Science Fiction
Discussion
I will say it was worth getting through the series. Not outstanding (IMO) but certainly interesting enough. There's a lack of initial world building and a plethora of names and she uses gender quite fluidly which all added to make it a bit of a hard-starter (for me) but I was glad I stuck with it
for Ancillary Justice. "Not outstanding", as said above, but I liked the world building and the characters. I'll certainly get the rest of them and see where it goes.Mannginger said:
All very different styles but good in their own right:
The Expanse series (Also a good TV series)!
Children of Time
Ancillary Justice
Three body problem
Revelation Space
Single book I enjoyed was The Martian by Andy Weir (better than the movie)
I read Revelation Space and found it a test of patience. Pity as other A Reynolds books are among my favourites, especially Absolution Gap which is from the same series.The Expanse series (Also a good TV series)!
Children of Time
Ancillary Justice
Three body problem
Revelation Space
Single book I enjoyed was The Martian by Andy Weir (better than the movie)
ymmv
I can’t remember if I posted these in here before…
Any fans of Star Wars should have a look at the Darth Bane Trilogy, set during / after the Jedi / Sith award of the Old Republic.
Darth Plageus is another good one, Emporer Palp’s rise to power and training, etc.
I enjoyed Artemis and Hail Mary, actually Hail Mary was really, really good.
Look for a new series to start now, I’ve just downloaded HG Wells Sci-Fi collection which is on for 27 hours so should tide me over.
I do have Hyperion saved from a recommendation here, any feedback?
Any fans of Star Wars should have a look at the Darth Bane Trilogy, set during / after the Jedi / Sith award of the Old Republic.
Darth Plageus is another good one, Emporer Palp’s rise to power and training, etc.
I enjoyed Artemis and Hail Mary, actually Hail Mary was really, really good.
Look for a new series to start now, I’ve just downloaded HG Wells Sci-Fi collection which is on for 27 hours so should tide me over.
I do have Hyperion saved from a recommendation here, any feedback?
I’ve just finished The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch which was excellent up to the final act when I lost the plot on what was going on. I like the idea of reading about time travel, but the mind bending nature of it means the stories always end up too confusing for me. Maybe I should have just read a regular Detective Thriller 
Onto my next book. Any recommendations for gritty, more realistic, less far-fetched scifi (if that isn’t a contradiction)? I enjoyed The Expanse, Greg Mandel Trilogy, The Great North Road, but couldn’t get my head into The Culture books for example.
Onto my next book. Any recommendations for gritty, more realistic, less far-fetched scifi (if that isn’t a contradiction)? I enjoyed The Expanse, Greg Mandel Trilogy, The Great North Road, but couldn’t get my head into The Culture books for example.
Super Sonic said:
I read Revelation Space and found it a test of patience. Pity as other A Reynolds books are among my favourites, especially Absolution Gap which is from the same series.
ymmv
Revelation Space is very difficult to get your head around as it isn't necessarily in chronological order. Due to no FTL, you need to take note of and remember the year of the chapter you're reading. ymmv
However I found the entire book quite rewarding.
The sequel, Redemption Ark was quite a bit worse, that was a slog to get through but it was still a good book. Absolution Gap seemed out of place as it didn't have anything to do with the Inhibitors but it was a much easier book to follow. It just didn't seem like a sequel.
Chasm City is IMHO, the best introduction into the series. Followed by The Prefect/Aurora Rising.
RM said:
A request for advice if I may? I loved all of Ian M Banks culture novels but now don’t really know of any current science function authors. With a need for a couple of books for an upcoming holiday, some recommendations would be gratefully received!
You'll struggle to find anything as well-written as Iain Banks (M or not). But...I'd second Stephenson - Snow Crash is fairly light-hearted cyberpunk, while Cryptonomicon is very different near-future sci-fi, harder going but probably the better book.
Adrian Tchaikovsky writes some interesting stuff - Children of Time is very clever if a little long in the middle, while Dogs of War is a different take on cyberpunk, and while a lighter novel, without the awards, it draws you in more. Just finished the sequel, Bear Head, which aside from an apparently 1-dimensional bad guy (deliberate, I think...won't spoil anything) is quite cool.
Richard Morgan's cyberpunk novels are properly good ultraviolent cyberpunk trash - great holiday reads. Altered Carbon first and go from there.
