My little Sci-Fi shelf so far!! Any recommendations that you’d think I’d like based on these?
Thank you :D ooh I just saw Quinn’s ideas posted a video about that series but I didn’t watch it to not spoil myself so good to know they’re good
Dune?
I feel like Dune is very different from the above books :)
It should be on every sci fi shelf!
It’s not really sci fi. More like fantasy.
Your name is very similar to that of OP. you should immediately get married.
Omg thats funny, my soul sister
I’m curious as to how you justify this lol
There’s no science in it. Just unexplained floating light orbs and magical worms and reincarnation. I was so disappointed that it hinted at certain technologies but never got into them at all. It all sounds futuristic but really there’s no backing to any of it.
Soft Sci-fi is maybe a better description. I've seen people say ''Sci-fantasy'' too. Probably best not to worry about it too much :)
They're honestly my personal favorites. The great thing too is they're not direct sequels so you can read them in any order. I would only say read Use of Weapons before Surface Detail.
That guy knows his stuff! His channel looks like my bookshelf haha
IMO the first book in publishing order (Consider Phlebas) is the weakest by far. Recommend starting elsewhere, I was really turned off by it.
Absolutely fantastic channel. I'm glad he finally got around reviewing the Culture series.
Foundation & Hyperion are also some of my favourite sci-fi novels, which he extensively covered aswell.
I am thrilled to see this as the top comment. 100% agree, the only bad part is you'll be sad when there are no more left to read.
Yes..cannot overemphasize Banks..just finished Feersum Enginn and, although it was a rough read, had the best ending I have read in a long time
I totally agree with this. I'm five books in and am pacing myself because I know I'll be sad when I finish Hydrogen Sonata. I bummed myself out reading an interview from 2013, before he was diagnosed with cancer, talking about a potentially new Culture novel.
I was coming in here to say that I am a VORACIOUS consumer of sci-fi novels and the Iain Banks Culture books are some of the best world-building out there. I still daydream in that world.
I came here to say this.
Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained by Peter F Hamilton!
Also I'll chime in and add that Hyperion (Dan Simmons), Dune (Frank Herbert), Foundation (Issac Asimov) and Space Odyssey: 2001 (Arthur C Clarke) are oftan regarded as the best and most influential sci-fi written.
Cant recommend hyperion cantos enough 1 of my all time favs
Great recommendations, and I wanted to add Stranger in a Strange Land, for a different take on the genre; and A Scanner Darkly, because Philip Dick is one of the greatest; and The Left Hand of Darkness, for its own uniqueness
I’d love to read what Hamilton’s wrote because his quote is praising children of time on the back of the book so I bet his work is interesting, and is 2001 book as good as the movie?
The novel was written alongside the film so they're basically identical. It's part of a trilogy (the second film and book are very good too), but the third is only a book. Surprised they never made it into a film.
You're in for a treat. I think you'll enjoy it most if you just go in and read it, without reading any reviews or even the blurb, for maximum fun from plot developments!
As Streakermg said the book was written with the film. In my view it's as great as the film and actually enhanced the film for me.
I concur
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Have fun!
The Stars My Destination is one of my all time favorites.
Anything by Ursula leguin tbh, just a phenomenal writer
Doomsday Book! So good.
Iain Banks.
Oh yes..you are ready
Alister Reynolds “Revelation Space” China Mieville. “ Perdido street station”
I love Mieville. Recommending “Embassytown” as well.
I can't believe I had to scroll to the last comment to see Revelation Space. Although personally I'd start (if fact I did start) with Chasm City.
The Revelation Space universe.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelation_Space_series Try one and end up reading them all...
I loved, loved, loved Contact!!!
I JUST GOT IT SUPER RECENTLY SO I HAVENT READ IT YET BUT I ALREADY KNOW ITLL BE PROFOUNDLY WISE
It was a good book. I wouldn't call it "profoundly wise". Having low expectations keeps you from being disappointed.
There's a book I read a long time ago with a plot similar to Contact which is 'The Lure' by Bill Napier. I can't remember if it's good or not.
Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut.
applause and fanfare
I feel like William Gibson could be part of the conversation?
The Peripheral and Agency are incredible hard sci-fi. As prescient about our likely future now as Neuromancer was back when it came out. Can't wait for the third in the trilogy.
(The Amazon Prime show of The Peripheral is also excellent)
I always liked the bridge trilogy. Virtual Light hit me in my formative years, so maybe that is why, but I think it is a perfect balance of visionary, grounded and interesting storytelling.
Frank Herbert only Dune books, Arthur C. Clarke’s “Rendezvous With Rama”, “A Memory Called Empire” and “A Desolation Called Peace” by Arkady Martine, and the Area X trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer beginning with “Annihilation”.
Reading Rama now. So good!
I wouldn't get too excited about the sequels, Clarke didn't write them, I was disappointed by the first sequel. It.was quite different.
Just a thing to watch out for, almost every book where Clarke is supposedly a co-author with someone else is actually written entirely by the other person with input from Clarke on ideas and direction, but none of the actual prose is his. That doesn't mean they're bad, just that they're not Clarke, and if you pick them.up expecting Clarke you'll be disappointed.
Deepness in the Sky / A Fire Upon the Deep / Children of the Sky by Vernor Vinge
A fire upon the deep is one of my favorites..it is just so good
Best ever
A deepness in the Sky also has a huge amount in comment with Children of Time!
The first two are amazing. Children of the Sky was disappointing and can be skipped.
Andy Weir! The Martian is good but Project Hail Mary is AMAZING
Literally cried at the end of Project Hail Mary 😂
+1 for Project Hail Mary, couldn’t put it down!
Cannot second project hail Mary enough, that book is amazing!!!!! Modern sci-fi at it's finest imo
Project Hail Mary is one of the few books that I've finished and immediately started again.
Which one was the welding one? I hated that one.
Artemis. I liked it, but I get why people didn't.
Always ready to recommend The Expanse by James S. A. Corey to anyone who loves Sci-fi
Robinson and Tchaikovsky are much more on the science side than the action side. The expanse is good but this persons interests may not align to it.
Was looking for this
The Red Rising Series is fantastic.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos.
I’ve heard it’s amazing, thank ya
+1 for Hyperion/Endymion
The Expanse series by James SA Cory
Be aware, you can't just read the first volume, as it only tells half a story. Include the second volume and you are up to a 1200 page commitment. You could read 6 complete novels instead, which I'd argue is better use of one's time, given the quality of other recommendations in this thread !
I thought the first one was just ok, some parts were cool, but couldn’t even get through the second one. I’m unsure why it’s a big deal of a book.
I wouldn't recommend getting in the Hyperion series. The first book really is great but it pulls the reader in the story and one has to read through two Hyperion books and then two Endymion books, which I don't recommend. Especially while there are incredible series like Culture, The Expanse or Andy Weir's The Martian and Hail Mary Project books.
Sorry man they are good but Hyperion is just better. The shrike gave me nightmares.
2312 and Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson are fun reads. I just started Seveneves by Neal Stephenson bc I heard Obama liked it. :)
I’m obsessed with Seveneves. I just finished reading it again.
I loved the first 2/3 or so of Seveneves, it was amazing. But then the last 1/3 after the time jump I found amazingly painful to read, and it ruined the book for me :-(
God I loved the Three Body Problem books, so good
The dark forest solution to the Fermi paradox scares the FUCK out of me because we’ve already sent radio waves out 😭😭😭
Yeah but we haven't used the sun to amplify so anything should dissolve to background noise
In terms of hard sci Fi you pretty much started with the best. I've never read those color books, but the other 5 are 5 of my top 10 lol
Edit: 6* out of top ten, I somehow left out Carl :( and I'm going for red mars next
Maybe ender's game/shadow books would be of interest to you if you haven't already read them
Since we're talking about taste in books, "the best" = "my personal favorites," no need to gatekeep scifi. You're welcome to share your favorites with us ignorant youngins if you like
I can’t agree more. It’s also an existential horror due to the implications of truly being alone and how pragmatic and logical it is.
