CBG Sci-Fi Book Ranking [Discussion]

[Pellanor]

Since there's a separate discussion thread for the fantasy list, we might as well have one for Sci-Fi.

I'm gonna start by saying that I've just started to get into sci-fi recently, and have been looking to find some more books to read, so this thread is a god send. However I can't believe that I'm the only one to have read any of Neal Stephenson's novels. They're some of the most amazing works I have ever had the privilege of reading.


So what's everybody's preferred flavour of sci-fi? Hard Science? Cyberpunk? Space Opera?

Personally I like mine relatively hard, it needs to at least feel plausible, and somewhat cyberpunkish.

[Acrimone]

Let's wax analytical and address each of your points in turn:

* I have only read Cryptonomicon & Quicksilver, and I didn't consider them Science Fiction, just as I don't consider Katherine Neville's "The 8" (one of my favourite books ever) to be fantasy.  I would categorize them as "thrillers" -- and put them in a category with Tom Clancy, some of Greg Iles' work, etc.  I wouldn't really consider American Gods "fantasy" either, although I voted for it because it was on the other list.

* I like almost all forms of literature, although the Cyberpunk genre does have a tendency to bore me, but that's because (in my opinion, of course) it tends to be poorly written, because it's written by people who like numbers more than words.  What I like best out of SciFi actually has little to do with what makes it SciFi -- I like political intrigues, temporary alliances, well-thought out plans, and character conflict.  I like ambiguous characters who have to make tough decisions, and I like complicated heroes who suffer.  Give them laser guns, spaceships, and computer implants... fine.  Set them up on an alien world?  Sure.  But you could just as easily give them dragons to ride and swords, and I'd be just as happy.

* Plausibility is good... but plausibility of the scenario is far less important than plausibility of character actions and reactions.  The idea that there is some spice out there that will trigger some guy to be able to see the future is highly implausible.  The idea that Count Fenring would just refuse to kill Paul... totally plausible and something that Herbert spent a long time setting up.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Ironically, I eventually decided the discussion thread was unnecessary since I was monitoring both.

I usually like space opera more than hard science fiction. I often (not always, but noticeably so) that hard science fiction places more emphasis on science than on fiction (read, lack of character development, sometimes a verbose or unnecessarily complex style, etc.).

[Pellanor]

Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle (of which Quicksilver is book 1) aren't Sci-Fi, but they are great reads. Snow Crash and Diamond Age are both earlier works of his and are certainly Sci-Fi.