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Post by Imperial Hegemon on Feb 24, 2014 2:16:37 GMT
I need a book recommendation, please. Just finished Dune, looking for space sci fi. Any recommendations are welcome!
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Post by Amarr Empire on Feb 24, 2014 2:24:19 GMT
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Post by Sethulkra Hive on Feb 24, 2014 2:29:57 GMT
Heinlein and Asimov would be a good start if you didn't already read them
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Post by Amarr Empire on Feb 24, 2014 2:32:13 GMT
I love Heinlein. I included two of his works in my list. Considering how long ago they were written, I think they hold up very well especially considering they are sci fi. Heinlein I think was one of the first people to really write about powered armor soldiers. |
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Post by The Kortl Rheus on Feb 24, 2014 2:58:52 GMT
I'd second Old Man's War and Oryx & Crake.
Also, Cloud Atlas is a great read, even if you've seen the film.
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Post by Imperial Hegemon on Feb 25, 2014 0:04:04 GMT
Alright, I think Old Man's War is going to be the next book then! I've already read Starship Troopers as it's kind of expected.
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Post by Tau Ceti Empire on Feb 25, 2014 1:32:11 GMT
Old Man's War is very good. Another one with a similar story line (much different themes though) is Forever War. If you read forever war, just remember it was written by a vietnam vet.
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Post by Amarr Empire on Feb 25, 2014 1:40:25 GMT
I'll update my list with a little blurb discussing what each story is generally about so you can get a feel for the content.
Ready Player One, is the first book of a brand new author. It is set in a kind of distopian near future, where the economy is very depressed follow an energy crisis/depression. The story contains a TON of nods to cult classics, and video games from the 90s 80s 70s. The story for the most part takes place within a Giant MMO video game, which is sort of like the Matrix in scale (much like Snowcrash if you had read that). While this might not sound like the best story, as I admit it isn't the best summary, I promise you will love it. One of the best sci fi books I have ever read. Very accessible for even non sci fi readers. If you like audiobooks it is read by Wil Wheaton and he does an AMAZING job.
Leviathan Wakes is a sci fi story set in the not so distant future. Man kind has colonized Mars as well as various moons and asteriods with technology that seems very feasible. However mankind has sort of splintered into several factions on the brink of war, pitting Earth versus Mars, and the "outer planets" all against each other. In this story the main protagonists are two different characters, the first a detective tracking down a case, the second a captain leading a sort of firefly esque crew.
Old Man's War, is a kind of spiritual successor to starship troopers giving a first hand account of the soldier of the future. Amazing story written by John Scalzi. If you have never read any Scalzi I would argue he is easily the greatest writer currently writing sci fi and I would already put him up there with Heinline and Card.
Oryx & Crake, is an Amazing Distopian story set in the not so distant future. Imagine if 1984 or Brave New World were written today, and written by a better author. Oryx & Crake is the 1984 of today, and can be truly haunting at times.
Starship Troopers, Powered Armor, nothing like the movie. great.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, is a cool story about individuals fighting for the freedom of Luna (the moon), a classic.
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Post by Amarr Empire on Feb 25, 2014 1:42:34 GMT
Another great story, I almost updated my list to include it. It is a much more dark story, but I think it really captures the bleakness that war is in reality. Old Mans War in a lot of ways takes from both Starship Troopers and forever war and captures the best of both. As you can tell I really like discussing sci-fi stories! One more addition. If you really love Star Trek, I can't recommend Red Shirts enough. It is also by Scalzi. Here is a blurb from amazon about it: Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, with the chance to serve on "Away Missions" alongside the starship’s famous senior officers. Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to realize that 1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces, 2) the ship’s senior officers always survive these confrontations, and 3) sadly, at least one low-ranking crew member is invariably killed. Unsurprisingly, the savvier crew members belowdecks avoid Away Missions at all costs. Then Andrew stumbles on information that transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives. |
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Post by Imperial Hegemon on Feb 25, 2014 2:18:36 GMT
I ended up with Forever War. The fact it is written by a vet is what drew me in, but also I couldn't find Old Man's War in the kindle shop. I did see a bunch of other book titles that made me wonder if it is a series of books?
Side note, the Amazon description of forever war states that its being turned into a movie. Is this supposed to be Live. Die. Repeat. ?
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Post by Amarr Empire on Feb 25, 2014 2:24:34 GMT
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Post by Amarr Empire on Feb 25, 2014 7:03:02 GMT
Side note, the Amazon description of forever war states that its being turned into a movie. Is this supposed to be Live. Die. Repeat. ? I'm not sure what Live Die Repeat is, but I know Forever War has been linked with Ridley Scott, and is "in development". I think that it means it is pre pre pre production  Who knows, would be an interesting film. I hope it isn't an adaptation like the Starship Troopers was. Though I loved the movie and the book, the movie is nothing like the book! |
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Post by Imperial Hegemon on Feb 25, 2014 10:59:17 GMT
Nope, not the same thing. I based that thought on the initial description and a faded memory of a trailer. That being said, this is Live. Die. Repeat. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw61gCe2oqI |
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Post by D'Kali Hegemony on Feb 26, 2014 5:12:30 GMT
I'll go on record with more 'casual' reading recommendations: the Horus Heresy series from Games Workshop/Black Library. There's quite a lot of books out for the series now, but they are pretty damn good and hey, Space Marines.
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Post by Imperial Hegemon on Feb 27, 2014 19:19:06 GMT
Finished Forever War yesterday. Not bad. Time for another. Old Man's War is available, but only as a paperback/hardcover from Amazon. Unless I swing into a Chapters, that'll likely have to wait. Time for the next book though, so I'll grab something off of this list.
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Who knows, would be an interesting film. I hope it isn't an adaptation like the Starship Troopers was. Though I loved the movie and the book, the movie is nothing like the book!