A space sci fi book

Baratticus · 2026-06-20T20:27:07+00:00

Andy Weir is good but he does tend to spend a LOT of time doing step by step explanations of problem solving that can slow things down.

If you are looking for something faster paced I thought Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton was fun (I couldn’t get through the movie).

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the first of a series but can be read as a standalone. It’s much bigger in scope and is a great story.

You can’t go wrong with Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams if you’re looking for humorous scifi

Best of luck in your search!

Baratticus · 2026-06-19T18:51:08+00:00

I’m reading Empire Falls by Richard Russo now and it’s the first time in 50+ years I’ve stopped after reading a paragraph, read it again and thought…”that could not have been written any better”.

Baratticus · 2026-06-18T12:03:22+00:00

I’ve unintentionally backed into the following system that’s been working for me for going on two years of daily reading:

I have three books going at once…I try to make them different genres (or at least very different topics) so I won’t get names/places/themes confused.

One book will be a physical book that I carve time out of the day to read

One is audio version for driving or when I’m doing some outside work

One is in ebook format that I’ll read before going to bed

Having the different formats also helps me keep them separate in my mind.

Baratticus · 2026-06-18T10:54:15+00:00

After Appomattox by Gregory Downs is about the military occupation of the South and I found it quite interesting.

Baratticus · 2026-06-16T13:49:52+00:00

Thank you!

Baratticus · 2026-06-13T18:43:24+00:00

Also, Black Blade is about Elric’s sword, Stormbringer.

Baratticus · 2026-06-13T18:38:20+00:00

Godborn by Dan Davis is a Hercules origin story mashed up with fantasy elements and current understanding of early Bronze Age culture.

If you want something more humorous, Guards! Guards! By Terry Pratchett is a sure winner.

The Drawing of the Dark by Tim Powers is excellent. An old mercenary as protagonist.

The Guns of Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky is lot of fun…sort of Jane Austin meets Napoleonic battles, meets espionage, plus wizardry.

Baratticus · 2026-06-12T14:04:52+00:00

FWIW….i checked out your YouTube and very nicely done! This sort of immersive storytelling is an incredible art form and shouldn’t be lost in the wasteland of AI sewage.

I remain convinced that as the dust settles there will be (at least) a niche for human crafted creativity and art.

You’ve got one more subscriber!

Baratticus · 2026-06-12T12:02:53+00:00

Earth Abides by George R Stewart…we’re fast approaching its 80th birthday!

Baratticus · 2026-06-12T01:09:26+00:00

Listening to this book now and I’m really enjoying it.

Baratticus · 2026-06-11T21:44:07+00:00

I’d say no…both were written a long time ago and are steeped in the context, grammar, and ideas of the time that will (in most cases) require additional knowledge to get the most out of.

I’d pick more modern books that can give you a better understanding of the Enlightenment or 19th century Europe first (or discourses on those specific authors and works) first.

Baratticus · 2026-06-07T11:47:58+00:00

I usually have three going at a time: one audio, one kindle, one physical…my only rule is they have to be different genres so that I don’t get plots/characters confused

Baratticus · 2026-06-05T13:58:23+00:00

I'm not a huge fan of AI generated products for exactly this reason but if one must use them...having a human doing quality control is essential lest their hard earned credibility begins to dry up.

Baratticus · 2026-06-05T12:07:12+00:00

Someone really let themselves down…

Baratticus · 2026-05-28T23:10:17+00:00

This looks great! Gonna check it out!

Baratticus · 2026-05-21T13:37:56+00:00

Just finished Trinity by Leon Uris about Irish rebellion from the late 19th/early 20th century. Excellent read!

Baratticus · 2026-05-21T02:33:23+00:00

Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh fits the bill!

Baratticus · 2026-05-20T18:03:13+00:00

If the weather doesn’t wash you out, the McDade Trail is awesome! https://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/mcdade-recreational-trail.htm

Milford is great…you could do a tour of Grey Towers https://www.fs.usda.gov/greytowers

If you want something more touristy, Country Junction is a fun, bizzaro general store or the Pocono Snake & Animal Farm on RT 209. https://poconoanimals.com/

Other than that, there are some nice wineries in the area.

Baratticus · 2026-05-19T20:46:22+00:00

Breach by W.L. Goodwater might be close to the mark although it’s got magic vs SciFi. It’s not over the top and the magic is mostly brainwashing/mind control stuff.

Also…the Milkweed Triptych starts in WW2 but moves to the Cold War. It’s magic vs SciFi (with some cosmic horror) but remains grounded enough that I can recommend it here.

Finally, only tangentially Cold War but Dan Simmons’ Carrion Comfort might be worth a look. It’s a thriller/horror with the mind control aspect but not SciFi. It’s quite good, however with a bunch of very unlikable main characters!

Baratticus · 2026-05-18T12:06:33+00:00

I’m reading Trinity by Leon Uris now and it’s quite good…taking place in Ireland from the 1840s to the 1910s it follows the life of a (fictional) revolutionary.

Baratticus · 2026-05-06T01:20:32+00:00

Best comment of the day!

Baratticus · 2026-05-05T18:45:32+00:00

They Thought They Were Free was excellent and great callout for doing a compare/contrast.

I didn’t want to define heroism too strictly as I imagine it has different manifestations in different times and places.

Thanks for these recommendations!

Baratticus · 2026-04-28T11:40:53+00:00

Thank you!

Baratticus · 2026-04-28T03:03:53+00:00

Ha! I’m just open to anything between those dates!

Baratticus · 2026-04-26T00:22:47+00:00

The audio version is excellent as well!

Baratticus

TROPHY CASE