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Looking for well written sci fi

#1 User is offline   Avatar 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 08:08 AM

I've always loved reading science fiction even before I read my first fantasy books. When I was a kid, I read Dune, the Foundation (and all other books of Asimov) and 2001 Space Odyssey. More recently, I read and rereaded the Hyperion cantus.

Last month I tried Peter Hamilton's the Reality Dysfunction. I really wanted to like it, because I like his world building, and I loved the prospect of 1000's of pages of his books. Last week, I stopped, I was over 700 p in. It was the characterization that turned me off. I don't mind if sci fi isn't about characters, or if characters are a bit flat. But when they feel childish, immature or too full of clichés, it breaks the immersion for me.

I did like the chacterization in Dune, Hyperion, aSoIaF. I like the characterization of MBotF, even when some of it feels stronger than other parts. I enjoyed reading Banks. I liked Alistar Reynolds' House of Suns, characters were ok-ish. And I tried A Fire upon the deep, but didn't finish it.

I'm starting reading the Gap cycle. And planning to read Revelation Space afterwards. Le Guin is on my list, more Banks, and Children of Time.

Has anyone the same problem with characters in sci fi books. Any recommendation about what to read?
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#2 User is offline   Khazduk 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 11:09 AM

Was gonna say Donaldson's Gap cycle, but then I read your full post. :D

When in doubt, go back to the founders. Like Olaf Stapledon's Last and First Men. Although, not for characterization but quite the opposite.
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#3 User is offline   Andorion 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 11:29 AM

For science fiction which focuses one characterization, try Becky Chambers' A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and A Closed and Common Orbit.

Banks' Culture and Children of Time are excellent books to have on your list.

The Vorkosigan series by Lois M Bujold will probably suit you well.

Also among the classics definitely go back to Arthur C Clarke.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is an all time essential to-read book.
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Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:08 PM

Thanks for the replies... going to check these out.

Sorry Briar, wasn't meant as a roast of Hamilton. Can see where the quality is in his books
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#5 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:26 PM

The Gap Cycle and Revelation Space books are indeed great.

Neal Asher's Polity universe reminds me of Reynolds, but grittier and with more aliens and body horror. I've only read the Transformation trilogy, which kind of throws you in the deep end, but once you get your footing it's a blast.

I know Orson Scott Card is a controversial name these days, but Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead are still amazing. (For a homophobe to write such a definitive book on loving and understanding The Other is pretty impressive.)

Another great character-driven series with numerous moral dilemmas is Karen Traviss' woefully-underrated Wess'Har Wars. Absolutely blew me away. There's a little bit of alien romance/sex which gets a little goofy, but not enough to diminish the overall story (which is fantastic.) Her Wess'Har aliens even get a shout-out in China Mieville's excellent Embassytown, which shocked me when I came across it.

No one writes aliens (and I mean alien aliens) quite like C. J. Cherryh. Her Faded Sun and Chanur Saga series are both excellent, and feature aliens harboring a lone human (from the human's POV in Faded Sun, and from the aliens' in Chanur.) Her long-running Foreigner series is a classic, though I haven't read it yet.

Guy Haley's standalone Crash is great, and usually cheap in ebook.

Other names to check out: Ursula K. Le Guin, Ann Leckie, John Scalzi, Octavia K. Butler
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Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:29 PM

Have you met Peter Watts ?

No?

Then you absolutely should.

And since Peter is kind enough to give away four of his books on his website, including BLINDSIGHT which is both brilliant and disturbing AND got a bunch of award noms, you should really really try him.
Also there (also free!) is his RIFTERS trilo... book one is brilliant and original, 2 and 3 not quite as original but solid.
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Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:37 PM

I did read Orson Scott Card, Salt-Man, and I totally agree with you on the quality of the books (and too bad indeed about the author's views.) Speaker for the Dead was my favorite, the books that came after that one were less interesting imo.
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#8 User is offline   Andorion 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:38 PM

View PostAvatar, on 04 May 2018 - 03:08 PM, said:

Thanks for the replies... going to check these out.

Sorry Briar, wasn't meant as a roast of Hamilton. Can see where the quality is in his books


Hamilton is far better in his Commonwealth and Void books. Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained are very good reads.
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Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:39 PM

Thanks so much you people, lots of titles to check out.

