Old School Sci-Fi Book Recommendations

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:17 am

Following up on wvjohn's post, thought it might be fun if everyone posts their favorite old school sci-fi books. I'd like to discover some new ones.

Here's a few of my favs to get started.

- The Expendables: The Deathworms of Kratos". First of a 4 book series by Edmund Cooper writing under the pen name Richard Avery. A very different take on exploring new worlds for colonizing. Not deep, but a lot fun and a lot of action. Long since out of print but you can find all four books used on Amazon. Search by author name "Richard Avery".

There ARE Kindle versions but they're under his real name Edmund Cooper (and a bit pricey IMO). Search Amazon under the name "Edmund Cooper".

- Protector by Larry Niven (great into into the whole Niven universe)

- Ringworld by Larry Niven

- The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

- Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clark (ignore all the sequels IMO - they sucked. The first is the best and I wish someone would make a movie of it).

- A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clark. A rather forgotten Clark book that I loved.

- The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. Not as well known as some of his others, but my favorite Heinlein novel.

- Eon by Greg Bear

- Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker. First a 5 or 6 part series (with a couple of spinoffs).

- Web of the Chozen by Jack L. Chalker

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:57 pm

A few more:

- Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pourelle. One of my favorite Niven-Pournelle collaborations. Simple plot: Science fiction author dies, then wakes up in an accurate recreation of hell from Dante's Inferno - but with some areas updated to take into account modern sins. Hilarity ensues. I've read this book more than a dozen times.

- Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward. Explorers studying a neutron star discover intelligent life on it's surface. One of the problems in making contact is that due to the fact that the aliens' biology is based on collapsed matter, they live greatly accelerated lives. A few minutes our time is a lifetime for one of them. Hard science.

- The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison. First of a series but each book stands on it's own. Hilarious adventures of one of the few last remaining criminals in a future where crime has all but been eliminated.

- Deathworld by Harry Harrison

- The Andomeda Strain by Micheal Crichton

- Artifact by Gregory Benford. Hard science.

- Skylark of Space - E. E. "Doc" Smith. First of four book series. This is REALLY old school - 1930s - Sci Fi. Smith, like Heinlein, believed that one man with the knowledge of science could change the world.

Err · Post by **Err** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:17 pm

Stanisław Lem - Solaris (1961)

Lem is an extremely detailed writer. I've also read His Master's Voice but can't recommend it. It drags too much. The 2002 film Solaris with George Clooney is also very good and captured the novel well. The ending to the movie is different and actually better than the book in my opinion.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:26 am

To me, Isaac Asimov is the epitome of classic SF, I couldn't single out any of his works as better than another.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:27 am

Oh, one that I don't think gets enough attention is Robert Silverberg.

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:13 pm

Silverberg is good - I remember reading Dying Inside and going Wow!

Here's another list someone posted to FB. Don't think I've read any of them except the North Road, which was good, but a few sound interesting

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mccarricksean/t ... -year-fjmu