The Human Wave, Sad Puppies, and SFF Monoculture, Part 3

[jeff_duntemann]

I was nostrils-deep writing Ten Gentle Opportunities and wasn't paying attention when Sarah Hoyt quietly posted a bombshell: The Human Wave Manifesto. It was actually a manifesto in two parts, probably because I don't think she intended it to be a manifesto at first. (Sabrina Chase had a part in it too.)

But boy, manifesto it is, bigtime.

I

Comments

[yamamanama]

I think I hate the word "resistance" more than I hate the word snow.

[chris_gerrib]

It's hard to have this discussion without sounding like I am criticizing your tastes or opinions of books. So please consider this a listing of recent (2014) books that I feel meet the manifesto above. Obviously, your mileage may vary.

"The Martian" which was a roller-coaster of a book and sold a billion copies. (Well, maybe not a billion, but it's Coming To A Theater Near You.) "Hurricane Fever" which really is one white cat short of a James Bond novel. "Under a Darkling Sea" which gave me goosebumps at the end. "Cibola Burn" which is a story of under-prepared humans establishing the first interstellar colony.

Continuing, "The Burning Dark" was one hell of a SF ghost story. "Locked In" was good and positive without being preachy. "Trial By Fire" was a great milSF book and is on the Nebula ballot this year. Speaking of the Nebulas, "Three Body Problem" is damned good. It doesn't end on a completely positive note, but it is book 1 of a trilogy.

I hope this is food for thought.

[jeff_duntemann]

That's a god list, thanks. The Martian is now on my must-read list, as several people have recommended it. Will probably search out "The Burning Dark." Good SF ghost stories are rare; the last one I recall was "The Fire When It Comes," which was decades ago and I honestly don't remember who wrote it.