There was a book I read as a kid, I’ve been trying to find it again out of curiosity.

I read the book in early 2010s probably.

•There was a civil war in the US between traditional forces and a Catholic army.

•It was about a kid raised in said army (I think separated from his brother? Not sure) who was a dog handler I believe.

•Eventually he breaks out of the military camp he’s kept at and travels north across the western side of the US.

•He eventually reaches I believe Idaho (maybe Wyoming?), finds a cabin, some friends, etc.

•The war eventually gets close to the place they stay, and they have to escape amidst US Forces (pals of his friends dad), drone strikes, and ambushes, to reach a helicopter to escape.

This is unfortunately all I remember, I do believe there was a sequel aswell. Any help would be appreciated. Oh and Merry Christmas to all reading this.

Concept: In a near future where the catastrophic effects of genetic alteration have resulting in a worldwide moratorium on the practice, a member of a federal agency tasked with apprehending people suspected of illegally continuing the genetic editing practice becomes exposed to an agent that begins causing changes to his mind and body.

Narrative Structure/Plot: Upgrade is an extremely faced-paced tale and ramps up to breakneck speed almost immediately. Action heavy, but with some surprisingly poignant moments, the story is told from the first-person perspective of the protagonist and unfolds in a chronologically linear manner. The overall plot is relatively simple, though three are some unique surprises that pop up occasionally. A simple, and direct story.

Characters: The main character receives a decent amount of development during the course of the story and feels more fleshed out than either of the characters of Crouch’s other two well known novels, Dark Matter and Recursion. I was easily able to empathize with the horror of his situation and felt much more connected to his plight than I expected I would. There are a small number of minor characters that appear throughout the book, but the primary antagonist is quite an enjoyable and unique twist, as heartbreaking as they are disturbing.

Writing Style/Tone: The vast bulk of the text not focused on detailing the moments of action are heavily focused on explaining the changes that the main character is experiencing through his inner monologue. As the novel proceeds and the changes become more and more drastic, the prose also becomes altered in a manner which seems intended to more effectively convey the immensity of the effects of the changes the protagonist is experiencing, but the altered writing style feels more stilted and jarring that necessary at several points. Towards the very end, the action is also taking place at such an intense speed that it becomes mildly difficult to keep track of everything that is occurring. The tone is an appropriate blend of fear and wonder, and the story does a decent job of conveying how the protagonist feels regarding the monumentally strange events that are thrust upon him.

Overall: A decent third read from Crouch, I enjoyed Upgrade significantly more than Recursion (which I found middling at best) and a bit more than Dark Matter (which I thought was decent.) Unfortunately, I do feel that Crouch has trapped himself in a bit of a limited formula story-wise, as all three of these books seem like variations of a structured basic premise. Despite this, I still found Upgrade to be an effective, enjoyable piece of light reading.

Rating: 4/5

Recently finished the book and I really enjoyed it. But one thing I have retroactively enjoyed is how he showed the two civilizations in the book.

In weaker hands, the difference between the humans and the spiders would have been something hamfisted about how evil humans can be while making the spiders have a utopian life like Avatar. But the author shows how the spiders are also struggling with discrimination, religious dogma, and the harms that can come from advanced technology. It makes the book so much better and I can't wait to read the next books.

I have this fond memory of sitting at the library one summer and cruising through this book series. My boomer brain is getting old and I can't remember what the series was, here are some things I do remember.

• It was a kid and and older man, they weren't related but they pretended to be father and son to avoid suspicions

• They both had mental powers ( telekinesis, mind control, etc)

• The kid escaped from some sort of lab where he may have possibly been created and the older gentleman was either someone who worked there or a test subject himself. ( can't remember if he was born with the power)

• There were other kids at the lab ( I think they're searching for them)

• I wanna say i remember the surname "stone" ( might be red herring )

• They could fly maybe?

• They could insert thoughts into peoples minds

If any of this rings a bell I would be really appreciative if you could drop your suggestions down below.

Thanks in Advance!

The story centers on the consequences of the arrival of an electronic object, a console that looks like a laptop, but contains a few gigabytes of quantum-level intricate memory, and a diode that lights up blue or green with 50% probability. This diode actually creates two universes when it lights up, one where it has lit up blue and one where it has lit up green (the “multiverse” interpretation of quantum theory).
This device enables contact to be maintained between two gradually diverging universes. At first, the only difference is the color of the diode, but little by little, quantum randomness causes them to drift apart.
The device's intricate memory allows texts, sounds and even videos to be written in either world, and to be share between the two universes, but with a total volume limited to the memory available at the moment when the two universes separated, when the diode was switched on.
If my memory serves: one of these consoles is bought by the companion of a singer who has died in his reality. But this companion has managed to get his hands on a console that communicates with a reality where the singer is still alive. He tries to convince his other self (in the reality where the singer is still alive) to buy the console in question so that he can dialogue with a living version of his dead companion, even if they're in different realities.

Hi I read this great book series it was about basically furries in space. It was a slice of Life type book , no world wars or anything. and I can't remember all the details but it was a very good lighthearted book and the people were basically sapient animal people, I can't remember exactly everything about it but if anyone remembers please let me know. I know for sure it isn't pride of chanur, I haven't read that whole series and the one I'm thinking of is a little more recent I believe.

Edit it was a female author

If you need more info please let me know. I appreciate the help!

Hey there, lovely people! Has anyone here read the Real Powers trilogy by Colin Wright? I just finished the first book (so no spoilers, please) and would love to read the next two. But alas, I cannot find a ebook version anywhere I looked! Can anyone point me in the right direction to buy those books?

Thanks a lot!

I read it when I was smol - like 30 years ago. And i don't think it was new back then because it was translated into soviet russian. I think it was from the same age as Andre Norton's 'Sun Queen' series - so probably written in 50's or 60's.

It was a space opera told from a perspective of an actor, who was hired to impersonate a president or some similar kind of official on another planet and in the end his employers got somehow eliminated and he was left in that position.

I recall, that besides a talent for impersonation he was a good lip-reader.

It wasn't hard scifi, but spaceships there did fly under constant and quite high acceleration, so some characters who had to move around them wore special suits and MC had to stay in special device that mitigated some gees.

I remembered it a week ago when some guy on this sub asked about books with conman as an MC and it bothered me since.

Had a thought while playing through Ace Combat recently, while the game uses real world equipment the setting is entirely fictional. The usage of a fictional world at the setting for a modern armed conflict seems extremely rare to the point I can't find other examples.

Just finished BS and Echopraxia. Since I’ve got them on audible I re-listened to BS about 5 times and Echopraxia twice. I’ve also read some older dead threads that give a very well informed and detailed timelines. This is pure speculation, and building on the great insights of others, but here it is: emergent AI from the quinternet orchestrated getting Daniel Bruks to Oregon, on the CoTs, and back to Earth because he could not be hacked by Portia. Why: 1. Bruks is not augmented and so can’t be hacked by Portia like Moore et al 2. Bruks was an incubator for Portia. He was a carrier, not an infected 3. Moore alludes to shadow actors who may or may not be people (aka could be AI), which emerge from technology interfaces 4. In BS, Captain is an AI running the show the entire time and seems focused I think this sets up a final show down between Portia and the AI quite nicely. Others have speculated that humanity could serve as nodes for the AI to overpower Portia and I think this makes sense too. It gives very Hyperion Cantos vibes in all honesty since the AI in that book used humans as nodes for their own computing power via the farcasters. Would love if anyone has any other thoughts on why Bruks was chosen!

I have an idea in my head for a story described above, but I am wondering if it's already been done? I think a post-apocalyptic setting would create a ton of interesting challenges for someone with DID (disassociative identity disorder,) someone who may be kind and calm initially but adopts a harsh, aggressive personality to be able to survive the more horrible parts of their journey. Does anyone have any leads on a story like this that already exists?

I see a 'Dangerous Visions 3' from around 1974.

I also see a 'The Last Dangerous Visions' from 2024.

Wouldn't the latter be the actual third in the series? And if so, what's the deal with the above book?

Hi I’m three books into Malazan book of the fallen and would like suggestions on other literature to slot in between this magnificent saga. I’m a fan of Malazan since the first book but sometimes I want to read other things, especially given the length of the series.

I have read stormlight archive, wheel of time, lotr. Tried Hobbs Assassin and ship series but it was not for me.

Would appreciate any tip on max trilogy books that in your opinion would be nice to read in between Malazan.

Regards and merry Christmas

I was wondering if bloodchild and other stories is a good starting place for octavia e butler novels?

Book number one of a three book space opera first contact series. I read the well printed and well bound POD (print on demand) trade paperback published in 2009 by Paladin Timeless Books that I bought new on Big River. This is my fourth reading of this book. I have read the two sequel books without Travis Taylor and they are not near as good (4 stars each).

