OK, as a counter to my post about something you wanted to like but couldn’t get in to, what is something that you love and want to introduce to more people? (I nicknamed trying to get more people into your fandom as “fanpushing” a while back, hence the title)

For me, it’s the comic Saga. I love all the world building and the art, and how it’s continually setting up everything, but still manages to make we scream, “NO!” at everything happening because I’m so emotionally involved. I love the characters, the background, the invented languages (there’s a major one that is based on Esperanto), the tragedy of the star-crossed lovers and how things keep going even when that story meets its tragic ending because life goes on. It’s one of those gritty, crap sack world SF stories that focuses on the humanity (for lack of a better word) of the people in the world.

  • Izzy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’ve been trying to convince some people to read some books by Greg Egan, but it has been difficult as most people are not into the idea of basically reading a math, computer science, physics and biology textbook that also happens to have characters and a story. Although the story that is there does a great job at threading the interesting ideas and concepts together. Even with a tiny bit less of a story and it would be dreadfully dull even to me.

    http://gregegan.net/

    • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      but it has been difficult as most people are not into the idea of basically reading a math, computer science, physics and biology textbook that also happens to have characters and a story

      Hmm, you might have sold it to me.

      Edit: already had diaspora queued up on kindle, will push it to the top

    • vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 year ago

      Thanks for the reminder. I really liked diaspora and permutation city, but I haven’t kept up with his work since!

  • kozel@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I allways promote Stanisław Lem, mainly Solaris.
    Quick explanation: small group of scientists trying to study a possibly-intelligent ocean (called Solaris).
    Why I like it: the worldbuilding is done by providing basic facts about Solaris, plus a lot of Solaristic theories, which creates space for your imagination and new theories. The interactions between humans are realistic and have meaningful dynamics. Every character has their unique perspective and I find it worthy of re-reading from that perspective. And it’s also quite short.

    I’ve also read some other Lem’s books, but while they aren’t bad, I don’t find them as excellent as Solaris, maybe with exception of Fables for Robots, The Cyberiad and Memairs found in a Bathtub.

    • vzq@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 year ago

      I love Cyberiad, but it’s written in a totally different register from Solaris. Both are amazing works, but it boggles my mind that they were written by the same person.

  • misericordiae@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Despite the first book winning the 2021 SPSFC (admittedly, a much less well-known competition than the SPFBO), I almost never see the Primaterre series by S.A. Tholin mentioned. They are doorstoppers, but very well paced, imo: I inhaled the first two books. If you like space opera that manages to avoid a lot of plot tropes, give the series a try!

    (Sidenote: if you’re put off by the “cosmic horror” label on the first book, I recall there being a couple of mildly gory scenes, but it’s mostly in the realm of “unfathomably alien” rather than trying to scare.)

      • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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        1 year ago

        For real though, Saga is goddamned incredible.

        I dread them ever finishing it, because that will inevitably mean an adaptation attempt. There’s not exactly a great track record of adapting Vaughan’s work, with the notable exception of Ex Machina.

  • Eq0@literature.cafe
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    1 year ago

    Heinlein. He far from unknown, but he should get even more recognition. Stranger in a strange Land is a deeply philosophical book wrapped in a scifi page turner.

    Philip K. Dick is also not as famous as he should be. In particular with The Man in the high Castle, pure poetry!