SFF180 Live | Thursday Night Reading Hangout | September 10, 2026

I think that you know the nothing David Drake did will ever top the hammers slammer stories you know the for you know because among military science fiction I think that is some of the most you know personal and like deeply felt work that any military science fiction ever became because you know a lot of it was Drake exorcising his Vietnam experience right so through fiction So that's so that's why I think the best of those stories are very powerful.

Leviathan Wakes is not like the strongest Expanse novel, but you know, there's definitely better ones that come later on.

And also at the same time, I was very much into a children's book that was also sci-fi. , and I have actually been a I haven't gotten one lately, but I've found there. They're still available even Amazon, I think.

Starfish is, , would be a good like first novel from him to read, but deeply creepy. Okay. And if you have if you have a phobia of the deep ocean like I kind of do it takes a you got to be made of strong stuff to get through some bits of that book.

I recall that one. It was delightful.

the Andromeda strain is, I think, still, , very strong book and, , you know, as a hard SF thriller

I feel was an unfairly underrated book. , I think it's actually one of the more harrowing alien invasion stories I've encountered. And I think it's a it's definitely a stronger series start.

it's very dark Dublin, so you know, but that means it's right up my street. So, I am keen to see where it goes. it's going to go cuz I don't, you know, this is a start that just hooks you in but doesn't give you any clear road map as to where it's going to go.

But yeah, if you like, you know, just good old space opera stuff with the Lightnings, I think is a fun one.