Solid science - In fiction

[APanda]

As a reader of plenty of science books and fiction books, I've found myself wanting to read something that bridges the two. The problem is, I'm not keen a lot of the sci-fi genre, most are set in the future and not entirely believable. As much as I love Sagan, Contact was pushing it a bit for me. Are there any Fiction books any of you know of with pretty solid science, set in the present? I'd be OK with most of the more complicated theories etc. One book I did enjoy was Flashforward by Robert J Sawyer, which comes quite close to what I'm looking for.

Cheers

[Eric Mc]

Stephen Baxter's books have a lot of hard science and engineering in them.

[APanda]

Thanks for that, I'll take a look.

[rxtx]

Some Stephen Baxter is like that, some, like the Manifold Series, definitely isn't Perhaps try Behemoth and/or the Destiny's Children series. Ben Bova is another option but again some of it is in the future.

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series might be ok but again it's in the future, his Antarctica is a lot closer to the present day and I quite enjoyed that. What else is there ... The Last Theorem by Clarke/Pohl and The Ghost from the Grand Banks by Clarke spring to mind.

Anyone else got any more?

[Eric Mc]

Baxter can do "fantasy" type SF but the books set in the near future (or in some cases now, the past) often make use of Apollo or Shuttle era space technology.

[APanda]

rxtx said:

Some Stephen Baxter is like that, some, like the Manifold Series, definitely isn't Perhaps try Behemoth and/or the Destiny's Children series. Ben Bova is another option but again some of it is in the future.

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series might be ok but again it's in the future, his Antarctica is a lot closer to the present day and I quite enjoyed that. What else is there ... The Last Theorem by Clarke/Pohl and The Ghost from the Grand Banks by Clarke spring to mind.

Anyone else got any more?

That's a pretty good list for me to have a go at, cheers.

I've been recommended Michael Crichton before but never read one. Anyone have any thoughts on those? Even things along the lines of Dan Brown's Angels & Demons being loosely about anti-matter would be okay suggestions.

[Simpo Two]

Arthur C Clarke would be an obvious one.

[Jaykaybi]

APanda said:

As a reader of plenty of science books and fiction books, I've found myself wanting to read something that bridges the two. The problem is, I'm not keen a lot of the sci-fi genre, most are set in the future and not entirely believable. As much as I love Sagan, Contact was pushing it a bit for me. Are there any Fiction books any of you know of with pretty solid science, set in the present? I'd be OK with most of the more complicated theories etc. One book I did enjoy was Flashforward by Robert J Sawyer, which comes quite close to what I'm looking for.

Cheers

[hidetheelephants]

Simpo Two said:

Arthur C Clarke would be an obvious one.

This; the books adhere fairly strictly to the laws of physics.

[APanda]

Jaykaybi said:

How did you know?

[Eric Mc]

hidetheelephants said:

Simpo Two said:

Arthur C Clarke would be an obvious one.

This; the books adhere fairly strictly to the laws of physics.

Although they are getting a bit long in the tooth now.

I was an avid Clarke fan as a youngster and I find Baxter is a kind of modern alternative. Although Baxter tends to have a pessimistic outlook on things compared to Clarke's mainly optimistic viewpoint.

[Traveller]

The forever war by Joe Haldeman, accurate and interesting take on time dilation, relativistic effects etc. And also a really good read.

Isaac Asimov is another author to consider.

[LordGrover]

Heinlein is probably the most optimistic of the lot, rather fails on the OP's criteria.

[Jaykaybi]

APanda said:

Jaykaybi said:

How did you know?

Wild guess. All in good humour chap, good luck with the search.

[Einion Yrth]

APanda said:

Dan Brown's Angels & Demons

Well that's comprehensively buggered both science and believable, right there.

[APanda]

Einion Yrth said:

Well that's comprehensively buggered both science and believable, right there.

That's kind of what I was getting at. Angels & Demons may have been too extreme an example, sorry. I just meant that it doesn't have to be entirely believable a plot as long as the science is conceivable. E.g. they could create antimatter at CERN, just not create that amount or possibly hold it for that long.

[Gargamel]

I enjoyed Cryptonomicon - but it might not be everyones thing. In fact Neal Stephenson in general is good stuff.

[hairykrishna]

APanda said:

Einion Yrth said:

Well that's comprehensively buggered both science and believable, right there.

That's kind of what I was getting at. Angels & Demons may have been too extreme an example, sorry. I just meant that it doesn't have to be entirely believable a plot as long as the science is conceivable. E.g. they could create antimatter at CERN, just not create that amount or possibly hold it for that long.

But the science in Angels and Demons is nonsense? Beyond 'there is such a thing as anti matter'. Anyway, I'd further the suggestion for 'The Forever War'. 'Tau Zero' is good in the same vein. Not Crichton, apart from the Andromeda Strain.

[APanda]

hairykrishna said:

But the science in Angels and Demons is nonsense?

Like I said, probably too extreme an example...

[APanda]

Looks like there's some decent suggestions here, it'll keep me busy for a while.