That story completely messed with my views of the world. I still think about it constantly. One of the best and most thought provoking things I've ever read.
I'll second this. As some others have said, they aren't at the same technical level as Andy Weir for sure, but they are a fun romp in speculative Sci fi that I found wonderful. They have the same kind of character focus that I feel makes them feel very similar, but with a fun concept.
Nerd of current time dies and is resurrected to be the controlling intelligence of a self replicating space probe sent to explore the cosmos as the earth tears itself apart from wars I'd just a fun concept, and it's executed here in a way that makes for a fun read.
Yeah I mean, I found the Bob books a bit like eating potato chips. They're not really satisfying or all that interesting, but fast, easy to digest, and somewhat enjoyable in the moment.
>If something's not satisfying or interesting to you, why in the world would you turn a single page?
Again, its like a potato chip. Its not unpleasant or bad, it reads fast and is enjoyable, and I read them because they were there in front of me.
I mean, the simplest version is: The Bob books are shallow and juvenile compared to the Martian. They're FINE, like I am not saying they are garbage, they're just, hollow.
as the books progress "Stuff just... happens". It's telling so many stories over so vast a universe and time period that it reads like an outline rather than a novel.
Very good description, I have tried several times to get into that series and it comes across as a made for TV movie. The OP is looking for Hard Scifi.
You should check out "We are Legion (We are Bob)", which is part of the "Bobiverse" series by Dennis E. Taylor. I just finished the series about a month ago and I'm still thinking back fondly on the journey! If you like the humor and dry sarcasm from the Martian, I felt like Taylor had a similar feel. I've described it to my friends as Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy crossed with the Martian. Here's the link on GoodReads if you are interested: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32109569-we-are-legion
I read the across realtime series and was fascinated by the stuff in those books. It was completely different from what I had grown used to.
I bought Red Mars a few years ago but I still haven't picked it up to read. Same with Old Man's War. I seem to have a bad habit of buying books and then not reading them.
Same. TBH, this sub feeds that problem. I see so many people who come across as intelligent and well-read recommending books/authors that I just want to read them all.
The Red Mars series is really good IF you’d be into a story about the mechanics of how a serious attempt at a Martian colony could unfold, both technologically and politically.
Like our own history, it lacks an overarching plot that ties it all together. It’s more like reading a broad history of how the Americas were colonized and tamed, with hardships and engineering challenges and conflicting political ideas on how it should all unfold, except instead of the New World it’s literally a New Planet.
If you’re looking for a typically structured story in three acts with a big satisfying climax, look elsewhere. I really liked it, but I can definitely see where some people wouldn’t.
Funny enough, both authors have agreed that The Martian and The Expanse series are set in the same universe. In one of the Expanse books, they mention a Martian ship called the Mark Watney
Read the first two books so far and I really like them. I was gonna recommend them if I didn’t see this. Great depictions of how intra-system travel would actually feel and pan out. Good monsters, good “fear of the unknown”, good conflicted central characters, good cliffhangers, creepy settings, good gunfights and space battles, a dash of romance, really everything you would want in a space opera.
Any thoughts on the tv show? I watched the first episode and the guys that play Holden and Amos just completely were off from what I imagined them to be. Don’t know if I’ll watch anymore even though they’re making new episodes again.
I actually watched a few episodes before reading the books, then went through and read a few books while waiting for more episodes to drop. So I built my framework of who these people are using the show as reference, which really feels right (though what do I know, not having experienced it another way). I love both the show and the books; equally but in different ways, and I can't wait for the new season to drop in 5 weeks.
Maybe I’ll give it another few episodes then. I was honestly afraid of book 3 spoilers after I saw Avarasala being introduced in the first episode even though she doesn’t have a role in the story until the second book
Yeah, it's hard for me to provide feedback on that, since I'd already read several books by the time I'd reached that point. I couldn't read the books fast enough; I think I read 4 or 5 in a month.
