Take a look at qntm [0], who writes very disturbing short stories. He is also a coder, notably of the famous hatetris game.
[0] http://qntm.org
Sadly that's another author I'm already caught up with. His SCP series was really memorable though.
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by RupertEisenhart on Sunday November 05, 2023 @03:59AM
(#38149458)
You're telling me the antimemetics series was memorable? I guess it was bad then ;)?
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by RupertEisenhart on Sunday November 05, 2023 @03:58AM
(#38149456)
Accelerando by Charles Stross is a blast, fairly hard scifi, at least the first half.
Blindsight by Peter Watts is also fantastic, same grade as Egan IMO.
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by 082349872349872 on Sunday November 05, 2023 @04:05AM
(#38149485)
> "Whenever I find my will to live becoming too strong, I read Peter Watts." — JDN
Agree. And whenever I see someone recommend Peter Watts I feel the need to add a note warning that he's got a lot of sexual torture stuff in his work so might not be to everyone's taste.
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by TwentyPosts on Sunday November 05, 2023 @09:25AM
(#38151381)
...There's sexual torture content in Blindsight? Or in his short stories? Having read several of them, I really don't remember anything like that. Can you note some examples?
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by 082349872349872 on Sunday November 05, 2023 @02:46PM
(#38154875)
It's off-page in Blindsight, but happens to the protagonist, right?
I'd rather not. That stuff isn't my cup of tea. Why don't you just google it.
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by selimthegrim on Sunday November 05, 2023 @05:21PM
(#38156252)
I think they are talking about the trilogy with Starfish
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by hindsightbias on Sunday November 05, 2023 @11:47AM
(#38152816)
As opposed to the tortuous sex in Ayn Rand.
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by ad404b8a372f2b9 on Sunday November 05, 2023 @08:45AM
(#38151051)
Who's JDN?
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by 082349872349872 on Sunday November 05, 2023 @01:53PM
(#38154307)
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by snovv_crash on Sunday November 05, 2023 @09:47AM
(#38151580)
A little different, but Fallen Dragon by Peter F Hamilton scratches the same itch for me.
Re:Planes, Spheres and Pseudospheres
by xtiansimon on Sunday November 05, 2023 @09:37AM
(#38151476)
Saturn Run by John Sandford and Ctein (2015) has a appendix where the authors runs down the science behind their space science (and calls out something like Star Treky science explaining). I read this after the Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Baxter series Time’s Eye series, which also has fantastic science themes.
I haven't read him, but Vernor Vinge was also a mathematician.
Larry Niven
You may also like Ted Chaing's work.
Some of his stories are available online for free here: https://www.freesfonline.net/authors/Ted_Chiang.html
His short story "The Story of Your Life" was adapted into the 2016 movie "Arrival".
I love how his stories grow in scope (one discovery plausibly leads to another and eventually interdimensional travel). I know Adrian Tchaikovsky is a popular recommendation around here (especially Children of Time and rightfully so), but I'm looking for something with less drama / character-driven. The 3 body problem is a good example.
Also tangential but I recommend trying Last and First Idol for anyone looking for ridiculous, gory, self-consistent sci-fi.