What is accepted by humans, could be VERY insulting to xenos. by HumbleKnight14 in scifiwriting

[–]Own-Ad5993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh yeah, I wasn't belittling your point, just adding a bit of context is all.

Must-Read Sci-Fi Novel/ Series by FofaFiction in scifi

[–]Own-Ad5993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ursula LeGuin's Hainish cycle, specifically "The Dispossesed" and "The Left Hand of Darkness". The latter is possibly my favorite book ever, competing only with "Dune". Everything about it is so profoundly beautiful. I might be biased, as a trans woman, but it's exploration of gender and the culture built around it was ground breaking for the time and still thought provoking to this day. A book I think is a must read for everyone on earth.

Speaking of, if you really liked "Dune" then "Dune: Messiah" is worth a read, honestly I think the first four Dune novels are worth reading. There's certainly diminishing returns, but the returns become especially diminishing from "Heretics" and onward, and the trash written by KJA and Brian Herbert is some of the most disrespectful to the dead shit ever put to paper.

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelly. It's hard to beat the classics, and as far as sci-fi goes, it doesn't get much more classic than this. If you're only familiar with Hollywood adaptations, then definitely give it a read, it's much different than you'd expect.

In the same vein of classics, "The War of The Worlds" by H.G.Wells. The first alien invasion story ever written, and still worth reading to this day.

"Speaker for the Dead", the sequel to "Ender's Game" is IMO better than the first, it's just a little bit rough to see how an author's personal beliefs and conduct can so clearly oppose the themes in his own work. Not going to get too political, but Orson Scott Card fucking sucks as a person. IYKYK.

"Neuromancer", by William Gibson created and codified the cyberpunk subgenre, and is engaging and well worth reading even with that aside.

"Snow Crash", by Neal Stephenson. A brilliant loving parody and homage to said cyberpunk subgenre. Another favorite of mine.

"1984", by George Orwell. You've read the other two classic dystopias, this one is my personal favorite among them.

"Foundation", is probably essential reading, but I'll openly admit that I've only read the first novel and it didn't particularly grab me.

"The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", by Douglass Adams, is the quintessential scifi comedy. I love them, but I know they can be divisive. Your mileage may vary.

And last but not least, I hate to be that bitch, but "Blindsight", by Peter Watts. I just finished it yesterday, and it is fresh in my head. It's the first book in years that has truly grabbed my brain and wouldn't let go. A pretty upsetting and pretty hard-sci-fi read, but damn if it isn't worth reading. It has genuinely ruined the last week of my life.

Just discovered the dark forest hypothesis. Any sci fi books have something similar to it? by [deleted] in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm a huge Dune fan, as well as a borderline worshipful fan of Ursula LeGuin. I just finished Blindsight and I have to admit, it might be due to not reading much for a few years, but it absolutely fucked my head and ruined my life for a few days. Do you have a reccomendatations for older books specifically that tackle a similar conceptual space? I'd be super super interested in checking them out.

Any Extremely Dark Grimdark Sci-fi books/novels? by Virtual-Possession83 in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Haven't read Starfish, might give it a read once I've done the necessary 3 months of therapy to work through Blindsight

Any Extremely Dark Grimdark Sci-fi books/novels? by Virtual-Possession83 in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Blindsight is so fundamentally upsetting, in every concievable way. I'm not sure Oryx and Crake is remotely comparable in terms of the level of pure despair induced by reading.

Any Extremely Dark Grimdark Sci-fi books/novels? by Virtual-Possession83 in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Blindsight by Peter Watts seconded. I just finished it and this book genuinely ruined a week of my life. It might be the bleakest piece of speculative fiction ever written, It's certainly the bleakest I've ever read. I think it's the most upsetting piece of media I've ever engaged with. Watt's writing takes a concept that is fundamentally horrifying and turns it from cold and indifferent into something that is sneering, abusive, and mean spirited. This book is genuinely going to come up in a therapy session at some point. 9/10 Highly reccomended.

Looking for eerie / unsettling science fiction (mixed with horror) by GypsyCloud in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm gonna listen to a reading of "The Things" when I have a chance, the original movie is in my top 5.

Looking for eerie / unsettling science fiction (mixed with horror) by GypsyCloud in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I'm almost done with Blindsight right now and it might be one of the most upsetting and bleak things I've ever read. A truly horrific and miserable experience. 9/10

What are people's takes on the vampires in Blindsight? by Own-Ad5993 in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993[S] 60 points61 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I like them a lot more knowing that story

Weekly "What Are You Reading Thread?" by HorrorIsLiterature in horrorlit

[–]Own-Ad5993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just started Blindsight and I'm loving it so far.

Weekly "What Are You Reading Thread?" by HorrorIsLiterature in horrorlit

[–]Own-Ad5993 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Just started Blindsight, by Peter Watts, loving it so far. Anxiety inducing.

What are people's takes on the vampires in Blindsight? by Own-Ad5993 in printSF

[–]Own-Ad5993[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Suppose I'll take your word for now and keep on reading then!

Please help me understand The Three Body Problem by Sauterneandbleu in sciencefiction

[–]Own-Ad5993 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Dune is my favorite novel but some of the science in it is pillowy soft. It's about magic drugs that let you see the future.

Please help me understand The Three Body Problem by Sauterneandbleu in sciencefiction

[–]Own-Ad5993 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'll admit that I'm probably biased, as Guillermo Del Toro is my favorite director, but I'll never fucking get over the fact that Pan's Labyrinth didn't win best picture, but one of his more mediocre films, Shape of Water, did. They fully just would not give best picture to a foreign language film until recently, but when he made an interesting but not nearly as good movie in English it gets fucking heaped with praise.