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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Dune on December 09, 2001, 01:16:00 AM

Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Dune on December 09, 2001, 01:16:00 AM
TLoR thread gave me this idea.  My favorites would have to be:

Uller Uprising, Space Pirates, Lord Kalvan, and Lone Star Planet by H. Beam Piper

West of Honor by Jerry Pournelle

Retief and Bolo novels by Keith Lamaur

Soldier Ask Not, Dorsai, and Wolfling by Gordon R. Dickson

The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag, Glory Road, Job: A Comedy of Justice, and all the Lazarus Long books by Robert A. Heinlein

Star Rangers by Andre Norton

The Hammer's Slammers and General series by David Drake

Footfall by Pournelle and Larry Niven

The Chtorr series by David Gerrold

The Beserker series by Fred Saberhagen

Passage at Arms by Glen Cook

Starhammer by Christopher Rowley (a real sleeper hit)

The Dune series by Frank Herbert.  The prequels by his son are good too.

...well, as you can see, I haven't met many sci-fi books I didn't like   :)

So, what are yours?
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: funkedup on December 09, 2001, 01:34:00 AM
Neal Stephenson
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Raubvogel on December 09, 2001, 01:35:00 AM
Anything by Robert Heinlein.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Horn on December 09, 2001, 02:09:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Dune:
So, what are yours?

Isaac Asimov?
Theodore Sturgeon?
Robert Silverberg?
Ray Bradbury?

Wish I could remember the lady that wrote "Lathe of Heaven".....

dh
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Horn on December 09, 2001, 02:15:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Dune:
Lord Kalvan, and Lone Star Planet by H. Beam Piper


Which segues nicely--Lord Kalvan (cpid #3046)was the handle of the designer of Air Warrior <RIP> IIRC.  :cool:

dh
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: the_hegemon on December 09, 2001, 03:14:00 AM
Ringworld - Larry Niven
Red Mars, Blue Mars, and Green Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson
The Ender's Game set of books - Orson Scott Card
Battlefield Earth, and the 10 volume "Invasion Earth" series - L Ron Hubbard
Philip K Dick
Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy et al - Douglas Adams

just to name a few that have yet to be mentioned...
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Red Ant on December 09, 2001, 04:16:00 AM
Philip K Dick
Stanislaw Lem
A.E. Van Vogt
Samuel R Delaney
Frank Herbert ( particularly The Dosadi Experiment and Whipping Star)
Larry Niven (but not with pournelle - Pournelle makes my skin crawl)
Greg Bear
Gregory Benford
David Brin
K.W.Jeter
Neal Stephenson

The further I get from adolescence, the less i like Heinlein
  :eek:
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Gunthr on December 09, 2001, 05:13:00 AM
Harlan Ellison- "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream", et al

Isaac Asimov "I, Robot", et al
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: leonid on December 09, 2001, 06:29:00 AM
C.J.Cherryh
Phillip K.Dick
Niven
Orson Scott Card
Dan Simmons
Robert Charles Wilson
James P.Hogan
William Gibson
Frank Herbert
David Brin
Greg Bear

Thanks for joggling my memory, Anton  :)

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: leonid ]
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Leslie on December 09, 2001, 06:31:00 AM
"The Giants" omnibus novel series by James P. Hogan is very good reading.  Also read "Journeys to Otherwhere", which is good, by Hogan.  I'm not too keen on Sci-Fi literature, but I thought these were good reads.

Les
SC-Bama
SCLeslie   :)

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: SC-Bama ]
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Nashwan on December 09, 2001, 06:37:00 AM
Gene Wolfe
Iain M Banks
Larry Niven
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Leslie on December 09, 2001, 06:41:00 AM
There was another one titled "Guns of the Confederacy", which was interesting, but it's been years since I read it, and can't remember the author.  It dealt with a time machine and AK-47s which were supplied to Robert E. Lee during the War Between the States.  Hehe, in this one, the South wins the war.  Good reading for you Civil War buffs.

Les
SC-Bama
SCLeslie  :)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Karnak on December 09, 2001, 06:43:00 AM
David Brin (Uplift Series, particularly Startide Rising and The Uplift War)
Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game)
Arthur C. Clarke (Randevous with Rama)
Frank Herbert (Dune, but only the fist Dune book)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Broes on December 09, 2001, 06:52:00 AM
Frank Herbert with the complete Dune series
Peter Hamilton with Night's Dawn Trilogy
Heinlein with A Door into Summer
Douglas Adams with The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Broes

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: Broes ]
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Daff on December 09, 2001, 07:12:00 AM
Philip K. Dick
Iain M. Banks
Neal Stephenson
Neil Hamilton
Bruce Sterling

Daff
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: capt. apathy on December 09, 2001, 07:26:00 AM
i'm more into the fantasy half of the fantasy/sci-fi section.