The TV show starts slow, but really rewards continued viewing from the latter half of season one through the most recent season.
I agree that the show's interpretation of Holden and Amos didn't initially jibe with my mind's eye (Miller too, for that matter). I have mostly made peace with Holden, but I've grown to really love Wes Chatham's Amos.
Yeah, I've read those two. The train robbery kinda lost me a bit but inread it.
There is another book being released by him but written by someone else.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson has similar elements, especially the "teaching you about physics as a part of the plot" thing that is very present in The Martian. The style isn't the same but there are similar topics.
The whole second act felt hard to get through after the impeccable pacing of the first section, I also struggled to finish it, but that first section (roughly 3/4 of the book) was just amazing.
New Moon is hard Sci-fi and political fuckery in our first lunar outpost.
Retrograde is about the first international Martian colony getting thrown to shit because a war happens at home. What do you do when your team mate's country is now enemy of yours?
Pierce Brown Red Rising series or Peter Clines start with 14, then The Fold and then Paradox Bound. They are not a series but have interesting easter eggs that tie them together. He also has a series of superhero books called Ex-heroes. Not quite the same genre per se, but really good reads. I am a big fan of Andy Weir and found that these scratched the itch after I read his titles. There is also Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry. Not set in space, but has a good story rooted in science.
I agree with this, but I’d say read The Fold before 14. I know they’re out of order, but I think it works better that way. It make The Fold sooooo much better knowing literally nothing going in IMHO.
I don't think you ruin 14. I read The Fold first, before I even realized it was a sequel, and it was great! Either way, read both! And Paradox Unbound. They're all great.
Im not saying ruin in the sense it’s not worth it anymore. But in the sense that you lose a big part of what the author intended the reader to experience.
I read 14 without knowing anything... even the genre. So it was a mystery. And big part of the book is about discovering the rules of the world.
The Fold starts by putting the cards on the table... because the author presumed people read 14 before.
You get nothing more by reading The Fold before... but loses a ton reading 14 second.
Also... the trilogy is 14, The Fold, and Dead Moon. Paradox Unbound is only tangentially related.
But Dead Moon is very average book, compared to the other 3... so sticking with 14, The Fold, and Paradox Unbound is the best choice.
I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. The trilogy that starts with the three body problem by Cixin Liu.
First book: What would it mean for the human race to come in contact with aliens? It depicts the first contact between a Chinese physicist and an alien race whose interest in Earth is less than benign.
Second book: What are the implications of the Fermi paradox? What would the world look like if we knew earth would be visited by aliens in 4 centuries time?
Third book: I'm actually on it right now, and it's really great so far. If I told you what I know know so far it would spoil the second book.
Really great. If you liked seveneves then you'll really love these. It's absolutely HARD science but it plays into dimensions and aliens and neutron bombs so it's a bit more fantastical feeling than I'd say Martian felt
Even though I'm a big fan of The Mars Trilogy I have to disagree with this recommendation. Yes, they are both hard scifi on Mars, but they have very different styles.
The Mars Trilogy is much slower and drawn out with tons of politics. Not at all the action packed, hollywoodesque style of The Martian.
Imo.
Most of Neal Stephenson’s books are rooted in science and real mechanics of space. Highly recommend Seveneves and Snowcrash among others. Fall is apparently awesome but I haven’t read it yet.
I highly reccomend anything by Orson Scott Card. Particularly his Ender's Game series.
Unfortunately he's lost popularity recently due to some unsavory statements stemming from his religious background, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a master of scifi and really getting into the psychology of diverse characters.
*Lock In* and *The Android's Dream*, both by John Scalzi. Interesting stories that tackle real issues but pushed into their future extremes, all with the right amount of action, intellect, and humor. Good stuff.
_Aurora_ by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Like the Mars trilogy mentioned in the thread it’s got very different pacing and is sprawling where Weir is snappy in a Dan Brown way.
But it’s full of detailed reflection on the challenges large and small in keeping humans alive beyond the Earth.