I recently finished the first and second books. Some cool ideas, but there are some huge weak points. I found it lacking compelling characters and dialogue. With long explanations of convoluted, yet very interesting, scientific speculation. The author throws out many different concepts at a time, each with their own clever little name, but are not always necessary for the story. Like he had a stack of short essays he wanted to include in a story, so he built one around them.
There is some really weird and gross sexist stuff in the second book. Spoiler below, not critical to the story, but includes details.
I bought the third book a couple months ago, but lost the motivation to read it, it just has too many obstacles to enjoying it. I've heard it only continues the trend into the third book. Maybe I'll give it a shot in the future.
Here is a good review from /r/printsf
I find the characters empty even in the first book, but overall their points are accurate.
A Mote in God's Eye.
Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor, Red Rising Series by Pierce Brown, Infinite by Jeremy Robinson, Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
What did you think of Children of Ruin? I thought it was unbearably boring I almost DNF it. I liked the first novel of the series, but the sequel put me off. I don't know if I should bother getting the third from the series.
Great list... I also find Tchaikovsky boring.
I would add Craig Alanson (who doesn't love the shiny beer can) and Josiah Bancroft.
Second Dark Matter and anything else by Blake Crouch!
Neuromancer by William Gibson
AHHHHH you have no idea how bad I want it but I can never find it anywhere
You can’t find it? You can get Watts’ Blindsight/Echopraxia omnibus Firefall new off Amazon or EBay for like $16.
Came here to say this. It is my evergreen sci if recommendation.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman.
The Expanse
Lilliths Brood - Octavia Butler Dune - Frank Herbert
I cannot up vote Octavia Butler enough.
I absolutely recommend Ray Bradbury. His books are just addicting! My personal favs are Fahrenheit 451, the Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles. I’d also recommend some Frank Herbert. Gotta have the Dune collection.
Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling, Accelerando by Charlie Stross, the Quantum Thief trilogy by Hannu Rajaniemi. They all cover huge swaths of time and human cultural/technological evolution, and are BURSTING with ideas.
That description is EXACTLY what I was looking for thank you
Ancillary Justice by Mary lecke and a deepness in the sky/a fire in the deep by Vernor vinge.
I can't recommend the Red Rising books enough. Easily my favorite series of all time.
I'm also reading through the Wool series by Hugh Howey which I would also recommend.
Wool was so good! I loved the slow reveals of why the world was the way it was.
I'd try out some Arthur C Clarke. Supposedly a big influence on Liu. Childhood's End and Rendezvous with Rama are both great options.
Ringworld series.
Anything by Niven. Like Kim Stanley Robinson he builds a detailed, grounded in reality universe.
You've got some serious stuff there. I like it! "Doors of Eden" and any other Tchaikovsky books you'd probably enjoy. "The Fifth Season" by Jemison is great for geologists. "Ancillary Justice" by Anne Lecky is awesome, but light on the science.
Second Ancillary Justice. Really need to get around to the sequels.
They were different than the first, but great nonetheless.
Haha thank ya, are the other Tchaikovsky books set in the same universe because he’s got quite a bit of books out but I’m super partial to his bio-fi books, not that I wouldn’t enjoy other stuff by him tho. Also a sci-fi book for geologists sounds like it could be super interesting
Tchaikovsky is all about bio-science, though unless it's a sequel it's not usually the same universe. There is also biology in "fifth season", but it was fun to break into the geology. An underated bio-fi is "A Darkling Sea" by Cambias. I will stop there. I'm a librarian, so if you need more message me. I could go on all day (much to the aggravation of friends and family)
Fifth season is pretty good but beware it is written in second person and that messed with my brain a bit.
Some Bobiverse could give this shelf some lighthearted balance.
Childhoods End by Arthur c clark
Octavia Butler. Parable of the Sower.
The Martian
Seveneves
A Fire Upon The Deep
Dune
The Culture novels
Asimov’s Foundation would stand nicely next to this group. It’s an older book that has aged quite gracefully.
I like the way you put that, I’ll 100% pick it up
Was going to suggest the same. It's a great peek into the sci fi of its day in addition to being really good. For me it was what made me fall in love with the genre. It was my first sci fi book.
