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Original poster

Sci-fi lovers, what have you read recently?

37 replies

Takver · 27/05/2015 17:07

There's been lots of fantasy threads, time for a sci-fi one, I think!

I've just finished Ancillary Sword, the sequel to Ancillary Justice (by Ann Leckie). Not quite as good as the first one, but I still really enjoyed it. Would def. recommend both of them to anyone who likes traditional straight-down-the-line sci fi.

Now a little way into Ammonite by Nicola Griffith - liking it so far.

Anyone else?

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Amummyatlast · 27/05/2015 17:47

i've more fantasy than sci fi these days, but enjoy Neil Stephenson (Snow Crash, Diamond Age, Anathem) and of course the master Philip K Dick. Found Simon Kewin on Amazon recently, a great short story writer, whose works are mostly free/low cost to download to Kindle.

I also like Richard Calder, but he's more weird sci fi than straight sci fi.

Octavia Butler is a amazing too. I was so glad that they released her books on Kindle.

CaitSith · 27/05/2015 20:57

I've just finished Passage by Connie Willis without even realising that it was classed as sci-fi Blush

I've never really considered myself a fan of the genre but going to look into it more as it was one of the best books I've read in years!

YesThisIsMe · 27/05/2015 21:09

I wouldn't say Passage is Connie Willis's best CaitSith. The Doomsday Book is phenomenal, To Say Nothing of the Dog is hilarious and Blackout/ All Clear is great.

If you like Willis you might want to try Le Guin (frankly everyone should read Le Guin).

I've just finished The Rhesus Chart by Charles Stross, part of his Laundry series which is modern Lovecraftian so straddling the boundaries between sf and fantasy. Neptune's Brood was good proper sf by him.

I'm about to give John Scalzi's Old Man's War a go, having liked, but not loved his Redshirts.

I started Surface Detail by Iain Banks but got stuck - it's probably good if I get around to giving it another go.

And I've just finished all 2,000 pages of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (free PDF fanfic) which despite being HP fanfic has a strongly sf sensibility.

Original poster
Takver · 27/05/2015 21:15

I love Le Guin (as you may guess from my username Grin )

I thought HPMOR was very funny in the early parts, but I have to say by the end I was definitely only reading out of sheer determination.

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Original poster
Takver · 27/05/2015 21:17

Haven't run into Connie Willis - will definitely check out the Doomsday Book

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CaitSith · 27/05/2015 21:19

I've got The Doomsday Book on its way Yes, glad to hear it's a good 'un! And will definitely look at Le Guin, any specific recommendations?

YesThisIsMe · 27/05/2015 21:21

Willis is not hard sf, AFAIK none of her novels have a single spaceship, so she might not be your cup of tea, but she's won more Hugo and Nebulas than anyone else ever, because a lot of people really really rate her.

I was gripped by HPMOR right to the end actually.

YesThisIsMe · 27/05/2015 21:22

My favourite Le Guin is The Left Hand of Darkness. Actually it's my favourite book of all time in any genre.

TheFirstOfHerName · 27/05/2015 21:25

Just finished The Stone Man by Luke Smitherd. Not sure it classes as true sci-fi but it was close enough for me to enjoy it.

Original poster
Takver · 27/05/2015 21:27

I like Left Hand of Darkness, but overall my favourite Le Guin is The Disposessed - not sure I have a favourite book of all time, but if I did it would probably be it (with her short story Solitude also high up the list).

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CaitSith · 28/05/2015 06:43

Thanks! Off for an online browse Smile

CoteDAzur · 28/05/2015 08:23

My kind of thread Grin

I recently read and loved Red Rising - a cross between Beace New World, Lord Of The Flies, and Ender's Game, with a hint of Hunger Games. Fantastic world-building in a great page-turner.

I read John Scalzi's Old Man's War and wasn't terribly impressed by it. I think his Lock In is a far superior novel.

Tanaqui · 28/05/2015 08:31

I like Scalzi's blog- anyone suggest a book to start with?

I just read The Martian- that was a proper old fashioned space adventure story. Also The Goblin Emperor, steampunk despite the title (is steampunk fantasy or sf?).

Have Le Guin fans read Vonda McIntyre? Love her Starfarers series.

CoteDAzur · 28/05/2015 08:39

I recently read one of the best hard sci-fi I have come across in recent years:

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

It's 'first contact' and virtual reality. It's impressive in scope and attention to detail, with some interesting science & math. I can only compare it to Neal Stephenson's Anathem, only much easier to get through. Definitely recommended.

YesThisIsMe · 28/05/2015 08:47

Although I haven't yet read it, Old Man's War is probably a good start for Scalzi.

I thought The Martian was a fantastic technical achievement and really enjoyable to boot. I also agree that Ancillary Sword doesn't have the heft of the first volume, I won't rush to read the third volume.

kittykarate · 28/05/2015 17:29

The Old Man's War stuff is pretty good for Scalzi. Don't listen to him on audiobook though as he was a weakness in the way he writes dialogue in that it literally he said "..." she said "... " he said ".. " which you may notice in the written word, but it really stuck in my mind when I listened to it.

Neal Stephenson has a new one out called Seveneves but I'm going to have to put in a couple of weeks of bicep curls before I can try to read one of his books in bed.

BitterChocolate · 28/05/2015 17:41

I read Fortune's Rising recently and it was fabulous. I think was either free or very cheap on Kindle when I bought it. I went back to buy the next in the series and it hasn't been written yet, which is a pity.

I've finished all of the Wool books. I've even read a few of the books by other authors set in the same silo world. The books by other authors are a bit mixed, the original series by Hugh Howie is great.

BitterChocolate · 28/05/2015 17:47

I've also read the whole series of The Chronicles of St Mary, this is the first in the series. I think she's still writing the series, I hope so anyway.

I really liked The Martian too, it did read a bit like a film IMO but I don't think it made it any less enjoyable.

TheFirstOfHerName · 28/05/2015 18:34

I love love love the Chronicles of St Mary's! They manage to make me laugh and cry and are the perfect comfort read.

TheFirstOfHerName · 28/05/2015 18:35

Didn't take to the Martian at all. I just kept thinking: "Either survive or die. Stop boring me about it."

TheFirstOfHerName · 28/05/2015 18:39

I enjoyed Red Rising and thought it was better than The Hunger Games.

I am a bit put out that when I was a young teenager, almost all the sci-fi / post-apocalyptic / dystopian stuff was for adults and now that I'm an adult, most of it is being written for teenagers.

Original poster
Takver · 28/05/2015 20:18

TheFirstOfHerName - it's true, but I have to say I just read adult books when I was a teenager, and now I'm middle aged, I read YA books . . .

TBH, I think I had more headspace for serious works of literature back then when less of my thoughts were taken up with work/children/life in general Grin

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CoteDAzur · 28/05/2015 21:43

Red Rising is about young people but it is not YA, imho. It deals with adult ideas in a ruthless setting, like Lord Of The Flies.

TheFirstOfHerName · 28/05/2015 21:49

I have to say I just read adult books when I was a teenager, and now I'm middle aged, I read YA books

Yes, me too. These days I am not trying to impress boys anyone with my reading material.

CoteDAzur · 28/05/2015 22:04

If you don't want to read YA, I can recommend some good sci-fi that is actually written for adults. Which sub-genres are you interested in?

For example, dystopian/post-apocalyptic:
1984
Cloud Atlas
Children Of Men
World War Z (nothing to do with the film)