HARD SCI FI for Beginners & Advanced Readers | Sci Fi Book Recommendations
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Hard Science Recommendations
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Saturn Run by John Sandford, Ctein
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I so wanted Michael Crichton to show up on your list. So many people don’t classify him as a sci-fi writer, but he was.
I'm wondering now if he doesn't quite count as hard science... because I do like this work
@@TheShadesofOrange I definitely think it’s hard sci-fi. People don’t consider him a sci-fi writer , I think, because he has very broad appeal, wrote things other than sci-fi, and his sci-fi is heavily based in real scientific theory/speculation and comes across as possible and not fantastical.
He was also a medical doctor (I think he went to Harvard Medical school) and wrote Andromeda Strain while in medical school, which I would count as hard sci fi
Yeah 'thrillers' sometimes get left out of the sci-fi talk. Like Blake Crouch.
My favorite Michael Crichton sci-fi work is Sphere.
I would 100% recommend We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor. It’s the first book the series know as the bobiverse and it’s one of my personal favorites.
Oh yes that's a fun one
Good choice ...i loved the series.
Reading sci - fi since 1966a.d.
I was a bit scared to read Seveneves, both because of it's length and it's in-depth science, but I decided to give it a shot as a little challenge to myself. Much to my surprise, I could not put it down. It was fascinating and gripping and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It also broke a bit of a psychological barrier I had for reading longer books and harder sci-fi, so it opened up whole new book realms for me to discover.
I felt the same way! It was one of the first heavy science fiction books I read and it wasn't that bad!
One of my all time favorite books!
The Time Ships, by Stephen Baxter, is one I'd suggest. Think of it as an expansion on H.G. Wells, The Time Machine.
Appreciate the rec
Agree. Love that book. He wrote some others that are also very good, like Evolution. I wish I‘d be just a tenth as successful as him one day. 😐
Excellent follow up to a classic by another one my favorite authors.
I loved Saturn Run by John Sandford (like his thrillers too). Another 'hard scifi' I am currently reading and heartily recommend is 'Inherit the Stars' by James P Hogan. It was written in 1978, but has stood the test of time rather well. The scientists in this story make assumptions, test them, discard and reformulate with new data, exactly as real science works
That book sounds great!
Laura, You've motivated me to read both Saturn and Inherit the Stars. I bought the KIndle trilogy, but something else keeps jumping the que. 😎
These all sound good. I loved Jurassic Park. I'll put most of this list on my TBR. Thank you.
Interesting. As you say, we all have our own definitions of hard sci-fi. I work in science, but more me a good hard sci-fi book will make me want to go and want to read more about the science in the book. Good examples would be Permutation City by Greg Egan or Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I think Arthur C Clarke is the master of hard sci-fi/'sense of wonder' sci-fi.
I imagine you are probably bothered by bad science because of your background
Your thoughts about the young science student in all of us was spot on about the Martian!! For me, it was a blast! I think even more was Weir’s most recent book, Hail Mary Project. I felt like a high school physics students trying to physics my way out in that, it was soooo much fun (and hilarious).
I thought The Martian was great and I may have loved Project Hail Mary even more!
Glad it wasn't just me!
I definitely going to check out some of your recomendations :), specially the Becky Chambers one
Hello ms shades, I really enjoyed this video, lots of new books here for me to check out. I have read a ton of Hard SF but mainly classics such as Mission of Gravity, Rendezvous with Rama, Dragons Egg, Ringworld, Red Mars, etc so I look forward sampling some newer additions to the genre, in particular Saturns Run sounds interesting.
I still need to read some of the classics you mentioned
@@TheShadesofOrange These novels and others of a similar vein shaped the genre ... Red Mars ‘A staggering book. The best novel on the colonization of Mars that has ever been written’
Arthur C. Clarke
@@TheShadesofOrange "Dragon's egg" is an excellent SF novel and is probably the "hardest" SF I have ever read. Highly recommended!
Thanks for covering some outstanding science fiction books. A great round-up! Your definition of hard vs soft sci-fi is spot on to me.
Awesome. I know some people had a different definition so I'm glad it's similar to yours
Aww, my faviourite Sci-Fi subgenre 😍! Thank you for the video and all the recommendations!
Woo hoo!
Great collection, love me some sci fi. I would also personally recommend A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge (not sure if it qualifies as hard sci fi or not). It's an older book, but great world building and delving into conceptual space tier movements
Oh yes that's a good one!
