JustEm Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 My bil's birthday is next week and I need gift ideas. He is 25 and has just gotten into reading. I mean he literally read his first book by choice for the first time within the last few months. Now he can't put them down. He's reading sci Fi but I don't really know what he's already read aside from Under the Dome and Ender's Game series. I'll ask his wife what he's read but in the meantime can the Hive give me ideas for what great sci Fi books to get him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 If he likes Ender's Game, consider giving him a few books from the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. The first book is On Basilisk Station. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 He might like The Martian by Andy Weir. You could get him the book and tickets to the movie. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 My husband's absolutely favorite Sci-Fi book is "Gateway" by Frederick Pohl. I understand they're going to make it into a movie or TV miniseries or something. Should be interesting. My husband also loves anything by Heinlein or Gibson. Here's a nice list of the 25Best Sci-Fi books: http://bestsciencefictionbooks.com/top-25-best-science-fiction-books.php Edited to add: I enjoyed Asimov's Robot series. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ipsey Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I adore Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It's somewhat political--a libertarian leaning that is not at all my inclination--yet I still love it! The first sci-fi I ever loved. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov is my all time favorite. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Vorsokigan series by Lois mcMaster Bujold. ASimov's robot books There's a new prequel series for the Ender's Game stuff -- when the aliens came through the first time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 He might like The Martian by Andy Weir. You could get him the book and tickets to the movie. I really love this idea! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 If he likes humor, maybe the Piers Anthony Xanth series. Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles is good. As mentioned upthread, Robert Heilein's Moon is a Harsh Mistress is also good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatechip Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 CS Lewis's Space Trilogy. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L'Engle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 The Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson The Left Hand of Darkness, or The Disposessed, gy LeGuin. Generally anything by Arthur C Clarke The Dune series (though the new ones are not so great but there are still quite a few of them.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven This book (Jerry Pournelle was co-author BTW) is one of the books that I have read until it fell apart, bought a new copy, and read that one until it fell apart as well. I first read it at age 11 or so. I tend to forget about it in sci-fi lists because I tend to think more about the future, but it is a fantastic book. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneangelwaiting Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Old Man's War trilogy by John Scalzi Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 This is an incredible collection of short stories: The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 1: 1929-1964 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Science Fiction is generally more about ideas than about character development, so it often works better in short story form than novel form. And, especially as he's new to reading, so may not know what authors he likes, I'd recommend one of the "Year's Best Science Fiction" short story anthologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne I, Robot, Isaac Asimov Frankenstein, Mary Shelly The Time Machine, H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells The Space Trilogy, C.S. Lewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 The Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson The Left Hand of Darkness, or The Disposessed, gy LeGuin. Generally anything by Arthur C Clarke The Dune series (though the new ones are not so great but there are still quite a few of them.) Oh my. I read that so long ago, I'd forgotten about it. Great book. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 This book (Jerry Pournelle was co-author BTW) is one of the books that I have read until it fell apart, bought a new copy, and read that one until it fell apart as well. I first read it at age 11 or so. I tend to forget about it in sci-fi lists because I tend to think more about the future, but it is a fantastic book. I also have two tattered copies! And now I have to read it again.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Starship Troopers was a horrible movie, but it's an excellent book :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 I'm gonna second The Dispossessed, which is on my list of favorite books ever. Let me think, what else is there? Wild Seed by Octavia Butler The House of the Scorpion The Three-Body Problem Ancillary Justice Fool's War Hammered by Elizabeth Bear Babel-17 Snow Crash Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Thank you all. I've landed on Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series as somehow I forgot that it is one of my favorites. I'll also give him a gift card with a list of these recommendations so he can pick for his kindle. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 You pretty much can't go wrong with this list: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_joint_winners_of_the_Hugo_and_Nebula_awards Also, though he's not on this particular list, I love Jack McDevitt! His Alex Benedict series is my favorite. It starts with: http://www.amazon.com/Talent-War-Jack-McDevitt/dp/B000UP898U/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Wait. I'm supposed to buy my BILs birthday gifts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Wait. I'm supposed to buy my BILs birthday gifts? In dh's family we give bday gifts and have a simple dinner and dessert for everyone. Shared bday months get combined. We don't exchange at Christmas though. I like my bil and enjoy giving books as gifts. So I leapt at the opportunity to get a new reader a quality book. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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