Looking for something new to read after The Expanse
Any fiction suggestions for a somewhat picky reader? The Expanse lasted me a long while but I'm finishing up the novellas now and need to start looking for something new. Not necessarily in the same genre.
I don't have a lot of books under my belt as an adult, but some of my favorites have been Stoner by John Williams, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, East of Eden, Catch 22, Flowers for Algernon, and Harry Potter. Kind of all over the place I guess. ๐
I've also enjoyed John Williams' other novels, Piranesi, The Things They Carried, House of Leaves, and Ender's Game and the sequel.
Some books I didn't really care for include Hitchhiker's Guide (although I loved the first half), Lolita, Sharp Objects, Turtles All the Way Down, The Stand, The Road, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451.
I'm always overwhelmed trying to find something new, so thanks for any suggestions!
EDIT: Thank you all! It'll be a bit daunting exploring all these new books but not nearly as daunting as if I had no guidance, so I really appreciate it!
Adrian Tchaikovsky's Final Architecture trilogy ticks a lot of the same boxes as the Expanse. A blue collar crew of misfits from different factions gets caught in the center of a galaxy-spanning fight for survival.
I like the books and Adrian in general but he seriously needs a better editor. I was skipping whole pages by book 3 of nothing happening but the same inner monologue we already heard 10 times in the same book.
I feel it's the same thing that happened in children of memory.
His series start so strong and then become way too bloated.
In regards to Ocean at the end of the lane. You could really broaden that out to anything by Neil Gaiman (Ocean, stardust, graveyard book, neverware, good omens, american gods, etc. Etc.)
And if you like Neil's fairytale-esque stuff, then check out Spinning Silver and Uprooted by Naomi Novik as well.
N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy scratched that itch for me. I devoured those three novels. It starts with The Fifth Season.
I could say a lot about the setting, the tone, the subtext, but I'll give you the gift I had walking in. Ignorance. Don't read any more about the novels. If you're reading this, right now, stop. Open Libby, or Audible, or whatever you use to get your books. Get the Fifth Season and read it.
You're still reading this post. What did I tell you.
I had the same void to fill after finishing The Expanse series a couple years ago. But I was also still on a bit of a sci-fi "high".
A quick series that I jumped to afterwards was The Bobiverse. It has a more casual writing style, but entertaining in its own way. I especially liked the first couple books. You and I seem to have similar tastes, so you might consider jumping into the first book to see what you think. ( the exception of strong disagreement on HHGTTG ๐, though I can understand your comment on first vs second half)
The Andy Weir books suggested by others are also great reads, but surprisingly, I would recommend them as audiobooks... because they are even better listens if you are into that. I rarely do audiobooks, but The Martian and Project Hail Mary are hands down the best listening experiences I've had. Typically audio doesn't have the same charm as reading, but I have no hesitation suggesting a listen to those two!
The Last Human by Zack Jordan and Recursion by Blake Crouch were a couple nice one-off reads that had some fascinating themes as well. There were things I didn't love, but still not bad as a transition if you didn't feel like jumping into a whole new series.
For a recommendation totally out of left field, sounds like you enjoy deeper fictional world building. You would likely enjoy the fantasy book The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, but prepare for epic disappointment when you find out the third book of the trilogy isn't released, and may never be written.
Ahh, the Bobbieverse... for when we can't get enough of our favorite Martian. ๐ Jokes aside, I always feel more confident jumping into books from someone who has similar tastes, so thanks for the recommendation! I know, disliking Hitchiker's Guide is bordering on blasphemy.
I started Project Hail Mary and I think I was irked by the protagonist, if I remember right. But the book has such glowing reviews, maybe it'll be better for me as an audiobook.
Thanks for the other recommendations as well! I am probably going to shoot for a lighter read before diving into another series. I don't know if I can jump into an incomplete series though. I'm putting off on reading the Game of Thrones books because I'm worried I'll get incredibly invested and then they'll never be finished. Maybe I should just embrace the journey though. There's still fun to be had even if everything doesn't get tied up.
The narrator for Project Hail Mary does a great job, so maybe that will be helpful to get through the opening act. Once the meat of the story picks up, it's pretty awesome IMO.
I'm in the same boat for Game of Thrones... Everyone says I'll love it, but I can't bring myself to dive in knowing it won't be finished. Honestly, I wouldn't have read Name of the Wind had I known, but the person who recommended it failed to mention the trilogy wasn't finished! That being said, it leaves a lot of room for imagination, and really inspires more reading when you get to the end of book 2... with a healthy dose of utter frustration.
