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Original poster

‘Cerebral’ science fiction recommendations please.

58 replies

Foghead · 07/03/2018 14:56

I really want to think. About technology, science, space and mankind (or any ‘other’ kind)
Can anyone recommend anything please?

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goldopals · 15/03/2018 09:59

I agree with L.E. Modesitt novels. His books are amazingly written and thought provoking but unfortunately he is not the most popular author despite having a bit of a cult following.

anotherwastedsecond · 15/03/2018 09:54

The first fifteen lives of Harry August by Claire North is sci fi with a lot of quantum physics and philosophical musings on the meaning and purpose of life!

Great story too Smile

Ashhead24 · 13/03/2018 17:26

L E Modesitt has some fantastic sci fi books, very complicated in places. Gravity dreams and the parafaith war are my favourite.

CoteDAzur · 13/03/2018 17:18

"The three body problem did my head in. "

Yes, that's what cerebral SF does Grin

Whether one character is 'awful' or not is neither here not there. It doesn't make a book great or terrible.

NotAnotherJaffaCake · 13/03/2018 11:45

The three body problem did my head in. The first volume was absolutely brilliant, ground breaking, mind blowing. The second two, I had to force myself to finish them. The female character was just so utterly awful.

Ridingthegravytrain · 12/03/2018 10:05

Another recommendation for 3 body problem trilogy. My mind boggles that people can come up with these stories

If you get a free trial of audible you can download and listen to it (and many other great sci fi books)

CoteDAzur · 12/03/2018 09:51

Neal Stephenson's books are usually fantastic and brainhurty:
Snow Crash
Diamond Age
Anathem
Seveneves

Three-Body Problem and its sequels - These are the most brainhurty, incredibly imaginative and think-hard SF of recent years. Heartily recommended.

William Gibson - Father of cyberpunk subgenre of SF, but he was overshadowed by N Stephenson imho. He's good on Twitter, though. I'd recommend his earlier books:
Neuromancer
Mona Lisa Overdrive
Idoru

Dan Simmons:
Hyperion
The Rise is Hyperion
(Further sequels Endymion and Fall of Endymion are not as great imho)

slightlyglittermaned · 11/03/2018 12:38

James Tiptree is brilliant (depressing, but brilliant) - mainly wrote short stories in the 1970s. Her Smoke Rose Up Forever is a good collection & available on Kindle.

Longhairmightcare · 11/03/2018 00:31

Ready Player One is less than a decade old. Are you thinking of Neuromancer?

Oh is it really? Oops. I could have sworn my copy had ‘25th anniversary edition’ on the front Shock. Clearly I’ve got mixed with up with something else I’ve read.

Sorry for the entirely false info there, but the rest of what I said was definitely about Ready Player One and not the other mystery book!

slightlyglittermaned · 10/03/2018 23:44

Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit and sequel, Raven Stratagem - the first chapter is hard going because nothing is explained or spelled out for you, Lee just starts in the middle of a battle, throws ideas at you and keeps going. It does get easier to read as you go on though.

OutsideContextProblem · 09/03/2018 14:30

Ready Player One is less than a decade old. Are you thinking of Neuromancer?

NotAnotherJaffaCake · 09/03/2018 14:13

I didn’t get on with Left Hand of Darkness. I did rate Gnomon though, can’t remember the author right now.

ArcheryAnnie · 09/03/2018 12:55

"Native Tongue" by Suzette Haden Elgin - I haven't re-read it in years, but remembering it for this thread makes me want to read it again.

Longhairmightcare · 09/03/2018 10:04

Ready Player One, it’s 25yrs old but so so relevant to today, possibly more so than when published.

I’m not sure about cerebral, but it certainly raises questions about where your online/real life start & end.

Yddraigoldragon · 08/03/2018 23:05

Hellspark by Janet Kagan, worth checking out. Really made me think about language, she writes very well.

borlottibeans · 08/03/2018 22:38

Seconding (and thirding) Ancillary Justice, Children of Time and A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet (and its sequel A Closed and Common Orbit).

Also, The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley.

Dergadgeghead · 08/03/2018 22:32

Oh yes, definitely read William Gibson!

I recently read The Peripheral. Beautiful writing and such a fascinating premise.

SimonBridges · 07/03/2018 23:57

I was going to suggest ‘A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet’ too.
I got it for DH for Christmas and he finished it in no time and had finished the sequel by New Year.

JeremiahBackflip · 07/03/2018 23:54

Following!
I've recently read Station Eleven and really enjoyed it. And hope that is the right title...

BothersomeCrow · 07/03/2018 23:46

Red/Blue/Green Mars, trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. The characters are pretty one-dimensional but the detail of a manned mission to colonise Mars followed by impact on the First Hundred when the newer colonists come, is second to none.

Left Hand of Darkness, Dispossessed, Algebraist, Excession, Use of Weapons. When the Martians Came.

CJ Cherryh and a but lighter but still lots of science and psychology, Lois McMaster Bujold.

dadshere · 07/03/2018 23:35

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it Foghead, and to everyone who has contributed, lots of reading material here!

sumsumsum · 07/03/2018 23:29

Marking my place...

turkeyboots · 07/03/2018 23:16

ah, Children of time! Not children of men.

afrikat · 07/03/2018 23:14

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky was pretty epic

turkeyboots · 07/03/2018 23:13

Can't remember the authors but really enjoyed "long way to a small angry planet" and "children of men". Both very science, space and future of mankind themed.

Really enjoying N.K Jemison novels, but they are less "real" science and space. But still excellent sci-fi.

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