Can you recommend some recent hard science fiction novels for beginners?

Sure. 'The Martian' is a great choice for beginners. It has a very accessible story about an astronaut stranded on Mars. The science behind his survival, like growing food in Martian soil and dealing with limited resources, is explained in an easy - to - understand way.

Another one is 'Project Hail Mary' by Andy Weir. It's about a lone astronaut on a mission to save Earth. The story is packed with scientific details about space, biology, and more. It's a real page - turner for those who love hard science in their fiction.

Another one is 'Ancillary Justice' by Ann Leckie. It features a unique world - building with interesting takes on artificial intelligence, identity, and galactic politics. The protagonist is a former spaceship AI now inhabiting a human body, which leads to a lot of exploration of what it means to be an individual in a complex and diverse universe.

Sure. 'The Martian' by Andy Weir is a great choice for beginners. It has a simple yet engaging story about an astronaut stranded on Mars and his fight for survival. The science is explained in an easy - to - understand way. Another one is 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline. It's set in a virtual reality world full of 80s pop - culture references, which makes it really fun to read. And 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card is also a classic that's accessible for newbies to the genre. It tells the story of a young boy trained to fight in a war against an alien race.

I would recommend 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer for beginners too. Although it has some deep scientific ideas, like genetic mutations, the mystery of Area X and the overall adventure - like plot make it engaging. The writing style is also very immersive, which helps the new readers to get into the hard science fiction genre.

I'd also recommend 'Rendezvous with Rama' by Arthur C. Clarke. It's about a mysterious alien spacecraft that enters our solar system. The story unfolds as humans explore it. Clarke is great at explaining scientific concepts in an understandable manner, which is perfect for those new to hard science fiction.

For beginners, 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card is also excellent. It has elements of military strategy and space exploration. The story follows a young boy, Ender, who is trained to fight in a future inter - galactic war. The science in it, like the zero - gravity battle simulations, is easy to understand and adds to the overall excitement of the story.

Sure. 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline is a great choice. It's set in a future where people escape a desolate world into a virtual reality called the OASIS. It's full of 80s pop - culture references, which makes it really fun. The story is easy to follow, with a clear hero's journey as the main character, Wade Watts, tries to solve the riddles left by the OASIS creator to inherit his fortune.

One recent hard science fiction novel is 'Project Hail Mary' by Andy Weir. It features a lone astronaut on a mission to save Earth. Another is 'The Expanse' series by James S.A. Corey, which has great world - building and explores future space politics and technology. And 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer is also a notable one, with its strange and thought - provoking scientific concepts.

Sure. 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline is a great recent science fiction book for beginners. It has a lot of pop - culture references that are easy to follow and a really exciting virtual reality adventure story. Another good option is 'The Martian' by Andy Weir. The story is about an astronaut stranded on Mars and it's written in a very accessible way with lots of scientific details explained clearly.