# Cutting my science fiction teeth **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947 "2003-06-19T16:36:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947/61 "2003-06-22T03:23:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ITR champion \* > **There’s one thing that needs to be said about science fiction readers. Some of us read for cool scientific ideas, others want stories that are still focused on human beings and human societies. If you’re in the second category…** …I’ll add David Brin’s _Glory Season._ It’s set in a largely pre-technological civilization, so there’s a minimum of “science” and a maximum of “fiction.” It’s a sociological study, mostly, and (in my opinion at least) one of Brin’s best. Shows he can do a lot more than spaceships and black holes and genetics and stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Matt70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Matt70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matt70)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947/62 "2003-06-22T13:01:51Z")
You may want to check out some books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. He is more famous for his fantasy novels, but I like his sci-fi books as well. See if you can find _The Parafaith War_ or _Adiamante_ . I liked both of those books. He also has a series called _The Ecolitan Matter_ . This is 4 books but another may be out soon. I’m not sure how I would describe his books. Lots of high-tech gadgets and stuff but also a lot of political intrigue as well. Not the best stuff I’ve read but some very enjoyable books. ---
**Author:** ![Kaspar\_Hauser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@Kaspar\_Hauser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaspar_Hauser)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947/63 "2003-06-22T20:21:03Z")
I’m gonna mini-hijack my own thread here and say that, having just finished _Manifold: Time_, I found it interesting that my first two science fiction books in a while (_Childhood’s End_ was the other) both concerned the ultimate destiny of humankind and also contained scary, super-smart children. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947/64 "2003-06-23T01:04:45Z")
Based on your spoiler, it sounds like you should queue up Greg Bear’s _Darwin’s Radio_ and _Darwin’s Children_ just to keep the theme going. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947/65 "2003-06-23T04:06:38Z")
I have to put in a **BIG** plug for Heinlein’s juveniles, especially for someone who is new to SF and looking for easy reads. In order: **Citizen of the Galaxy** **Have Space Suit - Will Travel** **Starman Jones** **Tunnel in the Sky** **Time for the Stars** **The Star Beast** **The Rolling Stones** **Between Planets** **Red Planet** Ignore the ‘pulpy’ titles, and the ‘juvenile’ categorization - these were more about marketing and literary standards in the 1950’s than a reflection of the content. Every one of the books above is an enjoyable read, and the first six on that list are tremendous books. And these are the essential Heinlein books that are not classified as ‘juveniles’: **Double Star** **Starship Troopers** **The Door Into Summer** If you’re looking for a ‘fun’ series of books, I would recommend **The Stainless Steel Rat** books, and the **Repairman Jack** stories by F. Paul Wilson, although the last books are more horror than SF. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cutting-my-science-fiction-teeth/182947.md?page=3)