Book list: SciFi Colonies (June 2022)

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Here are the books that were nominated for the scifi colonies theme. Please continue recommending books that fit the theme. Nomination rules no longer apply, so all formats/authors welcome.

The Songs of Distant Earth
City of Pearl
Decision at Doona
A Door Into Ocean
New Moon
Hidden Empire
Windswept
The City in the Middle of the Night
Amatka
The Eye of the Heron
Desolation Road

[Stephen]

Gene Wolfe’s famous The Fifth Head of Cerberus fits the theme.

[Richard]

The Dark Eden trilogy:
Dark Eden, Mother of Eden and Daughter of Eden by Chris Beckett.

An accidental colony on a rogue planet outside of any solar system. All life is sustained by the internal energy of the planet rather than from a sun. Fascinating setting and multi generational story.

[Michelle]

Stephen wrote: "Gene Wolfe’s famous The Fifth Head of Cerberus fits the theme."

I liked that one.

[Bonnie]

Coyote by Allen Steele
and the rest of the Coyote colony series...
https://www.goodreads.com/series/9462...

Blurb:

After stealing a starship full of political refugees, Captain Robert E. Lee and his crew travel to a distant planetary system with a habitable moon (named Coyote) with the dream of starting a colony free from governmental and social oppression.

The trip lasts 226 years, but while everyone is in biostasis, one of the crew members is accidentally awakened. With his cell permanently deactivated by the ship's AI, communications officer Leslie Gillis is doomed to a solitary life (and death) aboard the starship. When the rest of the crew is eventually reawakened as the ship reaches its destination, what they find is extraordinary.

Once the small colony is established on Coyote, they realize just how different their new world is from Earth. Exploration begins, and although a few colonists are killed by predators, the colony survives and even begins to thrive that is, until a strange comet appears in the sky.

[Bonnie]

Ammonite
by Nicola Griffith

[CBRetriever]

Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

Blurb:

The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years to bring one thousand sleeping souls to a new home among the stars. But when first mate Michelle Campion rouses, she discovers some of the sleepers will never wake.

Answering Campion’s distress call, investigator Rasheed Fin is tasked with finding out who is responsible for these deaths. Soon a sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel, one that will have repercussions for the entire system—from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet Bloodroot, to other far-flung systems, and indeed to Earth itself.

[Ed]

Downward to the Earth by Robert Silverberg deals with a former colony that was given back to the natives, though the story has flash-backs to the colonial period. There are intentional similarities with "Heart of Darkness".

It also appears in graphic novel form as Robert Silverberg's COLONIES: RETURN TO BELZAGOR.

[Jan]

Grass by Sheri S. Tepper fits. I know it's already on the bookshelf, but for those who haven't read it, it's worth a look.

Looking at a few reviews, it seems to be quite a polarising read. But personally when I read it a few years ago, I found it an original and quite stunning read.

[Bonnie]

Celestis by Paul Park
It's been a while since I read this but I remember it as being very good - reflective, beautiful, literary writing, but not so literary that it wasn't even science fiction anymore, if you know what I mean.

It originally was called Coelestis with an O; was a nominee for 1995 Nebula although the GR page does not reflect that.

Blurb:

The native humanoid population is subjugated by the human colonists, but many of the Aboriginals undergo medical procedures involving surgery and drugs to make them look and think more like humans. As support from home wanes, the "improved" Aboriginals launch a rebellion against the colonists. Simon, a political functionary from Earth, and Katharine, the altered daughter of a successful native merchant, are taken hostage by the rebels.

[Eva]

A few recs for space colonies:


Humanity has colonies on Mars and Venus (which is still in the midst of terraforming), while Earth has become uninhabitable - the setting is so well done, and there are mysteries galore.


Humanity has many colonies, and we're focusing on a crew of interesting nuns (in a slug-like, living ship) who visit them.

(and sequels)
Focusing on a merchant ship captain visiting human colonies in space.


One of my all-time favorites, features very intriguing and beautiful space colonies.



These are all so much fun!


Big ideas, vast scope, another all-time favorite.

[Karin]

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel is partly on earth, but partly in one or more off-planet colonies.