Please Recommend some modern Science Fiction

If you like "hard" Science Fiction I'd recommend Stephen Baxter. He is a British Science Fiction author in the grand tradition of Arthur C. Clarke (in fact the two collaborated on a few novels). I haven't kept up with his most recent novels but I really enjoyed The Time Ships (1995) and the first couple of novels in his "Manifold" series.

The Time Ships is a sequel to H.G. Wells' The Time Machine, but goes off on some wild, brain bending tangents. He writes about technology thousands of years in advance of our own and somehow convinces the reader that the technology is not only plausible, it is almost inevitable.
 
Not a specific suggestion, but...

The guide for science fiction is Clute's and Nicholls' The New Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

Look it up in the local library and just start playing "encyclopedia tag" (start at some entry that gets your fancy, then start following the "see also" at the end.) You will soon find a lot information about lots of excellent books on just about any type of science fiction story imaginable.
 
The modern mythology SF, yes perhaps Neal Stephenson the 1st 3 were good Diamond Age being one them, some of the old lads still good, try J Wyndham H Harrison Blish or PJ Farmer J Brunner, and A Bester each has a classic or two, Lord of Light was one of Zelazny's classics. supposed to be a movie they say that every 5 years
 
Would definitely suggest "Snow Crash" or "Diamond Age: A Young Ladys Illustrated Primer" by Neal Stephenson

If you'd prefer more "Space Opera" then have a look at Iain M Banks "Consider Phlebas" (or any of his culture novels, "The Player Of Games" is one of my favourites.)

Or anything by Alistair Reynolds, "Pushing Ice" is one of his better titles.
 
How about "The Player of Games" or "Look to Windward" or "The Agebraist" by Iain M Banks?
 
Iain M Banks work is mostly the 'Culture Novels' they are not a series as such, they are all standalone books that are written in the same universe. "Feersum Endjinn" is older but not a culture novel and is very good. "The Algebraist" is a newer work that is also set apart from the Culture universe.

For added bonus he also writes 'normal fiction' under the name Iain Banks and the book club could possibly review one of his non sci-fi books after that.
 
Book? Book?

marksman said:
My wife's book club is interested in trying some science fiction. They generally only read standard fiction, but are willing to gove sci fi a go. Most of the sci fi I know is the classics from the 1960's, Zelazny, Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke, etc. I think that might feel dated, so I'm looking for recommendation for good, serious sci fi from the last ten years or so. Something that is good for people not well-versed in sci fi, which is not part of an ongoing series of books, and which raises interesting subjects for a book club to discuss.

Thanks in advance!!
Click to expand...

Isn't there an inherent irony in reading wild futuristic spectulative fiction in a mass of pressed cellulose? That's so 1500s.

Try some online science fiction:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13604389/Weaseljumper-Part-I
 
I was going to repeat a number of recommendations here (Banks, Stephenson) only to realise that they weren't really "modern" any more. For instance Snow Crash is 17 years old now, and has dated simply because its massive influence has already been felt in the interfaces of the net.

I'd recommend the Hugo Awards for finding really "modern" SF. Charlie Stross gets a runner up prize every year. Ian Macdonald, John Scalzi, Ken Macleod all get regular nods. Alasdair Reylonds and Vernor Vinge are still doing a fair bit of Space Opera. Robert Sawyer I haven't read, but is geting a lot of notice lately since the big budget TV adaption of his Flash Forward, and is also a regular Hugo runner-up. Richard Morgan is decent, but I can't recommend whole heartedly due to his (so far) exclusively alpha male characters.

Only trouble is that the Hugo's are fairly "establishment" - it can take a while for new writers to get recognised, especially if they're regarded as experimental. Anyone have recommendations for modern SF that is pushing the envelope?
 
I'd suggest some of John Varley's books. Steel Beach and The Golden Globe are interesting takes on interplanetary colonization, with lots of transhumanist ideas mixed in.

His series that started with Red Thunder in is 2003 is reminiscent of some of Heinlein's juveniles, but with a more modern feel. Great adventure stories. It's a series, but each is pretty good as a stand-alone.
 
"The Electric Church" - Jeff Somers.
"Red Mars" "Green Mars" "Blue Mars" Kim Stanley Robinson.
 
Pugilist said:
"The Electric Church" - Jeff Somers."Red Mars" "Green Mars" "Blue Mars" Kim Stanley Robinson.
Click to expand...

That's a good one. One of my sons turned my on to that, and the sequel, "The Digital Plague". I second the recommendation.

The "Mars" books are good reads, too, but as someone pointed out already they are modern day juveniles reminiscent of Heinlein. Maybe not the best for book club discussion.
 
rhtufts said:
I highly recommend the Posleen war series (Legacy of the Aldenata) by John Ringo or the Honor Harrington series by David Weber.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legacy_of_the_Aldenata

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_Harrington
Click to expand...
Posleen war series? For people who do not normally read science fiction?

No. Freaking. Way.

Posleen War is not science fiction, it is carnography. It is a good way to turn a novice off SF permanently, if they get into their head that's what SF is about.
 
Spacetime Inhabitant said:
I would recommend Alastair Reynolds' House of Suns (however it is rather scientifically sophisticated so probably not suitable for tyros; but it has a lot of characterisation).
Click to expand...

Alastair Reynolds is my absolute favorite SF writer, but I agree about "House of Suns" being a bit dense. I would recommend "Pushing Ice" as a good introduction to Reynolds.
 
Mark6 said:
Posleen war series? For people who do not normally read science fiction?

No. Freaking. Way.

Posleen War is not science fiction, it is carnography. It is a good way to turn a novice off SF permanently, if they get into their head that's what SF is about.
Click to expand...


"Carnography"!!! Never heard that one before. I love it. Neologisms so appropriate are rare.

You're absolutely right, of course. (I'm reading "Watch On The Rhine" right now.)
 
Would the last 20 years be acceptable, rather than the last 10? Neil Stephenson's Snow Crash is one of my all-time favorite books, and was a very enjoyable technopunk novel. The opening stands as one of the greatest ever.

And if you don't agree, I'll fight you. :p
 
Last edited:
Pure_Argent said:
Would the last 20 years be acceptable, rather than the last 10? Neil Gaiman's Snow Crash is one of my all-time favorite books, and was a very enjoyable technopunk novel. The opening stands as one of the greatest ever.

And if you don't agree, I'll fight you. :p
Click to expand...

You scared me there, I thought there was a Neil Gaiman book I hadn't read! I think you meant to type Neal Stephenson.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom