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As an avid consumer of sci-fi and fantasy in all its forms, please allow me to say a few words about my favorite subject.
Tag Archives: modern classics
Modern Classic: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
Very few books from the last quarter of a century were as influential as A Deepness in the Sky. Even fewer managed to upstage their already great predecessors in a truly grand manner. And while there are other titles spanning … Continue reading
Modern classic: Permafrost by Alastair Reynolds
There are two kinds of time travel novels. Those that… Ah, scratch that. There are all sorts of time travel stories, but the only ones I find interesting are those that focus on the time travel paradox. Not some kind … Continue reading
Posted in Book reviews
Tagged modern classics, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, time travel
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Modern classic: Seven Surrenders (Terra Ignota 2) by Ada Palmer
A book of the caliber of Too Like the Lighting is difficult to emulate, especially with a sequel that is designed to be a direct continuation of the first book. Palmer manages to do just that with yet another exceptional … Continue reading
Modern Classic: Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota 1) by Ada Palmer
This tour de force has easily become my favorite science fiction book of the 2010s, and it restored my faith that classic literary science fiction would thrive in this century. Don’t get me wrong: I have other favorite authors, from … Continue reading
Modern Classic: A Dry, Quiet War by Tony Daniel
Not many people remember this novelette. It never got any awards, and instead faded away just like what its protagonist tried to do. This makes it one of the most underrated science fiction stories I know of. It not only … Continue reading
Modern Classic: Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The notion of “uplift”, intelligent species genetically modifying animals to sentience, has been tossed around science fiction for quite some time, but never gained much prominence. Save for the first work credited with uplift, The Island of Doctor Moerau by … Continue reading
Modern Classic: Will Save the Galaxy for Food by Yahtzee Croshaw
Chances are, you’ve never heard of this book or its author, but if you read science fiction over the past decade you came across works by John Scalzi. The short version of this review thus could be that Yahtzee Croshaw’s … Continue reading
Modern Classic: The Border by Robert McCammon
Alien invasion books are a dime a dozen. Post-apocalyptic alien invasion books are almost as numerous. So, it’s difficult to come up with at least a semi-original premise, and package it into a refreshing and gripping story. McCammon manages to … Continue reading
Modern Classic: Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
Aurora is a difficult book. It’s technical and depressing. And yet, it’s one of the most accessible hard science fiction books I’ve read, with a compelling story and believable characters. For me, this book was a page-turner, and I feel … Continue reading
Modern Classic: Metro 2033
There are all kinds of post-apocalyptic fiction, even if we focus only on worlds after nuclear war. While many stories describe biological and social changes after the nuclear holocaust, the entire sub-genre is bracketed by survival simulations that focus on … Continue reading