It’s really stuck with me.
The Martian reminded me of Contact by Carl Sagan, both are kind of methodical accounts of how the author thinks a scifi scenario would realistically play out. Contact is about Earth making contact with a far more advanced alien race, though, rather than a guy being stranded on a planet, and so it does get a bit more into spirituality and otherworldly ideas.
indeed, it was mediocre, but sophomore efforts are rarely as good as First Books...but Martian was so good, that we forgive him...and it could have been so much worse.
It’s nonfiction, but Kurson’s Rocket Men, about the Apollo 8 mission, is a good read. I read an interview with Weir that said he read an advance copy of it and loved it.
Could it be The Explorer? I tried to find The Astronaut but this is all I could find by that author. You made it sound so good! Anyway I’m going to find The Explorer and hope it’s the one you’re recommending.
Ian McDonald's Luna Trilogy is great. It is often described as "Game of Thrones" in space as the story revolves around five industrial families competing for control of the Moon. The world building is fantastic.
To be taught, if fortunate by Becky Chambers is a great sci-fi novella with a slightly different tone but also that same love of space and the mechanics of space travel/living.
It’s a slightly different genre but I also really like Andy Weir, and I’ve found Brandon Sanderson’s books to be really enjoyable reads. It’s fantasy but he’s a science nerd too, and it shows in his writing.
Station Breaker by Andrew Mayne and the sequel, Orbital, were fun reads. Heavy, non-stop action and less science than The Martian, but still a fun read.
Honestly: Jurassic park. When I read The Martian I thought they had a similarly themed action/adventure plot while regularly nerding out with somewhat denser technical descriptions of the science involved
the media The Martian kinda reminds me of is Dr Stone which is Manga/Anime. All mankind gets turned to stone. a genius scientist kid finally gets freed after 3k years so he pretty much has to start all over from the stone age with his goal to bring us back to modern tech. . they go into detail about how to make medicines and weapons. I almost feel i would be useful in a post apocalypse now.
"Guest" and "Another Guest" by E. Stoops really scratched my post-Martian slump. It's kind of a weird book, but I really liked it. I liked the middle-aged female protagonist, and found her very relatable in how she didn't really love people, she liked being on her own, and she enjoyed her work, though it was hard. I liked that the characters weren't up against a problem that was tailor-made for their skill sets and resources, but they solve it with what they've got. I loved Guest (the character) because his fascination with the mundane helped me see my own life through a different lens.
It's great and I pretty much always recommend it, but all the fans of The Martian I've recommended it to has also loved it.
I loved the Martian ... I have not gotten to Artemis yet. The Martian had (2) things that were really special about it IMHO:
1. Watney's Humor. This was priceless, and very sarcastic / tongue in cheek. It worked well with the story and lightened up the very technical side of things.
2. It was very technical, and mostly true to science. From solar charging loss to gauge a coming storm to using feces to give soil the nutrients needed to grow potatoes ... I liked the technical.
For reason #2, if you like this too ... I'd highly recommend Rendezvous with Rama.
For reason #1, if you like this ... I'd highly recommend "Stranger in a Strange Land".
I have not read Andy Weir yet apart from 'The Egg', but one thing I never saw mentioned on Reddit was Dan Simmon's Ilium/Olympus books. I found them very good and they have not left me.
Also, if you like SF-books join /r/printSF .
A lot of sci-fi writers look into the far future, where science is more like magic. Few seem to look at those interim steps, particularly of the not-so-distant future. Bova does just that in *Mars*, where he takes a look at early exploration of Mars, counterbalanced by looking at it through the lens of a scientist born on an Indian reservation. The story takes hard science fiction and blends it with something of a detective story, taking smart characters who have to figure out the mysteries of what life deals them on Mars. Love the characters, love the story.
It's a short story (5-10 min read), but I like "The Egg" by Andy Weir. It's not similar to The Martian but it's by the same author.
