Sci-Fi Books - recommended reading?

[Kettle]

Anyone enjoying any good sci-fi novels at the moment that they can recommend? I've only got 2 on my bookshelf now that I haven't read so I'm in a bit of a panic (usually there are 4 or 5 awaiting my attentions!).

 

I've just read a few of Iain Banks' Culture novels which have generally been quite fun (despite the seemingly obligatory "gross out" sequence - so only read those if you have a strong stomach ). Have also enjoyed Carl Sagan's "Contact", and various short-stories and "Neuromancer" (it had to be done, really, after seeing the Matrix) by William Gibson.

 

Plus I'm a bit of an old school romantic - got plenty of Wells, Bradbury, Asimov, Bester and Wyndham stacked up.

 

Someone recently recommended Lem's "Solaris" to me - anyone else enjoyed it?

 

[atinymonkey]

Isaac Asimov, 'I, Robot'

 

Ray Bradbury, 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'The Martian Chronicles', but I guess you read those.

 

George Orwell's 1984 (obvious one, that)

 

Philip K Dick 'Selected Storys' I think the 1st set has the Minority report in it. 'Do Androids Drean of Electric Sheep' is a bit of a must read.

 

I'm a bit of a fan of Neil Gaiman at the moment, 'Smoke and Mirrors' has some very good short storys, 'Neverwhere' will make you look at London in a different light for the rest of your life. 'American Gods' is a good tale and 'Stardust' is probably the best fantasy book I've read for a long time.

 

I know most of those you probably read allready, but I'm pathetic at remembering which book's I read. Most of my books are at my Mums house.

[daisy]

Stephen Donaldson's "Gap" series is good....and I'm no fan of sci-fi stuff.

[Dave]

I could never get into Iain Banks. I've got 'Excession' sitting on the bookshelf next to me and it's not really going to move very much. Apart from that I generally read quite a lot of Tom Clancy more than anything else (which isn't really sci-fi, but oh well). Ringworld series of books by Niven's quite good as well.