Geniuses

SleepyBob · 01-22-2013, 04:22 PM

I was listening to "Legion" on Audible the other day and really enjoyed it. That piqued my curiosity: what are some other good SF books/series, where a main character is a genius?

Some that I have already read are:

Legion, Brandon Sanderson
Agatha H and the Airship City, Foglio
Ender's Shadow, Orson Scott Card
Macroscope, Piers Anthony
Cold as Ice, Charles Sheffield
Vorkosigan series, Lois McMaster Bujold

Apache · 01-22-2013, 05:27 PM

Nero Wolfe in the Nero Wolfe Series by Rex Stout.
Waldo in Waldo by Robert Heinlein.
Apache

Apache · 01-22-2013, 05:28 PM

Sorry I missed the Sci Fi part.

Apache

cromag · 01-23-2013, 12:56 AM

Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes. There's a bit of an arc involved, but I think it would qualify.

fjtorres · 01-23-2013, 09:37 AM

Vernor Vinge - Tatja Grimm's World - a genius born in a world of barbarians

Gordon R. Dickson - The R-Master / The last Master - a drug creates geniuses on demand. Sometimes.

steven522 · 01-24-2013, 09:09 AM

I recently read and enjoyed Emperor Mollusk versus the Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez. It is a sci-fi story reminiscent of the 1950's alien invasion B-movies with Martinez's usual twisted slant on things. The title character is a "suuuuper genius" (to borrow from Wile E. Coyote).

LovesMacs · 01-29-2013, 11:51 AM

Many years ago, I read a post-apocalyptic novel called Emergence by David Palmer. The main character was supposed to more evolved than the average human being, making her a genius. She also had a better immune system that made her able to survive the plague that killed off most of humanity. Something like that. I remember enjoying the book very much. Unfortunately it's out of print and not available as an ebook.

jehane · 02-22-2013, 03:21 AM

Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon (high functioning autist)
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle
The Dispossessed, Ursula Le Guin
Seven Ancient Wonders, Matthew Reilly (probably closer to action than SF and the genius kid was too much of a stretch for my taste)

Really smart scientists, but perhaps not considered genius level:
Darwin's Radio, Greg Bear (possibly the sequel can go in the above list since one of the kids is a super genius)
Inherit the Stars, James P Hogan
Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton (also Prey)
Timescape, Gregory Benford

specsavage · 02-22-2013, 12:11 PM

I remember Emergence and its sequel, Tracking, which appeared in Analog. Got tired of waiting for the ebooks a couple years ago and made my own. Definitely needs reprinting and release as an ebook or two.

One title that appears in my mind is Absolom by Henry Kuttner, but that was a short story, I think. Children of the Atom by Wilmar H. Shiras also springs up.

For a somewhat more recent title, try Dykstra's War by Jeffrey Kooistra. It's available from Baen.

01-22-2013, 04:22 PM	#1
SleepyBob Evangelist Posts: 420 Karma: 8522810 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin, USA Device: Kindle PW3	Geniuses I was listening to "Legion" on Audible the other day and really enjoyed it. That piqued my curiosity: what are some other good SF books/series, where a main character is a genius? Some that I have already read are: Legion, Brandon Sanderson Agatha H and the Airship City, Foglio Ender's Shadow, Orson Scott Card Macroscope, Piers Anthony Cold as Ice, Charles Sheffield Vorkosigan series, Lois McMaster Bujold

02-22-2013, 03:21 AM	#8
jehane Book addict Posts: 441 Karma: 2650464 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Antarctica/Australia/Ohio Device: Sony PRS-300/T1/Asus TF101	Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon (high functioning autist) A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle The Dispossessed, Ursula Le Guin Seven Ancient Wonders, Matthew Reilly (probably closer to action than SF and the genius kid was too much of a stretch for my taste) Really smart scientists, but perhaps not considered genius level: Darwin's Radio, Greg Bear (possibly the sequel can go in the above list since one of the kids is a super genius) Inherit the Stars, James P Hogan Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton (also Prey) Timescape, Gregory Benford Last edited by jehane; 02-22-2013 at 03:24 AM. Reason: added more

01-22-2013, 05:27 PM	#2
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,137 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Nero Wolfe in the Nero Wolfe Series by Rex Stout. Waldo in Waldo by Robert Heinlein. Apache

01-22-2013, 05:28 PM	#3
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,137 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Sorry I missed the Sci Fi part. Apache

01-23-2013, 12:56 AM	#4
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,289 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes. There's a bit of an arc involved, but I think it would qualify.

01-23-2013, 09:37 AM	#5
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Vernor Vinge - Tatja Grimm's World - a genius born in a world of barbarians Gordon R. Dickson - The R-Master / The last Master - a drug creates geniuses on demand. Sometimes.

01-24-2013, 09:09 AM	#6
steven522 binomial: homo legentem Posts: 1,061 Karma: 25222222 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Alabama, USA Device: iriver Story HD; Archos 80 G9	I recently read and enjoyed Emperor Mollusk versus the Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez. It is a sci-fi story reminiscent of the 1950's alien invasion B-movies with Martinez's usual twisted slant on things. The title character is a "suuuuper genius" (to borrow from Wile E. Coyote).

01-29-2013, 11:51 AM	#7
LovesMacs Fanatic Posts: 513 Karma: 2644386 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: iPhone, Kindle Touch	Many years ago, I read a post-apocalyptic novel called Emergence by David Palmer. The main character was supposed to more evolved than the average human being, making her a genius. She also had a better immune system that made her able to survive the plague that killed off most of humanity. Something like that. I remember enjoying the book very much. Unfortunately it's out of print and not available as an ebook.

02-22-2013, 12:11 PM	#9
specsavage Member Posts: 18 Karma: 473394 Join Date: Jul 2012 Device: Kindle Fire HD	I remember Emergence and its sequel, Tracking, which appeared in Analog. Got tired of waiting for the ebooks a couple years ago and made my own. Definitely needs reprinting and release as an ebook or two. One title that appears in my mind is Absolom by Henry Kuttner, but that was a short story, I think. Children of the Atom by Wilmar H. Shiras also springs up. For a somewhat more recent title, try Dykstra's War by Jeffrey Kooistra. It's available from Baen.

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