Hugonauts: The Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

If you thought The Martian was intense, let's just go ahead and raise the stakes. We break down the movie version of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, comparing the film with the fun technical problem solving of the original novel. We take a close look at how the movie brings the "astrophage" threat and and action to life, more importantly, whether it is possible to have your hair tousled 100% of the time. We dig into which complex scientific explanations were streamlined for Hollywood pacing and which "science-ing the heck out of it" moments remained intact. We also evaluate Ryan Gosling’s performance as the amnesiac-turned-savior, Ryland Grace, comparing his onscreen energy to the internal monologue that made the book a bestseller. Whether you’re a die-hard Rocky fan or a casual viewer who just loves a good space movie, this episode highlights the hits and misses of the transition from page to screen. We wrap up by answering the ultimate questions: is the movie worth watching? Is the book worth reading? Settle on in, enjoy, and fist our bump. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion. Similar books and movies we recommend: The Martian (book and movie) Story of Your Life (novela) and Arrival (movie) 2001 (book and movie) Solaris (book and movie) Roadside Picnic (book) and Stalker (the movie) Children of Men (book and movie) Edge of Tomorrow (movie) and All you Need is Kill (book) War of the Worlds (book and movie) Dune (we love eyebrows) This episode is sponsored by STARLØK by J.T. Michaelstar: https://www.starløk.com/ If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro and review 02:26 Sponsor – STARLØK by J.T. Michaelstar 03:04 Differences in the movie 8:13 Jokes vs cheesiness 10:15 How long can you look at Ryan Gosling? 12:16 Ever-tousled hair 16:27 Read or watch first? 17:53 The Martian 18:33 Story of Your Life & Arrival 19:46 2001 20:56 Solaris 22:03 Roadside Picnic & Stalker 23:54 Children of Men 25:30 All You Need is Kill & Edge of Tomorrow 26:38 War of the Worlds 28:16 Annihilation 28:56 Dune (we love eyebrows) 30:11 POST SPOILERS discussion

We had so much fun revisiting Mid-World for this episode – it’s the first series that brought us together as book nerds twenty years ago, and it’s absolutely just as good as the first day we read it. So thankful it helped tie our friendship together, and laid the foundation for meeting all the rest of you Hugonauts all these years later! The Dark Tower defies (or bridges) genres, with elements of sci-fi, fantasy, western, horror, and more, all rolled into one legendary package. And Roland Deschain, the Gunslinger, is an incredible main character, and we’ll never forget the rest of the Ka-Tet either. And the ending – we won’t spoil it here, but man do we like thinking about this ending (it’s one of the most polarizing in all of literature). You may be picking up on the fact that we kinda like these books. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video As always, no spoilers until the end when we give a heads up before getting into the full plot discussion. Similar books we recommend: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey Book of the New Sun series - Gene Wolfe This episode is sponsored by The Rising and the Fall of Hell by Sean Miller If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro 01:58 Our review (5/5) 03:35 Sponsor – The Rising and the Fall of Hell by Sean Miller 04:09 About Stephen King 07:26 Incredible character writing 08:56 A 20 year series 10:30 Should we be reading on drugs? 12:38 Cody hates Star Wars 15:52 Every genre combined 18:02 Our favorite books in the series 19:39 The King Multiverse 21:10 The Dark Tower movie 22:03 Inspirations from other fiction 27:44 Similar books we recommend 31:27 POST SPOILERS discussion

We’ve got 15 books and series here, so there should be something to love for almost every reader (although we need some traditional fantasy page turners – send us some recommendations in the comments please)! Plus, at the end of the episode we each rank our personal top 3. We intentionally excluded YA and military sci-fi books, although those are often also page-turners - look out for episodes about each of those soon! Brent’s brother, Alex, joined us for this episode, and brought us a whole new batch of books (and frankly a couple new subgenres) to enjoy. LitRPG / progression fantasy just keep getting more popular, and we can see why – the books we’ve picked up have all been so, so fun to read (although it probably helps we’ve been reading Alex’s recommendations so far, the best of the best from the hundreds of LitRPG books he’s read). No spoilers anywhere in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video This episode is sponsored by Quinto’s Challenge by Peter McChesney All the books we recommend, plus timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:48 Sponsor – Quinto’s Challenge by Peter McChesney 03:26 Silo by Hugh Howey 5:06 Mother of Learning by Domagoj Kurmaic 7:19 Murderbot by Martha Wells 9:10 Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer 12:26 Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton 14:49 Mark of the Fool by J.M. Clarke 18:18 Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir 19:40 Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor 22:33 Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 24:04 He Who Fights With Monsters by Shirtaloon 28:47 Daemon by Daniel Suarez 31:07 The Perfect Run by Maxime J. Durand 33:39 The Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor 36:24 Eight by Samer Rabadi 38:37 Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman 46:18 Rankings: Top 3 page turners

