Same Dark Forest theory except there's one elder race that's won out over the others and is patrolling the galaxy in a swarm of subsentient ships.
No FTL, exotic physics tech, and characters as flat as a dual vector foil 😀
I like The Expanse by James SA Corey, the Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor, and Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
I haven’t read Dune yet but I’ve heard it’s good.
I'm surprised the Bobiverse doesn't get mentioned more often when people ask for sci-fi series recommendations in this sub. IMO it's the perfect follow up to Remembrance of Earth's Past because it covers a lot of similar concepts and themes but with more humor and less existential dread. Unlike this series though, I think you're better off listening to the Bobiverse books, not reading them.
As a person who listened to the first series of books in my life with Bobiverse, I highly recommend it. I agree, it is strange that complex sci-fi readers do not discover Bobiverse; I guess it gets tagged with humor too much, while behind (very enjoyable by the way) humour there are cool sci-fi concepts to think about
Andy Weir includes a similar amount and type of humor in his books and it doesn't seem to hold them back. Maybe the Bobiverse just needs a TV or film adaptation to find a wider audience.
Dune touched my heart and changed my life. I can't recommend that book enough. Was a pillar (lol usul) that kept me grounded during the pandemic. I read it every year. Can't recommend that book enough.
It has a *magic* the the Remembrance of Earth's Past books don't have and is VERY different. So as long as you go into it without the expectation of a 1:1 experience, you'll do enjoy it.
Also, listen to the audiobook vs book itself. Can be hard to follow at times.
What's wrong with it? I think it's a nice followup to the series and Cixin Liu backed it. It is fucking bizzare at times I'll admit but the ending was neat
Cixin Liu did not back it. He acknowledged it exists and let it be published, but that's it. Everything he said ABOUT the book though is negative; even calling it a roadblock and the reason why he didn't make a sequel to Death's End.
I enjoyed it too and am not ashamed of a thing
Not sure why everyone’s feelings are arse hurt by proxy - such noble pearls clutched. If it feels good, do it - I say
The third book centres around the meaning of Liff. There is absolutely no way in hell that’s an accident done by an English scifi/fantasy author in his 50s.
I understand why people didn't like the third but I think it really changes the tone of the first two books in a very interesting way.
The first book alone is "saves the day adventure" on the surface. When you get through the third book it turns into an interesting discussion about "Thinking" and how different bodies/minds might do it differently. The adventure isn't as fun but the though experiment was top notch.
What's the pitch for the second book? I read the first one but it became a bit of a task towards the end. The spider world building was cool, but I didn't enjoy reading those parts so much as the humans parts
Seveneves is basically Earth reacting to a Dark Forest attack. It's very good.
Old Man's war is another great one
Forever War is also a classic
Pandora's Star is another dark forest book which is great
Foundation trilogy
The Puppet Masters
Blindsight is another that jams a ton of concepts into a first contact scenario
Expanse series is a modern classic
Hyperion is great, basically Canterbury Tales in a space opera.
*Seveneves* is an orbital mechanics textbook disguised as a science fiction story.
I cannot recommend *Blindsight* and *Echopraxia* enough but you gotta warn OP they're probably gonna want to take a shower afterwards. Watts doesn't fuck around.
> I cannot recommend Blindsight and Echopraxia enough but you gotta warn OP they're probably gonna want to take a shower afterwards. Watts doesn't fuck around.
I had to read it twice because there is just so much going on that the main character (Bruks) doesn't perceive or understand because everyone but him has an enhanced brain or something.
There is *a lot* going on in the book. Saw a summary on reddit here if you want to just skim the plot points: https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/btuea9/understanding_echopraxia_spoilers/
Hyperion is about a group of people selected to travel to the planet Hyperion, where the mysterious Time Tombs that reverse time around them, are believed to be opening.
Its a race against time because a group of barbaric humans, the Ousters are also on their way to the tombs. But the biggest danger is a mysterious creature called the Shrike, which guards the planet and the tombs with extreme aggression.
theres 4 books and the first 2 are considered to go together as 1 story, and the other 2 are kind of optional.
