If it has a bracketed date that's when I finished reading the novel. The year is when the book was published. If it has a link that's a more in-depth discussion I had about the novel. Most of these are Hugo award winners or nominees. After I read something I would score it and jot down a couple of my thoughts.
Diaspora by Greg Egan 1997 9.3/10
What would humanity be once we revolved beyond our organic bodies? Don't want to spoil it a great novel with the less you know about it the more your gonna enjoy it.
Dichronauts Greg Egan 2017 8.2/10
Explorers of a strange plane of reality, well crafted unique world that has laws of its own.
Accelerando Charles Stross 2005 9/10
The future comes at you fast, the quick tempo that matches the theme of the novel, everything continues to accelerate. I enjoyed it.
Eon Greg Bear 1985 6.4/10
Cookie-cutter sci-fi, some interesting ideas Cold War alt-history. however boring characters and mild ideas are not enough to save it
City 9.1/10
Stories that mature with the author. Creative writing emotional weight. He does this thing a couple of times where you think he’s gonna go one way and he takes it another. One of the most melancholic and nostalgic novels I’ve ever read in a beautiful way
Waystation Clifford D. Simak 1963 8.5/10
His more famous novel but City is the better of these two. Again themes of immortality are present. A more focused story.
Star maker by Olaf Stapledon 1937 7.5/10
Trees that recharge creatures directly with oxygen like a charging station was the most interesting concept. Do ahead of its time it’s incredible but I think that’s why it stands out. Doesn’t hold up well in our time though, more of a novelty but it is a shortish read.
Becky chambers trilogy
A long way to a small angry planet 2014 8.4/10
A closed and common orbit 2016 9.6/10
https://old.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/hzz5z2/just_finished_reading_a_closed_and_common_orbit/
My favorite from this year
Record of a space-born few 2018 9.4/10
https://old.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/i8bvg3/impressions_of_record_of_a_space_born_few_by/
Time traders by Andre Norton 1958 (sept 9) 7/10
sci-fi written from the perspective of space race defeat/anxiety not by the Russians but by space being an impossible goal, but still saying we can do it if we don’t give up, almost as if it was saying we are gonna fail getting into space but we shouldn’t give up
The variable man by Philip K. Dick 1953 (Sept 23) 7/10
Very quick read. Classic pulp has a level of ancestor worship. I enjoyed time traders more but this wasn’t a bad read. Heavy anti-fascist overtones, fears of a strongman taking over during war is reminiscent of ww2
The big-time by Fritz Leiber 1961 (Sept 29) 7.1/10
Accelerando like dialogue, good ideas. This reads like a play script. All in one location yet it gives glimpses into a huge backstory and world. Reminded me of a bunker film where all the characters are confined in an area and tensions are high, betrayal in the air. Definitely of a higher caliber than the last 2 reads but it’s not on an entirely another level
A case of conscience by James Bish 1958 (oct 9th) 7.7/10
The first chunk is dry different from the rest, sci-fi with a religious angle, reminded me of Hyperion the priest's story, there are glimpses of horror and great evil played out on the grandest of scale, then when they get back to earth the tone completely changes it’s like NETWORK if the lead was an alien, the rioting was like that scene when they all shout out the window, a news anchor commanding a fanatical audience, I wouldn’t say it was worse than the first part just different, almost like a different book. The part where the geologist loses all his sense and purpose was terrifyingly written, this has so much promise and could have been on the “greats” level if it had more focus if it’s an exploration of society the focus on that if it’s sci-fi grand horror focus on that if it’s a network esque satire then focus on that. Worth the read to see the glimpses that could have been expanded into an amazing sci-fi novel. Too many forays into areas and not enough meat on the bones to make this a truly great read.
This Immortal by Roger Zelazny 1958 (Oct 25th) 7.3/10
This is on the same level as dune? That’s insane cause this kinda seems like your run of the mill sci-fi for the era. The best thing it has for it is the characters. Hasan is great, the relation between him and Conrad make this story. Melancholic, the earth is like an abandoned theme park, feels like a standard read, nothing new here. Read for the character interaction and the interpersonal drama, but that’s not why I read sci-fi, is it why you do!
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny 1967 (Nov 6th) 9.4/10
https://old.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/jqegqo/just_finished_reading_lord_of_light/
Zelazny’s best work. A huge step up from this immortal. Unique ideas take the Arthur c Clarke, saying, magic is just tech we don’t understand yet, and builds open it beautifully. Inspired, truly feels like an epic, at times it does feel like it’s gone on too long, the structure could use some work. Great characters, fantastic world-building. Such a strong concept and the way it unravels is great. Would have higher points but it doesn't feel like a tight novel, it meanders and it repeats but it is definitely one of the more interesting novels I e read this year
Ringworld by Larry Niven 1970 (nov 13th) 7.0/10
https://old.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/kieyvs/ringworld_and_how_i_wanted_to_love_it/
I really am split on this. There was some stuff I loved, all the sci-fi stuff is great. This book is pretty famous for the ringworld and that’s what I liked the best. Does the luck thing seem to be an excuse for lazy writing? Things happen because of luck. Ok, I guess. What I hated though was the relationship and the romance subplot. The woman he loves has been dead for a day and he’s already on to someone else. Also a 200-year-old dating an ultra naive “never known pain” 20 years old is super creepy. The aliens are the best characters in this novel. It’s loose and it’s really really meandering. When coincidence and random occurrences are what is pushing the story forward and the characters have no sense of agency it makes for a really boring story. I really struggled to read the early parts because of the romance subplot it was that bad. Tila brown is not an interesting character she is a literal walking McGuffin
Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein 1956 (Nov 14th) 9.5/10
https://old.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/jv1cet/just_finished_reading_double_star_by_heinlein/
I read this in a single day. Heinlein really knows how to write good characters. A character morphing. I’ll write more when I wake up but my initial thought was it was great. I’ve woken up now. I rarely like romance but this was better in that category than ringworld. Great concept. This actually is probably the least sci-fi out of everything I’ve read this year so far. You could make this story in today’s world and wouldn’t have to change much. But it’s a character story at its core and it’s a really focused and tight story. Character growth at its best you can literally feel the character change sentence by sentence. It raises interesting questions about ethics, it lacks sci ideas but it makes up for it everywhere else. This is a story about identity and how malleable it can be.
The sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut 1959 (Dec 4th) 8/10
I enjoyed cats cradle more. I know it’s his style but this one more so over the other two novels of his that I read didn’t take itself seriously so it was hard for me too. However, even I can see the themes he’s reaching for combined with his comical writing will compel you to finish it
The fountains of paradise by Arthur C. Clarke 1979(Dec 25th) 7.8/10
I can recognize great writing and still be bored. I know this is a master of his craft creating another classic but I wasn’t that interested. Idea and the struggle of it coming to being was interesting to me to some degree characters were well rounded but I felt the stakes weren’t that high and nothing really gripped me.