Any good sci-fi books for me to read?

Question

I've read The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy Series, Time Warp Trio series, most of the Stargate SG-1 series [I've read Trial By Fire, A Matter Of Honor, Siren Song, Survival Of The Fittest and Allainces], and part of the Stargate Atlantis series [Halcyon and part of Entanglement]. I've also read a few of the Star Wars books [Tatooine Ghost, Courtship Of Princess Leia, Jedi Apprentice]. Any suggestions for what to read next? I like sci-fi action adventure with humor and a little bit of very chaste romance. Please don't suggest books that have inappropriate adult material or that aren't funny. I am also not that fond of Star Trek. Also, have you read Roswell by Sonny Whitelaw? If you have, what happens and should I read it? Thank you so much for answering.

I am not that fond of fantasy

Answer 1

OK, "chaste" scifi is sort of my forte (sex in scifi usually distracts from the story).

First, *anything* by Andre Norton, but especially the following (all at least *very good*, some *excellent*). Books with (romance) have some romance in them - the rest, as best as I can remember, have none.
The Time Traders series (Time Travel) (romance) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_Andre_Norton#Time_Travel
The Zero Stone books http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_Andre_Norton#Zero_Stone
The Solar Queen books http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_Andre_Norton#Solar_Queen
The Janus books (romance) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_Andre_Norton#Janus
The Central Control books http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography_of_Andre_Norton#Seriesstar guard
Star Man's Son (also titled 2250 A.D., my favorite, but no romance to speak of)

Isaac Asimov's original Foundation series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series#The_trilogy . The "sequels" are not so "chaste". The original trilogy is one of the great scifi series of all time.

Also, Asimov's "I, Robot". Very little romance, but the only scifi I recommend as "must read".

The first two Elijah Baley books also should qualify http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_Baley . I cannot remember for certain, but the hero *may* cheat on his wife in the 2nd book. I really don't think he does, but it's been years since I've read it. I can say with certainty that, if he does, it is not explicit. Stay away from the 3rd book. Read "I, Robot" before reading these. These are *excellent* scifi murder mysteries.

Of course, the original Star Wars trilogy is well worth reading - exactly filling your criteria, and including many things left out of the movies. (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi).

Most of the pre-70's scifi is probably going to fit your bill as far as chaste goes, but most are devoid of romance. Dune and Flowers for Algernon are 2 that are not "chaste" - avoid these. H.G. Wells and Jules Verne are full of action (and Verne has great humor), but mostly devoid of romance. Journey to the Center of the Earth is probably my favorite scifi of all time, and funny, but the only romance is at beginning and end where Harry leaves his fiance and then returns to her. Still, free online as all the Verne books. Also read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Mysterious Island for starters. Verne is almost always excellent - but "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Around the Moon" are on the boring side (only good). Around the World in 80 Days is not scifi (unlike almost all his other books), but it's still great adventure and has more romance than most.

Another great - Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I just read this recently - excellent!

Final pick: the original Buck Rogers book - *really* excellent, title "Armageddon 2419 A.D." by Philip Francis Nowlan. I hope you can find it - Amazon only has it used.

I wish I could remember more of what I read when I was younger. Anyway, this is a pretty good start. Most of these probably blow those TV/movie books out of the water as far as story quality goes (I know the spin-off Star Wars books that I've read are terrible).

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

P.S. The Rama series, recommended by one answer, is definitely *not* chaste!

P.P.S. Also the Harper Hall trilogy, as I recall, is not chaste (although it's a close call). This *is* an excellent series, however, and I think that the main character, at least, remains chaste throughout most of the 3 books (perhaps all). Several of her peers are not so, however.

