...Because poking holes in stupid books is too easy
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In my honest opinion, a lot of the science fiction that is written today is complete rubbish. Just because a book is “science” fiction, and may therefore be slightly more intellectually demanding to read than The Scarlet Letter (Dr. Utz, we spent way too much time on that book), and slightly less so than to read Absalom, Absalom, (some sections of the Aeneid are easier to translate than that rat nest of a composition) this does not mean that the characters have to be as spicy as a bowl of flour. Characters can only be as good as their authors, I get that. To write plausible sci-fi, where things for the most part exist purely in the hypothetical, one must have a good grasp of actual science in the first place. I suppose you could call good science fiction an extrapolated prediction, based off of the knowledge and interests of contemporary science.
I don’t know a whole lot about Isaac Asimov. But I have read more than a few of his books (The Foundation series was excellent) and greatly enjoyed them. You’ve probably seen the movie “I, Robot,” which is based on a few books of Asimov I believe. You can see this basis of good science fiction in Asimov’s work. He saw the emerging field of robotics, and was probably intrigued enough to speculate about what the future of robotics may look like, hence his novels. Again, I admit I have not looked into the origins of his science fiction works discussing robotics, but I strongly suspect that this is what happened. Anyhow, when it is necessary that you have a relatively strong background in whatever kind of science you wish to write about, it seems a probable side effect that you might be, well nerdy, which could perhaps excuse the lack of interesting characters in some works (I didn’t find that to be a problem with Asimov’s works though).
However, what I’ve found with many “modern” (by modern, I mean like the ones you see recommended under the science fiction category on the Kindle store) science fiction works is that not only do the characters seem robotic and lacking in personality, but the “science” aspect of the novels are seriously implausible or outright contradictory to science today. A book can only be as good as its author, and frankly, I question the intellect of some of these books. Science fiction is meant to be a realistic projection of what the science of tomorrow might look like. “In the future, we will discover that two plus two makes five,” some of these authors proclaim in so many asinine pages.
Also, what’s the deal with conflating “science” with comedy nowadays? This is going to be unpopular, but in my opinion how Star Wars has diminished its sense of gravitas with stupid jokes. It’s difficult to find serious science fiction nowadays, is what I’m saying. It would be altogether too easy to point out all the mediocre works I’ve found, as there are many, so that’s why I am making a short list of books that I find to be worth reading for the reasons I listed above. They are realistic, the characters are life-like, and they don’t desecrate themselves with sub-par humor.
RANT ALERT
I promised I would refrain from mentioning stupid novels, but I can’t refrain from mentioning a single series, Expeditionary Force, by Craig Alanson. The way the first book of the series, Columbus Day, is written, it might be better categorized as fantasy with some science fiction tropes included. In my opinion, it’s a written analog to the kind of movie that Passengers (2016, Morten Tyldum) was, a “romance” (Twilight was a better romance, heh) set across a background of sci-fi as suspect as a brownish-green blob floating in the kids’ section of the swimming pool. Expeditionary Force is a “war story” similarly set in front of an equally suspicious sci-fi backdrop. In so many words: it’s sucky sci-fi. Oh no, alien invasion? Let’s take a ride in their fancy spaceship and go explore! Craig must have had the dumb luck to not see any unmarked vans in his childhood I suppose. Wow, a talking AI companion (that’s also strangely stupiiiid.) Craig really pulled out all the stops here, he really shouldn’t have. I’m incensed that almost all the books published so far have received no less than a 4.5 out of 5 on Goodreads (the book review site associated with Amazon). The audience is as bad as the artist it seems these days. For shame, people. For shame.
[One more series: Dennis Taylor and his We are Legion series (about sentient von Neumann probes) was lackluster and juvenile, but he tried, sort of?]
Now that I’ve gotten that over with, I present to you a shortlist of what I believe to be some of the best (mainly contemporary) largely unacknowledged novels/series in the genre (so I’ve excluded Ender’s Game and The Martian, as good as they both are).
~ REVIEWS START HERE ~
The Good - Fata Morgana, Ken Mitchroney and Steve Boyett
I have no great love for the Latin language, having suffered studying it more years than should be legal. I think I’ll write an article on that later. Anyhow, it was perhaps because of my negative associations with Latin that I picked up Fata Morgana with no great expectations. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the time I finished the book. It’s difficult to describe the book without spoiling the surprising elements of the story that made it such a great read, but I’ll do my best. It’s about the crew of a B-17 that in the midst of a fierce air battle, is suddenly transported to an eerie otherworldly landscape. The rest of the story is about the characters they meet in this world, and their attempt to return to their own. Another hint of sorts: it’s got just a touch of alternate history mixed into the plot, nothing major, but think high-tech Nazi weaponry. Cool right? It’s not that long a book, so pick it up if you want a fun (but not too long or overly intellectually strenuous) read.