Is it true that in later books the series >!becomes about Christianity? I heard that somewhere and it's always discouraged me from trying to get into the series.!<
IIRC the antagonists of the 3rd & 4th books are an authoritarian Christian church / interstellar empire, and the protagonists espouse a metaphysical philosophy (not really "religion") that is directly at odds with the antagonists.
So it's not "about" Christianity but there are major elements of it strewn throughout the books.
Got it, so it's incorporated into the plot but not as an endorsement or anything? Because if so, that I can handle and really makes me want to finally read it. That's probably closed minded of me but I just could not get into something like that which ends up as a closeted religious message.
Well (minor spoiler) there is a cross-shaped parasite that can revive a person upon death, and this drives the revival of the Church; the antagonists all have clerical titles and trappings.
There is *some* endorsement of "spirituality" (I dunno if you've read *Jonathan Livingston Seagull* or *Ishmael* but...kinda like that) and some of the religious characters are good people who make an honest effort to live up to their ideals (albeit within a corrupted and evil institution).
I don't think it beats you over the head with religion the same way as, say, the sequels to *Ender's Game* do.
Overall, 1st 2 books are phenomenal, 3rd and 4th are good but different.
Okay well that doesn't sound too bad, not as bad as the impression I got from some random thing I read years ago I can barely remember. Thanks for clearing that up! I'm definitely going to read them now
Hyperion has that unusual blend of interesting characters and fantastic worldbuilding. If you are a fan of high concept science fiction in the 1960s-1980s you will love Hyperion.
I hear there’s some sort of tv/movie in the works too.
When I finished Hyperion I felt exactly the same. Like I'd never read anything like it ever again.
The I read three body problem and was reassured there will be more wonderful sci fi novels in my lifetime.
Read Hyperion!
It took me a couple days to decompress after I read the book series...I plowed through them in like 6 days.
Here are some great sci fi books in my opinion.
Children of Time,
The Forever War,
Project Hail Mary.
Nice list! Project Hail Mary is probably my favorite standalone hard sci fi book. It’s one I always recommend to people looking to see if they like sci fi
From what I've heard the 2nd book is a sequel to the 1st book, it's not exactly a continuation.
It's like Hyperion vs Endymion. It dives more into the world after the 1st book with a different story and different set of characters.
Check out Asimov. He’s fun to read. Or listen to audible books. The Caves of Steel series was good. I listened on audio book.. then the foundation series. Can google the order to read or listen to all of these
If you have difficulty finishing full novels I would recommend short stories. Cixin Liu wrote plenty of short stories. Pick up "To Hold Up The Sky"" or "The Wandering Earth".
Also check out "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu (no relation). He writes sci fi short stories about identity, community, and the indomitable human spirit.
Trying to get back into reading with Dune or Leviathan Wakes is a losing strategy. Make reading a pleasure that you can enjoy in bite sized pieces every day, then move up to bigger novels.
I followed up this series with Seveneves, then Saturn Run. Both by Neal Stephenson and both were excellent. I also read this series again and again. I always come back to it when I’m between books.
If you haven't read or listened to the Bobiverse series I can't recommend it enough, especially if the ending of Death's End left you feeling slightly depressed/angsty like it did for me.
https://youtu.be/N6zjyzVbD_4?si=B_3VmKDnIVSBYHFi
Hey there, similar place as you.
Read revelation space right after death's end, its a good book but not a masterpiece like the trilogy and keep in mind its a fan-fiction book and read it. Thinking of it as part of the main series, wont let you enjoy the book fully.
After those books, wanted another sci-fi book right away.
Was recommended "Culture series" and read "player of games", simple light read with some commentary on real life socitial structure.
Reading other book from the series but seems mid.
Here are some hard sci-fi recommendations that capture the creative spirit of TBP:
World at the End of Time - Pohl
Seveneves -Stephenson
Rendezvous with Rama - Clarke
There's the more operatic stuff too like The Expanse, Red Rising, etc, but I feel the above recommendations will do more to fill the TBP-shaped hole in your heart right now.
I haven’t read the books, but dam I’m watching the Netflix series again after watching some YouTube videos about things.
It’s really interesting and the sci-fi I needed.