Answer 2

The definition of good science fiction is, has been and probably always will be the original Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov. The series was eventually expanded to 7 books, 2 before and 2 after the trilogy by timeline. The seven in order are Prelude to Foundation, Forward to Foundation, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Foundations Edge amd Foundation and Earth. Also any of Asimov's robot stories are well woth the reading. L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth is a big story and an enjoyable read as is Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern which has since expanded far beyond the original trilogy with several prequels and sequels. Frank Herbert's Dune series is also well worth reading. One other point on stories in general, as an example, my wife has never liked science fiction, however, I have recently gotten her hooked on Quantum Leap, the reason being, the time travle/science fiction themes of the show are only the setting, the means of getting Sam Beckett into the story, The story itself is about people and their problems and finding a solution to them. The best stories of any genre are about people time and space doesn't really matterr it is can you as a reader identify with the characters, the heroes the villains and the solution. That is what makes a good story.

Answer 3

Halcyon by James Swallow [Stargate Atlantis #4]
Entanglement by Martha Wells [Stargate Atlantis #6]
Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka [I alos highly recommend the TV show,it's also on DVD]
Try some of the Star Wars comic books [one of my favorites are Knights of the old republic and Clone Wars Adventures-they both are funny]
Hope that helped-also try Quantum Propkecy #1 The Awakening,I don't know,you've probably already read that one.
Sorry,I've never read Roswell but I've heard about it and it sounds good,Entanglement (above) has an advertisement for Roswell [chapter insert].

Answer 4

Have you read Scott Westerfeld's Uglies, Pretties and Specials? About teenagers that at 16 get perfect bodies but there is a price to pay.....

Pete Hautman's Rash. About a very politically correct time. You can't play football. It is too violent. You can't call people names. You can't be fat, that is a federal crime.

A boy is punished with prision in the arctic guarded by hungry polar bears making pizza and playing on a football team.

How about the Harper Hall series by Anne McCaffrey. This is about the planet Pern that has flying dragons that can travel in time and space. However this planet has no paper so education is done with singing songs.

Did you ever read any the the Robert Heinlein books for young adults? I really loved Have Space Suit--Will Travel about a young man that won a space suit and is later kidnapped by aliens.

I have a SF webpage for kids and young adults. I would love to have you give me new titles of SF books you find with new copyrights.

This answer was researched by a librarian and fellow SF lover.

Answer 5

I would reccomend The engines of god, deepsix, chindi, and omega by jack mcdevvit, in that order

Also i would strongly reccomend the rama series by arthur c. clarke.

and soon, if youre interested, im writing a book called Intervene about humans discovering not one, but 2 living worlds with intelligences in the same system, but the only problem is, they are engeged in the middle of a war with eachother, and the humans must save one of the species from totlal annialation while trying not to worrsen the war, or get themselves involved.

Answer 6

have you ever read Robert A Heinlein? he's fantastic: check out "the puppet masters" "Friday" and "stranger in a strange land"
Piers Anthony has a great series "incarnations of immortality" i know everyone thinks he's fully fantasy but this series is really neat.
for writing that's similar to Douglas Adams (in humor and quirkiness) check out Terry Pratchett..."small gods" "good omens"

Answer 7

If you like Star Wars books, I highly recommend the The Thrawn trilogy written by Timothy Zahn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrawn_Trilogy

I read them some years ago and enjoyed them very much. They were my favorite Star Wars expanded universe books.

Answer 8

The Time Machine and House of the Scorpian.

Answer 9

Have u read a nice liitle book by R. P. ***** caled (Do ANDROIDS DREAM of ELECTRIC SHEEP?). I t was wrote in the early 1960,s and it,s a CRACKER! A film was made of the book(BLADE RUNNER), but I definitely recommend the book!

Answer 10

I think the one series every sci-fi fan should read is Dune(Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse:Dune) they are said to be the greatest sci-fi books ever and you will absolutly love them if you like star wars. but what ever you do DON'T READ THE PREQUELS THEY SUCK. ALSO DON'T READ HUNTERS OF DUNE OR SANDWORMS OF DUNE THEY SUCK JUST THE SAME.