This list is just in the order that I thought of them, not in the order I think is best quality wise.
The Caves of Steel - Isaac Asimov
The Naked Sun - Isaac Asimov
The Robots of Dawn - Isaac Asimov
All pretty great robot detective novels. Lots of pondering on Asimov's 3 laws of robotics and how they would play out. Pretty good.
I, Robot - Isaac Asimov
Also pretty good, anthology of short robot stories. Similar kinda vibe as the above 3.
Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Foundation and Empire - Isaac Asimov
Second Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Foundation's Edge - Isaac Asimov
Foundation and Earth - Isaac Asimov
What if math could predict the future of civilization. The first 3 are the best.. sorta loses the thread a bit in the last 2. Overall pretty good. Mostly doesn't have any robots like the other Asimov books I listed.
Ringworld - Larry Niven
A giant ring shaped megastructure around a star, lets go explore. Only the first is any good, some low key sexism in it but bearable. Past the first the sexism ramps up. Nivin like a lot of male sci-fi authors doesn't know how to write women.
The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells
A half robot half human security robot hacks its own systems. Very good, my interpretation of the series is its an allegory for the autistic experience. Also Martha Wells can write women so that's always a big plus.
The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin
The Dark Forest - Liu Cixin
Death's End - Liu Cixin
I see the 3 body problem series recommended a lot in this thread but it has a lot of overt sexism baked into the plot so don't really recommend. Lots of fun sci-fi concepts tho, gets into some pretty surreal concepts that border on mathematical physics.
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Probably already seen the movie, its pretty much the same. The book is pretty good but the author himself kinda sucks, bigtime homophobe. The follow up books are nowhere near as good as the first.
The Found and the Lost - Ursula K. Le Guin
Every novella by Ursula K. Le Guin. Some of them are not scifi but most of them are, and the ones that are not are still great. I am currently working though this one now. She has a big anthropologist/feminist slant to her writing so highly recommend. Feels very modern when compared to the other sci-fi that was coming out around the same time. I plan on reading her other longer novels after this but I have not gotten there yet.
Dune - Frank Herbert
Pretty good sci-fi. Has a bit of a "white boy goes and lives with the natives and becomes their savior" vibe that kinda feels a little off to me but I think Herbert had good intentions. It's an allegory for the middle east and oil extraction. Overall worth a read just to check it off the list.
The Captain - Will Wight
The Engineer - Will Wight
The Last Horizon Series, wizards in the future in space. Pretty much feels like a dnd campaign where every one is already lv20. Sci-fi+Magic. It's not really very deep but its a fun nonetheless.
The Martian - Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
Hard science fiction. If you like competency porn or engineering/science then these are for you. Very nerdy stuff.
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) - Dennis E. Taylor
For We Are Many - Dennis E. Taylor
All These Worlds - Dennis E. Taylor
Heaven's River - Dennis E. Taylor
The writing itself is kinda meh but the stories are fun. The kinda stuff an engineer daydreams about, like von neumann probes and mind uploading and stuff like that. Over all fun series but not very deep.
Dune is one of my favorite books. Herbert is clear on this, Paul is exploiting the fremen. The Bene Geserat planted the savior myth. Their goals align, mostly, but he can't really control them, just aim them and pull the trigger.
Also three body problem series is a slog. Character development is not great. He pulls the plug on the main baddie too early and installs a characature of america bad at the end. Second book has one idea.
Nice list, I will add to my bucket the hall Mary and the DND ones
I tried reading hitchhiker after seeing the movie but didn't get my attention. I'm afraid the Martian may be the same thing.
As for Asimov, I've read all his books when young, may be worth re reading.
I've tried 3 body problem but I'm avoiding typical hero sci Fi stories as long as I still have star Trek books to read, and there's hundreds of it.
Then there's one in in progress that I'd like to suggest, "this is how you lose the time war"by Amal El-Mohtar. Very different from anything else I've read, it's less action and more... poetry? It's more introspective and less descriptive, and you can get a reasonable first impression from the sample ebook pages.
I've been looking for authors that are not rooted in dichotomy such as any English related literature (like everyone is clearly good or bad, instead everyone is fallible and in between), including but not limited to sci Fi.
Lol I like your suggestions and I appreciate all the caveats about authors not knowing how to write women and being low key homophobes or sexist. Too bad there aren't equally good authors without the BS.
