Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

[Mumpo]

Popped into Waterstones this lunchtime and was confronted by a display of Gollancz's new 10 Space Opera Titles, resplendent in their cut paper-themed jackets. I haven't read any of them - in fact, it's been ages since I read any science fiction, so I reckon I'll invest in one. Which, though? Any recommendations?

Here's the list:
Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
The Centauri Device by M John Harrison
Tau Zero by Poul Anderson
Eon by Greg Bear
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Stone by Adam Roberts
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke
Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon
Ilium by Dan Simmons
Eternal Light by Paul McAuley

The Niven, Bear and Clarke ones are the only ones I've heard of.

[matt j]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

I read Eon ages ago. I don't think I could recommend it. (If you're going to read a Greg Bear book, it should probably just be Forge of God.)

Glancing at the others, its a bit of a unpredictable list. I'm not sure I'd really want to read any of them myself.

Niven is probably the best bet.

[Levin]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

I'd recommend Stone. I'm sorry I can't offer more of a recommendation than that right at the moment but please do have a look, it's an excellent read.

[delicatemoth]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

The Stapledon book is one of a kind - a relentlessly high-flown odyssey through billions of years. Have a quick flick to see if you'd get on with the style first, but I'd recommend it.

I haven't read that M John Harrison, but he's a good writer.

[Guest]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

I also like Adam Roberts if that helps at all.

[Guest]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

Also, what a great blog!

edit: Caustic Cover, that is.

[hobbes]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

I read Eon ages ago. I don't think I could recommend it. (If you're going to read a Greg Bear book, it should probably just be Forge of God.)

I disagree. Forge of god is compelling reading and utterly brilliant (as is it's follow up, but in different ways) but Eon is cracking too.
In fact I've only read one or two Greg Bear books that I didn't think were excellent.
I found Reynolds to be a bit annoying. Apart from that, go crazy. (Or read the Dune series again.)

[matt j]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

Hmmm.... looking at it now, I've read a lot more Greg Bear than I realized. (Eon, Eternity, Forge of God, Anvil of Stars, Queen of Angels, Moving Mars, and Darwin's Radio).

I think I may not remember Eon very well. Queen of Angels and Moving Mars bring up some solid memories.

Darwin's Radio was fairly obnoxious though. Very disappointing.

[Moonlight Shadow]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

"First and last men" is something else. The author himself is a very interesting character (a socialist philosphy lecturer in the 30's who had no idea he was writing sci-fi...)and the scope of that book is, well, huge, from the birth of man to its death, aeons in the future. It has very much a school book feel, chapter after chapter detailling the various evolutions of mankind, replete with philosophising about the human condition, religion and, err, socialism...

Then you can get hold of "Starmaker" whose ideas could have spawned a few dozens books.

[Gangster Octopus]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

And the Kids From Fame...

[Mumpo]

Gollancz Space Opera - help me choose

Browsing through Last and First Men, I realised I had heard of it. I don't know, though... normally it's teh kind of thing I'd jump at, but in this case I'm after something more pulpy, more genre.