‘Cerebral’ science fiction recommendations please.

[Foghead]

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

[slightlyglittermaned]

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.

[CoteDAzur]

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)

[Ridingthegravytrain]

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)

[NotAnotherJaffaCake]

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.

[CoteDAzur]

"The three body problem did my head in. "

Yes, that's what cerebral SF does

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

[Ashhead24]

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

[anotherwastedsecond]

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

[goldopals]

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.