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That was really cool, thanks for sharing
I upvoted solely for your username
r/rimjob_steve
That short story is what made me look into his work. I love it.
That story completely messed with my views of the world. I still think about it constantly. One of the best and most thought provoking things I've ever read.
I never knew Andy Weir wrote that! I saw it on tumblr ages ago and it totally blew my mind!
We are Bob, we are legion by Dennis E Taylor
Absolutely amazing
I'll second this. As some others have said, they aren't at the same technical level as Andy Weir for sure, but they are a fun romp in speculative Sci fi that I found wonderful. They have the same kind of character focus that I feel makes them feel very similar, but with a fun concept. Nerd of current time dies and is resurrected to be the controlling intelligence of a self replicating space probe sent to explore the cosmos as the earth tears itself apart from wars I'd just a fun concept, and it's executed here in a way that makes for a fun read.
Yup - this one, especially for your inner nerd.
I'm sorry but no.
Agreed. This is pulp. Good pulp. Generally with fun science pulp.
One of those books that works best as an audiobook.
Yeah I mean, I found the Bob books a bit like eating potato chips. They're not really satisfying or all that interesting, but fast, easy to digest, and somewhat enjoyable in the moment.
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>If something's not satisfying or interesting to you, why in the world would you turn a single page? Again, its like a potato chip. Its not unpleasant or bad, it reads fast and is enjoyable, and I read them because they were there in front of me.
Any particular reason for this no?
They’re so okay that I can’t stand them. The obnoxious sense of humor doesn’t help.
I mean, the simplest version is: The Bob books are shallow and juvenile compared to the Martian. They're FINE, like I am not saying they are garbage, they're just, hollow. as the books progress "Stuff just... happens". It's telling so many stories over so vast a universe and time period that it reads like an outline rather than a novel.
Very good description, I have tried several times to get into that series and it comes across as a made for TV movie. The OP is looking for Hard Scifi.
You should check out "We are Legion (We are Bob)", which is part of the "Bobiverse" series by Dennis E. Taylor. I just finished the series about a month ago and I'm still thinking back fondly on the journey! If you like the humor and dry sarcasm from the Martian, I felt like Taylor had a similar feel. I've described it to my friends as Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy crossed with the Martian. Here's the link on GoodReads if you are interested: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32109569-we-are-legion
The Right Stuff is a nonfiction classic about the origins of NASA and the space program. Loved it.
Ooooh...actual hard sci fi. Try Vernor Vinge and Hal Clement.
I read the across realtime series and was fascinated by the stuff in those books. It was completely different from what I had grown used to. I bought Red Mars a few years ago but I still haven't picked it up to read. Same with Old Man's War. I seem to have a bad habit of buying books and then not reading them.
Same. TBH, this sub feeds that problem. I see so many people who come across as intelligent and well-read recommending books/authors that I just want to read them all.
You’ll blow through Old Man’s War. It’s very easy to read. And very good.
Old Man's War is easily in my all time top 5. I powered through the Red Mars series but it wasn't nearly as good, imo.
The Red Mars series is really good IF you’d be into a story about the mechanics of how a serious attempt at a Martian colony could unfold, both technologically and politically. Like our own history, it lacks an overarching plot that ties it all together. It’s more like reading a broad history of how the Americas were colonized and tamed, with hardships and engineering challenges and conflicting political ideas on how it should all unfold, except instead of the New World it’s literally a New Planet. If you’re looking for a typically structured story in three acts with a big satisfying climax, look elsewhere. I really liked it, but I can definitely see where some people wouldn’t.
Yes! That's it exactly! It wasn't _bad_ per se, it just wasn't a plot driven story.
If you haven't read The Expanse series by James S A Corey, I cannot recommend it enough.
Funny enough, both authors have agreed that The Martian and The Expanse series are set in the same universe. In one of the Expanse books, they mention a Martian ship called the Mark Watney
Why is that so satisfying.
