Sci-fi book - recommendations?

[Vick]

Hi

Can anyone recommend any science fiction books? My brother in law has asked for one for Christmas but sci-if isn't my domain!

Cheers

Vick

[steveo]

Ringworld by Larry Niven. It's old but gold

[Jeremy]

Some classics:

Neuromancer

Ender's Game

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

I, Robot

Brave New World

For something more recent, maybe Radiance by Catheryn M Valente?

[cosmonaut]

Any particular type or subgenre? Is he new to scifi? Here are some suggestions, focusing on shorter, self-contained (i.e. non-series) stories.

Ursula K LeGuin - The Left Hand of Darkness. A story of political intrigue and friendship. Takes place on a wintry planet which makes for nice Xmas reading.

Ursula K LeGuin - The Lathe of Heaven. A man has the ability to change reality to match his dreams.

Robert Sheckley - Store of the Worlds. This is a short story collection by a somewhat forgotten writer. It has a good mix of earth-based and offworld stories, most of which I seem to recall have dated quite well.

Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale. From wikipedia: "Set in the near future, in a totalitarian Christian theocracy which has overthrown the United States government, The Handmaid's Tale explores themes of women in subjugation and the various means by which they gain agency." It is very good, but very grim.

Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algernon. It's hard to say much without giving it all away, but the basic premise is that a man undergoes an experiment to artificially increase his intelligence.

Walter Tevis - Mockingbird. In the future, books don't exist, people can't read, and a suicidal android runs NYC.

Mikhail Bulgakov - Heart of a Dog. A Russian surgeon takes in a stray dog and gives it human organs. The dog becomes more and more human... sort of. Good option for someone who's used to the weight and tone of Russian literature but may be a bit overwhelming for the uninitiated.

[Saffron]

Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"

Easy to read, not long, it's a mix of sci-fi and timeless social commentary. Characters are deep, and the plot is realistic and compelling.

[uncleglen]

I second the Handmaid's Tale...also I thought Michael Crichton's Timeline was a good read (as is his State of Fear but it isn't sci-fi). If your brother in law is a fan he may have already read all the good ones....

[hpsaucey]

Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algernon comes with a mild health warning in that its a bit depressing, but I guess that would go for plenty of the others ...

[Saffron]

Second vote for Flowers for Algernon. It's beautifully written. But, yes, maybe a bit sad for Xmas present. It is beautiful and tragic. xx

[Otta]

Handmaids Tale is brilliant, but not a lot of laughs!

[Vick]

Wow, thanks everyone, great help!

[cosmonaut]

True, both options are quite serious and sad for xmas gifts.

Maybe Douglas Adams' Hitchhikers Guide, then?

Or, this may be a very out-there suggestion, but Abnett and Lanning's Guardians of the Galaxy comics are collected into two volumes and are an excellent sprawling space opera with a lot of humour mixed in.

[KGastaldo]

I'm reading Dune by Frank Herbert now and like it. Decided to read it after many recommendations as a book that will change the way you think about life.

[mancity68]

I always enjoy Iain Banks sci go stuff

[Saffron]

Lighthearted and funny, "Good Omens", by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

[hpsaucey]

KGastaldo Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm reading Dune by Frank Herbert now and like it.

> Decided to read it after many recommendations as a

> book that will change the way you think about

> life.

Stay with it ... all the original Frank ones are goodies..

[Alan Medic]

The Man in the High Castle is currently a series on Amazon which I don't have but I'm told it's good. It's based on this book:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_High_Castle

The author also wrote the already mentioned Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep which Bladerunner was based on.

[civilservant]

it depends on what his bag is - the ones recommended are all good and i read and enjoyed them when they were still new and fresh, but they do not really work when re-read by an older and presumably more demanding reader

of the newer writers, Iain M Banks is very good, and I highly recommend China Mieville

the new William Gibson (The Peripheral) is also a great return to form

what about George RR Martin i.e. the Game of Thrones guy!

and another good newer writer is Paolo Bacigalupi

if he likes cyberpunk/hardboiled, then Walter Jon Williams or Richard Morgan

and if he's into hard SF, then try someone like Alastair Reynolds or Kim Stanley Robinson or Stephen Baxter

[Jeremy]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The Man in the High Castle is currently a series

> on Amazon which I don't have but I'm told it's

> good. It's based on this book:

>

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_High_

> Castle

>

> The author also wrote the already mentioned Do

> Androids Dream of Electric Sheep which Bladerunner

> was based on.

I have the book... yes its a good read but it's not really my idea of sci-fi.

[civilservant]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Alan Medic Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The Man in the High Castle is currently a

> I have the book... yes its a good read but it's

> not really my idea of sci-fi.

no? the author and his readership agreed it was SF, to the extent that it won the Hugo - it's a classic alternative universe novel

but you're right that it's not "sci-fi"!

[ruffers]

Iain M Banks - Consider Phlebas

[grabot]

Jeremy's recommendations plus

The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut

The Demolished Man- Alfred Bester

The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury

[uncleglen]

The Dune series is great but I would have thought that an already sci-fi fan would have read it- Children of Men is a good book too

[hpsaucey]

Whilst we're on Sci Fi, has anyone been to this Book club in central London?

http://www.meetup.com/The-Science-Fiction-Book-Club/