So far, I do like the first Gap book, hope it will be as good as they say.
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#10 User is offline   Salt-Man Z 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 04:23 PM

View PostAvatar, on 04 May 2018 - 03:39 PM, said:

So far, I do like the first Gap book, hope it will be as good as they say.

The first book is like an extended prologue, and difficult for a lot of readers. (The content is pretty rough, and Donaldson is never particularly kind to his protagonists.) The second book opens up the universe a lot more, and the third is where the plot really kicks into gear. Stick with it and you won't be disappointed. If you like the Gap, there's a good chance you'll enjoy Donaldson's fantasy stuff as well.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
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#11 User is offline   polishgenius 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 07:04 PM

Lots of good recommendations here obviously, but for a couple more recent authors (on top of Becky Chambers who is excellent):


Ann Leckie, the Imperial Radch trilogy (first book Ancillary Justice). Vaguely Banks-ian flavour but with more military trappings.

Yoon Ha Lee, Machineries of Empire (first book Ninefox Gambit)- darkly, disturbingly beautiful space-opera of the strange. Also pretty military as well as political-machination focused, with some interesting characters to say the least.

Ada Palmer, Terra Ignota series (first book Too Like The Lighting) - I'm still a bit unsure on aspects of the social-politics views the plot is pointing towards, but this series is nothing short of intoxicating to read, quite frankly. The prose writing, the characters, and the craft of the overall plot are all masterful in a surreal way and you're unlikely to ever have read anything like it.
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#12 User is offline   worry 

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Posted 04 May 2018 - 07:36 PM

The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Campbell.
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Posted 04 May 2018 - 10:30 PM

Gibson’s ‘Neuromancer’.
Larry Niven’s ‘Ringworld’.
‘Snow crash’ by Neal Stephenson. Funny as
‘Flowers for Algernon’, very unexpected gem of a novel by Danil Keyes.
Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ series.
Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy.
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Posted 04 May 2018 - 11:40 PM

I second Terra Ignota. I can see how one could be put off at first because of a lot of things, I was as well, but when it gets into gear it's extremely well-written with great characters (once you get past the 'wth is wrong with these people'-stage) and a great plot.
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Posted 05 May 2018 - 04:26 AM

Thanks so much, many authors unknown to me, going to check out.
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#16 User is offline   pat5150 

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Posted 06 May 2018 - 02:44 AM

The Gap series is awesome! :D

Definitely check out some Alastair Reynolds. Chasm City was great!

And the best ongoing scifi series, James S. A. Corey's The Expanse. Brilliant stuff! ;)

C. J. Cherryh's Down Below Station and Cyteen are well worth your time!
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Posted 07 May 2018 - 09:07 PM

Quote

Also among the classics definitely go back to Arthur C Clarke


Andorion: I've read 2001 and al the sequels, and Childhoods End, Rendezvous with Rama. And 1 other, about a spaceship after earth is destroyed or something. Do you have any other recommendations?

This post has been edited by Avatar: 07 May 2018 - 09:07 PM

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#18 User is offline   Andorion 

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Posted 08 May 2018 - 11:50 AM

View PostAvatar, on 07 May 2018 - 09:07 PM, said:

Quote

Also among the classics definitely go back to Arthur C Clarke


Andorion: I've read 2001 and al the sequels, and Childhoods End, Rendezvous with Rama. And 1 other, about a spaceship after earth is destroyed or something. Do you have any other recommendations?


You have read most of the good stuff, I have read 2 others - Fountains of Paradise and Wind from the Sun. Both were decentish I think.

Whatever you do don't read the Rama sequels.
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Posted 08 May 2018 - 12:23 PM

Quote

You have read most of the good stuff, I have read 2 others - Fountains of Paradise and Wind from the Sun. Both were decentish I think.

Whatever you do don't read the Rama sequels.


Thanks! I had an idea about these sequels, so never touched them :-)
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#20 User is offline   polishgenius 

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Posted 08 May 2018 - 05:21 PM

Instead of the Rama sequels, just read Alastair Reynold's Pushing Ice, which is a very obvious tribute to Rama but takes it further to where the sequels were aiming, but with actual competence and writing skill.
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