Jo Walton, a fantastic writer in her own right, recently posted a blog entry at Tor.com about good sci-fi books for non sci-fi readers. I can't seem to paste a link in here but if you go to www.tor.com and search for Gateway Drugs it is the first post that comes up. But if that is Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town in your Goodreads sidebar thingie there, I believe that Cory Doctorow is considered science fiction as well.
The writers I most often recommend for non sci-fi readers are Lois McMaster Bujold, Connie Willis, and John Scalzi. They are much more space opera-ey than Ben's suggestions though.
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it would depend on how science fiction oriented you wanted to go, but here are some very good works.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land
both by Robert Heinlien
The Telling, The Left Hand of Darkness
both by Ursula K. LeGuin
Soldier, Ask Not, Dorsai
both by Gordon R. Dickson
Foundation, The Caves of Steel, Nemesis
all by Isaac Asimov
The Cool War
by Fred Pohl
Rendevous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
Hope you find one from this list that you enjoy.
Happy reading,
Ben F.
Hey Rachel,
ReplyDeleteJo Walton, a fantastic writer in her own right, recently posted a blog entry at Tor.com about good sci-fi books for non sci-fi readers. I can't seem to paste a link in here but if you go to www.tor.com and search for Gateway Drugs it is the first post that comes up. But if that is Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town in your Goodreads sidebar thingie there, I believe that Cory Doctorow is considered science fiction as well.
The writers I most often recommend for non sci-fi readers are Lois McMaster Bujold, Connie Willis, and John Scalzi. They are much more space opera-ey than Ben's suggestions though.
Sorry, I messed up the first comment somehow.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Frank Herbert's Dune. I would think it would be considered classic sci-fi.
Thanks to everyone for the recommendations! My library queue is very long now :)
ReplyDelete