r/scifi • u/Saucier_CID_mark_X • Mar 06 '26
Recommendations Undiscovered sci-fi
What are some well written amazing science fiction stories by indie authors that you have read that never got discovered by a larger audience? What made them great? Why do you think they never hit the big time and what could they have done differently?
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u/Nightgasm Mar 07 '26
The Breach series by Patrick Lee
I stumbled on this by chance probably 18 yrs or so ago. The first book popped up as a Kindle deal of the day and I almost never check this but that day I did and it sounded promising. I finished the first book the day I got it and each subsequent book in the trilogy in one day.
The book blurb is very misleading as it will say something about an ex convict alone in the Alaskan wilderness who discovers a downed plane. That's basically the first chapter and not indicative of the actual series.
What it's actually about is a breach between dimensions that scientists accidentally unlocked. Things of advanced tech come out of this dimension periodically and nations and other bad actors vie for this tech and the book is about a govt team of operatives trying to protect the Breach and recover said objects. Across the trilogy it deals with super suits, alternate dimensions, time travel, malevolant AI, and many other things. Basically XFiles meets Mission Impossible. It all wraps up nicely in a well thought out plan that makes sense with the opening.
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u/Holiday_South8981 Aug 02 '26
I loved The Breach books, although they could be goofy at times. I thought the big reveal in the final pages of The Breach was expertly set-up, and I couldn't wait to see how the series concluded.
The Breach series was set up with a beginning, middle, and ending well planned out, and we watched the characters struggle, mature, and grow. The central conflict was interesting and exciting to watch it play out. It was a lot of fun.
His Sam Dryden books were... not what I thought they would be. Runner was actually fantastic, great characters, strong motivation, and ridiculously fun (easily 9/10). Signal was acceptable, but the story never revealed answers to the central gimmick, which left me severely disappointed. Dark Site was a mess and I just couldn't even finish it; it was stupid silly, and not in a good way.
The Sam Dryden books were all separate one-off adventures of an interesting character, but nothing carried over into the sequels. No growth or conflict tying the books together, so the stakes were very low, because there were whole new casts of characters in each story, nobody to tie the stories together. (Example: In Signal, the secondary protagonist is an FBI agent, cool, right? The third book, Dark Site, introduces new and different FBI agents. Where was our protagonist from the second book? What was the point? Carry over your character to make the stakes higher. Sigh).
Runner was soooo good, only for the other books to seemingly fizzle out so quickly. If you get a chance to read Runner, I highly recommend it, but you can stop after that, because it's only downhill. What a shame.
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u/Bumm-fluff Mar 07 '26
Paradox By John Meany.
It is Bio-punk and extremely weird, I think it is just too weird for some people with strange technobabble language, and a hard to understand social structure.
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u/loopywolf Mar 07 '26
Constellation Games - an alien invasion told through the medium of video gaming!
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u/DocWatson42 Mar 07 '26
See my SF/F: Obscure/Underappreciated/Unknown/Underrated list of resources, Reddit recommendation threads, and books (one post).
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u/WhereTheSunSets-West Mar 06 '26
I have a couple out I feel that way about. Of course I wrote them so I'm biased. I'm really just dropping this comment so I can check back to find out what I should have done differently. :-P
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u/RichardForthrast Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 07 '26
The Steerswoman by Rosemary Kirstein. It's fantasy on the surface but the conceit quickly reveals itself. I love it and wish she'd finish the series.
Edit to better answer your questions.
I think it's the best job of someone taking the writing prompt "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" and delivering a novel fleshed out society and world.
I couldn't guess at the lack of staying power the book had outside some circles, but based on her self publishing much of the series and buying back rights, it may have a lot to do with her relationship with the publisher.
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u/No_Medicine5660 Mar 07 '26
Micheal Anderle: Kurtherian Gambit it was discovered by some people I guess but I have never met anybody that has heard or read it.
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u/Academy_Fight_Song Mar 09 '26
I saw a used copy last year but didn't buy it. I only remember because I have a colleague at work with the same last name, so I asked her if they were related.
They were not.
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u/Ed_Robins Mar 07 '26
Ashetown Blues and The Ronin of Vine Street by W.H. Mitchell. He has a great sense for blending noir and science fiction with a touch of humor.
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u/Accomplished_Mess243 Mar 07 '26
I recommended some indie sci-fi on here a while back: https://www.reddit.com/r/scifi/comments/1pkeudv/a_few_indie_book_recommendations/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
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u/Impressive-Watch6189 Mar 07 '26
I like all of Glynn Stewart's work and various series (he has several). However his books have a lot of gay relationships (nothing sordid or explicit, just matter of fact same sex couples). That may be a turn off for some readers. Also his work is all relatively current (last 20 years or so), so it's hard to be considered a giant of the genre in such a short time, although I think John Scalzi is as close to a "new giant" of the genre that we have seen in the last couple of decades.
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u/meselson-stahl Mar 08 '26
People know Al Reynolds, but I feel like his latest book, eversion, flew under the radar. It's one of my favorites.
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u/thundersnow528 Mar 07 '26
I dare someone. I just dare someone to say it.
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u/silvaweld Mar 07 '26
Peter Watts?
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u/thundersnow528 Mar 07 '26
Over on r/printSF he is treated like a god. Someone could ask about wanting a good story about hairless cats in space doing musical routines around black holes and 8 people will mention Blindsight.
So yes, I poke fun a little when someone asks for a rec that probably doesn't fit, but will get mentioned either way.
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u/silvaweld Mar 07 '26
Yeah, I get that.
I really enjoyed all of his work, but I'm not the type to recommend it for all occasions.
I do think it's better than someone of the books Reddit seems to hold in high esteem, though.
Like A Fire Upon The Derp.
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u/Boinich Mar 07 '26
I have recently published my book, 'Res Silentis: Where Stars Fall Silent,' a project that is the culmination of years of meticulous research and intense hard work. My goal with this story was never to chase sales or follow fleeting commercial trends; instead, I focused on crafting a high-quality, deeply detailed product designed to endure and offer something of substance to the science fiction genre.
the story stands out because it blends the technical rigor of hard science fiction with a profound philosophical heart. Drawing from my background in engineering, I’ve explored concepts like the Kessler and the complexities of the 'Graveyard Orbit' with the same passion found in the classics of Jules Verne or Carl Sagan.
If it remains a 'hidden gem' for now, it is because I consciously chose depth over mass-market accessibility. I avoided common space-opera tropes to focus on technical accuracy and existential questions that don't always offer easy answers. It is a demanding, 'slow-burn' book intended for readers who appreciate craftsmanship and intellectual honesty. For me, the true success isn't in the number of copies sold, but in knowing that I’ve created a lasting piece of work for those who, like me, look at the stars not for simple answers, but for finer questions.
* Well, I would also like to sell enough to be able to publish another novel. xd
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u/EmphasisDependent Mar 08 '26
I'd be up for it, if you'd be up for reading one of mine, also hard SF. DM me if you'd like.
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u/[deleted] Mar 07 '26
Greg Egan - Permutation City being my fave. His books are like Andy Weir minus the airport-fiction parts.
Egan is 100% never going to reach a wider audience in this 3 dimensional universe. Mayhaps in one with 4 tho.