29-06-2005 05:20									#1
	What is the best science fiction book, ever? Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Two pop to mind immediately:

(1) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
(2) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

	29-06-2005 05:22									#2
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Dune pwns both of your selections so badly it's not even funny.

	29-06-2005 05:23									#3
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I found Dune deadly dull.

	29-06-2005 05:24									#4
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1984 pwns Dune so badly its not even funny

	29-06-2005 05:31									#5
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Rendevous with Rama by Clarke.

	29-06-2005 05:32									#6
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My sci-fi book club thread on Enders Game.

My sci-fi book club thread about Dune.

	29-06-2005 05:34									#7
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Ender's Game is a great book. Easy to read and it keeps you interested, but the "big shock" at the end isn't so big. Just about everybody should know what is going on by the time we get there. Ender is written as such an intelligent and intuitive kid that he should have known what was going on before it was revealed to him. And as far as "greatest SF ever" I can't put it anywhere near the top. Its just too easy to read to be "the greatest."

The Forever War, well, if its the one I'm thinking of, I didn't really like the end. The whole "this is stupid. Lets be friends" deal after thousands of years of war. Bleh.

Dune is dull in how descriptive Herbert writes. He takes two pages to describe how fast the wind is blowing outside the building that the actually story is taking place in. Paints a very nice picture, but it really is just fluff. Don't get me wrong, I love the book and have read it twice, but its got a lot of stuff in it that just slows down the pace. However, as no other books are comming to mind, I'd have to give it the nod.

	29-06-2005 05:48									#8
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There's a thread on Dune, I'll leave my thoughts about it there.

Enders was fine, but Card saddled himself with kids that were too old in their abilities and thoughts. I could have bought the book in whole had he not thrown in the Valentine/Peter-Demosthenes/Locke subplot, perhaps the dumbest idea in the history of fiction.

Last edited by JohnT on 29-06-2005 at 05:55

	29-06-2005 05:50									#9
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Dune, obviously. It is to sci-fi what The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy.

	29-06-2005 05:50									#10
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Dune is a great book.

How about Ringworld?

	29-06-2005 05:51									#11
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A Canticle for Liebowitz

	29-06-2005 05:55									#12
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quote: Originally posted by Donegeal The Forever War, well, if its the one I'm thinking of, I didn't really like the end. The whole "this is stupid. Lets be friends" deal after thousands of years of war. Bleh.

That's the one, but you misperceive the ending. Haldeman came back from Vietnam convinced that wars are stupid. So he wrote a book about a war that should have never happened. PS: I thought the message Mandela receives right after learning about the beginning of the war makes it a terrific ending.

	29-06-2005 05:57									#13
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Didn't we also have a discussion thread on "Foundation" series. That deserves a mention as well.

	29-06-2005 05:58									#14
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Michael Crichton's Andromeda Strain was also great.

	29-06-2005 06:01									#15
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We did, imran. But you can look up the link.

	29-06-2005 06:06									#16
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Tough question. Ringworld, Foundation, Dune, Rama etc.

My choice is the book of Clarke where the first space elevator are built (can't remember it's title).

	29-06-2005 06:08									#17
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quote: Originally posted by Dr Strangelove Michael Crichton's Andromeda Strain was also great.

Forgot that - great book - Prey is too a book that may make you think.

	29-06-2005 06:13									#18
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Prey wasn't all that great.

Ringworld was so-so at best.

Can I nominate the Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy?

	29-06-2005 06:19									#19
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The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin.

2001 by Arthur C. Clarke

	29-06-2005 06:20									#20
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Red Mars, IMO was the only good one in that series.

	29-06-2005 06:25									#21
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I loved Dan Simmons' Hyperion but its too "out there" to be #1. My vote goes to Dune.

	29-06-2005 07:05									#22
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Ooooo!

Possibly Mote in God's Eye. Suprized it wasn't mentioned yet...

	29-06-2005 07:09									#23
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quote: Originally posted by Donegeal Ooooo! Possibly Mote in God's Eye. Suprized it wasn't mentioned yet...

Maybe because it's not a classic - still a good one and The Gripping Hand isn't bad.

	29-06-2005 07:12									#24
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quote: Originally posted by Zkribbler (2) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

That's the top one on my list.

	29-06-2005 07:25									#25
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quote: Originally posted by Richelieu I loved Dan Simmons' Hyperion but its too "out there" to be #1. My vote goes to Dune.

I think that in many ways Hyperion is the finest-written novel in science fiction. Not only is it an examination of the works of John Keats, but its Cantebury Tales structure hides another delight - each of the individual tales is written in the style of another science fiction author. I can't remember them all, but the scholars tale (with the little girl) is written in the style of Robert Silverberg, the priests tale is in the style of James Blish, etc. I don't know if it makes it "Literature" with a capital-L, but it's probably the closest the genre has to offer.

	29-06-2005 07:36									#26
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Solaris by Lem was excellent, as were Eden and The futurological Congress

Childhood's End I think is Clarkes Best Book.

I love Brin's and Niven's writings.

Not yet mentioned, The Mote in God's Eye

	29-06-2005 07:44									#27
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I didn't know 'The Forever War' was such a hit. I really liked it, read it a few times. The concept is what makes that book. That a war could be fought through the ages because of the effects of light speed on time...

I guess that's not giving anything away.

	29-06-2005 07:49									#28
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quote: Originally posted by Lancer I didn't know 'The Forever War' was such a hit. I really liked it, read it a few times. The concept is what makes that book. That a war could be fought through the ages because of the effects of light speed on time... I guess that's not giving anything away.

IIRC, it was the first book to win both the Hugo and Nebula awards for the best science fiction novel of the year.

	29-06-2005 08:02									#29
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I really like both The Forever War and The Mote In God's Eye, but neither are the equal of Dune.

	29-06-2005 08:04									#30
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Dune wasn't that special. It was an enjoyable read, but it cannot stand by itself as a great novel, which The Forever War can do.