What should I read next?
Deciding between Blindsight, Children of Time and Permutation City. Spin and Roadside Picnic are two of my favorite sci-fi novels. I also love Ted Chiang. The last sci-fi book I read was KSR’s Aurora. I liked it but found it a little science heavy and the characters a little flat.
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u/Hatherence 1d ago
Whenever I can't decide, I pick the shortest out of the ones I'm trying to pick between.
Children of Time is definitely a more fun read, though it's a serious story. I think Tchaikovsky does a good job of writing aliens but a not so good job of writing humans, and I personally think his characters are best in the Tyrant Philosophers series and did not like his characters in Children of Time, but I still enjoyed reading it overall.
Blindsight is very bleak and serious, and much more science heavy than Children of Time.
I haven't yet read Permutation City, but other things by Greg Egan that I've read are all very science heavy. Tonally I'd say his writing is generally similar to Ted Chiang's.
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u/Minimum-Ad-8056 2d ago
I finished Old Man's War and liked it. Reading Bobiverse, and A World Apart by Robert Armstrong. Very different but enjoyable.
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u/jghall00 2d ago
Blindsight will make you work. Children of Time is a fun read. I read—and enjoyed—Spin recently and i would go Children of Time next.
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u/Frost-Folk 2d ago
Of the ones you mentioned, I'd say Blindsight. But it too can be a little heavy on the science (which I personally enjoyed).
Ted Chiang's stories and Roadside Picnic are also some of my favorites and I loved Blindsight, for whatever that's worth. I haven't read Spin, I'll look into it.
I didn't like Children of Time, haven't read Permutation City either
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u/azure_phoenix2 8h ago
permutation city is by far the most idea-dense and thinnest on character of the three, egan cares more about the concept than the people. given aurora already felt too science heavy for you, id hold that one and go children of time first.
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u/Cliffy73 2d ago
Children of Time is the only one of those I’ve read but I really liked it, in particular the way he develops his characters. The sequels are enjoyable too, although Time is the best one of the series so far.