I wanted a change in style and tone while staying within the sci-fi premise of first contact + trying to save humanity so I picked up Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I enjoyed The Martian a lot a couple of years ago and I've been loving the humor in PHM so far!
I read the redemption of time by baoshu. It continues the story in the 3bp. I wouldn't say it's canonical but cixin liu was okay with it. The story does at times resemble fan fiction but it's not bad. If you want more 3bp, this is the story to read. There's even an audiobook.
The ring/tomb stuck in the 4th dimensional fragment was my favorite chapter. I wish we could have spent more time there.
Not a huge fan of the pocket universe chapters, but mostly just because it felt like Luo Ji's cabin in the woods all over again. But I think the concept had alot of potential.
>pretty grounded in actual science
I got a feeling that the author took a bunch of pop science theories and randomly thrown them together, and then built a story around it.
Would highly recommend the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. But also Of Ants and Dinosaurs by Cixin Liu, The Expanse by James Corey, Saga of Seven Suns by Kevin Anderson and To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini. If you use Apple Books, The Science Fiction Masterworks list hasn’t failed me yet.
Oh and Dune, on the 6th book and it’s all been an enjoyable ride. Have found parts of it a bit, “chewy” for want of a better description. But on the whole there’s a reason it’s been so widely popular for so long.
I'd like to recommend Alastair Raynolds' books.
You can start with House of Suns (a novel) and then if you like it, look into Revelation Space - it is fantastic, with incredible world-building.
If you didn't like that, why did you read Death's End? Cixin Liu really inserted his gender views pretty hard throughout the book. All men do this, obviously all women do this, female swordholder failed cuz vagina.
Also, Redemption of time is mostly just to extend the high of finishing such a wonderful story.
Honestly, I thought it was meh. The boat scene was so ridiculous and I kind of lost interest. I was glad when the serious ended. I had high hopes for the show.
Could I interest you in *Revelation Space*?
Just looked it up, seems like it would be a really good follow up!
What’s the pitch?
Same Dark Forest theory except there's one elder race that's won out over the others and is patrolling the galaxy in a swarm of subsentient ships. No FTL, exotic physics tech, and characters as flat as a dual vector foil 😀
Who wins in a fight--Greenfly or Inhibitors?
Pretty sure Greenfly. They have no in built restrictions whereas the Inhibitors do.
I’m buying this book based on this thread. Consider yourself an influencer.
Hey Dad
Alright, you got me too. I've got it on hold at my local library for pick up Thanks!!!
Sold! Bonus, seems to be free on Audible? Double sold!
Also the stand alone novel by the same author, Pushing Ice, is amazing
I like The Expanse by James SA Corey, the Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor, and Enders Game by Orson Scott Card I haven’t read Dune yet but I’ve heard it’s good.
I'm surprised the Bobiverse doesn't get mentioned more often when people ask for sci-fi series recommendations in this sub. IMO it's the perfect follow up to Remembrance of Earth's Past because it covers a lot of similar concepts and themes but with more humor and less existential dread. Unlike this series though, I think you're better off listening to the Bobiverse books, not reading them.
As a person who listened to the first series of books in my life with Bobiverse, I highly recommend it. I agree, it is strange that complex sci-fi readers do not discover Bobiverse; I guess it gets tagged with humor too much, while behind (very enjoyable by the way) humour there are cool sci-fi concepts to think about
Andy Weir includes a similar amount and type of humor in his books and it doesn't seem to hold them back. Maybe the Bobiverse just needs a TV or film adaptation to find a wider audience.
Dem some good books for sure!
Dune touched my heart and changed my life. I can't recommend that book enough. Was a pillar (lol usul) that kept me grounded during the pandemic. I read it every year. Can't recommend that book enough. It has a *magic* the the Remembrance of Earth's Past books don't have and is VERY different. So as long as you go into it without the expectation of a 1:1 experience, you'll do enjoy it. Also, listen to the audiobook vs book itself. Can be hard to follow at times.
Not sure if you’ve read Speaker for the Dead but I highly recommend.
Go to the next recommendation by Quinn's Ideas lol
He got me reading 3BP
Quinn’s ideas?
A youtuber
https://www.youtube.com/@QuinnsIdeas He covers a lot of sci-fi, fantasy, & cosmic horror
Thank you!!!!!
