@godlessmom I recommend "Eifelheim" by Michael F. Flynn. It is primarily a story of alien first contact during the Black Plague in medieval Germany. It is fascinating and tragic and a great read. Religion is involved, due to the time period, but I didn't mind because it makes sense in the story. In some parts of the book you identify with (and understand) the aliens than with the humans! There is a small framing around the story, though, that takes place in the modern day which isn't as good.
@godlessmom The series that most surprised me was Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler. In my opinion, she writes at the level of LeGuin and her talent far exceeds authors with greater name recognition. The series blows through a number of taboos around sexuality and genetics, and was exceptionally ground-breaking considering it was written in the late 80s.
@godlessmom This is a moving target. Currently I would say Arkady Martine’s “Memory of Empire” with “The Murderbot Diaries” by Martha Wells hot behind it.
Over the long haul I still go back to ‘Dune’ but also by Frank Herbert I really like ‘The Dosadi Experiment’. Finally I’d mention all of Iain M Banks ‘Culture’ novels but in a pinch either ‘Player of Games’ or ‘Excession’ are wonderful.
@godlessmom William Gibson’s ‘Neuromancer’ and Philip K Dick’s ‘Do androids dream of electric sheep?’ A bit predictable, I know, but they inspired a whole genre. 😀
It's not a simple question
depends on the mood of the moment and the 'genre'
Among the TOP I would suggest ALL the writings of Jack Vance
starting with the Tschai saga
right now i'm reading 'Drop trooper' by Rick Partlow (Author)
and it is 'engaging'
Or The Lost Fleet by Jack Campell (sometimes a bit repetitive) but ... ok
ma ce ne sono centinaia di altri assolutamente bellissimi...
@godlessmom any of the Murderbot books by Martha Wells and both the books I’ve read by Becky Chambers (“The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” and “A Psalm for the Wild-Built”) were fantastic.
@godlessmom If the Locked Tomb series counts as sci-fi (it's really fantasy so maybe not), there's a big recommendation. Harrow The Ninth (book 2) my fave.
@godlessmom I'm a fan of Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep." It's got multiple interesting side stories that eventually converge, and a "social network" envisioned back in the 90s based on USENET. Plus it has the dog pack people!
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