Science Fiction Book Recommendation Please

[Davonu]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)

[JohnN]

Dune series by Frank Herbert

[cjrjck]

Try Jack McDevitt. You can look him up on Wikipedia. He has quite a few novels that involve the character Alex Benedict with A Talent For War being the first in the series. My favorite book by him is probably The Engines of God and revolves around another character Priscilla Hutchins who appears in a number of his books.

[blueash]

Old Man's War
Honor Harrington series

[Taltarzac725]

The Martian and some of his other books as well. Project Hail Mary was very different. Andy Weir - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Weir)

Project Hail Mary - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Hail_Mary)

The Martian (Weir novel - Wikipedia) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(Weir_novel))

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

For sci fi humor, Douglas Adams is awesome. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the first in his famous series.

For super-complex, heady, incredibly long, multi-threaded stuff, Neil Stephenson is the ticket. Be forewarned - he is a genius and doesn't think like normal people think, and his plots can be difficult to follow. I'm currently in the last half of "Reamde," which is over 1000 pages long. I've been working on it for over a month. Definitely not light reading.

For classic futuristic socio-science fiction, Robert Heinlein - anything he writes, but especially the Lazarus Long books (which can be read in any order) and one of the most famous sci-fi books in history, Stranger in a Strange Land. I've read every book and short story he's written, including his letters to his publisher, collected and published by his wife, after his death.

[RCJ61]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)
Wool by Hugh Howey

[opinionist]

The Expanse by James S. A. Correy
The first book is Leviathan Wakes

[opinionist]

For ultimate end of the world drama (some survive)
When Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer
After Worlds Collide is the sequel

[Snakster66]

I will always put in a vote for Isaac Asimov Foundation books on this topic. If you've read them, then any other books by Asimov would also prove to be good reads.

Piers Anthony, though known more for fantasy, does some good sci-fi as well. Maybe Bio of a Space Tyrant series.

I will also second the vote for humor in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Also good for humor in the genre is Phule's Company and subsequent books by Robert Aspirin (on the fantasy side, his Myth Inc. books are hysterical).

I also enjoy some books in the Star Wars universe. I particularly enjoyed the Darth Bane trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn

[Dusty_Star]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)


Newly published or classics?

[Davonu]

Newly published or classics?
Either would be welcome. But I’m reasonably familiar with the classics, so something new would be very welcome.

[MplsPete]

I've enjoyed Childhood's End by A. Clarke.

More generally, if you Google Best Sci-fi novels you will get several lists.

[AZ SLIM]

I've tried some of the newer writings. I prefer the classics. Although I have read about 10 newer books, I really can't recommend any of them. Lot's of good suggestions above about classics. If you see something you haven't read yet, go for it.

[PatShan]

Lightning by Dean Koontz

[mikef65]

Agree. The series early on spends effort describing the orbital mechanics required for intersystem navigation as well as great battle sequences.

Old Man's War
Honor Harrington series

[sharonl7340]

Roger Zelazny when Gravity Falls

[arbajeda]

Everything by Robert Heinlein, especially the Lazarus Long series.

Lazarus Long - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_Long)

[roscoguy]

I don't read a lot of science fiction these days, but I ran across the Murderbot series by Martha Wells a couple years ago and thought they were worth reading.

Joe Haldeman was one of my very favorite SF authors and I especially liked his earlier works such as Mindbridge, The Forever War & All My Sins Remembered. I've read each of these several times over the decades. Another reread favorite is Mayflies by Kevin O'Donnell Jr.

[kschwi]

Lightning by Dean Koontz

I'll second Lightning as well as the Martian mentioned above.

Other great time travel books include
Replay by Ken Grimwood
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Time and Again by Jack Finney

[Ski Bum]

The Expanse. Books are even better than the TV show. There are 14 books, I think, now.

The Expanse is a series of science fiction novels by James S. A. Corey, the joint pen name of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. The first novel, Leviathan Wakes, was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2012. The complete series was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Series in 2017

[Julijac]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)

I like GA Aiken Dragon Kin series. It has everything you could want from a series, action, adventure, romance, comedy, and the list goes on. I love all the characters from the series. The family is hilarious, especially Gwenvael.

Patricis Briggs is another good author with a few series out there. Good luck finding some good authors. I’m currently looking for some new ones myself…but not necessarily in sci-fi.

[Santiagogirl]

Tales of Verdant by Doc Honour (a Villager) & the sequel Not Liké Us. Available on Amazon. Space travel, dystopian future, adventure. Really good read. Hope to see more in the series in future

[kada328]

Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells

[MacScuba]

Another vote for Neil Stephenson. Seven Eves (Earth in the future), The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.(time travel), Fall; Or, Dodge in Hell (Uploading your brain), Termination Shock (an attempt to end global warming).
And of course, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I recommend audiobooks for Neil. They are long and detailed.
Also google "Mother Earth Motherboard". Neil wrote a fascinating and detailed article about laying undersea cable and early days of connecting countries with internet. A true story, not fiction.

