Comments on: Five Sci-fi Novels for People Who Don’t Like Sci-fi

By: Sharon Ring

Sharon Ring — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:00:44 +0000

To my shame I’ve not read a single one on that list!

By: Jorge Salgado-Reyes

Jorge Salgado-Reyes — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:49:08 +0000

Although a voracious reader of Sci-Fi, I have only read Richard Morgan on your list. Yes he is a bit violent but I like the violence as well the Techno-noir feel of this books.

By: Martin

Martin — Mon, 17 May 2010 10:13:25 +0000

Ah, right. Yes, they are definitely SF sleeper cells in the bookshop! I’d still quibble about “add spice” though, it seems to me to minimise the strength of the authors’ engagement.

Great list, by the way. I’m not sure how well non-SF readers would get on with Nova Swing – and Harrison has said that Light was explicitly designed to lure them in – but, then again, quite a lot of SF readers didn’t get on too well with it.

By: Gareth L Powell

Gareth L Powell — Sun, 16 May 2010 19:10:59 +0000

Hi Martin,

When I described them as “apparently mainstream”, I was referring the the fact that the books are *marketed* as mainstream novels, even though they are built on science fictional concepts. Perhaps I could have phrased it better.

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 16 May 2010 10:37:09 +0000

books like The Time Traveller’s Wife or The Road, which use the tools of sci-fi to add spice to apparently “mainstream” novels.

I don’t think that is an accurate description. There is nothing apparently mainstream about either novels, the science fictional elements are central to their whole existence. You can argue about how successful they are but they certainly aren’t add ons.

By: Thomas M. Wagner

Thomas M. Wagner — Wed, 12 May 2010 08:44:43 +0000

‘Altered Carbon’ is not the best of that series — the books improve markedly though, with ‘Woken Furies’ the very best — but as it is likely to trigger an instant association with ‘Blade Runner’ in the way it establishes its gritty noir world, it might do the trick. (Though the protagonist’s penchant for uncontrolled violence might put some people off.)

I’d think another good book for the uninitiated might also be John Scalzi’s ‘The Last Colony’. It’s space opera, but highly accessible, with a relatable cast and a story that’s all about reg’lar folks being deceived by their government to further a war agenda — a theme that might resonate these days.

By: Gareth L Powell

Gareth L Powell — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:57:11 +0000

Thanks David, I’m glad you’re enjoying them.

By: David Darkly

David Darkly — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:52:07 +0000

I’ve just finished reading ‘Jennifer Government’, which I really enjoyed and found hilarious, and I’m now about 60 pages into ‘Altered Carbon’. Thanks for the recommendations.

All books courtesy my local library, open three days a week!

By: Ben Cooper

Ben Cooper — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:20:04 +0000

I’ll have to look into these. Unfortunately when I try to read some “modern sci fi” novels recommended by a friend it tends not to do much for me. I’ve read two Iain M. Banks novels recently and his short story collection… The writing was great but I just wasn’t engaged in the way I am by the classics. Mind you I’ve never been the biggest fan of space operas.
Of course I’ve read many awful books from previous eras, I guess I’ve just picked up the wrong ones for me.

By: Gareth L Powell

Gareth L Powell — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:02:43 +0000

Justin and Gareth – thank for your suggestions, chaps.
Sabine – I hope it works for you!
David – I’ve left a long reply on your blog.