Hi guys, First post here.

After reading through a lot of ‘books like this and that’ posts and hitting too many blanks in a row I decided to make one of my own.

And maybe there are other people with a similar taste who could also benefit from the discussion :)

What I like about the titles mentioned in the subject are that they all take on big questions with a mix of sociology/philosophy/tech/critique/character&world-building as well as humor in a nice combination. Also the interplay of the in-depth examination of the world in question in relation to a very personal adventure (in lack of better words).

For the authors of the mentioned titles I pretty much read everything, and I really liked most of it. The exception being Stephenson, where I find many of the works to be absolutely brilliant (Seveneves, Fall or dodge in hell, Cryptonomicon), and some to be absolutely dull (the baroque cycle, termination chock), and many to be somewhere in-between.

I also really enjoyed the fantasy books of Abraham in spite of not being a big fan of the genre.

Recommendations which often show up in relation to many of these books are eg. Aurora, by Robinson, and Destiny’s Crucible which I couldn’t really get into, maybe because the tone was too dry.

Although I do really like other dry epics like “A memory called empire” and even more its sequel.

Any thoughts?

A while ago, around 2009 to 2010, I found this random list online of the fifty best first contact books ever written. I used to plan a whole year’s worth of reading at a time, and this is how I’d do it: find a random list online of the best books about any subject that interested me (post-apocalyptic, psychological horror, first contact, historical fiction, etc.) and check them off throughout the year. I think my favorite year of reading was going through the first contact books. Some of the ones that really stood out were Rendezvous With Rama, The Sparrow, Mote in God’s Eye, Eifelheim, and The Forever War (maybe more military sci-fi than strictly first contact, but still one of my all time favorites). That being said, I’m willing to bet there have been some fantastic books written about the subject since I read those books. Looking for suggestions! I’d even appreciate suggestions that you just think we haven’t heard yet, first contact is my favorite sci-fi subject.

I saw this book at Barnes and Noble a few months ago and I meant to buy it when I got home but forgot and now I am desperately trying to remember wtf the name of it was. Probably not very helpful but here is what I remember:

• Book was short stories, seemed to heavily lean into biopunk, surrealist, body horror stuff. it was pretty short overall iirc, like less than 200 pages
• I'm pretty sure the book had just come out, but if not I'm pretty sure it had to be released in between 2021-2023
• Popular enough to be sold in hardcopy at barnes and noble
• author was female
• author was european and the text had been translated to english. I think original language was italian.
• cover was white although this may be moot if there are other editions

Im halfway through this book and it feels like its just brief snippets of a much larger and robust story. Once things start getting interesting [inset multi-decade timeskip] new snippet.

Does anything ever get fleshed out? Even at the crux of the plot with the MC in crisis, it timeskips everything about it.

Im 50/50 on dropping it and moving on.

I have greatly enjoyed The Martian, Artemis and Project Hail Mary, all three by Andy Weir. They are very scientifically detailed with very good character development.

After I finished Project hail Mary, a question arose in my mind. What kind of setting will Andy choose to go to next? What kind of plot will be?

I hope that we will get the kind survival story akin to The Martian but set on a exoplanet.

What do you guys think will be the next book?

As the title says I'm almost done with deaths end and I'm loving it - in fact I loved the trilogy as a whole, while it may not be the most well written thing ever, the ideas presented are incredible and made easy to understand. I have a short list of other books/series I want to get into and would love some opinions as to which one would be good for begin with.

• Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos) by Dan Simmons
• Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
• Children of Time (Children of Time, 1) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Foundation by Isaac Asimov
• Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
• Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu

I understand the last two are not part of a series so I might just grab them regardless but ideally I'm looking to get stuck into a series again. Any opinions would be amazing.

In honor of AAPI month.

So I have been looking into Filipino mythology a little and I have to say I am impressed that they have such a variety of fantastic creatures and deities. Horsemen, fishmen, giants, elves, I'm no expert but it looks like the world of Filipino mythology gives European mythologies, fantasies, and folklore a run for their money.

However, aside from the Filipino comic/animated series Trese I haven't found any other stories that are based off of Filipino mythology.

Are there are any works of fantasy that are based off of Filipino mythology?

Bonus for any masquerade fantasies where the masquerade is believable.

Double bonus on any stories set during the colonial period and whether races like the Engkanto, the Tikbalang, the Aswang, and the sirenas helped Filipinos resist colonizers during said period and how they did so.

