Looking for (hard?) science fiction centered around a ship

[Shadowplay]

Hi gang!

Like the title says I'm looking for some scifi centered around or set on a ship and above all good characters. I'd prefer something serious instead of goofy/humorous. Humor is great when it comes up naturally, just not as the main focus I've read a fair bit of science fiction, but not as much of this variety as I'd like.

Some related books I've already read:

• Alastair Reynolds - most of his work
• Chanur Novels by C.J. Cherryh
• Night's Dawn series - Peter Hamilton

Just thinking as I go here, I guess I enjoy when the ship itself is important, either as a much loved vessel of the crew/passengers or as a character in its own right. Sentient ships, be they A.I. or organic, have lots of interesting potential for me, too
Of course one of my all-time favorite scifi TV series is Farscape, so... yeah.

I mentioned possibly hard science fiction as I do enjoy a bit of actual science thrown in. Alastair Reynolds is great example in my opinion of walking the line between the extremes. His books aren't truly hard scifi, but they aren't adventures in space like Star Wars either. Well written space opera I guess.

I'm also reading through this thread: books with living/sentient/AI ships as it will likely have some good possibilities, though it's focus is purely on sentient ships.

Thanks everyone!

p.s. - I'm currently floundering around in book 5 of the Wheel of Time series so please save me with some good science fiction.

[WillAdams]

Mike Brotherton's _Star Dragon_
C.J. Cherryh's _Merchanter's Luck_, _Rimrunners_ and _Finity's End_

[DiapDealer]

Michael Flynn's The Wreck of the River of Stars

Also, some of Iain M. Banks' Culture books have sentient starships as characters

[Ninjalawyer]

Faith by John Love is an excellent book, wherein the best character in the book is the enigmatic ship that the main characters must destroy. There's a lengthy initial section that drags with one of the main characters is on a planet, but it's excellent past that point. The book has a decidedly literary bend, so keep that in mind if you're considering picking up.

Like the Culture books, Neil Asher's polity books (starting with Gridlinked I think) feature sentient starships as major characters. These are much more action focused.

[Dazrin]

Have you tried Randolph Lalonde's Spinward Fringe series? There are several forms of AI and interesting ships in this series.

You can get the first books for free here (and probably on Smashwords): http://www.amazon.com/Origins-Spinwa.../dp/B004EPYUXA
I don't remember how much the AI came into play in Broadcast 0, but this would give you a cheap way to find out if you even like his style. I haven't read Alastair Reynolds, but based on what you said above this would fit fairly well.

[Apache]

The Jon and Lobo Series by Mark L. Van Name. Lobo is a sentient ship who likes to Kvetch. (Slang chiefly US to complain or grumble, esp incessantly)
The first book in the series is One Jump Ahead.
You can get them from Baen.
http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=mlvname
Apache

[NightGeometry]

Iain Banks has already been mentioned, but Excession specifically is based in large part on AI / ship politics and community. If youve not read any Banks before I'd recommend another as a starter, to get more out of it (Consider Pleides, most likely)

[Shadowplay]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. So far the one that really caught my attention is Michael Flynn's The Wreck of the River of Stars. It intrigues me for some reason

Also, though it doesn't seem my normal fare, the Mark L. Van Name books mentioned by Apache sound like a lot of fun. I might have to give that a try, too.

I should probably mention I've read a few Ian M. Banks books and honestly I just never really got into his style. I feel like that's blasphemy in these discussions, but I can't help it. They are fun, but always seem to lack something... I just can't get really attached to any of the characters or something.

This is great! I love finding new-to-me authors that click with me

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Shadowplay

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. So far the one that really caught my attention is Michael Flynn's The Wreck of the River of Stars. It intrigues me for some reason

Oh no! That was my suggestion. Is it weird that I feel all anxious about whether or not you'll like it?

Oh well. What happens; happens. I thought the characters were fantastic, and the science plausible and interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Hope someone else might, too.

[jgaiser]

While the ship isn't sentient, David Drakes RCN Series is highly ship-based and the Princess Cecile, Daniel Leary's ship, is an important part of the stories.

Oh, and the first three novels are free at Baen.

[bill_mchale]

An older one would be Tau Zero by Poul Anderson. The central plot element of the book is that a Bussard Ramjet powered spaceship experiences a mishap that prevents them from turning the drive off. They are stuck accelerating closer and closer to the speed of light as they hurtle through space and time (forward in time that is) as they desperately look to find a way to fix their ship.

--
Bill

[stonetools]

Tuf Voyaging by George RR Martin features a special ship that is " a nearly-derelict seedship of the long-defunct Federal Empire's Ecological Engineering Corps". I found it an enjoyable novel-really a linked collection of short stories. I hope to see furthur Tuf Voyaging- after GRRM writes the conclusion of you-know-what.

[sabredog]

Another option would be the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. John Geary, the central character's flagship, the Alliance Battlecruiser Dauntless is a constant throughout the series.

[cpegg]

Originally Posted by Shadowplay

Hi gang!

I'm looking for some scifi centered around or set on a ship and above all good characters. I'd prefer something serious

Blindsight by Peter Watts. Set on a ship and very, very serious.

[BlackVoid]

Gary Gibson - Stealing Light - its a trilogy, in the first book one ship has a really important role (in the other books this is not the case though). Still a good space opera.