Sci-Fi Recommendations - for the unenlightened

[kole]

I'm looking from sci-fi short stories or novels that deal with evolution/adaptation as does Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God". Any ideas?

 

[Fried Egg]

I'm looking from sci-fi short stories or novels that deal with evolution/adaptation as does Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God". Any ideas?

I presume you've read Sturgeon's "More than Human" then? Because if not, that should be just what you're looking for.

Then there's "Chrysalids" by John Wyndham which is very good indeed.

This theme is touched upon in "City" by Clifford D. Simak although I didn't think it was a very good book (but most people disagree with me).

There's also "Dr Bloodmoney" by Philip K. Dick and again, while many sing it's praises, it's not one I particularly liked.

And let us not forget Greg Bear's "Blood Music". I've read the short story, not the novel that was written later, but that could well be what you're looking for.

 

[kole]

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I've read around 1/2 of "More than Human" and am absolutely loving it.

 

[J-Sun]

I'd ditto Fried Egg on the Sturgeon (glad you're liking it) and the Bear (in either version) - and the Simak in the semi-negative sense. I'm not sure what the parameters are, though - I may have forgotten something but wouldn't have thought of the Dick. I'd add Fred Pohl's Man Plus for a great novel of extreme adaptation, Robert L. Forward's Dragon's Egg for some rapidly evolving tiny critters, and George R.R. Martin's "Sandkings" (yes, he's written something other than an epic fantasy series! ) for a kind of horror take on a microcosmic god.

I feel like there are about a million others in general and at least a handful of specifically relevant ones, but they're not coming to me.

 

[slack]

Looking for a good sci-fi noir, the blacker the better. Gritty, near future, well-drawn characters, good story.

 

[clovis-man]

Looking for a good sci-fi noir, the blacker the better. Gritty, near future, well-drawn characters, good story.

Look no further than the authors forum on the chrons here. Neal Asher has his own sub forum and is a participant in our discussions. I think most all of his output qualifies under your criteria except for "near future". His worlds are a ways ahead of us.

http://freespace.virgin.net/n.asher/

 

[surgical111]

Both the Ravenor and Eisehorn series written by Dan Abnett, or well anything set in the Warhammer 40k universe.

 

[RichF]

Just got back from a trip up to London. I had all the best intentions of picking up some books by authors which are generally not stocked in my local store (S.M. Sterling, Peter Watts, Michael Crichton etc), but was so overwhelmed by choice that I kind of reverted to default and bought Alastair Reynolds' Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days and William Gibson's Neuromancer.

Although I have not read any William Gibson before, or any cyberpunk for that matter :S, I'm sure it's a safe choice as it comes so highly recommended.

It was the first time I have visited the Forbidden Planet store and was very impressed with their science fiction section, there was even a whole stand dedicated to the SF Masterworks series! I have also just found out they have a store in Southampton so will have to pay them a visit at some point.

 

[Deeman]

Lifelong sci-fi enthusiast here, just registered. Books/Movies/Anime, anything sci-fi I enjoy it. Great forum.

I'm looking for sci-fi books with the theme of modern/near future humans discovering ancient alien spacecraft/tech, such as David Weber's Dahak series. I really enjoyed it and want to read books similar to that.

Also if there are any books with the concept of ancient humans and humanity's origin from the stars like the Dahak series and James P Hogan's Giants series I would love to know about them.

 

[Abernovo]

Nice list. Some I've read (so glad you included Silverberg's 'The Book of Skulls', one of my favourite books), some to look up. Personally, I would have added 'Job: A Comedy of Justice' to the Heinlein selection. Actually, I recently re-read his novel 'Friday' and found it better than I remembered. I would also add H G Wells' 'War of the Worlds' to the mix. Science fiction from the Age of Steam, as opposed to Steampunk.

 

[D_Davis]

I read this book a few years ago:

And kind of liked it. It's not the usual sort of thing I go for, but I'm looking for other books kind of like it.

What I liked about:

1. an archeological/geological/scientific discovery made that impacts mankind
2. different groups of people from around the world react to the discovery
3. action and/or thrills abound

Another thing that might be somewhat similar would be Carl Sagan's Contact, or Greg Bear's Eon, but I'm looking for something less SF, more thriller/horror.

Any suggestions?

 

[D_Davis]

Looking for a good sci-fi noir, the blacker the better. Gritty, near future, well-drawn characters, good story.

The Carlucci trilogy, by Richard Paul Russo.

Amazing, especially the second book.

 

[Lord Soth]

Looking for a good sci-fi noir, the blacker the better. Gritty, near future, well-drawn characters, good story.

How about Black Man by Richard Morgan? Ticks most of those boxes I think...

 

[Timba]

Lifelong sci-fi enthusiast here, just registered. Books/Movies/Anime, anything sci-fi I enjoy it. Great forum.

I'm looking for sci-fi books with the theme of modern/near future humans discovering ancient alien spacecraft/tech, such as David Weber's Dahak series. I really enjoyed it and want to read books similar to that.

Also if there are any books with the concept of ancient humans and humanity's origin from the stars like the Dahak series and James P Hogan's Giants series I would love to know about them.

I can't pull any titles out of my brain this morning but Jack McDermot has, I believe, some work in this area and I always enjoy him.

 

[Galacticdefender]

Leviathan wakes. Awesome space opera, probably the most recently published good space opera. Though one thing that makes it quite awesome is that it is actually all set in our won solar system.

I would post an image of the cover but apparently I need fifteen posts...

 

[slognoth]

I have been reading Jacqueline Lichtenbergs Simne Gen Universe for many years and now four new books have come out in the last several months. while I love DUne, and Pern and many others, Sime Gen is where my heart lives. If you like Sime Gen then you might be intersted in the new ones.

 

[Connavar]

Vance fans check out Matt Hughes. He was recently also nominated for Philip K Dick award

http://www.matthewhughes.org/

 

[Randy M.]

Vance fans check out Matt Hughes. He was recently also nominated for Philip K Dick award

http://www.matthewhughes.org/

I really enjoyed his collection, The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, which include several of his Archonate stories about Henghis Hapthorn. Great fun.

Just finished Tim Powers' The Stress of Her Regard. Action, adventure, an impossibly powerful enemy, warring cabals, despair and the struggle with despair, friendship, love, romance, skullduggery, conniving, magic, and one of the more interesting, intricate takes on the vampire/lamia that I've read. And Powers' research and ability to create an authentic setting gets me past my (few) reservations about his prose.

I'm not going to jump into Hide Me Among the Graves just yet, but I do look forward to it after TSoHR.


Randy M.

 

[AE35Unit]

I'm looking from sci-fi short stories or novels that deal with evolution/adaptation as does Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God". Any ideas?

Hmm Wells's Island of Doctor Moreaux springs to mind. Tho that's more genetic engineering.
Aldiss's Hothouse?

 

[Outland]

Foundation, 1984, Brave New World