I’m looking to compile a big pile of IRL books for summer beach reading.
Big fan of scifi, specfic, murder mysteries. Strong female characters = bonus points. Can’t deal with darkness. Nothing high brow or tedious. Nonfiction lover but that list is already bursting at the seams.
I also love long series - 3 body problem, wheel of time, foundation … those waves all have good memories attached.
If that brings anything to mind, please send the rec!!
@NicoleCRust Kiini Ibura Salaam and Nisi Shawl wrote some of the most vivid sci fi stories I've read -- I remember their scenes like dreams. They're both published by Aqueduct Press, a feminist sci fi publishing company from Seattle http://aqueductpress.com/
I think they both have released short stories mostly, but Nalo Hopkinson is also published by Aqueduct and her books are really good
Ones you probably already know about: Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler, Ted Chiang, Samuel Delany, Stanisław Lem
Not sci fi:
Djuna Barnes, Ana Castillo, Maryse Condé, Clarice Lispector, Jorge Luis Borges
[sorry it's a huge list of authors, I'm terrible at picking favorites]
@NicoleCRust Have you already read Seveneves by Neal Stephenson? If not, I’d recommend. If you like it, his other books are also great, but his writing is quite uneven: the books have parts that are hard to get through and parts during which it’s impossible to set a book aside - so Seveneves is better on that regard as it is more even. Or Diamond Age maybe.
Or, totally different flavor, have you tried China Miéville? If you like series, start with Perdido Street Station.
@NicoleCRust
My brother is a fan of sci-fi and a retired English professor. His recommendation is, A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine. It and its sequel won Hugo Awards.
@Scoobadood
I actually didn't know the Expanse was a great book series. Now I wish I would not have watched it first ... I'll still give it a try. thank you.
@NicoleCRust +1 for the Murderbot Diaries series. Velocity Weapon by Megan O'Keefe is a great sci fi twist on a 'locked room mystery' premise and has a couple of sequels if you like it.
Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky is a great short read (standalone but he has some great sci fi series too, namely the 'Children of...' trilogy and The Final Architecture series).
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