Accessable Science Fiction/Fantasy for my mother.

My mom in her 70s, and will be laid up for several weeks after surgery.
I’m trying to think of a few sci-fi or fantasy books that I can use to introduce her
to the genres, and give her something new to help get through the recovery.

She reads quite a bit. Not romance, not much mystery. She’s enjoyed several of the Philippa Gregory historical fiction books. She liked Kite Runner, and a number of the historical biography books I have. She like National Geographic and Archaeology Magazine.

I was tempted by some Heinlein, but he can be rather macho. Maybe Asimov’s Foundation books?

Any suggestions? Something less focused on space battles or teenager-discovers-they-have-magic-powers would probably be best.

Temeraire maybe?

Douglas Adams?
Alan Dean Foster?
Roger Zelazny?

Are you looking for something only in print form? Or is video acceptable as well? If video is ok, how about Babylon 5? I got my wife to watch it (and enjoy it) by saying it was like a book on TV.

Rendevous with Rama might be different enough to give her a treat (don’t tell her that there a sequels though ;))
If she is recovering from surgery, then she should probably stick to light reading. Songs of Distant Earth, also by Clarke, is easy to read (it’s about romance though, so that mightn’t suit).

That was my first thought.

The Hobbit
Andre Norton’s Solar Queen juveniles.

Connie Willis’s To Say Nothing of the Dog is a wonderful recovering-from-surgery novel. I first read it when I was bedbound, and I had a wonderful time. The plot involves time travel, Victorian romance, pets, destiny, and many clever twists. I’ve never met anyone who read this novel without liking it.

Lois McMaster Bujold’s Barrayar series is a great mix of space opera, sci fi, mystery, and swashbuckling. I recommend it highly to people of all ages and proclivities.

I was going to recommend Connie Willis. I recently got a collection of her short stories (which is the form I prefer for her) titled Winds of the Marble Arch and I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit.

My mother has enjoyed Neil Gaiman’s novels. She thought she had made this amazing discovery when she recommended American Gods to me. I told her as gently as I could that I had been a Gaiman fan since the 80’s. :slight_smile:

My grandmother loved the Dragonriders of Pern books. She also liked Asimov.

My mother, who reads mostly romance and mystery, has dipped into sci-fi for Connie Willis. I’m trying to get her to read Bujold.

Women love Zenna Henderson, who writes more fantasy than science fiction but still in that genre.

I’d consider that one of Clarke’s better works. Alternatively, a short story compilation of his would be good–lots of variety and his style is better suited to that than novels.

I’ll also toss in Anne McCaffery. She’s veered more and more towards pure SF in recent years, but her style might be easier to get into than someone who leans towards ‘hard’ sci-fi. Her Dragonriders of Pern series is the best known, but I’ll suggest the Rowan and Pegasus series’ also.

OK, it’s not sci-fi, but has she read any Michener? That was what came to mind when you described her likes. My favorite was probably Chesapeake, but she might do just as well to pick based on a part of the world that attracts her as any particular story. Space is sciency and fictiony, but not really science fiction. I also remember liking Hawaii and The Source, not so much The Drifters. In terms of dollars per pound, Michener is an excellent reading value.

I also enjoyed Brave New World. Not exactly light reading, but engrossing and not space battles and magic powers.

And am I the first to mention the Discworld series? I’m not nearly the biggest Pratchett fan on here, but a search should bring up extensive recommendations.

Perhaps the Straight Dope tpb collections?

I find Robert Silverberg very accessible (I recently re-read his “Majipoor Chronicles” and loved them again). I’ll second Anne McCaffrey, too. Her books are a tad on the juvenile side, but I’m always caught up in them. Heck, throw some Harry Potter at her, too. My 66 year old non-sci fi reading mother is loving them. :slight_smile:

How 'bout Jennifer Roberson’s Sherwood books? If she likes historical fiction, they might be right up her alley. Lady of the Forest is the first one, and it’s very similar in writing style to Philippa Gregory’s popular works.

Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow is a wonderful novel, especially for those who might not read a lot of SF. It’s the story of a Jesuit priest and his friend, an astronomer who discovers evidence of extraterrestial life. It’s beautifully-written, very compelling and a very interesting exploration of faith and the different ways in which it can be tested.

This is a great suggestion.

Another book that I just read and really enjoyed is Michael Flynn’s The Wreck of the River of Stars. At first glance, this looks like typical hard science fiction. But once you get into it, you realize it’s not really about spaceships at all. It’s a lovely character study of the crew of a doomed ship–their inner demons, their secret desires, and the odd but curiously touching little community they create. It could just as easily be set on a sailing ship in the 1700s.

Ender’s Game