What are the quailties of a sci-fi novel that makes it a good gamer sci-fi novel?
I'm seriously interested in folks opinions. I've read many of the recommended books above, and for the life of me I can't see what makes them good "gamer" sci-fi novels . . .
Good question!
IMHO, the Dream Park ones are obvious- they take place in a LARP environment, 3 genres good for gaming (fantasy, sci-fi, mystery) get mixed together fairly seamlessly, and the pacing is good.
Burroughs' and Brackett's books are classic fast-paced pulp sci-fantasy swashbuckling adventure with easily defined heroic tropes. What gamer wouldn't find that enjoyable and an inspiration?
For the others, its more difficult.
In some cases, its the tone and pacing of the stories told- good rollicking adventures provide fertile ground from which the DM or Player can harvest ideas.
In others, its the characters- Miles Flint, the main character in the Retrieval Artist books would make a fine PC, as would Gil "the Arm".
In others, its the setting- I personally would love to experience adventuring or DMing Bova's version of the exploration of the solar system. In a sense, its like some of the stuff from fiction about pirates on the high seas.