What’s a piece of SF that you just couldn’t get into, even though you feel like you should?

I tried to watch Babylon 5, for instance, and just couldn’t connect to it. I know it’s popular and people love it, but it never hooked me.

Another is The Three Body Problem. I tried reading it after a friend’s glowing recommendation, but I couldn’t get past the first chapter. I even tried reading it in another language in case it was the translation I couldn’t connect with, but the same thing happened.

Both are things I feel like I should like, but just don’t.

  • @PineapplePartisan
    1•1 year ago

    Harder sci-fi? It leans hard on religion and philosophy and royal court intrigue.

    I was coming to post Foundation for all those reasons. I wish there were more choices for people who want “hard” sci-fi.

    The last decent one I came across was “Braking Day” by Adam Oyebanji.

    Does anyone have recs for hard sci-fi that doesn’t lean on “magic”?

    • oo1
      2•1 year ago

      there was a conversation on here about Greg Egan the other day.
      thats what i call hard scifi.
      i used to read that at lot and was glad to be reminded to look it up again.
      http://www.gregegan.net/
      permutation city, all the short stories, diaspora, i started on quarantine, still think that’s a cool idea, even if it is improbable (thats a joke, it’s not a spoiler until you observe the story).

      i think i gave up around teranesia which might’ve started to go over my head.
      but reading this group has inspred me to go back and revisit.

      damn ive got to start buying Interzone again.

      edit >>>> link to actual thread: https://lemmy.world/post/1892921
      maybe it was a different group . . .

      • @PineapplePartisan
        1•1 year ago

        Good rec. I’ve already read a bunch of Egan. I especially enjoyed “Diaspora”. Most recently I am revisiting some of the Iain M. Banks “Culture” books. It is refreshing to read about space battles that occur at distance and as fast as the AIs can fight. None of the b.s. of space ships being 200m apart and fighting with WWII era plane tactics. No stupid sword fights. No “going manual” to accomplish the mission. Basically it’s the anti-trope masterpiece and it’s so readable as well.