The Sword and Laser discussion

I'm looking for some exploration heavy scifi that isn't star trek. Can anyone recommend some stuff?

I would highly recommend Neal Asher starting with the Spatterjay series - Skinner. I don't usually read sci-fi I'm pretty Fantasy orientated but I absolutely loved this book and am enjoying making my way through his other books. Dune is awesome as well, I have also been recommend the great North road which may be to your liking.

Larry Niven's Ringworld is a good exploration story, thought not really a space exploration story.

Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series has a bit of exploration in it.

Kristine Kathryne Rusch's "Diving" universe has a bit of exploration in it.

I'm looking forward to more replies in the this thread. I like this kind of SF as well!

Alastair Reynolds House of Suns has an interesting approach to space exploration though it's not technically an exploration book.

Pushing Ice is kind of a novel of inadvertent exploration.

Jack McDevitt's novels are usually about exploring new planets and systems.

Very nice topic. I'd like to hear more recommendations.

Rendezvous with Rama and Startide Rising.

I'd second Rama.

David Sven wrote: "Alastair Reynolds House of Suns has an interesting approach to space exploration though it's not technically an exploration book."

I'll keep recommending House of Suns until its a club pick. Very good novel.

Did Alastair Reynolds ever continue (or announce any plans to) the universe he created in "Pushing Ice"? That was the first of his books I read and really enjoyed the world created in it, even more so then the one he created in the Revelation Space series. Although those books are very good as well.

Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy. It's only 3000 pages.

Tamahome wrote: "Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy. It's only 3000 pages."

Yeah but then what would he do with the rest of his day?

John wrote: "Did Alastair Reynolds ever continue (or announce any plans to) the universe he created in "Pushing Ice"?"

Nope. That, along with House of Suns, remain standalone novels.

Geoff wrote: "I'll keep recommending House of Suns until its a club pick. Very good novel. "

That would be an awesome club pick. More awesome would be Blue Remembered Earth because I'm going to be reading that soon.

Tamahome wrote: "Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy. It's only 3000 pages."

I'm still psyching myself up for that one

John wrote: "Did Alastair Reynolds ever continue (or announce any plans to) the universe he created in "Pushing Ice"? That was the first of his books I read and really enjoyed the world created in it, even mor..."

Per his new website he would like to write more in both universes (Pushing Ice and House of Suns) but nothing planned yet.

Mission of Gravity
Gateway
The Voyage of the Space Beagle

I'll second Startide Rising and add The Four Lords of the Diamond.

If your looking for near future as opposed to far future, I would recommend Ben Bova's Grand Tour series.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/5118...

They are all set in the solar system.

Grand Tour: seconded!

Sabrina Chase's Sequoyah trilogy.

Thanks for the update on AR. I don't know why but I've never gotten around to read "House of Suns", and assumed it was part of the Revelation Space series. I may have to look that one up as well.

It seems to be a standalone so far, although you'll find many themes in common with the author's other books.

John wrote: "Thanks for the update on AR. I don't know why but I've never gotten around to read "House of Suns", and assumed it was part of the Revelation Space series. I may have to look that one up as well."

House of Suns is a standalone and not set in the Rev Space universe

Thanks for all of the replies! Keep them coming. I'll be adding them all to my to read list!

As mentioned above, startide rising by David Brin.

Agreed on Ringworld, Revelation Space, and nice pull on Voyage of the Space Beagle!

I'd ask, how retro do you want to get? I'm currently reading a Jules Verne book, "Off on a Comet." Very dated, but interesting. The price is good - free at gutenberg.org. Similar idea for Wells' "First Men in the Moon." That one is worth it for the SF-history concept of Cavorite alone.

You could also try Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon and A Far Sunset by Edmund Cooper, the latter of the two having been first published in 1967. Although not purely space exploration they both deal with first contact situations that result from such missions, one is on an established colony while the other is a mission to a new world.

If you like Ringworld and Rama, I'd recommend Jack Chalker's Well World series. Midnight at the Well of Souls is the first one. Kenneth's recommendation of Four Lords of the Diamond is also by Chalker and also interesting. See also John Varley's Gaea trilogy. The first one is Titan.

For a change of pace, try James Blish's The Seedling Stars stories, where instead of terraforming planets, humans are genetically engineered to suit the various planets.

Jack McDevitt's Priscilla Hutchins books are all explorey. First one is The Engines of God.

If you liked Rama then I would recommend Eon bt Greg Bear.

AndrewP wrote: "If you liked Rama then I would recommend Eon bt Greg Bear."

And then if you liked Eon I would recommend Marrow by Robert Reed

Eon, by Greg Bear, and it's sequel Eternity, are two of my favorite books! I love McDevitt's series' too.

Tom wrote: "I'm looking for some exploration heavy scifi that isn't star trek. Can anyone recommend some stuff?"

Most of the stuff here is good, but also quite old. Here's some more recently published stuff:

- The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis by Michael J. Martinez. Solar system exploration in the 22nd century of our universe with an alternate dimension alchemy-powered sailing ships in space version of the 18th century.

- A Darkling Sea by James Cambias. Exploration and first contact with an alien civilization based around the deep sea and black smokers on an alien planet. Also political conflict with another advanced alien civilization.

- The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. I didn't care for it (its very Baxter-flavored, and I'm not a fan), but the series almost by definition is based on exploration.

- Fire with Fire by Charles E. Gannon which was a nebula award nominee this year, has a strong exploration sub-plot with first contact elements.

- The Entire and the Rose series by Kay Kenyon. For a very different exploration series.