Hard Sci-Fi vs Soft science fiction -- Who's got that good science?

[@sciencefictionreads]

I read and enjoy both but prefer Hard SF. There’s an extra sense of wonder for me just knowing that what’s occurring in the book could actually happen, or perhaps even has happened before in some distant solar system/ galaxy.

[@pamelatarajcak5634]

Speaking from a woman's perspective. Publishers almost always place any sci-fi written by a woman in soft sci-fi no matter how much hard science is in it, because... reasons...lol...not.

[@McMurchie]

HAAAAARRRRRD SCIFI!! Aliens were meant to be killed by shotguns and bazookas, not mage staffs and dragons!

[@purenonsense7296]

I’m generally a hard Sci fi person but will do some fantasy (think Dark Tower, currently reading “The Name of the Wind”). I just need to know what I’m getting into at the start. Do I suspend all belief for Fantasy or should most everything work like our world. It’s ok to set up some things a reader needs to accept early on in hard Sci Fi (there are vampires in this world) but the rest of the book needs to play by normal rules. The marvel movies bother me since halfway through main characters can just do a new magic thing that wasn’t set up on the beginning. That’s cheating and it bothers me when books do that.

[@hugonautspod]

Could not agree more about the Marvel movies! Sometimes it feels like I'm watching my five year old nephews playing pretend with a $300M budget. "Now I hit you with my laser sword!" - "No way I blocked it with a my super armor that I just came up with!"

[@Higor-bx2my]

Give examples of ultra hard sci fi books

[@hugonautspod]

Ultra-hard as in hyper-realistic?

[@Higor-bx2my]

@@hugonautspod It doesn't have to be realistic. can be speculative.

[@hugonautspod]

@@Higor-bx2my Hmmm ok - well gotta go with Kim Stanley Robinson (Red Mars in particular is great, rest of the series not so much). Anything by Greg Egan definitely should make that list. And then for a 3rd one I'm gonna go with House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds - far, far future, but mostly feels realistic and possible, super fun journey across the galaxy.

[@davidranderson1]

I don't use the terms "hard sci-fi" and "soft sci-fi" because they're (a) not very precise, and (b) contain an implicit bias. The terms were intended to differentiate the "hard" or natural sciences (physics, astronomy, biology, chemistry) from the "soft" or social sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science). But, people commonly use the terms to mean "based in science" vs. "not really based in science." It implies only the natural sciences are "real science." I don't think the measure of sci fi is how rigorous is the "science," but where is it on the continuum: purely exploring the physical sciences (Ringworld), purely exploring the social sciences (Dispossessed), or somewhere in between (2001: A Space Odyssey).

[@blitzky22]

Brent, is the wedding ring on the upper half of your middle finger a new look?

[@hugonautspod]

It's a real multi-talented object, wedding ring representing my never ending love and fidget toy all in one