Away from everyday reality: fiction novels that are worth reading

Fantasy as a genre makes readers and writers to go beyond the rational, to give free rein to your imagination and go into unknown worlds. For that we love this genre. RoboHunter this fall offers a headlong plunge into the world science fiction .

"Destined to win," John Scalzi (2005)


Plot of: after Earthlings decided to colonize the cosmos, began the period of brutal wars with the inhabitants of other galaxies. Earthlings created an army, called Self-Defense Forces of colonies. Wish to become members mostly elderly people who in return promised the return of youth. One becomes a mercenary and John Perry. During the battle for one of the planets in the brigade ghost, he meets with his own wife, which was previously buried. At this moment, for him to start a new life.

Note: The American novel by John Scalzi is very popular. Previously, he was nominated for the Hugo Award award for best popular science novel and the author won the prize Campbell Award. In addition, work has been nominated as the best debut novel in the Locus Award.

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"Anathem," Neal Stephenson (2008)


Plot: In the novel, the reader is presented distant future planet similar to Earth. On Arba living scientists, philosophers and mathematicians who did not leave the walls of the monastery. They should keep knowledge, and at the same time protect it from inconstancy of the secular world. Among them - 19-year-old Raz, who was in the monastery when he was eight, and now has become desyatiletnikom having the opportunity to leave the monastery once a decade. But fate makes its own adjustments, Raza and his teammates have to save the world.

Note: The product is called a masterpiece of intellectual prose. "Times" described it as a great scale work, which gives food for thought and imagination.

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"The space of the revelation," Alastair Reynolds (2000)


Plot: About a million years ago the planet Resurgem after mastering the technology of space travel, the people perish amarantiytsev. Archaeologist Dan Silvest decides to go to great lengths to unravel the secret amarantiyskoy civilization. Otherwise, the fate of the people can share amarantiyskogo settled on different planets humanity. Deprived of aides and resources, it attracts allies crew, although it would be better, he made a deal with the devil. Endless wanderings in space and fight for survival has turned people into ruthless machines that get their way at any cost. One of them arrived on the planet with a secret assignment to kill Silvesta.

Note: A Novel of the same name initiated the cycle "Space revelations", and became the main event of zero in its subgenre.

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"Blindsight" Peter Watts (2006)


Plot: 2082. Mankind has evidence that, apart from the Earth, living creatures live on other planets. The ship "Theseus" is sent into space to establish contact with extraterrestrial civilization. But the reality is much more serious than any fantasy at the expense of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Note: the product was the owner of several prestigious awards, it was noted several times as the best novel translated.

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"Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969)


Plot: With a mission of goodwill representative Ekumeny - combining many planets coming to the planet Geten or winter, so she joined the association. The novel is written as a beautiful but scary story in the form of fragmentary notes representative Ekumeny, observations of other researchers of the planet, records of myths and legends of the planet Earth.

Note: The novel was awarded the two highest awards in the genre of science fiction - Nebula (1969) and Hugo (1970).

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"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", Philip K. Dick (1968)


Plot: The action takes place in 1992 (in later publications in 2021), the war has devastated the planet, so began to die in large animals, birds and people. UN promotes emigration of survivors of extraterrestrial colonies, as an additional incentive to every immigrant as a servant with free android, extinct animals and replaced by robots. Androids are used only on the planets-colonies, many of them make a revolt, killing their owners, and are sent back to Earth. The bounty hunter Rick Descartes announces the hunt for fugitives to save what remains of the Earth.

Note: In 1968, the novel was nominated for the Nebula, and in 1998 he took 51 th place in the list of "Best science fiction novels of all time until 1990". In 1982, Ridley Scott directed the movie "Blade Runner," in which the main role played by Harrison Ford.

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"World-Ring," Larry Niven (1970)


Plot: The novel is set in the universe of known space in 2850. Louis Wu - 200-year-old man goes with his colleague and two aliens explore the unknown world - a huge artifact orbiting stars. Freight forwarders are trying to uncover the secrets of this planet and to escape from it.

Note: A series of novels "World-Ring" consists of four books. The action of the novels takes place in the future, in the second half of the 29th century. "World-Ring" has been awarded the "Nebula" in 1970, "Hugo" and "locus" in 1971.

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"The servants of justice," Anne Leckie (2013)


Plot: The distant future. All colonies of land merged into the empire Radch. Ships are controlled by officers, and the rest of the work performed by offenders who have been erased and loaded with personality artificial intelligence ship. The main character of the novel, too, was part of the ship, but after its collapse it tries to figure out who to blame for the death of the ship.

Note: The novel was awarded the six most prestigious awards in science fiction. The novel "The servants of justice" opened a series called "The Empire Radch", which will include 2 more books.


Source: geektimes.ru/company/robohunter/blog/262386/