Is there any sci-fi book with this plot?

A large group of people travelling on a generation ship. But it has been so long they have forgotten that they are on a ship. They just think the ship is the entire world. They slowly rediscover the truth over the course of the book.

Now I know the whole the alien non-interference clause aka the prime directive was created to prevent other races from interfering in another's social, technological, and cultural development. But personally I think a policy of complete non-interventionism is pretty immoral. Take the Rwandan Genocide as an example. Over 500,000 people were murdered by a fanatical regime and, forgive me for saying this but, I feel like the West's inaction over this makes them partly responsible. Furthermore some like Isaac Arthur argue that if such a policy was implemented it would be disastrous because there will always be a few individuals that will act against it and once the primitive aliens obtain interstellar flight they will be pretty peeved at us for just standing by and observing while they suffered through numerous wars, famines, disasters, and genocides.

In any cases what are the best works of science fiction that deconstruct, avert, or defies the alien non-interference clause?

So far the best ones that I know of are Player of Games by Iain Banks, Three Worlds Collide, Stargate SG-1, Uplift by David Brin, and Hard to be a God by the Strugatsky Brothers.

I found a novel at a used bookstore as a kid, in which an alien race was functionally lobotomizing humans from light years away, in order to use their memories as reality TV.

I can't remember the title and I'm half convinced I imagined it.

I was thinking recently about how for the past decade plus I’ve essentially modeled my conflict resolution style from Enders Game. Specifically in the sense of thinking outside/above the issue at hand, trying to determine the root cause, and taking actions that attempt to remove the possibility for all future conflicts.

To be clear I’m not referring to using violence at all, I figured I should clarify since it’s the shower scene that sticks in my mind as a clear example, but in the sense of viewing conflict in general as a strategy game. I hope this makes sense.

Most recently, Bear Head by Adrian Tchaikovsky has made me understand the world and how power structures operate on such a deeper level. Most of the core ideas driving the conflict of the book I was already familiar with independently, but he put the pieces together in such a succinct elegant way It was like a lightning rod. Specifically on the different between playing the ‘Game’ vs the ‘Meta-Game’ (in the context of scientific Game Theory) and how that heavily influences a substantial percentage of who becomes the individuals in a position of power in everything from companies to governments.

I’ve heard Adrian Tchaikovsky considers it his favorite book of those he’s written, and I see why. It’s also just genuinely amazing in terms of the plot, pacing, and sci-fi concepts. (You’ll want to read Dogs of War first if this inspires you to check it out though)

Im super curious what books have been like a paradigm shift for other people as well!

Several spoilers below obviously.

After several start and stop attempts over the last decade or so I finally finished reading Dune. Although I loved several aspects of the story including the world building, the aspects related to terra forming, depicting fremen as ecological constructors and terradormers, the shawody business of bene gesserit and the guild, I didn't like the characters, their dialogue, the incessant silent dialogue/thoughts, and the pacing. Nothing happens for pages at length and then everything happens at the same time. There's pages and pages of description before Paul rides the worm but when he finally gets on it it's anticlimactic. The empire is all of sudden all at once including all the houses arrives at Arrakis to do what exactly? They didn't even know that Paul was going to claim to destroy the spice production.. although that is an interesting tactic the guild go from calling bullshit to oh shit he for real within 4-5 sentences. Did Frank just get bored of his own writing?

Characters are so unlikable. Hallecks singing is annoying as hell. Jessica reacts the same way to Paul always..Jessica hisses, Jessica whispers to Pauls right, Jessica speaks through gritted teeth. She continues to be astonished about how water is important... on a desert planet.

My most favorite part was the big reveal that happens over sadly only a few pages where we learn through the hallucinating Kynes that fremen are actually world builders, constructing their niche at a planet level. Like terraformers. Sadly the character does right after the this. How annoying. Wtf is pre-spice and the spice bubble. So damned annoying.

Anyway, I have books 2-4 with me and I will read them at some point. I also have the graphic novels which I might go back to. I actually started reading 2 last night right after because I am a nerd.

Just wanted to come here and rant because I want to either hear from people that don't like the book or to see if I am missing something.

I read the first couple chapters of a book(maybe all of it) In the early 2000s and I cannot find it's existence due to forgetfulness. I was living in Arkansas and my mother had gotten a copy directly from the female author. It was signed on the front cover I think.

