Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

Hi. I’m working on writing a sci fi graphic novel set in the near future, lots of aliens, space travel, powers, etc. and before I do begin to write I’d like to read some great sci fi works, or just great books/graphic novels to get a feel for the genre. Does anyone here have any suggestions?



Thanks

Allen Steele's Coyote books, The Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbel Dauntless is the first I believe and Oath of Fealty By Larry Niven would give you a good cross section of what its like. For graphic novels, I still like the Watchmen. It's a good example of challenging the status quo.

Depends. Are you looking for more of a hard core realistic approach?
A military in space? Or more of like a space fantasy in the way of Star Wars?
Because you mention lots of aliens, space travel, powers and looks like you want action try some of the older works. Before NASA and space travel. The science fiction books from that time were more fantasy leaning like Star Wars. First I'd try Leigh Brackett.
But I must add these are the kinds of books I'm a fan of so that might be why I'm recommending them.

i think the novels of Peter Hamilton fit the bill: powers, space travel, aliens, the whole shebang. pure space opera.

The are many genre of space scifi... You should really check out some of the classics -- Dune by Herbert is great example of an alien world and society. The book is a complete tapestry where economics, religion, social behaviors, and cultures viewed through an different/alien viewpoint. Many of Elizabeth Moon's series pull in military background into space venue. If you are trying for hard sci-fi it must have real science plausibility (see Vernes before space travel, Asimov, etc...) Science Fantasy is a different animal, flights of fantasy are expected but the world you create must maintain structure.

'm sorry I forgot to specify before, yes, the work I'm planning to do could probably be called a space opera. I think I'd be better suited to space fantasy (I grew up with Star Wars) rather than hard sci fi, since I don't have the technical background for it. These all look like great suggestions, can't wait to start reading them!

In that case, "Ghost Legion" by Margaret Wies is pretty good too.

Do you have experience with the Xbox game Mass Effect? It's a great example of what you might be looking for. There's a few tie in books that you can look into.

I've seen the game played and been very interested but I don't own a copy. What are these tie-in books?

Revelation,Ascension,Retribution. They don't tie in exclusively to the gameplay so I think they can be read on their own with a little effort. I liked them and thought that the game world works well in another medium.

This might be too late too answer this but here are some sci-fi graphic novels:

Enki Bilal (The Nikopol Trilogy: The Carnival of Immortals/The Woman Trap/Equator Cold, Beast Trilogy, The: Chapters 1 & 2 - The Dormant Beast/December 32nd)

- Moebius (The Incal, Moebius 3: The Airtight Garage)

and also Akira, Vol. 1, Hard Boiled (such a crazy book!)and Ronin

I've currently been digging a Space Opera comic from France called SILLAGE aka ESTELA in Spanish aka WAKE in English (the latter was a short-lived attempt at releasing them here in the US, but they stopped with the 6th vol and there's also some laughably egregious censorship of the artwork in vol 1). Wonderfully detailed and imaginative art, a fun story and an appealing heroine.

Probably the culture novels of Iain M. Banks too....highly recommended!