What's your favourite science fiction book?

[jefmcg]

Wow. 1972...

Um? They had science in 1972.

Loved that book. When I saw this thread title come up, I thought of posting it as a possibility. Except for the wish fulfilment Mary Sue stuff about fat middle age man having low gravity sex with moon maiden

Against stupidity the gods themselves labour in vain (probably misquoted).

Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens

 

[Stonechat]

I have been reading The Martian for the past few months. I thought i'd read it before the film came out, and treat myself to a cinematic experience. I'm just not finding the time to read it. I prefer to read in bed prior to sleeping but, these days, when i go to bed there are two or three people there already and they would not appreciate me turning a light on. There's even one of them who gets disturbed by the racket of a page being turned. Nevertheless, The Martian is a good read. A real page-turner. There isn't any fancy SF paradigm shifts (not that there's anything wrong with that), and the constant science/engineering waffle has the likes of little old me sufficiently convinced.

you need a kindle

 

[SavageHoutkop]

you need a kindle

you need a non-amazon kindle alternative

 

[Tin Pot]

you need a kindle

Or to sleep in his own bed

 

[Drago]

2001, then Footfall, then Earth Abides.

 

[Padraig]

One of the best sci-fi books I ever read was one I borrowed from another boy at school in the sixties. It was actually my introduction to science fiction. It was called The Best of Sci-Fi 5. As the name suggests, it was one of a series of anthologies, and the stories in it, including some by Ray Bradbury, crossed over well into science fantasy and stories about strange events in mundane settings. Don't know if that series is still in print, but I'd love to read them again.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Journey to the Centre of the Earth & 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Journey sparked my interest in rock collecting and is likely the reason why I'm a geologist today

20,000 Leagues - read it only after seeing the Disney movie with James Mason, probably the definitive portrayal of Nemo. A genius scientist anti-hero, so I knobbled him as my handle on these forums.

Some people have mentioned 2001, which wasn't originally a novel but a short story. I believe A.C.Clarke fleshed it out a bit after the film came out.

Hitch Hikers Guide - some believe the radio series is based on the book, but it's the other way around.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

One of the best sci-fi books I ever read was one I borrowed from another boy at school in the sixties. It was actually my introduction to science fiction. It was called The Best of Sci-Fi 5. As the name suggests, it was one of a series of anthologies, and the stories in it, including some by Ray Bradbury, crossed over well into science fantasy and stories about strange events in mundane settings. Don't know if that series is still in print, but I'd love to read them again.

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/the-best-of-sci-fi-5/author/judith-merril-ed/ ?

 

[mybike]

The Bible.
I once found it in the sci-fi section of water stones. good read if you ask me. people walking on water, killing giants and being super strong due to there hair. Awesome!

*runs and hides*[/QUOTE]

Nah, the Bible is way above science & fiction.

 

[Padraig]

Thanks for that, SavageHoutkop. Must see about getting hold of a copy. I currently have, as yet unread, a beautifully-produced Everyman edition of the stories of Ray Bradbury. Those Everyman editions are really excellent. Sadly, the only one of his Dublin stories in it is The Anthem Sprinters.

 

[SteCenturion]

The Kama Sutra ....

None of that sh*t ever happens ...





Does it ?

 

[Profpointy]

I suppose if Brave New World is science fiction then 1984 is.

I always liked the film Zardoz. I assume it was based on a book. I may have to get it out one day.

strange film Zardoz, at one level corny pretentious tosh, yet everytime it's on I find myself watching it yet again, and the final scene literally brings a tear to my eye. And i'm still thinking about yet another set of Beethoven symponies just to get Egine Jochum's sublime version of the Largo from the 7th

 

[Profpointy]

It's my biggest SF shame that I have never read a single book in the Foundation series...

I was enthralled as a teenager but utterly unreadable as an adult. Really very poor indeed.

 

[Piemaster]

Son recently passed Ready Player One to me- took me back to my gaming youth. Speilberg is directing a film version of it.

Shouldn't all sci-fi be read on one of those futuristic electronic devices?

 

[jefmcg]

Hitch Hikers Guide - some believe the radio series is based on the book, but it's the other way around.

Apparently a screen play first, but he couldn't sell it, so wrote the radio version.