The Best Science Fiction Novel of All Time?

[scifibunny]

I need a new fix. What are some of your favorites? If you had to recommend one book that really blew your mind, which one would you recommend?

[JamieFord]

Dunno about best of all time, but some of my favs are:

Speaker for the Dead, Orson Scott Card (Thought it was better than Ender's Game)
Blood Music, Greg Bear
Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
The Lathe of Heaven, Ursula Le Guin

[Krintar]

I've long had a fondness for Neuromancer, though if you're a Sci-fi fan I imagine you've already read it.

[virtue_summer]

I'm recommend Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (http://www.amazon.com/Fahrenheit-451-Ray-Bradbury/dp/0345342968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255754488&sr=1-1) and second the recommendation for Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (http://www.amazon.com/Speaker-Dead-Ender-Book-2/dp/0812550757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255754517&sr=1-1).

Also: I know you asked about novels but science fiction is one of those genres that I'd say really thrives in short form so I'd also like to recommend The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume 1 (http://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Hall-Fame-One/dp/0765305372/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255754267&sr=8-1), chalk full of some great genre classics.

[Shurikane]

Starship Troopers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers)

The quintessential!

[blacbird]

The Time Machine, H.G. Wells

The first modern SF novel, and never bettered.

caw

[Misa Buckley]

I wouldn't say they were the best, but I really enjoyed the Deathstalker books.

[Dermit]

Dune.

I can't really see any other viable answer to this question.

[James D. Macdonald]

My complete works.

[OddButInteresting]

I've long had a fondness for Neuromancer, though if you're a Sci-fi fan I imagine you've already read it.

Starship Troopers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_Troopers)

The quintessential!

These are pretty much the only two Science Fiction books that I've ever read in my life, and they're both fantastic.

I also loves me a bit of Michael Crichton, but his books are more Techno Thrillers than Science Fiction.

My complete works.

Smooth, Jim. :)

[dpaterso]

Suggestions:

Larry Niven's Ringworld
Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn
Iain M. Banks's Consider Phlebas

-Derek

[James D. Macdonald]

Orwell's 1984

[JamieFord]

How about The Road by Cormac Mccarthy?

[megan_d]

I'm nearly finished with Dan Simmons' Hyperion quartet and I must say I found them to be really good. A perfect balance of entertaining and challenging. Plus, they are perhaps not as well known as some of the suggestions you'll get.

[Billycourty]

* The Ship Who Sang, 1961
* The Ship Who Mourned, 1966
* The Ship Who Killed, 1966
* Dramatic Mission, 1969
* The Ship Who Dissembled, 1969

[Lady Cat]

The Mote in God's Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert A. Heinlin
The Faded Sun Trilogy, by C.J. Cherryh

[Kitty Pryde]

Number 1 Bestest ever?

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

Second bestest? The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Gateway by Fred Pohl a close third.

If you are looking for great books, winners of the hugo or nebula awards for best novel are always great (some are sf, some are fantasy). The lists are on wikipedia.

[Jess Haines]

I like a lot of the recommendations up there, but I'll also toss in Orson Scott Card's ENDER'S GAME (http://www.amazon.com/Enders-Game-Gift-Ender-Quartet/dp/0765317389/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255805414&sr=8-1), THE HELMSMAN (http://www.amazon.com/Helmsman-1-Bill-Baldwin/dp/1587521504/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250881807&sr=1-1) by Bill Baldwin (slog through the first couple of chapters -- it is SO worth it) and L. Ron Hubbard's BATTLEFIELD EARTH (http://www.amazon.com/Battlefield-Earth-Saga-Year-3000/dp/B000LVLDZY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250884392&sr=1-2). All great books.

[kidcharlemagne]

Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert A. Heinlin


Rarely read sci-fi these days but this title also sprang to mind from my youth.

[Memnon624]

I second Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn. Excellent stuff, that.