Charles Stross' Laundry series is excellent - humourous, intelligent, the first few written in a pastiche style of classic spy authors. Think of a marriage somewhere in the middle of Pratchett, Le Carre and Lovecraft. I probably recommend these as much as IMB, but for very different reasons. His Merchant Princes stuff is pretty good too.
Otherwise, look at:-
- John Scalzi
- Paolo Bacigalupi (The Windup Girl is my favourite of his)
- Cixin Lu (spelling?)
havoc said:
I'd second Stephenson - Snow Crash is fairly light-hearted cyberpunk, while Cryptonomicon is very different near-future sci-fi, harder going but probably the better book.
The trouble with Neal Stephenson is he doesn't know how to end a novel. No matter how thick the book - and Cryptomnicon is thick enough to club baby seals with - you get nearer and nearer to the end, and there's only a few pages left and you think "how the hell is he going to tie this up?" and he either doesn't or else it is incredibly rushed or there is a hugely convenient Deus ex Machina that kind of undoes the whole book. Or a combination of those. And don't even get me started on his book 'Seveneves'.
I do have a soft spot for Snow Crash and also The Diamond Age though. And I did enjoy Cryptonomicon until the rushed ending.
havoc said:
Adrian Tchaikovsky writes some interesting stuff - Children of Time is very clever if a little long in the middle, while Dogs of War is a different take on cyberpunk, and while a lighter novel, without the awards, it draws you in more. Just finished the sequel, Bear Head, which aside from an apparently 1-dimensional bad guy (deliberate, I think...won't spoil anything) is quite cool.
Oh yes, I really like his work. I have read quite a lot of his Sci-Fi now and loved every one of them. Rex is a good dog.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Tuesday 14th September 21:45
Clockwork Cupcake said:
The trouble with Neal Stephenson is he doesn't know how to end a novel...And don't even get me started on his book 'Seveneves'.
Crypto I liked, even the (admittedly rushed) ending. Seveneves...f
k's sakes...the first 80/90% is excellent...and then...erm...he adds the ending to a different novel?!? It's like he suddenly turned into Rowley Birkin! 
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Rex is a good dog.
It's funny how even the fictional ones can make more of an impact on you than the average human.
captain_cynic said:
Revelation Space is very difficult to get your head around as it isn't necessarily in chronological order. Due to no FTL, you need to take note of and remember the year of the chapter you're reading.
However I found the entire book quite rewarding.
The sequel, Redemption Ark was quite a bit worse, that was a slog to get through but it was still a good book. Absolution Gap seemed out of place as it didn't have anything to do with the Inhibitors but it was a much easier book to follow. It just didn't seem like a sequel.
Chasm City is IMHO, the best introduction into the series. Followed by The Prefect/Aurora Rising.
I thought Chasm City was excellent, although it has mixed reviews. Both cc and ag stand on there own. I haven't read Aurora Rising, guess that's next on my list.However I found the entire book quite rewarding.
The sequel, Redemption Ark was quite a bit worse, that was a slog to get through but it was still a good book. Absolution Gap seemed out of place as it didn't have anything to do with the Inhibitors but it was a much easier book to follow. It just didn't seem like a sequel.
Chasm City is IMHO, the best introduction into the series. Followed by The Prefect/Aurora Rising.
captain_cynic said:
Super Sonic said:
I read Revelation Space and found it a test of patience. Pity as other A Reynolds books are among my favourites, especially Absolution Gap which is from the same series.
ymmv
Revelation Space is very difficult to get your head around as it isn't necessarily in chronological order. Due to no FTL, you need to take note of and remember the year of the chapter you're reading. ymmv
However I found the entire book quite rewarding.
The sequel, Redemption Ark was quite a bit worse, that was a slog to get through but it was still a good book. Absolution Gap seemed out of place as it didn't have anything to do with the Inhibitors but it was a much easier book to follow. It just didn't seem like a sequel.
Chasm City is IMHO, the best introduction into the series. Followed by The Prefect/Aurora Rising.
havoc said:
Adrian Tchaikovsky writes some interesting stuff - Children of Time is very clever if a little long in the middle, while Dogs of War is a different take on cyberpunk, and while a lighter novel, without the awards, it draws you in more. Just finished the sequel, Bear Head, which aside from an apparently 1-dimensional bad guy (deliberate, I think...won't spoil anything) is quite cool.
I loved Dogs Of War and Bear Head was nearly as good but I gave up on The Tiger And The Wolf, so he seems to be a bit hit and miss.Gassing Station | Books and Literature | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff