Hard Science Fiction Recommendations - Page 4

Wordcrasher · 08-13-2010, 07:16 AM

What about Stephen Baxter ? I'm reading his Xelee books and I find them very well written and full of interesting hints to contemporary science (strings, supersimmetry, dark matter, etc.)

Gaurnim · 08-13-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardeegee

What "political bearing" was in Ilium and Olympos? I can't remember one.

His whole take on the Palestinian / Israeli situation.
I will not elaborate on this, as it's mainly in the second part of Olympos and would constitute a spoiler.
If you didn't catch these references, maybe that's for the best, because it kinda ruined the end of the second book for me.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-13-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourcejedi

Ask him if you want (he is here).

I am?
(whoops)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourcejedi

I got the impression the website might not have been supporting itself, so this could be a matter of cutting his losses.

Not exactly.

rhmorrison · 08-13-2010, 10:24 AM

"Foundation Trilogy"
Anything written by Greg Bear but especially "Moving Mars".
Cities in Flight by James Blish

HarryT · 08-13-2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I couldn't get through Bova's 'Mars' - I found the Native American aspects too overbearing

.
Is it a recurring theme in his books?

No. That was unique to that one.

tmclough · 08-13-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm afraid I have absolutely no idea what you mean by that question. Hogan wrote good "hard SF" novels; they are not "political" works.

I have read, online, that at least some (not necessarily all) of his works were politically tinged, and I was wondering how, how much, and in what ways, and in which works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

What? I find this very strange to be concerned about what politics are expressed in fiction...it's fiction for gawdssake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I think it's a problem when the 'agenda' gets in the way of the story.
That was why I stuggled with 'Mars'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaurnim

Sometimes the political bearing of the author is quite present and can be disturbing if you don't adhere to it.
I had such problems with Dan Simmons' Ilium and Olympos.

Sparrow and Gaurnim have summed up my concern for Hogan. Does "the 'agenda' [get] in the way of the story"? Is "the political bearing of the author...quite present"? Also, what is (were) his libertarian leanings (social, economic, both, neither)?

HarryT · 08-13-2010, 10:53 AM

If you're honestly that bothered, why don't you download one of his books from Baen's free library and see for yourself? When an author has an overt political agenda in his books (as John Ringo does, for example) then personally I find it a real turn-off. Hogan does not do this.

kennyc · 08-13-2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I am?
(whoops)

Not exactly.

Drive by! Drive by!

kennyc · 08-13-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you're honestly that bothered, why don't you download one of his books from Baen's free library and see for yourself? When an author has an overt political agenda in his books (as John Ringo does, for example) then personally I find it a real turn-off. Hogan does not do this.

Sort of my point with my comment. Look at the blurbs, read the sample, start the book, if you don't like it, don't read any more of the authors stuff.

ardeegee · 08-13-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaurnim

His whole take on the Palestinian / Israeli situation.
I will not elaborate on this, as it's mainly in the second part of Olympos and would constitute a spoiler.
If you didn't catch these references, maybe that's for the best, because it kinda ruined the end of the second book for me.

Oh, okay. I remembered as you mentioned it that there was a sub-plot that was based on a short story of his, I had to Google to bring back up details.

And-- the plotline didn't make me think "politics" at all-- it seems to be as valid a projection of the modern world into the future as any. It is all speculation anyway. (My main complaint about the two books is that I just didn't think they were very good.)

ardeegee · 08-13-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Drive by! Drive by!

He seems to be following his own advice:

"The only author who has control of his work is the one who never lets it see the light of day."

(From this thread, after which he has almost entirely stopped posting.)

pdurrant · 08-13-2010, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

When an author has an overt political agenda in his books (as John Ringo does, for example) then personally I find it a real turn-off. Hogan does not do this.

I find Hogan's later books almost unreadable because of his overt 'current day science is hopelessly wrong, but they're all in a conspiracy to wilfully hide the fact' agenda.

I liked some of his earlier stuff though.

kennyc · 08-13-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I find Hogan's later books almost unreadable because of his overt 'current day science is hopelessly wrong, but they're all in a conspiracy to wilfully hide the fact' agenda.

I liked some of his earlier stuff though.

He wrote about Global Warming?

radius · 08-13-2010, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I suggest Hal Clement's Heavy Planet if you can find anywhere still selling it.

I'm wondering if you mean A Mission of Gravity instead of Heavy Planet? If I remember correctly, AMOG is the actual novel, while HP is a collection of short stories set in the same milieu.

Incidentally, I kind of consider AMOG to be the grandfather of "extreme environment" novels like some of Robert Forward's work etc.

HarryT · 08-13-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I find Hogan's later books almost unreadable because of his overt 'current day science is hopelessly wrong, but they're all in a conspiracy to wilfully hide the fact' agenda.

I liked some of his earlier stuff though.

His books of science essays, then yes, I agree with you. But I honestly can't think of any of his SF novels in which he does that. Were there any that you had in mind as examples?

08-13-2010, 10:24 AM	#49
rhmorrison Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 1320 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wörth am Rhein, Germany Device: Kindle 3 (WLAN) & hp Jornada 568	My book recommendations are . . . "Foundation Trilogy" Anything written by Greg Bear but especially "Moving Mars". Cities in Flight by James Blish

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08-13-2010, 07:16 AM	#46
Wordcrasher Addict Posts: 253 Karma: 1246 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vicenza, Italy Device: Kindle Fire 2015, Kindle Paperwhite	What about Stephen Baxter ? I'm reading his Xelee books and I find them very well written and full of interesting hints to contemporary science (strings, supersimmetry, dark matter, etc.)

08-13-2010, 10:53 AM	#52
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If you're honestly that bothered, why don't you download one of his books from Baen's free library and see for yourself? When an author has an overt political agenda in his books (as John Ringo does, for example) then personally I find it a real turn-off. Hogan does not do this.

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