Hard Science Fiction

[close] The Near Future will read and discuss more science-fact based fiction and non-fiction that speculates on the near future of humankind. Old and New works that attempt to keep technological and cultural speculation more grounded in reality but still are thrilling and interesting. We certainly are not looking for dry works, but we will try and steer away from aliens, space operas, wormholes, alternate dimensions etc. The goal is to compile a list of books that are not only enjoyable and exciting read but create a natural discussion about where we are going and the obstacles we might face in The Near Future. We'll see you in the future!

[close] A group for readers who believe the most urgent fiction being written right now is about artificial intelligence. We read techno-thrillers, hard sci-fi, and speculative fiction that takes AI seriously -- not as backdrop, but as the central force reshaping humanity. If you've read Daemon, Blindsight, Klara and the Sun, or The Fifth Paradigm and wanted someone to talk to about it -- this is that place. Monthly reads, author discussions, and the occasional uncomfortable question about what we're actually building.

[close] This is a discussion group for this specific subgenre in SF where the plausibility of the science counts.

[close] This discussion group is related to the new SIMPOC series on Amazon. This series is about how one 'thinking computer' helps to save the remainder of humanity after 99.9997% of the human population is wiped out by a suspicious virus. The corporation also created another 'thinking computer' that has a different agenda.