I’ve basically been ordered to pick up any fiction book and read, after a friend discovered I’ve not read anything but non-fiction for a decade.
The ones I’ve enjoyed in the past have been short, fantastical or sci-fi (think Aldous Huxley, Ian McEwan), but crucially with amazing first person descriptive prose - the kind where you’re immersed in the writing so much you’re almost there with the character.
I liked sci-fi as the world’s constraints weren’t always predictable. Hope that makes sense.
Any recommendations?
Edit: I’m going to up the ante and, as a way of motivating myself to get off my arse and actually read a proper story, promise to choose a book from the top comment, after, let’s say arbitrarily, Friday 2200 GMT.
Edit deux: Wow ok I don’t think I’ve ever had this many responses to anything I’ve posted before. You’ve given me what looks like a whole year of interesting suggestions, and importantly, good commentary around them. I’m honouring my promise to buy the top thing in just under 4 hours.
There’s a lot of good stuff here but I have to throw Andromeda Strain and World War Z into the pot.
@foofiepie continuing with sci-fi definitely check out the Monk & Robot series by Becky Chambers!
“A Psalm For the Wild Built” & “A Prayer For the Crown Shy”
Short & beautiful.The book 1984 is a brutal version of Brave New World. Also Dune was pretty good for me.
I don’t think anyone has recommended the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson yet.
The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells is a collection of short books in the first perspective of a cyborg. You might enjoy that.
This is exactly what I came to say.
Its not scifi, but Thieves Emporium by Max Hernandez.
John Scalzi’s book are an easy read. Its a lightweight Sci fi though.
Old Man’s War, and Starter Villain are the two of his books I’ve read and enjoyed.
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein.
My pick if it was Heinlein would be my own first of his, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
I have a moon as a harsh mistress rib tattoo of Simon Jester
For something a little shorter and easier to chew through quickly you could check out Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman. A short story set in Norse mythology, I remember it being an entertaining read
If you’re into the sci-fi, you’ll probably like Project Hail Mary, it’s hard sci-fi and you get very invested in the story.
Ray Porter also does a great audiobook narration of it on audible.Thirding this. Excellent book. Jazz hands!
Oh, that’s a good choice. That was a fantastic book.
+1 for a Project Hail Mary that was great
I’m going to be upset if they change the ending in the movie, it was amazing
The time is up. I have a promise to keep.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I hope you enjoy it!
I actually picked it up again after recommending it myself lol
Anything by Iain M. Banks.
The Player of Games is reportedly the best place to start but I personally started with Consider Phlebas and can’t complain!
I think so far the Vonnegut is the best recommendation for you. And not sci-fi but Catch-22 by Joseph Heller might also be a good fit. A lot of these suggestions are really good books, but not as pithy and gripping as I think you might be looking for. But more data is needed, any favorite movies?
Ooh difficult question.
The John Woo movie ‘Cypher’ was a great mind bender, I like stuff like Gattaca, Day After Tomorrow(?), anything that plays with time and reality.
Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson.
And then everything else by Neal Stephenson.
Diamond Age is a somewhat sequel. Seveneves is epic sci Fi on a grand scale.
Fall, Reamde, Termination Shock, and cryptonomicon are good near-present sci fi written in similar style. Very action packed with interesting characters.
Anathemos ambitious, takes work to read, but is worth it in the end.
The Baroque cycle is historical fiction that is framed around real scientists. It is very long and took me three tries to get started, but it was also worth reading.
Out of all of that, I’d argue Snow Crash is the most accessible, followed by the Baroque Cycle.
Cryptonomicon and Anathemos are more or less unreadable.
Cryptonomicon I had no problems with, read it thrice now. Anathem was tough, took effort to get 1/3 thru but then went by easily.
It was only after reading anathem that I felt I could do anything and started Quicksilver for the third time and actually finished it. After that the next two in the Baroque cycle were easy.
I’d recommend Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.
It fits fantastical, I think and it’s also listed as sci-fi, but not sure it is.
It’s the book I suggested to a mate of mine who wanted to get back into reading again. He loved it so much that he bought a 2nd proper copy with illustrations by Chris Riddell, my favourite illustrator.
If you like Andy Weirs novels, Tchaikowskis books are worth a try. I.e.:
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