We've got 18 books and series we highly recommend, so there's something here for all kinds of readers - and at the end of the episode we rank our top 3 to bring you the best of the best. What is space opera? Books with big characters and a bigger world - they usually even come with big 'ol wordcounts. Space opera is often multi-pov, with interstellar travel and the fate of the galaxy at stake. No spoilers anywhere in this episode.Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoThis episode is sponsored by indie sci-fi publisher Lil' FactoryAll the books we recommend, plus timestamps:00:00 Intro 00:36 Sponsor - Lil' Factory 1:24 What is a space opera? 2:58 The Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold 4:45 The Expanse - James S.A. Corey 6:38 Hyperion - Dan Simmons 9:51 House of Suns - Alistair Reynolds 11:32 Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky 13:11 Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge 15:04 The Culture - Iain M. Banks 17:17 Peter F. Hamilton's whole discography 20:19 Embassytown - China Mieville 21:45 A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine 23:34 Dune - Are you happy now? 24:47 Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie 26:34 Downbelow Station - C.J. Cherryh 26:05 The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle 29:24 Startide Rising - David Brin 31:16 The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers 33:01 Foundation - Isaac Asimov 35:22 Rankings: 3rd best Space Opera 37:27 Rankings: 2nd best Space Opera 38:50 Rankings: 1st best Space Opera

This might be the best sci-fi book out there about nanotechnology. But Stephenson has so many good ones that this one isn't his best book - some of the characters lose their way, and it drags in the middle. Oh, and one more good recommendation we forgot while we were recording - check out Blood Music by Greg Bear if you want a biological twist on nanotech!Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.Similar books we recommend: Snow Crash by Neal StephensonNeuromancer by William GibsonCory DoctorowPrey by Michael CrichtonThis episode is sponsored by Har Megiddon by Ron Bennett.If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro00:47 Book setup1:49 Sponsor - Har Megiddon2:22 Our review 3.25/53:53 Great sections - and stinkers4:47 Incredible technology7:33 Hard to visualize?9:38 Dances with Wolves10:17 Labor saving devices13:59 Neal's infodumps19:25 Book structure25:47 Sponsor - Har Megiddon26:08 Similar books we recommend28:40 Spoilers section - book summary31:30 Spoilers section - discussion

From Sumeria, to Greece, to India, to the depths of the dark ages we explore the stories that have inspired everything that came later with a professor of mythology and medieval literature. This particular professor also happens to be Cody's mom, so this is also a great episode to explore Cody's psyche, for those brave enough to explore a dark and twisted place. Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to do some reading, here are our suggestions on the best translations of these myths (and even a couple great graphic novels): Epic of Gilgamesh, trans. Andrew George, Penguin ClassicsThe Odyssey, trans. Robert FaglesThe Odyssey, Gareth Hinds graphic novelThe Iliad, Penguin ClassicsThe Aeneid, trans. Robert Fagles Penguin ClassicsAge of Bronze Series, Eric Shanower (series of graphic novels on Trojan War)Hercules, Fred Van LenteMonkey, trans. Arthur WaleyBeowulf, trans. Seamus HeaneyThe Popul Vuh, trans. Michael Bazzett, Milkweed EditionsThe Nibelungenlied, trans. AT Hatto, PenguinChretien de Troyes, Arthurian Romances, trans. William W. Kibler, PenguinLe Morte D’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory, Penguin ClassicsTales from the Thousand and One Nights, trans. N.J. Dawood, Penguin ClassicsSindbad and Other Stories from Arabian Nights, trans Husain HaddowySinbad the Sailor, Penguin ClassicsThe Ramayana, Abridged and Translated by Arshia Sattar, Penguin Classics OR any children’s/YA book to get started. There are hundredsIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 0:00 - Intro1:45 - The Epic of Gilgamesh6:35 - The Odyssey10:12 - The Iliad12:09 - The Aeneid14:12 - Hercules15:53 - Monkey (Excerpts from Journey to the West)21:00 - Beowulf25:25 - The Popul Vuh28:23 - The Nibelungenlied33:21 - King Arthur Myths (Malory, De Troyes)36:56 - Tales From the Thousand and One Nights41:40 - Sinbad the Sailor45:10 - The Ramayana49:55 - Our Top 3 favorite myths

