Re: good science fiction book
Interesting we're discussing sf, sinse Next up and currently on my victor I've got Embassy town by China mieville to read. I absolutely adored! his steampunk dark fantasy perdido street station (a book I'd recommend to anyone), and if Embassy town his sf offering is half as good it'll be amazing, and I'm informed by friends of mine it certainly is.
Of course, in a few posts when I've read the thing I might come back to this ttopic and curse wrotten, but I don't believe so given Mieville's reputation .
@Cw and Alex, as far as terminology goes, well it's something of a moveable feast, but I personally would use the term "science fiction" or authors who's works are possible within scientific principles or who specifically explore the consequences of scientific or social ideas and science fantasy for the likes of starwars where things are impossible and have what is basically magic, despite all the spaceships etc. This is of course a sliding scale and also changes according to what is scientifically known, but personally which a book is doesn't bother me so long as it's a good story, indeed I'll confess that while I enjoy the interlectual puzzles of really hard, very factual science fiction writers like Clarke or Asimov, I do occasionally find them rather lacking in personality and character.
@Guitarman, I'll have to look up some of those myself, especially this expanse series. Peter F Hamilton I have not read as yet but I did recently pick up his nightsdawn books and plan to give them a go, glad for the recommendation.
[[wow]], I am amazed I forgot Ian M Banks Culture series sinse I read a couple of them not long ago. Very, very awesome, very artistic and beautiful in the writing though by no means easy. Consider Phlebas I liked for the action and suspens
e and what not but found the ending down right disappointing, (I know that was part of Bank's point but it did feel unsatisfying). Player of games however I absolutely loved! (well you know, me and games ).
Invertions I read a long time ago and enjoyed very much, also look to windward, though I plan to continue the series in chronological order with use of weapons.
For reference the reading order is consider Phlebas, Player of games, Use of weapons, state of the art, excession, Invertions, Look to windward, and lastly matter. Ian M banks has also written the stand alone Against a dark background which is extremely good if you like books which are both very thoughtful and also contain a lot of action. The book may or may not take place in the culture universe (sinse it is all set on one alien planet which exists behind a dust cloud).
I can highly recommend
George R r Martin's dying of the light as well, indeed I want to review that one for fantasybookreview.co.uk, and would love to read more of his sf stuff.
One series which nobody has mentioned yet is Frank Herbert's dune, (and I mean Frank Herbert sinse apparently thecontinuations by his son are pretty so so ). They're extremely difficult books, and I don't like the way Herbert can't write casual conversation or dialogue (it's hard to imagine anyone on dune saying "good morning" or "could I have a coffee" without a massive political subtext), but the series are classics for a reason. The ideas are amazing, as is the imagery and style of the thing.
I'd certainly recommend at least the first three, Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. After that things get a wee bit squiffy, though it is quite some time sinse I last read them.
Lastly, Cw, have you checked out the red dwarf books by Rob Grant and doug
nailer? I was reviewing these recently for fantasybookreview.co.uk, and one of the things that struck me when I reread them is that though they are! comedy books, the actual space story is a pretty awesome one taking in some great ideas and concepts with of course the amazing characters that we know and love. Faster than light travel, entering a black hole, an entire planet used as a dump, artificial life etc. Very easy to read (especially sinse they're hilariously funny), but also awesomely good stories, and definitely available in audio with some fine readings by Chris barry and Craig charlese.
Even if you don't know anything about the British Sf comedy series Red dwarf, the books are still fine sinse they tell the story from the beginning.
they are as I said by Rob Grant and Doug Naler, and the books are Infinity favours careful drivers, and better than life. For the third book each of the two authors wrote their own third volume which take the s
tory in different directions. naler wrote a third book called Last Human, (which is to my mind the superior one), and Grant wrote one called backwards, which is fun but not imho up to the others.
either way for more wofflings check out my reviews on fantasybookreview.co.uk, sinse I've reviewed the first two red dwarf novels and will be doing the last two likely this month.
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