Robert Jordan- WoT
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Swager on December 09, 2001, 08:25:00 AM
Terry Brooks  -  Shannara Series
Fred Saberhagen - Lost Swords Series
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Staga on December 09, 2001, 08:31:00 AM
Erich Von Däniken   ;)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Tac on December 09, 2001, 08:56:00 AM
LOL staga. True indeed!

Frank Herbert (Dune, Soul Catcher, Jesus Incident..damn nearly EVERY book he wrote!)
Douglas Adams (Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy)
David Brin (all Uplift books!)
Heinlein (Left Hand of Darkness)
Artur C. Clarke (all the Space Odyssey books, The Hammer of God)
Peter Hamilton (Reality Dysfunction books & all sequels.."Night's Dawn" I think the whole thing was called).
Clifford D. Simak ("City")
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Kratzer on December 09, 2001, 09:58:00 AM
Phillip K. Dick
J.G. Ballard
William Gibson

I think that the sci-fi short stories of the 50s/60s are the epitome of all fiction, but these are they guys whose novels I read. I used to read a lot more, but now I mainly read non-fiction about WWII with a novel here and there.

EDIT: Oh, and Heinlein is good too.

[ 12-09-2001: Message edited by: Kratzer ]
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Kratzer on December 09, 2001, 10:02:00 AM
Red Ant - I take it you've read Lem's 'Cyberiad'? That is some great, funny stuff!
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Harppa on December 09, 2001, 11:04:00 AM
Robert Holdstock, and number one from his production: Mythago Wood. Great story which won some prizes when published, and which I couldn't leave from my hand before reading the whole book.

Harppa
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Hangtime on December 09, 2001, 01:16:00 PM
Heinlein.. Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Man Who Sold the Moon, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Farnhams Freehold.

Niven.. Ringworld, The ARM stories (ORGANLEGGERS!!!!  LOL!), Lucifers Hammer, Footfall, and the finest pair of SF Future History stories ever written... The Mote in Gods Eye, and The Gripping Hand.

I enjoy most of the old stuff.. Harry Harrison and his Stainless Steel Rat stories were a great diversionary read; still great IMHO.

There was a series.. The Beserkers.. who wrote that?

The vintage Spider Robinson was a breath of fresh air right when SF went campy and stale. I have no idea who's good nowadys; ain't picked up a SF novel in 20 years.

So, who writes like Niven, thinks like Heinlein, and can grab your soul like the Spider could now?
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Serapis on December 09, 2001, 01:28:00 PM
Arthur C. Clarke

charon
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Pongo on December 09, 2001, 01:36:00 PM
The list presented here is pretty hard to add too... but
The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon.  

and probably
Honor Harrington series by David Weber.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: steely07 on December 09, 2001, 07:30:00 PM
Gotta agree hang,larry niven/jerry pournelle and the Mote books are great
Philip jose Farmer,Riverworld is cool
Arthur C 'o course
Micheal Moorcock,Nomad of Time,(reading atm,again)
H.P Lovecraft
Jules Verne (oldies but goodies)
John Wyndham (i think he wrote Day of the triffids?)
James Blish,After Such Knowledge,Highly recommended
Lots more but all my books in boxes atm
PS like this thread  :),very interesting to see what y'all read.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: steely07 on December 09, 2001, 07:38:00 PM
Horn,lathe of heaven,Ursula K Le Guin  :)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Hangtime on December 09, 2001, 07:49:00 PM
MOTIES RULE!!!

Ahhhh yess.. Capt Blaine's Imperial Cruiser MacArthur; the motie emmisary ship free falling into the sun.. the Russian Admiral.. wot wuz his name... Lermontov. A pisser. The expedition to the mote; the watchmakers and the loss of the MacArthur and then the midshipmen, the evacuation under fire, the battle across the system to the jump point; then the Blockade. And of course, the Arab bad guy, His Emminince, Trader Bury.... and the watchmakers in his oxy tank... hehehehhehhee.

I'm gonna blow the dust off my old tattered copy of Mote In Gods Eye and get lost again.  :) Hail Niven!
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: capt. apathy on December 09, 2001, 08:28:00 PM
can't believe i forgot about the mote, haven't even thought about it in years.  great read
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Tac on December 09, 2001, 08:42:00 PM
Damn I forgot the moties!

