Top 3 science fiction novels you've read
- Thread starter newtraveller
- Start date
KingMonkey
Mongoose
A top 3 is really tough, but I'll add a few that are specifically not listed here.
The Risen Empire (2 books) by Scott Westerfeld
The Golden Age (3 books) by John C. Wright
Lensman (5-6 books) by E.E. "Doc" Smith
Without other people listing so many great books there is no way I could keep it down to such a short list. Still, it was really tough and I ended up listing books that were all in a series. I would need to think some more about single stand alone novels.
The Risen Empire (2 books) by Scott Westerfeld
The Golden Age (3 books) by John C. Wright
Lensman (5-6 books) by E.E. "Doc" Smith
Without other people listing so many great books there is no way I could keep it down to such a short list. Still, it was really tough and I ended up listing books that were all in a series. I would need to think some more about single stand alone novels.
I could never answer that, as my favorites change over the years and decades. My top three *Traveller*-style novels, however, are:
1. The Mote in Gods Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
2. Space Viking by H. Beam Piper
3. The Zero Stone by Andre Norton
Together, the kind of capture the spirit of Traveller for me
1. The Mote in Gods Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
2. Space Viking by H. Beam Piper
3. The Zero Stone by Andre Norton
Together, the kind of capture the spirit of Traveller for me
dlpulver said:
Well, if we narrow it down like that, it actually becomes slightly more feasible. They're still multi-book stories, but SF is like that...
1) The Dumarest Saga by E.C. Tubb. It could be a writeup of a Traveller campaign, except it was written years before.
2) Mote in God's Eye/The Gripping hand (aka Moat Around Murcheson's Eye)
3) Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
"The City and the Stars" by Arthur C. Clarke
"The Birthgrave" by Tanith Lee (starts out fantasy but ends up SF)
"Falling Free" by Lois McMasters Bujold
Best Fantasy Novels:
"The Curse of Chalion" by Lois McMasters Bujold
"The Wounded Land" by Stephen Donaldson
"Fortress at the Eye of Time" by CJ Cherryh
"The Birthgrave" by Tanith Lee (starts out fantasy but ends up SF)
"Falling Free" by Lois McMasters Bujold
Best Fantasy Novels:
"The Curse of Chalion" by Lois McMasters Bujold
"The Wounded Land" by Stephen Donaldson
"Fortress at the Eye of Time" by CJ Cherryh
Rikki Tikki Traveller said:
Though C. J. Cherryh's fantasy novels are not my cup of tea, I really like her science fiction novels. I must admit that when I thought about the best SF books I have read, C. J. Cherryh's name came to my mind. Her SF novels make me think about 2300AD.
Last_Starfighter
Mongoose
Did nobody pick Dorsai ?
Perfect Mercenary Campaign fluff
I'd have to go with anything Heinlein, Herbert and EE 'Doc' Smith ...
Although the Saga of the Seven Suns (if it ever gets finished) is a pretty good yarn
Herbert HAS to be the model for a feudal society in space ...
Perfect Mercenary Campaign fluff
I'd have to go with anything Heinlein, Herbert and EE 'Doc' Smith ...
Although the Saga of the Seven Suns (if it ever gets finished) is a pretty good yarn
Herbert HAS to be the model for a feudal society in space ...
#1: Eon & Eternity by Greg Bear (2 books, but one story really)
#2: Hyperion & The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons (again, 2 books, one story. Well 3 books really, but I never read the third)
#3: it's a 3-way tie between Neuromancer by William Gibson, Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds, and Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks
#2: Hyperion & The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons (again, 2 books, one story. Well 3 books really, but I never read the third)
#3: it's a 3-way tie between Neuromancer by William Gibson, Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds, and Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks
I'll add in some that people may not have considered as Sci-Fi
1. The Pern Series by Anne McCaffery
2. Timeline by Michael Crichton (also Jurassic Park, Sphere, Prey and State of Fear)
3. Decipher by Stel Pavlou
Of course, there's a few already mentioned that I love ...
1. The Pern Series by Anne McCaffery
2. Timeline by Michael Crichton (also Jurassic Park, Sphere, Prey and State of Fear)
3. Decipher by Stel Pavlou
Of course, there's a few already mentioned that I love ...
