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My Summer scifi has thus far included "Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir and "Dark Matter" by Peter Straub. Both are fast-past and engaging until the end.

I wouldn't recommend either if you haven't read Dune, book 1, though. Read it.



PHM is excellent.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is also a good read. Fast paced and interesting ideas.


Dark Matter (by Blake Crouch, not "A Dark Matter" by Peter Straub that GP mentioned) was really terrible. Not only is the "physics" complete nonsense, the plot doesn't make any sense even if you accept his version of how physics works. Even if you suspend your disbelief and accept how the device works, the last 30 or so pages just completely ignore that and the final goal makes no sense at all. The scientists have cringey dialogue that sounds like it's straight out of a campy Hollywood action flick. The whole thing is driven by the cliche that you can either be successful and completely lonely, or have a family and be boring and unsuccessful. It's really quite bad.


It seems unnecessary to lay into some entertainment that someone just recommended. We are all surely aware of the fact that everything won’t appeal to everyone without someone weighing in every time they see a recommendation they didn’t enjoy.

Dark Matter is a great lightweight hammock sci-fi book.


Sorry you didn’t enjoy it . It sounds like you maybe wanted the book to be something it was never going to be.


Liked a lot. The physics of the device is laughable but the possibilities explored are really cool.

Sometimes when I want some thoughts to linger on while falling asleep, I reconstruct one of the places and imagine what would it be like to stay in that world.

Blake Crouch has really good imagination from my opinion and his books stay in your mind quite long. If you do not mind the week scientific background they are good rides.I liked very much the the wayward pines trilogy.


> I wouldn't recommend either if you haven't read Dune, book 1, though. Read it.

Why is that? I read Dune when I was a kid but don't remember the particulars -- do I need them for some reason?


Feels more like a statement about make sure you read Dune before reading anything else, than about content.


Two possibilities (among many):

1. Denis Villeneuve's Dune comes out this fall, and from the trailers looks to be amazingly well done.

2. Dune is a touchstone book in science fiction. Many of the works in later generations contain passing references to it, and it has remained important and relevant since its release.


precisely!


Possibly because the Movie is coming out October 22nd: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1160419/

I read it again for the first time in years last month and enjoyed it all over again. I red the children of dune sequel as well.


All three of of Andy Weird books are very entertaining. Highly recommend. The Martian, PHM(above), and Artemis.


Is Dark Matter actually SciFi, just read the synopsis and sounds more like horror.




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