Check out the Silo series by Hugh Howey. AppleTV's show did the first half of book 1 already, but the books are still better. Great writing and a pretty easy read.
Honestly watching The Expanse was how I got into the series in the first place so I might check out the show first and if I like it, then get the books. Thanks!
I'm a big fan of modern epic fantasy. I highly recommend Stormlight Archive and The Kingkiller Chronicles. Sanderson and Rothfuss are easy to read and enjoy.
Brandon Sanderson is awesome. I recommend starting with the mystborn books, but stormlight are good as well. They're both part of the cosmere, a universe created by Sanderson. Many other books as well.
My buddy's and I have started reading through stormlight together. I put it off for years but I have been really enjoying it. Already mostly done with book two.
Stormlight Archives can be daunting to those not familiar with Sanderson's works, especially since the books are long (1000+ pages) and the first book is setting up a long 10-book series (plus other stuff from a wider universe).
If you'd like something smaller and standalone to try first, check out "Emperor's Soul" (novella) or Warbreaker (novel).
One series I haven't seen recommended yet is Alastair Reynolds novels. Revelation Space is a wonderful series, and if you want to start with a standalone story House of Suns and Diamond Dogs are great choices.
For lighter reading there's also the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.
There's other older series that may appeal to you: Vatta's War and Vorkosigan Saga conf to mind.
The Aubrey/Maturin series. Now you might think you'd hate a series of 20 novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars because when I finally gave in to my friends constant pressure to read them, so did I. I was wrong, they are brilliant. Very well written and often very, very funny. The movie Master & Commander is based on two or three of them. It's like if Star Trek was set in the 19th century and on an actual ship.
The Wolf Hall trilogy. Everyone thinks they know the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry, but this trilogy is unique - set from Cromwell's perspective.
I think it's because, like all good escapist fiction, the setting plays a part but it's the people you remember. On the surface they're novels about the Royal Navy but really, like Star Trek, they're novels about friendship and people.
There are a lot of good suggestions here.
I started the 3 body problem right after the expanse.
I used to read a lot.
It has been 2 years, I'm about half way and I dread picking it up to try to continue. It has killed my lust for reading completely.
I hate quiting a book, but finally admitted defeat last night, bought the last book in the children of time series snd my lust for good sf is back. Pages flying.
Don't judge SF by 3 Body Problem. I've read good and bad SF for 40 years and even I got tired of the deus ex machina of that book. I managed to finish it but the rest of the series sits there half read now, because it actually managed to get worse.
Not judging sf at all. Have been a heavy sf reader for 20 years and just could not do that.
Actually started book 3 in the children of time series last night, and I am back to reading๐ฅณ. Pages just flying by.
For a shorter read I'd recommend Station Eleven. It's only 200 pages but is a really interesting story and makes me feel grateful for all that I have (including the ability to send this message)
Basic summary: Global pandemic but the mortality rate is 99% and you usually die within hours of showing symptoms. The plot grapples with the loss of modern life and what could remain once it all comes crumbling down.
On the post-apocalyptic theme i recent read 'Cantacle for Lieberwitz' following a monetary over several thousand years after a nuclear war as they try to save knowledge. Parts of it are 50s futurism (published in '59). There is even a scene describing how a cop gets a self-driving car to stop. An interesting read.
I'm on book 6 of the Expanse and love it! My suggestions:
The Culture series - Iain M Banks. Space opera that gave us luxury gay space communism. You can pick up any book as a starting point - they're set in the same universe spanning millennia and have very little interconnection. Explores themes of humanity in an AI world (choice, war, deceit, love, etc)
Revelation Space series - Alastair Reynolds. Closest in terms of style and sweeping scope to The Expanse. Same dry humour that can get a bit much at times.
Three Body Problem trilogy - Liu Cixin. Leans a lot heavier into the Science of sci-fi and can be very dense, but one of my favourite trilogies. What happens when you finally get a signal back from space?
Monk & Robot series (novellas) - Becky Chambers. Pure hope punk and absolutely delightful (without any of the incredibly distateful and harmful tropes found in Midnight Library). There are only two out so far, and you'll be able to read them in a day. Of all of the recommendations I've listed, I implore you to read this one.
Oh come on. The Three Body Problem is absolute trash. I'm tired of pretending the Emperor's clothes are beautiful. I slogged through the first book as a kind of challenge to myself and regret it. I want those hours of my life back.
It's only redeeming aspects are the brief discussion of the Chinese cultural revolution.
