Reading SF in August 2026

[Fryan]

And look at that! The first Polish translation of *qntm* has just come out. People have mixed reactions to it, since it’s aimed at more well-read readers, but the very fact that people are talking about it is already pretty cool.

I find his stuff quite accessible, but I wonder if some of that is lost in translation! If you read it I hope you enjoy!

 

[Westy]

I finished The Infinite State by Richard Swan - it's told from three different POV's living in a totalitarian empire, and when Katherine's husband passes she inherits a fortune, and she then seeks to buy a planet to develop a democratic society.

The way the oppressive, restrictive living under a totalitarian government is set out is very effective - at times though I thought it was almost too extreme to be believable. It also made me think of 1984 at times, down to "The Ministry of" naming conventions.

Then the book shifts to the new planet and the struggles Katherine has in setting it up and keeping the peace. I think I liked this section better - the previous too bleak at times, which is probably the point.

I thought it was good overall but not great - there was something formulaic and predictable about it that didn't elevate it enough for me. Though I will check out book 2.

 

[Fryan]

I finished up There is No Antimimetics Division yesterday. I really enjoyed it. Probably my favorite read of the year for me so far.

It’s an ambitious, fun, idea packed book that really sucked me in and delivered. It isn’t without its flaws. The writing feels a bit episodic, which can feel a bit disjointed, but depending on how you view that it can fit the underlying theme of the book. Also the villain/monster can feel a bit abstract and hard to fully understand.

Overall it’s a lot of fun and it feels very unique and fresh. This solidified qntm as one of our best sf writers of the modern age.

Now I’m on to Engine Summer by John Crowley and loving that too.

 

[Westy]

I really enjoyed it. Probably my favorite read of the year for me so far.

Same here!

 

[Ropie]

Now I’m on to Engine Summer by John Crowley and loving that too.

Glad you enjoyed the Antimemetics Division - me too. And look forward to seeing what you think of Engine Summer - I'll be moving on to that when I've finished Axis (c. 50 pages left)...

 

[Fryan]

Glad you enjoyed the Antimemetics Division - me too. And look forward to seeing what you think of Engine Summer - I'll be moving on to that when I've finished Axis (c. 50 pages left)...

It’s been really good so far. Stands out as a quite unique piece of speculative fiction. Can’t say I’ve ever read anything quite like it, closest resemblance is maybe a bit of Riddley Walker and maybe some of Wolfe’s stuff but also wholly its own thing.

 

[Raf]

Finished another standalone by Dennis E. Taylor. "Flybot". This one has been in my Kindle for months. The last standalone by the author (The Singularity Trap) that I read was just an okay read and I wasn't ready to start another.

Set in a not so far future where AI development is controlled by a shadowy government department (ATLAS) with massive overreach following an era of rogue AI's. All that is a background story for this one though.

A hacker has illegally acquired a large quantity of state-of-the-art & experimental biochips to create an AI for a violent eco-terrorist group. But he saved a goodly portion of the chips for himself to mess around with. And now his creation has escaped and is trying to come to grips with it's existence.

The MC's are 2 scientists working on a new type of mining application for use in the asteroid belt. An EMP experiment in the lab downs a "fly" that turns out to be a miniature spy device. Examination of that object leads the Dr.'s Philip Moray and Celia Hunt down a rabbit hole of hackers, rogue AI's and ATLAS agents. You can catch kind of "Bobiverse" vibe in parts of the book. Good story.

 

[chitman13]

Finished a few recently:

SpecOps by Craig Alanson (Expeditionary Force #2) - really enjoyed this and the continuation fro Columbus Day. I think there is lots to explore in this setting so quite eager to continue with the series to see where it goes. And Skippy is interesting, funny, and annoying in equal measure.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - One my ife had as part of her book club, and one I've meant to read for years. I liked this, the premise is superb and while it generally went the way I expected, there were plenty of surprises here.

City of Stin by Bobby Adair (Slow Burn #7) - plodding through the series and it's much as I expect: a quick read that moves things along but isn't particularly amazing.

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman - one from the local library, which I haven't done for a while. Enjoyable enough and the characters, Cleo and Hunter, have interesting backstories that work well as events unfold. I liked it quite a bit, though definitely aimed at the YA audience.