Sci-Fi books that got you to go 'wow'

[Darkfire]

Since this is also a Sci-Fi forum

After which Sci-Fi did you sit back and go 'wow'.

To make it interesting; the storyline must occur with a focus on our 'recent' future or past. Damn, hate mixing tenses .

So no Star Wars ect.

For me 2 that stick out are:

1984, by G. Orwell
Stranger in a Strange Land, by R. Heilein

Any others?

 

[Claude Raines]

Recent future or past makes it a bit limiting, but four that come to mind are:

Moonseed by Steven Baxter

2001 by Arthur Clarke

Rendevous With Rama by Arthur Clark

and Neuromancer by William Gibson.

 

[Mallus]

Off the top of my head...

[edited. Should fully read post before responding...]

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem --who knows when this takes place? It's themes are timeless.

Neuromancer by William Gibson

Dhalgren by Samule R. Delany

Valis by Philip K. Dick

Blood Music by Greg Bear

 

[Fenros]

Oops, didn't read the clause.


In that case.....I'm not sure. I think Micheal Crichton kinda fits in this category though. However, I haven't read any of his books. Just seen the movies.

 

[Darkfire]

While there is some good Sci-Fi coming out, it all seems to be set in the far future or alternate universe.

Where are the dreamers that see where the human species can go in the near future?

There is so much to talk about, granted some of it comes out on movie, but very little on paper.


Moonseed and Rendevous With Rama where very good. I'll have to go hunt down the others though.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Recent future or past storylines limits stuff

People ahead of thier time accurately predicting the future:

"Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Pretty much anything by Jules Verne

Pretty much anything by Arthur C. Clarke

Just a great story:

"1984" by George Orwell

"Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

There is lots more Sci-Fi that I like but much is the far off future and/or distant places.

 

[Darkfire]

Thats the stuff I'm talking about, all the books Brown Jenkin mentioned got people talking the possiblities of mankind.

Now everyone just seems resigned about the future. No manned space missions of note, no undersea colonies. In short nothing that will not show a profit line

 

[Hand of Evil]

Lord of Light by Roger Zelzany - combines Sci-fi and Fantasy and shows how tech can appear magical.

20000 Leagues Under the Sea

Neromancer -

Whipping Star by Frank Herbert - people always think Dune is his greatest work without reading his other stuff.

Foundation -

War of the World -

 

[Kip the Bold]

Neuromancer by William Gibson..wicked cool.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson..great stuff.

I am sure there are more but I can't recall at the moment...

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Neromancer -

....

War of the World -

I had forgotten William Gibson and H.G. Wells in my list. I know others have mentioned these as well but both of them have written more than the couple of books listed.

Wiliam Gibson's Neuromancer trilogy pegged the internet age pretty well (Remember the first one was written in 1984)

H.G. Wells' predictions of science have not come true but he made people think (War of the Worlds, the Time Machine, and Invisible Man)