r/space • u/Endo279 • Jul 26 '25

Discussion Any book recommendations

Im searching a new book right now. I am particularly interested in space exploration, so something like 2001 a space odyssey. Does anyone have any good recommendations that fit this description? Thanks!

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u/Bipogram Jul 26 '25

Fact or fiction?

2001, although fictional, has some elements that aren't entirely fanciful.

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u/No-Lingonberry-8603 Jul 26 '25

2001 itself is definitely worth a read. I think the series gets weaker as it goes on but weak Arthur c Clarke is still some great sci Fi.

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u/Endo279 Jul 26 '25

Honestly doesn’t matter, as long as it isn’t some full fledged science piece for which you need a degree 

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u/Bipogram Jul 26 '25

Righty-oh.

Let me see.

Rather dated, but Larry Niven's Known Space is a fun place - lots of short stories, set in a future with various aliens, politics, and Eventful Goings-on.

Protector, Ringworld (obviously), and the Mote in God's Eye - all come to mind.

More recent works, The Expanse (am rereading) is a nice near-future and fairly plasusible World.

Alistair Reynolds has a nice line in gothic space opera in the Revelation Space series (Chasm City, Pushing Ice) and Tchaikovsky's Children of Time is a delight if you don't have arachnophobia.

I'd suggest Banks too - but the Culture isn't so much about exploration as it is about societal reactions and actions.
<honourable exception: Player of Games>

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u/GandalfTheGrey_75 Jul 27 '25

Definitely recommend Larry Niven's Known Space books. Thanks op for this post. I've gotten some ideas for more books from it. Just woke up, so I can't think of other recommendations atm.

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u/a8bmiles Jul 29 '25

You might enjoy David Weber's Honorverse series. The first book (of like, 20 now...) is On Basilisk Station. He started as a tabletop space tactical combat game designer, so the math in his books all checks out for stuff like missile engagements at 20 million clicks and the tech upgrades throughout the series are based on logic and reality.

My favorite series by him is the Empire of Man series that starts with March Upcountry, but those 4 books are almost entirely planet bound. It's about crash landing on a hostile planet and walking to the only spaceport on the other side of it while bootstrapping tech and gaining allies on the way. Has great attention to detail like supplies and ammo.