Whether you like ripping page turners, incredible characters, books that make you laugh out loud, exploring unforgettable new worlds, or literary books that will make you see the world in a new way, there's a great intro to scifi out there for everyone!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord to tell us about your favorite time travel booksOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 00:00 Intro 00:38 Incredible Characters - Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold 3:07 A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers 4:04 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 4:52 Unforgettable Worlds - The Expanse by James S.A. Corey 6:58 Hyperion by Dan Simmons 8:24 House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds 9:20 Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 10:56 The Forever War by Joe Haldeman 12:22 Funny SF - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 13:36 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson 14:50 Old Man's War by John Scalzi 16:01 Page turners - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 17:43 Dark Matter or Recursion by Blake Crouch 18:52 All Systems Red by Martha Wells 20:01 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 21:35 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 22:34 Literary SciFi - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin 24:55 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 26:26 The Road by Cormac McCarthy 27:49 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 28:40 Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein

With six interconnected stories (in a narrative style that broke all kinds of new ground), it's hard not to find at least a few characters you love. And even for those you don't personally love, the voices are unforgettable - it's wild that all these characters with such distinct personalities were created by a single person.Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.Similar books we recommend: Cryptonomicon by Neal StephensonCloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony DoerrSea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelThis episode is sponsored by #1.1 by Allen Dean MaioraIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro01:10 Book setup2:17 Our review 4.5/53:56 The unique structure7:08 The incredible voices10:44 Power and subjugation12:58 Our favorites of the stories23:17 Sponsor - #1.1 by Allen Dean Maiora23:40 Similar books we recommend26:06 Spoilers section - book summary34:18 Spoilers section - discussion

Really though we just wanted to do something scary for Halloween - put on a skin-tight leotard. Yes, Brent really did read this sitting next to bubbling pumpkins.

There's scientifically plausible time travel, fantasy / sci fi time travel, 'traditional' time travel centered around real history, people trapped in time loops, time travel romance, and we even threw in a couple of great time travel kids books - something here for every reader to love!As we were editing the episode we realized we forgot an incredible, recent time travel book from the list that we'd meant to include - it's one we've mentioned in a previous episode. Drop us a line on discord if you think you know what we forgot (or if you've got a time travel book you love that you think should have been on the list)!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord to tell us about your favorite time travel booksOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoThis episode is sponsored by Maya: Seed Takes Root, which you can get here on kickstarterIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 00:00 Intro 1:03 Sponsor - MAYA: Seed Takes Root 1:34 Fantastical / far future time travel 2:04 Night Watch by Terry Pratchett 3:15 The Dark Tower series by Stephen King 4:36 Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons 6:10 Scientifically plausible time travel 6:50 Tau Zero by Poul Anderson 9:20 Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang 10:38 The Forever War by Joe Haldeman 12:15 Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 13:47 Looping time travel stories 14:14 The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton 14:44 All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka 17:31 Great Time Travel Kids Books 20:25 Kindred by Octavia Butler 22:09 Lightning by Dean Koontz 23:48 11/22/63 by Stephen King 25:50 The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North 29:18 The Rise and Fall of DODO by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland 31:40 Time and Again by Jack Finney 35:00 The Life of Chuck by Stephen King 36:30 Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut 40:43 The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 44:05 Our top 3 favorite time travel books

