Best Science Fiction books - since 2000

[Brian G Turner]

There are plenty of classic science fiction novels, and there are so many I could list.

However, I'd love to get some feedback on what chronners think are the new classic science fiction novels, published since the year 2000?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Dark Eden by Chris Beckett, definitely. Really good mix of great characters, strong concept and voice.

 

[J-Sun]

I'm not very well read on the more recent stuff and haven't read all that many "classics" but some of the books I especially enjoyed were

• "Revelation Space" (2000-2003) - Alastair Reynolds (including DD&TD (2002) and Galactic North (2006); haven't actually read the third novel yet, though)
• Line of Polity (2003) - Neal Asher (and all the core Polity books)
• Sister Alice (2003) - Robert Reed (a fixup)
• Camouflage (2004) - Joe Haldeman
• The Zenith Angle (2004) - Bruce Sterling
• Accelerando (2005) - Charles Stross (a fixup that I didn't completely love but has a good shot at "classic" status)
• Prador Moon (2006) - Neal Asher
• Incandescence (2008) - Greg Egan (possibly also Schild's Ladder (2002) but if I had to pick one...)

Also, you were asking for just novels but Tor released "The Collected Stories of" Greg Bear (2002) and Vernor Vinge (2001) (and also Arthur C. Clarke (2000)) and they are instant classics (except that they left out the key story from the Vinge in order to sell an entire extra book). Also, Joe Haldeman's A Separate War and Other Stories (2007) was excellent. Asher's The Engineer Reconditioned (2006, original version 1998). Etc.

 

[The Judge]

Not sure if it will prove a classic, but certainly a very good book, with believable characters -- including a strong, determined woman which is always great to see -- an intelligent plot, and a gripping story all round, though for much of the book the SF elements are barely discernable: Consorts of Heaven by Jaine Fenn (2009).

 

[Extollager]

Weir's The Martian. Hard sf that pulled me right along even though I usually don't read hard sf.

 

[Nerds_feather]

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell would be my personal favorite.

 

[Rodders]

The Technician by Neal Asher
the Player. Of Games by Iain M. Banks
Revelations Space by Alistair Reynolds
Necropolis by Dan Abnett

 

[G.D. Lascelle]

In no particular order ...

The Algebraist - Iain M Banks
The Hydrogen Sonata - Iain M Banks
Pattern Recognition/Spook Country/Zero History - William Gibson (only just qualifies as SciFi, but near enough I think)
The Dervish House - Ian McDonald
River of Gods - Ian McDonald

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Perdido Street Stations and The Scar by China Mieville - slipstream SF, admittedly, but very influential on the genre.
Alastair Reynolds too.

 

[williamjm]

Ian McDonald - River of Gods
Richard Morgan - Altered Carbon
Anne Leckie - Ancillary Justice
David Mitchell - Cloud Atlas
Robert Charles Wilson - Spin
M. John Harrison - Light
Iain M. Banks - Surface Detail

the Player. Of Games by Iain M. Banks

Great book, but I think it's from about 1990.

 

[AndrewT]

There are plenty of classic science fiction novels, and there are so many I could list.

However, I'd love to get some feedback on what chronners think are the new classic science fiction novels, published since the year 2000?

I'm reading Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds and he is definitely a candidate for best sci fi writer of this century so far. I will be reading all his books now. But I don't really know what will be viewed as "classic" in the future.

 

[hitmouse]

Agree with the Banks and Mieville.

Quicksilver Neil Stephenson

 

[Extollager]

I have to read it again, but I was impressed by Ian Sales' Adrift on the Sea of Rains and have the next book by this author, The Eye With Which the Universe Beholds Itself on hand, and expect to see a third book soon. Sticking to the one I've read, I'd say it could prove to be a classic. Again, hard SF that someone like me who generally doesn't read hard SF could enjoy.

 

[Vince W]

I'd agree with a lot that has been already listed and add:

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline
Altered Carbon - Richard K. Morgan

 

[Gramm838]

Banks, Morgan and Reynolds definitely; and Jon Courtney Grimwood for his Arabesque trilogy.

Rather than name all of his books, I'd give a shout out for Dan Abnett as well

 

[ralphkern]

Alistair Reynolds - Pushing Ice (also House of Suns)
Andy Weir - The Martian
Peter F Hamilton - Great North Road (Also the Pandora's Star duology if they're post 2000 - not sure)
James S Corey - Leviathan Wakes (although very meh sequels)
John Birmingham - World War 2.0 (Not true SF but has elements)

And last but not least

Ralph Kern - Endeavour... shameless plug

 

[Bick]

Not a heck of a lot of others spring to mind as possible 'classics' - but it's maybe too soon to judge. Based on reputation and mentions on here, I'd say possibly Old Man's War by Scalzi, and then perhaps something by McDevitt (Polaris/Seeker?). Also, Baxter's Manifold series? I've only read the first, Manifold: Time, but its been well regarded and critiqued, and they were all 2000 or after. I'm not sure about Banks, though maybe. The James Corey books seem to divide opinion very much and I doubt they will stand the test of time. Reyonolds is obviously a good shout though.

 

[J-Sun]

Another thread brought this one up again. Just wanted to add a couple of things.

I probably agree with Bick on McDevitt - not sure why I didn't mention him, myself, unless that he's sort of borderline for just the "Polaris/Seeker?" reason (my favorites may be somewhat strange, as I'd nominate Firebird or, more probably, The Devil's Eye): no one book this millennium really says, "I'm an instant classic!" but I suspect he'll be read pretty far and wide for at least awhile. Some book should be on the list.

Also wanted to add a cheat: Charles Sheffield wrote a series of stories from the late 70s to the late 90s which were collected in ever expanding and variously titled editions, the last one being The Complete McAndrew in 2000. It's great. Albeit not exactly a novel since 2000.

 

[clovis-man]

Also wanted to add a cheat: Charles Sheffield wrote a series of stories from the late 70s to the late 90s which were collected in ever expanding and variously titled editions, the last one being The Complete McAndrew in 2000. It's great. Albeit not exactly a novel since 2000.

I'm with you on this. Everything in the book was written prior to 2000, but since the author died in 2002, it wasn't really his fault. Taken from us far too soon.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I noticed a few books not mentioned that are repeatedly well-spoken of in other discussions:

Old Man's War - John Sclazi
Hyperion - Dan Simmons
Leviathan Wakes - JAmes S Corey

I nearly added A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, but I read a publication date of 1992.

Either way, I'm still looking out for the modern classics of science fiction.