So this isn’t for me, cause I don’t read science fiction. My friend does. She has read so many science fiction books. Could you guys suggest a book that isn’t mainstream (Something that not everyone science fiction fanatic wouldn’t have read)? I would have loved to ask her what she hasn’t read but I want to surprise 🙂
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Thanks in advance!
by eeelll404
30 Comments
Okay so if she’s into Star Wars type stuff, I know it sounds weird but Thrawn by Timothy zahn is a fantastic book.
Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee.
Witch King by Martha Wells
Cold People by Tom Rob Smith
Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
Circadian Algorithms – indie sci-fi about dreams. I really liked the female mc.
I haven’t seen Embassy Town by China Mieville talked about a lot but I love it and it’s definitely a unique one.
The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu is mainstream in China, but not necessarily elsewhere. Considered one of China’s greatest works of sci fi
Edit: left out some words
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Naylor
Roadside Picnic by Strugatsky has been forgotten.
Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon
Does she have a Goodreads or storygraph account? You can look there
The Caphenon by Fletcher Delancey
*The Sparrow* by Mary Doria Russell. Warning: there is graphic violence.
*Childhood’s End*, by Arthur C Clarke. A classic from the “Golden Age of SF”, but not talked about as much as other Clarke, Asimov, Heinlein, etc.
*The Prestige*, by Christopher Priest. The film is quite popular, but a lot of people are unaware of the novel. It’s different enough from the film that even fans of the movie can enjoy it.
*Armor* by John Steakley
Eifelheim by Michael Flynn
Void Star – Zachary Mason
AI in a futuristic SF Bay Area. The author worked in the field before writing the book so the scientific premise is well developed.
This year I’ve read Hannu Rajaniemi’s trilogy “The quantum thief”. I think it is harder than average sci-fi, required from me higher concentration and active imagination usage 🫣. But it is worth it. Fantastic trilogy
I can’t say for sure that your friend has never read this one, but I *feel* like no one ever mentions A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge. It’s one of my favorites.
Dirk Gentlys holistic detective agency – Douglas Adams.
Brilliant and very funny.
The Institute – Stephen King
Ted Chiang’s short story collections. Story of Your Life and Others. and Exhalation. (Story of Your Life is the basis for the movie Arrival).
Dan Simmon’s The Hollow Man.
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Red Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson
Maybe see if she has a Goodreads account you can look at to rule out books?
The Color of Distance by Amy Thomson is about the sole survivor of a team of surveyors marooned on a dense and isolated alien planet, an uninhabitable world for humans. Her only hope for survival is to adapt to the alien life (both physically and psychologically) to survive. It was written in 1995 but it Isn’t mentioned very often. I really enjoyed it. Good luck in your search!
Lois McMaster Bujold – start with either Shards of Honor or Warrior’s Apprentice.
The Damned trilogy by Alan Dean Foster
Union Station series by EM Foner
A memory called empire by Arkady Martine
The murderbot diaries by Martha Wells
To say nothing of the dog by Martha Wells
Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir. Amazing book!
The Captain by Will Wight. It’s about a space wizard who becomes the captain of a legendary ship.
The Longway to a Small Angry Planet
Artemis
My favorite from last year was “Drunk on All Your Strange New Words” by Eddie Robson – it’s about the translator for an alien ambassador whose people speak via telepathy. The ambassador dies in an accident, but afterwards his translator keeps hearing him in her head.
Great world-building and nice mystery!
*Exhalation* by Ted Chiang is an incredibly imaginative collection of short stories. I cannot recommend it enough.
Not sure if this is not mainstream, but I really love the Planetfall novels by Emma Newman. Also The Employees is a novella by Olga Ravn and I loved it. It is a story told from interview snippets. You don’t get a true character development and story arch but it was so intriguing.
The Wrong End of Time.
Paradox by Phillip P. Peterson
Slan by A.E Vogt. A classic text
“The Child Garden” is a cool sci-fi read set in a post-pandemic world where everyone’s got telepathic powers. It touches on some heavy stuff like homophobia and how viruses have shaped their society. The story follows Milena, a genetic whiz, who stumbles upon this game-changing plant-based tech that could totally shake up human communication. But as she digs deeper, she uncovers some deep, dark secrets about their history and the whole genetic engineering deal. Geoff Ryman really dives into the social consequences of it all, making it a thought-provoking read with a sci-fi twist!