Recommendations for Space-Focused Sci-Fi, which include space exploration, trading, political/military, etc.

[Brandon]

Similar to the title above, I am looking for a series that focus on space exploration, trading/merchantry, political and military moves. Something that will hopefully be a bit expansive (think, breathing, living, live-in, etc) as to touch multiple areas. I am enamored with games such as Elite, and the X Universe of video games, which have large amounts of lore in a world that feels alive - These do have novels, and they are enjoyable, but I am hoping to find other worlds that may have similar feels/ideas.

I know it may be a long-shot, but I am hoping that you wonderful people can help me locate a series I can and will "exist" in, for a bit at least!


Thank you.

[Ian]

Since you have not mentioned previous reading, I am going to suggest some obvious choices on the "Hard Science" side of the spectrum. My apologies if you already know them.

First of all, Poul Anderson, whose "Technic History" series (or set of series set at different times a in future history) neatly fits your description. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_An...

A good deal of his other science fiction would fit as well. The Makeshift Rocket comes to mind immediately. It includes some neat little lessons in chemistry and Newtonian physics (https://www.amazon.com/Makeshift-Rock...), but I could go on at great length

Anderson is also known for "rationalized" fantasy, in the mode established in the 1940s in "Unknown/Unknown Worlds," the short-lived and much mourned sister magazine to "Astounding Science Fiction."

Second (mostly because he is younger) is Larry Niven, especially his "Tales of Known Space" series (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_N...)

Also a lot of work outside the series, some of which is humorous, and a bit of which is rationalized fantasy.

Although some of the titles are hard to find, I would also suggest the very hard science fiction (no faster-than-light travel, for example), but often humorous/satirical, works of L. Sprague de Camp, mainly the long-running Viagens Interplanetarias series, with lots of interesting world-building, and colliding cultures.

He is also known for rationalized fantasy (like Niven and Anderson), some of which in fact helped set the tone for the genre in "Unknown." Plus editing Robert E. Howard's Conan stories, mainly in the 1960s, plus some pastiches, and adaptations of other Howard stories to Howard's "Hyborian Age" setting.

And some excellent historical fiction set in Classical and Hellenistic times, often amounting to "science fiction" about such things as the discovery that the Earth is round. These also form a loosely connected series, with allusions to characters or events in a shared past.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Spra...)

[Brandon]

Great list! I actually have a few of these on my list already. The faster than light travel is not much of an issue for me, as long as the other science is atleast somewhat established and not fantastical. Definitely gives me a few things to look further into! Thanks so much!

I know what I am looking for crosses a few sub-genres including even Space Opera, potentially, which makes it difficult, so thanks so much for giving your input and ideas!

[DivaDiane]

I think Nathan Lowell’s series The Age of the Solar Clipper checks all the boxes. Starting with Quarter Share:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

All You Need Is Kill is based on video games.

The Expanse series is another biggie I'd be remiss not to mention.

a personal favorite, though it's a bit "extra" on the weird scale is the Machineries of a empire series starting with Ninefox Gambit.

[Brandon]

Thanks for the suggestions! Yeah, my examples are video games, but less interested in ones *about* video games, if that makes sense? More using them as examples and templates of the type of world. The Expanse is something I've watched (not finished), and figured I'd read them after we finish the series itself, since we started it first.

I have added Ninefox Gambit to my list! As have I added The Age of the Solar Clipper series (and it seems like subsequent series tie into the world as well). Both seem like great options! Thanks!

[Ian]

Brandon wrote: "Great list! I actually have a few of these on my list already. The faster than light travel is not much of an issue for me, as long as the other science is atleast somewhat established and not fant..."

Anderson in particular ranges from Space Opera (especially in his early works, when there was a larger magazine market for it) to problems of morality in inter-species relations, so you will find a bit of everything you might be interested in.

Niven's Hard Science includes the problems that arise when "just one" scientific law is broken, and the rest of the universe has to be made consistent with the change.

