I've recently been reading a lot of science fiction. Most won't be original to fans of the genre, but some people might be looking for suggestions, so in lieu of full blown reviews here's super brief ratings on all of them. I might keep this updated over time, if so new books will go to the top.

A deepness in the sky (Verner Vinge)

scifiosity: 10/10
readability: 8/10
recommended: 10/10

A deepness in the sky excels in its depiction of a spacefaring civilisation using no technologies we know to be impossible, a truly alien civilisation, and it's brilliant treatment of translation and culture.

A fire upon the deep (Verner Vinge)

scifiosity: 8/10
readability: 9/10
recommended: 9/10

In a fire upon the deep, Vinge allows impossible technologies and essentially goes for a slightly more fantasy theme. But his depiction of alien civilisation remains unsurpassed.

Across Realtime (Verner Vinge)

scifiosity: 8/10
[...]

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Outline:

(00:23) A deepness in the sky (Verner Vinge)

(00:49) A fire upon the deep (Verner Vinge)

(01:15) Across Realtime (Verner Vinge)

(01:43) Children of Time (Adrian Tchaikovsky)

(02:16) The Martian (Andy Weir)

(02:46) Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir)

(03:14) Seveneves (Neil Stephenson)

(03:47) Cryptonomicon (Neil Stephenson)

(04:15) The Three-Body Problem (Cixin Liu)

(04:49) Machineries of Empire (Yoon Ha Lee)

(05:16) Stories of Your Life + Exhalation (Ted Chiang)

(05:44) The Clan of The Cave Bear + The Valley Of Horses (Jean M. Auel)

(06:18) Startide Rising (David Brin)

(06:43) Oryx and Crake (Margeret Atwood)

(07:10) All the birds in the Sky (Charlie Jane Anders)

(07:36) Enders Game (Orson Scott Card)

(07:54) Hyperion + The Fall Of Hyperion (Dan Simmons)

(08:23) Down and Out In the Magic Kingdom (Cory Doctorow)

(08:50) Barrayar (Lois McMaster Bujold)

(09:21) Permutation City (Greg Egan)

The original text contained 4 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
June 24th, 2024

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/RfFpMMqteqHbMz97n/sci-fi-books-micro-reviews

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“Sci-Fi books micro-reviews” by Yair Halberstadt

LessWrong (30+ Karma)