I've read and enjoyed most of the suggestions in this thread, but here's some of the other books/series I've really enjoyed the last few years.

The Black Fleet saga and the Omega Force series, both by Joshua Dalzelle are also solid. Black Fleet is a little more serious and Omega Force is a little more fun, similar to Bobiverse.

Galaxy's Edge by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole is another great series that has a number of spinoff series as well. The same authors have a number of other series that are pretty entertaining as well like Wayward Galaxy and Forgotten Ruin.

Ember War saga by Richard Fox is great.

Awaken Online series by Travis Bagwell

Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson

The Forever series by Craig Robinson

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Most of Neal Stephenson's work, especially Snow Crash if you haven't read it already.

The Fear saga by Stephen Moss

bobinator said:

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Yeah the murderbot diaries are fun and by a B/CS Author.

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Wait what? Martha Wells is from B/CS?!? I LOVE Murderbot and had no idea. Highly recommend this series.

lurker76 said:

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The Expanse - James S. A. Corey
Old Man's War series - John Scalzi
Murderbot Diaries = Martha Wells
The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
Redshirts - John Scalzi (one book)
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
Ancillary Justice books - Ann Leckie

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Are you me? Seriously though these are all A+, must read Sci-Fi recommendations.

littlebitofhifi said:

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lurker76 said:

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The Expanse - James S. A. Corey
Old Man's War series - John Scalzi
Murderbot Diaries = Martha Wells
The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
Redshirts - John Scalzi (one book)
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
Ancillary Justice books - Ann Leckie

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Are you me? Seriously though these are all A+, must read Sci-Fi recommendations.

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Same, the only one I hadn't read is Murderbot Diaries and it's moving immediately to the top of my to do list.

Ringworld (and then the rest of the Known Space stuff) by Larry Niven
Lucifer's Hammer by Niven and Pournelle
Ender's Game Series by Orson Scott Card
Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons
Illium/Olympos by Dan Simmons
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu

tamusc said:

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littlebitofhifi said:

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lurker76 said:

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The Expanse - James S. A. Corey
Old Man's War series - John Scalzi
Murderbot Diaries = Martha Wells
The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
Redshirts - John Scalzi (one book)
Red Rising - Pierce Brown
Ancillary Justice books - Ann Leckie

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Are you me? Seriously though these are all A+, must read Sci-Fi recommendations.

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Same, the only one I hadn't read is Murderbot Diaries and it's moving immediately to the top of my to do list.

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I don't normally listen to Audible books, but the Murderbot Audibles are fantastic. After reading them, I did check out the Audibles from the library and really enjoyed them.

https://texags.com/forums/13/topics/2733639/1#discussion

https://texags.com/forums/13/topics/3007412/1#discussion

Some previous similar threads

I haven't read the wild card selection but You bet had some great recommendations. Alistair Reynolds and Peter F Hamilton write some fantastic and engrossing space opera. The Hyperion book can be hard to get into initially but is a great book.

A great standalone scifi book is Armor by John Steakley.

The Honor Harrington books are well done as well. Space navy updates of Horatio Hornblower (HH).

I've always enjoyed the Deathstalker series by Simon Green.

Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson are must-reads, both standalones.

Most anything by Heinlein or Frank Herbert's Dune books. Ray Bradbury did lots of good sci-fi short stories.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is another must.

I haven't been reading much lately so I can't recommend too many recent books but I'll update this thread if I think of more.

Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis Trilogy

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin

Yeah, she's done some events at the library and she's class of '86. According to her bio she was involved with Cepheid Variable and was even the Aggiecon chair one year. Pretty cool.

Just remembered Harry Harrison and Keith Laumer. Sci-fi comedy is a smallish niche, with Douglas Adams forever ensconced at the apex. The Bill, the Galactic Hero series and Stainless Steel Rat series (Harrison) and the Retief of the CDT series (Laumer) are older representatives of the humorous side of sci-fi that are well worth seeking out.