The only details I can remember are that:

It was post apocalypse ( there was a run down building with golden arches, McDonald's?)

There was at least one alien described as being likely to crush the human male main character if they had procreated.

Possibly white cover.

Geez that's it I guess. I really just want to finish the book so I can get it out of the back of my mind.

Save me!

Hey all! I am currently reading through Reynold’s Revelation Space series and am rapidly coming to the end of the series with only Inhibitor Phase and Galactic North left to read. I am thinking about which series to start after I finish Revelation Space and am on the fence. I enjoy space operas quite a bit as well as being more open to Science Fantasy, but I’ve been getting more into hard Science Fiction as well. Currently, I’m thinking about a couple potential series to begin. I’m hoping I may get some good series recommendations or advice about the ones I’m thinking about.

Zones of Thought series: I’ve heard really good things about Vinge’s trilogy. I am a tad worried it may be too dense for my liking.

Enders Game Quintet: I read the first book in high school but never went further and I’m tempted to dive into the Quintet, particularly to read Speaker for the Dead.

Foundations series: Asimov has been recommended to me by a friend who said since I’ve read so much Reynolds I’d enjoy Asimov. I’m interested but worried about starting another very long series.

Thanks for any advice I may get!

I absolutely love Samuel R. Delany. Babel-17 is one of my favourite sci fi stories ever written, and The Einstein Intersection & Nova are up there as all-timers as well.

I decided to read Dhalgreen. I like massive dense books - I'm a huge fan of Pynchon and DeLillo, I love weird lit like Mieville, I love Delany - it all sounded perfect. It's just so bizarre.

It feels a little like I'm not supposed to have a sense of what exactly is going on, or it's significance, for sizeable portions of the novel. It's a Joycean, hallucinatory, mess of a tome.

The actual fragments of the novel are gorgeous. The writing is beautiful, and it has some ridiculously evocative descriptions that remind me of some sort of mix of Le Guin & Cormac McCarthy rolled together. I just can't really get a sense of why anything is happening or what I'm supposed to get from it.

What is everyone else's experience with this book? Did I miss some sort of key to deciphering it? Should I try again sometime?

*Edit: Yes it's Dhalgren. I'm not sure why I typed Dhalgreen both times on my laptop but I tweeted Dhalgren from my phone. I think my brain just didn't like typing gren.

Read Children of Time, was enthralled all the way through, couldn’t wait to continue onto the next chapter. Similarly I felt the same way about this book, until I’ve reached the back end and in this last 20% I’m really struggling to finish. It’s just so repetitive. For anyone else that’s finished the book does it have a satisfying conclusion? I’m up to the part where Meshner is infected. Please no spoilers for the ending. How is book 3?

As I recall this was by a well known author late in their career but I could be wrong. Basically the title, Christianity was defeated and died off as a religion. The combustion engine was not invented. In the book they traveled to South America via steam power and there were names with lots of X's in them lol. I was younger when I tried it but gave up. I'd like to try again

edit: this has been solved. it's gate of worlds by Robert Silverberg. thanks!

someone recently asked about scifi series, so I thought I'd ask the same question but for fantasy.

So what are some series that are objectively great throughout and have a satisfying ending?

I swear I read this story in Dozois' Year's Best SF, but I can't find it.

Humanity is fighting an implacable foe, and the story is about the actions taken as another human colony falls to the enemy. The enemy uses human brain matter in their equipment, so no one can be left alive for capture.

Ring any bells?

TIA

Ringworld says "28 days left" for sale but the others just say "limited time" so idk how long the price lasts on those.

Book number eight in a very loose series of eight science fiction books. There are also many short stories and novellas that are a part of the universe. I reread the well printed and well bound MMPB published by Ace in 1988 that I bought new in 1990 (I think !). I plan to reread "The Rolling Stones" and "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" soon. I have going to pass on rereading "The Number Of The Beast".

This book starts with Maureen Johnson Long, the mother of Lazarus Long, waking up in hotel with a dead man in bed with her. And the cat who walks through walls, Pixel. She is subsequently arrested for murder and finds out that she has been kidnapped and purposefully put into this situation in a quite nasty time line where the First Prophet was never deposed in the year 2100 like Lazarus Long's original time line.

If you are offended by sex, and I mean lots of sex, in a book then I would advise you to stay away from this book and series. Except for the first book in the series, "Methusalah's Children". All of the books, except the first book, have group marriages in or mentioned in them which was first expounded by Heinlein in "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" book.

