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So. Here is my first real serious blog-post, I guess.
I read a ton of short science-fiction writing. Like, an embarrassing amount. But I think I don't read enough novel-length sci-fi and I wanna change that. I wanted to see if anyone on here had any recommendations for that stuff.
I've been reading a bunch of the classics, in-genre and out: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which was really good, and Slaughterhouse Five, which I dug (like all of Vonnegut's writing). I picked up Dune the other day and plan to read it over spring break. I also plan to read some full-length books by writers whose short fiction I have enjoyed, like Catherynne Valente and Lavie Tidhar, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
I figure it'd be good to attach a list of subgenres/topics I like, so here are some:
- First-contact stuff
- 'Alien diplomacy' stories, I dunno what it's called-where it's like a bunch of human representatives trying to communicate with and understand an alien intelligence and usually some kind of ethical dilemma arises. Think original-series Star Trek or the movie Arrival.
- Climate fiction
- AI stuff, especially focused on communication or the effects of AI on human society/relationships
- Space operas
- Genetic engineering stuff
- Psychic powers-I know these are more fantasy than sci-fi but I love seeing 'em in fiction of all sorts so I don't care.
- Time travel stories!
- Posthumanism/brain uploading: You either find this stuff really cool and uplifting to read about or think it is deeply depressing on an existential level and I'm in the latter camp. I like some Ken Liu but that's about it for posthumanism stuff I've actually enjoyed.
- Steampunk: bleh
- Cyberpunk: Just not huge on most of it's tropes or aesthetics but it's so widespread that I'm fine with it mostly.
- Nanotechnology: Every time it's introduced it tends to turn a sci-fi setting into a fantasy one and I find that jarring.
- Really hard sci-fi in general. Just not my thing. I HATE PHYSICS!!! STOP MAKING ME READ ABOUT PHYSICS!!!
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✮ birdy ✮
i really like the murderbot diaries by martha wells, its has been really fun so far!! i've only read the first two books in the series but it's pretty good, it's told from the perspective of a security robot who just wants to watch soap operas all day lol but there's plenty of action and mystery about the planet they are stationed on!! i think you'd like it :D
Hi! Sorry for the late reply. I've heard lots of good things about those books, I'll for-sure read them eventually. Thank you for the recommendation!!
by Piper; ; Report
Scarlet
There's Anathem by Neal Stephenson which, from what I've heard, is a great read. There's also Snow Crash by the same author as well which is good from word-of-mouth.
Hi! Sorry for the late reply; I tried reading Snow Crash in the past but it really wasn't for me. Thank you for the recommendation though!
by Piper; ; Report
No prob.
by Scarlet; ; Report
AstraGenesis
These are more modern YA books, but the Aurora Cycle series (the first book is titled “Aurora Rising”) and The Sound of Stars were really good. The Sound of Stars has some more dystopian elements with sci-fi mixed in. The Aurora Cycle is more space opera-ish. I know these two don’t exactly fit into your “like” categories, but they don’t fit into your “dislike” categories so who knows? Maybe you might like them lol
Maybe! I'll give 'em a shot. Thanks!
by Piper; ; Report
You’re welcome
by AstraGenesis; ; Report