modern sci fi authors

[Bick]

I dont have time to list. I was more like asking for people to throw names out that they read and I will check them out. I guess I am just old. Military sci fi is not really my thing, but if it is good I will read it. Honestly I am burned out from every author writing a series all the time. I just pine for the days when someone wrote a novel and finished it in one book. I bet I would like for instance Three Body Problem if it was a single novel instead of three. Most of the time people are just padding these novels with nonsense I dont care about. Back in the day we said, oh so and so writes like i am reading a movie, it was not a compliment. Now days everyone writes like they are writing whole seasons of shows, i am just burned out on that.

I think this a common and reasonable complaint actually. Someone still writing now, and releasing standalone SF novels, is Alan Dean Foster. Check out Relic.

EDIT: Though, of course, he's not a new writer!

 

[Piman25]

Who are the greats now? I am not impressed personally with modern sci fi authors. I would say i am a big fan of Clifford Simak and other older writers but for me to many new authors just write books that peter out at the end or the stories are not very engaging. Is there a new author comparable to a Simak?

I posted a similar question a few weeks ago.
Best New and Emerging Science Fiction Writers

I go back and re-read Clifford D. Simak, Lloyd Biggle Jr. and Zenna Henderson since I am unable to find any current writer who satisfies me in the same way.

 

[Piman25]

I dont have time to list. I was more like asking for people to throw names out that they read and I will check them out. I guess I am just old. Military sci fi is not really my thing, but if it is good I will read it. Honestly I am burned out from every author writing a series all the time. I just pine for the days when someone wrote a novel and finished it in one book. I bet I would like for instance Three Body Problem if it was a single novel instead of three. Most of the time people are just padding these novels with nonsense I don't care about. Back in the day we said, oh so and so writes like i am reading a movie, it was not a compliment. Now days everyone writes like they are writing whole seasons of shows, i am just burned out on that.

Amen on the single volume comment.

I admit it, I am old.

 

[Bick]

I'm trying to think of a new and exciting SF author who releases novels that are not part of at least a trilogy... can't think of anyone immediately.

Oh, wait -
China Mieville releases standalone novels. But is he new? He's current though.
Andy Weir - not read him, but his books have been standalone novels.

 

[Bick]

Amen on the single volume comment.

I admit it, I am old.

I'm getting there too. But thinking about it, is Simak one of the only prolific, big name, classic authors who didn't write any novel series or connected novels? Asimov and Heinlein wrote series or highly interconnected books. Harrison, Silverberg, Clarke, Anderson, Bova, Cherryh, Farmer, Herbert, Moorcock, Aldiss, Vance, Blish, Pohl, Brackett, Norton, Le Guin, Niven, Brin, Leiber etc., all wrote series. Even PKDs last three books are a trilogy. It's become the norm now, but it's not a new thing. The thing is, the names above all also wrote standalone's as well, I guess.
(van Vogt may be another who didn't fall for the series trap)

 

[Piman25]

I'm getting there too. But thinking about it, is Simak one of the only prolific, big name, classic authors who didn't write any novel series or connected novels? Asimov and Heinlein wrote series or highly interconnected books. Harrison, Silverberg, Clarke, Anderson, Bova, Cherryh, Farmer, Herbert, Moorcock, Aldiss, Vance, Blish, Pohl, Brackett, Norton, Le Guin, Niven, Brin, Leiber etc., all wrote series. Even PKDs last three books are a trilogy. It's become the norm now, but it's not a new thing. The thing is, the names above all also wrote standalone's as well, I guess.
(van Vogt may be another who didn't fall for the series trap)

I mentioned Zenna Henderson - most of her stuff was interconnected (The People), Lloyd Biggle Jr. wrote the Jan Darzek and Cultural Survey books (plus his mystery series). I really like James White - The Sector General Books are great fun, don't have to be read in order (like The People stories)
I guess I am not anti series, but I don't want to have to commit multiple books, every time I decide to read a story.

Orson Scott Card really angered me years ago when he pretty much abandoned the Alvin Maker series to focus on re-writing Ender's Game from the point of view of the table lamp and the vending machine and any secondary side character he could think of.

 

[rezman333]

I think this a common and reasonable complaint actually. Someone still writing now, and releasing standalone SF novels, is Alan Dean Foster. Check out Relic.

