I’ve been getting through more and more sci-fi books and would love recommendations on the books you’ve all enjoyed.

For myself I thought the Xeelee series was brilliant. Taking us from the dawn of time through to the end of the universe and around again. Fighting aliens from other dimensions and the creators of the universe themselves.

  • windchime ( windchime@kbin.social ) 
    3·
    3 years ago

    Some of my favourites:
    Murderbot series by Martha Wells
    Imperial Radch series (Ancillary Justice/Sword/Mercy) by Ann Leckie
    Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold
    Dogs of War duology by Adrian Tchaikovsky
    The Expanse series by James S A Corey
    Monk & Robot series by Becky Chambers

    I’ve not read the Xeelee series so can’t say if there’s any similarities, but they are all excellent sci-fi series and well worth your time.

    • yske ( yske@kbin.social ) 
      1·
      3 years ago

      I’m a little disappointed by how thin the Monk & Robot books are, even while I still enjoy reading them.

      They almost feel like a couple chapters of a book each instead of a series of novellas.

      I mean, if past experience is anything to go by, I’m going to keep buying them, but still. It’s a good story that I wish already had some more to it, given the time and cost so far.

      But I’ll always recommend all of Chambers’ full novels unreservedly, great reads all.

      • windchime ( windchime@kbin.social ) 
        1·
        3 years ago

        I tend to prefer shorter books these days (slow reader with a ridiculously long TBR…), but I know what you mean.

        I unfortunately bounced off the first Becky Chambers book I tried (A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet) - still not sure why, it just wasn’t working for me. After reading and adoring both Monk & Robot books, though, I really need to give it another try…

        • yske ( yske@kbin.social ) 
          2·
          3 years ago

          Also I’d give her other stuff a try! All of her Galactic Commons books are fairly different, and while they do inform each other, I don’t think any of them are required reading to understand the others.

        • yske ( yske@kbin.social ) 
          2·
          3 years ago

          I get you! Even if I’m reading long books, I really prefer ones broken up with nice short chapters. Unfortunately this isn’t a readily-advertised aspect of book structure, so there’s not a good way to know about it aside from already knowing the author or just diving in and hoping for the best.