I’m really surprised to hear so many recommendations for the “Pandora’s Star” series. I read (and enjoyed) “Pandora’s Star” but “Judas Unchained” was so universally reviled I never even picked it up.
**Expansive universes and Future histories.
** I think the Foundations series by Asimov and/or the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. Also, Dune by Frank Herbet, of course.
Miniaturization.
Fantastic Voyage. I haven’t read the original, but I read the sequel Fantastic Voyage: Destination Brain (also by Isaac Asimov) when I was a teen and loved it. I think you would too.
Cyborgs and Time Travel.
Not a lot is coming to mind here, since the sci-fi aspect is pretty thin, and was more cat and mouse / action and explosions. There are myriad stories about both cyborgs (Asimov again), and time travel. But I nothing comes to mind as far as ruthless, killer robots right now. However, a recent time travel story I thought was fun was The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman.
It helps a lot. For me, I try to narrow down what concepts I like, and find SF books that center around those. Anyway…
Alien invasion and First Contact.
I very much recommend reading the book that started it all, War of the Worlds by H.G. Welles. Written in 1898, it’s still damn near perfect, IMHO. It’s in the public domain now, so that link is the entire novel.
The science fiction genre is my favorite (especially hard science fiction). I’ve found that most of my favorite stories are in the short-fiction category here. Pick up almost any short science-fiction anthology, and I think you’ll find many stories that appeal to you, are a quick and fun read, and you might start to develop a more refined taste for what you like, and authors who appeal to you more than others.
Also, Stephen King is mostly known for his horror stories, but he’s done plenty in the science fiction genre as well. Under The Dome is a recent one, but here again is where I think short-fiction shines. In Skeleton Crew (a stellar anthology by King) is The Jaunt, one of my favorite stories of all time. Also, check out Asimov’s The Last Question.
Good luck and enjoy the hunt!
First Contact
The Sparrow By Mary Doria Russell. Probably one of the most well written and well constructed First Contact stories I have ever read. It is plausible and visionary at the same time.
There’s a sequel called, “Children of God” which is also good but quite different.
Can i make the obvious suggestion, which i don’t believe anyones made yet. If you don’t want to blow money on something you don’t like how about your local public library. Take some of the suggestions made and see if your local library has them in stock. If not they can probably order them for you from another one. Or just go there and browse in person and see if anything catchs your eye.
The Library: It’s like the Internet, for old people! gets smacked by a thrown copy of Twilight
Well, it’s the first of a two-parter, the second one about as long as the first. The second series of books (a trilogy) is set over 1,500 years from the events in PS and are a separate (and, imho, not as good) story.
Oh, I am so using this as soon as I get a chance.
But it’s true.
In my Nuthin’ But SciFi phase (late 60s), I would sit on the floor in the SF section of the Wauwatosa Public Library for hours, browsing. Because some authors and genres and styles I just loved, and some I thought were boring or contrived.
I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me quite a bit. But in case anybody is interested, here’s my first impressions about JU.
I’m literally about to go out to one now. You kids keep the noise down while i’m out.