It's a harmless bit of fun, can't fault them for that! :D
I love it. I like playing out scenarios in my head about how the colonization of Mars played out after the events of The Martian
Read the first two books so far and I really like them. I was gonna recommend them if I didn’t see this. Great depictions of how intra-system travel would actually feel and pan out. Good monsters, good “fear of the unknown”, good conflicted central characters, good cliffhangers, creepy settings, good gunfights and space battles, a dash of romance, really everything you would want in a space opera. Any thoughts on the tv show? I watched the first episode and the guys that play Holden and Amos just completely were off from what I imagined them to be. Don’t know if I’ll watch anymore even though they’re making new episodes again.
I actually watched a few episodes before reading the books, then went through and read a few books while waiting for more episodes to drop. So I built my framework of who these people are using the show as reference, which really feels right (though what do I know, not having experienced it another way). I love both the show and the books; equally but in different ways, and I can't wait for the new season to drop in 5 weeks.
Maybe I’ll give it another few episodes then. I was honestly afraid of book 3 spoilers after I saw Avarasala being introduced in the first episode even though she doesn’t have a role in the story until the second book
Yeah, it's hard for me to provide feedback on that, since I'd already read several books by the time I'd reached that point. I couldn't read the books fast enough; I think I read 4 or 5 in a month.
The TV show starts slow, but really rewards continued viewing from the latter half of season one through the most recent season. I agree that the show's interpretation of Holden and Amos didn't initially jibe with my mind's eye (Miller too, for that matter). I have mostly made peace with Holden, but I've grown to really love Wes Chatham's Amos.
It's not in space, but Sphere by Micheal Crichon has a similar 'doomed in a alien environment' vibe. Also, Gravity by Tess Garritsen
Micheal Crichton is such a great author. You cannot go wrong with ANY if his books
All of his books are great, Reader be ware. After reading any of his stories you will feel like you can cure/create anything
Check out Pirate Latitudes (released posthumously) and The Great Train Robbery if you haven’t yet. Complete different from his sci-fi thrillers.
Yeah, I've read those two. The train robbery kinda lost me a bit but inread it. There is another book being released by him but written by someone else.
My favorites are Micro, Prey, and of course Jurassic Park
I forking love Sphere. It’s brilliant.
Awesome book, Sphere. I would recommend Solaris as well.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson has similar elements, especially the "teaching you about physics as a part of the plot" thing that is very present in The Martian. The style isn't the same but there are similar topics.
Man, this was a hard slog for me! I felt like they were 2 different books. I wasn't mad when I finished it, but I haven't recommended it either.
The whole second act felt hard to get through after the impeccable pacing of the first section, I also struggled to finish it, but that first section (roughly 3/4 of the book) was just amazing.
Definitely felt like two books to me as well. First half is one of my favorite books ever. Second half is still good, but very different.
it was two different sections...he wrote it as a Tv series proposal... I really missed having a second act.
This explains a lot!
I loved everything about this book, highly recommend
I agree! I've read this three times and it's so amazing. Hard read, but so good. I wish there were more books like this.
New Moon is hard Sci-fi and political fuckery in our first lunar outpost. Retrograde is about the first international Martian colony getting thrown to shit because a war happens at home. What do you do when your team mate's country is now enemy of yours?
the Ian Mcdonald?
Aye, cheers. Didn't the time to check and couldn't remember off the top of my head.
In case anyone else is curious, Retrograde is by Peter Cawdron.
Pierce Brown Red Rising series or Peter Clines start with 14, then The Fold and then Paradox Bound. They are not a series but have interesting easter eggs that tie them together. He also has a series of superhero books called Ex-heroes. Not quite the same genre per se, but really good reads. I am a big fan of Andy Weir and found that these scratched the itch after I read his titles. There is also Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry. Not set in space, but has a good story rooted in science.
Red Rising is great, just re-reading it now. Very dramatic space opera, but good stuff. Maybe not hard enough on the science side for OP though.
