Top 3 science fiction novels you've read

[Ishvar]

Robert Heinlein: Starship Troopers, one of the first SF books I ever read, its really too bad the movie was such an insult to the book.

Heinlein fans normally hate me for saying this, but like Stanley Kubrick did for Clockwork Orange, I actually think Verhoeven enhanced the story by turning it into a bitingly relevent satire.

I agree with TrippyHippy, I really like the movie though it has almost nothing to do with the book. I have always considered it as a satire, and a well made one that makes me laugh a lot.

How can it be taken seriously ?

 

[TrippyHippy]

It was hilarious, as was Clockwork Orange. Actually, I think the best sci-fi normally has some sort of satirical element in it, Dune and 2001: A Space Oddessy included (albeit more dryly) .

 

[rust]

I actually think Verhoeven enhanced the story by turning it into a bitingly relevent satire.

Verhoeven served with the Dutch Marines, where it was his job to produce
propaganda movies for the Marines. I think to him Starship Troopers was
a perfect opportunity to re-use what he had learned and done in the Dutch
forces in a satirical way. I love the movie.

 

[hdrider67]

I actually think Verhoeven enhanced the story by turning it into a bitingly relevent satire.

Verhoeven served with the Dutch Marines, where it was his job to produce
propaganda movies for the Marines. I think to him Starship Troopers was
a perfect opportunity to re-use what he had learned and done in the Dutch
forces in a satirical way. I love the movie.

The Dutch really love their marines, don't they? I think every third commercial was an advertisement for the Marines.

 

[Da Boss]

love Starship Troopers the film - its great on several levels 8)

but back to books: I too have difficulty with just single books so...........

Any / all of the Ciaphas Cain Novels (BL /GW) Sandy Mitchell,

Any / all of the BattleTech novels by Michael Stackpole and Victor Milan

Fallen Dragon by Peter F Hamilton

 

[Ommadawn]

Wow, just picking three is hard....

But if I had to, then:

1. The Dune books (only those by Frank though, the rest are awful)
2. The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
3. The Night's Dawn trilogy by Peter Hamilton

Oh, and a friendly wave to the Honor Harrington books, Starship Troopers, Brin's Uplift series, Clarke's 2001, Julian May's Pliocene Exiles, Gibson's Neuromancer and Asimov's Foundation books. I could go on but I won't.... :wink:

 

[Greg Smith]

Hmm, there isn't a lot of 'straight' science fiction on my bookshelves, which I guess this thread is aimimng at. Lots of cyberpunk, Star Trek, Star Wars, as well as all the other genres. There is plenty of Heinlein, who I loved growing up, though a little less so now; the Dune series of course; only a few Arthur Clarke and Philip Dick and hardly any Azimov.

I was tempted to go with 'Bellwether' by Connie Willis, but it is less science fiction and more fiction about science.

So, I'd have to go with:
'Random Acts of Sensless Violence' by Jack Womack.

'Starship Troopers'

'The Amtrak Wars', by Patrik Tilley.

 

[cbrunish]

Have to add the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch. This was an excellent series for Sci Fi.

And on the note of Starship Troopers the movie. I loved it!!! Yeah the acting wasn't great and the story went astray from the book but the action was great. Yeah a B movie but sometimes those are the greatist to watch. :lol:

 

[Beastttt]

for me they are
Footfall
Honor Harington series
the bolo series of books

 

[grymlocke]

Wow, just picking three is hard....

But if I had to, then:

1. The Dune books (only those by Frank though, the rest are awful)
2. The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
3. The Night's Dawn trilogy by Peter Hamilton

Oh, and a friendly wave to the Honor Harrington books, Starship Troopers, Brin's Uplift series, Clarke's 2001, Julian May's Pliocene Exiles, Gibson's Neuromancer and Asimov's Foundation books. I could go on but I won't.... :wink:

Mote in God's eye and the sequal 'the gripping hand' are very travellerish navy. Contact with an alien species that if allowed to to get out of their part of space could devistate human space...it kept me reading to forgetting about time..look up at the clock and it's like 1am!!...

uplift series is/are one of my favorites....

 

[GypsyComet]

"Top"
"SF"
"Novels"

All three terms are a bit ambiguous, and the latter two have been the subject of vigorous debate for decades.

Knowing that these terms are pretty subjective, I still see a lot of good lists here. There are also a few head scratchers...

Must think on this a bit.

 

[ninthcouncil]

Avoiding anything mentioned so far, particularly by GhostWolf69 (that gun toting ape has impeccable taste!):
Philip Dick - "Flow My Tears The Policeman Said"
M John Harrison - "Nova Swing"
Jack Vance - "Emphyrio"

I don't like "military" science fiction, and don't get me started on Mote In God's Eye...

 

[DB]

Starship Troopers - Heinlein
Protector - Niven
Excession - Banks

Plus about thirty others

 

[Myrm]

Yeah, my votes will vary as my reading goes but here goes some others. Even so I have to name 4....

The Penultimate Truth - Philip K Dick (and to be honest that stands as a representative for several of his works as Im wanting to avoid listing the bibliography of some authors).

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

Serrano series - Elizabeth Moon

Non-Stop - Brian Aldiss


Honourable mentions to:
Both the Dayworld and Riverworld series from Philip Jose Farmer.

 

[FreeTrav]

No way in HELL I can limit myself to three novels, or even three series, especially since which ones I like best depend in part on my mood-of-the-moment. I was going to put down my shortlist, but my SHORTLIST turned out to have more than fifteen entries on it...
:shock:

 

[kafka]

1. Foundation trilogy
2. Dune & Children of Dune
3. Imperial Earth or Songs of a Different Earth (split vote)

then comes the Moon Vata series, along with Simak, Sten series, Harry Harrison...that it is so many for #4...so I am glad you did not ask for the top 5.

 

[Silvereye]

Top 3 sci-fi books huh?

Dune, Frank Herbert
Heliconia, Brian Aldiss
Nights Dawn Trilogy, Peter F. Hamilton

A few of others of note:
The Stainless Steel Rat, Harry Harrison. First Sci-fi I read.
Alien/Aliens, Alen Dean Foster.
Saga of the Seven Suns, Kevin J Anderson. Very variable, but a good Grand Space Opera

 

[HorusZA]

Some interesting choices so far...

Here's my list:
Hyperion & Fall of Hyperion (Simmons)
A Fire Upon the Deep (Vinge)
Forever War (Haldeman)

Honourable Mention:
Ender's Game (Card)

 

[BenTOGS]

The Star Marines books (the Heritage Trilogy) by Ian Douglass (They start with 'Semper Mars' in the 2050's, with US marines deployed to mars, and nine books later go on to 'Galactic Marine' coming in October, where the setting is 2886ad. iIan Douglas is a pen name of the surviving Keith brother of Traveller and B'tech fame, I believe.

S.M. Stirling's The Change books, starting with 'Dies The Fire' . You are in this book. It starts in March 1998, with the power and lights going out all across the Earth... Then they discover that guns don't work either. The second books has details about the UK.

The Honor Harrington books, or the Manticore series, since Harrington is no longer the focus. Thank Ghod. By David Weber & Eric Flint. Specifically 'Crown of Slaves'

 

[grymlocke]

anyone read the 'Fleet' series ?..anthology of a half-dozen (or so) books of short stories based around a common theme (in this case humans vs 'the weasels')... some of the stories are good, real good..others not so much but overal a good series and worth looking into.