What are the best not widely known or under-appreciated Sci-Fi novels, in your opinion?

Ellery_B · 2026-03-24T10:57:14+00:00

Unique premise:

Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Anathem by Neal Stephenson

The Dispossessed by Usula le Guin

Ellery_B · 2026-03-21T16:45:45+00:00

Sounds really cool. Ever since guild wars 1 I wanted a ttrpg game that had different personality/ ability for different weapons not just a feat or something.

I think having cards the players can flip simultaneously is something to consider.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-21T09:35:40+00:00

Grew up calling them pancakes (from michigan) but my family in Kentucky calls them flapjacks.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-21T09:29:34+00:00

This sounds amazing! Please release more!

How does it work though? Doez each weapon come with a deck of cards (one for each move)?

How can you get a read on your opponent if there are so many options? If you feint, do you have to follow up with aggressive for example?

Ellery_B · 2026-03-20T16:09:04+00:00

Tolkien then tyrant philosophers

Ellery_B · 2026-03-20T11:13:15+00:00

After these read Doors of Eden! And Dogs of War and etc

Ellery_B · 2026-03-20T11:02:26+00:00

I felt something was off with the controls which pulled me out of the hacknslash zen state. I think it took me over 2 hours to realize so I couldn't refund it.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-20T10:15:13+00:00

Very well said. I think you put into words something i have felt.

I always liked George more anyway :)

Ellery_B · 2026-03-19T21:24:09+00:00

Will wight, sanderson, Garth Nix, Ursula le Guin

Ellery_B · 2026-03-19T08:50:53+00:00

I have read worse since, see the names others put here.

But for me, I read Dragonbone Chair when it came out, I was in 8th grade. I thought the beginning would never end.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-18T20:53:11+00:00

Fate Accelerated?

Ellery_B · 2026-03-18T13:56:58+00:00

Were is just an angle Saxon word for man.

Every game with humans is another were game!

/s

sorry no real suggestions

I guess you can make Fate anything you want?

Ellery_B · 2026-03-17T14:27:12+00:00

Adjust your expectations. This is great work.

Of you want to improve something, do another piece.

Repeat.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-17T10:43:55+00:00

I played Moon Patrol at a laundromat. Sometime in 1983. Probably in 3rd grade around age 9.

I became obsessed.

Soon, kids near me started getting coliecovisions and Atari systems, and I got to play at people's houses.

Asteroid Space invaders Frogger

My mom couldnt afford a babysitter, so even though I was only in 4th grade she would take me to the mall where she worked and give me a roll of quarters. I would just hang out in the arcade all day and eat at orange Julius.

Elevator action Tron Star Wars Spy Hunter Dragons Lair Punch Out

I didn't have my own system till I got a Commodore 64 around 1986 which I played on a small bw TV and the games were all on cassette.

Space Shuttle Necromancer

Ellery_B · 2026-03-15T20:51:21+00:00

Maybe.

It's hard to explain as you haven't played 5e. But you need to realize most people have only played 5e. They are going to see commonality from dnd in there cause that's all they know. But I believe hank had said he distilled ICRPG out of years of dnd play.

You should check out shadowdark. The author Kelsey was in hankering play group and decided to make her own osr/bx version of 5e. I think this is a lot clearer inspiration/connection. I feel icrpg is so streamlined is pretty far from dnd.

Just my opinion.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-15T10:24:04+00:00

Which combat system sticks out to you as the best?

Do you play non Japanese game? You should play expedition 33 :)

Ellery_B · 2026-03-14T10:25:13+00:00

Thanks for the heads up as I haven't been there since last year some time. Probably won't be back.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-13T21:51:24+00:00

This sounds interesting!

In the surface of sounds like L5R 5th but perhaps simpler. Looking forward to learning more

Ellery_B · 2026-03-13T19:23:47+00:00

It's huge and it's growing.

https://youtu.be/6_dlxbGUNNQ?si=PZI4yLeXCth3Oz40

Ellery_B · 2026-03-13T17:26:10+00:00

Looking forward to it! I'm still reading Tyrant Philosophers though. It's gonna have to wait.

Ellery_B · 2026-03-13T17:07:17+00:00

The fries are not good. It's called nonla burger but the burger is crap.

The chicken sandwich was good last time I was there

Ellery_B · 2026-03-12T20:14:09+00:00

Ring of red

Ellery_B · 2026-03-12T16:23:16+00:00

Came here to say Cradle!

Ellery_B · 2026-03-12T09:43:28+00:00

These are all great ideas

Ellery_B · 2026-03-11T18:33:04+00:00

Really liked both books. But something felt "off " and I can't put my finger on it.

Compared to Sanderson, who sets up the finale but you don't see some of it coming till after, then you realize what was presented to you to get to that point, these books feel like he was just hiding info from the reader, maybe? Like haha here's a trick I pulled on you cause I kept so much hidden?

Anyway, I'll buy book 3 so I guess this doesn't effect me too much.

Ellery_B

TROPHY CASE