Seen through the eyes of a main character who can't remember anything from life before the prison, you get to explore this strange, grim world from first principles. Its an alien way to explore an alien place, and the mystery just keeps getting deeper all the way through. The ending makes this a stylistically divisive book - you're gonna love it or you're gonna hate it. Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.Similar books we recommend: The Buried Giant by Kazuo IshiguroThe Handmaid's Tale by Margaret AtwoodThe Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg ElisonThis episode is sponsored by Mindstock by Richard Yonk, available here. If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro01:00 Book setup01:45 Sponsor - Mindstock by Richard Yonck2:17 Our review 4/53:50 Must be dystopia, journal time5:00 Environmental storytelling8:21 Hyper rational main character?11:29 Harpman's family in the holocaust17:15 Shadow of the Colossus18:15 The Buried Giant19:02 The Handmaid's Tale19:46 Book of the Unnamed Midwife20:54 Spoilers section - book summary22:44 Spoilers section - discussion

We got to interview Robert fresh from his Hugo win for The Tainted Cup - by far the best SFF book of last year! We couldn't be more excited to talk about it with him and get our burning questions answered - will there be more about the leviathans in the rest of the series?! Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoNext episode we'll be discussing the classic dystopia I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman - subscribe so you don't miss it. We talked with Robert about: 00:00 Intro 1:07 Winning the Hugo for best novel 3:04 Brent the hat-eater 4:22 Why plant life as technology? 7:58 Bringing modernity into fantasy 10:49 A fantasy empire that's the good guys 16:05 Ana Dolabra's origins 19:26 Will we learn more about the titans? 21:07 Teasers about the 3rd book 22:08 RJB's other fantasy series 23:53 Mild spoilers - Din and Ana's quirks

The Culture is Iain M. Banks' sci fi masterpiece - a futuristic society where benevolent AI minds provide humans whatever life they choose. Across the nine books you explore the Culture through their interactions, conflicts, and meddling with other space-faring civilizations. When the series is at its best it's full of action and adventure, and once the dust settles you're left with some extremely interesting ideas about what it means to be happy and have agency in a utopian society.Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. Similar books we recommend: House of Suns by Alastair ReynoldsThe Salvation Sequence by Peter F. HamiltonFire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge This episode is sponsored by Moonrising by Claire Barner, published by Simon and Schuster and available here. If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode: 00:00 Intro 1:04 What is The Culture? 4:13 Which book should you read first? 12:21 Why do billionaires love this series so much? 14:44 Iain M. Banks tragic early death 17:23 References to the romantic poets 20:31 Similar books we recommend 22:56 SPOILERS SECTION - PLAYER OF GAMES 32:35 SPOILERS SECTION - USE OF WEAPONS 42:04 The Culture as nation builders

In addition to ranking the six nominees, we also talk about four more amazing books that deserve to be in contention for the best speculative fiction novels of the year.Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoThis episode is sponsored by Doppelgänger: An Orphan, A Prodigy, and a Murder by Chip Walter. A computer scientist awakens in a robotic body—next to his own murdered corpse, with only 72 hours to stop a conspiracy that threatens the human race. William Shatner calls it “quite a ride.” Learn more at chipwalter.com/If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 00:00 Intro1:26 Episode Sponsor - Doppelgänger by Chip Walter2:03 6 - A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher4:58 5 - The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley7:51 4 - Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell9:12 3 - Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky12:49 - Four more great books that deserved a nomination22:36 2 - Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky27:15 1 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

In addition to ranking all the nominees, we talk about why the entire shortlist this year was all fantasy, no sci-fi. This episode is sponsored by The Boy, the Cube, and the Elf by Brent Golembiewski, which is available in print or kindle edition hereJoin the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 00:00 Intro1:50 Episode Sponsor - The Boy, The Cube, and the Elf2:21 #6 - Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera6:33 #5 - Sleeping Worlds Have no Memory by Yaroslav Barsukov10:42 #4 - The Book of Love by Kelly Link15:28 Why are all the nominees fantasy?18:46 #3 - Asunder by Kerstin Hall23:22 #2 - A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher27:53 #1 - Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

