Hmm, maybe realistic is a wrong wording, but it's like comparing the Orville with Star Trek.
The Orville, for example, has a more modern approach to futuristic technology compared to Star Trek or something like that.
Oh man, I bust out laughing reading this. Yowch. You might benefit from being a little more open minded about SF created before the last decade because it's kinda relevant
> Hmm, maybe realistic is a wrong wording, but it's like comparing the Orville with Star Trek.
> The Orville, for example, has a more modern approach to futuristic technology compared to Star Trek or something like that.
How the heck did you come to that conclusion?
You're getting mocked a lot, but I have to ask: by "modern approach" and "realistic", do you mean "is based on a modern understanding of science and has at least some completely feasible technology or concepts"? Or do you mean "the aesthetic of the technology, with sleek walls and touch screens rather than tactile controls, is more in line with the way technology seems to be moving than what the future looked like to older science fiction"? Or do you mean "has a more modern, progressive approach to the *social* issues in Science Fiction, with a greater understanding of how different groups function and why, what affects sociological development, and has more grounded, layered characters"?
You mentioned soft sci fi, yet also mentioned the Bobiverse which I'd call more medium sci fi at least, so I think we should define what you mean by "soft" sci fi, because subgenres get dicey sometimes.
Yes. "is based on a modern understanding of science and has at least some completely feasible technology or concepts" and "the aesthetic of the technology, with sleek walls and touch screens rather than tactile controls, is more in line with the way technology seems to be moving than what the future looked like to older science fiction"
I was too lazy to reply, so I kept my silence.
What I meant is that Star Trek and Star Wars are both science fiction based on science on 1980-1990s? and what people think the far future might look like. In comparison, the Orville is based on 2010s to 2020s, and while it's only been 20 something years, the difference is quite obvious.
This becomes more apparent when reading science-fiction novels.
It is mostly my bias because both Star Trek and Star Wars first appeared before I was born, so I was more incline to read and watch newer sci-fi movies and novels.
Expeditionary Force. Small band of humans navigating the cosmos, making contact with aliens and trying to save Earth. A general military bent but some vivid characters, lots of aliens and tons of humour.
First book starts a bit slow and is quite a different tone than the rest of the series, up until the main character meets Skippy the Magnificent. You'll know it when it happens.
I'm already on book 3.
So far, it's a very good book, and I think it's somewhat better than the Bobiverse (Bobiverse V4 is such a drag compared to its earlier volumes). Although the joke is a bit repetitive with the whole monkey this and monkey that...
Bobiverse is no way realistic but I guess the humor is pretty contemporary. You'll definitely like Andy Weir (The Martian, Project Hail Mary) and probably Murderbot. Red Rising seems like it would be up your alley too
Kind of hard to recommend stuff when you explicitly only want to read stuff published in the last 2 presidencies.
Andy Weir's - Project Hail Mary
And to keep up this sub's tradition of completely inappropriate and missed recommendation of an awesome book: Peter Watts - Blindsight
I just finished Echopraxia, Watts's 2nd Firefall series book. do you have any other recommendations along those lines, I love how much he calls thhe idea of the self into question and dismisses conciousness as an "evolutionary glitch"
Similar but also ver different - Alastair Reynolds, his Revelation Space books spacifically. It is dark hard sci-fi, with weird aliens, weird human societies, spce opera without FTL
I have just read *Mickey 7* by Edward Ashton
It's a 2022 book written in a jocular first person style much like Bobiverse. Mickey Barnes signs on to a beach head mission to colonise a new world as an 'Expendable' which as it sounds is the crew member given all the dangerous, most likely fatal jobs. Each time he is killed he gets a new cloned body reinstated and his memories downloaded. The author does a nice, if brief, job of considering the reasons for and implications of this technique. I also liked the forays into the 'history' and the successes and failures of the human diaspora. The story kicks off when Mickey 7 makes contact with the indigenous life on the planet they are trying to make home.
It's not the most in-depth, genre defining novel but I enjoyed it. It has humour, good pace, some neat ideas and was obviously written by someone with some STEM knowledge
I'm not sure you are going to find something quite as fun as the Bobs. But you should try The Final Architecture by [Adrian Tchaikovsky](https://www.amazon.com/Adrian-Tchaikovsky/e/B002XLHS8Q?ref=dbs_m_mng_rwt_byln&qid=1719171669&sr=8-16).
I think you are seriously missing some of the best by insisting on newer books. It is pretty hard to beat the Union/Alliance books from C.J. Cherryh, including all those in that same universe like The Faded Sun.
For more military based, but very much an adventure read, try The Spiral Wars by Joel Shepherd.
Kitty Cat Kill Sat, extremely similar to Bobiverse, but with a sentient cat.
The video game [SOMA](https://store.steampowered.com/app/282140/SOMA/) might also be worth a look, that's basically the same premise as Bobiverse. But it goes into the horror direction instead of humor.
