Sci Fi
For those friends and loved ones who love Science Fiction, try getting these books/book-like items:

- Old Man’s War or any other book by John Scalzi 
I reviewed Old Man’s Wara while back and now I’m getting it for several of my guy friends. Though it’s about seventy five year olds, I have to warn you there are blood, guts, sex and emotional trauma in this book. It is, after all, a book about war. Withthat said, I think this book is set at a wonderful pace and it really allows you to empathize with the characters and their strange circumstances.

- 7th Son: Descent by J.C. Hutchins
I admit I have not read the published version of Seventh Son: Descent, but I listened to the podiobookand I love J.C. Hutchins’ writing and his style. This is an extremely fast paced and violent sci-fi thriller. You’re welcome.

- The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
I got this book one year for Christmas and I love it. It’s got all the Hitchhicker’s books in one big fat book, plus a fun short about Zaphod Beeblebrox. Guaranteed to put a smile on Hitchhiker’s fans everywhere.

- I Will Fear No Evil or any other books by Robert Heinlein
I Will Fear No Evil is the first Heinlein book I ever read and is still my favorite to this day. As is normal for Heinlein, there is lots of free love in this book, but it’s also got some neat spiritual issues it addresses. Basically, if you were ever leery about the idea of a brain transplant, this book is for you.

- The Adoration of Jenna Fox (which I reviewed) by Mary Pearson
I reviewed this book sans spoilers. So, this is your spoiler alert. Don’t read on if you don’t want a spoiler. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is about a teen who wakes up after a year long coma to find that she not only doesn’t remember what simple words mean, but her body is over 50% synthetic. She has to overcome the normal emotional issues one would have a) being a teen and b) having been in a coma for a year. She also has to figure out for herself if she is, in fact, human.

- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Brave New World is a classic. It’s a bit like George Orwell’s 1984 set in the future. It involves a society which has banned history, books and bearing children (all babies are made in a bottle and – depending on where they go in society – their growth is aided or retarded). Also, the society refuses to allow its denizens to be unhappy by providing constant access to a pleasant, mostly side effect free drug so the citizens may forget their troubles. But, when a human from the “wild reservations” comes into this new, carefree society, how does he cope? Does he adapt, or reject this new society? This book is a very real look into human misery and the tendency for people to simply hide their problems, rather than deal with them openly. Spoiler is: this book does not have a happy ending.

- The Halo Books by Eric Nylund
If your kid or friend are into the wildly popular Halo video games, get them hooked on the book series. I actually did this with my ex-boyfriend who didn’t read and he really liked them – so much so that I picked up the book I bought him and read it myself. They are actually pretty darned good!

- The Immortals by Tracy HickmanThe Immortals is a book about the 10 second decision making society opting to put disease victims into massive concentration camps for them to die off in while a cure is being searched for. However, what the people of the short attention span don’t realize is there’s something much deeper going on, something which shows the world why politics and religion don’t mix and why some decisions need thought and research put into them. 

- Look Into the Sun by James Patrick Kelly
A wonderful Sci Fi story ultimately about a young man who has to go to another planet to come into his own and truly belong. If you want to get a taste of the story – check out Jim Kelly’s Free Reads podcast, wherein he reads the whole book to you in several episodes. This book is actually out of print, but the author (and humble Nebula and two time Hugo award winner), Jim Kelly, bought out the overstock of the book and is offering to sell a signed copy to you direct. Email him at Jim (@) JimKelly (dot) net to get your book, or contact me at JuliaScottDouglas (@) Gmail (dot) com and I’ll get you two in touch. I’m going to order one just for me – I love signed books.

-Escape Pod CDs
No Sci Fi fan’s collection of books would be complete without a subscription to Escape Pod(which is free). Barring that, get them one of the cds of this fantastic podcast of short fiction. I happen to love all three of the podcasts in the Escape Pod/Pseudopod/Pod Castle network, but Escape Pod is what any sci fi fan needs to accompany them through thier journey through short fiction. (I don’t get paid to recommend these guys, I just love them and the short stories they provide really are awesome.)

I hope these books/book-like items cover all bases on your friends and family who are sci fi fans! 

If you have any suggestions of books I should read or recommend, let me know!

Also, remember that if you shop at Amazonfrom the links I provide, I get a little commission if you buy something, so help a sister out!

John Scalzi

Book: Old Man’s War

Genre: Sci Fi

Julia Rating: 10

Comments:

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi is a well written Sci Fi adventure that made me look at old people from a new angle. The idea behind it is, if you are old (75 years to be exact), what would you do to be young again? In the case of John Perry and countless other 75 year olds, he is willing to give up earth and fight wars at far flung planets against alien races.

Scalzi really captures the hopes and desires of a 75 year old man leaving his home forever to participate in battle with unknown races. This book is action packed, but also has an emotional impact that surprised and pleased me. Friendships are made, people die and love blooms.

I can’t wait to read Scalzi’s sequel, The Ghost Brigades

Book: The Sagan Diary

Genre: Sci Fi/Romance/Introspective

Julia Rating: 10

Comment: The Sagan Diary is a novelette written in John Scalzi’s universe of friends, foes, aliens and artificial bodies.  The book is based in the world created in John Scalzi’s book Old Man’s War, which – now that I’ve read The Sagan Diary, I want to read.  

The premise of The Sagan Diary is that the memories and reminiscences of an old soldier (Jane Sagan) are removed from her soldier body and analyzed.  The scientists analyzing it discover that the group who removed the informatin has essentially “blacked out” all the data of military importance, leaving what they dub The Sagan Diary.  These are the memories of a woman finding out who she is, what is right and who she loves most. 

I found The Sagan Diary entrancing.  It’s a fresh look at Sci Fi for me – I don’t think I’ve ever read an intorspective, Sci Fi romance with really no action or anything.  It was a lot like reading an alien’s memiors.  If you are looking for a different experience in Sci Fi, this novelette is worth your while.