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Author Topic: Favourite sci-fi book  (Read 9521 times)
Zieman
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Favourite sci-fi book
« on: May 16, 2005, 04:14:25 am »

After having a lively discussion about favourite sci-fi movies, it's only natural to discuss about favourite sci-fi books...

My allt-time favourite sci-fi book(s) have to be Isaac Asimov's original three Foundatio-novels. I first read them when I was ~10 years old, and they left a permanent impression on me, and I've read them a dozen times since (both translated and in english).

Arthur C. Clarke's 2001, 2010 and 2061 are also great.
When talking about contemporary sci-fi, Dan Simmons with his Hyperion-saga is one of my favourites, and  Alastair Reynolds especially hits a nerve with his 'hard sci-fi' novels.

Mentoning 'hard' sci-fi, one must not forget Hal Clemens & Mission of gravity...
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2005, 04:47:18 am »

DUNE.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2005, 04:54:11 am »

Starship Troopers...  This book has some really screwed up ideas that strangely do make a lot of sense.
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Halleck
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2005, 05:21:22 am »

My favorite sci-fi novels are Dune (the first one), Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, Ender's Game, Neuromancer, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (entire series). Grin
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2005, 06:17:51 am »

Dune chapters 1, 3 and 4, Heorot, The God Makers. And a few others whose titles I forgot.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2005, 06:39:10 am »

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a definite favourite of mine, as is the 2001 series and some of Lovecraft's screwier stories. I also really like the Dune series and enjoyed Ian Banks' "Consider Phlebas". But one of the very best sci-fi books I've ever read is a strange tale called "Ker Shus", written by Norwegian author Tor Aage Bringsvaerd. If any of you should come across an English translation of this little gem, you shouldn't hesitate to read it.


EDIT: Damn, I forgot to mention two other favourites. 1984 and Brave New World. Different books, but similar in outlook. And very well written.


EDIT2: Although considered non-scifi by purists, some portions of the Bible (especially those with "fiery wagons" and the like) make for pretty compelling reading, and very science fiction.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2005, 06:44:11 am by VOiD » Logged

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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2005, 07:37:02 am »

Quote

EDIT: Damn, I forgot to mention two other favourites. 1984 and Brave New World. Different books, but similar in outlook. And very well written.

1984 and brave new world are good...so is WE(they are all grouped together).
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2005, 08:13:53 am »

Quote
1984 and brave new world are good...so is WE(they are all grouped together).

While on the subject, how about Fahrenheit 451? Great book, and the 1960s movie adaptation wasn't bad, either.


EDIT: Damn! And damn again! How could I not mention HG Wells' War of the Worlds? Or Jules Verne's classics Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the sea.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2005, 09:25:16 am »

Quote

While on the subject, how about Fahrenheit 451? Great book, and the 1960s movie adaptation wasn't bad, either.
EDIT: Damn! And damn again! How could I not mention HG Wells' War of the Worlds? Or Jules Verne's classics Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the sea.

all good books, but I was underwhelmed by the movie.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2005, 10:00:54 am »

"some portions of the Bible (especially those with "fiery wagons" and the like) make for pretty compelling reading, and very science fiction."

Yea, you really have to wonder what kinda toys they were playing with back then, if it's not all fabricated. I'm curious about the last part of genesis, where there is placed that turreted flaming sword. I want one of those!
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2005, 10:46:11 am »

Star Control: Interbellum!!!!!!11

Seriously though, probably Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Hitchhiker's Guide. Good stuff.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2005, 12:23:05 pm »

2001, 2010, 2061, 3001. all thoes by arthur c clarke. good stuff.

dark tower series by stephen king. more sci fi fantasy than stricly sci fi.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #12 on: May 16, 2005, 06:22:28 pm »

Quote

Yea, you really have to wonder what kinda toys they were playing with back then, if it's not all fabricated. I'm curious about the last part of genesis, where there is placed that turreted flaming sword. I want one of those!

It's not entirely unlikely that they based these fantastic stories on the possibly much older Indian vedic texts. Here are mentioned wondrous things as Viman (possibly space crafts), Diyastra (missiles) and Brahamastra (nuclear weapons). All very interesting stuff, to read how Arjun goes about his business with a war in the heavens against the Kauravs and so on. Really quite fantastic stuff. Possibly the very first science fiction ever made. And if it's like the Indians claim, that it isn't fiction but history books, then I think I'll go into a series of fits.
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2005, 06:45:38 pm »

I've read Asimov, Clarke, a little Simak and a few other. I can't put my finger on any specific story I liked, but I kind of enjoyed the shorter stories more.
There's another writer, who's name I can't remember. I only read 2 or 3 books of his, but he got repetitive with the alternative reality stuff. Simak kinda was repetitive too, I think most his books revolved around economical principles.

I didn't like Farenheit 451 that much, but 1984 and Brave new world left an impression on me.

The Bible has a bunch of stuff in Hesekiel. With a little good will, it may seem like he's describing helicopters, with crystal cockpits, landing wheels, rotating... stuff.

Like someone said though, The indians were much more to the point with their description of the Vimanas & weaponry. Very detailed with descriptions of the effects of radioactive fallout etc.
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Deus Siddis
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Re: Favourite sci-fi book
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2005, 08:15:55 pm »

"2001, 2010, 2061, 3001. all thoes by arthur c clarke. good stuff."

2001 and 2010 have been made into movies, while 3001 is coming out in the future. Is 2061 more boring than the rest or something? Why did it get left out.


"It's not entirely unlikely that they based these fantastic stories on the possibly much older Indian vedic texts. Here are mentioned wondrous things as Viman (possibly space crafts), Diyastra (missiles) and Brahamastra (nuclear weapons). All very interesting stuff, to read how Arjun goes about his business with a war in the heavens against the Kauravs and so on. Really quite fantastic stuff. Possibly the very first science fiction ever made. And if it's like the Indians claim, that it isn't fiction but history books, then I think I'll go into a series of fits."

Yeah, I think there might be something in indian legion too. The question is, which culture would have had all these crazy devices, the "Indo-Aryans" or whoever lived in India before their arrival? Even though I think these texts are in Sanskrit, I find it hard to believe that some georgian barbarians or whatever, possessed a civilization old enough and advanced enough to create such technology.

As for the biblical stuff, I thought that had more stories taken from egypt, than india (they are both places with a very mysterious history).
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