Hard Science Fiction

Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. It is characterized by rigorous attention to accurate detail in the natural sciences, especially physics, astrophysics, and chemistry, or on accurately depicting worlds that more advanced technology may make possible. Hard science fiction is driven more by ideas than characterization. Plausible science and technology are central to the plot.

Machine Vendetta (Prefect Dreyfus Emergency, #3)
Exodus (Archimedes Engine #1)
Valuable Humans in Transit and Other Stories
Inhibitor Phase (Revelation Space, #4)
Critical Mass (Delta-v, #2)
Cold Eyes
The Disturbance (The Disturbance, #1)
Light Chaser
The  Quantum War (The Quantum Evolution, #3)
Wherever Seeds May Fall (Seeds, #1)
Darkome
Creation Node
Lake of Darkness
Jack Four
Theft of Fire (Orbital Space #1)
The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #1)
The Martian
Project Hail Mary
The Dark Forest (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #2)
Blindsight (Firefall, #1)
Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)
Death's End (Remembrance of Earth’s Past, #3)
Revelation Space (Revelation Space, #1)
Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)
Seveneves
Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)
The Three-Body Problem by Liu CixinDune by Frank Herbert1984 by George OrwellThe Martian by Andy WeirFoundation by Isaac Asimov
Best Intelligent Sci-Fi
271 books — 249 voters
Terraformer by Scott McElhaneyRed Mars by Kim Stanley RobinsonGreen Mars by Kim Stanley RobinsonDominion by Scott McElhaneyBlue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Synthetic Ecologies
19 books — 25 voters

The Martian by Andy WeirThe Forever War by Joe HaldemanLeviathan Wakes by James S.A. CoreyAltered Carbon by Richard K. MorganRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Hard SF reading group
85 books — 57 voters
Ringworld by Larry NivenRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke2001 by Arthur C. ClarkePushing Ice by Alastair ReynoldsRevelation Space by Alastair Reynolds
Big Dumb Objects
68 books — 77 voters

Dune by Frank HerbertChildhood’s End by Arthur C. ClarkeFoundation by Isaac AsimovThe Three-Body Problem by Liu CixinRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
Mind-bending Science Fiction
223 books — 162 voters
The Martian by Andy WeirRevelation Space by Alastair ReynoldsFoundation by Isaac AsimovDune by Frank HerbertRendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
best hard science fiction
410 books — 730 voters


Joseph A. Anderson
So, let me get this right. You invented this groundbreaking medical technology that changes the way we literally do everything in trauma and blood, and you are out here, 30.3 light-years away from Earth, on a planet where everyone involved in the Eden project was a hundred percent sure there’d be no DNA, blood, or anything? And now here we are playing with the DNA of an alien race? What is this? What is actually going on here?
Joseph A. Anderson, Eden 2:b

Andrzej Wronka
I’m writing these words on February 28th, barely two months after the event. At least I think I am. I can’t be sure when, or even if, it actually happened. Or what really took place. Then again: what is truth, if infinitely many truths can exist at the same time? But let me start from the beginning.
Andrzej Wronka, The Last

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