8.1: The Children of Time pre-read: What is "Hard" Science Fiction?

This November we're reading Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Woo Adrians!

This episode we discuss what the "science" in science fiction means. What other books portray science well? What does it mean to write a book about science? Should science fiction try to be "realistic"? 

In addition, we give you the book facts, and discuss a number of other works. Links are at spectology.com if they don't show up in your podcatcher:

* Blindsight by Peter Watts
* Ursula K. Le Guin
* Foreigner by CJ Cherryh
* The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
* The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (also see episodes 2.1 & 2.2 of Spectology for further discussion thereof)
* The Dark Eden Trilogy by Chris Beckett
* The Mars Trilogy by KSR
* Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
* The Arthur C. Clarke Awards

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Many thanks to Dubby J and Noah Bradley for doing our music and art.