Did you know they made a 2nd book? "The Gripping Hand". I read the 2nd one before I read the first. Damn good book.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Dune on December 09, 2001, 08:56:00 PM
Hang...Wasn't Lermontove the head of the Fleet in Pournelle's Sparta series?

Which were damn good books btw.  Col Falkenberg rules.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: streakeagle on December 09, 2001, 09:18:00 PM
I must be alone... not one reply in all of these mentioned one of the greats:

Poul Anderson

I stumbled onto his short stories in the 10th grade for a book report... and have read almost everything he ever published including his early fantasy works. I wish I had the time to reread everything he wrote.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Hangtime on December 09, 2001, 09:51:00 PM
Yep; I think you're right.. Pournelle and Nivens Future History stories mingled, they traded characters and incidents and of course co-authored the Mote stories.

Pournelles "Legions" series, what was his name.... Ah; Col. Falkenberg!! Yes! The Co-Dominium, and the "Fleet", the 'First Imperium' was it??

I think the Russian Admiral (Kutuzov??) I'm refering too was on the Imperial Battleship Lermontov, named after the Co-Dominium founder in Pornelles Mercinary sagas.  I think. Or was it the Lenin? Been a loooooong time, but man; did I lust after that stuff 25 years ago.

Hey remember Kevin Renner?? The 'draftee' Sailing Master? "Nitwit ideas are for emergencies. You use them when you've got nothing else to try. If they work, they go in the Book. Otherwise you follow the Book, which is largely a collection of nitwit ideas that worked." ...  heheh, that guy was a rip.  ;)

Oh yah!! Remember the Man-Kazin Wars?? "Here,, kitty kitty... " Muahahhahahha! Those were fun too.  :)

Check with me inna week; after I dig out that crate of Niven and Pournelle I got stashed in the attic..
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: majic on December 09, 2001, 10:17:00 PM
Ooh, there's lots.


Steakley (Armor...Highly recommend this one.)

Cole and Bunch (Sten series...very          entertaining)

Hubbard (Battlefield Earth...disregard movie, book is great.)

Laumer's Bolo series (shorts, not novels)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Zigrat on December 09, 2001, 10:20:00 PM
robert jordan
ray feist
lloyd alexander
terry brooks
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Horn on December 09, 2001, 10:25:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Steely07:
Horn,lathe of heaven,Ursula K Le Guin   :)

Of course! Much obliged!  :)

I too liked the Riverworld series. What a concept!

dh
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Ghosth on December 09, 2001, 11:25:00 PM
OF all the war nuts in here I can't believe I havn't seen David Drake listed yet. (If so my apoligies, was skimming my way down fast)

Hammers Slammers is a classic and he goes on from there.

Heinlein is indeed the master in many respects. Anderson, easy to slip into any of his books and be gone for a day or 3.

Niven is good, got to meet him back in 96 in Winnipeg. Short stumpy irrascible little man with a mind like a a General products # 3 hull.  :)

Andre Norton's always been a favorite of mine. Even if she does aim more towards a younger audience.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Hangtime on December 09, 2001, 11:57:00 PM
That was it! Keith Laumer... the Beserker series!

right??

arrrgh! where's that fediddlein box!
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Exile on December 10, 2001, 12:09:00 AM
Ahhh ... one of my favorite subjects  :)

W.T. Quick (great cyberpunk)
- Dreams of Flesh and Sand
- Dreams of Gods and Men

William Gibson (the ultimate in cyberpunk)
- Neuromancer, Count Zero, some really good shorts in Burning Chrome

Steven R. Donaldson
- The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (these were a bit wordy when I first read them and they still are, but I love them every time I read em)

Julian May (great mix of a little fantasy and sci-fi, very good characters)
- The Saga of the Plieocene Exile

Jack L. Chalker (can get a little strange, but always great stories)
- The Rings of the Master
- Soul Riders series

Raymond E. Feist (wow!)
- anything and everything

Melanie Rawn (more great character development)
- Dragon Prince series
- Dragon Star series

George R. Martin
- A Game of Thrones (slow building story, but very engrossing)

Terry Goodkind
- Wizard's First Rule (typical good vs evil, but with some pretty interesting twists)

there really are just too many to list, but those were a few that I really liked that weren't mentioned multiple times alreay
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Red Ant on December 10, 2001, 02:29:00 AM
The Berserker series was Fred Saberhagen  :)

And since we are now talking fantasy, the bastard child of fsci-fi...

David Eddings!!!! Big kudos to him & his wife Leigh for NOT following in Tolkien's footsteps like 90% of the other fantasy writers!

