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I'd say the next three are very well worth a read and deserve shelf space.
The ones that followed are all a bit silly but still better than a lot of the rubbish out there - but wouldn't go out of my way to read especially if I had to buy them. That said, they do make a nice accomplished arc.
Ian McDonald Luna: New Moon and Wolf Moon. Company politics on the moon. So kind of similar to Dune. Good reads anyway.
Its been many years since reading the Dune series, really liked the immersive feel of a story across multiple books.
From memory the other series I really liked at the time was the Amtrak Wars.
Following all the suggestions in this post I've now managed to get read Roadside Picnic, Isle of the dead & Eye of the Cat - all really good in their own way. Probably my favourite being Isle of the Dead. Next up is Snow Crash.
Snow crash is one of my favourites 🙂
Gene Wolf's shadow of the torturer. Followed by the rest of the New sun series.
I've been back to read it & listen to it several times.
Also a big Asimov fan. Caves of steel etc. Old but great.
I'd say read the next two Dune books but give up after that.
Lots of good ideas on here though.
Just read The Expanse series by James SA Corey (who is actually two blokes). Not as wonderful as Dune but a good yarn anyway. There are 6 books although only 5 out so far.
Just read The Expanse series by James SA Corey (who is actually two blokes).
This is the SF version of Game of Thrones. Easy reading, easy concepts. It's entertaining but forgettable pulp. And vomit zombies. Cos the world needs more zombies. 😆
I read Snow Crash on holiday this year and thought it was terrific. Couldn't believe it was 25 years old. I also loved his most recent book, Seveneves.
I've got pretty much everything Zelazny wrote, and I love it, but it does tend towards the pulp end of stuff. The Amber series is fun, but I still have a soft spot for Roadmarks.
And if you like your weirdness particularly weird, Samuel R. Delany's Dhalgren is my favourite book ever. I've read it several times over the last 40 years, still don't have a clue what it's about.
Great thread! All, most of the above are worth a read, pretty sure I have nearly all of the above and a few others. Will have a look through and put some up.
I forgot - Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem and its sequels are really good.
IdleJon - Member
Just read The Expanse series by James SA Corey (who is actually two blokes).
This is the SF version of Game of Thrones. Easy reading, easy concepts. It's entertaining but forgettable pulp. And vomit zombies
Totally disagree about it being forgettable and being as vomit zombies make only a very brief appearance, I'm left wondering if you've actually read them all.
Though I really don't get the Zelazney thing either, tried two and just didn't enjoy them or find them at all readable (or humorous), only ground my way though them to see if I was missing something, but were all different with different tastes - otherwise a great thread.
Bobiverse is great fun pulp, missed the recommendation but found it anyways
Totally disagree about it being forgettable and being as vomit zombies make only a very brief appearance, I'm left wondering if you've actually read them all.
Only read the first. It didn't put me off and I will continue reading them (if I see them reduced!), but it wasn't really comparable to Dune.
Also Simon Morden's [url= https://www.orbitbooks.net/metrozone/ ]Metrozone [/url]series
If you liked Dune, Asimov's Foundation Series is a similar theme. Dystopian future, politics, power, science and technology.
If you liked Dune, Asimov's Foundation Series is a similar theme.
The difference between Asimov and Herbert is that Asimov's writing is driven by the Tech and characters are generally somewhat of an afterthought, whereas Herbert's writing focuses on People and the tech is there to support the story.
The difference between Asimov and Herbert is that Asimov's writing is driven by the Tech and characters are generally somewhat of an afterthought, whereas Herbert's writing focuses on People and the tech is there to support the story.
I wouldn't say that's entirely true of Foundation, especially in regard to the tech, it's more about supporting the narrative of the story.
I've never re-read the Book of the New Sun - just set is aside in awe 25 years ago, like Johnson after reading King Lear. So I missed a lot of the deep book I think.imp999 - Member
Gene Wolf's shadow of the torturer. Followed by the rest of the New sun series.
I've been back to read it & listen to it several times.
I saw, though, that a couple of guys [under the name Alzebo soup] are pod-casting discussion of Wolfe's work and the stuff I've heard has been very good. They're tackling Shadow later this year, so I was thinking that might work well with a re-read.
