#hardsciencefiction — Public Fediverse posts

Started reading Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children Of Time."
https://amzn.to/4vihhqX
📖🚀🪐🕷️
Not even 70 pages in and this is already deep, inventive, and heavy.
#Books #Reading #ScienceFiction #SciFi #HardScienceFiction #HardSciFi

Hi all, this is a final shout and last chance to grab First Among Equals for 99p

Sending a huge thanks to everyone who's jumped in on the Ghost in the Machine and First Among Equals promotions! As an indie author, your support is very much appreciated

https://www.linktr.ee/marcuswhitnell
https://amzn.eu/d/08cSyg4U

#bookstodon #author #indieauthor #writing #fantasy #scifi #sciencefiction #sff #sciencefantasy #scifi #actionadventure #fiction #books #booktok #bookstagram #readers #hardsciencefiction #hardscifi

Looking for some new Great British sci-fi? First Among Equals is on the Nebula Reading List and on promotion at 99p until 18th Feb.
Grab yours now:

https://www.linktr.ee/marcuswhitnell
https://amzn.eu/d/08cSyg4U

#bookstodon #author #indieauthor #writing #fantasy #scifi #sciencefiction #sff #sciencefantasy #scifi #actionadventure #fiction #books #amreadingscifi #BookTok #bookstagram #readers #booksky #hardsciencefiction #hardscifi

Aurora

https://library.hrmtc.com/2025/11/03/aurora/

#actionAdventure #book #ColoniesSpatialesRomansNouvellesEtc #ExplorationScienceFiction #fiction #HabileteSDeSurvieRomansNouvellesEtc #HardScienceFiction #InterplanetaryVoyages #InterplanetaryVoyagesFiction #kimStanleyRobinson #review #SciFiFantasy #ScienceFiction #ScienceFictionHardScienceFiction #ScienceFictionSpaceExploration #ScienceFictionSpaceOpera #spaceAndTime #SpaceAndTimeFiction #SpaceColonies #SpaceColoniesFiction #SpaceExploration #SpaceOperas #survival #SurvivalFiction #TPolyphilus #VoyagesInterplaneTairesRomansNouvellesEtc

When you brainstorm alien planets, there are online calculators, sure, but there's no one complete piece of software to do it. What if I did something about that?...

Read more at my #blog: https://www.adamasnemesis.com/2025/07/29/we-need-better-worldbuilding-software/

This post's featured image is "Holy Night, Holy Globe"; from Nordkapp, but it does capture the vibe.

#worldbuilding #software #scifi #sciencefiction #hardscifi #hardsciencefiction #astronomy #education #FOSS #freeandopensource

@astronomerritt

I find the same with many fans of what is often called ‘hard science fiction.’

Those with a little knowledge are quite pretentiously committed to it and sneer at literature, film and television that explores a wider canvas of possibility and their audiences. Those with advanced science degrees are often impatient with the implausible logical contortions that authors of recent ‘hard SF’ make just to keep the science speculation to a minimum.

While the concept seems intended to describe science fiction, imaginative stories that extrapolate from established science fact and theory, what it usually means to its proponents is that the fiction has to be limited to what a person with a mid 20th century bachelor’s degree in physics would know.

Setting aside the weirdness of holding physics theory constant while allowing fictional biology, chemistry, math and engineering to advance around 20th century physics, such fiction usually lacks the curiosity and ‘What if?’ elements that drive scientists.

#scepticism #ScientificMethod #Curiosity #ScienceFiction #HardScienceFiction #UnexplainedPhenomena

BONUS QUESTION (for good karma pts😉): Poll-takers, why did you choose the answer that you did? Is it (sub)genre-related or something else?

#pleaseboost #polls #poll #question #sciencefiction #scifi #sff #romance #scififan #scifibooks #hardscifi #hardsciencefiction #speculativefiction #books #reading #genre #subgenre #scifiseries #stem #science #tech #engineering #math #geek #geekdom #nerd #nerdom #authors #writers #writing #authorsofmastodon #writersofmastodon #writingcommunity #authorcommunity

Would you consider reading a hard sci-fi novel with romantic elements in it if the MC & love interest were highly intelligent scientists?

