Your top ten sci-fi novels

[DigiFluid]

Oh, another highly revered science-fiction book (though I've never read it myself) is Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men

[ToasterOnFire]

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

Well, there does appear to be an unwritten law that the quality of books in a series goes down as the series progresses, though I assume there are exceptions. Same holds true for TV shows.

I think that EG is the best book of the series by far, though I really enjoyed SFTD and Xenocide. Things went downhill after that for me - never got into the Bean series either.

Oh, and I forgot one recommendation: "Perdido Street Station" by China Mieville. It's sort of a scifi/fantasy mix though and a big read, but simply fantastic. I've found all of his books to be quite enjoyable.

[warmbeachbrat]

(snipped)
Oh, and I forgot one recommendation: "Perdido Street Station" by China Mieville. It's sort of a scifi/fantasy mix though and a big read, but simply fantastic. I've found all of his books to be quite enjoyable.

You know, I actually have that book but I haven't read it yet. What's it like?

[dss202529]

It's a case of each to their own I suppose, that China Melville book is one of the two Sci-Fi related novels I bought and couldn't finish and I easily have 500+ Sci-Fi novels, the other one was called Appleseed can't even remember who wrote it but I can remember it was dire.

On to the stuff I like:

David Weber is a must for me, excellent books, read the first Harrington novel and now own every Sci-Fi related book he's every written, big fan of the Honor Harrington stuff can't get enough of it. The Stars at Wars series isn't bad either. You may also wish to read The March series of novels written with John Ringo, it's not in the same league as the Harrington series but it's worth the time to read non the less.

Peter F Hamilton, The Night's Dawn Trilogy is also an excellent read and I have to say I like all his novels with the exception of Judas Unchained which just didn't do it for me.

The Vernor Vinge stuff A Fire Upon The Deep and A Deepness In The sky is also an excellent read as mentioned elsewhere.

Richard Morgan is a great read with some interesting concepts, stylish action and plot lines that largely leave you guessing until the end, Altered Carbon, Broken Angels, Woken Furies and Market Forces.

Iain M Banks' Culture novels are well worth the time to read.

The Bolo Series (futuristic large tanks defending humanity from it's foes) which is done by various authours.

Neil Asher's Polity Novels, Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space series started very promisingly but tailed of a little towards the end I would still recommend it none the less.

Larry Niven's Ringworld series is good stuff along with Asimov's foundation novels also mentioned elsewhere.

[Easter Lily]

I haven't read too many scifi novels... but these are the ones I've enjoyed...

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
The Robot Stories by Asimov
The Original Foundation Series by Asimov (Really, really gripping stuff)
Dune and Children of Dune were probably the best of the Dune series
Ender's Game
Homecoming series by Orson Scott Card
The Invisible Man by HG Wells
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Flowers for Algernon

For some reason I didn't enjoy Neuromancer... I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. I suppose that was deliberate but it didn't work for me. I found Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash more accessible as a representative of the cyberpunk genre.

[Wyrminarrd]

I´d also like to add Nights Dawn trilogy by Peter Hamilton, this series is incredibly good and deserves to be on any top ten sci-fi books list.

[Rowana]

Some good lists on here. I'll have to check some of these out soon. Most of the ones on my list have already been mentioned but I'll list some of the favorites I've read anyway. In no particular order.

Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - whole series of course
Ender's Game - haven't read the others yet
Dune - first one is the best
Rogue Squadron Series - it's pretty good if you like side characters and stuff. Lots of Wedge Antilles in them. Well written.
Stargods Trilogy by Irene Radford - a favorite author of mine. It's has a lot of fantasy as well.
Pern Series and Pegusus series - Both by Anne McCaffrey. Oustanding author. Pegusus is more scifi than Pern. She also Coauthors the Acorna Series another good scifi.
I, Robot by Asimov - good read. Haven't gotten to the Foundantion Series yet.

Well, that's sort of ten anyway.

[Otera]

the Neaderthal Paradox books.