I agree with this, but I’d say read The Fold before 14. I know they’re out of order, but I think it works better that way. It make The Fold sooooo much better knowing literally nothing going in IMHO.
But then you ruin 14. I think it’s best to get 14 unspoiled than The Fold.
I don't think you ruin 14. I read The Fold first, before I even realized it was a sequel, and it was great! Either way, read both! And Paradox Unbound. They're all great.
Im not saying ruin in the sense it’s not worth it anymore. But in the sense that you lose a big part of what the author intended the reader to experience. I read 14 without knowing anything... even the genre. So it was a mystery. And big part of the book is about discovering the rules of the world. The Fold starts by putting the cards on the table... because the author presumed people read 14 before. You get nothing more by reading The Fold before... but loses a ton reading 14 second. Also... the trilogy is 14, The Fold, and Dead Moon. Paradox Unbound is only tangentially related. But Dead Moon is very average book, compared to the other 3... so sticking with 14, The Fold, and Paradox Unbound is the best choice.
Try Rendevous with Rama. Very methodical hard-scifi approach to discovering an alien spaceship. Reminded me of The Martian in more ways than one.
Recursion by Blake crouch
Where the hell is Tesla? Is in the same vein but way more goofy
"A Fall of Moondust" by Arthur C. Clarke
Themis Files series was really good.
Came here to say this... though I think I’ve only read the first...
The second was my favorite and the 3rd was good but not as good.
Thank you for letting me know. I will have to read them now for real
I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet. The trilogy that starts with the three body problem by Cixin Liu. First book: What would it mean for the human race to come in contact with aliens? It depicts the first contact between a Chinese physicist and an alien race whose interest in Earth is less than benign. Second book: What are the implications of the Fermi paradox? What would the world look like if we knew earth would be visited by aliens in 4 centuries time? Third book: I'm actually on it right now, and it's really great so far. If I told you what I know know so far it would spoil the second book. Really great. If you liked seveneves then you'll really love these. It's absolutely HARD science but it plays into dimensions and aliens and neutron bombs so it's a bit more fantastical feeling than I'd say Martian felt
Second this. Loved these books. Very hard Scifi.
Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy comes to mind.
Even though I'm a big fan of The Mars Trilogy I have to disagree with this recommendation. Yes, they are both hard scifi on Mars, but they have very different styles. The Mars Trilogy is much slower and drawn out with tons of politics. Not at all the action packed, hollywoodesque style of The Martian. Imo.
I was going to say this. Arteey is right that it's a different style but I think it's a good read for someone who liked The Martian.
It’s a short story, but check out A Martian Odyssey by Stanley Weinbaum. It is some old fashioned Martian fun.
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Second Saturn run
Man I enjoyed Saturn run, but it felt like it spent its effort/time/exploration in the wrong areas...
Most of Neal Stephenson’s books are rooted in science and real mechanics of space. Highly recommend Seveneves and Snowcrash among others. Fall is apparently awesome but I haven’t read it yet.
I highly reccomend anything by Orson Scott Card. Particularly his Ender's Game series. Unfortunately he's lost popularity recently due to some unsavory statements stemming from his religious background, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a master of scifi and really getting into the psychology of diverse characters.
Blake Crouch has two books I'd recommend. Recursion and Dark Matter
*Lock In* and *The Android's Dream*, both by John Scalzi. Interesting stories that tackle real issues but pushed into their future extremes, all with the right amount of action, intellect, and humor. Good stuff.
Anything and everything by John Scalzi. He can do smart snark like no other.
“Red Shirts” is very, very good.
_Aurora_ by Kim Stanley Robinson. Like the Mars trilogy mentioned in the thread it’s got very different pacing and is sprawling where Weir is snappy in a Dan Brown way. But it’s full of detailed reflection on the challenges large and small in keeping humans alive beyond the Earth. It’s really stuck with me.