I enjoyed the first three books of the Dune series (Dune, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune). After this, not so much.newtraveller said:
I don't think I've read Victor Milan's BT books, but Stackpole's books were what breathed the life in to the setting for me. The books have outlined the major events and political history of that universe with skill and are a damned good read. His X-Wing books for Star Wars are good as well.Da Boss said:
I loved the first book. I don't think the rest of the series matched it.Golan2072 said:
I liked the Foundation trilogy, but felt the expansion in to the series was trying too hard.yojimbo said:
TrippyHippy said:
It took me no less than half a dozen tries to finally get into Dune. Each time I'd pick it back up, I'd force myself to read a chapter or two more than I had the last attempt. Finally, around the 6th or 7th try, it got interesting enough to keep me from putting it down. It's good - if you can get through the beginning. Yet I've never felt compelled to read it again.
My all time favorite SF novel is CS Friedman's In Conquest Born. I love it so much because it's so much more than a SF novel - it's a really great example of how an SF novel can be another genre as well.
Beyond that, it's hard to pick. Right now, I'd say tied for #2 would be the Honor Harrington series and Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet Series.
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
kristof65 said:
There are two philosophical schools of thought within SF.
One is that SF isn't a genre, but merely a setting in which to tell recognizable tales: war stories, love stories, exploration and adventure, etc.
The other is that SF should be used to explore the not-yet-possible, the ramifications of discoveries not yet made, or the actions of societies not yet born. This is typically credited to Campbell and labelled Campbellian SF or Speculative Fiction.
Both lead to good stories, and both have produced unreadable dreck. It is sometimes hard to tell the difference between them, and indeed they tend to intermix in much of the best SF.
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
Shiloh said:
Slightly. The problem is that I've been mapping my reading into the Traveller experience for decades...
(Leaving off "Dune" because it's on everyone' list, it seems)
1. "Gateway" by Frederik Pohl: Fantastic tale of exploring the unknown via mysterious alien technology.
2. "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman: Covers the same ground as Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", but from the point-of-view of the conscript rather than the citizen soldier.
3. "Ship of Fools" by Richard Paul Russo: Examination of the evolution of society in isolation, pursuing forgotten and irrelevant goals.
1. "Gateway" by Frederik Pohl: Fantastic tale of exploring the unknown via mysterious alien technology.
2. "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman: Covers the same ground as Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", but from the point-of-view of the conscript rather than the citizen soldier.
3. "Ship of Fools" by Richard Paul Russo: Examination of the evolution of society in isolation, pursuing forgotten and irrelevant goals.
InterStellar Arsenal
Mongoose
Although I'm a fan of most of the books that have been mentioned, I've chosen three (somewhat obscure) titles that have not come up yet but that would be enjoyable for Traveller players (and that are primary inspirations for my own ASTRAL EMPIRES setting):
1. The Last Legionary series by Douglas Hill
2. Starwolf by Edmond Hamilton
3. Berserkers by Fred Saberhagen
All three of these series show a depiction of humanity that fits well with the Traveller mythos and each has interesting themes and ideas that would make great campaigns.
Kevin
InterStellar Arsenal
www.freewebs.com/interstellerarsenal/
1. The Last Legionary series by Douglas Hill
2. Starwolf by Edmond Hamilton
3. Berserkers by Fred Saberhagen
All three of these series show a depiction of humanity that fits well with the Traveller mythos and each has interesting themes and ideas that would make great campaigns.
Kevin
InterStellar Arsenal
www.freewebs.com/interstellerarsenal/
Dark Lord Skippy
Mongoose
Since we appear to leaving off Dune, Starship Troopers, Foundation, Space Viking and the Mote in God's Eye (which would normally handle my favorites quite well), I feel I should come along and mention my other favorites.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein.
Orbital Decay, Lunar Descent, Clarke County Space, A King of Infinite Space all by Allen Steele.
Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon
The Mercenary by Jerry Pournelle
The Sparta Series by Jerry Pournelle and SM Stirling
Mission of Gravity, Cycle of Fire, Close to Critical, Half Life and Iceworld by Hal Clement
and the Honor Harrington series by David Weber
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein.
Orbital Decay, Lunar Descent, Clarke County Space, A King of Infinite Space all by Allen Steele.
Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon
The Mercenary by Jerry Pournelle
The Sparta Series by Jerry Pournelle and SM Stirling
Mission of Gravity, Cycle of Fire, Close to Critical, Half Life and Iceworld by Hal Clement
and the Honor Harrington series by David Weber
Travellingdave
Banded Mongoose
Okay, I'm only going to address my choices for Traveller-style SF books, i.e. the books I reread when I want to get into a Traveller frame of mind.
1. The Niven/Pournelle Codominium series: Mote in God's Eye, War World series, etc. They are the very model of the human Imperium, in my mind.
2. In Fury Born by David Weber: Hi-tech warfare on the edge of a politically-charged human empire. Great space opera in the old-school style with a new-tech favor. Also shows that cybertech can be integrated and not destroy your TU.
3. Gaean Reach series by Jack Vance: Elaborate, well-defined, human cultures in a sprawling empire that demonstrate that you don't need aliens to have alien beings.
Everyone else has listed Dune, Flandry and others, so I'll stop with these.
1. The Niven/Pournelle Codominium series: Mote in God's Eye, War World series, etc. They are the very model of the human Imperium, in my mind.
2. In Fury Born by David Weber: Hi-tech warfare on the edge of a politically-charged human empire. Great space opera in the old-school style with a new-tech favor. Also shows that cybertech can be integrated and not destroy your TU.
3. Gaean Reach series by Jack Vance: Elaborate, well-defined, human cultures in a sprawling empire that demonstrate that you don't need aliens to have alien beings.
Everyone else has listed Dune, Flandry and others, so I'll stop with these.
1) Foundation Trilogy by Issac Asimov
2) The Dune series (Dune through to Chapter House Dune) by Frank Herbert
3) The Mars books by Kim Stanley Robinson
And I need to mention the below, because no one has so far.
The Gap series by Stephen R. Donaldson
The Wonderland Gambit series by Jack L. Chalker
Darkover (post recontact) series Marion Zimmer Bradley
2) The Dune series (Dune through to Chapter House Dune) by Frank Herbert
3) The Mars books by Kim Stanley Robinson
And I need to mention the below, because no one has so far.
The Gap series by Stephen R. Donaldson
The Wonderland Gambit series by Jack L. Chalker
Darkover (post recontact) series Marion Zimmer Bradley
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
Limiting myself to the Traveller experience, and removing "the usual suspects" (Anderson's Flandry and Falkayn, Norton's Solar Queen, and Dune), I present a few books in the spirit of "you should read these if you are a Traveller player"...
Brian Daley: The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh
(trilogy consisting of "Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds", "Jinx on a Terran Inheritance", and "Fall of the White Ship Avatar")
Larry Niven's tales of Beowulf Shaeffer, as well as his other Known Space stories. Ringworld is actually lower on this list than you might think.
Charles Sheffield's - The McAndrew Chronicles
Anne McCaffery's Dinosaur Planet cycle (Dinosaur Planet, DP Survivors, Sasinak, and The Planet Pirates). Despite the anti-meat thing (which I had no problem taking as a cultural base instead of a RW "message"), these have all the fixins a Traveller tale should.
Poul Anderson's "Tales of the Flying Mountains".
H. Beam Piper - pretty much everything. Start with Space Viking, Cosmic Computer, Four Day Planet, and the collections "Federation" and "Empire".
Michael McCollum's "Antares" books.
John Kooistra's "Dykstra's War"
Brian Daley: The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh
(trilogy consisting of "Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds", "Jinx on a Terran Inheritance", and "Fall of the White Ship Avatar")
Larry Niven's tales of Beowulf Shaeffer, as well as his other Known Space stories. Ringworld is actually lower on this list than you might think.
Charles Sheffield's - The McAndrew Chronicles
Anne McCaffery's Dinosaur Planet cycle (Dinosaur Planet, DP Survivors, Sasinak, and The Planet Pirates). Despite the anti-meat thing (which I had no problem taking as a cultural base instead of a RW "message"), these have all the fixins a Traveller tale should.
Poul Anderson's "Tales of the Flying Mountains".
H. Beam Piper - pretty much everything. Start with Space Viking, Cosmic Computer, Four Day Planet, and the collections "Federation" and "Empire".
Michael McCollum's "Antares" books.
John Kooistra's "Dykstra's War"
