (an alternate-history post-WW2 situation, awesome)
and
UBIK -- (a worlds-within-worlds after-life contact technology story, also AWESOME)

[Morgasshk]

waaaay too many to mention... I LOVE my personal library!

I love heaps of Sci-fi Fantasy also - Especialy Raymond E Feist (fave author ever) and Robert Silverberg and Terry Brooks

But for the pure ci-fi stuff...

E.E "doc" Smith - Skylark Quadrilogy - LOVE these novels.

L Ron Hubbard - Mission Earth Decology - Funniest ****e ever!

Rodger MacBride Allen - The Torch of Honour and Rogue Powers (He is also the author the the Star Wars Corellia Trilogy)

All Star Wars novels, love how they are so accurately intermingled and follow the plots and character lines even though so many different authors!

Brian Aldiss - Dracula Unbound (bit fantasy, but still class it as Sci-fi)

Heinlein - Have Space Suit, will travel

Basically all Asimov novels (thought some later ones are a bit flat as previously mentioned)

Screamers/Second Variety - PK Dick

Like a lot of the classics, Bova, Dick, Herbert etc... But Sci-fi fantasy is my main lot - Wurts, pre-ludes to Dune, Feist, Weis and Hickman, McCaffrey, Lackey, Brooks etc etc etc

[ToasterOnFire]

Only ten?? Pfft, you can't expect a bibliophile to settle for such a small number.

My favorites so far:

1) Frank Herbert's "Dune" series.
2) Philip Jose Farmer's "To Your Scattered Bodies Go" (made into a somewhat crappy recent SciFi channel movie called "Riverworld" or something).
3) Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series.
4) Greg Benford's "Timescape".
5) Kate Wilhelm's "Where Late the Sweet Bird Sang".
6) Frederik Pohl's "Gateway".
7) David Brin's "Startide Rising" and 'The Uplift War".
8) Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" (still one of my all time favorites. If you read one book from this list, read this one).
9) Connie Willis's "Doomsday Book" and "To Say Nothing of the Dog".
10) Vernor Vinge's "A Fire upon the Deep".
11) Joe Haldeman's "Forever Peace".
12) Octavia Butler's "Parable of the Sower" and "Parable of the Talents".
13) Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination".
14) Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" (if you can deal with his odd part-liberating part-sexist view of women).
15) Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy (best Mars colonization novels ever).
16) Neil Stephenson's "Snow Crash".

[McClance]

1) Dragonriders of Pern series (18 books, soon to be 19)-- Anne McCaffrey & Todd McCaffrey

-- Dolphins of Pern would probably be my favorite from that series

2) Humanx Commonwealth series (only read 5) -- Alan Dean Foster

-- Nor Crystal Tears my top favorite of those I've read

3) Doona series -- Anne McCaffrey & Jody Lynn Nye

-- I've onlt read the first one so far

4) Star Trek: The Eugenics Wars (2 books) -- Greg Cox

5) Star Trek: Probe -- Margaret Wander Bonano

6) Marco's Millions -- William Sleator

7) Planet Pirates series (5 books) -- Anne McCaffrey, Jody Lynn Nye, Elizabeth Moon

[Pitry]

Ender's Game/Speaker for the Dead- just finished Speaker for the Dead a couple weeks ago, I think I'll continue with the series this summer.

Don't! Honestly. They're becoming worse and worse as time goes by. Better to stop at Speaker. Well, my opinion. Some people like them

I should also say something about the Foundation books. I would highly recommend reading ONLY the original trilogy--that is, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation (in that order). Asimov picked up the series again 20 years after finishing Second Foundation, writing two more sequels (Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth) and then two prequels (Prelude to Foundation and Forward the Foundation) because he had no idea where to go with the sequels any further.

Ah, have to disagree. The fact is, he knew exactly where he was going - he was combining the robots, the Empire and the Foundation books into one series. I guess I see it that way because I did enjoy the prequels and the later additions to the Foundation books... But Asimov's always been one of my favourite authors.