[Robojo]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)

MARTHA WELLS did a series and one is called Fugitive Telemetry.

Also

OBSERVER by Robert Lanza and Nancy Kress

[DeborahK]

My current favorite series is The Frontier Saga by Ryk Brown. Author is aiming for 5 connected series with 15 episodes each and is currently in Series 3, Ep 10. Check it out here: The Frontiers Saga Official Website | (https://frontierssaga.com/)

[David_H]

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

A very long series with several books in the Enderverse.

[Dusty_Star]

Cloud Cukoo Land, Anthony Doer

[philoret]

Series by C.J.Cherryh: Foreigner etc. Start beginning.

[Fenster]

Most anything by Isaac Asimov. Start with the Foundation Series and keep going. I’ve read about 25 of his books.

I found that the early stuff from others was mostly crap. Even the compendiums.

[ThirdOfFive]

Another vote here for Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke. A bit dated but still excellent and thought-provoking.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

If you can find a copy: "Make Room, Make Room!" by Harry Harrison. It's old, written in the 1960's about a future in 1999 when the world is becoming overpopulated. It was the basis of the cult-classic movie Soylent Green.

1984 by Orwell
Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury are both must-read classics, if you didn't already read them in 8th grade literature or sociology class (still good reads even decades later).

Everything by Octavia Butler. Warning - it can be disturbing, she pokes and prods at our morality and perception of humanity, feminism, masculinity, personhood in general. People who fear "other" will find it disconcerting. Or they might find it eye-opening.

[biker59]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)


My go-to is Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. It wasn't originally intended to be a trilogy, but he eventually wrote two follow-on books. I'm just dying to see Rama made into a movie, hope it happens in my lifetime.

[ehonour]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)

Allow me to be bold enough to suggest my own novel Not Like Us, which was awarded the Gold award for Best Science Fiction in 2023 by the Florida Writers Association.
Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Not-Like-Us-Doc-Honour-ebook/dp/B0BQRLJK8G)

I also have a collection of short stories placed on the same future world, in Tales of Verdant:
Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Tales-of-Verdant-Doc-Honour-ebook/dp/B0C2B2WL2W)

Hope you enjoy them. Many others have.

[MidWestIA]

aismov
foundations edge
foundation and earth
foundation trilogy

I enjoyed reading hemingway

[Davonu]

Allow me to be bold enough to suggest my own novel Not Like Us, which was awarded the Gold award for Best Science Fiction in 2023 by the Florida Writers Association.
Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Not-Like-Us-Doc-Honour-ebook/dp/B0BQRLJK8G)

I also have a collection of short stories placed on the same future world, in Tales of Verdant:
Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Tales-of-Verdant-Doc-Honour-ebook/dp/B0C2B2WL2W)

Hope you enjoy them. Many others have.
Tales of Verdant is must-read, gang!! I just finished it last week. Good work, Doc! :)

I also have Not Like Us downloaded into my kindle and ready to go. I will definitely be reading it soon. I'm just looking for a good filler between Doc-books. :)

[Langrell]

Andre Norton wrote some great books

[RandyLW]

Project Hail Mary, a 2021 science fiction novel by American novelist Andy Weir.

[BleuM&M]

Neal Asher is a legend and still at it. Start with Prador Moon.

[jimjamuser]

I just need a sci fi fix. :) Something involving space travel would be good, but any sci fi topic is good as long as it's a good read! If if was the first book of a good series that would be extra good! :)
I recommend "The Expanse".

[Bwanajim]

One second after. It’s about an EMP bomb that shut down the country. This is a small tower everyone’s fleeing to & anarchy starts. It’s fiction, but it could be true which makes it good.

One second after - Google Search (https://www.google.com/search?q=One+second+after&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#wptab=si:AKbGX_qA2SUQKDIYFeyxdvAbnJF ywpXFbn5gtaZC9lLamcpqWUX6wuoYEzLPrOq3YkcpBuKCJ7xGz Se8DRbN7hPITYaS-2IL-83xt05CrNcVaZNinXhA0T9Uq64PqM2PTtw6cR8-dlLP)

[Stu from NYC]

For ultimate end of the world drama (some survive)
When Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer
After Worlds Collide is the sequel

Read both years ago and was excellent story

[Road-Runner]

Old Man's War
Honor Harrington series

Loved the "Old Man's War" series, wasn't crazy about the final book but still a worthwhile read and wanted to close out the series.

Some others:

The "Rendezvous With Rama" series
Anything by Frederik Pohl, especially the Gateway and Heechee series
John Ringo's "Live Free Or Die" series

I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of at the moment.