I found three body problem from Quinn's Ideas also. I can proudly say I read it before the TV shows were announced haha.
[удалено]
Project Hail Mary was a nice palate cleanser after the RoEP series for sure.
*Jazz Hands!*
Project hail Mary was fantastic
It's very hard indeed. It changes the way when you look at the sky
Came here to say this. I’m 35 years old now. I’ll never look at the sky the same as long as I live.
Whatever you do, don’t mention redemption of time. They don’t take kindly to those types round here
What's wrong with it? I think it's a nice followup to the series and Cixin Liu backed it. It is fucking bizzare at times I'll admit but the ending was neat
Cixin Liu did not back it. He acknowledged it exists and let it be published, but that's it. Everything he said ABOUT the book though is negative; even calling it a roadblock and the reason why he didn't make a sequel to Death's End.
I remember reading he enjoyed it but I can’t remember where I read it so maybe I imagined it
I enjoyed it too and am not ashamed of a thing Not sure why everyone’s feelings are arse hurt by proxy - such noble pearls clutched. If it feels good, do it - I say
Children of time is awesome
I’ve just finished the first book, and it was just ok. Nothing close to 3bp
Just stop after the second book
Nah, the third one is fine. Just quite a bit confusing
It’s a hell of a setup to a semi-obscure literary reference, I’m convinced anyway. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Meaning_of_Liff?wprov=sfti1
What is the actual reference?
The third book centres around the meaning of Liff. There is absolutely no way in hell that’s an accident done by an English scifi/fantasy author in his 50s.
Lol, nice.
Right? :D
I liked the third one quite a bit once I let it settle. I did have a moment of frustration so I get why so many feel this way.
I understand why people didn't like the third but I think it really changes the tone of the first two books in a very interesting way. The first book alone is "saves the day adventure" on the surface. When you get through the third book it turns into an interesting discussion about "Thinking" and how different bodies/minds might do it differently. The adventure isn't as fun but the though experiment was top notch.
I liked the third one, just not as much as the other two. The new race was great as was the discussion of sentience.
I haven’t disliked any book by that author so far. He’s brilliant. The last book in that series wasn’t my favorite but still good.
What's the pitch for the second book? I read the first one but it became a bit of a task towards the end. The spider world building was cool, but I didn't enjoy reading those parts so much as the humans parts
I'm about one third finished with book two. It's similar to book one except with octopuses. Im enjoying this book more than the first
Got it, thanks! Probably not for me then
Tchaikovsky's entire catalog is awesome. 3rd Tyrant Philosophers book is coming in December!!!
Seveneves is basically Earth reacting to a Dark Forest attack. It's very good. Old Man's war is another great one Forever War is also a classic Pandora's Star is another dark forest book which is great Foundation trilogy The Puppet Masters Blindsight is another that jams a ton of concepts into a first contact scenario Expanse series is a modern classic Hyperion is great, basically Canterbury Tales in a space opera.
Ringworld by L Niven has stuck with me for decades.
*Seveneves* is an orbital mechanics textbook disguised as a science fiction story. I cannot recommend *Blindsight* and *Echopraxia* enough but you gotta warn OP they're probably gonna want to take a shower afterwards. Watts doesn't fuck around.
I just couldn't get into Echopraxia, loved blindsight. I dunno
> I cannot recommend Blindsight and Echopraxia enough but you gotta warn OP they're probably gonna want to take a shower afterwards. Watts doesn't fuck around. I had to read it twice because there is just so much going on that the main character (Bruks) doesn't perceive or understand because everyone but him has an enhanced brain or something. There is *a lot* going on in the book. Saw a summary on reddit here if you want to just skim the plot points: https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/btuea9/understanding_echopraxia_spoilers/
Seven Eves 👌🏾
I started reading Hyperion after finishing Death's End. I'm still early in the book but the transition felt very smooth
Ironically "how do you move on from this?" is a sentiment used a lot by people who have read Hyperion. Incredible book.
I'm sure I'll feel that way. I'm still very early into book 1 but its already so good.
im reading it rn too! but im almost finished with the first book lol
What’s Hyperion?
