I think this is probably my greatest accomplishment in all of 2008. Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov. Actually, recommend me some more sci-fi stuff.

I've read the Ender/Bean series already, as well as the first part of the Dune series. In particular, I enjoy stories in which authors give a realistic picture of how they think the world will turn out in the future. Not a big fan of the more fantasy-ish sci-fi stuff.

BroOd

Austin10831 Posts

April 26 2008 07:59 GMT

maybe a little distant from what you're looking for, but read cormac mccarthy's The Road.

Energies

Australia3225 Posts

April 26 2008 08:41 GMT

I actually have within reach a copy of Isaac Asimov's A choice of Catastrophes.
One day, I plan to read it.

A favourite sc-fi book of mine of late has been- The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester. It really made me feel like a kid again reading it, because I have always wanted to be able to teleport.

I have so much respect and admiration for some of these classic sci-fi writers, I have read countless books that left me in awe of the possibilities, and then I find out the books were written 30 to 50 years before I was born, genius minds.

Edit: I approve of this blog.

samachking

Bahrain4949 Posts

April 26 2008 09:04 GMT

Fahrenheit 451
Read it now, great book

kefkalives

Australia1272 Posts

April 26 2008 09:09 GMT

Im reading Heart of Darkness again. I have The Brothers Karamazov on my to do list.

MarklarMarklar

Fiji1823 Posts

April 26 2008 09:27 GMT

just finished the first book in the foundation series like 3 days ago

isaac asimov rules if you can get into it, some people hate his style tho.

you should check out philip K. Dick's The man in the high castle, do androids dream of electric sheep, and a bunch of his other books.

they rule.

sigma_x

Australia285 Posts

April 26 2008 09:29 GMT

The City and the Stars by Arthur C Clarke. Yes, the writing is a little stilted in parts but its such an amazing book. The Fountains of Paradise, also by Arthur C Clarke is another absolutely wonderfully written book. And for a different author, Neil Gaiman's American Gods (although genre-wise, that is a little bit harder to classify.)

azndsh

United States4447 Posts

April 26 2008 09:31 GMT

I've already read Fahrenheit 451, but to be honest, not really a fan of Bradbury. I consider his "sci-fi" to be too fantasy-like, if you know what I mean. Same with the few samples of Clarke that I've read.

I have trouble with a lot of these "classic" books. Pretty much detested the style of writing in HoD (very obvious English was not Conrad's first language) and Dostoevsky is kinda ehhh for me.

I'll look into the other books.

Daigomi

South Africa4316 Posts

April 26 2008 11:59 GMT

I'd definitely recommend the Foundation series by Asimov

Elric

United Kingdom1327 Posts

April 26 2008 12:24 GMT

#10

On April 26 2008 20:59 Daigomi wrote:
I'd definitely recommend the Foundation series by Asimov

I was about to say... You've read some Asimov but not Foundation?!? HERESY!

They will keep you occupied for a while as although the books are short, there are a fair few of them.

+ Show Spoiler +

I MISS DORS :[

aeronexus

United States392 Posts

April 26 2008 15:53 GMT

#11

just finished The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein and it's definitely one of the best books I've read in a while. falls in line pretty well with the "how-the-world-will-turn-out" thing. Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is good too; pretty similar to the Ender & Bean series in terms of predicting the future of the world.

Straylight

Canada706 Posts

April 26 2008 17:51 GMT

#12

Foundation series by Isaac Asimov is good if you can get into it. I liked Farenheit 451. Only the first Dune book was good. Heart of Darkness is uhh not sci-fi but a good book.

Try Neuromancer by William Gibson. It's cyberpunk and pretty much the best one of that genre. His writing style might be tough to get by the first time around. I found the book so much better with the 2nd reading and now it's one of my favourites.

AmorVincitOmnia

Kenya3846 Posts

April 26 2008 19:56 GMT

#13

On April 26 2008 20:59 Daigomi wrote:
I'd definitely recommend the Foundation series by Asimov

i'm on Second Foundation right now.

hiiiiighly recommend, great series.

OrderlyChaos

United States1115 Posts

April 26 2008 21:33 GMT

#14

I'd say finish the Elijah Bailey series. I liked the characters and books a lot. Foundation is great, as others have said.

rA.BreeZe

Canada56 Posts

April 27 2008 00:50 GMT

#15

Harry Potter and Eragon.