Scott

[defcon6000]

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Androids_Dream_of_Electric_Sheep%3F) by Philip K. Dick (no, it's not like the movie ;) )

I, Robo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_robot)t by Isaac Asimov is good one, especially for those with short attention spans. :tongue

[dawinsor]

I love Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkorsigan books. Miles is one of the greatest characters of all time.

And also Connie Willis's Doomsday Book, which has historians using time travel to do research.

[aadams73]

For me it's Ender's Game and Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson.

[Shadow_Ferret]

I think its hard to pick a best in any genre. These are some of my favorites off the top of my head:
War of the World by HG Wells
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1984 by George Orwell
Brave New World by Aldus Huxley
Dune by Frank Herbert
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner

[childeroland]

My favorites are A Voyage to Arcturus, by David Lindsay and Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban.

[Cuppa]

I wouldn't say they were the best, but I really enjoyed the Deathstalker books.

Reading through and loving the first one right now.

[IdiotsRUs]

I second Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn. Excellent stuff, that.

Scott

Thirded :D I love the Ravenor books of his too.

Phillip K Dick's pretty consistent as well. Particularly recommend "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" - the basis for Total Recall.

And CJ CHerryh. *sigh* Love her stuff.

[Wayne K]

Cat's Cradle.

[Manix]

My favorites have been mentioned too but I also enjoyed House of Zeor and Unto Zeor Forever by Jacqueline Lichtenberg

[lauraannwilliams]

Reading this thread is making me want to pull out old favorites

I totally agree with
Enders Game and Speaker for the Dead
Dune
The Deathstalker series is great ( over the top space opera )
Mote in Gods Eye

Plus:
The Legacy of Heorot by Niven, Pournelle and Barnes
Starplex, Farseer Trilogy by Robjert J. Sawyer
Fuzzy Series by H.Beam Piper
The Moon is A Harsh Mistress by Heinlein
Byworlder by Poul Anderson
Elijah Baley Series by Asimov
Postman & Sundiver by David Brin

[Komnena]

Imperial Earth-Arthur C Clarke
Have Spacesuit Will Travel_Heinlein

[StephenP]

I've been on a Robert Sawyer kick lately, and I'd recommend Calculating God, Factoring Humanity, and the Terminal Experiment. I'm reading FlashFoward right now and enjoying it.

Still can't beat Ender's Game, though I don't know any SF reader who hasn't read that and Speaker for the Dead. (However, I haven't read Neuromancer!)

Best SF novel of all time in my opinion? Brave New World or Dune.

Or, do yourself a favor and pick up something by Ursula LeGuin.

[CTaft]

Heart of the Comet by Gregory Benford and David Brin. Also Timescape by Benford all by himself. Check them out. You will not be disappointed.

[Albedo]

Still can't beat Ender's Game, though I don't know any SF reader who hasn't read that and Speaker for the Dead. (However, I haven't read Neuromancer!)


SF readers can probably be divided in to two groups on whether they stopped reading after Speaker for the Dead or not.


If noone's mentioned them,

Slaughter-House Five, K Vonnegut
The Demolished Man, A Bester
Rendezvous with Rama, AC Clarke
Titan, J Varley
The Book of the New Sun, G Wolfe

[IdiotsRUs]

SF readers can probably be divided in to two groups on whether they stopped reading after Speaker for the Dead or not.


Or those that read Ender's Game and didn't make it to Speaker

<-----

[dgiharris]

Top Five:

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Dune by Frank Herbert
Nightfall by Issac Assimov and Robert Silverberg
A Hymn Before Battle by John Ringo
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Hienlein
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

I wouldn't say they were the best, but I really enjoyed the Deathstalker books.

Book 1 was the best, after that, hard to get into with everyone becoming a freaking superhero of some sort.

Or those that read Ender's Game and didn't make it to Speaker

I loved Speaker for the Dead. It was just a completely different book than Ender's Game.

Mel...

[Randman]

Not counting the other's response where I can totally agree about "Dune" and "Ender's Game" no one mentioned any of Phillip Jose Farmer's works like the "Riverworld" series and my favorite of his the "Dayworld" series.

[Diana Hignutt]

That is a toughie. Hmmm.

1984 - George Orwell
Dune - Frank Herbert
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Speaker of the Dead - Orson Scott Card
2001 - Arther C. Clarke
Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert Heinlein

Similar to everyone else, but the greats are the greats for a reason.

[Jake G]

Ender's Game. Hands down.

[benbradley]

One of my favorites, definitely my favorite Heinlein is "Time Enough For Love" a sort of memoir of a 2,000 year old character and his range of adventures.

Heads up for this one:
...
Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
I had to read it twice as it's made up of so many vignettes and POV's, but they all do converge on a story.

Not on a lot of other lists but another favorite of mine:
Mission Of Gravity by Hal Clement.

[SPMiller]

I still don't understand why Zelazny and Delany titles rarely if ever appear in these threads.

[AMCrenshaw]

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller?

A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood?

Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin?

Ubik by Philip K Dick?

Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany?

[SPMiller]

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller?

A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood?

Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin?

Ubik by Philip K Dick?

Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany?Thank you. I guess I'm not crazy after all. Or, at least, no crazier than you ;)

[Roger J Carlson]

I don't know if it's the "greatest" of all time, but my favorite SF novel of all time is "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein.

[RG570]

Probably something by Kilgore Trout.

Barring that, The Dispossessed. Or The Black Corridor.

[V. Greene]

And also Connie Willis's Doomsday Book, which has historians using time travel to do research.

Amen!

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the Dreampark books or Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars books.

[MGraybosch]

Robert Heinlein: "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"
Frank Herbert: "Dune"
Larry Niven/Jeffrey Pournelle: "Inferno"
Roger Zelazny: "Lord of Light"
Alfred Bester: "The Stars My Destination"
H.P. Lovecraft: "At the Mountains of Madness"
Mary Shelley: "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus"

[MGraybosch]

Or The Black Corridor.

Classic Moorcock! What did you think of Behold the Man?

[RG570]

Classic Moorcock! What did you think of Behold the Man?


I thought it was incredible.

But then I think everything he does is.


All this Heinlein isn't surprising, and I feel like I should mention one of his, but my partisan nature has forced me to disown the fact that I own every book that man wrote and generally despise him now. . . however, I think in his case his first novel is his best example, because it shows the real Heinlein and not the reactionary . . .

For Us, The Living ought to be included on any list (never mind the atrocious writing) because it was the only SF novel to really live up to what SF authors claim to do, which is dream and question the status quo . . . where everyone else in the SFWA crowd, including Heinlein himself after he became an unfortunate cynic, basically writes futuristic celebrations of US conservatism, imperialism and individualism, that first novel of his did the complete opposite. He explained a more logical, humane alternative and outlined exactly how it works and showed that it is very practical. Nobody else has done this.

[SPMiller]

I thought it was incredible.

But then I think everything he does is.


All this Heinlein isn't surprising, and I feel like I should mention one of his, but my partisan nature has forced me to disown the fact that I own every book that man wrote and generally despise him now. . . however, I think in his case his first novel is his best example, because it shows the real Heinlein and not the reactionary . . .

For Us, The Living ought to be included on any list (never mind the atrocious writing) because it was the only SF novel to really live up to what SF authors claim to do, which is dream and question the status quo . . . where everyone else in the SFWA crowd, including Heinlein himself after he became an unfortunate cynic, basically writes futuristic celebrations of US conservatism, imperialism and individualism, that first novel of his did the complete opposite. He explained a more logical, humane alternative and outlined exactly how it works and showed that it is very practical. Nobody else has done this.I think I love you.

[Julie Worth]

Probably something by Kilgore Trout.


Aye. Venus on the Half Shell.