Great list, and right up my reading alley. Here's a few of my favorites from over the years, most of which I don't think I've seen discussed much on TH-cam, starting with fairly introductory stuff working down to what might be the hardest SF novel of them all.
Moving Mars by Greg Bear
Gateway by Frederick Pohl
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
Queen City jazz, by Kathleen Anne Goonan
Schild's Ladder, by Greg Egan
Loge hearing your picks! I'll look up the ones I haven't read yet
Hey just saw this video on my TH-cam feed and read your comment. Happy belated Birthday. Sorry, I am late by a month but hope you had a good one!
Thank you... and no need to apologize
@@TheShadesofOrange You are welcome. If you haven’t tried Peter F. Hamilton’s Commonwealth Saga and Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds’s then it would render your list incomplete. 😊. I know everyone tries to put new recommendations on your plate. I am one of them too! Who said reading is easy? 😃
Half-way through The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu. Mind expanding ideas!!
I Need to finish that trilogy
Great list, awesome recommendations! I've read two Stephenson's yet, Cryptonomicon and Seveneves, and I liked them both. But the third part of Seveneves was really a let-down, compared to how much I loved the first two parts. I want to pick up Anathem next, but Zodiac sounds really interesting too!
I completely agree about Seveneves. I just reread and part 3 holds me back from giving it 5 stars
Those are some great recs, Rachel. I might need to check some of these out. Thanks.
There is certainly a rich and varied history in hard SF. On the one hand, a lot of these stories are the bedrock of classic science fiction. But on the other, many older examples haven’t dated too well, especially for modern readers who expect just as strong attention to character as they do to scientific extrapolation.
Asimov, for example, was a chemist and cared a lot about valid science. But he was never terribly strong on character and his most famous series is rooted in a made-up scientific discipline (psychohistory) that he never really explains the methodology of. But then he was good at coming up with a concept, like the Three Laws of Robotics, and then writing loads of stories designed to find the flaws in trying to make them work in reality.
Some good hard SF contemporary readers might also enjoy would be A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, Blood Music by Greg Bear, The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson, Ventus by Karl Schroeder, Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress, Diaspora by Greg Egan, Light by M. John Harrison, Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement and maybe The Sands of Mars by Arthur C. Clarke. Yes, Ringworld is a stunning hard SF concept but a fairly middling novel. 🤷🏻♂️ (Niven is better at short fiction, so try his Neutron Star collection instead.)
Love hearing your thoughts on this. I would love to see a full video if you ever feel inspired
Could you do a list of first-person & close third-person sci-fi books? I always struggle staying interested in books where it's detached from the main characters perspective or just doesn't have a clear main character. The martian, project hail mary, etc are examples of the good first-person sci fi.
When I think of hard sci-fi, I think of Larry Niven. Some of his books might seem outlandish, like the Ringworld series or Protector. But there are a few books that I think would be good introductions to his work. One is The Integral Trees (and it's follow-on, The Smoke Ring), about the descendants of human settlers to an unorthodox solar system. Another is The Legacy of Heorot (the start of another series of books, with Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes) about planetary colonists that inadvertently create a minor, albeit horrific, ecological catastrophe. Footfall or the Moties series (The Mote in Gods Eye, et al.) might be good next steps (but, if memory serves, they are thick books. So, beware.), and the Man-Kzin Wars books are a fun series of collected short stories by various authors including Niven.
There are so many books that I would consider hard sci-fi but a lifetime is not enough to read them all, this list is good there are a couple of books I already read but I would include one in particular that it's totally different from anything everyone include in their list of favorites which is just one example of what I'm trying to say here and that book is "The Scent of Distant Worlds" by W. D. County.
Another science fiction recommendation video from Rachel, another trip to the library for me. Time to borrow or reserve Saturn Run. Interesting to see Sanford writing SF. I’d recommend you read Inverted World by Christopher Priest. You might know him from his novel The Prestige which was made into a Christopher Nolan movie starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Would love to hear your thoughts on Inverted World.
Oh yes I loved the inverted world! It was one of my favourite backlist science fiction books last year
I had forgotten all about Saturn Run! I started it but didn't finish bc of life.
How did you know I needed this video today???? ❤
Love your recommendations! Thought I'd add some:
The Expanse (9 book series, famously the first six have been made into a great tv show): mostly solar system scale hard sci fi with exploited asteroid miners, a gumshoe following a doomed femme fatal, and a found family crew on a "salvaged" martian warship. Becomes very much not hard in the last few books, but the first six or so are extremely grounded.