The book is also an in depth examination on how society in the USA changed from 1880 to 1980. Technology changed radically in that time and so did societal morals about sex and drugs, not for the better.

The rather loose book series is (there may be more):

1. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
2. The Rolling Stones
3. Methuselah's Children
4. Time Enough For Love
5. The Number Of The Beast
6. The Pursuit Of The Pankera
7. The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
8. To Sail Beyond The Sunset

There is a rather excellent timeline of Heinlein's books at:
https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/579486/

Jo Walton, the Heinlein apologist, says that "To Sail beyond the Sunset" is Heinlein's worst novel. I disagree.
https://reactormag.com/heinleins-worst-novel/

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.7 of out 5 stars (263 reviews)
https://www.amazon.com/Sail-beyond-Sunset-Author-published/dp/B00GX3I1YU/

Lynn

After years and years working on minimum bandwidth because of work stress and mental health struggles, I'm finally finding myself able to read books again (hooray!).

I picked up Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings, and really enjoyed it - but I'm struggling to find more books like it that I might enjoy to keep my momentum going. What I'm looking for is, broadly:

1. A good ensemble of characters, possibly with multiple povs
2. Relatively light-hearted sci-fi, in the vein of UFS or Becky Chambers
3. If possible the Firefly-esque vibes of found family/ragtag spacefarers (probably who end up having to so something heroic)

I've read all the Becky Chambers novels, really enjoyed Under Fortunate Stars and the Tales of the Ketty Jay series, which is the more fantasy end of the kind of book I'm after. I'm aware this might be quite a specific vibe I'm searching for, but I'll be grateful for any and all recommendations that meet some or all of the above criteria! Thanks gang.

Like iv heard the main dune series ends weird due to Frank's death , rendezvous with Rama's sequels are mid,etc

So what are some series that are objectively great throughout and have a satisfying ending?

The Xeelee books are usually labeled "hard sci-fi" and Stephen Baxter has degrees in engineering and maths, but as a comparative layman to theoretical physics, I find I have to take this on faith. I'm regularly floored by what Baxter is able to do within the confines of "hard science" in these stories but there's that nagging part of me saying it's too good to be true. What scientific inaccuracies, if any, have been found in those books?

I am aware of a handful of developments in IRL physics that have rendered some of his stories slightly obsolete (the Great Attractor, certain interpretations of supersymmetry being refuted), so besides those I am curious if there are other instances, or if there are inaccuracies "at time of writing."

I've recently (last 60 minutes) just completed Anvil of Stars, and whilst I'm comfortable with the ambiguous ending it's posed, I find myself troubled by an inconsistency.

At the end of Forge of God, we get a brief fast forward to a Martin in the future who's exploring the universe in a ship of the law. He makes a point that the might of the ship of the law and it's capabilities means they can anticipate the Creators traps and they have encountered them before.

However in Anvil of Stars, this never comes to be. They have one encounter with Wyrmwood, get absolutely creamed, and the only planet he actually steps foot on is Sleep in Leviathan.

After that they finish the job.

I don't know, as a reader, this confuses me. I enjoyed Anvil for what it was, but it almost feels like Bear changed his mind after publishing Forge.

Have I missed something, or are my sentiments largely shared?

Having not read much outside of school before, ive recently taken up reading and just finished Gene Wolfes Book/Urth of the New Sun and im looking for more.

I absolutely love the setting and plot of Book of the New Sun and would definitely love more like that. The incredibly dense text is not my favorite, but it definitely wouldnt stop me from reading it.

I also really liked the setting of Stephen Kings The Gunslinger, but it felt incredibly sluggish to read and I didnt continue with the series.

Dying Earth, Viriconium and Coldfire trilogy seem interesting and ive added those to my list

Any recommendations are appreciated

I read All Tomorrows, Three Body Problem, Annihilation, and War of the Worlds. Along with some Alien books.

I want more books on the horrors the aliens bring to humanity.

I'm seeing lots of ads, etc for Harlan Ellison's newest book (edited by J Michael Strazinsky (sp?)) called 'Greatest Hits.' Looks very good, Problem is, I already have a medium-large collection of Ellison and I really don't like to duplicate titles. All of the ads I have seen list 5 or 6 titles and the words 'And many more' which is not helpful. Does anyone know where I could find a *complete* table of contents for the new book? ALL of the titles listed, I already have.