As sci-fi lovers who are looking to read more fantasy we could not be more excited to know what's good. Thanks to all y'all Hugonauts who filled out the survey, this list rocks. And a special thank you to Gordon Burroughs for joining us as our resident expert on the books we haven't read, plus for putting the whole survey together in the first place!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord to see the full survey results, including the undiscovered gemsOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books / series we talked about: 00:00 Intro2:58 Novel #10 - The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson6:11 Series #10 - The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin7:57 Novel #9 - Babel by R.F. Kuang10:30 Series #9 - The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie13:33 Novel #8 - The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle15:40 Series #8 - His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman19:18 Novel #7 - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin21:20 Series #7 - Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson23:50 Novel #6 - A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin25:37 Series #6 - Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling28:16 Novel #5 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke30:36 Series #5 - The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson34:18 Novel #4 - The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien37:18 Series #4 - The Broken Earth by N.K. Jemisin38:38 - Our 3 favorites that didn't make the list43:46 Novel #3 - The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss46:19 Series #3 - Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin47:37 Novel #2 - Perdido Street Station by China Miéville50:04 Series #2 - The Dark Tower by Stephen King53:55 Novel #1 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien55:32 Series #1 - The Lord of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

As always, no spoilers until the end when we do our plot explainer and discussion.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsThe Murderbot Diaries by Martha WellsMonk and Robot series by Becky Chambers

That said, there are some problems with this book too, which made this a fun one to talk about - Brent liked it a lot more than Cody did. Plus, love em or hate em, Asimov thought up some very alien aliens.As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. NEW THRU 2025-05-15: Fill out our listener survey to tell us your favorite fantasy novels and series, and see them covered in an episode soon!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: The Foundation trilogy by Isaac AsimovThe Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry PournelleThe Expanse by James S.A. Corey

If you like gritty cyberpunk settings, a page-turning, action-driven plot, and a lot of visceral explorations of violence and sexuality, this one's for you. If you're looking for deep characters, a carefully crafted plot, or philosophical ideas, this might not be your next read.As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. This episode is sponsored by The Pythagorean by Alexander Morpheigh, which is available in print or kindle edition here.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Neuromancer by William GibsonTitanium Noir by Nick HarkawayPermutation City by Greg Egan

Solid characters, amazing worldbuilding, and an epic plot that will keep you interested all the way through (and that's no mean feat in such a long book). If you've been thinking about trying out Peter F. Hamilton this is the right place to start.As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. This episode is sponsored by The Pythagorean by Alexander Morpheigh, which is available in print or kindle edition here.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: The Salvation Series, Void Trilogy, and Pandora's Star by Peter F. HamiltonThe Culture Series by Iain M. BanksHouse of Suns by Alastair Reynolds

Ann is also the author of Ancillary Sword, Ancillary Mercy, Translation State, Provenance (all set in her Imperial Radch universe), and the excellent stand-alone fantasy novel The Raven Tower.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoWe talked with Ann about: 1:12 Becoming a writer later in life5:06 The inspiration for the Radch and Ancillary Justice7:48 Creating a gender-less empire12:43 Writing from the POV of an AI16:56 Invisible exposition20:26 Space opera inspired by the real world26:16 Audiobooks and pronunciation34:14 Will we get to see inside the Radch Dyson sphere?35:49 Recent books Ann likes and her influences42:22 Blurbing Murderbot44:16 Ann's next book is set on a rogue planet!

We also each rank our top three first contact books at the end of the episode.This episode is sponsored by The Pythagorean by Alexander Morpheigh, which is available in print or kindle edition here.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoAll the books in the episode (with YT links to those we've got full episodes on, or search for them in your podcast app): Contact by Carl SaganEnder's Game by Orson Scott CardThe Sparrow by Mary Doria RussellThe Forever War by Joe HaldemanEmbassytown by China MiévilleRoadside Picnic by the Strugatsky BrothersThe War of the Worlds by H.G. WellsBlindsight by Peter WattsThe Expanse by James S.A. CoreyThe Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuinRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. ClarkeThe Mote in God's Eye by Jerry Pournelle and Larry NivenSolaris by Stanislaw LemThe Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu

The book somehow manages to be optimistic at the same time that it realistically portrays horrific climate catastrophes - the opening chapter will stick with you forever. That said, it also suffers from some of KSR's usual writing quirks: weak characters and a pretty loosely defined plot. We talk about it all, the good, the bad, and the terrifyingly hot!As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. This episode is sponsored by The Pythagorean by Alexander Morpheigh, which is available in print or kindle edition here.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: The Value of Everything by Mariana MazzucatoRed Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins

