Does anybody read scf-fi anymore?

I'm currently reading William Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy. Just finished Neuromancer and am about to begin reading Count Zero. It's a toss up between Robert Heinlein's Stranger In A Strange Land and Frank Herbert's Dune as my most favorite Sci Fi novels of all time. But Asimov's Foundation series and Robot series hold a special place in my heart. Arthur C. Clarke is just astounding. It's as if modern technologists read his novels and go to work. He's just a GIANT in every sense of the word. Also deserving special mention is David Brin's Uplift Trilogy. Specifically, Brightness Reef. That novel is amazing -- just amazing. I mean I was with those dolphins and whales deep in the oceans. What a great novel that one is. And my final two favorite authors are Philip K. Dick and Octavia E. Butler. Philip K. Dick we know all about. Octavia E. Butler's Xenogenesis series blew my mind! Just unbelievable storytelling. Check that out if you haven't.

Read it, listen to it, watch it, cant get enough of it. Write music about it.

- Jack of all Trades

I know this thread is quite old, but I guess it's never too late to reply

Favourite books? OK just saying it, I read few a Star Trek novels in my life, but seriously, it didn't work out. It was kind of an ephemeral fly. After a few months I had enough of it.

Favourite books:

Ghostbusters I + 2
Back to the Future I + 2 + 3
The Hobbit
Lord of the Rings
Robert A Monroe's books: Journeys out of the Body, Far Journeys, Ulitmate Journey

At the moment I am reading three books:

1. The Holographic Universe
2. re-reading Journeys out of the Body
3. Photoshop

In addition to reading I listen to podcasts a lot.

I am not sure how many young people are still reading books. I guess it's not hip anymore to have printed paper (except money which is printed paper too).

Greetings



[edit on 12-2-2009 by TheWriter]

Anyone who LOVES science fiction should try to read 'The Star Maker' by Olaf Stapeldon. He died in 1955, the year I was born. The book is out of print but can still be found.

This man must have experianced something extraordinary in his life to inspire him to write this book. His ideas and insights are fantastic.

Want to meet aliens? You will find many different types in this book. Travel forward and backwards through time. Move through space at the speed of thought. Find out how vast the universe really is. Like battles in space? You have never imagined anything so vast as what he will show you. How do nebula feel when they condense to the point of making stars? What do stars think? What if you met the creator of the universe and found that.... Ahh, I don't want to ruin it.

Not the easiest read but I promise, once read you will never forget it.

[edit on 8-3-2009 by miketwosix]

[edit on 8-3-2009 by miketwosix]

reply to post by Janus


Necroscope is a great series. Read it years ago.

I haven't read scifi in years but one I remember from my youth was something called The Deathworld Trilogy. Anyone remember that one?

I also liked Jules Verne quite a bit, especially 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

And someone mentioned L. Ron Hubbard. His book Battlefield: Earth was excellent even if the movie sucked big time.



[edit on 9-3-2009 by TheComte]

[edit on 9-3-2009 by TheComte]

reply to post by Mizar


If you like Asimov you should try his mystery stories, The Black Widowers Mysteries.

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Allen Steele. "Clarke County Space" is one of his best.

I suspect the people who read most are the older generation. It's sad, really, that people have lost their attention span and imagination and patience.

Favourite authors would be Greg Bear, whose / (Slant) is one of the best SF books ever, IMO, Frank Herbert, and Iain M. Banks. Also Peter F Hamilton is great fun (though he besmirched his record with the finale of the Reality Dysfunction trilogy. Talk about deus ex machina... such a disappointment, all the more so because what came before it was so great.

I also like Orson Scott Card's Ender series, and Brian Anderson's The Saga of Seven Suns series, which is as addictive and trashy as junk food. Proper space opera.

In regards to "speculative fiction" there is one group of books I would recommend to all of you and that is the "Dangerous Visions" anthological trilogy compiled by Harlan Ellison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have yet to read the final book in the series, but with the first two under my belt I can say without a doubt that this is the most profound collection of brilliant writing that I have ever been fortunate enough to partake of!!!

Especially, the first book in the series is without equal IMHO!!!!

Each book in the series is a compilation of short stories by both the "heavyweights" in SF and others who are relatively unknown.


I am beyond grateful that there was finally a second printing of the first book in the series decades after 1969 because my first print copy was STOLEN by some scalawag!

IMHO it gets ***** stars!!!












[edit on 25-7-2009 by Snisha]

Originally posted by rich23
I also like Orson Scott Card's Ender series.

I loved those...especially Ender's Game.

I'm currently reading The Eye of the Sybil, a Philip K Dick anthology of short stories. Lovely they are too.

I do and have just finished Helliconia Summer and now looking for Helliconia Winter which I know I did have.

I rarely read Sci-fi back to back.

Earlier this year re-read the Rama series

[edit on 29-7-2009 by Freedom ERP]

After I posted my thread (see link below) "What series S-F books are your favorite?" I got quite a few replies. So, yes, science fiction is alive and well. Here is that link:

www.belowtopsecret.com...

When I have to travel by air, I always stop by Fry's Electronics store first and buy a copy of Analog magazine, which features science fiction stories and novellas. Analog, I think, is the longest-running science fiction magazine. The quality of the writing is almost always excellent, and the magazine is small enough to easily fit into my carry-on luggage.

I tend to go more for fantasy, but Tara K. Harper and Anne McCaffrey (Crystal Singer is awesome) are some of my favourites. I also like McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series, but she is an overall good sci fi authour.

I absolutely love sci-fi books. But I agree, no one seems to read anymore. Kids of today have short attention spans.
Unfortunately we don't have the greatest of selections at my local Dymocks