The Great - Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos), Dan Simmons
For those of you who do know of the Hyperion Cantos, (the series which Hyperion belongs to) you’re probably reeling in indignation and shock right now. “WHAT,” you shriek. “Hyperion is the BEST.” It’s an exquisitely written story, I really can’t emphasize that enough. Dan Simmons is a superb raconteur. However, I must say I think that the Cantos doesn’t fall squarely into the genre of science fiction. It’s infused with mythic elements (the Shrike is a creature/beast that would be not out of place in Greek mythology) and even religion (Christianity especially, although don’t confuse this with Out of the Silent Planet, it’s not literally religious like that). The characters are larger than life and are introduced, each with their own perfectly executed introductory stories (they could easily be more than excellent stand-alone stories). It’s a well-written tale of adventure, with elements of sci-fi. However, unlike Passengers or Expeditionary Force, both aspects are worked in with equal mastery. It’s really long, but unlike some works, I really believe that every chapter is necessary in its own way. If you’re willing to spend a lot of time in a vivid and intriguing world, I’d recommend you pick up Hyperion.
The Best - Frontlines series, Marko Kloos
This series is freaking amazing. It’s not that articulate praise of this series, but it sums up pretty well how I feel about it. I really like it (and the relative length of this review shows it). It's rare that one sees a series of any kind that retains its greatness after so many sequels, (take Ice Age, for example) but Frontlines more than manages to be an exception this rule. I mean, it’s not a series quite as audacious in terms of its world-building as the Cantos, but it is a specimen exhibiting indubitably fantastic storytelling, albeit in a different “color” than Simmons. Also, it fits squarely within the realm of sci-fi, hence why I rank it above Hyperion. It’s a series that’s plausible scientifically and in terms of its portrayal of everyday life and people. There are no buff caricatures of Arnold Schwarzenegger here, punching aliens in the face with bare fists. Neither are there the (unintentionally, but regardless) floundering moronic clowns seen in Alanson’s novels. Kloos accurately envisions real, intelligent (FINALLY) people, who hurt, hate, love, fear - all in an excellently formed sci-fi universe.
Kloos knows how to pace a story. I find it personally amazing how the plot may not necessarily move forward in a huge bound per book, but one still feels that the plot was proportioned out perfectly, nothing over-described, nothing unjustly neglected. The feeling one gets after finishing a book of this series is somewhat akin to the one one gets right after finishing a perfectly sized meal. Not too much, not too little, but just right.
As tempting as it must have been, Kloos does not immediately start off with the bread and butter of the sci-fi world, (i.e. aliens) instead introducing us to the world and tech of Frontlines by portraying an ongoing galactic Cold War gone hot (although regrettably no nukes were harmed in the plot of the first books). That’s some real restraint and foresight right there. Then, abruptly, a masterfully hair-raising introduction of aliens onto the pages of Kloos’ work. I really liked how he did that, it gave time for the reader to get a sense of what the world of Frontlines was like before the real chaos begins.
Part of the problem with many sci-fi works including aliens you see, is that often, authors end up reducing them to these trite hand (manipulator, tentacle, pseudopod, what have you) rubbing villains. Poor character writing ruins the intrigue and horror that the word “alien” invokes. They might as well be any other comic book villain who yells impotently “I’ll get you next time!” as their evil contraption with glaring design flaw of choice predictably implodes, malfunctions, defecates, or does all three at once. One more time, a book and its characters can only be good as its author.
Fortunately for us, Kloos is a damn good author and is also aware of the trope of the garrulous villain. As a result, he fashions his “Lankies” accordingly. They make no ultimatums, have no obvious weaknesses, utter no “villainisms.” In fact, they don’t speak at all, aside from some weird trumpeting/bellowing sounds if I recall correctly. They are the superlatively potent and ominous foes that protagonist Grayson faces in his term with the North American Commonwealth forces. The science and tech is plausible, the characters interesting, the aliens praiseworthy - give Frontlines a read, go for it! You won’t regret it. Promise.
PS: I think I'll later add a post with a longer list of notable sci fi books; this post is too long already lol.
- BJW
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