What book should I get my brother for his birthday?

Question

He's 30. He's into science-fiction books, and he's read all the classics. Anyone know of any sci-fi books that just came out?

Come on, he's a 30 year old professional. He doesn't want Harry Potter.

Answer 1

I read a lot of this genre and I would suggest

Altered Carbon by Richard K Morgan - future society where your consciousness can be loaded into a body like a program, so you can be immortal. It's a detective story. Very cool.

Also, Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson - virtual reality is hugely popular. People plug into VR and there are cities in cyberspace until a killer computer virus starts to wipe out people.

I wouldn't consider either of these "classics", so hopefully he hasn't read them. Perfect for a 30-year-old.

Answer 2

Well, I see no reason he should not appreciate Harry Potter, but we'll let that go. One he may not have, and which he would appreciate if he's read "all the classics" in science fiction, is "The Original Uncut Stranger in a Strange Land." This was published in 1991, although the originally published work was brought out in 1961. This version, before the editors got to it, is more sexy, more controversial, and you can probably figure why the publishers made Heinlein change what he did.

I have only one small scene that I prefer in the 1961 version. In it, Jill asks whether Ben is offering real steak and not syntho. He says it's real, promising, "Stick a fork in it and it will moo." In the uncut, he says, "it will turn imploring eyes on you." For someone who's spent most of her life around vegetarians who give you a hard time every time you even mention the word steak, a moo is much less offensive.

Answer 3

First off, I'm a 31 year old professional who has really enjoyed the Harry Potter series. I refer to them as mind candy because yes it's an easy read yet still engaging.

As for Sci-Fi that just came out... I'm not sure what qualifies as "just came out". That said, I've enjoyed the "Dresden Files" series by Jim Butcher, and Michael Moorcock's "Eternal Champion" series has some good books to it (though they are older).

Answer 4

by all the classics, do you mean asimov and company?

there's a gret sci-fi movie.. don't know if you heard of it.. the space odisey.

it's really old, but the story is above most sci-fi movies. good news is that there's a serie of books the movie was made after, and they go far beyond the movie. haven't read the books yet, but if they are better then the movie then they're worth it.

try to find the author by searching the net for space odisey 2001, 2010, and 3000 if i am not mistaken:|

Answer 5

If he doesn't already have it , I'd suggest "Robot Dreams" by Assimov *sp*. It's a large collection of some of his short stories.

If he likes sci-fi with comedy: any of the Robert Lynn Aspirin "Myth" series. Some of the titles are "Hit or Myth", "Mything Persons" and "The Mything link."
I'm also a big Alan Dean Foster fan...ask anyone at the bookstore about his "JonTom" or "Spellsinger" series. It's the same series.

Answer 6

Hi, I bet he would like The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Its a classic but just in case he has not read it yet. That is the ultimate sci-fi book.

Answer 7

I admit that I haven't read any of them but "Seeker" by Jack McDevitt won this year's Nebula Award from Science Fiction Writers of America and Susanna Clarke's "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" won the latest Hugo Award from World Science Fiction Society.

For more inspiration and information check out their web sites.

Answer 8

THE NEW HARRY POTTER BOOK!!!! I know it's not sci-fi but out of star wars and harry potter...i'd go harry potter.

Answer 9

I suggest just getting him a gift card for a book store and let him choose his own title.