Science Fiction
Discussion
Super Sonic said:
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.
Was originally titled “the prefect”; I’m unclear why it was renamed. Follows a sort-of police officer during the golden age.
Chasm City was a better book IMHO.
havoc said:
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! 
Seveneves is his worst book by a long way. 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! I've posted it before, but this is the review I wrote at the time:
Clockwork Cupcake said:
First off, I am a big fan of Neal Stephenson's work and Snow Crash is a favourite book of mine, but my goodness what a mess this book is.
It reads like a long Shaggy Dog story to get to the punchline of the title. He spends pages and pages on the minutiae of orbital mechanics, which to even someone with heavy scientific background like myself felt excessive and overly detailed, and then glosses over loads of improbable science with hand-wavy "never mind about that" dismissal.
Likewise loads of narrative is simply omitted, and there is rather a lot of "tell don't show" too, inasmuch as for example we are told that a piece of information has come from a chap in a space suit drifting away without hope of rescue but still in radio contact, but we never hear the conversation. It's just mentioned in passing. And we're told that Doob fell in love and married but never get to see much evidence of it. In fact a lot of the book is like that - we're told that stuff happened but it feels like he can't actually be bothered to tell us about it so just waves his arms a bit and says "away, some stuff happened". Even the end of the world was pretty much "so anyway, the world ended, and then they..."
Or, to put it another way, it would be like writing The Great Escape concentrating most of the effort on describing the tunnel digging, load calculations of the tunnel props, how the lighting was devised, construction of the digging implements, and then having half a page of dialogue where one guard mentions to another in passing that there was a breakout but that many prisoners have been recaptured or shot, and a chap on a motorbike had a pretty cool chase but was ultimately caught. And then a German Structural Engineer arrives and the next few chapters describe his admiration of the tunnel.
Anyway, overall it was a fairly disappointing book. And frankly the whole "5000 years later" belongs in a separate book, especially as it stops somewhat abruptly, setting the scene for a sequel.
As with Cryptonomicon, Stephenson really doesn't seem to know how to end a book even though he makes them thick enough to club baby seals to death with.
Frankly I'm not really sure how I stuck with it to the end, but I did.
It reads like a long Shaggy Dog story to get to the punchline of the title. He spends pages and pages on the minutiae of orbital mechanics, which to even someone with heavy scientific background like myself felt excessive and overly detailed, and then glosses over loads of improbable science with hand-wavy "never mind about that" dismissal.
Likewise loads of narrative is simply omitted, and there is rather a lot of "tell don't show" too, inasmuch as for example we are told that a piece of information has come from a chap in a space suit drifting away without hope of rescue but still in radio contact, but we never hear the conversation. It's just mentioned in passing. And we're told that Doob fell in love and married but never get to see much evidence of it. In fact a lot of the book is like that - we're told that stuff happened but it feels like he can't actually be bothered to tell us about it so just waves his arms a bit and says "away, some stuff happened". Even the end of the world was pretty much "so anyway, the world ended, and then they..."
Or, to put it another way, it would be like writing The Great Escape concentrating most of the effort on describing the tunnel digging, load calculations of the tunnel props, how the lighting was devised, construction of the digging implements, and then having half a page of dialogue where one guard mentions to another in passing that there was a breakout but that many prisoners have been recaptured or shot, and a chap on a motorbike had a pretty cool chase but was ultimately caught. And then a German Structural Engineer arrives and the next few chapters describe his admiration of the tunnel.
Anyway, overall it was a fairly disappointing book. And frankly the whole "5000 years later" belongs in a separate book, especially as it stops somewhat abruptly, setting the scene for a sequel.
As with Cryptonomicon, Stephenson really doesn't seem to know how to end a book even though he makes them thick enough to club baby seals to death with.
Frankly I'm not really sure how I stuck with it to the end, but I did.
Thanks to all those who took the time to make a recommendation.
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?)Snow Crash seems to pop up quite a bit so I've ordered that, along with the first couple of Culture novels again in paperback! It's been at least a decade since I last read them.
Thanks again all.
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)
Really liked the Three Body Problem too!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)
havoc said:
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?)
Thanks again all.
RM said:
Snow Crash seems to pop up quite a bit so I've ordered that
Snow Crash has dated somewhat, having been written in the mid-90s, but it is still a great read and a book that I am very fond of. Linden Lab deny that Second Life was born from the Metaverse concept in Snow Crash, but we all know that's bulls
t. 
edit: And I'm sure Ready Player One has a debt of gratitude to Snow Crash too. In fact anything that features Virtual Worlds.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Wednesday 15th September 11:04
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Snow Crash has dated somewhat, having been written in the mid-90s, but it is still a great read and a book that I am very fond of.
Linden Lab deny that Second Life was born from the Metaverse concept in Snow Crash, but we all know that's bullst.
edit: And I'm sure Ready Player One has a debt of gratitude to Snow Crash too. In fact anything that features Virtual Worlds.
I reckon Second Life was born from the Red Dwarf TV episode and novel Better Than Life. Linden Lab deny that Second Life was born from the Metaverse concept in Snow Crash, but we all know that's bulls
t. edit: And I'm sure Ready Player One has a debt of gratitude to Snow Crash too. In fact anything that features Virtual Worlds.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Wednesday 15th September 11:04
Clockwork Cupcake said:
RM said:
Snow Crash seems to pop up quite a bit so I've ordered that
Snow Crash has dated somewhat, having been written in the mid-90s, but it is still a great read and a book that I am very fond of. captain_cynic said:
Snow Crash was heavily influenced by Neuromancer, so if Cyberpunk is the OPs thing they should definitely get that.