He has written several entertaining essays on such standard SF tropes as FTL travel, and investigated the cliche of "Stasis Fields" in both stories and at least one essay.

His 1969 essay "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex," is an hilarious look at drawing logical conclusions from "comic book science." See https://www.rawbw.com/~svw/superman.html

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

yes, that makes sense! All You Need Is Kill is about mechas used by future soldiers, the idea can't to the author when he thought about how life would be like if you had "saves" in reality.

[Antonin]

You can't go wrong with Asimov's The Foundation Trilogy. There is not much exploration, but lots of political intrigue and some trading. The first three books in the series produced some of my favorite characters of all time: Salvor Hardin, Hober Mallow, and of course The Mule.

Also, I would of course recommend Herbert's Dune trilogy. All the political intrigue you could ever want. This is a classic that should be required reading in every high school.

[Ian]

Antonin wrote: "You can't go wrong with Asimov's The Foundation Trilogy. There is not much exploration, but lots of political intrigue and some trading. The first three books in the series produced so..."

There is even a grand old Space Opera type battle, which might have come right out of E.E. Smith's Lensmen series (which may be too antiquated to suggest here). Hardly anyone remembers it, since it lacks pyrotechnics, and probably because the discussion about the roles of technology and morale is much more interesting.

[Chris]

The Mass Effect games have spawned seven books, including one by Jemisin. I don't know how good they are, but the universe is certainly big, diverse, and full of lore.

https://masseffect.fandom.com/wiki/Books

[Eva]

My personal favorites in this direction are:

- the Vorkosigan saga by Lois McMaster Bujold, I started with The Warrior's Apprentice which was a great entry point - this series has won a few Hugos and Nebulas
- House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds
- Artifact Space by Miles Cameron
- Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon
- the Honor Harrington series by David Weber starting with On Basilisk Station
- Terminal Alliance series by Jim C. Hines
- Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O'Keefe
- Illuminae series and Aurora Rising series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
- Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds
- Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (first book only one planet, but it opens up into a big universe in book 2)
- A Talent for War by Jack McDevitt

[Michelle]

Like Eva, I highly recommend the Vorkosigan saga.

For military sci-fi:
Frontlines series by Marko Kloos
Poor Man series by Elliott Kay
The Faded Sun trilogy by C.J. Cherryh
To Honor You Call Us by H. Paul Honsinger

[Michelle]

Actually, the Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh as well.

[Ian]

There is a whole of military SF, with interesting technologies, by David Drake: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_D...

I would particularly point out the RCN (Republic of Cinnabar Navy) series, a personal favorite because one of the main protagonists is a librarian. And because of the interesting mode of interstellar travel, which turns spaceships into nice counterparts of windjammers.

[CBRetriever]

Michelle wrote: "Actually, the Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh as well."

I'd recommends Cherryh's Alliance-Union Universe books before the Foreigner series especially the Chanur, Mri Wars and Company Wars series.

The Alliance–Union universe is a science fiction future history series, in which the development of political entities and cultures occurs over a long time period. Major characters in one work may be referenced or appear briefly in another.

[Jessica]

I absolutely loved the Aurora Cycle trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. Fun, snarky YA Sci-Fi with lots of space travel and interesting tech. Laughed out loud several times, loved the characters.

[Ian]

I have been forgetting to mention Elizabeth Moon's two Vatta series: Vatta's War and Vatta's peace. See her Wikipedia article for bibliography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabe...
(I tend to think of her as a fantasy writer, because of her early Paksenarrion series and related books.)

These are primarily military science fiction, although there are large sections given to specific planetary (and space-borne) cultures, and how they have diverged from more-or-less common origins.

I strongly discourage checking the Wikipedia article on the Vatta's War series (to which there is a link), unless you love spoilers. It does have nice covers of the original editions (including a caption pointing out a mistake in the the illustration on one of them).