Quote:

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Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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This book is absolutely wild and brilliant and it's sequel, Children of Ruin, is one of the craziest things I've ever read.

We need like a crowdsourced sci-fi google sheet but where we give books attributes that might help people decide which ones are up their alley.

People already say soft Sci-Fi vs hard Sci-Fi, but there's also like "this is a great adventure story that's really fun to read" vs "this book challenges the way you think about what it means to "think" and be human and might cause you a small existential crisis for a few days after reading it."

bearamedic99 said:

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I haven't read the wild card selection but You bet had some great recommendations. Alistair Reynolds and Peter F Hamilton write some fantastic and engrossing space opera. The Hyperion book can be hard to get into initially but is a great book.

A great standalone scifi book is Armor by John Steakley.

The Honor Harrington books are well done as well. Space navy updates of Horatio Hornblower (HH).

I've always enjoyed the Deathstalker series by Simon Green.

Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson are must-reads, both standalones.

Most anything by Heinlein or Frank Herbert's Dune books. Ray Bradbury did lots of good sci-fi short stories.

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is another must.

I haven't been reading much lately so I can't recommend too many recent books but I'll update this thread if I think of more.

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This is an excellent stand-alone selection. Forgot about this one. Highly recommend this to everyone. I'm not even sure that guy ever wrote much of anything else, but his book is incredible.

Just looked him up and he's a Texan from Cleburne. Passed away in McKinney some time ago.

https://www.sfsignal.com/interactive/npr100.htm

That's a good place to start.

The Phule's Company books by Robert Asprin are hilarious.

I also like Marco Kloos, both the Palladium series and the Frontlines series.

Malibu2 said:

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I'm gonna have to give Dresden Files a chance, and if it's that good RIP my Audible budget for the year. How would you compare the Expanse novels to the TV show? I just couldn't get into the TV show, but if the book is more engaging I'll definitely have to give it a look.

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Man, you will not be disappointed in the Dresden Files. I've run through everything in that series on Audible twice with no regrets. Butcher's writing style is awesome, but really it's James Marsters that absolutely makes those books come to life. I've listened to countless audio books over the years, and his narration is about as good as it gets for me, and every bit as good as Scott Brick, Jim Dale, Frank Muller, George Guidall, Ray Porter, etc.

Ken Scarborough said:

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Malibu2 said:

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Thunder18 said:

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Second the recommendations for Project Hail Mary, the Expanse series & Dune. Would also recommend The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers by Heinlein

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TANSTAAFL! I loved the Martian and haven't given Weir any love after that so I have to check out Project Hail Mary

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Project Hail Mary is the greatest book I've read in many years. Exclamation.

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Just started this one a couple of days ago. I loved The Martian as well and hadn't thought to check out anything else by Weir for whatever reason.

Malibu2 said:

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I'm gonna have to give Dresden Files a chance, and if it's that good RIP my Audible budget for the year. How would you compare the Expanse novels to the TV show? I just couldn't get into the TV show, but if the book is more engaging I'll definitely have to give it a look.

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James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) reads the audiobooks and does an amazing job in them. For me, he is the voice of Harry Dresden. I've listened through the whole series twice now.

MW03 said:

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Ken Scarborough said:

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Malibu2 said:

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Thunder18 said:

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Second the recommendations for Project Hail Mary, the Expanse series & Dune. Would also recommend The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers by Heinlein

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TANSTAAFL! I loved the Martian and haven't given Weir any love after that so I have to check out Project Hail Mary

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Project Hail Mary is the greatest book I've read in many years. Exclamation.

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Just started this one a couple of days ago. I loved The Martian as well and hadn't thought to check out anything else by Weir for whatever reason.

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Artemis is good too. I just love The Martian and Project Hail Mary.

Of those not listed, I liked Martian Chronicles too. Pretty quick read by Ray Bradbury

Rocag said:

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Malibu2 said:

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I'm gonna have to give Dresden Files a chance, and if it's that good RIP my Audible budget for the year. How would you compare the Expanse novels to the TV show? I just couldn't get into the TV show, but if the book is more engaging I'll definitely have to give it a look.