The book is shocking, disturbing, entertaining, and unbelievably thought provoking all at once - no wonder Stanley Kubrick decided to turn the book into a movie (which is a must-watch classic in its own right). It's also an unforgettable masterwork of language, as the narrator, Alex, and his droogs speak in slang that is somehow entirely novel and comprehensible at the same time.As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. This episode is sponsored by I Am Machine by Lex Van Der Ploeg, which is available in print or kindle edition here.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Lord of the Flies by William GoldingThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde1984 by George Orwell

Neuromancer is an incredible science fiction classic, a page turner full of gripping action sequences, wild futuristic ideas, and a unique, techno-criminal world populated by wildly imaginative characters. As always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion. This episode is sponsored by Mythos: The Origin of Gods by A.A., which is available on print, audiobook, or kindle hereJoin the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Altered Carbon by Richard MorganSnow Crash by Neal StephensonThe sequels to Neuromancer: Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive

As always, no spoilers until the end when we clearly call it out before getting into the full plot explanation and discussion.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoThis episode is sponsored by The Song of Immaru: Earth's Door by PJ Dudek, which you can get on print, audiobook, or kindle here.Similar media we recommend:Fallout: New Vegas (game)Horizon Zero Dawn (game)The Thirteenth Floor (movie)Severance (TV show)

This episode is sponsored by The Dawn series by Ray N. Kuili, which you can get on print, audiobook, or kindle here.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoAll the books in the episode (with YT links to those we've got full episodes on, or search for them in your podcast app): The Hunger GamesRed RisingReady Player OneThe GiverNever Let Me GoThe Children of MenThe Machine StopsClockwork OrangeA Scanner DarklyKallocainFahrenheit 451The Handmaid's TaleBrave New World1984We

The Mercy of Gods follows a team of research scientists trying to survive an alien invasion. The Carryx are ruthless - killing 1/8 of the population immediately as they arrive to encourage the survivors to cooperate. Our team, along with many others, are then abducted and brought to a Carryx planet, where they are set loose in an open-air prison populated by hundreds of other alien races. They’re told that if they want to survive they must be useful to the Carryx. Will they resist, or decide to serve the alien overlords? And what does service even mean to aliens who think totally differently?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:Shards of Earth - Adrian TchaikovskyStartide Rising - David BrinA Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge

A radio astronomer discovers a signal coming from Alpha Centauri - strange, beautiful alien voices, singing. While the rest of the world is transfixed by the broadcast, a catholic order, the Jesuits, take action and launch a mission to the planet of Rakhat. But from the outset we know the mission is doomed to tragedy, because a second storyline follows Emilio Sandoz after his return to Earth. The only survivor of the mission, he struggles to heal his wounds and to reconcile his faith with the deaths of his friends, and prepare to tell the world the truth of what happened on Rakhat.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:Children of God - Maria Doria Russel (Sequel)Chronicle of a Death Foretold - Gabriel García MárquezAnathem - Neal StephensonContact - Carl SaganA Canticle for Liebowitz - Walter M. Miller Jr.

In the 23rd century Johnny Rico enlists in the Mobile Infantry, the heart of the human military. As he nears completion of an intensely rigorous training program to learn how to fight and use his power armor, war breaks out between humanity and the bugs. The bugs are aliens with a hive mind, who attack and destroy Buenos Aires, and Johnny and his friends must strive to survive and defend humanity through the brutal war. It's also full of deeply interesting (and controversial) ideas about duty, service, crime and punishment, and so much more. If you like military sci-fi this is a must-read, and if you are into philosophical SF you are going to be pleasantly surprised how much it will stick with you and make you think.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (listen to our interview with Joe)Columbus Day by Craig AlansonThe Parafaith War by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

We rank the nominees for the 2024 Hugo award, plus 6 more from last year!Join the book club on discord and read The Sparrow! https://discord.gg/fHejh3PpR2Video version of the show on YouTube https://youtube.com/@hugonautspodThe books:The Witch King - Martha WellsThe Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi - Shannon ChakrabortySome Desperate Glory - Emily TeshThe Saint of Bright Doors - Vajra ChandrasekeraStarter Villain - John ScalziTranslation State - Ann LeckieChain Gang All Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-BrenyahThe Great Transition - Nick Fuller GooginsTitanium Noir - Nick HarkawayThe Marriage Act - John MarrsRed Team Blues - Cory DoctorowThe Ferryman - Justin Cronin