(One word of warning: in the course of the Vatta's War series Moon did some "retroactive continuity" changes, altering some established "facts" about certain technologies. I thought I just hadn't remembered things correctly from volume to volume, as they appeared, until I went to a library and compared the actual texts.)

[Colin]

In addition, you might want to try Jerry Pournelle's CoDominium/Empire series that starts with the John Christian Falkenberg books. This universe includes The Mote in God's Eye which he wrote with Larry Niven (although I only see Niven on the Goodreads link for some reason) and a sequel to that The Gripping Hand also by both (although, again, I only see Niven on the Goodreads link). The earlier books are primarily military sf. The last two I would class as exploration and adventure with the Moties being one of the most interesting alien species I have read about.

[Cheryl]

I just read a short story from The Lost Fleet series (Dauntless) by Jack Campbell and it seemed well-written and interesting, if you're into military SF.

[Michelle]

Cheryl wrote: "I just read a short story from The Lost Fleet series (Dauntless) by Jack Campbell and it seemed well-written and interesting, if you're into military SF."

Cheryl, how is his characterization? Is there a lot of depth to the characters, I mean? I haven't tried that author before.

[Antonin]

Earlier, Ian mentioned the Technic series by Poul Anderson. I would also recommend those books. They feature the swashbuckling trader Nicholas van Rijn. I would call the Nicholas van Rijn books "light," meaning not too serious. I read them when I was a teenager and recently (50 years later) read one of them again. I enjoyed it.

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Michelle wrote: "Cheryl, how is his characterization? Is there a lot of depth to the characters, I mean? I haven't tried that author before."

I read and enjoyed a few books in the series, but must admit that the characterisation is a bit cartoonish. The protagonist, Black Jack Geary, is pretty likeable despite being rather stiff. Would still recommend it to you.

[Michelle]

Thanks, Ryan!

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

Stars Uncharted
The Quantum Magician
A Darkling Sea
Revenant
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe
Starshine
Generations
The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story

[Ryan, Your favourite moderators favourite moderator]

The Stars Now Unclaimed
The Caledonian Gambit
The Long Way Home
Artifact Space

[Ian]

Antonin wrote: "Earlier, Ian mentioned the Technic series by Poul Anderson. I would also recommend those books. They feature the swashbuckling trader Nicholas van Rijn. I would call the Nicholas van..."

Just to keep things clear, the Technic History series is a grand history-of-the-future on an Asimovian chronological scale. Although it probably didn't start out that way. Indeed, Anderson said he realized some stand-alone stories could be part of the series only after they were written and published. ("Star-fog" is a notable example.) In others, of course, he deliberately included references to events in other stories as part of the fairly distant historical background.

The Wikipedia bibliography breaks down the series (or mega-series) by internal chronology:
Early period
Polesotechnic League (These stories are often dominated by Nick van Rijn and/or David Falkayn, of the interstellar firm Old Solar Spices and Liquors.)
Terran Empire (with Dominic Flandry, "Agent of Terra," as the main continuing character)
The Long Night

Some of the stories are pure entertainment. Others are considerably more serious, even tragic, in tone.

A lot of characterization, and material reflecting on alien physiology and its dependent moralities in the early van Rijn novel The Man Who Counts was cut when it went into book form as the slight War of the Wing-Men. Fortunately, it was much later re-issued, fully restored, under the original title.

[Cheryl]

Michelle wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "I just read a short story from The Lost Fleet series (Dauntless) by Jack Campbell and it seemed well-written and interesting, if you're into military SF...."

In that short story, it's all about the characterization. They're a bit 'typical' but they did hold my interest.

[Michelle]

Thanks, Cheryl!

[Dj]

I am a little surprised that no one has mentioned the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. While not the best at all the marks it is very game-style oriented and it has a massive scope by the end of the series. It starts small with one ship and an interesting main character, by the end you are kind of wondering where her cape is as she overcomes a series of more complex and difficult challenges. Also, each book ends with a Boss Battle. As the series goes on, politics become a more critical part of the story and the science of the science fiction takes on a large part of the story as well.

