Best recent "hard" science fiction?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Best recent (like, this century) "hard" science fiction?

[Forkboy]

1. Most of Kim Stanley Robinson's stuff would fit, especially his Mars trilogy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_trilogy

[Richard D]

8. I second the Mars Trilogy.

Fantastic.

[n2doc]

2. Old Man's War trilogy-John Scalzi

Also most of Iain Banks' stuff

[baldguy]

11. If you like John Scalzi's books, read his blog:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/08/18/what-he-said/

[JackintheGreen]

3. Vernor Vinge needs to be mentioned

I mean, like, NEEDS to be mentioned.

[sharp_stick]

10. Seconded

A fire upon the deep and a Deepness in the Sky are two of my favorites.

Lot's of Fun.

[Salviati]

12. There is apparently a sequel coming out to A Fire Upon the Deep soon...

:bounce:

[pscot]

14. Thirded

High concept sci-fi.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. Those are more space opera than hard science fiction, imo.

[qnr]

4. Well, 'this century' as in the last 100 years :) I've always liked Robert L. Forward.

He was writing up until about 1997 I believe.

[angrycarpenter]

5. one of the most unique things I have read in years

is the Greatwinter trilogy by Sean Mcmullen. It is like nothing else and the story sticks with you for a long time.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatwinter

[AldebTX]

6. Another recommend of Forward

[baldguy]

7. Ian McDonald

Desolation Road & Ares Express

River of Gods & Cyberabad Days

[YankeyMCC]

17. Definately good choices also

even though it's a first novel I really feel "Windup Girl" by Paolo Bacigalupi is in the same league as "River of Gods"

[YankeyMCC]

18. del

wrong spot

[msedano]

9. ernest hogan

Cortez on Jupiter and High Aztech

http://www.flurb.net/10/hogan10.htm

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_M7LXYgknXMk/TFzczxHqfMI/AAAAAAAAA9U/fNZXHz1YFwI/s400/Illegal+AlienEse.jpeg

[Salviati]

13. Ian M. Banks, and Richard K. Morgan

Are two of my favorites.

[cemaphonic]

30. I wouldn't consider Banks remotely "hard"

I mean, I'm pretty sure he got the idea for the Lazy Gun by watching Road Runner cartoons.

But yeah, he's one of the best recent sci-fi writers.

[SheilaT]

15. Jack McDevitt's books.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. James P. Hogan incl Code of the Lifemaker and Child of Yesteryear

[YankeyMCC]

19. Ben Bova - Grand Tour novells

[Orrex]

20. "Quest for the Future" by A.E. van Vogt was about the hardest science fiction I've ever read

Terrible book. Terrible!




Oh, wait--that's not what you meant.

[petronius]

22. Two suggestions: Ian McDonald, Greg Egan (nt)

[pitohui]

23. oh for craps sake THIS century is the last ten years

everybody's going back to the 90s or earlier?

iain banks and (MAYBE i think he's getting worn out) ks robinson are the only ones listed so far who are doing anything THIS century
and they're old, don't get me wrong, but they're not youthful men

[Red Riding Hood]

25. what's wrong with the 90s?

ok -- so maybe you already read all of that stuff..

[Orrex]

26. You know that the rare and esoteric term "century" also refers to a span of 100 years, right?

It doesn't have to be any particular hundred years as outlined by the Julian calendar.

If someone says "The battle occurred ten centuries ago," they don't mean "it happened on or about September 20, 1010."


Loosen up on the literalism.

[pitohui]

27. i'm just teasing but also frustrated we hear so little from new writers

i don't think we're well served if we only hear about the old guard, my library has become hopeless, to them kim stanley robinson is someone that they can now figure has been around long enough that they can finally invest in a book or two

it's just frustrating, are the young writers no more? are they all shuffled off into writing for the movies or something and for novels only the older guys remain?

surely we do not have to go online and ask to find out about the well known writers of the last 100 years but who is doing good and serious work who got started in THIS century?

does anyone know? apparently not...

[Orrex]

28. Ah! In that case, please accept my apology for a lack of humor.

:blush:

And while we're on the subject, you're absolutely right; the "giants" of s/f had a lot to offer in their day and are rightly regarded as cornerstones of the genre, but their writing had a lot of failings, too.

It's way past time we let the contemporary authors have the spotlight for a while.

[pitohui]

29. no worries

sometimes i struggle to say what i'm trying to say...

[pscot]

24. Greg Bear Darwin's Radio

Humanity resists its genetic destiny; a thriller about evolution.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

31. Loved it, and the sequel