Warning

 

Close

Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Confirm Cancel
BCM
User Panel

Site Notices
Arrow Left Previous Page
Page / 2
Posted: 1/3/2021 12:12:57 PM EDT
Hey guys...

Just getting back into sci-fi reading.  

Looking for books that deal with space exploration.  Dealing with exploring new worlds and the build up and journey to them.  

Thanks.



Link Posted: 1/3/2021 12:27:58 PM EDT
[#1]
Who all have you read?

Some of the classic authors in that genre:

Larry Niven
Alastair Reynolds
Greg Bear
Link Posted: 1/3/2021 12:32:37 PM EDT
[#2]
The Expanse series

David Brin series with Sundiver, Uplift War, etc. (Sundiver is not that good but the rest are.)

Alastair Reynolds is also great. Pushing Ice is a single novel about exploring (unwillingly) as well as "Revelation Space" series.

Piers Anthony Cluster series OK and easy reading. (Sorta like comic books but in written form.)

There are a bunch more classics: Heechee/Rama series, RingWorld, Mote in God's Eye, Forever War, etc.  Find a few lists on Wikipedia and read the summaries and I am sure you will find something you like.
Link Posted: 1/3/2021 12:35:11 PM EDT
[#3]
Thanks guys!

I will check them out.

Link Posted: 1/3/2021 12:51:06 PM EDT
[#4]
These are probably some of the better books/papers that I've read over the course of years on what's possible with current technology.

I would recommend Robert L Forward's book series also.  They had some appendices that went more into detail if I remember correctly.

Robert L Forward Paper on Interstellar Exploration Program

Project Solar Sail

The Millennial Project
Link Posted: 1/4/2021 9:11:07 PM EDT
[#5]
Ordered Leviathan Wakes in The Expanse series and Pushing Ice.

Thanks again.
Link Posted: 1/5/2021 10:43:29 AM EDT
[#6]
The "bob verse" is pretty good, AI, relativity, interstellar distances play a part but not quite HARD scifi, (there are a few "magic" fixes, "oh we have an interstellar drive now", "oh we have limited near light speed communications", "oh we have comms between solar systems" . BUT the guy tells a good story.
"All these worlds" was one.
Link Posted: 1/5/2021 2:23:37 PM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
The "bob verse" is pretty good, AI, relativity, interstellar distances play a part but not quite HARD scifi, (there are a few "magic" fixes, "oh we have an interstellar drive now", "oh we have limited near light speed communications", "oh we have comms between solar systems" . BUT the guy tells a good story.
"All these worlds" was one.
View Quote


Who is the author?
Link Posted: 1/5/2021 2:48:13 PM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Who is the author?
View Quote
Dennis E. Taylor.

I haven't heard of that one before.
Link Posted: 1/12/2021 3:25:59 PM EDT
[#9]
Any and everything by

Robert Heinlein

Same with CJ Cherryh

Downbelow Station and the rest of that series is excellent

Bob-
Link Posted: 1/12/2021 3:33:17 PM EDT
[#10]
Frank Herbert wrote a great series with another author.  

The Pandora Sequence (also known as the WorShip series)Edit
Destination: Void: Serial publication: Galaxy, August 1965, as "Do I Wake or Dream?" First edition: New York: Berkeley, 1966 revised in 1978.

The Jesus Incident (with Bill Ransom): Serial publication: Analog, February 1979, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1979.

The Lazarus Effect (with Bill Ransom), New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1983.

The Ascension Factor (with Bill Ransom), New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1988.


Also Fredrick Phol

Edit
HeecheeEdit
Gateway (1977) —winner of the Campbell Memorial, Hugo, Locus SF, and Nebula Awards as the year's Best Novel[2][3][4]
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon (1980) —second place, Locus SF Award, and finalist for the British SF, Hugo, and Nebula Awards[2]
Heechee Rendezvous (1984) —third place, Locus SF Award[2][5]
The Annals of the Heechee (1987)
The Gateway Trip: Tales and Vignettes of the Heechee, (1990) (collection of short stories involving the Heechee, including the 1972 story "The Merchants of Venus", the first mention of the Heechee)
The Boy Who Would Live Forever: A Novel of Gateway (2004), nominated for the Campbell Memorial Award[2][6]
Link Posted: 1/12/2021 7:39:14 PM EDT
[#11]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Dennis E. Taylor.

