What's Good in Sci-Fi?

Fiddle · Dec 18, 2006

My dad has expressed a wish to start reading science fiction books again now that he's getting ready for retirement. I thought I'd get him started by buying him a few books for Christmas. Thing is, I don't know anything about science fiction or what's out. To all you science fiction fans, what's the best sci-fi book you've ever read? They don't have to be brand new. Old favorites are great too =)

Though I'm mostly looking for books that will appeal to an older audience (my dad's a retiring physicist, by the way), I'm still open minded to younger generation fic. We're all young at heart! =)

Judg · Dec 18, 2006

I just persuaded my mother (in her late 60's) to read Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card and Lost in Translation by Edward Willett. She protested that she didn't read science fiction. I told her to try them because a well-written story is good no matter what the genre. She loved both of them. I was immature enough to say, "I told you so."

I'm also very partial to Ursula Le Guin and for classic science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov are hard to beat.

BiggerBoat · Dec 18, 2006

Old Man's War by John Scalzi is a solid read, and would probably explore some themes he is interested in. It's about a man who gets his consciousness implanted into a young body in order to go fight in a war.

As previously mentioned, Ender's Game is awesome.

Since your dad is a Physicist, I am sure he'd be interested in "hard" SF. This is the branch of SF literature that deals primarily with the impact of science and technology. Authors to look at include Isaac Asimov, Greg Bear, Poul Anderson, and Frederik Pohl.

Akuma · Dec 18, 2006

If he likes dystopian situations and is ok with somewhat trippy stories, you can go ahead with Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid's Tale is pretty famous and is even on syllabuses at colleges.

johnzakour · Dec 18, 2006

Ender's Game is a great read. I'm having my 13-year old read it now.

If he likes humor than the Hitchhiker's Guide series.

benbradley · Dec 18, 2006

My dad has expressed a wish to start reading science fiction books again now that he's getting ready for retirement.

Again? Do you have any idea (at least authors, if not titles) what he's read before? I think this is important not just so you won't get books he's already read (though re-reading a good story may be good), but more importantly to get an idea of what his taste might be.

A few titles I greatly enjoyed reading about 25 years ago (and which were written long before that) are:
The Stars My Destination, by Afred Bester
The Demolished Man by same, and
Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement

Sometime since then I've seen these on some list(s) of '10 greatest' or '20 greatests SF novels' and I wasn't surprised.

I've read every Heinlein book and enjoyed most of them. I liked Clarke's Rama series, but not Asimov's fiction so much, not sure exactly why. There are others that come to mind, Gateway and sequels, Midnight at the Well of Souls and sequels, and Macroscope (yes, actual real SF by Piers Anthony, but don't get fooled into thinking he's written anything else like this), and probably a large number of titles I forget.

JDCrayne · Dec 18, 2006

I am very partial to Roger Zelazny's "To Die in Italbar." John Varley's "The Golden Globe" is excellent and so is Hal Clement's "Mission of Gravity." You really need to sound your dad out a bit on what kind of science fiction he likes. It's an awfully broad field, but the main division is between the hard science, nuts and bolts, stories and the more humanistic approach. Find out which type he enjoys most.

johnzakour · Dec 18, 2006

I'm kind of partial to my books, but unless your dad likes humorous, pulp, SF then they probably aren't his cup of tea.

bylinebree · Dec 18, 2006

I LOVE Catharine Asaro's Saga of the Skolian Empire -- Quantum Rose, Skyfall, Schism, and the latest I just read yesterday is Triad. Awesome!

She is a physicist herself and incorporates quantum physics and alot of believable science in her novels, which your dad might relate to. Her books are called "cutting edge," winning numerous awards from Nebula in SF, to RITA in romance.

tourdeforce · Dec 18, 2006

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

Slan by A.E. Van Vogt

Pthom · Dec 18, 2006

I will recommend again, "A Deepness in the Sky" and "A Fire on the Deep." both by Vernor Vinge. There is some good hard SF there as well as good thrills, mystery, and intrigue.

Also, he might enjoy Greg Bear's "Eon" and Niven & Pournelle's "Lucifer's Hammer."

TheIT · Dec 18, 2006

The Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. It won several Hugo awards. Military SF with a fast talking MC who can't physically fight his way out situations so he has to think his way out instead. Shards of Honor is the first in the series and has Miles' mother as MC. The books have also been re-released in combined versions (two or three novels per book). It helps to read the series in order. A Civil Campaign (book 9?) is one of my absolute favorite books of all time.

If he likes alternate history, then I'd also recommend the Belisarius series by David Drake and Eric Flint beginning with An Oblique Approach.

RG570 · Dec 19, 2006

It sounds like he might enjoy Robert Sawyer's books.