[warmbeachbrat]

The White Dragon - Anne McCaffrey
Most of Anne McCaffrey's books are just wonderful. This one is my favorite, but the first of the series is Dragonflight. She has many series (The Ship Who Sang, Crystal Singer), but her Pern novels are the most well-known. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034...lance&n=283155

The Promised Land - Connie Willis & Cynthia Felice
I don't care overmuch for Connie Willis, but I love her team-ups with Cynthia Felice. This is the most recent book--a gentle love story set on a frontier world. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044...lance&n=283155

Far-Seer - Robert Sawyer
This is a great, innovative novel told from the point of view of a sentient dinosaur race on a distant world. It's the first in a trilogy (Fossil Hunter and Foreigner being the other two). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...lance&n=283155

The Color of Distance - Amy Thomson
One of the best first contact stories I've ever read. She really has a way of writing the unique and different and making it accessible. I'm amazed she isn't more popular. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044...lance&n=283155

Exile's Song - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Her Darkover books are a bit hard to explain, but well worth reading. Extranormal abilities on a backwards medieval-type planet trying to make it's way in the galaxy. This book is my favorite of the series and probably wouldn't require too much familiarity with the series to be able to read it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088...lance&n=283155

Nor Crystal Tears - Alan Dean Foster
Like someone who posted earlier, this is one of my favorites. Another story of first contact done in a fascinating and touching way. Although his Flinx stories (Orphan Star, The Tar Aiym Krang, etc.) are my favorites, I think I like this novel best. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/072...lance&n=283155

Pilgrimage - Zenna Henderson
I don't have words for how much I love her books, too bad she only wrote a few. Her stories of earth-like aliens with paranormal powers who find refuge on earth are wonderful to read. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038...lance&n=283155

The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester
A great, sprawling, gritty, gothic, soap-opera of a story--and that doesn't even come close to describing it! It's a classic that deserves more notice. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067...Fencoding=UTF8

Double Star - Robert Heinlein
This isn't one of his groundbreaking, massive novels, but it is my favorite. Writing about identity, politics, acting, and destiny--it's a good read. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034...lance&n=283155

The Universe Against Her - James Schmitz
This is a collection of stories about a teenager with psi powers, set in the future when space travel and aliens are commonplace. I don't believe any of it takes place on earth. There is a more recent collection edited by Eric Flint called Telzey Amberdon that collects this book and another one of Telzey stories. Another great book by James Schmitz is The Witches of Karres. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044...lance&n=283155


I, Robot - Isaac Asimov
What can you say about the master? His Robot stories are fascinating and led the way. The Bicentennial Man is another good collection of his robot stories (my favorite, personally--forget the movie; it was dreck!). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/055...lance&n=283155

Dragon's Egg - Robert L Forward
While this one is not my favorite books, I include it because it is so different and really shows what creativity and innovation can be brought to bear on tales of really different aliens (these particular aliens living on a neutron star). It was a good read--just not my favorite. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034...lance&n=283155

Re-Birth - John Wyndham (alternate book title, The Chrysalids)
I read this a LONG time ago, but I love it so much I drag it out quite often to re-read it. It's a post-apocalyptic story about a group of people who are different in a world where being different can get you banished and/or killed. Telepathy and mutation figure into the story.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=283155

Boy, it's a good thing you didn't ask about Fantasy--my list would be twice as long. I thought I'd enclose a link to the books on amazon, so you could get an idea of price, reviews, etc (you could try wikipedia, too). Sorry for the length!

[Trek_Girl42]

I forgot about the Chrysalids- that is a great book, required reading for grade ten english I think..... my entire class hated it (except me).

[DigiFluid]

Don'tAh, have to disagree. The fact is, he knew exactly where he was going - he was combining the robots, the Empire and the Foundation books into one series. I guess I see it that way because I did enjoy the prequels and the later additions to the Foundation books... But Asimov's always been one of my favourite authors.

Erm...the introduction to Foundation's Edge (written by Asimov) says that he had no intention of ever revisiting the series, until his publisher offered him a very large cheque to write another. Plus his wife has even come out and said that he started writing prequels only because he had no idea where to go after he finished Foundation and Earth.