Quest for dark, well-written, contemporary Sci-Fi

**dannyfc** · July 22nd, 2012, 06:54 PM

Evening, first time I've stumbled across this forum, looks fairly comprehensive so I look forward to scouring old posts.

In the past year or so I've gotten into Sci-Fi, but I'm having trouble targeting books that meet my interests. I started with some of the highly rated masterworks, but I found a lot of it quite dated, and maybe a little too 'camp'.

However, more recently I discovered Richard Morgan's Takeshi Kovacs series and found it really enthralling. In terms of style and character morality, it was right up my street and everything I wanted in a Sci-Fi novel. Dark, imaginative yet grounded, with grey factions/characters without an obvious good/evil divide.

So I'd really appreciate if some of you well versed in the genre could direct me toward books of similar ilk. Cheers

On a side note, does anyone know if there ever was a kindle version of Roadside Picnic? It was a google search on that which lead me to this forum, however there doesnt seem to be any trace of it on Amazon.

**square_25** · July 28th, 2012, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by dannyfc

On a side note, does anyone know if there ever was a kindle version of Roadside Picnic? It was a google search on that which lead me to this forum, however there doesnt seem to be any trace of it on Amazon.

Hey there,

Here's the Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/Roadside-Picni...1681703&sr=8-1

Did you look for the Kindle version of a different edition or something?

**Pennarin** · July 29th, 2012, 12:09 AM

Morgan's Black Man is in the same vein as his Kovacs novels, but is a standalone set in a different universe.

Reynold's Revelation Space is modern, edgy, violent, noir. Maybe you'll like it.

Watts' Blindsight, and his soon to be release sequel (or simulqual, another book taking place at the same time as the first) are to watch out as well.

Simmons' Hyperion quartet dates from the 80s and 90s, but I've never seen it referred to as dated or campy. It is a classic.

Brin's two Uplift trilogies, written in the 80s and 90s, starting with Startide Rising. (This excludes the first book, set a hundred years earlier, and written before Brin had the idea of making a SF universe out of that tale.)

**JamieB** · July 29th, 2012, 08:57 PM

The Kop series by Warren Hammond is very similar to the Takeshi Kovacs series. Both are dark violent sci-fi mystery tales.

**dannyfc** · July 31st, 2012, 02:59 PM

Appreciate the replies guys, I'll take a look at the synopsis of each and then work my way through the most appealing. Thanks.

Originally Posted by square_25

Hey there,

Here's the Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/Roadside-Picni...1681703&sr=8-1

Did you look for the Kindle version of a different edition or something?

Hey, when I follow the link there isn't a purchase option available. I'm from England, so maybe it's a licensing issue or something, but whatever reason it doesn't appear on the UK Amazon.

Cheers

**Ropie** · August 1st, 2012, 06:47 AM

Vurt by Jeff Noon - dark and dirty and extraordinarily imaginative, but also blackly humorous. Definitely not grounded though, despite being set in Manchester!

The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross - one of my favourite novels of recent years. As above description but set in Greater London. If you enjoy this one it's part of his 'Laundry Novels' series and there are 3 or 4 others (though none quite as good as the first).

**marshal atkins** · August 1st, 2012, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by JamieB

The Kop series by Warren Hammond is very similar to the Takeshi Kovacs series. Both are dark violent sci-fi mystery tales.

Thank you!

I am half way through the first book and I love it!

**square_25** · August 28th, 2012, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by dannyfc

Hey, when I follow the link there isn't a purchase option available. I'm from England, so maybe it's a licensing issue or something, but whatever reason it doesn't appear on the UK Amazon.

Cheers

Ah, I didn't realize you were from the UK -- there might indeed not be a Kindle version for you... If I remember correctly, it's possible to buy a PDF straight from the publisher -- do you know if you'd be able to access that on your Kindle or not?

**owlcroft** · August 29th, 2012, 02:21 AM

Brian Stableford's "Starpilot Grainger" series (aka the "Hooded Swan" series)--six novels:

Halcyon Drift
Rhapsody in Black
Promised Land
The Paradise Game
The Fenris Device
Swan Song

**EllenS** · August 29th, 2012, 02:30 PM

Try Signal to Noise by Eric Nyland. It is dark SF; kind of a cross between cyberpunk and old style hard science fiction.

**Nicolas** · August 30th, 2012, 02:34 PM

Some suggestions:

Chasm City, by Alastair Reynolds. Part of the Revelation Space universe, but can be read as a stand alone.
Ark, by Stephen Baxter
Use of Weapons, by Iain Banks

Roadside Picnic is being reissued in the UK in a couple of months as part of the current SF Masterworks series (yellow spine), the old SF Masterworks series (black spine) having sold out. They might do a kindle edition then.
You can find an epub version of it Here. There are also some "free" epubs and mobis of it around, but I don't know how legit the copies are.