Your Sci-Fi/Military/Adventure Book Must Read List

recent discussion in the Space and Science BS thread got me to thinking about some seriously good books I've read and that there are probably plenty of recommendations from guys on here that I've missed.

So post up the really good stuff you've read along with the genre.

For starters:

Sci-Fi:
Larry Niven: Almost anything in the Known Space series
Alan Dean Foster: The I Inside
Greg Bear: The Forge Of God and follow up Anvil Of Stars
Rene Barjavel: The Ice People
Gregory Benford: In The Ocean Of Night

Military/Sci-Fi:
Jason Frost: The Warlord (6 books)

I'll add more as I think of them.

Post your favorites.

 

Fantastic Idea!

I just finished reading Old Man's War and the sequels by John Scalzi

I also read all the prequils to Ender's Game a little while ago. They're not as good as the original but still entertaining.

 

Ah Yes! Ender's Game!

The movie was pretty good too, at least better than I thought it would be.

 

I had really really low expectations for it so I thought it was pretty good as well. I read the book sooo long ago. I've been thinking maybe I should read it again.

 

Sci-fi/adventure: "Cryptonomicon" and "Reamde", both by Neal Stephenson. They are both good reads and at times hilariously funny as well.

 

The Expanse series by James SA Corey, is probably my favorite right now. The universe the authors created is very likely our future. It takes place 200 years in the future when we have colonized our solar system, with Earth, Mars, and the Belt. The way space flight is described is as realistic as I have come across. From time to travel long distances, to effects on the human body and how drug cocktails have been developed to aid in high G space travel and maneuvers, the detail to explain this all in a realistic vision is fantastic. There's about 9 books in the cannon so far, with a total of 7 released. The show developed by SyFy around the novels is good too, but like anything adapted from books, the written literature are far superior. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Expanse_(novel_series)



For those that like Japanese Manga, there is a series called 2001 Nights by Yukinobu Hoshino. If you can find it in store, or find it online to read, it is a pretty awesome read with great artwork. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Nights

 

Currently reading Artemis by Andy Weir. A few chapters in, but not bad so far. As far as action goes, I'm a huge Matthew Reilly fan. He's an Australian author. His books, to me, read like big action movies. Some of the things his characters do are crazy. Another cool author is Hugh Howey. Check out the Silo Series.

 

I'm a fan of Andy Weir's writing.

I read The Martian as he was writing and posting it on his website.

HERE is his website with several stories.

For a quick and funny sc-fi read, I recommend Twarrior there (near the bottom of the page).

 

The book I recently wrote fits this genre quite well. I am currently doing a giveaway if you're interested...

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/269967-intention-s-folly

 

There are three books I can recommend right off without hesitation.

1: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It is BY FAR one of the best books I've ever read. If you grew up in the 80's, there are so many pop culture references that it is almost overwhelming. I've read it three times so far. They are making a movie out of it and already just by the trailer... they have fucked it up.

2: Armada by Ernest Cline. Although not as good as Ready Player One, it is still a very good read.

3: Opening Moves: The Gam3 by Cosimo Yap. Very original story and very engaging. Well worth a read.

 

Just finished reading the series by William Forstchen and do recommend them.

One Second After
One Year After
The Final Day

 

Asimov, The Foundation Trilogy.

 

Middle period Heinlein:
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Starship Troopers (a manifesto on situational leadership, personal responsibility, and civic duty disguised as sci-fi - avoid the movie, it blows)

David Brin’s Uplift saga:
Sundiver
Startide Rising
The Uplift War

Currently reading the Mortal Engines books. If the movie follows the book, it’s gonna make stupid money. Also agree with Rearview about RP1 and Armada. Fun, awesome reads.

 

Starship Troopers the book is so good...and nothing like the movie. Definitely a must read. If you are at all military-minded you have to read this book.

 

Sci Fi- Fallen Dragon by Peter F. Hamilton. A must read.

 

That was the first one to come to my mind, as well. Anything by Asimov is gonna be good. Read the Trilogy a long time ago. You're either an old fart like me, or someone whose in the know recommend this awesome book to you.

 

Old fart. I read all the big names: Heinlein, Bradbury, Clarke, Asimov, Niven, Dick and many more.

 

We are legion dennis taylor. 3 books all great!

 

Just watched over the holiday the movie “American assassin” with my father in law. He said the books are great. Just ordered the first one on Amazon. Wish I could have read the books before seeing the movie. But meh. Still excited.

 

Pretty much just SF recommendations here, I find the military stuff to be a bit too cliche and poorly written (except for Starship Troopers, God that was an amazing book)

Peter Watts' Blindsight and Echopraxia are pretty good if you take your time and don't need an easy read

Ian McDonald's Luna series is good, interesting take on a Corporate society on the moon and more "flighty" than Andy Weir's Artemis, but also more complex and a bit more clever I think

Greg Egan has some pretty trippy stuff, I only read two or three of them. Good if you are into future VR/copies of a personality.

I concur with a prior reference to the Expanse, though the show leaves much to be desired.

John Sandford's Saturn Run was excellent. I am a big KSP fan, so thought it was cool that they used it to model some of the concepts. I know they used Orbiter too but I lacked the computing power for that sim.

If there are fantasy/mixed genre recommendations desired, I have a ton as well.