Enders Quartet by Orson Scott Card
definitely worth checking these out, though I would buy them second hand in order to avoid supporting the authors politics.
Ngl I kinda turn my nose up when I see those books at the store cuz I hated the movie, are the novels better?
The first book (which the movie was based on) is sorta its own thing and the three that come after are entirely different.
I will say the movie did an okay job of cramming down all of Enders Game into 2ish hours but there’s a ton of nuance and detail missing from that movie. The book is far better. Speaker of the Dead (the second book) is generally held as the best of the bunch and it’s hard to argue against that (though I think I do prefer Enders Game).
I didn't like the movie but because everyone kept mentioning how good the book is I gave it a chance recently. I didn't like it much more than the movie.
Ender is perfect at everything with little personality and none of the other characters are interesting. If you've seen the movie the twist is also ruined. If I was 12 and hadn't watched the movie, I might have liked it more.
OSC is a great story teller. The books are far better than the movie. Just don't get too wrapped up in OSC's politics.
If you can get OSC to swear off OSC’s politics then I will take another look at what he has done since the original trilogy.
The ender series and the shadow series are both awesome imo. I went thru them so fast I couldn't slow myself down
On one hand, I really enjoyed Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye" and "The Gripping Hand"
On the other hand, that was long ago in my sci-fi reading days...
Children of time is perfection for me
“Earth” by David Brin. It’s hard sci-fi about a group of scientists using micro black holes as an experimental energy source. One is lost into the mantle after social upheaval destroys the lab. The researchers use sophisticated methods to track its orbit around the core but make a startling discovery.
A bigger shelf.
If you're not married to "hard sci fi" i.e. most things have a reasonably plausible scientific explanation, Red Rising by Pierce Brown is my favorite book series of all time. Read in release order, 5 books currently, two more to finish out the series. More sci fi/fantasy, a good space opera series (disclaimer: the first book is a little YA Hunger Games vibe (but better) and takes to space after that).
I also strongly recommend Ender's Game and Shadow... The rest of the series didn't hit as hard for me but could be worth it for you.
The Bobiverse by Dennis Taylor is fun and easy sci-fi.
I bet you would like Foundation by Asimov!
The original trilogy is definitely recommended.
Hard sci-fi? Definitely try out Greg Egan. Start with Quarantine. It's a short but great novel. Then go from there.
If you like darker first contact stories, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell is great
Greg Egan. But read him last, because there's no turning back
Looove the Mars Trilogy.
I also recommend the Red Rising saga.
If you're willing to branch out i can recommend a lot of afro futurism books. Black Panther fits the bill for afro futurism, just for reference
PLEASE THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN AWESOME SUBGENRE
Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
Dune. There's about 20 books so you'll def need a bigger shelf.
If you're a Dune fan, I'm about to steal all of your spare time for the next few years.
His son finished the series. There are prequels, more prequels, sequels and add ons. Some are bloody great, some are less fantastic. All from Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson.
We don't talk about the books his son finished...
Ja I hated Sandworms and the other sequel I can't remember the name of but the 3 House ones are really good and Norma Cenva and Gilbertus are great characters.
There are prequels, more prequels, sequels and add ons.
There's Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse Dune.
After that, there's fanfic.
Nothing wrong with fanfic, but it's not canon.
Check out NK Jemisin. Sometimes more fantasy than sci fi but if you like all these books you’ll love hers.
The Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton
Gotta jump on the Expanse series. They're just as fun as they are easy to read. A realistic space opera with a nice slowly uncovered mystery mixed with all the conflict and politics you'd expect from a near future human civilisation.
Also each book is pretty much a self contained story, so you can take your time in-between books without worrying about forgetting key plot lines.
I’ll highly recommend Delta-V by Daniel Suarez for anyone who enjoys The Expanse books. It’s a story about the first asteroid mining expedition.
David Wong. John Dies at the end.
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits
If you liked Contact you'd probably like Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke. Also, can't really go wrong with Dune by Frank Herbert, although it's not hard Scifi.
