Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#1

Post by ghosthamlet » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:28 PM UTC

I don't think 'i robots' are hard scifi. Today i sixth times read The greatest 'True names'(1981) by Vernor Vinge, it is an incredible AI cyberpunk hard scifi novel，aslo a great literature.

Update: Thanks for all the great recommends，it is greatest time to find ideas in these books today. Please aslo add the book publish year，i think it will be helpful to see the writer's wonderful superior consciousness.

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#2

Post by dozzie » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:35 PM UTC

Peter Watts, Rifters trilogy? Especially the second volume.

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#3

Post by d-crane » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:38 PM UTC

Greg Egan's Diaspora starts with the details of what it's like for a new AI to be brought into existence in a society of advanced AIs, and jumps off from there. Definitely one of the more original hard sci-fi novels I've read.

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#4

Post by kuwze » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:42 PM UTC

There is Manna[0] by Marshall Brain.

[0]: http://marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#5

Post by erikj » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:45 PM UTC

Is Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos hard enough?

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#6

Post by hackeraccount » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:50 PM UTC

David Brin's Uplift Trilogy. Also, Not really an amazing book but Seveneves by Neal Stephenson was pretty technical.

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#7

Post by stesch » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:50 PM UTC

erikj wrote: post #5

Is Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos hard enough?

This isn't hard Science Fiction.

Definition on Wikipedia: Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific accuracy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_science_fiction

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#8

Post by nrp » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:55 PM UTC

dozzie wrote: post #2

Peter Watts, Rifters trilogy? Especially the second volume.

Watts’ Blindsight and Echopraxia are excellent hard scifi too, though less focused on AI.

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#9

Post by auggierose » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:59 PM UTC

I'd recommend the Culture novels of Iain M. Banks. It contains some pretty powerful AIs.

Re: Ask HN: Best hard scifi AI novels?

#10

Post by riffraff » Sun, Oct 08, 2017, 3:59 PM UTC

nrp wrote: post #8

dozzie wrote: post #2

Peter Watts, Rifters trilogy? Especially the second volume.

Watts’ Blindsight and Echopraxia are excellent hard scifi too, though less focused on AI.

is blindsight considered hard SF?

It's been a while since I read it, but I don't recall a big focus on science, and some things are pretty explicitly hand waved ("we are lucky they have that issue with right angles")