Another vote for Borne by Vandermeer, Annihilation is good too but the second book of that trilogy is probably the most boring thing I have ever had the displeasure to read. Didn't bother with the third book.
Anything by Cordwainer Smith is my top pick. Quite out-there space-y mid 20th century sci-fi (aka the best kind). Start with The Rediscovery of Man.
Bookmarked for holiday reading.
Great book - sold over one million copies! Must be one of the least-read or understood best-sellers in history.onewheelgood - MemberAnd if you like your weirdness particularly weird, Samuel R. Delany's Dhalgren is my favourite book ever. I've read it several times over the last 40 years, still don't have a clue what it's about.
[i]Stars in my pocket like grains of sand [/i]prob my favourite Delany novel - not read too many Sf novels written at that level. One of his last sort-of-mainstream novels before he moved onto other things.
Alistair Reynolds revelation space series gotta be next!
I started this a few weeks ago. Stalled. It's readable, but meh. It's as if some normal non-genius read a Culture novel and thought 'yeah I'll have a crack at that'.
IdleJon.... but it wasn't really comparable to Dune.
Totally agree, I've not read anything, again I've read loads of the suggestions on this thread, that encompasses so much in such a small (or single) book
molgrips - MemberAlistair Reynolds revelation space series gotta be next!
I started this a few weeks ago. Stalled. It's readable, but meh. It's as if some normal non-genius read a Culture novel and thought 'yeah I'll have a crack at that'.
Every time anyone on here talks about Reynolds I make the same comments. I found Revelation Space almost unreadable, and gave up on it after a while. I thought the same as your last comment.
Back on topic and trying to be less critical 😆 , I've been subscribing to Asimovs bimonthly mag for a while - some good stuff in there, although it can be variable. (And I don't read SF poetry!)
Not comparable to Dune but classic in their own respect, I'd recommend Vance's Dying Earth books and Vernor Vinge's A Deepness in the Sky.
Recently read and enjoyed '[i]The Collapsing Empire[/i]' from John Scalzi, author of 'Old Man's War' series.
First novel in a new series, again not really comparable to early Dune, but vastly better written than Hamilton's stuff, with a nice premise.
Which Scalzi should I start with? (Preferably not a series, if possible.)
I really enjoyed Scalzi's fuzzy nation & agent to the stars or maybe red shirts stand alone books, far from serious books but good fun.
Wool by Hugh Howey and it's sequels. Very good.
Just finishing
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-time
Most enjoyable , probably not for arachnophobes !
(I do love a book that starts with someone waking from cryosleep)
+1 for the "children of time", really enjoyed it too, very different from where I (you) initially think it may go(& kept this up!), and a great ending. Which when you can see the book becoming very thin you worry about it being crap/glib or even needing to read (wait for) the sequel.
Unfortunately I was saddened to find it's his first Sci-fi book, but am tempted to check out his fantasy series, as I enjoyed it so much
Try the Field Series (One and Two out now) by Simon Winstanley. I think you either love or hate them because of the writing style, but it's done deliberately and they're really clever. Waiting on book three now...
Also, Wool from Hugh Howey (followed by Shift and Dust). Brilliant.
I read quite a few of these when the series first came out, certainly worth a try:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=SF+Masterworks+i
Edit: The full original series:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SF_Masterworks#Numbered_paperback_series_.281999-2009.29
The SF Masterworks are a good source of decent reading, though it's fair to say that some have aged better than others. I've not long finished and enjoyed Snowcrash - well written and a interesting story environment. I've now moved onto Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson, not sure the writing style is appealing to me so far.
Anyone mentioned Elisabeth moon yet? Both series are very good.
Anybody want a thousand or so paperbacks - mainly golden era stuff?
z1ppy - Member
+1 for the "children of time", really enjoyed it too, very different from where I (you) initially think it may go(& kept this up!), and a great ending. Which when you can see the book becoming very thin you worry about it being crap/glib or even needing to read (wait for) the sequel.
Unfortunately I was saddened to find it's his first Sci-fi book, but am tempted to check out his fantasy series, as I enjoyed it so much
100% agree, so often high concept stuff has a pedestrian ending, this one was a bonus!