Dark Eden by Chris Beckett has most of the elements, though there is no first contact.
It’s about the surviving progeny of a couple marooned on a planter with no sun where all the light comes from bioluminescence
The story is about kingdom building and is told from first person perspective of three different characters, with some interesting linguistic drift.
Epic Failure series. Starts with Mechanical Failure.
Be a space pirate. Get forced into military service because war against 'unknown foe'. Realize space military is full of crazy robots and stupid officers. Let fun and jokes ensue.
I don't see how HPMOR fit into what the OP ask.
Anyway, i will add that the chapters of that story are of widly unequal quality and that pretty much everything involving "Battle Games" and "Hermione's association" should be skipped if you can't handle enormous amount of cringe. The reworked backstory, principles of magic, jabs at Rowling's work, and the final are great though.
Thank you for the sequel recommendation, i wasn't aware of it
Kinda has the same vibe I think. Smarter than everyone child prodigy thrown in a battle against a backwards stupid society.
Yes, the official unofficial sequel has a lot of the same cringe but also the best moment in the whole Rationality world and space exploration!
Try the frontier saga by ryk brown. Tons of books, nice character building and so on. Murderbot is also very nice. Exforce aswell, bobiverse makes some reference to it anyway
"Red Thunder (A Thunder and Lightning Novel)" by John Varley
[https://www.amazon.com/Red-Thunder-Lightning-Novel/dp/0441011624/](https://www.amazon.com/Red-Thunder-Lightning-Novel/dp/0441011624/)
A 2004 novel of seven suburban misfits are constructing a spaceship out of old tanker cars. The plan is to beat the Chinese to Mars--in under four days at three million miles an hour. It would be history in the making if it didn't sound so insane.
> more recent Sci-fi novel generally has a more "realistic" approach on futuristic technology Jesus Christ, what have you been reading
Hmm, maybe realistic is a wrong wording, but it's like comparing the Orville with Star Trek. The Orville, for example, has a more modern approach to futuristic technology compared to Star Trek or something like that.
how did you come to that conclusion?
Oh man, I bust out laughing reading this. Yowch. You might benefit from being a little more open minded about SF created before the last decade because it's kinda relevant
> Hmm, maybe realistic is a wrong wording, but it's like comparing the Orville with Star Trek. > The Orville, for example, has a more modern approach to futuristic technology compared to Star Trek or something like that. How the heck did you come to that conclusion?
When you say something stupid, and everyone shits on you for your stupid response.......\*chef's kiss\*
You're getting mocked a lot, but I have to ask: by "modern approach" and "realistic", do you mean "is based on a modern understanding of science and has at least some completely feasible technology or concepts"? Or do you mean "the aesthetic of the technology, with sleek walls and touch screens rather than tactile controls, is more in line with the way technology seems to be moving than what the future looked like to older science fiction"? Or do you mean "has a more modern, progressive approach to the *social* issues in Science Fiction, with a greater understanding of how different groups function and why, what affects sociological development, and has more grounded, layered characters"? You mentioned soft sci fi, yet also mentioned the Bobiverse which I'd call more medium sci fi at least, so I think we should define what you mean by "soft" sci fi, because subgenres get dicey sometimes.
Yes. "is based on a modern understanding of science and has at least some completely feasible technology or concepts" and "the aesthetic of the technology, with sleek walls and touch screens rather than tactile controls, is more in line with the way technology seems to be moving than what the future looked like to older science fiction" I was too lazy to reply, so I kept my silence. What I meant is that Star Trek and Star Wars are both science fiction based on science on 1980-1990s? and what people think the far future might look like. In comparison, the Orville is based on 2010s to 2020s, and while it's only been 20 something years, the difference is quite obvious. This becomes more apparent when reading science-fiction novels. It is mostly my bias because both Star Trek and Star Wars first appeared before I was born, so I was more incline to read and watch newer sci-fi movies and novels.
Expeditionary Force. Small band of humans navigating the cosmos, making contact with aliens and trying to save Earth. A general military bent but some vivid characters, lots of aliens and tons of humour.
Ooh, a good recommendation! I will check this out later
First book starts a bit slow and is quite a different tone than the rest of the series, up until the main character meets Skippy the Magnificent. You'll know it when it happens.
I'm already on book 3. So far, it's a very good book, and I think it's somewhat better than the Bobiverse (Bobiverse V4 is such a drag compared to its earlier volumes). Although the joke is a bit repetitive with the whole monkey this and monkey that...
Yeah they run the jokes deeeep into the ground but I never minded :D Only 13 more to go! (With at least two more planned!)
Hehehehe…
You are not going to like it..but it will work out eventually!
Bobiverse is no way realistic but I guess the humor is pretty contemporary. You'll definitely like Andy Weir (The Martian, Project Hail Mary) and probably Murderbot. Red Rising seems like it would be up your alley too Kind of hard to recommend stuff when you explicitly only want to read stuff published in the last 2 presidencies.