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James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) reads the audiobooks and does an amazing job in them. For me, he is the voice of Harry Dresden. I've listened through the whole series twice now.

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It does take him a couple books to get it going, because it was his first series to narrate. After that, he is absolutely fantastic. His reading at the end of Changes... just heartbreaking.

Oh, Phillip K Dick has a ton of short stories and things that are trippy but interesting.

lurker76 said:

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Has anyone read the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson? I just had a friend recommend it to me, saying it is one of only 4 series he would ever do so for. Since he also told me about Red Rising, and agrees with me on the Murderbot series, I tend to think it would be good, but would like to know if the board has an opinion.
Thanks.

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I was coming on here to recommend the Expeditionary Force series. Great comedic sci-fi! Skippy is one of my favorite all-time humorous characters.

DallasTeleAg said:

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Rocag said:

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Malibu2 said:

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I'm gonna have to give Dresden Files a chance, and if it's that good RIP my Audible budget for the year. How would you compare the Expanse novels to the TV show? I just couldn't get into the TV show, but if the book is more engaging I'll definitely have to give it a look.

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James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) reads the audiobooks and does an amazing job in them. For me, he is the voice of Harry Dresden. I've listened through the whole series twice now.

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It does take him a couple books to get it going, because it was his first series to narrate. After that, he is absolutely fantastic. His reading at the end of Changes... just heartbreaking.

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Maybe I'll do my next Audible book with this series. I have yet to find any fiction book where I've enjoyed it in Audible format. Granted, I haven't done a lot of fiction this way but I would like to. I keep imagining old school radio format storytelling and I never get it.

YouBet said:

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DallasTeleAg said:

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Rocag said:

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Malibu2 said:

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I'm gonna have to give Dresden Files a chance, and if it's that good RIP my Audible budget for the year. How would you compare the Expanse novels to the TV show? I just couldn't get into the TV show, but if the book is more engaging I'll definitely have to give it a look.

---

James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) reads the audiobooks and does an amazing job in them. For me, he is the voice of Harry Dresden. I've listened through the whole series twice now.

---

It does take him a couple books to get it going, because it was his first series to narrate. After that, he is absolutely fantastic. His reading at the end of Changes... just heartbreaking.

---

Maybe I'll do my next Audible book with this series. I have yet to find any fiction book where I've enjoyed it in Audible format. Granted, I haven't done a lot of fiction this way but I would like to. I keep imagining old school radio format storytelling and I never get it.

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I know the shine is off the GOT rose, but Roy Dotrice narrated the Audible versions and he was fantastic. So good, in fact, that Feast for Crows was re-recorded in its entirety with Roy after fans rejected the first narrator. Roy also got a cameo in GOT in the Blackwater and Ghost of Harrenhal episodes. Sadly, Roy passed in 2017.

G Martin 87 said:

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YouBet said:

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DallasTeleAg said:

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Rocag said:

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Malibu2 said:

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I'm gonna have to give Dresden Files a chance, and if it's that good RIP my Audible budget for the year. How would you compare the Expanse novels to the TV show? I just couldn't get into the TV show, but if the book is more engaging I'll definitely have to give it a look.

---

James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) reads the audiobooks and does an amazing job in them. For me, he is the voice of Harry Dresden. I've listened through the whole series twice now.

---

It does take him a couple books to get it going, because it was his first series to narrate. After that, he is absolutely fantastic. His reading at the end of Changes... just heartbreaking.

---

Maybe I'll do my next Audible book with this series. I have yet to find any fiction book where I've enjoyed it in Audible format. Granted, I haven't done a lot of fiction this way but I would like to. I keep imagining old school radio format storytelling and I never get it.

---

I know the shine is off the GOT rose, but Roy Dotrice narrated the Audible versions and he was fantastic. So good, in fact, that Feast for Crows was re-recorded in its entirety with Roy after fans rejected the first narrator. Roy also got a cameo in GOT in the Blackwater and Ghost of Harrenhal episodes. Sadly, Roy passed in 2017.