#pleaseboost #polls #poll #question #sciencefiction #scifi #sff #romance #scififan #scifibooks #hardscifi #hardsciencefiction #speculativefiction #books #reading #genre #subgenre #scifiseries #stem #science #tech #engineering #math #geek #geekdom #nerd #nerdom #authors #writers #writing #authorsofmastodon #writersofmastodon #writingcommunity #authorcommunity

Do you enjoy reading hard science fiction books? 🚀 👽 :wily_ufo: 🧬 🧫 🔬 🦠 📚

#pleaseboost #polls #poll #question #sciencefiction #scifi #sff #scififan #scifibooks #hardscifi #hardsciencefiction #speculativefiction #books #reading #genre #subgenre #fandom #scifiseries #stem #science #tech #engineering #math #geek #geekdom #nerd #nerdom #authors #writers #writing #authorsofmastodon #writersofmastodon #writingcommunity #authorcommunity

Currently reading Children of time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Great science fiction trilogy with themes such as #FirstContact #Uplifting #genetics #MindUploading #Linguistics #NaturalLanguageProcessing #Feminism #SpaceExploration #HardScienceFiction #SciFi #ScienceFiction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_Time_(novel)

Book Review: Total Eclipse, John Brunner (1974)

(John Cayea’s cover for the 1974 edition)

3/5 (Average)

Over the years I’ve deluded myself into becoming a John Brunner completest — around twenty-five of his novels line my shelves and I’ve read most of them over the years.  At his best he’s without question one of the great masters of the genre — Stand on Zanzibar (1968), The Sheep Look Up (1972), etc. are evidence of this.  However, in-between his social science fiction masterpieces are a plethora of unsatisfying attempts at traditionalist space opera.  In these works Brunner never fully leaves his pulp roots although he occasionally tries to inject a dose of hard science, (pseudo) intellectualism, and social commentary.

Total Eclipse (1974) fits this mold.  A group of scientists attempt to figure out the mystery of a highly advanced race which has apparently, died out. Character interactions are painfully silly along the “Oh heroic main character, you’re a genius let me jump into your bed” sort of lines.  The entire cast, despite the plethora of female scientists and racial diversity (Arabs, Africans, etc), are entirely interchangeable and bland.  After the mystery is solved Brunner desperately attempts to make the work have a relevant social message.  Also, apparently dissatisfied with his earlier cavalcade of undeviating naivete, melodrama, and endless faux-biological/linguistic/archaeological technobabble, Brunner tags on a dark ending out of touch with the rest of the work.  

For Brunner completests and fans of 70s Hard Science fiction only.

Brief Plot Summary (*some spoilers*)

In the  future, mankind has pulled together the necessary resources for a single space sparing vessel, the Stellaris.  The powers that be on Earth are increasingly beset by a populace against “wasting” money on space travel due to the crisises of growing overpopulation, pollution, etc.  As a result, it’s increasingly uncertain how much longer the space program will be funded.  Also, various conspiracy theories develop as to the real reasons for the Stellaris‘ treks into space.

Our paleolinguist main character Ian Macauly — cut from the nerdy, socially inept, scientist mold — is summoned by the group of scientists who have taken up residence on the planet Sigma Draconis III.  This planet was the home planet of a fascinating race of crab-like aliens which have long since disappeared.  The crab creatures communicated by manipulating electric fields, evolved incredibly fast (from primitivism to incredibly sophisticated technology in 3,000 years), appear to make mistakes only once before never repeating them, and left behind a vast assortment of intriguing, but hard to interpret, artifacts (including a moon with a massive telescope).  Ian is summoned to solve the alien language with the hope that answer for their disappearance will be solved.

Due to the conspiracies surrounding the program, a particularly egregious/paranoid South American official is assigned to interrogate all the occupants of the archaeological camp.  The first third of the book serves as an attempt to info dump the reader under the guise by means of the official’s interrogations.  Of course, Ian eventually makes him see the light and suddenly is considered a hero.  A female scientist fawns over him and desperately wants to get into his bed.  Of course, Ian’s anti-social nature provides a few giggles and laughs in between the “you’re a brilliant man tell me more of your brilliant theories and brilliant brilliance” pat yourself on the back moments.

The rest of the book follows Ian’s attempts to unravel the mystery of the crab creatures.  He eventually comes up with a plan to make crab suit (!) to simulate the creature’s movements, way of visualizing the world, and even the psychological impact of the creature’s evolving sexual stages.  This incredibly hokey contraption allows Ian approach a solution.  But, will the Stellaris even return or have the powers on Earth forgotten them.

(Chris Foss’ cover for the 1975 edition)

(Philippe Bouchet’s cover for the 1991 French edition)

For more reviews consult the INDEX

#1970s #bookReviews2 #british #hardScienceFiction #johnBrunner #sciFi #scienceFiction #spaceOpera #spaceships #technology