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February 21, 2006Suggestions Sought...I'm in a long stretch at work and as I indicated yesterday, posting will be very light and no "Weekly Check" today. Now for the purpose of this post: I'm planning a week off in March and need some fresh reading. I've got almost all the Heinlein I want. I've got Allan Steele, etc. I just bid on a large collection of Andre Norton books on eBay (because I haven't read them since I was a kid). I've exhausted the local used book shops and I've re-discovered that used paperbacks can be had for next to nothing on eBay and ABE and I want your recommendations on what I might look out for. I rather like the style and feel of sci-fi from "the golden age" which for me is 40's - 70's but will certainly consider more recent stuff. I'm NOT into steamy sex, nano-technology, or long psychological stuff. No fantasy or horror, thank you. It doesn't have to be "hard" Niven type sci-fi but should not involve spells, magic, or other stuff like that. Could you please recommend some authors and specific books of theirs I should look out for? Thanks! Comments
Phillip Jose Farmer has some interesting stuff; tends to be somewhat unconventional. Posted by: BobG at February 21, 2006 10:26 AMCheck out the Baen Free Library at http://www.baen.com/library/ David Weber's Honor Harrington books are very good. Michael Z. Williamson's "Freehold" is a look at a liberterian society, good read. John Ringo is another one worth giving a look at. Eric Flint's alternate histories: 1632, An Oblique Approach, and the follow-up books--well worth giving a read.
Personally, I'm not a big sci-fi fan, but enjoyed Douglas Adams' off-beat absurdist humour greatly. Never hurts to rehash the classics. 1984. A Brave New World. They certainly go along with the theme of the blog. I occasionaly re-read Flemings James Bond novels. They entertain without putting any demands on the reader. Perfect for vacation week. Posted by: PersonalResponsibility at February 21, 2006 11:43 AMJack McDevitt is an excellent author with a lot of recent books. Old style SF; _Deepsix_ is excellent, as is _Ancient Shores_. I like Robert Sawyer, also, a Canadian writer. Posted by: John Cunningham at February 21, 2006 02:04 PM"From the Legend of Biel" by Mary Staton Silverberg? I recommend the Mote In God's Eye and sequel, The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. I also recommend Falkenberg's Legion and Prince Of Mercenaries by Jerry Pournelle. Posted by: Will at February 21, 2006 02:35 PMFor old school I would go with E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensmen series starting with Triplanetary. I also enjoy the Matador series of books by Steve Perry(not the lead singer of Journey), he has just released a prequel called The Musashi Flex. His style intermingles sci-fi with martial arts to good effect. Another author I have enjoyed recently is Simon R. Green, his space operatic Deathstalker series has a very grand sweep. Hope you enjoy at least one of these suggestions. Posted by: Brass at February 21, 2006 03:56 PMAnne McCaffrey has one or two decent sci-fi novels, as well as her more usual fantasy stuff... 'The ship who sang' comes to mind as a good example. On other subjects, if you haven't read John Ross's 'Unintended Consequences' yet, you really owe it to yourself to do so. Posted by: Chris Midkiff at February 21, 2006 04:16 PMHave you read all of Isaac Asimov's or Arthur C. Clarke's preVietnam era work. They changed and became much more obviously political after about 1965. You also have H. Beam Piper and Murry Leinster (sp) for old fashioned roock-em-sockem scifi. Finally, if fantasy and bad puns are your thing, read Poul Anderson's Xanth series or pretty much anything else he has done. Posted by: David Brown at February 21, 2006 04:48 PMThe Weapons Shops of Isher by A.E. Van Vogt 1946? ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free," reads the storefront sign). There is a previously written story, The Weapons Makers of Isher, to which the later novel is a prequel. I haven't read "Makers" but I understand it to be better. Both books are available on Amazon in a 1990's? reprint for very little. You won't go wrong reading virtually any Heinlein (very visionary and very libertarian - small "l") or any Jerry Pournelle (the guy REALLY is a rocket scientist, and publishes great stuff). I also like the Berserker series by Fred Saberhagen and some of Phillip A. Dick's stuff (The Man From Earth is a great paperback). Posted by: Paul W at February 21, 2006 05:55 PMS. M. Stirling has two new alt-history books out. Something (someone?) causes all sources of high energy (electricity, gunpowder, gasoline, explosives, etc.) to cease to function throwing the world (focus on Oregon, USA) into the 12th century powerwise. Bows and swords time again. LeGuin's Left Hand of Darkness, but it might not be "hard" enough. You would probably like the David Drake novels. Hammer's Slammers, Counting the Cost, Cross the Stars. Lucifer's Hammer - though I don't remember who wrote it... Niven and Silverberg perhaps? It is a life after the end-of-the-world story. Elizabeth Moon's ScFi - Once a Hero, Rules of Engagement, Change of Command and Against the Odds are good, though most of the protagonists are women. (Those 4 form a series). I was less interested in Trading in Danger and Marque and Reprisal - also a series. The whole of the Vorkosigan series by Bujold. For the complete list see http://www.denarii.com/ I also like the Challion series, but that is fantasy. Posted by: Zendo Deb at February 21, 2006 07:48 PMI think Fredric Pohl said the Golden age of SF is from 7 to 12. I can remeber walking home from elementary school reading E.E. Doc Smiths Galactic Patrol. Lucky I didn't kill myself in traffic or tripping over curbs. A.E. Vogts Weapon Shops and Weapon Makers are classics. If you go newer Bujold's Vorkosigan is as good as it gets. Or anything by Niven or Pournelle. So many books so little time. Posted by: Ralph at February 21, 2006 08:18 PMIf you want some free SF reading, check out: I can second these recommendations from above: For old stuff I can add: For newer stuff: Neil Gaiman 'American Gods' should be around used, 'Anansi Boys' is probably too new, but both are some of the most original new SF I have read in a while. They are not magic and spells, but posit if gods really existed, but with a twist or seven. Neal Stephenson 'The Diamond Age' was quite interesting, newer, and not as techie as, his most recent books. S. M. Stirling 'Dies the Fire' was good, recent but in paperback so you may find it used. If you want something to read just for a hoot, Artemis Fowl was fun. A para-military fairy who is a member of the L.E.P.-recon unit, (read that again), an uber-geek Centaur, an eight year old genius criminal mastermind, and you will NEVER think of dwarves the same way again after you learn where all that dirt goes. David Brin is good, I liked 'Kiln People' L. Neil Smith is not bad, if you do not mind being hit over the head with individualist ideology, ala Ayn Rand. A bit simplistic, but at used prices can be fun, plus he has a rather cheeky sense of political humor.
"Doc" Smith's Lensmen series and Farmer's Ringworld can't be beat. Posted by: joated at February 21, 2006 08:58 PMI would second the Deathstalker series, a very well done space opera, by Simon R. Green. In addition to it I would recommend the now three books in the Dread Empire's Fall series (The Praxis, The Sundering and Conventions of War) by Walter Jon Williams. The series develops the main characters and plays to the human experience as well as the science. Posted by: RonInAz at February 21, 2006 09:32 PMI recall Lester Del Rey quite fondly from my childhood. Good vacation stuff, I think. Not challenging, escapist, easy reading. Also check out Mike Resnick. Posted by: jed at February 21, 2006 09:35 PMTalking E.E. Doc Smith. He Wrote not exactly a prequel to Triplanetary and the rest of the Lensmans series, but a book set in the same universe called "Spacehounds of IPC" (Ace F-352) if you can find it get it. For older Smith stuff the "Skylark of Space" series almost defines Space Opera. Posted by: ralphe at February 21, 2006 09:39 PMJeff, Try William Gibson. Neuromancer, Count Zero, Burning Chrome, Idoru. I think he even wrote Johnny Mnemonic. Neuromancer is incredible. Arthur C. Clarke did some good stuff. Don't forget Dune. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is pretty good as well. Others have already mentioned Pournelle and Nivens. The Mote in God's Eye is one of the best sci-fi novels ever written imho. Jerry Posted by: jerry at February 21, 2006 11:04 PMif you havent read it already, try Freakonomics by Steven Levitt its a great book and you often link to articles that refer to the authors analysis of the safety of guns vs the safety of pools... His chapter about why drug dealers live with thier mothers is really great.... Posted by: Kevin at February 22, 2006 12:14 AMPhilip K. Dick or Theodore Sturgeon. For some really classic old SF, try Stanley G. Weinbaum. You'll have to haunt the used book stores for that one. Posted by: AlanDP at February 22, 2006 06:47 AMJoe Halderman - especially "Mission of Gravity" Thanks everyone. Wow, I should quit writing about guns and just do sci-fi posts! Posted by: Jeff Soyer at February 22, 2006 08:29 AMGo visit Vegas and the Mexican border. Have some fun. Among the recent authors, I would recommend Timothy Zahn. His stories tend to be driven by characters, though they usually have a strong foundation of technology. Ben Bova has numerous 'near future' sci-fi books that have strong pro-capitalist, pro-libertarian, anti-bureaucratic viewpoints. Start with Empire Builders and progress from there. I enjoy most books by L. E. Modesitt, who writes sci-fi and fantasy. My favorite group of sci-fi novels is The Ecological Envoy, The Ecolitan Operation, The Ecologic Secession, and The Ecolitan Enigma. I also recommend The Forever Hero trilogy, The Parafaith War, and Adiamante. Stephen Donaldson's best books are his six Thomas Covenant books, which are intelligent, philosophical fantasies that I strongly recommend. He also wrote an unusual and interesting sci-fi series: The Gap into Power. I liked David Brin's Earth and Earth Clan novels. I also liked his more recent Kiln People. I second the recommendation for William Gibson's books. John Varley's Red Thunder was amusing and interesting (and very pro-libertarian). For military sci-fi I like David Drake, the Sten novels by Alan Cole & Chris Bunch, David Weber, John Ringo (but not his recent alternate history series), and William Dietz. Finally, for anti-bureaucratic, light sci-fi humor, I highly recommend Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat novels. Posted by: Dr. T at February 22, 2006 09:00 PMWeber's Honor Harrington stuff or most anything he writes. There's a whole world grown up around these books with other authors filling in the edges. Eric Flint's 1632 series is very good, again with others contributing. Jack McDevitt for hard science fiction. Stirling as mentined above, David drake's "Hammer's Slammers" stuff, ther's a lot more but I see you have plebty of suggestions. Posted by: David Bowman at February 23, 2006 04:23 AMMy initial thought when I read your request was Jose Philip Farmer's Riverworld series. My second thought was Roger Zelazny's Amber novels. If you've already read both series, read 'em again. Posted by: Lornkanaga at February 23, 2006 07:57 AMTry some Kieth Laumer, too - Retief for amusing, other things are a bit more serious. After a while, they seem to turn into a series of stories about 'The Omni-Competent Man', but entertaining up until then. Harry Turtledove and alternate history - I believe the series are 'Invasion' and 'Colonization' for SF; I find his Great War series pretty good, and I do like his fantasy, but that seems outside your specs. Someone already mentioned Harry Harrison and Stainless Steel Rat novels; also try his Deathworld series. Posted by: JohnS at February 23, 2006 07:24 PMhttp://m1.funfun89i.com http://m1.funfun89i.com the comment input form disappears. Your comments are welcome. You don't need to enter a URL and you don't need a "valid" email address, either. Note though that MT Blacklist is installed to flag suspiciously spam-like strings. Unfortunately, because of the bastard spammers, the strings "google.com" and "yahoo.com" (even in your email address) are currently banned as well. So are strings such as "cialis" (a common spam) which rules out words such as "socialism". Try putting a hyphan in a word like that. By Golly, you're reading an archived post. Click Here to head to the main page and read current stuff...Into science fiction? Check out my group blog novel, Colony: Alchibah. See the reader's guide there for first-timer tips. |