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I would agree with you; however, Dotrice did more harm to Daenerys Targaryen than Weiss and Benioff.

Director: The book says she's young and beautiful.
Dotrice: So basically 90-year-old troll woman voice?
Director: Yeah, let's roll with that.

Good suggestions here.

One not mentioned is "Into the Black" by Evan Currie. It's book one of the Odyssey series. Definitely hooks you right away.

Has anyone read The Amory Wars?

It's a comic book/novel series by the lead singer of Coheed and Cambria, which all but one of their albums are concepts based on the books. I'm not a huge sci-fi fan and honestly don't read a ton, but Coheed is one of my favorite bands so always thought I should give it a shot.

lurker76 said:

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Has anyone read the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson? I just had a friend recommend it to me, saying it is one of only 4 series he would ever do so for. Since he also told me about Red Rising, and agrees with me on the Murderbot series, I tend to think it would be good, but would like to know if the board has an opinion.
Thanks.

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Expeditionary forces is great especially book one. My quibble when I get to book four is that it all started to feel fairly formulaic. Oh no problem. Deus ex machina. Oh no new problem. Deus ex machina. Good guys win, but not totally and you'll have to read the next book to see how they get out of the new mess that they accidentally created. I'm continuing on the series but spacing them out because binging them felt like I was reading the same book over and over.

Kyle98 said:

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lurker76 said:

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Has anyone read the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson? I just had a friend recommend it to me, saying it is one of only 4 series he would ever do so for. Since he also told me about Red Rising, and agrees with me on the Murderbot series, I tend to think it would be good, but would like to know if the board has an opinion.
Thanks.

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I was coming on here to recommend the Expeditionary Force series. Great comedic sci-fi! Skippy is one of my favorite all-time humorous characters.

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I highly suggest these from Audible. R.C. Bray is excellent. They are good light-hearted Sci-Fi fun.

My wife and I have listened to them all and bummed that the last one will come out at the end of the year.

YouBet said:

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These are all required reading in any SciFi library in my opinion.

• Revelation Space series - Alastair Reynolds
• The Night's Dawn trilogy - Peter F Hamilton
• Commonwealth Saga - Peter F Hamilton
• Hyperion Cantos - Dan Simmons

Wildcard because it's a little more dark and not super uplifting:

• Culture series - Iain M Bank

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Wow, another Iain banks fan. I love his culture stuff! Fantastic scifi.

WoMD said:

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YouBet said:

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These are all required reading in any SciFi library in my opinion.

• Revelation Space series - Alastair Reynolds
• The Night's Dawn trilogy - Peter F Hamilton
• Commonwealth Saga - Peter F Hamilton
• Hyperion Cantos - Dan Simmons

Wildcard because it's a little more dark and not super uplifting:

• Culture series - Iain M Bank

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Wow, another Iain banks fan. I love his culture stuff! Fantastic scifi.

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Good stuff. Been a few years since I read him. Not sure what's out there at this point. I read the first four or five in that series.

My brother bought me a hardback of In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth. I haven't read it, but have loved Coheed since 2003.

TrustTheAwesomeness said:

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Kyle98 said:

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lurker76 said:

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Has anyone read the Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson? I just had a friend recommend it to me, saying it is one of only 4 series he would ever do so for. Since he also told me about Red Rising, and agrees with me on the Murderbot series, I tend to think it would be good, but would like to know if the board has an opinion.
Thanks.

---

I was coming on here to recommend the Expeditionary Force series. Great comedic sci-fi! Skippy is one of my favorite all-time humorous characters.

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I highly suggest these from Audible. R.C. Bray is excellent. They are good light-hearted Sci-Fi fun.

My wife and I have listened to them all and bummed that the last one will come out at the end of the year.

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Yes! Forgot to recommend the audio books. R.C. Bray is awesome!