Science Fiction recommendations?

[varnish7]

Could someone recommend some good science fiction? I especially like stories where people, particularly children, have advanced psychic/intellectual abilities. For example, I loved Tomorrow's Children. I'd also be interested in anything about time travel or illnesses/plague. Not too interested in robots or military space stuff, though. Also, I think I'd like reading short stories instead of one long book, unless the book is really really good. Does anyone know of any books I might like? Thanks for the help.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

According to your criteria, you should definitely read Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke. Not completely about children, but they do play a role. And, it's really good.

[Paulclem]

John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos

[cyberbob]

Time travel - The Door Into Summer by Robert A. Heinlein, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Smart kids - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Have Space Suit-Will Travel and Citizen of the Galaxy by Heinlein

I'm a big Heinlein fan. :)

[GenteelFiggar]

The mentioned Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is really, really good. Interestingly enough, it was originally written as a short story and was really popular before being expanded into its current novel form. I've had several of my friends read it on my suggestion, and all of them have liked it a lot. I can't recommend it enough.

[rufustfirefly]

These recommendations interest me. Has anyone tried "The Anubis gates" by Tim Powers. I have read mixed reviews. I also enjoyed Ender's Game. Interestingly , I couldn't get into the sequel.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I'll second Slaughter-House Five if you're willing to read something out there (brilliantly out there).

[Big Dante]

I'll third Slaughterhouse 5. I read it last week and it is one of the best things I have read.

[Syd A]

Time travel sci-fi must begin with H.G. Wells's The Time Machine. It's a sci-fi classic and also very philosophical.

[JamesRhodes]

The SF Collection by Chancellor Press is an excellent anthology but a little hard to come by. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame anthologies are pretty good too (though not as good).

[PeterL]

Try The Ship that Sailed the Time Stream.

[JuniperWoolf]

I'll third Slaughterhouse 5. I read it last week and it is one of the best things I have read.

It's about space and aliens and junk though, and he doesn't like space. I'd go with The Chrysalids based on your criteria. Psychic kids abound. Also, if you're into children, plagues and dystopian futures, you might want to give Children of Men a try.

[Tallon]

I love sci fi, I'd say my favourite sci fi novel would be perfect for you. Theodore Sturgeon - More Than Human. It's about the next step in the evolution of mankind, it follows a small group of children who develop extra powers and come together to make a 'home-gestalt'. It started out as a short stories and he just added two more to round it out into a book, but really he is a short story writer. Sturgeon was a great writer too, very literary.

[Helga]

Slaughterhouse 5 is a must read in the sci-fi genre, I like Ballard's short stories too when I want short and simple, not a novel...

but I think I'll have to check out a few of these books mentioned here too many sound very interesting.

[billl]

I have a recommendation, but it is a rather long book. For me, it was a page-turner, though, so I was never "burdened" by it. I only mention because it might take more time to read than some others mentioned. Personally, I was surprised how quickly I finished it.

The Diamond Age, by Neal Stephenson

Stephenson has done a lot of other books since this one, and its not the best-known. His books are always long, though, and this is the only one I have been brave enough to devote myself to (at 500 pages, it is one of the shorter ones, I think).

It is the story of a little girl who...

(MINOR SPOILERS MINOR SPOILERS, just a brief review like you might see on the back of a paperback)

who comes into possession of a little e-reader-type device that is actually an advanced educational tool that is aware of its environment. This girl lives in a future where nano-technology has infused everything, and a sort of breakdown of cultures or something has ended up leaving the planet divided into tribes (but not the sort of tribes you probably immediately imagine, the world is very high-tech).

(MINOR SPOILERS END MINOR SPOILERS END)

It has been described as "post-cyberpunk" but some particular chapters (not the whole thing) seemed like steam-punk to me. Finally, various details and structural elements are allusions to the work of Charles Dickens.

[OrphanPip]

@Bill

That's the sci-fi novel I thought of too, after Ender's Game, when it comes to children playing a major role.

[billl]

It was one of those really nice surprises, for me. I probably went overboard with the "SPOILER-warnings", but I really enjoyed reading it without knowing much of anything at all. My "summary" gives away A LOT LESS than reading the Amazon or Publisher's Weekly reviews on Amazon.com, though...

(Although I would strongly recommend reading the first few pages in the bookstore or by using Amazon's "Look Inside" feature before buying it.)

[JohnBrown'sbody]

Phillip K. Dick wrote tons of great short stories. You should look into those. Probably one of the strangest and most interesting Sci-Fi writers ever.

[Jinian]

Zenna Henderson - The People, Joan D. Vinge - Psion, Sheri Tepper - any of hers..particularly the Dervish Daughter and the True Game series.

[Magga]

This is an odd one:

The Taking by Dean Koontz.

He hasn't written much (if any) science fiction since the 70's, and I don't think that any of his sci-fi novels even are in print. The Taking is very different from the novels he has written for years, and presents sci-fi with his usual bit of moral, and of course relentless suspense. I'd recommend reading it, and it's a quick read.

[Calidore]

Children + advanced abilities + short stories = the People books by Zenna Henderson (a personal desert island pick)

Time travel + illness = Doomsday Book by Connie Willis


Best,

Calidore