[FONT=arial,helvetica]A few ideas follow... I'm a sucker for classic science fiction, so my recommendations tend to follow that description. I hope you get more responses because there are MANY more really good SF authors and novels to choose from.
Title of the Book: Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov
Part of a Series (Y/N): Y (3 books initially, tied in later in author's career with his other major ongoing series, the Robot novels)
Description:
In the far future, brilliant scientist Hari Seldon predicts the decline and fall of the Galactic Empire. He develops a plan to save human civilization from centuries of barbarism and violence, but its success is threatened at every turn by opportunistic warlords and scheming manipulators. This series is considered a cornerstone of science fiction and was the inspiration for many creations that followed decades later, including (in part) Traveller's Third Imperium.
[/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica] Title of the Book: Dune
Author: Frank Herbert
Part of a Series (Y/N): Y (several written by Frank, followed by numerous others written by his son, Frank Herbert, and Kevin Anderson; the original novel is widely considered to be far better than the others in the series)
Description:
Another far future empire story, and as much a classic as Asimov's. Hyperspace travel - and the economic functioning of the Imperium - is possible through the use of the Spice, a vital resource found only on the desert planet Arrakis. Arrakis becomes the focus of a political struggle between two noble houses of the Imperium. The writing is beautiful and the world is richly detailed. Some call this the 'Lord of The Rings' of science fiction.
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Title of the Book: Ringworld
Author: Larry Niven
Part of a Series (Y/N): Y (4, maybe 5 or 6 now with the recent prequel releases; other novels and short stories take place in the same overall setting; the first novel stands on its own nicely, but makes you want to learn more about Niven's universe)
Description:
A group of humans and aliens travel to a distant star system to investigate a mysterious artifact - an enormous artificial world in the form of a ring orbiting a sun-like star. Another classic, this novel epitomizes the notion of ancient technological wonders presented as huge puzzles for the protagonists to sort out. Niven's writing is efficient yet somewhat poetic. His 'Known Space' universe is one of the more logically developed SF settings out there.
[/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica] Title of the Book: Red Mars
Author: Kim Stanley Robinson
Part of a Series (Y/N): Y (3 books)
Description:
A slow-paced, extremely well-researched story of the colonization and terraforming of Mars. Sometimes feels like a documentary or travelogue, but if you can get into it, Red Mars can really immerse you. Lots of fascinating information on terraforming and how colony worlds might actually develop (and what problems they might run into).
[/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica] Title of the Book: The Rolling Stones
Author: Robert Heinlein
Part of a Series (Y/N): N (not really, anyway, but part of Heinlein's 'Future History')
Description:
A family of space TRAVELLERS refurbish an old spacecraft and take it on a speculative trade journey from the Moon to Mars. Lots of hard SF space travel (but not a hard SF portrayal of Mars; little was known about its climate at the time), spacecraft operations, etc.
[/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica] Title of the Book: Neuromancer
Author: William Gibson
Part of a Series (Y/N): N (imagine that!)
Description:[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica]A major inspiration, along with the movie Blade Runner, for the cyberpunk sub-genre of science fiction, including the movie The Matrix. Tightly written, somewhat unusual but beautiful and stylistic prose; an extremely visual, visceral read. The [/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica]anti-hero [/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica]protagonist is a cyberspace mercenary who 'jacks in' to the net for anyone who'll pay. The first line of the novel establishes the visual mood: "The sky above the port was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel."
There are many, many more...
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