Book suggestions? Science fiction? For school project?

ANY of the works of Robert A. Heinlein, the "Dean of Science Fiction" are a Great read, especially his 'juvenile' novels from the 50's. All of his works have a 'timeless' quality that make them as great a read as when they were first published. He is the author of "Stranger in a Strange Land"(arguably his best), "Puppet Masters" (The 'based-on' for the Sci-Fi movie starring Donald Sutherland), and "Starship Troopers" (that the Sci-Fi movie and the T.V. animae are LOOSELY 'based on', and I am sure 'the Master' is STILL spinning in his grave!)) He is my all-time, lifetime favorite author, and his works have kept me Sane & Entertained for all 55 years of my life, including the worst of injury and poverty!

ANY of the works of: 1. Ray Bradbury 2. Andre Norton (the 'nom de plume' of Alice Mary North) Both are two of the greatest authors of the Sci-Fi type!

For classic, I'd consider Heinlein. His works contained a great deal of both social and political commentary. "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is a good one. Some of his work seems dated, but it's a reflection of the time period. Asimov and Bradbury are also both great. You might also consider Dune by Frank Herbert. It's got action, politics, intrigue, pretty much anything you could ask for. I'm not fond of the sequels, though. As for humor, you can't go wrong with Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. In the modern era, I'd suggest Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (and the sequels - Xenogenesis and Speaker for the Dead), or maybe The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell. Both deal with religious themes, as well as encounters with alien life and cultures and how misunderstandings can have a profound effect. Both are excellent. You might also consider some of Sheri S Tepper's work (specifically Grass, Beauty, and The Gate to Women's Country). She writes SF that often has a feminist theme. For TV tie-ins, if you haven't been exposed to Babylon 5 then you might enjoy watching the series (it's available on DVD) and reading some of the books. The sets look a little cheesy these days, but it was written as a five-year story arc so the plotting is pretty tight and the storylines and arcs are well-planned. Have you considered any sci-fi themed comic books? I know it's a little odd, but try reading the Supreme Power graphic novels by J. Michael Straczynski. I'd also recommend reading some cyberpunk, a branch of sci-fi. Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson and Neuromancer by William Gibson are two good representatives of that genre. I prefer Snow Crash myself because of the sly sense of humor - one of the lead characters is named Hiro Protagonist, and his roommate is the lead singer of a band called Vitaly Chernobyl and the Meltdowns.

Allen Steele is great for space type science fiction. Stephen Donaldson is fantastic for fantasy.

There is some excellent science fiction out there; this is just what I can think of off the top of my head. For Sci-Fi classics, I recommend: Robert Heinlein. My favourite is 'Stranger in a Strange Land'; 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' is also a good place to start. Jules Verne HG Wells Arthur C Clarke. I highly recommend his short stories, and also '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Isaac Asimov, especially 'I, Robot' or the 'Foundation' books Douglas Adams, 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (terrific comedy!) Orson Scott Card, 'Ender's Game' series (also look into his book on how to write Sci-Fi and Fantasy. It would be a wonderful resource for your project!) Larry Niven, 'Ringworld' Frank Herbert, 'Dune' Ray Bradbury, 'Fahrenheit 451', 'The Martian Chronicles', and his collected short stories. George Orwell's '1984' New(er) science fiction: Dan Simmons, 'Hyperion' Connie Willis, 'The Doomsday Book' (a nice blend of science fiction and historical fiction) Mike Resnick's 'Santiago' & 'The Return of Santiago' Gene Wolfe Cheesy science fiction? Try Michael Crichton, or some of Piers Anthony ('Race Against Time' comes to mind). If you want classic cheese, Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Barsoom" novels! For a movie/TV-based book, check out some of the 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars' novels. These get a bad rap for being terrible, but some are actually quite good! For 'Trek,' look into Peter David's 'ST:TNG' novels (he wrote quite a few, but 'Q-in-Law' and 'Imzadi' come to mind immediately). For 'Star Wars,' Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command). There is a distinction between "hard" and "soft" science fiction. In a nutshell, "hard" science fiction emphasizes the science and technology, and "soft" science fiction emphasizes the story and characters. I've tried to give you a selection of both. EDIT: for more suggestions, check out a list of Hugo and Nebula Award winners, which are given each year to the best in science fiction and fantasy. Hugo Award winners: http://www.worldcon.org/hy.html Nebula Award winners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award_for_Best_Novel Happy reading!

Any of the works of Arthur C. Clarke, one of the all-time greats of the genre. I read his "Childhood's End" in grade school, & have been hooked ever since, i.e., over 50 years! ! ! ! His '2001' stories will be 'forever' classics, not only of Sci-Fi & movies, but in literature itself! ! !

For a classic.... "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. You may not at first realize that it is science fiction, but bear with him; it is! Not only that it is a classic and a great read. You'll be a Vonnegut fan once you've finished. Not many people will think of it either, so you'll have something unique.

Well, for movie or tv tie-in, there is always Star Wars or Star Trek, and also 2001: A Space Odyssey.

You probably already know this, but three important authors in the 'classical' category are Ray Bradbury ("The Martian Chronicles", "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Illustrated Man"); Isaac Asimov (The Foundation Series, which incorporates the Robot Novels); and Philip K Dick (most famous for "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", which was the basis for the film "Blade Runner"). Peter Boulle's original novel "Planet of the Apes" is also considered a classic. On a lighter note, Doug Naylor's "Red Dwarf" (I think there are at least two books in the series) is absolutely hilarious. Terry Pratchett, whose novels generally fall more into the 'fantasy' category (although I would classify them as satire) wrote one very funny sci-fi I know of called "Strata". It contains subtle social commentary as well: a member of a team of planet builders is suspended because, deep down in the layers of a new planet, she plants the skeleton of a dinasoaur holding a 'no nukes' sign. One author I know a lot of people call 'cheesy' is Ursula Le Guin. I read one of hers called "The Ship Who Sang"and actually found it very moving. Her novels deal with concept of profound platonic love, so there's no inappropriate material. Steve J Brust, a contemporary US writer with a cult international following (including other mainstream sci-fi writers) is worth a look, but I think his work falls more into the fantasy/satire category. Just go to his homepage and email him, he's not stuck up.