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Stephen R Donaldson's "Gap" series is good SF.
Chris Beckett's Dark Eden was good, the other two in the trilogy also worth reading
Peter F Hamilton's Great North Road
Anne McCaffrey's more known as a fantasy author, but has written some good SF
Julian May's Rampart Worlds series, or her Pliocene exile series
For a non-SF recommendation, I've just been introduced to the works of Mick Herron. His Jackson Lamb series starting with "Slow Horses" is excellent. HIGHLY recommended
Feersum Endjin
I don’t think I ever finished that just found it too much effort.
I'm finding I have to read the sections written phonetically out loud to understand them!!
All books are subjective, but for my 2p worth:
Roadside picnic is awesome
Annihilation and the southern reach trilogy are very good
Currently two thirds through childhoods end and enjoying it a lot.
Oh yeah I'd second rosewater. That was very good.
Peter F Hamilton the nights dawn trilogy
The commonwealth saga
The Great North Road was also good as a stand alone
Nights Fawn, my favourite trilogy/sequence ever. If you've never read them you are missing out on an absolute jewel of SF.
Not come up yet (?) but the Rendezvous with Rama series (Clark) is fantastic. First book is old school in a great way, then the books really get going on expanding the first books encounter with Rama.
Easy reading and engrossing stuff.
Oh, the Uplift books are fantastic too, anyone else read those??
Iain m Banks’ works are brilliant. Have you looked at some of his other not so sci-fi works? Check out transitions, a good read and fun concept, and since it’s by him the execution of the story is the familiar style of his culture and space based spin-offs. Sort of sci-fi but not the space bound sort.
Of similar vein I highly recommend works by Claire North, start with ‘the first 15 lives of Harry August’, I went on to read ‘touch’ and have a few more lined up. Engaging stories and in the realm of sci-fi.
If you want a touch of realism in your space opera find the Martian by Andy Weir (they made a Matt Damon film based on it). Enjoyed the book. One step on and I’m reading ‘an astronauts guide to life on earth’ by Chris Hadfield, and have another ‘Endurance’ by Scott Kelly lined up...
For a laugh read ‘ready player one’
I enjoyed Sundiver, Startide Rising and the Uplift War. A well crafted universe and I love the idea that when we get out there we find that the big boys are maniacal environmental zealots.
Larry Niven for more old school, RingWorld, an Inconstant Moon, Protector are all a good read. Mote in Gods Eye and The Gripping Hand as well.
+1 For Harry Harrison, The Stainless Steel Rat series (love his description of time travel).
Nights [D]awn, my favourite trilogy/sequence ever. If you’ve never read them you are missing out on an absolute jewel of SF.
Not sure I'd call it a jewel, but it's certainly entertaining. The follow up trilogy was pretty awful, though - he needs a better editor.
The SF Masterworks series is a good call, there's some great stuff there that you might not otherwise consider.
And a non-fiction science suggestion: Grunt, by Mary Roach. All about military science, but no guns or bombs. Her writing style is a bit marmite, but the subject matter is fascinating and I enjoyed it. Review here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/jun/13/grunt-mary-roach-review-military-science
@shiato storm - I’ve read a few of his other works, but not Transitions, I’ll give it a go. I did wonder after reading Use of Weapons if The Vanguard organisation gave him the idea for The Business.
+1 Larry Niven just for the sheer scale of the Ringworld and the known space series.
Also really enjoyed N.J.Jemison and although not Sci-Fi, Patrick Rothfuss 'Kingkiller' chronicles was a good read, although you may want to wait till he finishes the third book before you start.....
I have just read The Themis Files trilogy whilst on holiday. It made a boring poolside holiday more bearable.
Aliens and giant robots! what not to like!
If you like diamond-hard science fiction that’s almost impossible to read sometimes (and I do), check out Greg Egan. Permutation City wormed a permanent place into my mind.
I think Ian M Banks’ The Culture is the society we should be working towards, but can’t help but wonder if we should go via Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed on the way. Collaborator Johnson will probably take us to The Hunger Games though...
I really enjoyed the Troy Rising series by John Ringo. It is at the slightly lighter end of the scale for reading when compared to Iain M Banks, similar to John Scalzi's Old Mans War in that sense.
Troy Rising Series:
1: Live Free or Die
2: Citadel
3: The Hot Gate
Lots of recommendations for Peter F Hamilton, good to see, I only recently found his books after a friend recommended as an alternative to Ian M Banks. I have spectacular enjoyed the Commonwealth Saga, and then also the Void Trilogy.
They are not short, or even medium sized, books (!!!), but great character driven stories with some wonderful mind bending future ideas that I found easy enough to grasp, and cool enough to make me love.
Superb
Stuff I have liked recently:
Adrian Tchaikovsky - Children of Time, Dogs of War
Marina J Lostetter - Noumenon
Michael Faber - The Book of Strange New Things.
I think Ian M Banks’ The Culture is the society we should be working towards
I would disagree with this, obviously.
Why’s that then?
Socialism!
User name.
Ahh! You considered phlebus 😀
Socialism!
TJ - Are you calling me a Tory?
I’ve just finished the Ancillary trilogy (which I enjoyed).
Thanks for the rec.
Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed
^^^^^^^^^
might not suit those who prefer their sci-fi to read like a 900-page technical manual, but I loved it 🙂
If you want a touch of realism in your space opera find the Martian by Andy Weir
Ah yes, the "realism" of the Chinese ruining their space program for years to come to recuse a corn fed farm boy...