# Science Fiction Recommendations?



## StephenEngland (Nov 2, 2011)

Interested in any authors you might recommend. I'm a big fan of Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein. . .looking for a read in a similar vein, from maybe a more modern perspective. Thanks in advance.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

Jack Campbell (Lost Fleet)

David Weber (Honor Harrington - if you like space opera)

John Birmingham (Without Warning)

R.M. Meluch (Merrimack)


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

The _Honor Harrington_ Series is a good suggestion and I agree with it. Another great author to look into is also Alastair Reynolds; I recommend starting with House of Suns. Or, try Iain M. Banks' _The Culture_ series, it's fantastic. The first in the series is Consider Phlebas but this series doesn't really need to be read in order ....


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## BokkenRecord (Nov 17, 2013)

I'll second the Iain M Banks recommendation. I have all his sci fi work - stunning imagination.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I think the Banks and Reynolds suggestions are solid. I might add Charles Stross if you're in the mood for something edgier (_Saturn's Children_, _Halting State_) or with a healthy dash of humor and satire (_The Atrocity Archives_ and the rest of the "Laundry" series).


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I'd recommend Jack McDevitt's work. It tends to be more like the works of Asimov, Heinlein, etc., than most of the newer authors.

Mike


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Elizabeth Moon would be a good fit


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Chad Winters said:


> Elizabeth Moon would be a good fit


I endorse Elizabeth Moon.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

The Hooded Claw said:


> I endorse Elizabeth Moon.


So do I.

Mike


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

Greg Bear, David Brin, Robert J. Sawyer, Jack McDevitt, Greg Benford, and John Stith are in their own ways each Asimovian.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Oh, yeah! How could I have forgotten John Stith. I bought everything I could find by him back when I first discovered his work. I made a point of finding him at the WorldCon in San Antonio back in the nineties to talk with him. Highly recommended.

Mike


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

jmiked said:


> Oh, yeah! How could I have forgotten John Stith. I bought everything I could find by him back when I first discovered his work. I made a point of finding him at the WorldCon in San Antonio back in the nineties to talk with him. Highly recommended.
> 
> Mike


John Stith's Redshift Rendezvous is a masterful mix of science fiction and police procedural.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

I'd nominate Greg Bear and Stephen Baxter...


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## StephenEngland (Nov 2, 2011)

Thanks, a lot of great recommendations.   I stumbled across David Drake's "Starliner" the other day--it's free on Kindle. Good so far, just a couple chapters in.


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## TWErvin2 (Aug 7, 2010)

If you enjoy David Drake, then maybe the Posleen War Series by John Ringo would be of interest. I think the first 3 or so are free on Kindle.


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## lynnfromthesouth (Jun 21, 2012)

Lois McMaster Bujold
Ann Aguirre

I agree with Elizabeth Moon and Greg Bear. 

David Weber is good if you're in a technical mood, but his characters sometimes make me shake my head.


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## Pamela (Oct 6, 2010)

Kay Kenyon - The Entire and the Rose - an amazing series of 4 books.  She has other but these are my favorites, starting with The Bright of The Sky.

Christian Cantrell - Containment - this one is unforgettable.


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## gharty (Dec 1, 2013)

A book I really enjoyed years ago, and I almost never hear brought up in sci-fi conversations is "Armor" by John Steakley. Very derivative of "Starship Troopers," (like a lot of good books) but had a neat spin on the concept.


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## TWErvin2 (Aug 7, 2010)

gharty said:


> A book I really enjoyed years ago, and I almost never hear brought up in sci-fi conversations is "Armor" by John Steakley. Very derivative of "Starship Troopers," (like a lot of good books) but had a neat spin on the concept.


Yeah, *Armor* was a good read.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

C.J. Cherryh


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

Harry Harrison - Author of The Stainless Steel Rat series as well as Make Room, Make Room the story they based Soylent Green on.  Also Richard K Morgan who wrote Altered Carbon.


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## Ergodic Mage (Jan 23, 2012)

The broken record in my head always recommends _Rendezvous with Rama_ by Arthur C. Clarke. Hard science fiction exploration of the unknown ship Rama.

Frederick Pohl's _Heechee Saga_ is a wonderful series that doesn't get recommended enough, though it is not on the Kindle yet.

