I get loads of books suggestions for my book review podcast. Many people suggest books I’ve read before. I don’t mind this, as if I liked the book the first time out I’d be happy to read it again and review it again.
However, lots of people have suggested not single books, but entire series of books. The thing about series is that they’re a real time commitment to get through, especially if I’ve read them before. And especially if I’m going to review each book in the series.
Also, how do I review the second book in a series? I have this problem with Hamilton’s Void Trilogy. Talking about book two without spoiling book one is really hard.
So, to preempt having to explain these and other issues with each person who emails me recommending entire series I’ve read before, I took a SFBRP podcast episode to talk about and do mini reviews for all of the below series (in no particular order):
Stephen Baxter:
Xeelee series
Manifold series
CJ Cherryh:
Merchanter novels
Isaac Asimov:
Foundation series
Galactic Empire series
Robots series
Robot mysteries series
Douglas Adams:
HitchhikerÃs Guide to the Galaxy
David Brin:
Uplift series
Frank Herbert:
Dune
Orson Scott Card:
Ender series
The Shadow Children Sequence
Peter F Hamilton:
Nights Dawn
Commonwealth Saga
Mindstar Rising
Void Trilogy
Iain M Banks:
The Culture
Gene Wolfe:
The Book of the New Sun
Philip José Farmer:
Dayworld
Riverworld
Steven Donaldson:
The Gap Cycle
Vernor Vinge:
Deep Sequence
Larry Niven:
Ringworld / Known Space
Kim Stanley Robinson:
Mars trilogy
Californian Coast series
Alastair Reynolds:
Revelation Space
Frederik Pohl:
The Heechee Saga
Arthur C Clarke:
Space Odyssey series
Rama series
Tad Williams:
Otherland
James Blish:
Cities in Flight
Jack Vance:
Planet of Adventure
Robert J Sawyer:
The Neanderthal Parallax
Robert Zindell:
A Requiem for Homo Sapiens
Dan Simmons:
Hyperion Cantos
Can anyone think of any other science fiction series I should read? Or think I might have read but forgotten about? Send emails to luke@juggler.net or leave a comment below.
Hi! Not trying to be redundant, but have you ever invested in the dune encyclopedia?
In case for some reason you have not, which seems unlikely, but you refer to certain events as canon in your dune review. I’m sure someone has pointed this out to you, but in my obsessive devotion to the cause I must send this e-mail.
In any case, the dune encyclopedia, apart from disproving pretty much every word brian herbert has ever signed his name to, is a really good read. It explores a lot of things in a way one originally hoped the prequels might, and all the content was actually approved by Frank Herbert. It’s a lot of fun reading about the levels of training for a mentat, or the actual events of the butlerian jihad, or the discovery of semuta.
And yes, I know this was posted two years ago. What can I say, I’m a busy girl.