Blindsight by Peter Watts: the most incredible and depressing hard sci fi I've ever read. Entirely grounded in biological research and scientific plausibility, we have vampires, zombies (in the sequel Echopraxia), and the most alien aliens ever.
Greg Egan's Orthogonal trilogy: enjoy three sci fi novels and get a BA in astrophysics at the same time.
Love your inclusions!
I chose to major in microbiology because of Th Andromeda Strain. Great book. Glad you included it.
So cool to know that!
All went on my TBR except the last 2. I'm just starting.
I’ve read all those except zodiac. Or I may have read that long ago but have forgotten now.
I liked Needle (and the other books) by Linda Nagata. There’s some hard sci-fi in those books mixed with soft scifi. I also enjoyed Rachel Aukes’ Waymaker Wars.
Zodiac is SO good! I'll have to check out your picks
Michael (Fit2BRead) highlighted these in his video. He also had interviews with Rachel Aukes
great video! im going book shopping tomorrow and i specifically want to get some more sci fi books so this list of recommendations is really appealing to me. especially zodiac since im a huge chemistry nerd lol.
on a different note, have you ever read any stephen baxter? he's a prolific hard scifi writer, with a huge body of works. there's some really technical stuff that possibly requires an in-depth or at least well rounded knowledge of physics and engineering, but there's plenty of 'softer' stuff he wrote too. vacuum diagrams is a great book he wrote; it's a collection of short stories, some of which tie in to his series works. there's definitely a lot of his stuff that i didnt understand, but keep in mind that im basically pretty dumb so your mileage may vary.
anyway thanks again for the video! definitely gonna check out zodiac, that one sounds especially fascinating to me.
I don't think I've read any Baxter yet
Great video, new follower, and it was nice to see so many books I've read on the list...Loved the Saturn Run and especially SevenEves...but I also saw in the background, Ruins by Scott Smith...perfect example of an outstanding book with a terrible movie adaptation LOL...but will be watching more of your videos!!
Thanks! And yeah thankfully I skipped the Ruins movie adaptation
Great list!👍👍👍🤖🤖🚀 Most of these are already on my tbr📚 I'm adding jurassic Park and the andromeda strain to my tbr📚
Yay
Check out Supreme by C.Gibson
I like what you call ‘hard’ sci-fi, as I consider ‘soft’ sci-fi as not much more than fantasy taking place in space. Michael Crichton is my favorite author in this sub-genre. I haven’t read any Neil Stephenson, but will put him on my TBR based on your rec. I also enjoy ‘classic’ sci-fi that delves into hard science, such as Arthur C Clark (2001: A Space Odyssey, even though it delves into fantasy, as well) and even Jules Verne and H G Wells. A short novella by E M Forster, The Machine Stops, which was published in 1909, is stunning in the amazing insight he displays into future technology (air travel being obsolete and people living in hive like structures, with the outside environment having been much decimated).
Thanks for the video!
I've heard a fee definition so it's possible mine isn't quite right but I go with this
Love it!! Seveneves-- so many thoughts
The Calculating Stars sounds a lot like the movie Hidden Figures, which I loved. I want to check out Saturn Run and the Becky Chambers novella.
Oo yes Hidden Figures and Calculating Stars have a lot in common
What about Stephen Baxter with his Zeelee?
It’s not often that I’ve read so many of your suggestion in a video, but you definitely gave me a few books to read in the future. Gonna check out To Be Taught , If Fortunate first…sounds a little like Man Plus by Pohl. If you haven’t read The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi then that’s my suggestion for you.
No I haven't read The Water Knife but I'll change that
sanford has long been my fav crime writer so surprised when he wrote sf novel but absolutely loved it as u did was proud to be one of first readers of jurassic park and have read every novel crichton wrote even the last two non-sf ones zodiac nice tight early work by stephenson though my fav by him is the diamond age with its gutsy girl fighter heroine the galactic center series by benford is my all-time fave hard sf read ⚛
I definitely need to read some of thriller novels
Seveneves and The Martian are two of my favorites!
Same!
Neal Stephenson just had to be on the list, Seveneves was the first of his books that i read, loved it so much i went on a Neal Stephenson binge. I like your other recommendations, really need to get ro Becky Chambers.