I finally got to read _The Antares Series_ from Michael McCollum. Again hard science fiction and though it is in a war setting it is not very violent. I eventually want to read his _The Gibraltar Series_.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

You have the big names like Clark, Niven, and etc already mentioned, but I would like to suggest a couple lesser known authors:



I personally really enjoyed it, and have the rest of his series on my "to buy" list. I also enjoyed:


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## wilsondm2 (Dec 8, 2008)

This book is very good so far. Red Moon - recommended by a fellow kindleboarder in this thread - http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,169331.0.html


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## StephenEngland (Nov 2, 2011)

I stumbled onto a little short story entitled "The Pirates of Thermos" the other day. I don't know exactly how to characterize it--almost science fiction in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs--but it was a lot of fun. Here's my review: http://www.amazon.com/review/R13TCT2Q78TBOI/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00GLGOJQI&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=


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## WilliamM (Feb 10, 2009)

Ergodic Mage said:


> Frederick Pohl's _Heechee Saga_ is a wonderful series that doesn't get recommended enough, though it is not on the Kindle yet.


All the Heechee books are available from baen books (although Gateway is missing)

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-1404-the-annals-of-the-heechee.aspx


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## WilliamM (Feb 10, 2009)

this is a pretty nice free app if you have an IPhone...

http://myscifilibrary.com/


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## Robert McNarland (Dec 3, 2013)

Have you read anything from Larry Niven? I think he can be regarded as one of the hard core science fiction writers. I fell in love with his books when I was just a lad (gulp! twenty five years plus ago!!) Everything to do with Ringworld enthralled me - to meet the engineers of it and then how Larry Niven wrote entire books about some of the characters along the way. I just reread as much Larry Niven as I could handle last year and was fully re-inspired to get on with publishing my first book then begin hammering out book two.

Robert


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## Ergodic Mage (Jan 23, 2012)

WilliamM said:


> All the Heechee books are available from baen books (although Gateway is missing)
> 
> http://www.baenebooks.com/p-1404-the-annals-of-the-heechee.aspx


Thanks, I hadn't realized that, but no Gateway unfortunately.


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## Daniel Harvell (Jun 21, 2013)

Add me to the Elizabeth Moon endorsers!


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## jaspertyler (Feb 13, 2009)

Steelheart by Sanderson


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

David Weber = On Basilisk Station
CJ Cherryh = Pride of Chanur


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## Dave Renol (Mar 4, 2013)

Lois McMasters Bujold - Vorkosigan series
David Feintuch - Seafort series


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Jack Mcdevitt - Priscilla Hutchins series or A Talent for War


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## jeffaaronmiller (Jul 17, 2012)

Personally, I would recommend Peter F. Hamilton's Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FC1AFC
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FCKPJ4


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## 67499 (Feb 4, 2013)

Anyone who likes Herbert and Heinlein will like Eric Frank Russell's _*WASP*_


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## Alessandra Kelley (Feb 22, 2011)

C.L. Moore, James Tiptree Jr., Pat Cadigan, Nancy Kress, Carol Emshwiller, Andre Norton, Lois McMaster Bujold, Ursula K. LeGuin, Elizabeth Moon, Zenna Henderson, Phyllis Gotlieb (but forgive her her covers, they tended to be awful), and Kate Wilhelm are all strong, interesting women sf writers.


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## tdeaderick (Feb 7, 2014)

StephenEngland said:


> Interested in any authors you might recommend. I'm a big fan of Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein. . .looking for a read in a similar vein, from maybe a more modern perspective. Thanks in advance.


I love the Heinlein books, but you're right - the technology in them is now noticeably archaic. I think that gets in the way of young readers of today enjoying those books the same way I did, which is a shame because they are great stories. I'd like to bring back the wholesome adventurous science fiction of those books, chivalry and all.


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## LSBurton (Jan 31, 2014)

gharty said:


> A book I really enjoyed years ago, and I almost never hear brought up in sci-fi conversations is "Armor" by John Steakley. Very derivative of "Starship Troopers," (like a lot of good books) but had a neat spin on the concept.


I'm amazed more people don't know about this book. Read it a couple years back and I loved it.

EDIT: Okay, I read it three times.

But to add to the thread. I didn't see anyone recommend Dan Simmons' Hyperion yet. Helluva great read.


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## Winter9_86 (Sep 3, 2013)

In Her Name


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## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

VydorScope said:


> I personally really enjoyed it, and have the rest of his series on my "to buy" list. I also enjoyed:


Spinward Fringe was one of the first self-published books I ever read, and it was I think the second book I put on my very first Kindle (The Forever War by Haldeman was the first even though I have three different paperbacks of it).

Back when I read it, it was still very raw and needed an editor, but the story kept me hooked. Ate it up until Book 5 or 6, can't remember as it was a long time ago and everyone was waiting for the next book. Not only that, it was that one great moment when I realized that I could self-publish as well, and didn't have to go the old route of submitting to Traditional Publishers. I started doing research and ended up at Konrath's blog and you can guess from there.

