Recommended Smart Action/Sci-Fi Novels

[ryantherebel]

After discovering the Vorkosigan Saga and Snow Crash and rereading The Forever War I'm trying to find more Science Fiction novels that combine exciting action with smart/smartly executed story telling. Now to clear things up, by "action" I don't necessarily mean Military Sci-Fi(although those shouldn't be excluded) I'd like more variety like cyberpunk or present based science fiction.

[bobsandiego]

From the classic period I'd recommend "Tunnel in the Sky". It's a Heinlein juvie, but a great action story about survival in the wild.
From something more modern - look up the Academy books by Jack McDevitt those are wonderful non-military action adventure SF novels.

[LDWriter2]

I read this earlier and I've been thinking about it.

I should know some that fit that description but it could take a day or two to think it out.


Unless I just did The Sector General series by James White. It's a hospital that treats many types of aliens. The first few books are about the same MC but later he gets promoted and married so he no longer is the MC. It has various types of action including mysteries--how do you treat an alien that feeds on radiation? Or one that needs ten times the gravity you do? Some books do have some military action but most is interpersonal and emotional.

[izanobu]

I recommend James Rollins. Especially Ice Hunt, but pretty much all his stuff has serious SF elements (like time travel, for example). They aren't called SF, because his publishers want his books to sell tons of copies, which they do, but they are totally science fiction.

[Alex Kane]

Arctic Rising by Tobias S. Buckell, Old Man's War by John Scalzi, and Amped by Daniel H. Wilson are some recent favorites of mine. I think you'd probably love them. Big ideas, fast pace, heavy on the action. Check 'em out.

[LDWriter2]

How about Jule E. Czerneda

Her first novel "A Thousand Words For Stranger". It came out in a 10th anniversary edition not long ago.

It's evidently first in the Trade Pact Universe. I don't think all deal with these MCs.


And I think at least some Timothy Zahn's books would fit what you want.

[Dustin Adams]

^ Best first post ever.

[carlosvargas]

I really like Snow Crash. One of the most interesting novel ever

[Jaxon]

I really like The Martian by Andy Weir. It's much better than the movie.

[BLAlley]

The Freezer and Immortal by David Kersten.
Can I include my own? I didn't see any rules about that.

[Elto_Danzig]

Acts of Caine

PS Lois McMaster Bujold is a gem. She responds to all her fans on Goodreads