The Fantasy Review has compiled a list of 10 Hard Science Fiction Books to Read This Summer. Here are some brief summaries of each book:
1. Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson: As humanity prepares to settle on a new planet, we explore the challenges and opportunities that come with interstellar travel.
2. The Quantum Thief (Jean le Flambeur, #1) by Hannu Rajaniemi: Meet Jean le Flambeur, a post-human criminal who uses his skills as a mind burglar and confidence artist to navigate a complex web of intrigue in a distant future.
3. Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1) by Kim Stanley Robinson: In the first book of the Mars trilogy, we follow a group of colonists as they attempt to transform Mars into an Earthlike planet, with all its challenges and implications.
4. Starfish (Rifters, #1) by Peter Watts: This novel explores the lives of outcasts who are recruited for a program that puts them in charge of generating stations on the Pacific floor.
5. 23/12 by Kim Stanley Robinson: In this book, we jump forward to the year 23/12 and explore the consequences of scientific and technological advances on human society.
6. Ender’s Game (Ender’s Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card: This classic novel tells the story of Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, a young boy who is recruited for a government program to train child geniuses as soldiers.
7. Delta-v by Daniel Suarez: When James Tighe receives an invitation from billionaire Nathan Joyce, he must decide whether to take on a high-risk venture to mine a near-earth asteroid and kick-start an entire off-world economy.
8. I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) by Isaac Asimov: This classic novel explores the relationships between humans and robots through a series of interconnected short stories that explore the implications of advanced technology.
9. Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement: In this novel, we follow an unmanned probe as it crashes on the inhospitable planet Mesklin, where gravity is 700 times greater than Earth’s and the environment is hostile to human explorers.
10. Accelerando by Charles Stross: As humanity approaches the Singularity, we explore the implications of artificial intelligences surpassing human intellect, biotechnological beings replacing humans, and molecular nanotechnology running rampant.
Source: https://thefantasyreviews.com/2024/07/26/10-hard-science-fiction-books-to-read-this-summer/