Over the years we've built up a pretty big backlog of short novels that we really liked but hadn't had a chance to cover on the show - so today we're bursting that dam.Join the book club on discord (and vote for our next book club book!): https://discord.gg/fHejh3PpR2Video version of the show on YouTube https://youtube.com/@hugonautspod The seven books we recommend in this ep:This is how you Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max GladstoneThe Day of the Triffids by John WyndhamCat's Cradle by Kurt VonnegutBabel-17 by Samuel DelanyAll Systems Red by Martha WellsTusks of Extinction by Ray NaylerThe Way Station by Clifford D. Simak

There is only one human settlement on the planet of Arieka. There, in Embassytown, a young woman named Avice grows up in a strange world between worlds, where all that is human and all that is alien collide without ever really coming together. That's not much of a summary, but this is a book that really benefits from going in mostly blind, so we made sure to keep things really clean in the pre-spoilers section too.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend:Babel-17 by Samuel DelanyCity and the City or anything else by China Miéville A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

If you want to see the complete survey results, including all the top books, favorite authors, and short stories come find them on the discord.Video version of this episode available on YouTube.

The 2024 Nebula awards are coming up, so we read and ranked all the books for ya. And we've got good news, this was a great year for fantasy and sci-fi!Join the book club on discord: https://discord.gg/fHejh3PpR2Video version of the show on YouTube https://youtube.com/@hugonautspod The short listed books:Translation State by Ann LeckieShigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole TalabiThe Water Outlaws by S.L. HuangThe Terraformers by Annalee NewitzThe Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra ChandrasekeraThe Witch King by Martha Wells

The year is 2033. The world has been reduced to rubble. Humanity is nearly extinct. The survivors live in the Moscow Metro - the biggest air-raid shelter ever built. It is humanity's last refuge. Stations have become mini-statelets, their people uniting around ideas, religions, water-filters - or the simple need to repulse an enemy incursion. VDNKh is the northernmost inhabited station on its line. It was one of the Metro's best stations and still remains secure. But now a new and terrible threat has appeared. Artyom, a young man living in VDNKh, is given the task of penetrating to the heart of the Metro, to the legendary Polis, to alert everyone to the awful danger and to get help. He holds the future of his native station in his hands, the whole Metro - and maybe the whole of humanity. Vote for your top 10 favorite SF novels by April 26! Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoThis is a unique book! So instead of our normal book recs, we recommend some similar video games:The Last of UsBioshockThe Witcher 3 (harhar)

Six days ago astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirWe Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. TaylorReady Player One by Ernest Cline

Red Schuhart is a stalker, one of the young rebels who venture illegally into the Zone, one of six areas on Earth that have been profoundly changed by the visitation of aliens to Earth. But when he and his friend Kirill go into the Zone together to pick up a “full empty,” something goes wrong. And despite the danger, the news he gets from his girlfriend upon his return makes it inevitable that he’ll keep going back to the Zone, again and again, until he finds the answers he's been looking for. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/rendezvous-with-rama)No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthyAnxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom by Ted Chiang (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/ted-chiang)

Space ships whip across the solar system, ice haulers burn in from the gas giants, stolen Martian corvettes sneak behind enemy lines, and very human characters tie it all together and make the incredible journey worth the ride. Miraculously all 9 books (plus a collection of short stories) are fun, well-done adventures that will keep you turning the pages and racing to find out what happens next. Seriously, if you haven’t read the Expanse yet, it’s time for a treat that goes down easy.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: House of Suns – Alastair Reynolds (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/house-of-suns)Children of Time – Adrian Tchaikovsky (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/children-of-time)Memories Legion – James S.A. Corey

In the One State of the great Benefactor, there are no individuals, only numbers. Life is an ongoing process of mathematical precision, a perfectly balanced equation. Primitive passions and instincts have been subdued. Even nature has been defeated, banished behind the Green Wall. But one frontier remains: outer space. Now, with the creation of the spaceship Integral, that frontier -- and whatever alien species are to be found there -- will be subjugated to the beneficent yoke of reason. Unless D-503 can find a space within himself - that disease the ancients called a soul.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: 1984 by George Orwell (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/1984)Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/brave-new-world)One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

A starship is taking off from Mars, and just before it does one of the crewman arrives with a strange new creature. What will the Wub bring to those on board, and the headstrong captain who can't stop thinking with his stomach?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!PS We by Yevgeny Zamyatin is still coming soon, but Brent had a family emergency, so Cody stepped up to bring y'all this gem in the meantime.