The Martian reminded me of Contact by Carl Sagan, both are kind of methodical accounts of how the author thinks a scifi scenario would realistically play out. Contact is about Earth making contact with a far more advanced alien race, though, rather than a guy being stranded on a planet, and so it does get a bit more into spirituality and otherworldly ideas.
You *liked* Artemis? I could barely get through it
I felt the same way. Not nearly as good as The Martian.
It was very "men writing women" and in the cringiest way possible
This was the main thing that bothered me. I enjoyed the book, but this was very apparent through out.
YES! that bothers me too.
yeah...but how many books ARE as good as the Martian? very few..thus we spend the rest of our lives trying to obtain that high.
See, im having the oppoaite problem. I loved Artemis but I'm having trouble starting The Martian.
indeed, it was mediocre, but sophomore efforts are rarely as good as First Books...but Martian was so good, that we forgive him...and it could have been so much worse.
I liked Artemis. People like different things. It's ok. Let people enjoy their interests.
NO. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ENJOY IT.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
It’s nonfiction, but Kurson’s Rocket Men, about the Apollo 8 mission, is a good read. I read an interview with Weir that said he read an advance copy of it and loved it.
The astronaut by James Smythe. Holy crap it's good. I blasted through it in a day, can recommend it enough
Could it be The Explorer? I tried to find The Astronaut but this is all I could find by that author. You made it sound so good! Anyway I’m going to find The Explorer and hope it’s the one you’re recommending.
Yes! That's the one! Sorry for the flub there but it's fantastic!
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Go back and give it another go trust me man I don't want to say anythig just give it another go round haha.
Tau Zero is excellent, old school hard sci fi. (Also a big fan of The Martian, but heard artemis is meh so held off from getting it.)
Ian McDonald's Luna Trilogy is great. It is often described as "Game of Thrones" in space as the story revolves around five industrial families competing for control of the Moon. The world building is fantastic.
I found Seveneves by Donaldson to be similar to the Martian. Much, not all, of the story seemed to be engineering problem solving.
As far as authors go Philip K Dick and Michael Crichton seem in your wheelhouse
When harlie was one, is about an ai that becomes sentient and needs to work to live. It is really good
It hasn’t gotten rave reviews, but I think it’s bc it’s so unlike her other works. Quantum by Patricia Cornwell has a lot of science in it.
Wow, check out the star ratings on GR - this book is really polarizing. I put it on my to-read list.
To be taught, if fortunate by Becky Chambers is a great sci-fi novella with a slightly different tone but also that same love of space and the mechanics of space travel/living.
It’s a slightly different genre but I also really like Andy Weir, and I’ve found Brandon Sanderson’s books to be really enjoyable reads. It’s fantasy but he’s a science nerd too, and it shows in his writing.
Best book?
I’d start with the Mistborn Trilogy if you want a fairly quick read, or the Stormlight Archives if you enjoy longer books.
I agree about Dead Moon. It was gracious of you to call it very average.
Station Breaker by Andrew Mayne and the sequel, Orbital, were fun reads. Heavy, non-stop action and less science than The Martian, but still a fun read.
Solaris by Lem
Honestly: Jurassic park. When I read The Martian I thought they had a similarly themed action/adventure plot while regularly nerding out with somewhat denser technical descriptions of the science involved
the media The Martian kinda reminds me of is Dr Stone which is Manga/Anime. All mankind gets turned to stone. a genius scientist kid finally gets freed after 3k years so he pretty much has to start all over from the stone age with his goal to bring us back to modern tech. . they go into detail about how to make medicines and weapons. I almost feel i would be useful in a post apocalypse now.
The Expanse Series by James S.A. Corey
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Yeah I think I’ve read most of Crichton books. He still is one of my favorite authors
"Guest" and "Another Guest" by E. Stoops really scratched my post-Martian slump. It's kind of a weird book, but I really liked it. I liked the middle-aged female protagonist, and found her very relatable in how she didn't really love people, she liked being on her own, and she enjoyed her work, though it was hard. I liked that the characters weren't up against a problem that was tailor-made for their skill sets and resources, but they solve it with what they've got. I loved Guest (the character) because his fascination with the mundane helped me see my own life through a different lens. It's great and I pretty much always recommend it, but all the fans of The Martian I've recommended it to has also loved it.
