It’s also textbook hard SF - about an invasion by aliens who are only slightly more advanced (like, maybe a century) than we are. Spoilers:
The aliens arrive in a generation ship powered by a Bussard ramjet, achieve superiority over Earth by dropping objects on us from orbit, and in the end, humanity wins by implementing Project Orion - meaning, by launching a massive spacecraft powered by exploding atomic bombs and then firing every weapon we have left at them from orbit. It’s glorious.
And the Terrans cheat.
Thank you for all the recommendations! That’s a lot of good recommendations to add to my list.
I have read many of the older novels recommended here (everything by Clarke, many by Forward, Asimov, Niven, etc). But if anyone else is interested, I can vouch for them all.
John C. Wright’s Golden Age trilogy is about life as a dissident in a golden age of humanity. The protagonist, however, sees himself as attempting to move humanity forward from stagnation, and while there is plenty of struggle and frustration, the general mood is consistently positive.
I thought “Ghost from the Grand Banks” was his Mandlebrot book - Fountains of Paradise came out in 1979 before the Mandlebrot was widely known.
the stainless steel rat series is fun although if a bit formulaic …… ive never found out how many were actually written tho
Things do not end well for the protagonist, as I recall.
They didn’t cheat. They just… decided not to play by the aliens’ rules.
I imagine their action constituted a war crime. :dubious:
Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson.
Without spoiling, I think I can describe it as the exploration of an alternative global reality, set in the early 20th century. It is dramatic, not humorous, but it’s not dystopic or depressing. The imagination and originality is superb, it’s a unique book. Although it’s not chock full of science like something like The Martian, it’s quite definitely in the sci-fi genre (it’s not fantasy), and I think it will appeal to somebody asking for hard SF, because ultimately it’s the alternative reality itself, and what underlies it, that’s at the core of it. It’s not just an incidental setting for the characters to play out their drama.
“Rocket Girls” by Hosuke Nojiri. Similar to ‘The Martian’ in that there’s a focus on the practicalities and logistics of space travel; generally very upbeat and has a happy ending.
Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lock In (and Head On, its sequel) by John Scalzi
I don’t recall Earth signing any treaties with the Fithp.
If they wanted humans to play nice, maybe they shouldn’t have invaded Earth in the first place.
This is “The Secret Life of Bots” by Suzanne Palmer. Hard SF, Hugo winner
With a happy ending.
I will point out that “Forty Thousand in Gehenna” is also an Alliance-Union novel by Cherryh.
The Chanur novels are also set in the same universe, though in a part of space not (usually) inhabited by humans. Same physics/technology is involved.
You are correct.
Brian
Better link The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer : Clarkesworld Magazine – Science Fiction & Fantasy
Which reminds me of Redshirts by John Scalzi.
I’m drifting a bit from hard SF now, but it’s very funny, audiobook read by Wil Wheaton.
Hey, the Fithp did it first! Dropping a sizable meteor on India was hardly cricket.
Well, you have a good point there.
Besides, the Good Guys won, and get to decide who was criminal, and who wasn’t.