All in all the weakest link of the ones that were asked about is the trade aspect but even that has a core involvement in the series.

Probably not the best written of the books that have been suggested but it does seem to fit the bill.

[CBRetriever]

F.M. Busby's Rissa Kerguelen Series fits the bill too

[Meredith]

Ancestral Night by Elizabeth Bear might fit. I enjoyed the universe and the characters living there. There's a second book (Machine) set in the same universe though I think it's not a direct sequel. (I haven't read it yet)

[Bnz]

Ian wrote: "I have been forgetting to mention Elizabeth Moon's two Vatta series: Vatta's War and Vatta's peace. See her Wikipedia article for bibliography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabe..."

Speaking of Elizabeth Moon, look into her Serrano Legacy series, available in three omnibus tomes: Heris Serrano, The Serrano Connection, and The Serrano Succession (that's a total of seven novels, I think - they may be in print separatelly, too.)

I second Lois McMaster Bujold and her Vorkosigan series - best read in the order of internal chronology, I think. There is a very thorough fan-maintained wiki on her universe.
I also agree with recommendations for David Weber and C. J. Cherryh - I consider all three a tad better than Moon, who is still quite good.

Not quite to your specs, but do read Murderbot series by Martha Wells.

And, of course, above all, unsurpassed Iain M. Banks and his Culture series, especially Use of Weapons.

Thanks to everybody for recommendations - I was starting to run out...

Enjoy!

[Michelle]

We've all helped each other in this thread, I think :)

[Bonnie]

Dread Empire's Fall series by Walter Jon Williams, starting with
The Praxis

[〰️Beth〰️]

I think some one mentioned it but Marko Kloos and his Frontline series is my first thought. The first book is set on earth to set up the series but moves the main characters into space after that.

[Michelle]

〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "I think some one mentioned it but Marko Kloos and his Frontline series is my first thought. The first book is set on earth to set up the series but moves the main characters into s..."

I just finished that series and it was really enjoyable!

[Dj]

Michelle wrote: "〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "I think some one mentioned it but Marko Kloos and his Frontline series is my first thought. The first book is set on earth to set up the series but moves the main ..."

Is it finished, I am reading the most recent one that came out just a little while ago. I am very curious how he is getting out of the corner he put himself in. But I am not sure that he would be able to finish the series off in this book. It is a good series, but it is somewhat lacking in the criteria set forth. No real politics, some but mostly glossed over, Trade for all practical purposes is non-existent. Lots of battles though and some military politics but mostly it focuses on the military side of things.

[Michelle]

Dj wrote: "Michelle wrote: "〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "I think some one mentioned it but Marko Kloos and his Frontline series is my first thought. The first book is set on earth to set up the series bu..."

Do you mean Centers of Gravity, Dj? Yes, that's the last one. It wasn't a perfect series, but I certainly enjoyed it. He said he might have more stories in the universe in the future, but the main series is done. I had wondered how he was going to get out of the mess, too :). I have to say that I was very satisfied with the series' end.

[Dj]

Michelle wrote: "Dj wrote: "Michelle wrote: "〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "I think some one mentioned it but Marko Kloos and his Frontline series is my first thought. The first book is set on earth to set up th..."

Perfect or not I love it. It is kind of a comfort read. Not much investment in the characters and nothing so overly complex I feel I am sitting through a science class...I am looking at you, David Weber.
Just mentioning that the thread started with some specific criteria that don't fit in with that particular series.

[Melanie, the neutral party]

I will also recommend Odyssey One series for all the same reasons Frontline is being mentioned.

[Michelle]

Melanie wrote: "I will also recommend Odyssey One series for all the same reasons Frontline is being mentioned."

Thanks, Melanie!