Science Fiction Book Club

[Lorizael]

Originally posted by Addled Platypus
Alastair Reynolds - Revelation space

I finished this a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it a good deal. A lot of good ideas and well-developed characters, but a sometimes aimless plot.

[Heraclitus]

Two words: Frank Herbert

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Though, you may like "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" by Heinlein.

The Earth is bad...throw rocks at it!

I'll add my recomendation to this one as well. A very entertaining story.

[snoopy369]

1. For Weberesque, go John Ringo (highly militarist scifi, lots of aliens but we're talking Aliens type aliens for the most part, and mostly they exist to be shot at). Also John Scalzi as earlier mentioned, very good new author. Also, if you don't mind fantasy, Glen Cook has an excellent series The Black Company which can be a great intro to fantasy for the military fiction reader.

2. Check out Michael Flynn, first and foremost, his primary series "*Star" (Rogue Star, etc., if I remember correctly) is a very good series about near earth exploration in the current day (with current technology, essentially). You might also try out John Barnes, who has a few different series; the Cowboy series is the most near-earth of them (and has the fewest aliens IIRC). Nancy Kress is definitely interesting, particularly her older series (as her newer ones are more alien-focussed) - and she is married to Charles Sheffield so that always helps. I'll also second Vinge and Hamilton, and of course Heinlein.

Also check out Mike Resnick ... the king of short stories, he also has a lot of good novels out there, particularly the Widowmaker series. Simon R. Green's Deathstalker series is also quite good.

[Patroklos]

David Brin's Uplift books.

Start with Startide Rising.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Perfection
Would you folks be interested in my Wookie Fan Fic?

[Tuberski]

Try "The Eternity Artifact" by L.E. Modesitt. I like his Sci-Fi far more than his Fantasy.

ACK!

[Addled Platypus]

Originally posted by Lorizael


I finished this a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it a good deal. A lot of good ideas and well-developed characters, but a sometimes aimless plot.

you know there are two more books to the series

[Harry Tuttle]

Originally posted by Addled Platypus
Kim Stanley Robinson- Mars Series

Check out this interview

[Donegeal]

I am re-reading Ender's Game (I got it for christmas). Its a damn good book.

[Fve Crathva]

Originally posted by Perfection
Would you folks be interested in my Wookie Fan Fic?

Yes, please.

SP

[Zoid]

Charles Stross "Singularity Sky" and "Iron Sunrise", good quality space opera

[Julian Delphiki]

Originally posted by Donegeal
I am re-reading Ender's Game (I got it for christmas). Its a damn good book.

After that it's good to read all of Shadow series

Actually, Enders Shadow might be somewhat bore too soon, unless you want to continue the Battle School story etc right away.

[Wraith]

Hmm. I'd repeat the recommendations for Red Mars, Vernor Vinge, In Conquest Born (surprised to see that mentioned, sometimes I think I was the only one who read it ^_^), Niven's Known Space stuff, and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

The Black Company is a great series, although it is fantasy, so it isn't what you're asking for. If you're willing to go fantasy though, it's a good read. And although I enjoy the Uplift series, it's extremely alien heavy, so probably not what you're looking for.

There's some older authors you should consider, like Alfred Bester (I think "The Stars my Destination" would fit your requirements) or A. E. van Vogt, such as his Null-A stuff.

And I can't believe this thread's gone this far without anyone mentioning Dune. Oh well. Hyperion might also be worth a look for you.

If you like cyberpunk stuff, I like Walter Jon William's stuff. Some of his, like the fairly recent Praxis series or Angel Station, do have some heavy alien involvement. Others have aliens, but only a single other species. Some have none at all, like HardWired or the City on Fire series. Aristoi doesn't have aliens, although it does have extremely advanced tech, and is probably my favorite of his stuff.

Also consider Haruki Murakami's works. I think something like "Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" would probably fit. He does some really interesting stuff.

Edit:
If you don't mind time-travel stories, check out "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis.

Frederik Pohl's Gateway series is also pretty good. It does have aliens, in a way, but mostly as long-vanished.

Philip K Dick's stuff should get a look-see. Not sure which to recommend to start with, though. Maybe Ubik.

Philip José Farmer's Riverworld series is also pretty interesting.

Kurt Vonnegut has some good stuff as well, like Slaughterhouse-Five.

Wraith
"The world will always destroy you. And the world will make you ridiculous while it does so." -- Walter Jon Williams

[Imran Siddiqui]

Wraith!!! You're back!!

And I can't believe this thread's gone this far without anyone mentioning Dune. Oh well. Hyperion might also be worth a look for you.

Well, they are both out according to the OP. He wants solar system sci-fi and no aliens.