joseaguilar.org

Sci-fi Books

May 16, 2008 on 2:54 pm | In Books |

After leaving this blog collecting cobwebs for over a year, I decided to start writing again. I am an avid Sci-fi reader, so I decided to "restart" posting by writing about some of the books I’ve read in the past couple of years. I will only mention those books that I consider to be above-average. My intention is to periodically post about new books I’ve read and enjoyed.

So, here it is, the very first Jose Aguilar recommended Sci-fi book list:

• Hyperion by Dan Simmons: One of my new favorites. It tells the tale of several "pilgrims" that go to planet Hyperion, and each one tells the story on how they ended up on that pilgrimage. All against the backdrop of a blooming intergalactic war. Impressive book.
• A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller: Another great book. It tells the story of the order of Saint Leibowitz, an engineer that sacrificed himself to preserve humankind’s knowledge after a nuclear war. The most interesting thing is that it actually tells three stories - 600, 1200, and 1800 years after the nuclear holocaust.
• The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Leguin: What would happen if humans would alternate between male and female periodically? This is what happens in Winter, the world where this excellent book takes place. The story unfolds as an emissary of the Ekumen Empire tries to establish relations with the planet. Incredibly interesting story.
• The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle: Amazing history of human’s first contact with another civilization, completely different from our own. The description of the "moties", and how their environment has influenced their physical appearance and how they think, is something not seen very often.

I also ran into this list the other day while browsing this Slashdot post… I will definitely start checking them out as soon as I read the books I have in queue.