In fairness, pretty much all Cyberpunk is influenced by Neuromancer. 
(Well, apart from proto-Cyberpunk that predates Neuromancer. But you know what I mean)
LordGrover said:
I'm surprised to see so much love for the Three-Body Problem - I gave up halfway through.
I don't remember what my specific issue was, but I remember getting annoyed and frustrated - I don't like getting beaten by a book but it defeated me.
I stuck it out to the end, but I found it rather plodding and not very engaging. I felt no desire to read the sequels. I don't remember what my specific issue was, but I remember getting annoyed and frustrated - I don't like getting beaten by a book but it defeated me.
LordGrover said:
I'm surprised to see so much love for the Three-Body Problem - I gave up halfway through.
I don't remember what my specific issue was, but I remember getting annoyed and frustrated - I don't like getting beaten by a book but it defeated me.
I get where you're coming from - however with a 'to read' pile growing I'm running out of patience; I don't remember what my specific issue was, but I remember getting annoyed and frustrated - I don't like getting beaten by a book but it defeated me.
with authors who think that they're smarter than they are;
with poorly written/paced/edited/researched books;
with overly lazy tropes;
with complicated writing for the sake of it (see the first point)
RM said:
Snow Crash seems to pop up quite a bit so I've ordered that, along with the first couple of Culture novels again in paperback! It's been at least a decade since I last read them.
Thanks again all.
If you enjoy Snow Crash then try pretty much all of William Gibson, in order of publication. You will see things in all his books where you think "oh, this old idea, that's totally played out". But then check the original publication date, and you will realise that it was his idea originally.Thanks again all.
If you enjoy Cryptonomicon then have a try at the System of the World, which is 3000 pages about the invention of double entry bookkeeping and correspondent banking rather than science fiction, but it repays the effort.
A few books not previously mentioned.
Frank Herbert- Whipping Star, and The Dosadi Experiment. Both set in the same universe, but can be read individually.
Multiple alien species, in DE human and gowachin have been disappeared in their thousands,has their memories wiped and been transported to a single crowded city on a hidden toxic planet, to study the effects of population pressure.
In WS, a psychotic woman has captured by contract the living embodiment of a star, not realising she is risking the lives of everyone who has ever travelled through a jumpdoor. Jorj X McKie from busab investigates in both.
Also The Green Brain,a war between give mind insects and mankind, and The Dragon in the Sea, a submarine story about stealing oil from russian oilfields.
Noting like Dune at all!
Bob Shaw's Nightwalk, and Shadow of Heaven. NW is about a man who steals the coordinates of a newly discovered planet, and is blinded and imprisoned. He invents a way to see and escapes bact to earth, and SoH is about a claustrophobe who escapes the crowded habitable part of USA to live in an island in the sky, and his brother goes to find him. Very good.
Also a couple of shorts I read as a youngster, The Waitabits, Frederick Pohl iirc, about a contact team land on a planet described as 'unconquerable', and descover that the inhabitants move so slowly, they can't even begin to comprehend the visitors,let alone communicate.Funny. Also, A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber. The Earth has been dragged out of orbit by a passing star, and as the planet and it's atmosphere freeze, a family survives using low tech, including going outside daily to collect a bucket of oxygen snow which they put by the fire. Both on free pdf.
Frank Herbert- Whipping Star, and The Dosadi Experiment. Both set in the same universe, but can be read individually.
Multiple alien species, in DE human and gowachin have been disappeared in their thousands,has their memories wiped and been transported to a single crowded city on a hidden toxic planet, to study the effects of population pressure.
In WS, a psychotic woman has captured by contract the living embodiment of a star, not realising she is risking the lives of everyone who has ever travelled through a jumpdoor. Jorj X McKie from busab investigates in both.
Also The Green Brain,a war between give mind insects and mankind, and The Dragon in the Sea, a submarine story about stealing oil from russian oilfields.
Noting like Dune at all!
Bob Shaw's Nightwalk, and Shadow of Heaven. NW is about a man who steals the coordinates of a newly discovered planet, and is blinded and imprisoned. He invents a way to see and escapes bact to earth, and SoH is about a claustrophobe who escapes the crowded habitable part of USA to live in an island in the sky, and his brother goes to find him. Very good.
Also a couple of shorts I read as a youngster, The Waitabits, Frederick Pohl iirc, about a contact team land on a planet described as 'unconquerable', and descover that the inhabitants move so slowly, they can't even begin to comprehend the visitors,let alone communicate.Funny. Also, A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber. The Earth has been dragged out of orbit by a passing star, and as the planet and it's atmosphere freeze, a family survives using low tech, including going outside daily to collect a bucket of oxygen snow which they put by the fire. Both on free pdf.
As a warnng, this is a currently incomplete series, but doesn't stop on a terrible cliff hanger and is otherwise excellent :The Steerswoman:
The penultimate paragraph of https://www.tor.com/2008/10/30/not-only-science-fi... sums them up well.
"If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human cultures, if really good prose appeals, and if you can stand reading a series written by someone brilliant who writes excruciatingly slowly but has no inconsistencies whatsoever between volumes written decades apart, you’re really in luck."
The penultimate paragraph of https://www.tor.com/2008/10/30/not-only-science-fi... sums them up well.
"If you like science, and if you like watching someone work out mysteries, and if you like detailed weird alien worlds and human cultures, if really good prose appeals, and if you can stand reading a series written by someone brilliant who writes excruciatingly slowly but has no inconsistencies whatsoever between volumes written decades apart, you’re really in luck."
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