EDIT: Though, of course, he's not a new writer!

exactly, didnt he write the Alien movie book

 

[rezman333]

I posted a similar question a few weeks ago.
Best New and Emerging Science Fiction Writers

I go back and re-read Clifford D. Simak, Lloyd Biggle Jr. and Zenna Henderson since I am unable to find any current writer who satisfies me in the same way.

yep me too, just bought some Simak books on ebay, bak when i was a kid, i gave someone a Clarcke book or Asimov book and said start here, whose book would i give today, if i was that same child

 

[rezman333]

I'm getting there too. But thinking about it, is Simak one of the only prolific, big name, classic authors who didn't write any novel series or connected novels? Asimov and Heinlein wrote series or highly interconnected books. Harrison, Silverberg, Clarke, Anderson, Bova, Cherryh, Farmer, Herbert, Moorcock, Aldiss, Vance, Blish, Pohl, Brackett, Norton, Le Guin, Niven, Brin, Leiber etc., all wrote series. Even PKDs last three books are a trilogy. It's become the norm now, but it's not a new thing. The thing is, the names above all also wrote standalone's as well, I guess.
(van Vogt may be another who didn't fall for the series trap)

I personally do not mind a series, I read a lot of fantasy too, but here is my issue most series today would be a single novel for authors back when and it would be shorter and more exciting and i would feel the need to compulsively finish the book. I do not feel this way any more

 

[Piman25]

I personally do not mind a series, I read a lot of fantasy too, but here is my issue most series today would be a single novel for authors back when and it would be shorter and more exciting and i would feel the need to compulsively finish the book. I do not feel this way any more

Some of Simak and Biggle's (not to mention Anderson, Cornbluth etc) great books would be considered short novels today, some coming in at less than or barely over 200 pages.

 

[rezman333]

I'm getting there too. But thinking about it, is Simak one of the only prolific, big name, classic authors who didn't write any novel series or connected novels? Asimov and Heinlein wrote series or highly interconnected books. Harrison, Silverberg, Clarke, Anderson, Bova, Cherryh, Farmer, Herbert, Moorcock, Aldiss, Vance, Blish, Pohl, Brackett, Norton, Le Guin, Niven, Brin, Leiber etc., all wrote series. Even PKDs last three books are a trilogy. It's become the norm now, but it's not a new thing. The thing is, the names above all also wrote standalone's as well, I guess.
(van Vogt may be another who didn't fall for the series trap)

I dont think Clarke ever wrote his sequels except for the 2001 series every other series usually had a co author who actually did the writing.

 

[rezman333]

Some of Simak and Biggle's (not to mention Anderson, Cornbluth etc) great books would be considered short novels today, some coming in at less than or barely over 200 pages.

every read Keith Laumer

 

[Piman25]

I haven't. I know the name, but never read. You recommend?

 

[rezman333]

I haven't. I know the name, but never read. You recommend?

Keith Laumer writes like sci fi adventure or action books. Maybe if you like shows like fringe or colony, i enjoyed some of his books, but i am biased to older authors, but definetley check out Children of Time.

 

[Piman25]

I started Children of Time.

I usually only read the older authors. I downloaded a Laumer story collection and will start it also. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Kevin J. Anderson. I read his novelization of Rush's concept album, Clockwork Angels. He also writes for the Star Wars and Dune universes.

 

[Rodders]

I wouldn't call Kevin J. Anderson modern. He's got to have been going for 20 years.

 

[K. Riehl]

Tanya Huff -Confederation series
Martha Wells- MurderBot series
Ann Leckie
Julie Czerneda


I am reaching after that; it seems to be a quiet period for SF right now.

 

[tobl]

Tanya Huff -Confederation series
Martha Wells- MurderBot series
Ann Leckie
Julie Czerneda


I am reaching after that; it seems to be a quiet period for SF right now.

there are many new uthors but some of the most enternaining i habe read lately is litrpg

 

[clovis-man]

Becky Chambers is a "current" author. She has not depended on a series of interrelated stories, although her three novels share a common space/time milieu. Her tales tend to be character driven, which is fine with me.

However, I would certainly endorse Wells' Murderbot series.