Glad you also love Neal Stephenson
Interesting topic! I might check some of these out. Something I had in a few science fiction books was that the biological science specifically thoughts on Evolution, Genetics and Ecology were just real bad... Confused, misinformed, utterly out of date 💀 it was really frustrating to read at least as a Biologist. I had to drop the books because I just wanted to cry and shout at the same time. Since then I'm a bit careful 😅
Yeah I can see bad science in books rough if that's your area
Looking forward to reading “Saturn Run”, thanks for the recommendation. My favorite book is “New Eden” by Kishore Tipirneni…it deals with quantum entanglement.
That sounds cool
Seveneves is the best.
I need to finish Saturn Run. I wasn't able to finish it before it was due back at the library.
Hopefully you get it back
Hard science fiction-Sir Arthur C Clarke is the best!..
Agreed!
I thought Seveneves was awesome. I love books that make me think, work for understanding and stretch my imagination. Alastair Reynolds (one of my current favorites!) is another SciFi author that adheres to believable science in his stories. Highly recommended.
I definitely need to read more Reynolds
I started this video hoping you would mention “Seven Eves!” It certainly fit your definition of Hard Sci Fi and was one of the books that really stuck with me long after I read it. As you note, the science is interspersed with great character development and very believable human conflict. There is also a scientist in the book who is pretty obviously patterned on a certain famous and high-profile astrophysicist and science popularizer. As always, Stephenson’s prose is top notch, as is his plotting and characterization. I don’t always agree with your picks, but I would very highly recommend “Seven Eves” to anyone who has even a tangential interest in Science Fiction! Thank you for another excellent video!
Awesome that our picks aligned on this topic. And now I want to know which Astrophysicist you're referring to
@@TheShadesofOrange I’m sure you know which character in the book I’m referring to …. Stephenson uses him as sort of the explainer for what is going on from an earthbound science explainer POV and he ultimately ends up on the station. It has been awhile since I read it, but I recall thinking that it had to be a thinly veiled version of Neil DeGrasse Tyson. I have hoped S would put out a sequel … several of the concepts introduced in the final section of the book (trying not to let slip too many spoilers) could be launch points for a continued story. Thank you again for your videos. While an avid reader, I can’t begin to approach you for sheer quantity, so I rely on you for offering your viewers menus (and by genre yet) that we can take suggestions from. I also agree with another commenter that Weir’s “Hail Mary Project” would have been ideal for this particular video.
@@TheShadesofOrange Rereading my first post to you, I think maybe I seemed a bit harsh when I wrote “I don’t always agree with your picks.” I’m very grateful that you put out your videos, and I have acquired and read many books as the result of your recommendations. While not as voracious a reader as you are, I do read 4-7 books a week and I am always on the lookout for new authors and new material. What I actually meant is that some of the categories you review have little interest for me (particularly fantasy) although I have sampled a few on your recommendation. Obviously you review a wide range of genres and you can’t please everyone all of the time. Individual tastes vary and sometimes you will give a book high marks that I and other readers don’t find appealing (you like Crichton; I think he was a mediocre writer whose character development and plotting was always given short shrift in favor of his science gimmick-du-jour (his earlier work was better). Perhaps my bias against him partly stems from his right-wing politics and climate-change denial. Anyway, different strokes and all of that. Thank you again for the videos and for your reviews; books play a significant role in enriching my life and I certainly appreciate being exposed to new (or never read older) ones through your videos.
@cedarwaxwing3509 I was wondering if it was DeGrasse... he's the only Astrophysicist I know 😅
@cedarwaxwing3509 first I didn't think you came across as harsh at all. And quite frankly I think it would be boring if everyone had identifical book tastes & opinions. I liked perspectives that challenge my preconceived ideas. And I also like watching my own tastes evolve. I do love Jurassic Park, so I won't pretend otherwise but I've only read a few of his books at this point so I'm not a diehard fan. That's disappointing to learn that the author has some very divisive views. I may now have to warily go a look up more about this....
The pessimist in me LOVES a series that no one knows about.
The only Climate Change book i loved..for the retribution aspect.
The Silent Warrior
L.E Modesitt
...ya
Reading sci fi since 66
The list had both classic well known as well as some lesser ones as the Zodiac to be added to my TBR. I would have added for example some of Greg Egan's books as most of them are heavily based on scientific elements.
Yes Egan could definitely be included in this list
A great mix of old favorites, already on my TBR and several new to add to my TBR, thanks!