[Chricton]

Regarding Dune, yes, just read the first one. I have never heard anyone say anything good about the sequels. Including my high school English teacher (who loved the first book), who was of the opinion that Herbert continued writing as he slowly went insane, resulting in crappy sequels.

WHAT? You haven't been in many Dune discussions then. Most poeple are torn between the first and fourth being the best. I personally thought the series got better as it went along. They were far from crappy. And if anything Herbert became more of a genious before he died. Your English teacher is an idiot.

Anyway, I don't read scifi books besides Dune and all the books that have resulted from it...
Most of my collection is fiction.
I have a wierd love for apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic books, like Swan Song and The Stand.

[Giantevilhead]

2069: An Erotic Odyssey - HAL likes to watch.

Dr. Moreau's Fantasy Island - The story of an island where people go to fulfill their fantasies and become horrible genetically spliced freaks of nature.

Sandcastle Contest of Dune - As we all know, you need water to make sandcastles but Arrakis is a barren world with no oceans, rivers, or any bodies of water, so a great war is waged and the sandcastles are erected with blood of the vanquished.

I, Mr. Roboto - It’s about a dystopian future where rock and or roll are suppressed by the all powerful Dr. Righteous and it details the amazing journey of Robert Orin Charles Kilroy.

20,000 Leagues Under the Seas - The Hunt for Red October, Captain Ahab's Revenge - Great sequel and the best part: cyborg pirate ninjas with lasers.

Celsius 233 - Fahrenheit 451 is based on this book. The difference is that in Celcius 233, the books are made of hemp and the reason why the government wants to burn them is because they want to get high.

Stephen Colbert’s Alpha Squad 7 - Lady Nocturne: A Tek Jansen Adventure - Great book but you should only read it if you have the balls.

[ToasterOnFire]

You know, I actually have that book but I haven't read it yet. What's it like?

Hmmm...it's a story about a dirty, grungy city on some other planet filled with unhappy citizens, corrupted politicians, unrest, upheaval, and the like. There's a somewhat large cast of characters, but it basically boils down to a group of misfits who unknowingly release a group of very bad entities into the city, have to track them down and save the day, etc. etc. There are lots of unique intelligent species - ones with insect heads and humanoid bodies, ones that have wings, ones that are like amphibians IIRC. I liked the mix of speculative science and fantasy, the desperate and hopeless feel of the city and its residents, and how the lines between good and evil were blurred.

For some reason I didn't enjoy Neuromancer... I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. I suppose that was deliberate but it didn't work for me. I found Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash more accessible as a representative of the cyberpunk genre.

I felt that way as well - I though Stepenson was much easier and enjoyable to read than Gibson. Though he writes HUGE books.

the Neaderthal Paradox books.

You mean the trilogy by Robert Sawyer? Yeah, those were fun reads.

[Otera]

You mean the trilogy by Robert Sawyer? Yeah, those were fun reads.

yes, I do, I thought so too.

[Atlantis1]

Anything written by Jack McDevitt.
The Starwolf Trilogy by Edmond Hamilton.
Psychlone by Greg Bear
When Worlds Collide and After Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer
Earth Abides by George R Stewart
Lucifers Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Destinys Road by Larry Niven

These are not true science fiction but they have scientific plot lines: Amazonia and Ice Hunt by James Rollins.

[Mousie]

Anything by Robin Hobb. The Liveship Traders is good but I love the 6 books in the 2 Farseer Trilogy's.

My ultimate favorite at the moment is Robert Jordan. If you like big, indepth books, he's for you. The series is curently at book 11/12 and they are big!.

[warmbeachbrat]

Anything by Robin Hobb. The Liveship Traders is good but I love the 6 books in the 2 Farseer Trilogy's.

My ultimate favorite at the moment is Robert Jordan. If you like big, indepth books, he's for you. The series is curently at book 11/12 and they are big!.

Oh I LOVE Robin Hobb! I have The Liveship Traders and five of the six Farseer books (and I've read the sixth). I wonder what she's up to next?

They're more fantasy instead of sci-fi, but oh are they good!