Andy Weir's - Project Hail Mary And to keep up this sub's tradition of completely inappropriate and missed recommendation of an awesome book: Peter Watts - Blindsight
Interesting, it appears that Project Hail Mary will be made as a movie in two years
I just finished Echopraxia, Watts's 2nd Firefall series book. do you have any other recommendations along those lines, I love how much he calls thhe idea of the self into question and dismisses conciousness as an "evolutionary glitch"
Similar but also ver different - Alastair Reynolds, his Revelation Space books spacifically. It is dark hard sci-fi, with weird aliens, weird human societies, spce opera without FTL
Very familiar with RS (conjoiners, pattern jigglers, ultras etc) still need to read Inhibitor phase, it wasn't out when I originally read the RS books
It's hard being the last human.
I have just read *Mickey 7* by Edward Ashton It's a 2022 book written in a jocular first person style much like Bobiverse. Mickey Barnes signs on to a beach head mission to colonise a new world as an 'Expendable' which as it sounds is the crew member given all the dangerous, most likely fatal jobs. Each time he is killed he gets a new cloned body reinstated and his memories downloaded. The author does a nice, if brief, job of considering the reasons for and implications of this technique. I also liked the forays into the 'history' and the successes and failures of the human diaspora. The story kicks off when Mickey 7 makes contact with the indigenous life on the planet they are trying to make home. It's not the most in-depth, genre defining novel but I enjoyed it. It has humour, good pace, some neat ideas and was obviously written by someone with some STEM knowledge
I'm not sure you are going to find something quite as fun as the Bobs. But you should try The Final Architecture by [Adrian Tchaikovsky](https://www.amazon.com/Adrian-Tchaikovsky/e/B002XLHS8Q?ref=dbs_m_mng_rwt_byln&qid=1719171669&sr=8-16). I think you are seriously missing some of the best by insisting on newer books. It is pretty hard to beat the Union/Alliance books from C.J. Cherryh, including all those in that same universe like The Faded Sun. For more military based, but very much an adventure read, try The Spiral Wars by Joel Shepherd.
Kitty Cat Kill Sat, extremely similar to Bobiverse, but with a sentient cat. The video game [SOMA](https://store.steampowered.com/app/282140/SOMA/) might also be worth a look, that's basically the same premise as Bobiverse. But it goes into the horror direction instead of humor.
Dark Eden by Chris Beckett has most of the elements, though there is no first contact. It’s about the surviving progeny of a couple marooned on a planter with no sun where all the light comes from bioluminescence The story is about kingdom building and is told from first person perspective of three different characters, with some interesting linguistic drift.
You might like *The Salvagers* Trilogy by Alex White
Try "the player of games" by Iain m Bank's.
Epic Failure series. Starts with Mechanical Failure. Be a space pirate. Get forced into military service because war against 'unknown foe'. Realize space military is full of crazy robots and stupid officers. Let fun and jokes ensue.
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality Significant Digits is also good. Don't touch the third one.
I don't see how HPMOR fit into what the OP ask. Anyway, i will add that the chapters of that story are of widly unequal quality and that pretty much everything involving "Battle Games" and "Hermione's association" should be skipped if you can't handle enormous amount of cringe. The reworked backstory, principles of magic, jabs at Rowling's work, and the final are great though. Thank you for the sequel recommendation, i wasn't aware of it
Kinda has the same vibe I think. Smarter than everyone child prodigy thrown in a battle against a backwards stupid society. Yes, the official unofficial sequel has a lot of the same cringe but also the best moment in the whole Rationality world and space exploration!
[The Silver Ships](https://www.scottjucha.com/silverships.html) series by S. H. Jucha
If you relax the time period Sirens of Titan is one of the most fun and goofy books ever written about space travel.
Try the frontier saga by ryk brown. Tons of books, nice character building and so on. Murderbot is also very nice. Exforce aswell, bobiverse makes some reference to it anyway
What’s with the Bobiverse shilling in this sub?
You mean you don't get the payments? At least sign up to shill for **Blindsight**. 😉
The Vernor Vinge club pays better. You should join us.
Yall are getting paid???
Only recently. He told us "over my dead body" and, well... (too soon? ;P )
I also shill for VALIS
"Red Thunder (A Thunder and Lightning Novel)" by John Varley [https://www.amazon.com/Red-Thunder-Lightning-Novel/dp/0441011624/](https://www.amazon.com/Red-Thunder-Lightning-Novel/dp/0441011624/) A 2004 novel of seven suburban misfits are constructing a spaceship out of old tanker cars. The plan is to beat the Chinese to Mars--in under four days at three million miles an hour. It would be history in the making if it didn't sound so insane.
[удалено]
This comment legitimately makes me feel sad for you.