I haven't heard of that one before.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:


Who is the author?
Dennis E. Taylor.

I haven't heard of that one before.


Thanks....ordered this one as well.

Link Posted: 1/12/2021 7:39:58 PM EDT
[#12]
Thanks for the other recommendations too guys.  

Appreciate it.

Link Posted: 1/18/2021 2:23:25 PM EDT
[#13]
Thanks for the headsup on the Bobverse.  Not really hard scifi, but a great read so far..  Burned thru the first book and started on second
Link Posted: 1/18/2021 2:24:28 PM EDT
[#14]
Ringo's Live Free or Die series
Link Posted: 1/18/2021 8:30:47 PM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Ringo's Live Free or Die series
View Quote


I'll add it to the list!

Link Posted: 1/19/2021 1:41:46 AM EDT
[#16]
I will add these FWIW.

Inherit the stars by James hogan is an oldie but goodie.  

Forever War by Joe Haldeman, but don't read the sequels as they blow and will ruin the 1st book.

Link Posted: 1/23/2021 5:16:19 AM EDT
[#17]
Link Posted: 1/24/2021 10:05:17 PM EDT
[#18]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Arthur C Clark envisioned a lot of things before they were possible.

Stellaris is an anthology from Baen Books that explores some of the human factors involved in space travel, many of the stories are by engineers or doctors.

Travis Taylor has written some books with a hard science basis.  He was the tech advisor and then coauthor for John Ringo's Looking Glass series has a fair bit of high end physics.  His _Warp Speed_ gets into some theories on power generation and faster than light travel, he's also got some nonfiction books.


View Quote

I was coming back to recommend the Looking Glass series, beat me too it.
Link Posted: 4/22/2021 3:01:37 AM EDT
[#19]
I liked Mars and Return to Mars by Ben Bova

I used to read a lot of sci fi.  90% was completely forgettable.  
Manifold Space (or was it Manifold Origin?) was interesting but I thought depressing. By Stephen Baxter.

I also liked the early stuff from David Brin. (uplift wars).
Link Posted: 4/22/2021 5:18:57 AM EDT
[#20]
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Fantasy-Autumn-Rain-trilogy/

Awesome series. In the future (2200?) the Earth has set up a moon city + some big orbital cities. Meanwhile, the Earth has become 'The West' (US controlls the entire Western Hemisphere) + Europa + Russia + China, as the big powers.

Well, someone blows up the Space Elevator, and WW3 breaks out...ultimately reaching battles in orbit and the moon.

Its an awesome, gritty series. Sort of Neuromancer meets The Expanse. While Hard Sci Fi, all the elements are technologically plausible.
Link Posted: 4/22/2021 6:32:10 AM EDT
[#21]
I liked “pushing ice”, hard sci-fi with a good solid plot.
Link Posted: 4/22/2021 11:24:31 PM EDT
[#22]
David Weber/John Ringo Empire of Man series, it's like Xenophon's Atabaxes on an alien jungle planet
Link Posted: 4/24/2021 6:46:36 PM EDT
[#23]
David Weber and Steve White's Starfire series is particularly good. Start with Crusade, In Death Ground, The Shiva Option, then Insurrection. I've tried moving further with the series, but it isn't as good without David Weber.
Link Posted: 4/24/2021 6:47:26 PM EDT
[#24]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
David Weber/John Ringo Empire of Man series, it's like Xenophon's Atabaxes on an alien jungle planet
View Quote

It's on my list of books I read about once a year.
Link Posted: 5/7/2021 10:36:03 PM EDT
[#25]
(3B's)Brin, Bear and Bova
Niven - ringworld
Dan Simmins Hyperion Universe
Issac asimov  
Neal Stevenson
Alistar Reynolds
Heinlein

Top writers. All of them.
I'm currently enjoying  Raymond E Feist : Rift war saga


Link Posted: 7/30/2021 5:47:55 PM EDT
[#26]
Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy (Red/Green/Blue Mars.) Written 25-30 years ago so parts may be dated but there’s a fair amount of hard science, along with psychology and adventure. I’ve re-read it at least 5 times since getting the books as they came out.