As a side note, if you want your Scifi nerd card not to be revoked you're basically obligated to read 2001: A Space Odyssey (also by Clarke). Sorry, I didn't make up the rules. You can also watch the movie, it's really good.
KSRs Mars books are some real favorites of mine, been a while might be time for a reread. I don’t know if I’ve ever read anything quite like the first book, where I hate almost every POV character and keep reading rapt anyway.
I bet you would like Foundation by Asimov!
Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert Heinlein
David Weber's Honor Series. Need some Space Opera on the shelf.
Manifold: Time by Stephen Baxter, it's a trilogy.
Jack McDevitt is good hard sci-fi, start with Eternity Road.
Alfred Bester. The Stars My Destination.
Ben Bova. Mars.
I love Contact!
I recommend Seveneves by Neal Stephenson and Dawn by Octavia Butler.
These are fantastic, every one. My kind of sci-fi. Allow me to recommend: Proxima series byB. Morris, We Are Legion (Bobiverse) series by Taylor, Ships of Earth series by Scott, Fleet of Worlds series by Niven, Heechee series by Pohl, Childhood’s End by Clarke, Ender series by Card, Red Rising series by Brown. Enjoy!
Edit: how could I forget! Ring World Series and Rama series are MUST READ.
Borne, or really anything by Jeff Vandermeer
-rung
Oooou I just bought Hummingbird Salamander it’s on my desk rn, looks super interesting
Enders game
dragons egg / I think children of time was inspired by this
old mans war
Enders game and speaker for the dead.
yes I would have said both but after the first you are compelled to read the next.
I think enders game is one of my favorite sci Fi books.
But speaker for the dead is one of my favorite books.
Very nice! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Maybe you could add Blake Crouch next...
gotta get a collection of short stories from PKD
The Expanse
The Dune Series
The Ministry For the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
Icehenge also by KSR
Red Moon also by KSR
Project Hail Mary
The Martian
The Bobiverse Series
All of these are great, and I would say we have similar taste because I've read the books on your shelf and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Also, it's a bit more of the fiction part of sci-fi, but I'm reading it now and I'm enjoying it: the Hyperion series. I'm on the third one and so far it's been really good.
Shards of Earth / Eyes of the Void
Bookends
Isaac Asimov, Alan Dean Foster, Andre Norton
Everything by Peter F Hamilton. Start with the Nights Dawn Trilogy.
Given what you have so far, definitely try Alastair Raynolds - pretty much anything from the Revelation Space cycle. Other than that, Larry Niven and Lois McMaster Bujold could be good choices for you.
Hyperion Cantos!
If you like hard SF with a lot of science try out Stephen Baxter (the Xeelee Sequence is outstanding), Larry Niven (also with his pal Pournelle), Arthur C. Clarke, Greg Bear and Neal Stephenson.
Really enjoyed the Children books. Got one more coming early next year, I believe.
And holy hell, Remembrance of Earth’s Past blew me away.
City, by Simak.
Neutron Star collection of shorts, by Niven
If you liked the children of time then "Semiosis" is a great book In a similar vein.
Damn, well done on seeing through several book series!
Blindsight would be my recommendation
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson if you don't mind reading YA
Something I'm not seeing in the comments is Gene Wolffe's (sp?)Solar Cycle. Book of the Long Sun is my favorite there, although he can be slow going at times. (I love the Generation Ship trope. If anyone could recommend others I'd appreciate it!)
Lots of hard-ish sci-fi there. Desperately need The Expanse to round it out.
The Martian and/or Project Hail Mary
Both by Weir both amazing my preferred is Hail Mary still both great.
Hyperion
No judgement on your library, but I would suggest that you consider taking a look back and reading some of the OGs of science fiction: Asimov, Van Vogt, Heinlein, Lem, Bradbury, Clarke, del Rey, Kornbluth, Sturgeon, and Pohl.
Then you can move to Delany, Niven, Ellison, and others from SF's "middle age"
Expanse!
Those look brand new. Read them first,and then you will know which direction you want to go.
Great taste. Basically all my favorites as well. I can't recommend enough the Culture novels by Iain Banks.