RTH · Dec 19, 2006

If he's interested in something with a literary bent, I'd recommend Dan Simmons' Hyperion. It's a bit like The Canterbury Tales in space. One of my favorites.

alleycat · Dec 19, 2006

One of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame volumes. This is a link to the Amazon page on the first one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0765305372/?tag=absolutewritedm-20

Sheryl Nantus · Dec 19, 2006

Simon R. Green's Nightside series is an excellent read - a bit dark, but you'll get the feel as soon as you read the blurb on the back of the book.

FennelGiraffe · Dec 19, 2006

It would really help to know what authors he liked before, and/or how long it's been since he has read any SF. Some relatively newish* authors who aren't completely scientifically illiterate:

Charles Stross - Singularity Sky, Accelerando, I can't think of all the titles, but most of his books are hard SF, which should appeal to a physicist. (Except the Merchant Princes series: The Family Trade, Hidden Family, etc. Those are being marketed as fantasy, but I would call them borderline or soft SF. They're good, just different.)

Lois McMaster Bujold - the Vorkosigan books (not the Chalion books--those are fantasy)

Elizabeth Moon - Speed of Dark (strongly recommrnded); The Vatta's War series: Trading in Danger, Marque and Reprisal, and Engaging the Enemy; and others

Julie Czerneda - the Species Imperative trilogy: Survival, Migration, and Regeneration; and others

ETA: David Brin - the Uplift series

*From the way you phrased it about your dad retiring and getting back to SF, I'm assuming it's been a long time. So "newish" from that perspective, say 20 years.

J. Weiland · Dec 19, 2006

SF Masterworks would be a good place to start. It's only the best of the best in that series.

http://www.sfsite.com/lists/orion01.htm

http://www.sfsite.com/lists/orion03.htm

Fiddle · Dec 19, 2006

Thank you guys so much. I wrote all your suggestions down and plan to spend the day in the bookstore. I guess I never realized how broad the category "science fiction" could be. I never ventured very far into that genre. From what my dad likes in movies, I assume that he would prefer the more serious character driven science fiction and "hard" science fiction mentioned above.

To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen him sit down to read a book for enjoyment so I couldn't tell you what books he's already read. I got the sense from our conversation that the last time he read books for enjoyment, he was probably a teenager or young adult. So it's been a while =)

Thanks again for your great sounding suggestions. I'm still open to any other books someone might have in mind! =)

JBI · Dec 19, 2006

Personally I tend to love political science fiction more than "hard" or "scientific" science fiction.

Some books that would be on my list are, Dune by Frank Herbert, This Immortal by Zelazny, Lord of Light by Zelazny, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin, Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, and for an amazing list you can always try this site...

http://www.strangewords.com/weirdbooks/scifi100.html

very good source for science fiction classics. I have read the majority on that list, and agree with quite a few of those.

lauram · Dec 19, 2006

Anything by Octavia Butler. She had a great writing style.

Akuma · Dec 19, 2006

Oh, and if he likes zany anti-heroes, may I suggest the Stainless Steel Rat?

Here's a wiki description:

The Stainless Steel Rat is anti-hero James Bolivar diGriz, who goes by many aliases, including "Slippery Jim" and "The Stainless Steel Rat". He is a futuristic con man, thief and all-round rascal. He is charming and quick-witted, a master of disguise, physically fit, an accomplished bank robber, an expert on breaking and entering, and (perhaps most usefully) a skilled liar.
A master of self-rationalization, the Rat frequently justifies his crimes by arguing that he is providing society with entertainment; and besides which, he only steals from institutions which have insurance cover.
He displays a strong morality, albeit in a much more restricted sense than is traditional. (For example, he will happily steal, but deplores killing.)

ChunkyC · Dec 20, 2006

Nightfall, by Isaac Asimov

Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke

The Mote in God's Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

Riverworld, by Philip Jose Farmer

Ringworld, by Larry Niven

The Integral Trees, by Larry Niven

For short stories, you can't beat I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov. And it has virtually no similarity to the movie of the same name.

Also, any of The Year's Best Science Fiction anthologies edited by Gardner Dozois.

badducky · Dec 20, 2006

The novelizations of the television series "Red Dwarf" are exceptional. Easy reads, fleshed-out hilarious situations, and just... just fun sci-fi.

Mustangpilot · Dec 29, 2006

I'll second the recomendation for "Mission of Gravity".
George Stewart's "Earth Abides" is an excellent development of a post epoc event.
Although not consider Si Fi, for some light and very funny stuff read "The Girl, the Gold watch and Everything" by John D. McDonald.

Mustang Pilot

What's Good in Sci-Fi?

Fiddle

DISENCHANTED coming soon

Just Shovelin' Chum

Rare Writer Pokemon

Dangerous with a Keyboard

It's a doggy dog world

Indonesian Yak Keeper

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Still Seeking the Dream

Word butcher

Infuriatingly Theoretical

Call me Ishmael

Still around

Holding out for a Superhero...

It's green they say

Lurker

Fiddle

Freddie Mercury Devotee

Rare Writer Pokemon

It's hard being green

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.