Science Fiction

Books

• Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

  Hard sci-fi with some interesting ideas for an alien ecosystem. Pairs well with Parasite Rex

• ★ Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (8-book series)

  Fast-paced, fun young adult sci-fi series

• Seeds by Peter Cawdron (2-book series)

• The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal

  Had to force myself to finish this, I don’t know why this was nominated for a Hugo. There are some interesting ideas, but in the end this is a detective story where the main character is an unlikable Space Karen that uses her money to bully everyone around her.

• The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells (8-book series)

• Upgrade by Blake Crouch

  Another plot-driven sci-fi popcorn read with a familiar story line

• The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

  Popcorn read that is pretty much what you expect from the title. Enjoyable read, but I’m surprised it was nominated for the Hugo.

• Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor (4-book series)

  Bob’s consciousness is uploaded into a spaceship’s, which heads out to explore the universe. Casual, style reminiscent of The Martian. Final book in the series completely skippable.

• Cheela by Robert L. Forward (2-book series)

  The evolution and biology of a vastly different form of life living on a neutron star. Some interesting ideas, but should have been half the length. Written in the 80s and showing it’s age.

• The Player of Games by Iain Banks

• Firefall by Peter Watts (3-book series)

  Quick series with some interesting ideas (human hive minds, vampires in space).

• ★ The Expanse by James S. A. Corey (16-book series)

  Space antics with realistic physics. Quality dips midway through, but first few books are great. I haven’t watched the show yet.

• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

• 11/22/63 by Stephen King

• ★ Version Control by Dexter Palmer

  Not for everyone, but I enjoyed this more than I expected. Nominally about time travel, but the evolution and permutations of adult friendships resonated with me.

• ★ Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

• Recursion by Blake Crouch

• ★ Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

  After the disappointing Artemis, Andy Weir is back with a read that recaptures the nerdy fun of The Martian

• Exhalation by Ted Chiang

• The Interdependency by John Scalzi (3-book series)

• The Long Winter by A. G. Riddle (3-book series)

• ★ Replay by Ken Grimwood

• ★ The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

• Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

• ★ Redshirts by John Scalzi

• ★ Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

• ★★ The Martian by Andy Weir

• Silo by Hugh Howey (3-book series)

• ★ Ringworld by Larry Niven

• Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson (3-book series)

• Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks

• Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (4-book series)

• ★ Dune by Frank Herbert

• ★★ The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury