Hugonauts: The Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

This might be the best sci-fi book out there about nanotechnology. But Stephenson has so many good ones that this one isn't his best book - some of the characters lose their way, and it drags in the middle. Oh, and one more good recommendation we forgot while we were recording - check out Blood Music by Greg Bear if you want a biological twist on nanotech!Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.Similar books we recommend: Snow Crash by Neal StephensonNeuromancer by William GibsonCory DoctorowPrey by Michael CrichtonThis episode is sponsored by Har Megiddon by Ron Bennett.If you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode:   00:00 Intro00:47 Book setup1:49 Sponsor - Har Megiddon2:22 Our review 3.25/53:53 Great sections - and stinkers4:47 Incredible technology7:33 Hard to visualize?9:38 Dances with Wolves10:17 Labor saving devices13:59 Neal's infodumps19:25 Book structure25:47 Sponsor - Har Megiddon26:08 Similar books we recommend28:40 Spoilers section - book summary31:30 Spoilers section - discussion

From Sumeria, to Greece, to India, to the depths of the dark ages we explore the stories that have inspired everything that came later with a professor of mythology and medieval literature. This particular professor also happens to be Cody's mom, so this is also a great episode to explore Cody's psyche, for those brave enough to explore a dark and twisted place. Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to do some reading, here are our suggestions on the best translations of these myths (and even a couple great graphic novels): Epic of Gilgamesh, trans. Andrew George, Penguin ClassicsThe Odyssey, trans. Robert FaglesThe Odyssey, Gareth Hinds graphic novelThe Iliad, Penguin ClassicsThe Aeneid, trans. Robert Fagles Penguin ClassicsAge of Bronze Series, Eric Shanower (series of graphic novels on Trojan War)Hercules, Fred Van LenteMonkey, trans. Arthur WaleyBeowulf, trans. Seamus HeaneyThe Popul Vuh, trans. Michael Bazzett, Milkweed EditionsThe Nibelungenlied, trans. AT Hatto, PenguinChretien de Troyes, Arthurian Romances, trans. William W. Kibler, PenguinLe Morte D’Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory, Penguin ClassicsTales from the Thousand and One Nights, trans. N.J. Dawood, Penguin ClassicsSindbad and Other Stories from Arabian Nights, trans Husain HaddowySinbad the Sailor, Penguin ClassicsThe Ramayana, Abridged and Translated by Arshia Sattar, Penguin Classics OR any children’s/YA book to get started. There are hundredsIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 0:00 - Intro1:45 - The Epic of Gilgamesh6:35 - The Odyssey10:12 - The Iliad12:09 - The Aeneid14:12 - Hercules15:53 - Monkey (Excerpts from Journey to the West)21:00 - Beowulf25:25 - The Popul Vuh28:23 - The Nibelungenlied33:21 - King Arthur Myths (Malory, De Troyes)36:56 - Tales From the Thousand and One Nights41:40 - Sinbad the Sailor45:10 - The Ramayana49:55 - Our Top 3 favorite myths

Whether you like ripping page turners, incredible characters, books that make you laugh out loud, exploring unforgettable new worlds, or literary books that will make you see the world in a new way, there's a great intro to scifi out there for everyone!Join the Hugonauts book club on discord to tell us about your favorite time travel booksOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for all the books we talked about: 00:00 Intro 00:38 Incredible Characters - Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold 3:07 A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers 4:04 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 4:52 Unforgettable Worlds - The Expanse by James S.A. Corey 6:58 Hyperion by Dan Simmons 8:24 House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds 9:20 Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 10:56 The Forever War by Joe Haldeman 12:22 Funny SF - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 13:36 Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson 14:50 Old Man's War by John Scalzi 16:01 Page turners - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 17:43 Dark Matter or Recursion by Blake Crouch 18:52 All Systems Red by Martha Wells 20:01 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 21:35 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 22:34 Literary SciFi - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin 24:55 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 26:26 The Road by Cormac McCarthy 27:49 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 28:40 Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein

With six interconnected stories (in a narrative style that broke all kinds of new ground), it's hard not to find at least a few characters you love. And even for those you don't personally love, the voices are unforgettable - it's wild that all these characters with such distinct personalities were created by a single person.Join the Hugonauts book club on discordOr you can watch the episode on YouTube if you prefer videoAs always, no spoilers until the end when we get into the full plot explanation and discussion.Similar books we recommend: Cryptonomicon by Neal StephensonCloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony DoerrSea of Tranquility by Emily St. John MandelThis episode is sponsored by #1.1 by Allen Dean MaioraIf you want to jump around, here are the timestamps for the episode:  00:00 Intro01:10 Book setup2:17 Our review 4.5/53:56 The unique structure7:08 The incredible voices10:44 Power and subjugation12:58 Our favorites of the stories23:17 Sponsor - #1.1 by Allen Dean Maiora23:40 Similar books we recommend26:06 Spoilers section - book summary34:18 Spoilers section - discussion

Really though we just wanted to do something scary for Halloween - put on a skin-tight leotard. Yes, Brent really did read this sitting next to bubbling pumpkins.