Jack McDevitt has some good stuff, more exploration than hard science. I really like the Academy Series and the Alex Benedict Series.

Greg Bear, books such as Darwin’s Radio, Darwin’s Children, and Moving Mars.
Link Posted: 7/30/2021 7:08:06 PM EDT
[#27]
The Mote in God's Eye.

Thank me later.  
Link Posted: 7/30/2021 8:35:35 PM EDT
[#28]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
These are probably some of the better books/papers that I've read over the course of years on what's possible with current technology.

I would recommend Robert L Forward's book series also.  They had some appendices that went more into detail if I remember correctly.

Robert L Forward Paper on Interstellar Exploration Program

Project Solar Sail

The Millennial Project
View Quote


If we’re going to mention Forward, Dragon’s Egg was fun.
Link Posted: 10/11/2021 9:04:37 PM EDT
[#29]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
The "bob verse" is pretty good, AI, relativity, interstellar distances play a part but not quite HARD scifi, (there are a few "magic" fixes, "oh we have an interstellar drive now", "oh we have limited near light speed communications", "oh we have comms between solar systems" . BUT the guy tells a good story.
"All these worlds" was one.
View Quote

OMG! I Loved that series!
Link Posted: 10/11/2021 9:05:25 PM EDT
[#30]
Anything by Neil Stevenson

7 Eves is good. Depressing as shit, but good.

Lois McMaster, the VorKosigan Saga is...weird. But fun. Make sure you read in chronological order, not order they are written.
Link Posted: 10/11/2021 9:06:03 PM EDT
[#31]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Ringo's Live Free or Die series
View Quote

This!!!!
Link Posted: 10/11/2021 9:12:30 PM EDT
[#32]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
The Mote in God's Eye.

Thank me later.  
View Quote

the definition of culture clash
Link Posted: 10/11/2021 9:23:17 PM EDT
[#33]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Anything by Neil Stevenson

7 Eves is good. Depressing as shit, but good.

Lois McMaster, the VorKosigan Saga is...weird. But fun. Make sure you read in chronological order, not order they are written.
View Quote

If you like depressing hard sci fi, try Blindsight by
Peter Watts.
Link Posted: 10/11/2021 9:23:46 PM EDT
[#34]
Also, see username.
Link Posted: 10/14/2021 9:11:40 PM EDT
[#35]
Peter Hamilton's "Commonwealth Saga".  Specifically "Pandora's Star" and "Judas Unchained".
Link Posted: 11/1/2021 12:30:10 PM EDT
[#36]
A lot of good recommendations so far. I will state the the "Bobiverse" series is one of my favorites. Ready it twice now. While there is some "magic" fixes, they were discovered over long time periods and the "magic" tech itself also advanced over time as well, like it should. It was all done very well. No warp speed or wormholes or anything of that sort. I will say by the 4th book things got a little harder to follow due to all the characters, but that could be because there was so much time between the release of the 4th book after the first 3, so maybe I just forgot.

"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir (The Martian) is another good one and another one of my favorites. The book was not what I expected. Not purely "hard" sic-fi, but there is a scientific approach to the "magic" that I appreciate. And it breaks just like everything else.
Link Posted: 11/1/2021 7:10:09 PM EDT
[#37]
Thanks for all the recommendations!

I've added a lot to my TBR pile.

Link Posted: 2/14/2022 3:10:14 PM EDT
[#38]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Peter Hamilton's "Commonwealth Saga".  Specifically "Pandora's Star" and "Judas Unchained".
View Quote



These are awesome.
Link Posted: 2/15/2022 9:54:58 PM EDT
[#39]
Not fiction, exactly, but for easy reading and hard science on space exploration, I suggest The Case for Mars, by Robert Zubrin.  It details a plan, including the hard science and engineering, for the manned exploration of the planet Mars.  Zubrin is an astronautical engineer who, along with a team of engineers at Marietta Space Systems, developed Mars Direct, a low cost/high reward mission framework using mostly available technology to conduct a long-duration surface mission on Mars using the equivalent of two Saturn V launchers.  In addition to the hardware development, he discusses long term possibilities for the transformation of Mars into a planet capable of supporting large scale habitation.  Almost all of the technology required for the mission exists in operational form, requiring only integration and development to meet mission requirements (mass, volume, autonomous operation, etc).

The book was written in the late 90's, so some of the data, particularly the environmental modification suggestions, will be a bit dated and not reflecting current understanding of Mars, and I don't think that he would find a Martian society working as he envisions it, but the book's optimistic view of human achievement and its ambition are contagious.

Mike
Link Posted: 3/31/2022 11:45:32 PM EDT
[#40]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I will add these FWIW.

Inherit the stars by James hogan is an oldie but goodie.  

Forever War by Joe Haldeman, but don't read the sequels as they blow and will ruin the 1st book.

View Quote


Yes.  The 'Giants' series is great.
Link Posted: 4/11/2022 3:57:25 PM EDT
[#41]
"Galactic Center" series by Gregory Benford

I'm halfway through Alastair Reynolds' "Inhibitor Phase" and it's great.

Link Posted: 4/13/2022 10:41:44 PM EDT
[#42]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

It's on my list of books I read about once a year.
View Quote
I just finished another reading last week.   I still hope he's going to do more in that series someday.


Link Posted: 4/14/2022 8:57:47 AM EDT
[#43]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Also, see username.
View Quote

Revelation Space is SciFi horror not world building.
Link Posted: 4/14/2022 9:11:16 AM EDT
[#44]
Saturn Run
by John Sandford

If you like the technical side of space then this is a great book.  It is about a rush to see who can get the fastest functioning inter-solar system ship first don't want to spoil it so I can't say more.

Link Posted: 4/15/2022 7:49:33 PM EDT
[#45]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

Revelation Space is SciFi horror not world building.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Also, see username.

Revelation Space is SciFi horror not world building.


That's just, like, your opinion, man.
Link Posted: 4/15/2022 8:00:10 PM EDT
[#46]
Anyone have any suggestions for the actual 'colonization' of some alien world? Like the actual landing on some completely unknown unexplored planet, exploring and building up a colony, sort of thing.
Link Posted: 4/15/2022 8:10:46 PM EDT
[#47]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Anyone have any suggestions for the actual 'colonization' of some alien world? Like the actual landing on some completely unknown unexplored planet, exploring and building up a colony, sort of thing.
View Quote


The Legacy of Heorot

by Niven, Pournelle, Barnes
Link Posted: 4/23/2022 12:03:14 AM EDT
[#48]
Search for the author Jerry Pournelle.

I honestly, off the top of my head, can’t think of something he was author or co-author on that was not excellent.

Even in a book that is not hard Sci Fi-
He will hammer in the realities of logistics, or other aspects that keep it real.

A lot of his work is not available on kindle.
So you will be snagging hard copies.

Link Posted: 5/31/2022 3:16:56 PM EDT
[#49]
Id check out Rick Partlow on Amazon. Some of his E-books are in the ballpark of what youre looking for.

He seems also churns out a high amount of content.
Link Posted: 6/1/2022 4:19:54 PM EDT
[#50]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


That's just, like, your opinion, man.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Also, see username.

Revelation Space is SciFi horror not world building.


That's just, like, your opinion, man.


What world is built? At the end of the fourth book, humanity is shattered and on the run from the Inhibitors.
Arrow Left Previous Page
Page / 2
Close Join Our Mail List to Stay Up To Date! Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.


By signing up you agree to our User Agreement. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win.
Top Top