Science Fiction
Discussion
Sway said:
Agreed on the variability - when they're good, they're exceptional. When they're bad... 
I've read pretty much all of them at one point or another, but this was a 'once in my lifetime' decision to smash through the whole lot in paperback format in release order.
Think I’m up to about 18 in the Horus Heresy but I’ve also read the first few of Siege of Terra. I've read pretty much all of them at one point or another, but this was a 'once in my lifetime' decision to smash through the whole lot in paperback format in release order.
I found Arbitor Ian’s run down pretty accurate…
Siege of Terra are all hot. Varying styles, and admittedly I'm only a little bit the way through the End and the Death vol 2 - but they've all been great.
18 in means you have options. There's whole swathes that unless you really want to, you could just skip with no impact to the wider story.
18 in means you have options. There's whole swathes that unless you really want to, you could just skip with no impact to the wider story.
DodgyGeezer said:
captain_cynic said:
DodgyGeezer said:
The Lost Fleet series may work for you. It is still accessible scifi but it does make mention of the problems of trying to fire at targets at relativistic speeds, which may or may not make things interesting. This does, from memory, fall under the Mil-fi sub-genre (if that's your bag then maybe Orphanage by Robert Buettner or Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos may also work)
He's already mentioned Terms of Enlistment
Also it looks like Kloos is writing another novel in the Frontlines universe called Scorpio https://www.markokloos.com/?p=3150
Kloos other series, The Paladium Wars is also quite good, looks like Book 4 is being written (3 kind of left a lot of unanswered questions).
Other Mil-Fi I'd recommend, The Expeditionary Force series - Craig Alanson and the Old Mans War series by John Scalzi.
I also recall Falkenberg's Legion Series as being rather good and I'm sure I've read the 'prequels' Janissary (Jerry Pournelle and assorted coauthors, including Larry Niven)
Lord of Janissaries
which is an omnibus edition. Just started reading it and came across the following (you have to remember it was written in 1979):
"...All around the upper parts of the compartment were screens like TV sets, but thin..."
I’m working my way through The Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio. The first book, Empire of Silence, was absolutely brilliant. I’m not a fast reader but I got through it pretty quickly as I found the writing style to be superb and it drew me along.
YouTube reviews of the second in the series, Howling Dark, said the writing got even better, although I do say I preferred the first in the series. Having said that, I’ve just finished Howling Dark and it ended so well it made me want to go straight into the third book. I’ll take a break though as I have a pile of books from Christmas to get through. Then again…
YouTube reviews of the second in the series, Howling Dark, said the writing got even better, although I do say I preferred the first in the series. Having said that, I’ve just finished Howling Dark and it ended so well it made me want to go straight into the third book. I’ll take a break though as I have a pile of books from Christmas to get through. Then again…
son-of-alf said:
Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has already been recommended. James Blish's "Cities in Flight" novels, proper SF.
I first encountered this series in the short story "The Bridge" which is part of "They Shall Have Stars". It introduced me to ice's phases, and that phase diagrams could have more than just solid, liquid and gaseous. From that I first read about allotropes.xeny said:
I first encountered this series in the short story "The Bridge" which is part of "They Shall Have Stars". It introduced me to ice's phases, and that phase diagrams could have more than just solid, liquid and gaseous. From that I first read about allotropes.
Hello. Are you named after Xenophobe in Use of Weapons? If so - nice choice 
DibblyDobbler said:
xeny said:
I first encountered this series in the short story "The Bridge" which is part of "They Shall Have Stars". It introduced me to ice's phases, and that phase diagrams could have more than just solid, liquid and gaseous. From that I first read about allotropes.
Hello. Are you named after Xenophobe in Use of Weapons? If so - nice choice Baron Greenback said:
DibblyDobbler said:
xeny said:
I first encountered this series in the short story "The Bridge" which is part of "They Shall Have Stars". It introduced me to ice's phases, and that phase diagrams could have more than just solid, liquid and gaseous. From that I first read about allotropes.
Hello. Are you named after Xenophobe in Use of Weapons? If so - nice choice 
)I'm actually rereading Consider Phlebas for the first time since high school when I was told of this up & coming SciFi author from Fife. If was my first Culture novel and I didn't really know what to make if it. It didn't occur to me that I was seeing it from an outsiders POV (my next book was Look To Windwards, which also didn't help with my WTFery!)
Having since read them all I can enjoy it almost as a new book. The hints are all there in the first few chapters that the Idirians have really bitten off a lot more than they will ever be able to chew, but the protagonist is as deluded as the rest of them as was I on my teenage first read. It's a joy!
Having since read them all I can enjoy it almost as a new book. The hints are all there in the first few chapters that the Idirians have really bitten off a lot more than they will ever be able to chew, but the protagonist is as deluded as the rest of them as was I on my teenage first read. It's a joy!
Grey_Area said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Mannginger said:
It's a wonderful audiobook!
Never thought of that! I might give it another go - it’s the only one I’ve read just once and it was a long time ago…
From Excession right?
glazbagun said:
I'm actually rereading Consider Phlebas for the first time since high school when I was told of this up & coming SciFi author from Fife. If was my first Culture novel and I didn't really know what to make if it. It didn't occur to me that I was seeing it from an outsiders POV (my next book was Look To Windwards, which also didn't help with my WTFery!)
Having since read them all I can enjoy it almost as a new book. The hints are all there in the first few chapters that the Idirians have really bitten off a lot more than they will ever be able to chew, but the protagonist is as deluded as the rest of them as was I on my teenage first read. It's a joy!
Absolute belter - probably my second favorite after Use of Weapons Having since read them all I can enjoy it almost as a new book. The hints are all there in the first few chapters that the Idirians have really bitten off a lot more than they will ever be able to chew, but the protagonist is as deluded as the rest of them as was I on my teenage first read. It's a joy!
DibblyDobbler said:
Grey_Area said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Mannginger said:
It's a wonderful audiobook!
Never thought of that! I might give it another go - it’s the only one I’ve read just once and it was a long time ago…From Excession right?
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