Lhyviathan

Australia975 Posts

April 27 2008 04:41 GMT

#16

A Song of Ice and Fire series, by George R R Martin.

nofAcedAgent

United States952 Posts

April 27 2008 04:59 GMT

#17

I really enjoy dark future/cyberpunk stuff with evil corporations and all that goodness

Snow Crash by Neal Stephanson

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Both are staples of the genre and a good place to start I think.

EDIT: pics to tempt you muwhahah

fanatacist

10319 Posts

April 27 2008 05:07 GMT

#18

"Brave New World" - I'm sure you've read this though. Fits your description of what you want to see perfectly.
"Hard to be a God" - Strugatsky brothers. Describes a different world similar to our own, but closer to medieval times, being ruled over by the now advanced human civilization.
Check out some Sheckley short stories. I can't remember names off the top of my head, but a lot of them are based on Earth and not too distant (and thus not very "fantasy" future).
"The Stars My Destination" & "Demolition Man." Both great sci-fi books in my opinion.
"The Martian Chronicles" - Bradbury. I know you said you don't like him, but I think this is a book that can be greatly appreciated if it is read from the sadly-comedic stand point as I believe it was intended.
"Neuromancer" is a good read too, I saw it recommended above.

EDIT: I also agree with whoever said finish the Foundation series. I read the whole thing, I liked it a lot.

EDIT 2: I see "The Stars My Destination" has been mentioned too. I didn't expect it, I find it less common than some of the others. Cheers!

EDIT 3: Isn't this a sexy cover?

nofAcedAgent

United States952 Posts

April 27 2008 05:21 GMT

#19

Someone I worked with recently kept telling me I had to read 'brave new world',(except he apparently knew it by the title "admiral new world" because hes from brazil and I guess thats the title over there lol) he was really sold on it. he even bought me a copy off amazon unfortunatley I moved before he was able to give it to me

....Ill have to pick that up..

quirinus

Croatia2489 Posts

April 28 2008 00:15 GMT

#20

On April 27 2008 00:53 aeronexus wrote:
[...] Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is good too [...]

Mars Triology (Red Mars, Green Mars and Blue Mars) by Kim Stanley Robinson

this is very very realistic and detailed, I loved it. there are many characters (a lot of them get their chaper in the book) - they die, get old, and are very well and realistically/detailed pictured, even their way of thinking. it's just insane. politics, science, action, love, you got it all here, and much much more.

it's in the relatively close future, when man starts to colonize the mars.

Between the Strokes of Night by Charles Sheffield was a very nice read for me too. The beginning is about hibernation... that's a hint to something.

these two books are some of the representatives of the Hard SF - it's characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. that just adds a lot to their flavor.

The City and the Stars from Arthur C. Clarke is a bit less realistic (well I think so, but it's kinda visionary, so it's hard to say), but still very interesting/fun and sf-ish. it's about the last city of men, billions of years in the future - utopia style.

hm I'll try to think of some more future mankind books, there are a lot but can't think of any now, except maybe foundation (must read xD).

Ecael

United States6703 Posts

April 28 2008 00:26 GMT

#21

The rest of Asimov, obviously!

Well, really, his short stories were brilliant. The foundation and robot series too were great, though I must say I enjoyed the latter much more than the former. Daybreak, which doesn't exactly fit in the short stories (thought Nightfall might appear in one of the short story collections, since the other two parts were written years later) also sports an excellent concept executed admirably.

LeafHouse

United States185 Posts

April 28 2008 03:34 GMT

#22

Kurt Vonnegut is definitely my favorite sci-fi. You've probably seen this before, but there are plenty of obnoxious people who read his work and think they have some kind of higher understanding of social/people issues. If you can get past that it's pretty awesomt to see how his commentaries are just actually really clever and insightful.

When Vonnegut was alive my grandpa used to say he was the last real science fiction writer who used sci-fi to really explore who we are as people rather than just tell stories about other worlds. If you're into Azimov's stories because of their message mixed with the imagination of it all, you'll love these.

quirinus

Croatia2489 Posts

April 28 2008 11:57 GMT

#23

oh, read nemesis from asimov, it's not directly connected to the foundation, but it's in the same universe. it explains the beginnings well, how they got the hyperspace drive etc.

I enjoyed it.

GeneralStan

United States4789 Posts

April 29 2008 03:00 GMT

#24

Vonnegut is amazing.

If you're going to read one Vonnegut book, make it Cat's Cradle.

I second the recommendation of The Martian Chronicles. The atmosphere is really really good.

I'm afraid I cannot second the recommendation of Foundation. The writing is just so dull and it descends into esoteric characters and situations.

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