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BIG LOVE for Seveneves, such a great book. 👍 ❤
YES!
I wonder if World War Z by Max Brooks counts as Hard Sci Fi? When combined with Zombie Survival Guide, which is basically a predecessor to World War Z, it feels so real that it was what got me into Hard Sci Fi and i highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys Hard Sci Fi.
It definitely leans into as much realism as possible
The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers.
A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C Clarke
As an avid reader of hard SF, you still had two books that I hadn't read yet to add to my list.
Happy I was happy to add some new titles to your potential tbr
Read The Seedling Stars by James Blish....
Yeah Rachel in the house!
☺️
Gibraltar Earth by Michael McCollum
First book of trilogy by aeronautical engineer. Interstellar ship from Earth encounters two alien ships where one is attacking the other. The attacker destroys a human shuttle. The human mothership is able to destroy the attacker with the unconventional use of tech. They then explore the damaged alien ship that was attacked.
This story gets into a lot of politics of how to deal with the aliens who are obviously dangerous.
I'll see if I can find the book
Nice video. Thanks! Seveneves is one of my all time favorites, I'm glad you mentioned it. And after watching this I think it's time to read Saturn Run.
Glad you also enjoy it
If you're interested in hard SF, take a look at the Wikipedia entry for it. The list of authors and examples it provides is very helpful.
This video rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. I started cringing whenever the word "science" was used. Like, "hard science fiction happens when authors use scientific principles in their writing to integrate real science into the plot, so that when their scientist characters use science to science, then you know you're reading hard SF." Exaggerated, of course, but only a little...
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3:00 Is the channel names after that cover?
I was surprised not even a mention of Dr. Issac Asimov most amazing life and literature.
Definitely not an exhaustive list. So many notable authors I didn't mention
I don't like those books but I still like listening to you
Why thanks!
I would love to hear your thoughts on The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell!
Ooo they are ... not good
The expanse :)))
Neal Stephenson's books are coated . . . coded? . . . in hard science fiction.
Seven Eves is great.
Haha love that
AC/DC - Hard As A Rock
To be taught if fortunate is probably the most realistic FTL travel.
Such a good novella!
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“The Earth is soon going to become inhabitable.” I do not think that word means what you think it means.
Hahaha definitely meant the opposite 😆
I wish it was easier to search for the books that you’ve reviewed on TH-cam.
You can always use her goodreads account… its what i do 😅
I wish too! TH-cam does me no favours. The Goodreads link is probably the best suggestion
@@TheShadesofOrange You don't say what books you're reviewing in the description. Listing the books would probably increase the views.
Hey there hello there
👍👍👍👍
One book I recommend for its scientific attitude rather than actually being Hard SF is:
*Komarr* by Lois McMaster Bujold
In the Vorkosiverse wormholes are used for Faster Than Light travel. But in any supposed interstellar civilization the engineers and scientists must have significant understanding of the physics and technology that makes the society possible.
I have only seen one review that points out the scientific investigation in this story. Everyone else makes a big deal of the bad marriage and emotional tension in the story. But the story happens because of misunderstood physics. The characters involve 2 engineers, 2 mathematicians and 2 physicists though one of them is dead before the beginning of the story.
I appreciate your rec
@@TheShadesofOrange
The trouble is that it is kind of far into the series and just jumping into the middle might not best present the story. But it is something that bugged me about all of the reviews I have watched.
Have you read any of the Vorkosigan series?
Science fiction is hardly fiction
11:57 Rude! just because people views differ doesn’t make them incorrect.
I thought I was being sassy because I didn't realize it was controversial to believe protecting the environment is actually that controversial anymore
@@TheShadesofOrange My aplologies I was having a bad day yesterday. Yes, it is very important to keep our enviroment.
It bothers me when people say "this and that is wrong you are bad". Basicly it's a matter of opinion just becuase I think this and that doesn't make it wrong.
Different arguement different situation. MY BAD
@MoonLightAmethyst_ my sassy not funny hit a few people wrong so I don't think it was you. I recorded this a few months ago re-watching the clip didn't think it came across very cute
😄 Promo-SM
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Crichton uses a lot of pseudoscience in his books, I wouldn’t add it as hard science
Yeah... I recorded this video a while ago and I'm questioning my past decision as I posted this ....
His books are still enjoyable though. Jurassic park is well worth the read!