this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2024
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I love books about advanced technologies that aren't real (you know, made up in those books). Not sure if that is just science fiction or not, but I love books that talk about technologies that don't exist and are fascinating. Please give me some names of books that kept you interested, immersed and amazed.
Thank you

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Almost everything by William Gibson. But in particular I would strongly recommend The Peripheral.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] reddig33 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

You might like “Rendezvous With Rama” by Arthur C Clarke.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

An awe-inspiring book. I highly recommend it. The sequels he co-wrote (really more like supervised) are good too, but have a very different feeling.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago

Thank you so much

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The Freeze-Frame Revolution by Peter Watts

In The Freeze-Frame Revolution, Peter Watts takes us millions of years into the future and hundreds of light-years away, where an isolated fragment of humanity must confront exotic physics, unfathomable entities, and the unforeseen consequences of their own technologies.

Permutation City by Greg Egan

This book is about a group of humans who build a new world in virtual reality (and the question of whether we are able to avoid repeating the old mistakes).

Self-reference Engine by Toh EnJoe

This book is about humanity and AI... in a very abstract, speculative exploration of consciousness and awareness. The structure of the writing is unusual and stretches what a book can be.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I quite liked Permutation City.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] satanmat 6 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Seconding Gibson.

See also Max Barry. Not really tech heavy…

Also Andy Weir. The Martian and Project Hail Mary

[–] whotookkarl 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Andy Weir is a great recommendation, especially project hail Mary

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 weeks ago

The Martian is a very good book, but I'm not sure it really fits what OP is looking for. Kind of the selling point of that book is that there are no made up technologies. It's all doable with what we have right now.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'd add Ted Chiang with Exhalation. Maybe not so much about the technology itself but about its effects on people, similar to black mirror.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Remembrance of Earth's Past (aka The three-body problem) series by Liu Cixin is great and I think it fits the bill perfectly.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

Indeed strongly recommended, one of the best Sci-fi novels IMHO.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Try Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] BallShapedMan 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

To Hold Up the Sky by Cixin Liu The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu The Three-Body Problem Trilogy by Cixin Liu

There are other authors of course but I think Cixin Liu is the best based on your description.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago
[–] whotookkarl 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Stanislaw Lem, The Cyberiad

Classic sci-fi about a couple of robot constructors named Trurl and Klapaucius that are friends and rivals, competing through their constructions and travels.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

"Too Like The Lightning" pops to mind, but it's a weird read.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] seaQueue 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I just read Naam Ramez' Nexus series recently and loved it. It's high tech near future stuff, you might also like Daniel Suarez and Linda Nagata as well as William Gibson or Neil Stephenson.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] seaQueue 1 points 4 weeks ago

I recently read Titanium Noir and enjoyed it quite a bit too, that's another good one.

[–] Adm_Drummer 3 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

The Expanse by James S.A. Corey (Series)

Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey (Ongoing Series)

Stillsuit a Novella in Mercy of Gods

Space Oddysey trilogy by Arthur C. Clarke

Sprawl by Gibson (Trilogy)

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Trilogy)

I think all of these are a fantastic start that reach into different archetypes of fictional technology. Obviously all in the scifi genre but all incredibly different in style. Well worth the read.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago
[–] EvacuateSoul 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Forever War by Joe Haldemann

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago

Thank you so much

[–] Okokimup 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago

Thank you so much

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Many of the Cosmere books have some very interesting fictional technology. In Stormlight Archive for example there are these things called fabrials that are powered by "spirits" and can allow for things like telecommunication and air conditioning. Mistborn uses metal based technology that can power airships. The best part is, these different magic systems exist on different planets in the same universe. Some stories even involve travelers from these different planets interacting with each other.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago
[–] FlashMobOfOne 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Prey by Michael Crichton's a good one.

I'd tell you more but don't want to spoil anything.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 weeks ago