I think it also helped that I had been playing Eve-Online (massive space battle MMO that is absolutely ruthless) and the storylines in this series were a little bit within that same type of universe. I should probably go search out the series again on my Kindle and see where I stopped, then see if there are any new books in the series.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

AngryGames said:


> Spinward Fringe was one of the first self-published books I ever read, and it was I think the second book I put on my very first Kindle (The Forever War by Haldeman was the first even though I have three different paperbacks of it).
> 
> Back when I read it, it was still very raw and needed an editor, but the story kept me hooked. Ate it up until Book 5 or 6, can't remember as it was a long time ago and everyone was waiting for the next book. Not only that, it was that one great moment when I realized that I could self-publish as well, and didn't have to go the old route of submitting to Traditional Publishers. I started doing research and ended up at Konrath's blog and you can guess from there.
> 
> I think it also helped that I had been playing Eve-Online (massive space battle MMO that is absolutely ruthless) and the storylines in this series were a little bit within that same type of universe. I should probably go search out the series again on my Kindle and see where I stopped, then see if there are any new books in the series.


Yeah, I read it before he had it edited too, but it has been edited since. I need to go back and reread it some day. And EVE. IMO, still the best MMO game to date. Wish I still had time to fly my tank (drake) or my Blackbird or my.... sigh. Funtimes in the stealth ships.... ah well.


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

wilsondm2 said:


> Harry Harrison - Author of The Stainless Steel Rat series as well as Make Room, Make Room the story they based Soylent Green on. Also Richard K Morgan who wrote Altered Carbon.


Make Room, Make Room reminded me of the version that's out there that touts it as the book Soylent Green was based on - except that version of the book has a whopping big error, spelling it Solyent Green. How embarassing!


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Nancy Beck said:


> Make Room, Make Room reminded me of the version that's out there that touts it as the book Soylent Green was based on - except that version of the book has a whopping big error, spelling it Solyent Green. How embarassing!


That would be disappointing, Solyent Green is not people


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## Alessandra Kelley (Feb 22, 2011)

Chad Winters said:


> That would be disappointing, Solyent Green is not people


Pffft. Soylent Green isn't even a major plot element (It's made from soy and lentils anyway).

No, the funniest thing about "Make Room! Make Room!" is that its hideous, bursting-at-the-seams future where no one has any space and there aren't enough resources and everyone is jostled and crowded and never alone ...

has a lower population than we actually have on Earth today.

Talk about a perspective that didn't age so well.

It's not as bad as some sf I've read from the 1950s which predicted a future when no one would have room to breathe because the Earth would be intolerably stuffed with 3 billion people (less than half of what it actually has now).


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## No One Here (Jan 17, 2014)

Your favorite authors closely match my list as well, and the ones who influenced me the most.  I also like Larry Niven, and recommend his books highly.


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## WDR (Jan 8, 2014)

I loved Fred Saberhagen's _Berserker_ series of novels, novellas, and short stories.

Walter Hunt's _The Dark Wing_ series is excellent. The deeper I got into that series, the more I couldn't put down the books. Available as ebooks directly from Baen publishing.

James Schmitz's _The Witches of Karres_ was always a favorite of mine since I was young. In recent years, Eric Flint and the stable from Baen Books have added two sequels to Schmitz's book. Again, available as ebooks from Baen Publishing.

A more obscure story series by a top Sci-Fi writer is Larry Niven's _The Integral Trees_ and _The Smoke Ring_. In my opinion, the second book ended practically screaming for a third installment, but one never came-as far as I know. I really enjoyed these stories. _Ringworld_ and the _Man-Kzin Wars_ get most of the attention from the Sci-Fi community, so I like to bring attention to those titles.

Ann McCaffrey's _Dragonriders of Pern_, a hard science fiction series cleverly disguised as fantasy, has always been one of my favorites, but she has other series that I've followed. Her _Brainship_ series is a collection of books that I always seem to be picking up when I want something to read. Her _Crystal Singer_ series is an excellent read-one I must admit I almost passed by because I didn't care for the cover of the first book and didn't think it would be of interest to me. Nearly all the books by McCaffrey I have in my library have been replaced by ebooks, because I've worn out the physical books by rereading them over the years.

John Varley's _Titan_, _Wizard_, and _Demon_ in his Gaea series. I loved how each book revealed more and more of the "world" Varley created in the Titan, Gaea. I can pick up each of these books at any time and completely lose myself into them.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

WDR said:


> Her _Crystal Singer_ series is an excellent read-one I must admit I almost passed by because I didn't care for the cover of the first book and didn't think it would be of interest to me. Nearly all the books by McCaffrey I have in my library have been replaced by ebooks, because I've worn out the physical books by rereading them over the years.