Rumors are swirling about a species of super-intelligent octopus living off the coast of Vietnam. As corporations and other non-state actors begin to investigate, it becomes clear that we are not alone in the universe - alien life has evolved right here on earth. DIANIMA, a giant tech company known for its machine learning prowess, buys the islands to study the octopuses and try to monopolize their unique brains for profit. They send Evrim, the world’s first true android / AI, and Dr. Ha Nguyen, a brilliant marine biologist, to study the octopuses, and Altantsetseg, a battle-hardened drone operator, to defend the islands from rapacious automated fishing vessels. Can they learn to communicate with the octopuses? Or will this new intelligent life be destroyed by global corporations run amok?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoCheck out Ray Nayler's answers to your questions about the book!Similar books we recommend: Children of Ruin - Adrian TchaikovskyStory of Your Life - Ted Chiang (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/ted-chiang)The Windup Girl - Paolo Bacigalupi (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/the-windup-girl)

Ranking our top 15 sci fi books of all time:15 - Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu 14 - The Road by Cormac McCarthy13 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold12 - Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie11 - Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein10 - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood9 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman8 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons7 - A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick 6 - Exhalation by Ted Chiang5 - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro4 - Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin3 - Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson2 - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card1 - Contact by Carl SaganIf you think something deserves to be on the list, drop us a line on Discord!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer video

Paul Durham has begun experimenting on his own mind. He uploaded a copy of his neural patterns - everything that makes him who he is - into a computer simulation. The more he experiments, the more the lines between the real person and the virtual person begin to blur. What he discovers there, out at the edge of consciousness and the pattern that defines him, give him an impossible idea. A permutation city, where immortality might be possible.Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: The Hidden Girl and other Stories - Ken Liu (our interview with Ken Liu: https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/ken-liu)The Last Question - short story by Asimov (available free here: https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~gamvrosi/thelastq.html)Diaspora - Greg Egan

We talked with Peter about:Why he quit science to write fictionThe real-world science that inspired BlindsightWhy vampires?!Blindsight movie(s) in the worksWhat's coming next (the sequel to Echopraxia!)Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer video, or join the Hugonauts book club on discord!And if you haven't listened to our episode about Blindsight, check it out here.

Tyler, Jason, and Diane are growing up together in the suburbs of Washington, DC. One night, as they are outside looking up at the sky, something shocking happens - all the stars go out at once. The 'Hypotheticals' have wrapped the earth in a spin membrane that isolates the Earth, making time move millions of times slower inside the barrier than outside. In Tyler, Diane, and Jason's lifetime the sun will turn into a red giant and consume the earth - unless they can figure out how to escape the Spin!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoThis week we were joined by Jonathan from Words in Time - check out his channel on YouTube!Similar books we recommend: Contact - Carl Sagan (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/contact)Childhood's End - Arthur C. ClarkeThree Body Problem - Cixin Liu (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/the-three-body-problem)

Winston Smith is a Party member living in London. He, like every other member of the Party, is under constant surveillance. Despite the risk, he dares to buy a blank book and begin to write down his thoughts. From the first moment he writes “down with Big Brother” he believes he is doomed to die in the torture chambers below the Ministry of Love. Will his deviance be caught, or will Winston succeed in finding a way to resist the totalitarian control of the Party?Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoSimilar books we recommend: Animal Farm - George OrwellCat's Cradle - Kurt VonnegutBrave New World - Aldous Huxley (https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/episodes/brave-new-world)

Ranking the 2023 Hugo nominees: N/A: Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir #5: Spare Man - Mary Robinette Kowal #4: Daughter of Doctor Moreau - Silvia Moreno-Garcia #3: Nettle and Bone - T Kingfisher #2: Kaiju Preservation Society - John Scalzi #1: Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldry And three amazing sci-fi books that should have made the list: The Mountain and the Sea - Ray Nayler Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel Eyes of the Void - Adrian Tchaikovsky Join the Hugonauts book club on discord!Or you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer video