Broadening someone's sci-fi horizons

[ottarrus]

Back to the OP on this one.
I am limiting my suggestions to a few titles that have Traveller applications. While there's a lot of books that ought to be read for someone's 'sci-fi literacy', there are quite a few that are kind of out there insofar as RPG utility is concerned. I'm also limiting my lists to 4 or 5 selections so as not to overwhelm anyone.
In no particular order:

BOOKS:
- Starship Troopers, Heinlein
- Downbelow Station, Cherryh
- Dream Park, Niven
- The Stainless Steel Rat, Harrison
- I, Robot, Asimov
- Hammer's Slammers, Drake

TV:
- Star Trek Original Series
- Firefly
- The Expanse
- Battlestar Galactica [both]
- Almost Human

Films:
- Star Trek [first movie]
- Star Wars [ditto]
- Interstellar
- AlieNation
- Enemy Mine

When my wife wakes up this morning, I'll ask her if there are some female-focused titles she'd suggest.

 

[IanBruntlett]

When my wife wakes up this morning, I'll ask her if there are some female-focused titles she'd suggest.

Thank you

 

[Anstett]

The Lady Astronaut series for near space (Mary Robbinette Kowal) for female lead focused stories: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078MHRSY9

The Chaotic Orbits series for a lighthearted rom-com type of story with a female lead scoundrel (Beth Revis): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW4MZD1J

Two fun pull quotes from Chaotic Orbits.
"plenty of people mingling in the crowd who are the exact combination of rich and idiotic for a plan like that to work. Although, to be fair, rich and idiotic is a shockingly common combination in people. Inherited wealth is a hell of a stupefier."

"Then his eyes clear. “Ada,” he says again, sharper now. “I’m not going to sleep with someone who kidnaps me.” “Oh my god, are you still on that? It was one time.” “It was literally this week! I am currently still in the process of being kidnapped!” I roll my eyes. “You take the fun out of everything.”

 

[Anstett]

Grace Curtis is a very nice author with themes easy to adapt to a Traveller setting.

Frontier - high TL crash on a low TL world - https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Grace-Curtis-ebook/dp/B0BQRVF9YB
Floating Hotel - a murder investigation on a ship in transit - https://www.amazon.com/Floating-Hotel-Grace-Curtis-ebook/dp/B0CD1JQR35

Becky Chambers - Wayfarers series : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753KPS6X
A nice read about inter-personal relations between aliens and low TL and high TL interacting.

Both authors write 'soft' Science Fiction. Easily accessible, recognizable tropes, not too far into Space Opera, not too Hard Science to be too dense.

 

[ottarrus]

Thank you

OK, so my wife offers these suggestions:

Pern series, McCaffery
Chanur series, Cherryh
Honor Harrington series, Weber
Miles Vorkosigan series, Bujold

 

[Condottiere]

 

[actionman]

Pern series, McCaffery

What about the Sassinak books by McCaffery? Did your wife read those, and if so, what did she think?

 

[ottarrus]

What about the Sassinak books by McCaffery.

She brought those up as well, but I went with McCafferey's more classic work. It's a good series, 60/40 and pick 'em on which a person might recommend.

 

[actionman]

She brought those up as well, but I went with McCafferey's more classic work. It's a good series, 60/40 and pick 'em on which a person might recommend.

I was more interested in Sassinak's earlier life and career, but on the whole I found her more relatable than Honor Harrington.

 

[Terry Mixon]

The Kris Longknife books by Mike Shepherd.

 

[rinku]

And he's been mentioned earlier, but can't be mentioned enough - Pohl Anderson, Pohl Anderson, Pohl Anderson. Everything of his.

 

[Condottiere]

Rather dry, even the Flandry series.

 

[FreeTrav]

And he's been mentioned earlier, but can't be mentioned enough - Pohl Anderson, Pohl Anderson, Pohl Anderson. Everything of his.

Poul Anderson. "Pohl" is Frederik (author of the Gateway/Heechee books, among others).

 

[rinku]

Poul Anderson. "Pohl" is Frederik (author of the Gateway/Heechee books, among others).

Damn. I keep making that error

But also Fred Pohl. All his stuff.

 

[Endie]

For a sci-fi book that might appeal to someone who wants a focus less on the hard science and more on character interactions, emotion etc (I'm trying to avoid saying "female-friendly" as my wife wants the hard sci-fi stuff!) then I'd suggest a newer book: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Live_Safely_in_a_Science_Fictional_Universe

It's clever and returns to the older sci-fi tradition of using the technology merely as a way to investigate the effects on people.

I'd also say Neuromancer: some spaceships, some chrome, and one of the best opening lines in the world of fiction, science or not.