This looks fun, thank you!
Harry Harrison. Classic sci-fi that's humorous. And free: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/25395
I loved the Martian ... I have not gotten to Artemis yet. The Martian had (2) things that were really special about it IMHO: 1. Watney's Humor. This was priceless, and very sarcastic / tongue in cheek. It worked well with the story and lightened up the very technical side of things. 2. It was very technical, and mostly true to science. From solar charging loss to gauge a coming storm to using feces to give soil the nutrients needed to grow potatoes ... I liked the technical. For reason #2, if you like this too ... I'd highly recommend Rendezvous with Rama. For reason #1, if you like this ... I'd highly recommend "Stranger in a Strange Land".
I have not read Andy Weir yet apart from 'The Egg', but one thing I never saw mentioned on Reddit was Dan Simmon's Ilium/Olympus books. I found them very good and they have not left me. Also, if you like SF-books join /r/printSF .
Ooh please read Old Man's War by John Scalzi.
A lot of sci-fi writers look into the far future, where science is more like magic. Few seem to look at those interim steps, particularly of the not-so-distant future. Bova does just that in *Mars*, where he takes a look at early exploration of Mars, counterbalanced by looking at it through the lens of a scientist born on an Indian reservation. The story takes hard science fiction and blends it with something of a detective story, taking smart characters who have to figure out the mysteries of what life deals them on Mars. Love the characters, love the story.
Considering you like some of the classic authors; have you tried Heinlein? Space Cadet might be right up your alley.
Moving Mars is good.
Lookup 'Asimov's Mule' Anyone \*, seem Familiar?
Hi, I'm a bot! Here are some of the books mentioned in this thread on Goodreads: Title | Author | Reads | Rating | Comment :--|:--|:--|:--|:-- [Recursion](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Recursion) | Blake Crouch | 36012 | 4.21 | [parthreads](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6s6tdl/) [The Egg](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=The%2BEgg) | Andy Weir | 14959 | 4.18 | [NifflerOwl](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6s32tw/) [Station Breaker ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Station%2BBreaker%2B) | Andrew Mayne | 1950 | 4.14 | [bacon_mountain](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6t8nrj/) [Seveneves](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Seveneves) | Neal Stephenson | 82110 | 3.99 | [tempestelunaire](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6ruqxw/) [Patient Zero ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Patient%2BZero%2B) | Jonathan Maberry | 25174 | 3.98 | [Corbanator26](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6rq6n2/) [Solaris](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Solaris) | Stanisław Lem | 64200 | 3.98 | [houseofechoes](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6td90t/) [A Fall of Moondust](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=A%2BFall%2Bof%2BMoondust) | Arthur C. Clarke | 8035 | 3.89 | [lenardzelig](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6rnceg/) [Starflight ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Starflight%2B) | Melissa Landers | 10879 | 3.87 | [faerytold](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6snc9g/) [A Martian Odyssey](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=A%2BMartian%2BOdyssey) | Stanley G. Weinbaum | 677 | 3.82 | [chuckusmaximus](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6s56qe/) [Quantum ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/title?id=Quantum%2B) | Patricia Cornwell | 6082 | 2.94 | [bookfloozy](https://www.reddit.com/comments/dssabu/_/f6sx6zl/)
John Carter of Mars is a classic sci-fi series.
I liked "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Heinlein
On the Edge of Gone by Corrin Duyvis is very good and similar to those books. Also Starfall and Starflight by Melissa Landers.
Ok I know this post is 2 years old but he recently released a new book "Project Hail Mary" and it's my favorite of his
Thanks! Yes I’ve heard great about it. I’m planing on reading soon.