Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
I really like Dragon's Egg by Robert L Forward, and its sequel as well.
The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
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Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#12Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
The Martian by Andy Weir, if you haven't seen the movie yet. If you have, he's had another similar novel out recently, Hail Mary.
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#13Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
Alastair Reynolds, especially his Revelation Space trilogy are great hard sci Fi novels. He's a former astrophysicist so he knows the hard limits.
I find most of his works to be good musings on humanity with a bit of alien horror.
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#14Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
Accelerando by Charles Stross, The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, Diaspora by Greg Egan, Distraction by Bruce Sterling
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#15Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
Many good suggestions here - I definitely recommend to check out Vernor Vinge. I've heard a lot of praise for The Expanse series (James S. A. Corey / pen name for Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) - but I've only seen the TV series, not read the books.
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#16Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
Accelerando by Charles Stross, The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, Diaspora by Greg Egan, Distraction by Bruce Sterling
I just read Diaspora, and find it far from hard sci-fi.
The Wikipedia page says “Egan invents several new theories of physics”, and that to me is not hard sci-fi.
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#17Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
Quarantine by Greg Egan:
https://www.gregegan.net/QUARANTINE/Quarantine.html
Upon re-reading your question, I don't think this recommendation exactly fits, but, damn, it's a good book anyway and Neal Stephenson doesn't do things by halves: Interface by Neal Stephenson (under a pseudonym and in conjunction with another author also using a pseudonym). This book only becomes more relevant with each presidential campaign: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interface_(novel)
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#18Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
Peter Watts has a good biology background so his books are pretty accurate when it comes to sci-fi advances with biology. Definitely better than most authors who usually focus more on physics/engineering. I liked “Blindsight” and “The Freeze-Frame Revolution” I would also appreciate any recommendations for hard sci-fi authors with a biology focus, I’m sure there are many more I don’t know.
Blindsight was great, Echopraxia not as good, but I still enjoyed it. I'll be searching out "The Freeze-Frame Revolution" for sure, thanks.
Hard sci-fi / biology crossover: https://www.gregegan.net/TERANESIA/TERANESIA.html
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#19Can ye recommend any novels / authors that are as hard sci-fi as KSR or Arthur C Clarke?
The Martian by Andy Weir, if you haven't seen the movie yet. If you have, he's had another similar novel out recently, Hail Mary.
Andy Weir also published Artemis in between The Martian and Project Hail Mary.
Re: The Realism of Our Times: Kim Stanley Robinson on how science fiction works
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Accelerando by Charles Stross, The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, Diaspora by Greg Egan, Distraction by Bruce Sterling
I just read Diaspora, and find it far from hard sci-fi. The Wikipedia page says “Egan invents several new theories of physics”, and that to me is not hard sci-fi.
I think the best hard sci-fi can include cutting edge theories or even ideas that the author themselves are proposing, based on a reasonable understanding of the existing science.
At the time many of Greg Egan's early books from the 90s/00s were written, there were a lot more competing ideas or theories in quantum mechanics compared to now. In his books he basically explores some of those ideas, and pushes the boundaries.
The best sci-fi to me inspire future scientists or engineers to explore novel approaches.