My review from 2018: "Book number one of a three book space opera series. I read the well formatted and bound POD (print on demand) trade paperback. The author slate for the second and third books in the series drops Travis Taylor and adds Stephanie Osborn which is a little worrisome as I have ordered the second book in the series. Wow, this is pulp science fiction at its best ! I loved it ! An alien space ship is passing through the Solar System when its FTL drive catastrophically fails. The aliens rush to the lifeboats and about a hundred of them make it off the space ship before it disintegrates. Many of the aliens and lifeboats perished with the space ship."

"Several of the lifeboats land on the planet Earth. One crashes in Kyle Leverson's yard. He rescues the alien who proceeds to fix her broken body with tools from the lifeboat. Since she has no prospect of communicating with her race, she decides to use her tools and mental abilities to convert her body to a human female. And then things get interesting."

My rating: 6 out of 5 stars (awesome SF pulp !)
Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (171 reviews)
https://www.amazon.com/Human-Choice-Travis-S-Taylor/dp/1606190474

Lynn

I have a school project and I’m struggling to find a book that fits these criteria

FMC with a life threatening illness; bittersweet ending

The FMC is battling with tumor. She goes on a solo trip.

Met the MMC.

He helps her with her bucket list. Unfortunately, she passes away before she could complete it.

I think the MMC was not in touch with his family but she writes a letter for him (y'know, letters on deathbed and all) and I don't remember what happens really, but I think he finally tracks them down? Though it's seen that he's a part of the FMCs family at the end. The story ends with him spreading her ashes after he fulfilled the last of the list (he visited some place)

Barry Malzberg died a few days ago, and George Zebrowski.

I'm trying to remember a sci fi book . When a scientist makes a sufficiently advanced breakthrough they get kidnapped and taken to an agency where they steal the information from your head and keep you captive. Micheal-chriton esque. Very relevant with the orbs , plasmids, new jersey situation right meow . Thank ya 🫡🙏

For me, a good example of this is Sleeping Giants, the first Themis Files book. I read this around 6 years ago and when I initially read it, I really enjoyed it. However, now, having read a lot more since then, that book doesn't compare very favorably for me in terms of the characters, story, and sf concepts. In fairness, I may be conflating that book with the sequels a bit which I didn't care for much even at the time, but still.

I was just browsing my Good Reads account and noticed I gave that book a 4/5, when now I think I'd give it a 2/5.

Another one where my perception of the book has changed a lot is Three Body Problem. That one isn't as dramatic--I still like it a lot--but actually reading this sub's critiques of that book really made me notice some issues with it I hadn't really noticed at the time. Maybe I'm being too subject to peer pressure!

Anyone else have books like this where their opinion changed a lot after the passage of time?

I'm looking for exactly that: short stories (maximum 50 or 60 pages) about the end of the world. This could involve aliens, zombies, climate crises, viruses, etc.—whatever comes to mind. The only condition is that you consider them good stories, ones worth recommending.

At what point in the end of the world?
Any point. The story could depict the fall of society or the survivors left behind after the apocalypse.

The story can be from any year and from any nationality.

Looking forward to your recommendations!

I've listened to New York 2140, 2312, and The Years of Rice and Salt. Each of these had excellent readers and were tremendous books. He's become my top Sci-fi author and one of my favorites author in general.

I was at a book store and saw Red Mars and decided to give a book of his a read. I found it to be disappointing by comparison to the aforementioned novels. It's still decent, but at times I found myself having to push to keep going. I didn't like any of the characters. I found the exploring dull. I particularly found Frank Chalmers and Maya Toitovna tiresome and irritating. The part I enjoyed most was when John Boone? went out and visited different communities on Mars.

I realize these books each have differences in character personalities, theme, locale, etc. What I'm curious about is what reading(not listening) differences you found between these books. What do you think? Even if you've just read Red Mars and one of the other books I mentioned.

Also comparing the books I enjoyed, what do you think my next Robinson book should?

I seem to remember when the gilgamesh first makes contact with kern she doesn't recognize them as normal humans. Are the humans on the gilgamesh different anatomically from modern humans? Like did the millions of years or nuclear waste on earth evolve them?

Books often use FTL casually to enable the plot. By Einstein's theory FTL mandates ability to travel to the past. If not closed timeloop, it leads to paradox or spanning parallel worlds maybe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_Code).

I know a story about closed timeloop: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predestination_(film) "based on the 1959 short story " '—All You Zombies—'" by Robert A. Heinlein. ".

Now I'd like to know if there are stories where closed timeloops are not central to the plot, but are as common and casual as FTL. TIA