SF reading recommendatins

[lyda]

Every few years I ask in various places about suggestions for things to read. Since I just joined here and I haven't asked for suggestions on fiction in a while, I'll try asking here!

I'm not a huge SF reader. For me a lot of SF can come across as preachy or immature, with not a lot of focus on character and story. But when SF does focus on character and story, it can be some of the best fiction I've ever read. Some SF I've really liked:

 * The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
 * Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
 * The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
 * Feed by Mira Grant
 
In all of those there's a character I really get into who gets pushed into a world that challenges them. Or challenges the world they're in. Either is fine! I'm a grumpy lefty atheist so some of those books would seem an odd choice. But I'm happy to brush aside a little religiousity of glibertarianism if there's a good story underneath it.

So... good stuff to read? Anyone?

[Devoted135]

Anything by Alasdair Reynolds is a good bet. I'd start with Revelation Space (first of a trilogy, but has a satisfying ending) or Chasm City (standalone novel). Welcome to the forums, hope to see you around!

[Listener]

China Mieville:
* Embassytown
* Perdido Street Station
* The Scar (sequel to PSS, and a much better book)

[Icky]

I'll go with "Embassytown".  That was really fantastic.  I have a book of short stories written by a fella named F.M.Busby called "Getting Home".  Probably my favorite short story is called "The Puiss of Krrlik".  It is a bit of an anthropological short story told from the eyes of an earth human who is describing what he is witnessing as best he can.  For a long time I considered it a good example of describing something 'alien' in a way that was not "too alien" for the reader to understand.  Understand?
Anyway, "Embassytown" is a bit of an anthropological story itself.  Actually, it makes "The Puiss of Krrlik" look like amateur hour.  F.M.Busby, I still love that story, but, perhaps you should have tried to make a bona fide novel out of it... even still, I suspect you would have had a difficult time competing with the imagination, vocabulary, and story telling of Mr. China Mieville.

I'm not sure if these recommendations have to be 'recent', or not... so I'll just plug ahead and hope for the best.

"The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin.  Another anthropological Sci-Fi.  If ever there were a story told at a particular pace, with a particular standard and particular 'effect', it is this one.  There was virtually NO 'action' to speak of... It was character driven, complex tapestry of an alien culture and one mans experience.  It was sooooo carefully paced that it was indeed a treat to read such a well crafted piece of art.   Although there wasn't any Hollywood-Style action-sequence or anything, I must admit I didn't want the story to end.  I just wanted to keep reading and reading... 

"Time Enough for Love" by R.A. Heinlein.   Just loved it. (as well as a host of Heinlein short stories and a few other of his books...  I don't let his personal politics get in the way of his story telling.)

If you really want to give your psyche a Charlie-Horse, let me recommend you read these 3 books back, to back, to back, without stopping to breathe, eat, or pee!

"Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
"1984" by the one and only George Orwell (or... Eric Blair)
"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

I haven't been the same since.  (I'm a big fan of dystopic future sci-fi, if you couldn't tell)

The "I Robot" series from Asimov.  This was a tremendous look forward as far as I'm concerned.

Arthur C. Clarke...  So many good things to say...

.............

I have to raise a question for the masses at this point.  I've been accused of being an "music snob" and a "sci-fi snob" at various times along the way...  in the context of this 'place', I'm obviously going to address the 'sci-fi' accusation.

I suppose if you accept current thinking about the nature of the "Multiple Universes", then pretty much anything goes...  Absolutely ANYTHING qualifies as "Science Fiction".  A story about an elephant with ears so big he can fly... or of a "square" sponge living at the bottom of the sea with a starfish as his best friend and a crab as his boss...   or any other 'story' would qualify as "Science Fiction", because ALL of these things NECESSARILY DO HAPPEN given an infinite number of universes with an infinite number of possible physical rules and an infinite amount of time....

To me this doesn't qualify as far as we humans are concerned...  at least until we have the potential to actually experience first-hand any of these situations...  and for this reason, any such stories should be considered "Science Fantasy".

The accused 'snob' in me insists that "Science Fiction" includes plausibly experiential Science.  The particularly good science fiction ultimately 'comes true' (e.g. A.C. Clarke's telecommunications satellite).   Dragons and Gods and Magic are pure "fantasy".

Why is this stuff often lumped into "Science Fiction", especially since there is absolutely NO Science in it?

I'm sure that, according to some of you, I've more than earned my 'snob' reputation... but , perhaps, it is you most especially that I'd like to address my concerns. What , exactly, is it that qualifies 'things' for which there is absolutely NO scientific evidence, to be qualified as "Science" Fiction?

....

Where was I?  Oh, yeah....

Next on my list is "The Swallow".  I've heard nothing but good things and I'm looking forward to it.

[InfiniteMonkey]

Iain M. Banks because, well, *sniffle*. And he's an ass-kickingly good space opera writer. My personal fave is The Algebraist, but I'm currently enjoying "Against a Dark Background"

If you liked early Stephenson, I would recommend you try Matt Ruff. And not just because I just finished his delirious "Sewer, Gas, & Electric". Or maybe because it just did. Anyway, it reminded me of early Stephenson.

It''s possible, for Old Stuff, Ray Bradbury might be your speed, esp. Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451. Very poetical, character-driven, not hung up on technology.

Two character -centered space series I can recommend would be the League of Peoples series by James Allen Gardner, and The Academy novels of Jack McDevitt (his other major series is pretty good too, I understand, but I've only read one volume).

[simpo1961]

Reamde by stephenson is similar to  to snow crash in aproach and style also diamond age.
Anything by I m banks is good ( He WAS also a a left wing atheist but not grumpy at all. The only time I met him I was suprised to find that he was extremely voluble have a look at some interviews!) against a dark background is excellent

[evrgrn_monster]

I recently finished Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Essentially The Canterbury Tales with spaceships.

Absolutely beautiful writing with full, interesting characters, awesome descriptions of the various worlds and technologies, and allusions to the masters of literature and poetry. Hits all the buttons of the human experience; parenting, war, love, inspiration, religion. Overall, very enjoyable. Actually had me crying at one part. So cathartic.

Also, seriously some of the steamiest love scenes I have ever read in high-brow sci fi.

[flintknapper]

For me it is setting which makes the book, but if it is character driven stories you like, I would suggest Orson Scott Card's Ender Series. Andrew Wiggan is one of the most memorable characters in science fiction.