My wife's grandfather has a love for sci-fi and adventure novels. In the past I bought him some early Clive Cussler books, and then moved onto Scalzi's Old Man's War trilogy.
He tends to like adventure, sci-fi, and war related themes. I believe I also gave him Ender's Game. This year though I'm at a loss. I would appreciate any suggestions.
What books would you all recommend?
2007-12-13 06:58:35 · 10 answers · asked by Todd 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Heinlein is always good for classic sci-fi, esp the earlier stuff.
the Honor Harrington series by David Weber (my father said it was almost too military--explains things he knew as a retired military man)
also, the Excalibur Alternative by the same author & very loosely tied in with the Honor books.
this is fantasy, but also military/adventure--The Deed of Paksenarrion novels by Elizabeth Moon
Edit: I was reminded that SM Stirling also writes sci-fi
2007-12-13 07:54:27 · answer #1 · answered by Amethyst 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There are good suggestions already. I'll still recommend His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. Someone else recommended it here, now I'm passing it on.
It's an alternate history, set during the Napoleonic Wars. After a British warship captures a French vessel, they find a dragon egg on board. This is good news, because the British Air Corps is out-dragonned by Napoleon's forces. Bad news, because the sailors are terrified that the egg will hatch on board, and the dragon will "draft" one of them to the uncivilized Air Corps.
The pacing is good, the language is modern enough to not slow a reader down, and the dragons are personable. There's no sorcery or other magical creatures in the book, just dragons treated as natural fauna. The book is the first in a series of (so far) 4, but stands on its own.
Looking at amazon, I don't think it's available in hardback, so maybe it could be a stocking stuffer. I've written too long a review to delete this. :)
2007-12-13 13:29:24 · answer #2 · answered by aggylu 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Try Robert A. Heinlein - Starship Trooper
Or Dorsai series by Gorden Dick-sen and most of the Childe cycle.
G. Harry Stine does some great military SF too.
2007-12-13 07:10:50 · answer #3 · answered by G.T. Hildebrand 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Flashpoint" by Frank Creed. Buy it at http://www.frankcreed.com Has a Christian theme & it's Christians vs. fallen angels and an Unholy Trinity in the mid-21st century.
I hear David Drake does good war/sci-fi novels too.
2007-12-13 07:46:52 · answer #4 · answered by tkron31 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Roger Zelazny's Amber series. Ahead of its time when it was written and still head above current works. Contains all the elements that you're looking for in sci-fi and adventure.
Two other great works by him: Lord of Light and Creatures of Light and Darkness.
2007-12-19 00:06:33 · answer #5 · answered by ObscureB 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Robert Heinlein - classic sci-fi
George R.R. Martin - Fantasy, but very violent and graphic. His books read like a male analog of the soap opera (lots of characters, lots of sex. and lots of violence)
Patrick O'Brian - Not sci-fi, but if he likes war novels, he will like O'Brian's novels about navel war during the Napoleonic era.
2007-12-13 07:08:11 · answer #6 · answered by Wundt 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Two books come to mind:
1 Slaughterhouse five (the Children's Crusade)
2 Timequake
both by Kurt Vonnegut.
2007-12-13 09:02:05 · answer #7 · answered by tyler durden Oƒƒicial 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi Todd,
So sorry I cannot help and I wonder that your wife's grandfather still see to read and is alive! Congratulations and Many Happy Returns of his birthday.
I would recommend for him something to remind him from his youth time (war is a good idea) or about any other Hobbies he may have had. Is he collecting anything? If not, maybe he would like it
A telescope or binocular ???
Some video tapes on the subjects you thought, or about some wonderful places on Earth (National Geographic).
2007-12-13 08:00:02 · answer #8 · answered by :)(: 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I really loved "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown recently
One of my all time favorite is "The Foundation Trilogy" by Isaac Asimov (sci-fi)
2007-12-13 07:11:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Start him on David Weber and John Ringo's "March Upcountry" (first of four)
Or perhaps John Ringo's "There Will Be Dragons" (first of four).
2007-12-13 08:04:04 · answer #10 · answered by forhirepen 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