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Does anyone know any Hard Sci Fi books about humans surviving without any hospitable worlds? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I'm looking to get inspiration for my own writing. I need a hard sci fi series where earth (and earthlike worlds) are too rare, inaccessible, and/or previously spoiled beyond ability to sustain life. Bonus points if it is set on a multi-generational space station or starship without any other options and goes into detail about life support, living space, mineral mining and expansion of the station to accomodate a growing population, and daily life of it's residents.

If anyone remembers Drifter Colonies from Titan A.E., that's what's in my head.

I'm looking for The Martian levels of realism, and I'm fine with a bit of "Unobtanium" clichés if they're not core to the story.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (3 children)

Just a loose round up so far

Seveneves Neal Stephenson
Tau Zero Poul Anderson
Metro 2033 Dmitry Glukhovsky
The Children of Time Adrian Tchaikovsky
Lucifer's Hammer Larry Niven
Pushing Ice Alastair Reynolds
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
Diaspora by Greg Egan
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martin
The 100 Kass Morgan
Interdependency trilogy by John Scalzi.
Silo series of books by Hugh Howey

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Seveneves is incredible, with the caveat that the last chapter of the book was almost handwavey with regards to the author's conclusion of where humanity ended up. 10/10 otherwise.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (3 children)

What's the rest of his works like? I've read snow crash and loved it, will give seveneves a go.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Highly recommend Anathem and Diamond Age. Cryptonomicon and Baroque Cycle are more tours-de-force but if you are nerdy enough (I mean c'mon this applies to all his work) and very into history, I can recommend those too.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Seconded!

I wouldn't call Cryptonomicon a tour de force, I remember it fondly. But then again, I'm mildly interested in cryptography and historical background to stuff never hurts when presented entertainingly 😀