Go look at the negative reviews of it on goodreads. I agree with all of them.
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. I, personally, did (as did many, many other people). I thought the second book in particular was fantastic. I enjoy a lot of Chinese SFF, but I do get that it isn't for everyone.
Maybe phrasing an opinion as a fact, and then backing it up with other people's opinions, isn't the best way to dissuade someone from their own opinion
EDIT: had to go back and check my original comment. I do mention that it is a bit of a slog to read. However, the ideas and presentation were worth it for me.
I gravitate toward dark and depressing media so much. I could probably stand to fit more hopeful stories into my life so I'll check out Monk & Robot. Thanks!
I would suggest The Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds. One of my favourite scifi series. Others include the Hyperion series and the Dune series. I would also like to mention a series which is not that well-known but I enjoyed it: the suneater series.
Cloud Atlas is probably my favorite book, much better than the film (although they did alright for a source that is pretty unadaptable). It is told in a series of interconnected stories over a few hundred years.
Kim Stanley Robinson is probably my favorite living author; Shaman is a good one to start with to see if you like his writing style. Its about a kid growing up in the late paleolithic.
While i havent finished them, i really enjoyed going through the Battletech novels.
Big stompy robots in a galaxy spanning civilization with a nice long history. The books take place over a few generations so as you read you get interested in the events from previous books by different factions in universe. I also like that there are a variety of authors so you dont get fatigued by a single style.(at least that was my experience)
Lots of intrigue and conflict with enduring characters.
Mix old school yakuza family drama with a hint of mystical powers that grant the characters certain physical/mental enhancements and you get The Green Bone Saga Trilogy. Very good series I couldn't put down.
Good point - but like most things that came from that era... Let's face it: they're a product of a different world. We've moved on, for the better.
I can disassociate the two, personally. I don't know if that's a bad thing or not(and I'm open to conductive criticism on the matter. I kinda hate how everything is political).
Fuck conservative traditionalism.
Fuck religion
Intolerance will not be tolerated.
But, he built some great characters and worlds, and I can take it for what it is without the politics (while still despising the individual).
I have recently started Sons Of Ares by Pierce Brown, Starting with Red Rising.
It's very good so far. It's a bit enders game ish with some grand politics like game of Thrones and imo elements from expanse.
Essentially it's humanity have populated all the planets and moons in our solar system and through body modification created specialized color based races to do everything. And ruled by the Gold's
It is a YA but fairly gritty and it never really goes where I expect it so I'm consistently entertained. It's well written.
Man I'm almost done book 8 of the expanse and I don't want it to end! Its so damn good though.
If you didn't like the road you probably won't like Blood Meridian but I think its phenomenal. Bloodlines by CZ Dunn is 40k bladerunner and its stellar. Neuromancer is another stellar cyberpunk book. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is actually really good as well, although I've only read the first one.
Oh my god, book 8 was incredible! By far my favorite of the series. And yeah even though I've had such a fill of The Expanse I was still hungering for more by the end of it all.
I'll check out your suggestions, thanks! I've always been vaguely interested in the Warhammer universe so maybe it's time to give it a try.
Honestly the draw of the first book was this fascinating concept of comparatively infinite livable space in a solar system compared to what humans live in currently (and the extended longevity that is also a plot point) and how that would change human behavior and how we relate to each other. I remember one character speculating that he knows they hadn't figured out how to live forever because there was a floating castle and you don't take silly risks like that if you know you have 500+ years left to live. I also loooved the plot point about luck being a thing that can be genetically selected for and that humans managed to do so by accident (because that would absolutely be how that would happen).
I never read the other books because I remember thinking to myself that they really don't need a plot, the beauty of the first book was literally just the speculative scifi for us worldbuilding nerds. I totally understand where tolkien was coming from sometimes; idc about the characters, how does the postal system work when you have magic?
For sci-fi, one I haven't seen mentioned here yet is Red Rising.
Kind of an Enders Game meets Hunger Games in the first book, but quickly expands into a solar-system wide war with lots of intrigue, star-wars-like tech, and amazing characters.
If you like DnD type stuff, He Who Fights With Monsters is about a dude who wakes up in an alternate universe where magic is real. It's pretty great, and 10 books deep.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, if you want another addition to the Sci-Fi theme.
Can also second some books others have mentioned, like Dune (one of my all-time favorites) and Three Body Problem (for a recent one I liked, although it was a bit "rough" in terms of style and storytelling).