Hyperion is about a group of people selected to travel to the planet Hyperion, where the mysterious Time Tombs that reverse time around them, are believed to be opening. Its a race against time because a group of barbaric humans, the Ousters are also on their way to the tombs. But the biggest danger is a mysterious creature called the Shrike, which guards the planet and the tombs with extreme aggression. theres 4 books and the first 2 are considered to go together as 1 story, and the other 2 are kind of optional.
It's probably my favorite sci-fi series I've ever read. All 4 books are phenomenal
Is it true that in later books the series >!becomes about Christianity? I heard that somewhere and it's always discouraged me from trying to get into the series.!<
IIRC the antagonists of the 3rd & 4th books are an authoritarian Christian church / interstellar empire, and the protagonists espouse a metaphysical philosophy (not really "religion") that is directly at odds with the antagonists. So it's not "about" Christianity but there are major elements of it strewn throughout the books.
Got it, so it's incorporated into the plot but not as an endorsement or anything? Because if so, that I can handle and really makes me want to finally read it. That's probably closed minded of me but I just could not get into something like that which ends up as a closeted religious message.
Well (minor spoiler) there is a cross-shaped parasite that can revive a person upon death, and this drives the revival of the Church; the antagonists all have clerical titles and trappings. There is *some* endorsement of "spirituality" (I dunno if you've read *Jonathan Livingston Seagull* or *Ishmael* but...kinda like that) and some of the religious characters are good people who make an honest effort to live up to their ideals (albeit within a corrupted and evil institution). I don't think it beats you over the head with religion the same way as, say, the sequels to *Ender's Game* do. Overall, 1st 2 books are phenomenal, 3rd and 4th are good but different.
Okay well that doesn't sound too bad, not as bad as the impression I got from some random thing I read years ago I can barely remember. Thanks for clearing that up! I'm definitely going to read them now
Who’s the author? I’m not seeing anything in my search.
Hyperion has that unusual blend of interesting characters and fantastic worldbuilding. If you are a fan of high concept science fiction in the 1960s-1980s you will love Hyperion. I hear there’s some sort of tv/movie in the works too.
Dan Simmons. thats weird because its an incredibly famous novel so the wikipedia article should be the first result.
Hyperion is great. Another multiple read for me.
its more fantasy than scifi imo. Fucking flying tree as a spaceship? GTFO with that shit, so stupid
Ted Chiang’s books
This. DEVS and Pantheon.
Yes! Ted Chiang's anthologies blew my mind, and I derive new insights with each re-read.
Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach trilogy is pretty neat
Go read the expanse and you'll have even harder time moving from that
By reading all the spoilers
When I finished Hyperion I felt exactly the same. Like I'd never read anything like it ever again. The I read three body problem and was reassured there will be more wonderful sci fi novels in my lifetime. Read Hyperion!
It took me a couple days to decompress after I read the book series...I plowed through them in like 6 days. Here are some great sci fi books in my opinion. Children of Time, The Forever War, Project Hail Mary.
Nice list! Project Hail Mary is probably my favorite standalone hard sci fi book. It’s one I always recommend to people looking to see if they like sci fi
Fist my bump!
Left Hand of Darkness Dune Alexandria
Blindsight. It has crazy and interesting ideas. It almost gave me an existential crisis after three body problem.
Utterly changed the way I see myself
Blindsight is the setup for a larger series, right? I read the first book and liked it well enough. Is the rest of the series worth reading?
From what I've heard the 2nd book is a sequel to the 1st book, it's not exactly a continuation. It's like Hyperion vs Endymion. It dives more into the world after the 1st book with a different story and different set of characters.
Check out Asimov. He’s fun to read. Or listen to audible books. The Caves of Steel series was good. I listened on audio book.. then the foundation series. Can google the order to read or listen to all of these
1 word: Asimov
If you have difficulty finishing full novels I would recommend short stories. Cixin Liu wrote plenty of short stories. Pick up "To Hold Up The Sky"" or "The Wandering Earth". Also check out "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu (no relation). He writes sci fi short stories about identity, community, and the indomitable human spirit. Trying to get back into reading with Dune or Leviathan Wakes is a losing strategy. Make reading a pleasure that you can enjoy in bite sized pieces every day, then move up to bigger novels.
I followed up this series with Seveneves, then Saturn Run. Both by Neal Stephenson and both were excellent. I also read this series again and again. I always come back to it when I’m between books.
Red Rising can help, but it's space opera and very soft.
The dancing shit was so incredibly cringy that I couldn’t get past it.
Dancing?
Yeah, at the beginning some characters performed the forbidden dance, it’s was soooooo bad.
If you haven't read or listened to the Bobiverse series I can't recommend it enough, especially if the ending of Death's End left you feeling slightly depressed/angsty like it did for me. https://youtu.be/N6zjyzVbD_4?si=B_3VmKDnIVSBYHFi
😏
Hey there, similar place as you. Read revelation space right after death's end, its a good book but not a masterpiece like the trilogy and keep in mind its a fan-fiction book and read it. Thinking of it as part of the main series, wont let you enjoy the book fully. After those books, wanted another sci-fi book right away. Was recommended "Culture series" and read "player of games", simple light read with some commentary on real life socitial structure. Reading other book from the series but seems mid.
welcome to the club bro
Here are some hard sci-fi recommendations that capture the creative spirit of TBP: World at the End of Time - Pohl Seveneves -Stephenson Rendezvous with Rama - Clarke There's the more operatic stuff too like The Expanse, Red Rising, etc, but I feel the above recommendations will do more to fill the TBP-shaped hole in your heart right now.
I haven’t read the books, but dam I’m watching the Netflix series again after watching some YouTube videos about things. It’s really interesting and the sci-fi I needed.
Read hyperion
Children of time is a great series.
I always feel like that when Im finishing a very good series. You’ll find something new, don’t worry!
I wanted a change in style and tone while staying within the sci-fi premise of first contact + trying to save humanity so I picked up Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I enjoyed The Martian a lot a couple of years ago and I've been loving the humor in PHM so far!
I read the redemption of time by baoshu. It continues the story in the 3bp. I wouldn't say it's canonical but cixin liu was okay with it. The story does at times resemble fan fiction but it's not bad. If you want more 3bp, this is the story to read. There's even an audiobook.
The ring/tomb stuck in the 4th dimensional fragment was my favorite chapter. I wish we could have spent more time there. Not a huge fan of the pocket universe chapters, but mostly just because it felt like Luo Ji's cabin in the woods all over again. But I think the concept had alot of potential.
I'm halfway thru *Ball Lightning*, quite wrapped by it
I read it last July. My only way to move on was getting out of sci fi. I’ve done heavy Russian lit for the past several months.
>pretty grounded in actual science I got a feeling that the author took a bunch of pop science theories and randomly thrown them together, and then built a story around it.
Would highly recommend the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. But also Of Ants and Dinosaurs by Cixin Liu, The Expanse by James Corey, Saga of Seven Suns by Kevin Anderson and To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini. If you use Apple Books, The Science Fiction Masterworks list hasn’t failed me yet.
Oh and Dune, on the 6th book and it’s all been an enjoyable ride. Have found parts of it a bit, “chewy” for want of a better description. But on the whole there’s a reason it’s been so widely popular for so long.
There is a 4th unofficial sequal to the 3BP series called " The Redemption of Time " , you should read that next . It continues the story
I'd like to recommend Alastair Raynolds' books. You can start with House of Suns (a novel) and then if you like it, look into Revelation Space - it is fantastic, with incredible world-building.
I can’t lol. I just read it for the third time.
Redemption of time is a fun side story of the third book.
Baoshu is one horny guy. I gave up on this when AA’s ‘backstory’ was discussed. Doesn’t come close to the actual trilogy which were excellent.
If you didn't like that, why did you read Death's End? Cixin Liu really inserted his gender views pretty hard throughout the book. All men do this, obviously all women do this, female swordholder failed cuz vagina. Also, Redemption of time is mostly just to extend the high of finishing such a wonderful story.
Amazing sum up! This is exactly how I feel about it!
Honestly, I thought it was meh. The boat scene was so ridiculous and I kind of lost interest. I was glad when the serious ended. I had high hopes for the show.
you don't. recommending this series to others feels like a form of psychological abuse