Also
Raymond Feist
Mervyn Peake
George R. Martin
David Gemmel
Michael Moorcock
Philip Jose Farmer

 I'm sure i'm missing a few, but its late  :)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: steely07 on December 10, 2001, 03:41:00 AM
Oooooo,Mervyn peake,now where's that copy of Ghormenghast.............?  :)
Great thread BTW
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Tyro48 on December 10, 2001, 04:45:00 AM
Anything by Larry Niven  :)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: deSelys on December 10, 2001, 06:20:00 AM
Peter F. Hamilton - Night's Dawn Trilogy although the end is a bit disappointing...I can't recommand it too much...

His last novel, 'Fallen Dragon', is ex-cel-lent!
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Ghosth on December 10, 2001, 07:49:00 AM
Ohh we've let Fantasy in the door at last?
LOL

Anne MaCafrey, queen of them all IMO.

Dennis L McKiernan writes good stuff thats a lot like Tolkien's style without actually copying.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: -sudz- on December 10, 2001, 09:57:00 AM
Iain M Banks - Culture!
Christopher Rowley - (Dune, did u know he did 2 sequels to Starhammer?) Before he started the battle dragon stuff
Tim Powers - What psycho drugs did this guy take.
David Brin - Uplift
Orson Scot Card - before he got contemptuous of his audience

If anyone knows of any new authors that are like those listed above let me know.  i'm having a hard time lately finding new, good stuff.

-sudz

PS this thread is like the bookstore:  it starts out with all cool sci-fi and then fantasy comes in and starts pushing it off the shelves
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: -lynx- on December 10, 2001, 10:55:00 AM
Leonid got it first - CJ Cherryh without a doubt. Dancer (from WB) recommended her and now I'm totally hooked - got everything she's ever written, can't wait for more. Can't read many others now - they simply don't measure up.
 
Quote
Anne MaCafrey, queen of them all IMO.
 
But of course she is - sending gypsies as part of a contingent to colonise a planet 6000 light years away complete with ponies and wagons... Oh please. :rolleyes: Next thing you know someone will come up with a statement that Arthur C Clark could add two & two together in his later years :D :D Sorry Ghosht - I just can't stand the woman although I did honestly try to read some of her books - nothing personal, OK? :)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Krusher on December 10, 2001, 03:54:00 PM
Harry Harrison !


Krush (Stainless Steel Rat)
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: qts on December 10, 2001, 04:30:00 PM
I wouldn't know where to begin. I have read widely and enjoyed many, too many to recall. There are many good books in this category and I'll leave it at that.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: lemur on December 10, 2001, 04:44:00 PM
Geeze, not one mention of Gene Wolfe?

The best of this stuff are the 2 'sun' series.

The book of the new sun series: Originally 4 books, reprinted into a 2 volume set.

The book of the long sun series:

Both of these series are SF, but they read a bit like fantasy. Sort of a Medaeval high tech world.

The first series won the Hugo, the Nebula, the yadda yadda. I think it pretty much won every award you can win.

If you haven't, run out and read it NOW.

~Lemur
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: midnight Target on December 10, 2001, 04:45:00 PM
The Foundation Series by Azimov...wow! And no big flashy crap either, just good writing.

My alltime favorite book as a science and history buff is also by Azimov...The Biographical Encyclopedia of Science. It is out of print now, but very well done.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Jack55 on December 10, 2001, 06:12:00 PM
Larry Niven's known space series are excellent.  Although, I didn't care for the ring world books in the series.

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/327Y7I1NUNSD6/qid=/sr=/ref=lm_ol_4/002-6531783-2132823>

The Man-Kzin Wars series of novellas are also good. They are set in Niven's known space, but are mostly written by authors other than Niven.
Title: Favorite Sci-Fi Novel/Author?
Post by: Sundog on December 10, 2001, 06:18:00 PM
William Gibson's - Neuromancer, CountZero, Mona Lisa Overdrive Series

Bruce Sterling - everything

Neal Stephenson - Everything, but most definitely 'Cryptonomicon'

Phillip K. Dick - Everything (Too bad hollywood ruined the original script for 'Total Recall' - Blade Runner ended up being one of my all time favorites though.)

Robert Anton Wilson/Robert Shea - The Illuminatus Trilogy (Not sure where this belongs (Ontological Anarchy?) but it sort of fits here.) Fnord!!

William Shakespeare - The Tempest (Besides, Forbidden Planet was based on this  :) -)

Tolkien's LOTR - Where I learned to enjoy the gift of reading.

Frank Herbert's Dune

I have read many of the others you guys listed, but those above are my favorites  :) (Did anyone mention Roger Zelazny?)