Me too!! I remember passing it by several times as "icky" based on the cover before I gave it a shot, because McCaffrey... and loved it!!


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## louise_wise (Dec 8, 2011)

I enjoy sci-fi, but I don't like wars, unpronounceable names, silly nonhuman abilities (shooting lasers from your nostrils) and humans being the savoir/winner/the best all the time.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

Modern Heinlein? Greg Bear, perhaps? Darwin's Radio springs to mind. Or Stephen Baxter's Manifold: Space (Manifold Trilogy). And I'll second Pohl's Heechee saga too, although I wouldn't call it modern.


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## LSBurton (Jan 31, 2014)

louise_wise said:


> I enjoy sci-fi, but I don't like wars, unpronounceable names, silly nonhuman abilities (shooting lasers from your nostrils) and humans being the savoir/winner/the best all the time.


About the names, I can totally see why and how that would be a stumbling block, but you shouldn't let it get in your way, you might be missing out. For instance, I gave my English Professor friend a copy of Ursula K. Leguin's _The Left Hand of Darkness_. At first, she said it was slow-going because she didn't like the unusual names, but I told her to push through and when I talked to her a week later she said that she got used to them and then absolutely loved the book.

And it really is a fantastic book. I'd recommend it to anyone.


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

WDR said:


> Walter Hunt's _The Dark Wing_ series is excellent. The deeper I got into that series, the more I couldn't put down the books. Available as ebooks directly from Baen publishing.


Second recommendation of Walter Hunt's The Dark Wing series - excellent!


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I just read this one and was really impressed. Great Heinlien like space sci-fi.


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

Chad Winters said:


> I just read this one and was really impressed. Great Heinlien like space sci-fi.


I was all set to get this until I read that it is the first book of a trilogy, ends abruptely, and the other 2 books are not available. Just to warn any potential purchasers.

Steve


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Hmm I thought this book wrapped up really welll. I would have no problem reading just this one and not continuing on. Sequels might be good but this was self contained. Did not read as part 1 of a story. I'm guessing sequels would be in the "further adventures of..." variety. I just started the second one since I picked up both at half price books clearance for 50c each but without that I would not have suspected there was a sequel just based on the first one


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## Guest (May 3, 2014)

Philip K. Dick, but I'd also second Harry Harrison (who died recently).


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## MLKatz (Sep 8, 2012)

DebBennett said:


> Modern Heinlein? Greg Bear, perhaps? Darwin's Radio springs to mind. Or Stephen Baxter's Manifold: Space (Manifold Trilogy). And I'll second Pohl's Heechee saga too, although I wouldn't call it modern.


I was going to mention both Stephen Baxter and Greg Bear too. I think I have read everything I could find by Stephen Baxter. His Flood and Ark books influenced me quite a bit as well.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

The first of Bill Baldwin's epic 80s era space opera, The Helmsman, is free this week. The series is being released on Kindle. I loved this growing up



Apparently they couldn't get permission to reuse the great covers 

Ok maybe not that great ....


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## SidneyW (Aug 6, 2010)

I read and liked this tale once upon a time: http://www.amazon.com/Half-The-Day-Is-Night/dp/185723863X

It's set an interesting SF world, an underwater city, and the author really creates the feel of being there nicely.


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## Jan Osah (May 27, 2014)

I'm a massive fan of Greg Bear - Eon is amazing.

For a bit of retro, try Clifford Simak - Why call them back from heaven?  

Niven and Pournelles 'The Mote in God's Eye' and 'The Gripping Hand' - again a bit dated but great novels.


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## Norman Crane (Sep 25, 2013)

derekprior said:


> Philip K. Dick, but I'd also second Harry Harrison (who died recently).


Seconded!

Joe Haldeman's *The Forever War* is another that's stuck with me. It's fast paced and emotionally sincere, being as much about the U.S. war in Vietnam as about space ships and cool technology. Haldeman was a fan of Alfred Bester (*The Stars My Destination*). If you don't mind translations, try something by the *Strugatsky brothers* (Russian) and *Stanisław Lem* (Polish), too. Newer, popular scifi authors from those two countries are *Victor Pelevin* and *Jacek Dukaj*.


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## 68564 (Mar 17, 2013)

I just discovered that *AMISH* SCI FI is a thing:



I read the permafreebie book 1 in that series and was interesting. Worth a look, IMO.


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