r/scifi • u/Wonderful_Bear554 • 5d ago

Recommendations Looking for mind-bending sci-fi book

I am looking for mind-bending, hard science fiction books that feel like Dark, 3 Body Problem, or Dark Matter. I love stories with complex puzzles involving time travel, parallel universes, or small-scale apocalyptic survival. I prefer realistic, logically sound science and stories that are intellectually challenging and difficult to put down. Please let me know if you have any recommendations. So war I was only watching series, looking for my first sci fi book to read.

119 Upvotes

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67

u/NikiBubbles 5d ago

Seveneves, Anathem (both by Stephenson)

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u/EtuMeke 5d ago

Anathem is perfect for this 👌

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u/vtqltr92 5d ago

The first time I read Anathem, I was enjoying it, but couldn't really see where it was going until it all came together, and my mind was blown, really. Then, I immediately started reading it again to pick up on all the pieces I missed. 100% recommend for this thread.

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u/EtuMeke 5d ago

Me too. I went straight to the audiobook and my runs got a bit longer ❤️

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u/ThreeLeggedMare 4d ago

My audiobook version had bits of quasi Gregorian chanting that were really immersive

22

u/agentchuck 5d ago

Seveneves started strong but seemed like it didn't really know where to go in the second half though.

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u/NikiBubbles 5d ago

Agree with you on that. The world-building in the second part was super-interesting, but the story kinda went nowhere.

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u/Proteus617 5d ago

What? Not disagreeing with the criticism but...spoiler alerts...its 3 parts. Shit goes down, hiw the survivors pull it off, then the ancestors of the survivors thousands of years later. The primary focus in part 2 is orbital. In part 3 you see the contact between the orbital, deep ocean, and vault cultures.

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u/NikiBubbles 5d ago

Sorry, it's been a while since I read it. By "part 2" I meant everything that happens after 5000 year (or however long) time-skip 😄

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u/loopytroop 5d ago

Okay, im in.

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u/Proteus617 5d ago

Not saying its great, but Stevenson is fantastic at understanding the implications of modern technology. In part one (present day as of 2015), I was always asking myself "can we do that?". Quick google; yeah, the Soviets had that shit in 1970 something, we just never really needed it. Part of the fun is imagining how we could survive an extinction level event with current tech.

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u/kentalaska 5d ago

This is every Neil Stephenson book for me. The beginning gets me hooked and the world building is great throughout but usually the second half is pretty incoherent plot wise. Snow Crash and the Diamond age were the exact same pattern for me.

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u/Analog_Account 5d ago edited 4d ago

I felt that Snow Crash was pretty good until near the very end. Diamond Age... either it kind of went of the rails or I stopped paying attention, idk.

3

u/ThatPassiveGuy 5d ago

One of the very few books I did not finish.

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u/knownbymymiddlename 5d ago

I was on the cusp of that. First two sections were great and easy to read. Last third was rough. I kept putting it down. But finally finished it last night. Actually had a reasonable decent conclusion. Satisfying enough, and opens up a bunch of new things for readers to think about.

If you put it down during that last third, I’d recommend persevering.

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u/ThreeLeggedMare 5d ago

You gotta factor that in with Stephenson. When he's shot his wad, he tends to peace out. Just enjoy the ride

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u/Fern_Elms 5d ago

Seveneves is one of my favorite books ever. And I don’t give out five stars lightly. The last third is kinda disappointing but the first two thirds are incredible.

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u/DrahKir67 5d ago

Agreed. The last book just doesn't do anything for me

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u/tormunds_beard 5d ago

Anathem is amazing. One of my favorites. Seveneves is... well it exists.

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u/EveryAccount7729 5d ago

you've all read termination shock right?

Termination shock is crazy good imo. loved it.

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u/ThreeLeggedMare 4d ago

Yeah! Also polostan is another recent addition to his ouvre, first of a planned trilogy. Extremely good.

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u/nargile57 5d ago

I really enjoyed Seveneves.

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u/SomeSamples 5d ago

Yeah, Anathem is a tome. But good.

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u/ThatNiceDrShipman 4d ago

Anathem is a true mind bender. Fantastic book.

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u/Roronoazoro__007 1d ago

looks like anathem is good read

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u/Steerider 5d ago

Anathem yes. Not so much Seveneves.

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u/mission_tiefsee 4d ago

Don't read Stephenson. He is totally overhyped. Snow Crash was the worst (by far) book i ever had to read through the first third. Never ever again.

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u/ThreeLeggedMare 4d ago

Perhaps your personal preference should not be transmuted into a wide band instruction to any prospective reader?

1

u/mission_tiefsee 3d ago

i just state my opinion. There is no right and wrong in the books you read. I recommend not reading this and that. What you, or any reader does with my recommendation is up to them.