this post was submitted on 15 Apr 2025
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Science Fiction

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Lemmy World Rules

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Mine, not in an order of preference: Jack Vance, Van Vogt, Asimov, Arthur C Clarke and Frank Herbert.

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Not a purely sci-fi author , but checkout "Octavia E Butler". She uses sci-fi to explore other thematics. The fact that I didn't see her name once here says a lot about how underrated she is

Her main book "parable of the sower" is a must read today for anyone living in the USA nowadays. So many points of today's politics make me think back about that book.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Aside from the big 3 (Asimov, Clarke, and Herbert)?

William Gibson and Mike Pondsmith.

[–] why@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 hours ago

I really like Mike's world building in cyberpunk. Has he written any novels?

[–] DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone 1 points 5 hours ago
  • Robert Silverberg
  • Peter Corris
  • Hammond Innes
  • Dick Francis
  • Arthur Ransome
  • Nevil Shute
  • Robert Heinlein
  • Isaac Asimov
  • Hergé
[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago

Asimov, Clarke, Niven obviously.

For more modern authors:

  • Christopher Hinz
  • Jon Scalzi
  • Brandon Sanderson
  • Neal Stephenson
  • Hugh Howey
[–] terraborra@lemmy.nz 10 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Iain M Banks, Peter F Hamilton, Asimov, Neal Asher, and Alastair Reynolds.

I like space operas if you can’t tell.

[–] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

I'm reading my first Alastair Reynolds now and I can see why fans of Banks might like it.

[–] Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world 4 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

I recommend House of Suns, Terminal World and Revenger.

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Loved the Revenger trilogy.

spoilerKinda liked the way it wrapped up by answering all the characters' questions but left them with a whole series of new unanswered questions.

Yes a surprisingly fun and satisfying adventure. It really made me wish there was a video game in The Congregation setting.

[–] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago

Also great. A fun series but dense as hell.

[–] JudahBenHur@lemm.ee 1 points 11 hours ago

i like banks and someone lent me a reynolds book. its soooooo long though. im reading some phillip k dick instead

[–] reallyzen@lemmy.ml 6 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

To push it a bit more contemporary: Peter Cawdron and his "First Contact " series, which is infinite variations (about 30 as of now) of making first contact with an alien sentience of any type.

It's excellent, and despite being excellent only available on kindle / kindle unlimited because as an independent author, that's the only way for him to publish & make a buck out if it.

Peter Cawdron is on Mastodon btw

[–] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 12 hours ago

I don't really have a fav, but I've enjoyed lots of sci fi authors over the years.

  • Frederick Pohl (especially Gateway, but not the sequel)
  • J. G. Ballard
  • Phillip K Dick
  • Alfred Bester
  • William Gibson
  • George Orwell
  • Andy Weir
  • Strutgasky Brothers (Loved Roadside Picnic)
  • Paolo Bacigalupi
  • China Meiville

The list goes on

[–] Cobrachicken@lemmy.world 5 points 13 hours ago (1 children)
[–] vext01@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

With or without the "M"? :)

[–] Cobrachicken@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago
[–] kat_angstrom@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Definitely Jack Vance first.

After that it's all over the place from day to day. Really enjoying Adrian Tchaikovsky lately, "The Final Architecture" series is just perfect.

Benedict Jacka has scratched my itch for urban fantasy.

I keep being impressed by Ian McDonald, his Luna series was such a tidy read.

Other than that, Samuel Delaney, LeGuin, Harry Harrison, Heinlein, and several others. I don't have a list, just authors :)

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I'm getting into Adrian Tchaikovsky myself. He certainly loves painting the future as a capitalist hellscape, doesn't he?

I'm part way into Shroud, where whole solar systems are being strip-mined for resources, and the people doing the work are skinny because they can't afford to eat well but they get auto-dosed will drugs to help them focus when hunger is distracting them.

[–] kat_angstrom@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Ohhh, that's the newest one of his, right?

I'm currently reading City of Last Chances. Interesting urban fantasy, I'm digging it

[–] spittingimage@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago

Recent, certainly. I don't know if it's newest.

[–] Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago

Ursula K Le Guin, Alaistair Reynolds, Margaret Atwood (For the Maddaddam trilogy,) Jules Verne, John Windham.

[–] Aielman15@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago

Asimov, Clarke and Frank Herbert are, of course, in the top 3, but I particularly enjoy Dan Simmons as well. I loved both Hyperion and Ilium, he has a knack for weaving together half a dozen tales that have seemingly nothing in common. Downside is that you spend an entire book reading the buildup to the actual story, but I'm a Robert Jordan fan too, I'm accustomed to that.

[–] ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 1 points 13 hours ago

Isaac Asimov, Roger Williams