Who is your favorite Science Fiction author and who would you recommend?

Free Republic ^ | 5-7-04 | Hacksaw (Dan)

[Hacksaw]

I am wondering what your favorite science fiction authors are and who you would recommend. I have read all of Niven's books, some of Pournelles (need to order his on the Sauron system) and am now on William Gibson. I like RH's early work, especially "Farmer in the Sky" and "Farnhams Freehold" but I found his "classics" like Stranger in a Strange Land utterly boring (I didn't finish it). My current fav is William Gibson - I have re-read his series regarding Rydell, Yamazaki, and Chevette sever times and I always enjoy them.

[Hacksaw]

Have at it!

[Slicksadick]

Have you tried Philip Jose Farmer? old his old stuff is best. Try the riverworld series.

[RonF]

I'm sure you'd enjoy Orson Scott Card's books and politics.

[Mr. Mojo]

The early RAH .....the "juvies."

[Michael Barnes]

Douglas Adams

[KellyAdmirer]

Isaac Asimov's Foundation series is classic, especially the early volumes before he started getting politically correct. Lots of influences on later sci-fi.

[humblegunner]

I enjoyed his Ender's War / Speaker for the Dead series.. great stuff.

[Arkinsaw]

Orson Scott Card, Harlan Ellison (what a pair)

[Mr. Jeeves]

If you can get past their mildly green/eco-Left sensibilities, Ben Bova is good and and Kim Stanley Robinson is brilliant.

[Mr. Mojo]

I have read all of Niven's books, some of Pournelles

And some of their collaborations are worth reading, particularly The Mote in God's Eye.

[winodog]

bump

[Hodar]

Admittedly L. Ron Hubbard is a kook.

But Battlefield Earth is the best selling Science Fiction (NOT Science Fantasy) book of all time. The movie bit; but the book is fantastic.

[balrog666]

David Brin, Vernor Vinge, Neal Stephenson, Peter F Hamilton.

[Hacksaw]

Arrrgh - they have moved us to chat. I was hoping to get a good thread going.

[Restorer]

David Weber. SM Stirling. Early RAH (my personal favorite is The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, which oddly enough I believe was written after Stranger in a Strange Land).

[Hacksaw]

And some of their collaborations are worth reading, particularly The Mote in God's Eye.

I read it, the sequel, and also Inferno. All very good, except I thought that Sally Blaine in the Mote books was a meddler who did nothing but eff things up.

[MagnumRancid]

John Bruner - Stand on Zanzabar, Shockwave Rider, and The Sheep Look Up. Bruner's early work is fairly standard fare SI FI and his later work is boring, (at least to me). These three I have read several times each.

Allan Dean Foster - Almost anything, good humor. I didn't care for any of his fantasy but I really enjoy his SI-FI. Codgerspace is a riot.

If you like SI-FI humor check out the "Bill the Galatic Hero" series.

Brian Aldis - Helconia Trilogy

[Imnidiot]

Larry Niven! His ideas are based on science possibilities, his stories have a feel-good quality. Great ideas NOT based on Fantasy.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Margaret Atwood... the Handmaid's Tale.

[Snake65]

Have you done Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky? How about The Puppet Masters?

Some others to try:
Keith Laumer - the Retief series, but all his stuff is good.
H. Beam Piper - Little Fuzzy is one of my all-time faves.
Alan Dean Foster - he gets knocked a lot (I think some have never forgiven him for the story for Star Trek: The Motion Picture) but I find him consistently entertaining.
David Weber - Okay, Honor Harrington is just "Hornblower in Space" but it's durn good Hornblower in space.
Pretty much anything by Philip K. Dick.

~Snake, who is responsible for ISBNs 0451459393 and 0451459733 being inflicted on the sci-fi world.