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Topic: Suggestions for New Series/Authors Needed

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magnoliafly avatar
Subject: Suggestions for New Series/Authors Needed
Date Posted: 8/3/2009 10:58 AM ET
Member Since: 5/2/2007
Posts: 57
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My husband wants to read a new series but hasn't been able to find one he likes since sci-fi seems to be really varied.  So I'm looking for suggestions.

He wants a series set in space.  He enjoyed the "Enders" series, 2001 a Space Odyssey, Chindi series by Jack McDevitt and the Rama series.   Bonus points if the series is already complete.

I suggested Dune to him since I really enjoyed it but he said he isn't interested in that.  I know there has to be more out there.  Suggestions welcome!

PhoenixFalls avatar
Date Posted: 8/3/2009 12:55 PM ET
Member Since: 4/18/2009
Posts: 1,376
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Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga. It's space opera, but like Card it features really well-drawn characters and interesting but not overwhelmingly detailed world-building. It's better (in my opinion) than Card in the fast-paced plotting and the wry, humanistic sense of humor. It isn't complete, per se, as there is a new novel due out next year some time, but each novel stands alone so there's no cliffhanger to worry about. I personally prefer reading them in series chronological order, starting with the two novels featuring Cordelia (Shards of Honor and Barrayar) but a lot of people prefer reading them in publication order (Shards of Honor then Warrior's Apprentice). And if your husband prefers male protagonists he can start with the Miles novels (Warrior's Apprentice then The Vor Game for series chronological order and Warrior's Apprentice then The Borders of Infinity for publication order). No matter which way you read them, there are 10 novels (including the Cordelia ones) in the series proper and two others that are sort of ancillary (and not quite as high quality as they are earlier works, so I don't recommend starting with either of them: Falling Free and Ethan of Athos), so if he likes them they should last him a while. There are also multiple Hugo and Nebula award winners within this series, so I'm not alone in thinking they're fabulous. ;)

magnoliafly avatar
Date Posted: 8/3/2009 2:38 PM ET
Member Since: 5/2/2007
Posts: 57
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Wow thanks for the detailed reply!

So the internal series order would be what exactly?  He prefers to read books in that order.  I just need to know what to start with.

PhoenixFalls avatar
Date Posted: 8/3/2009 3:45 PM ET
Member Since: 4/18/2009
Posts: 1,376
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If he starts with the Cordelia books, the first two are Shards of Honor and Barrayar, and there's an omnibus edition called Cordelia's Honor. After that (or if he prefers a male protagonist) the next books are Warrior's Apprentice and The Vor Game, also published in an omnibus edition called Young Miles (which also includes the novella The Mountains of Mourning, formerly published in the collection Borders of Infinity). Then comes Cetaganda and the novella Labyrinth (which was also in Borders of Infinity) which are in the omnibus Miles, Mystery, and Mayhem (which also includes the ancillary novel Ethan of Athos -- not part of the series proper, but featuring one of the supporting characters off on her own adventure). Then comes the novella Borders of Infinity and the novels Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance, all of which are in the omnibus Miles Errant. Then comes Memory, which is where a series worth of character-building combines with an author at the height of her powers for some of the best writing currently in the genre. It is not in any omnibus, to my knowledge. After that comes Komarr, A Civil Campaign, the short story Winterfair Gifts, which are in the omnibus Miles in Love (which unfortunately was not copyedited well) and then Diplomatic Immunity (which is in the omnibus Miles, Mutants, and Microbes with the ancillary novel Falling Free and the novella Labyrinth again). And sometime in the nearish future Cryoburn will be published; it takes place several years after Diplomatic Immunity.



Last Edited on: 8/3/09 4:02 PM ET - Total times edited: 4
greenlady31 avatar
Date Posted: 8/3/2009 5:54 PM ET
Member Since: 4/13/2009
Posts: 285
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I second the Vorkosigan series suggestion - my all-time favorite.  If he wants to test-drive the series, the novella "Mountains of Mourning" (which won BOTH Hugo and Nebulla awards) can be downloaded for free at the baen free library (just click on the "author" tab and then Bujold's name).  It takes place between The Warrior's Apprentice and The Vor Game but stands alone without major spoilers.

http://www.baen.com/library/

 

PhoenixFalls avatar
Date Posted: 8/3/2009 7:04 PM ET
Member Since: 4/18/2009
Posts: 1,376
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I always forget about the Baen free library, and I shouldn't, because I think it's a fabulous idea and Bujold was there when it first started. Thanks Tracy A. for bringing it up!

Gandalara avatar
Date Posted: 8/4/2009 7:39 PM ET
Member Since: 1/2/2008
Posts: 174
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Jack Campbell's "Lost Fleet" series. First book is called Dauntless

Ben Bova's "Grand Tour" series. First book is called is called Mars

Peter Hamilton, first book is called Emergence

Tanya Huff's "Valor" series, first book is called Valor's Choice

ELizabeth Moon's Serrano/Suiza series. First book starts with Hunting Party

Frederik Pohl's Heechee series, starts with Gateway

John Scalzi ... Old Man's War and go from there :-)

Mike Shepher's Kris Longknife series ... starts with Mutineer

Allen Steele - start with Clark County Space. His stuff isn't a series, but a lot of it's in the same universe.

A good anthology (which may give him some ideas about authors) - - I can suggest Down These Dark Spaceways edited by Mike Resnick

Kappa1991 avatar
Date Posted: 8/5/2009 2:28 PM ET
Member Since: 3/10/2008
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I second the John Scalzi series. 

Generic Profile avatar
Subject: New Sci FI authors
Date Posted: 8/8/2009 7:18 PM ET
Member Since: 2/18/2009
Posts: 9
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David Weber's Honor Harrington Series starting with On Basilisk Station I can't recommend enough, it's like Horatio Hornblower only in outer space.  His other series is sorta science fictiony albeit not set in outer space is his Safehod series starting with Off Armageddon's Reef a bit of  a cerebral series but good, and a stand alone book Apocalpyse Troll is good too.



Last Edited on: 8/8/09 7:19 PM ET - Total times edited: 2
Zylyn avatar
Friend of PBS-Double Diamond medal
Subject: Series
Date Posted: 8/8/2009 9:33 PM ET
Member Since: 7/26/2006
Posts: 385
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WOW - I gotta copy some of this down ----- ! ! !

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 8/9/2009 11:34 AM ET
Member Since: 4/6/2006
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I'd suggest a good oldie: Bio of a Space Tyrant by Piers Anthony.  There are five of them, not funny like much of his other stuff, lots of social commentary and derrin do, space battles, space pirates, politics etc.  A rollicking good tale!

Then there's always Azimov, Foundation, Robots all great.

Cheers, Margaret

Cosmina avatar
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Date Posted: 9/1/2009 3:31 PM ET
Member Since: 6/21/2008
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I love the Ringworld books by Larry Niven and all the Jack Campbell and John Scalzi series books.

bostonirish avatar
Date Posted: 9/9/2009 2:13 AM ET
Member Since: 7/5/2007
Posts: 1,157
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The Lensman series by EE Doc Smith is probably the classic space opera series. I believe the first book, "Triplanetary", may be out of copyright and thus available as a free ebook. Note that the series is somewhat sexist and the style is somewhat dated; please view it as a period piece. To his credit, the author pokes fun at his own style in some of the later books.

The "uplift" series by David Brin is fairly good - the first book is "Sundiver". It's a trilogy, followed by a second trilogy. I hear the second trilogy isn't as good, but haven't read those myself yet.

The "Giants" series by James P. Hogan starts out on earth, but moves on to other worlds.