Post your favorite science fiction book(s)

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DeaconBlues
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11 Mar 2008, 4:04 pm

The originally-published version, or the more recent Author's Cut, krex?

From what I could tell, it looks like the original publisher decided the book was too long, and cut out about half the character development in order to make more room for the sex. At least, the character motivations seemed to make a frak of a lot more sense in the second version than the first.


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krex
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11 Mar 2008, 4:18 pm

The one I read says 1987 but also says that it is the original hard cover edition.


The last 1/4 of the book was not easy to get through.He brought up so many great issues in the first 3/4 then seemed to get bogged down in a bunch of "free love" propaganda.Not that I think this is unattainable by highly evolved humans but it sure didnt work for most of the "swingers" in the 70's,(like giving a semi-automatic to a baby..there's bound to be trouble).


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12 Mar 2008, 3:04 am

Great Apes by Will Self. It's much better than Planet of the Apes.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is my second favourite.



zee
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12 Mar 2008, 3:10 am

The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula LeGuin.

Possibly the best book ever!

I thought 1984 was very boring.



darkstone100
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12 Mar 2008, 7:37 am

Ender's Game-Orson Scott Card



DeaconBlues
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12 Mar 2008, 10:06 am

Under Spider Robinson, I forgot to include Stardance (although I thought the other two Stardancer novels were kind of weak), and I should also have noted that Callahan's Con was about the seventh or eighth book in the Callahan's series, while Lady Slings the Booze was the second in the two-part Lady Sally series. Lady Slings the Booze can be read without reference to any of the other books, but you'll miss some of the in-jokes if you haven't read at least Callahan's Crosstime Saloon and Time Travelers Strictly Cash.


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Last edited by DeaconBlues on 16 Mar 2008, 8:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sand
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12 Mar 2008, 11:13 am

Somebody here thinks Aspies are as well equipped as Martian trainees as of "Stranger in a Strange Land" I would be very curious to learn if anybody here could shift an enemy into higher dimensions or do a bit of telekinesis.



ouinon
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12 Mar 2008, 4:04 pm

I second
the Complete short stories of Philip K Dick ( brilliant!)
"I, Robot", "Nightfall", and some/many other short stories by Asimov
"The Dispossessed" Ursula K LeGuin
some Ray Bradbury
sci-fi by H G Wells.
"The Black Cloud" by Hoyle

:!: I propose
"The Day of the Triffids", "The Midwich Cuckoos", "The Kraken Awakes", "The Trouble with Lichen", and other stories by JOHN WYNDHAM ! ! :D


The TV series SG1 before O'Neil was retired.
The Andromeda Strain, and many many sci-fi films.

8)



darkstone100
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13 Mar 2008, 8:01 pm

I just fininished these recently:
2001, a space odyssey, 2010 and 2061



Scytale
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15 Mar 2008, 8:03 am

Not into a wide variety of sci fi books. More into sci-fi TV/movies:
-- Star Wars. Huge fan from the very beginning as a 7-yr old boy in 1977.
-- Star Trek. Wouldn't consider self a Trekie but have seen most of it in syndication over time.
-- Battlestar Galactica. Liked original series when it 1st came out. Still, Galactica 1980 was :eew: except for the episode with Starbuck in it. Haven't had chance to see much of the new series but heard it's good and will check it out on DVD someday.
-- The Buck Rogers series from the '80s. Cheesy & campy but fun nonetheless. Erin Gray was very hot in her day. :cyclopsani:
-- Haven't seen Red Dwarf yet but want to. Chris Barrie was awesome in The Brittas Empire (can't wait for that one to finally be available on US format [Region 1] DVD).

As far as sci-fi books go, haven't read much but have a passion for certain ones:
-- Dune series. Finally got around to reading Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune last year (as well as re-reading God Emperor of Dune). Have hesitated to give the newer Kevin Anderson/Brian Herbert books a try just because they're not by Frank Herbert himself. Probably will some day.
-- The Timothy Zahn-authored Star Wars "Thrawn" trilogy (Heir To The Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command). Three of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. From a story-telling standpoint, I thought these were far superior to any of the movies. Excelent character development and brillant use of mystery elements and military tactics/strategy.
-- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Never actually finished the 1st book (have to do that someday). Liked the old BBC TV mini-series. Tried playing the old "Zork"-like computer game as a teenager, but got very frustrated with how difficult and illogical it was (done on purpose to mess with players heads). Took me years to figure out how to get ahold of the babel fish (and had to cheat by finding out from someone else). :wall:



Afroman
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15 Mar 2008, 12:40 pm

Atm my fave Science Fiction books make up The Horus Heresy series

Horus Rising - by Dan Abnett
False Gods - by Graham McNeill
Galaxy in Flames - by Ben Counter
The Flight of the Eisenstein - by James Swallow
Fulgrim - by Graham McNeill
Descent of Angels - by Mitchel Scanlon
Legion - by Dan Abnett


All rly good books that bring light to the dark shadows that make up Warhammer 40k lore

I just finished Legion..... and well that book left me surprised I cant wait for the next one.....Battle for the Abyss by Ben Counter

Tho imo Fulgrim and Horus Rising are the best out of the series so far



Irulan
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15 Mar 2008, 2:03 pm

"Naked sun" Asimov
"All by Bradbury
Collection of stories "Pilgrims of time" Wolfgang Jeschke
Penelope Bailey series Mike Resnick
"The Ophiuchi Hotline", "Millennium" John Varley
"Hearts, Hands and Voices" Ian Mcdonald



Irulan
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15 Mar 2008, 2:44 pm

Sand wrote:
The Cyberiad - Stanislaus Lem


I didn't know Stanislaw Lem's novels were translated into Finnish. Have you read also the collection Mortal Engines as well? Mortal Engines is the only book of this author I like. I had to read also his stories about Pirx at school when I was 13 but it was boring and everything I remember boils down to Pirx being put into sensory deprivation tank and to his partner whose head ripped off during some accident in spacecraft.



Thor
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15 Mar 2008, 5:41 pm

My favourite science fiction books are:
The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson:
Red Mars
Green Mars
Blue Mars
and if you read these 3, then you can read:
The Martians



Zonder
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15 Mar 2008, 5:59 pm

The dystopian novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

Z



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16 Mar 2008, 2:30 am

I've been reading Sci-fi for nigh on 40 years, and have almost everything listed (about 1,600 paperbacks and hardbacks)....and I gotta pick just one?...;)

Sheesh, even authors are too many to list
Heinlein
Turtledove
Farmer
Dickson
Stirling
Forstchen
Piper
Asimov
Clarke
Anderson (poul)
Pratchett

and the list goes on...and on...and on...;)