what book should i read next?

Question

science fiction, i loved 'contact' by carl sagan, 'the science of discworld' books are amazing and the concept of the 'matrix' still blows my mind, but what next?

Answer 1

You seem to like the concept of an alternative reality.
You could continue "Contact" with Missing Time by Budd Hopkins, Communion or Breakthrough by Whitley Strieber. (I warn you that I missed a lot of sleep when reading Communion)
As for the Matrix, there was a big hullabulloo several years ago over the Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield which among other things follows the idea of a common human conciousness and each person effect to the same.
He brings into this book writings like Carlos Castaneda's The Teachings of Don Juan and the prophecies of Nostradamus.
Published in 1993 it can open your mind and is an enjoyable fictional adventure.

Answer 2

Discworld is good. I really like the "Wheel of Time" series by robert Jordan. I think his 10th or 11th book in the series just came out. so you'll have a lot of reading to do, but he's an amazing author. Once I pick up one of his books, I can't put it down; his characters are so alive and he's created this whole other world - He's certainly influenced by Tolkien. It's not really sci-fi though, more fantasy, even though libraries classify them all together.

Have you checked out Neil Gaimon's "Neverwhere"? Kick ass book. So is Gaimon's book with Pratchett, "Good Omens" - really funny. It's about a demon and angel teaming up to stop the apocalypse. It's good, honestly - both are great authors...

Answer 3

I don't know any good science fiction books to recommend.How about an urban fantasy?Dresden file book series by Jim Butcher.There are 8 books in the series beginning with stormfront.It narrates the story of Harry Dresden,chicago's only professional wizard who works as a detective.He stands between the general population who is ignorant about the supernatural world and the monsters - vampires,werewolves,fallen angels,fey.He is aided by Bob,a talking skull.Karrin Murphy-a police officer and Thomas-a white court vampire.

Answer 4

so you are into science fiction i have just finished eragon and i can not stop talking or thinking or even dreaming about it just the simple fact of magic and dragon and elves and swords and even evil kings and all the stuff that a great book is made out of i am fascinated by it and can not wait to read eldest book two so it is clearly stated of what i think you or anyone else who hasn't read it read but before i go i must tell you that before i began reading books like actually you books i enjoyed the superman comics now don't laugh because even thought it sounds childish it ISN'T now even though you probably won't be able to read well you wont be able to read most of them unless you have a lot of money or know someone who has them all but just a friendly suggestion but definitely look in to it you will be fascinated

Answer 5

Sci-Fi is my favorite genre. These are my suggestions in no particular order,

1) Anything by the grand masters:
Isaac Asimov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_asimov
Robert Heinlein http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_heinlein
Arthur C. Clarke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C_Clarke
Ray Bradbury http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Bradbury

2) James P. Hogan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_P._Hogan_%28writer%29
One of my personal favorites. He does hard science fiction. The kind where the fictional science is almost believable. I own all of his books and it would be difficult to pick a favorite. Some that come immediately to mind are "Inherit the Stars", "Thrice Upone a Time", "The Genesis Machine", "The Two Faces of Tomorrow"

3) Frederik Pohl http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_Pohl
The Heechee Series is a great read starting with "Gateway" which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards sometime in the mid-70's

4) Frank Herbert http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Herbert
Dune. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_%28novel%29
If you haven't already, then at some point you must read this. It is a bona fide classic. Period.

5) Orson Scott Card http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_scott_card
The Ender Saga starting with "Ender's Game"

6) William Gibson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ford_Gibson
The Sprawl Trilogy starting with the classic "Neuromancer". I believe "cyberspace" was first coined in this book, and there is also reference to "the matrix - Mankind's unthinkably complex consensual hallucination representing cyberspace"

7) Anne McCAffrey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McCaffrey
She writes good stories and her lead character is female, which is a switch from most scifi. I'd recommend anything in her Dragonriders of Pern series starting with "Dragonflight". I'd also recommend her Crystal Singer Series starting with "Crystal Singer".

.. that's just for starters. I have about 700 sci-fi novels in my personal library. I won't list them all for you! :)


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On the Fantasy side

1) Everything by Tolkien http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien

2) The Chronicles of Narnia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia
by C.S. Lewis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis

3) The Thomas Covenant Chronicles, The Unbeliever http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Covenant
by Stephen R. Donaldson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_R._Donaldson
starting with "Lord Foul's Bane"


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Here's a lot of references for you to find the kinds of scifi/fantasy books that interest you.

About the Hugo awards:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award
List of Hugo award winning authors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hugo_Award_winning_authors
List of Hugo award winning novels:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel

About the Nebula awards:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award
List of Nebula award winning authors:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Nebula_Award_winning_authors
List of Nebula award winning novels:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award_for_Best_Novel

List of works that have won both the Hugo and Nebula awards:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_joint_winners_of_the_Hugo_and_Nebula_awards

Answer 6

You should read RISE: Rejoicing in Spiritual Evidence by PJ Coble. It is a light, entertaining and very easy book to read. The author takes you on a spiritual journey that will make you feel like you are going down memory lane.

It is a book that everyone can relate to at some point in their lives,

Answer 7

Try the Ender saga. The first book is called Ender's Game
(recommended for anyone who likes science fiction)

Answer 8

Try the Thomas Convent Series by Stephen R. Donaldson.
Fantastic series, there are currently 7 out, but, if you read the first and wish to stop you can, it is a complete story.

Answer 9

i could advise the starvation video games sequence by way of Susan Collins. i'm obsessed on those books on the 2nd and that they have got comparable type/subject concerns to the books you have reported above. Its additionally being made right into a movie it fairly is due for launch this March!

Answer 10

Take a break from the sci-fi, and try "The $64 Tomato" It's non-fiction, and one of the funniest books I've ever read