I’ve been avidly reading sci-fi for about 5 years now and I really liked it because of the mass effect video game series to begin with. those games have, I think, a sense of world building that is hard to find in published science fiction. as a setting for science fiction stories, it is unbeatable in my opinion. it is a densely populated galaxy filled with humans and numerous and diverse alien species, living and working side by side. it is a cooperative and optimistic future, despite all the danger that is placed during the games’ stories. Simply put, it’s a future I would love to live in.
You are reading: Books like mass effect
The notion of entirely alien species being your co-workers, friends, and even romantic partners is so appealing, which is why I’ve been reading all over the place trying to find a sci-fi author who feels the same way. While I’ve found some wonderful authors that come somewhat close to the feeling I got from those games (reynolds, banks, brin, vinge, and others…see below), I’ve yet to find a novel or series of books that scratch that itch. a reading experience that brings to life a universe I want to live in and explore.
and no, mass effect related novels don’t count. they’re horrible.
This blog post has two goals:
- first, lament the lack of recent books that fall into a world-building niche similar to mass effect games (the ‘recent’ part being important, I’ll explain why soon ).
- Secondly, to give some recommendations to science fiction works that certainly come close. this will be my personal pick of recommendations for anyone else who, like me, has come to print science fiction through mass effect games and wants to read books with a similar feel.
there should be more books like mass effect!
The first mass effect game came out in 2007, with sequels in 2010 and 2012. I don’t blog about video games, so I won’t go into much more detail about their releases, but they were nice. damn popular. and were deservedly acclaimed by critics; yes, until the third title with its controversial ending. moreover, they are undoubtedly influential and key works of recent space opera. the io9 website called the series a “major milestone in the history of space opera” and “the most important science fiction universe of our generation.”
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I’d really like to know, why hasn’t there been a huge increase in science fiction novels since 2007 that feature intelligent world building, diverse and fascinating aliens, an optimistic feel, and a great fit? I’m sure there have been a handful like that (one notable series I’ve come across is by Michael Cobley, in my list below), but not the number I was hoping for. not a sudden excess of sci-fi inspired mass effects. what I’m really asking is,
Where is my burgeoning post-crowd effect space opera literary subgenre?
You would seriously think it would be a thing. from 2007 onwards, surely dozens or hundreds of budding authors have been inspired by the game series, as have I. surely publishers have seen the opportunities to make money by encouraging some of those authors to start new franchises? Why don’t new and exciting space opera series appear on bookstore shelves all the time?
Why don’t people write about galactic societies and federations, countless worlds and histories, treaties and trade with strange and amazing aliens? why don’t we meet more aliens that aren’t just of the forehead makeup variety, but are well thought out biologically, culturally, etc.?
a more specific question: why aren’t more people inspired by the weirder romances of mass effects games and include alien-human relationships in their stories? And I’m not just referring to paranormal erotic and romantic books, but to serious social science fiction books that deal with these topics in thought-provoking ways. why can’t we read about the challenges and triumphs of interspecies attraction in a multispecies galaxy? prejudices, the breakdown of social boundaries, the steps towards equality? there would be great parallels with modern sexual politics in stories like that.
There are a million stories you could tell in a universe as richly detailed and diverse as the Mass Effect universe. science fiction writers need to step up. there could be adventures across the galaxy, little personal stories, and everything in between. not everything has to be from a military base either. we could explore these worlds from the perspective of scientists, diplomats, explorers, merchants, criminals, celebrities, and more.
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I’m halfway thinking of writing something like this myself, but that would require a great deal of planning, commitment, and time, and perhaps I should save it for when I’m not doing a Ph.D. Besides, I just don’t know if I’m talented enough. I don’t even know if I’m presenting a coherent argument here, so I’m not sure I can write an entire novel and expect it to be readable.
let me say it one more time: it’s been 7 years since 2007, and in that time, a lot more books like mass effect should have been published. Enough of the lamentations, it’s time for the recommendations.
books as a massive effect
Now that my problems are out of the way, I’d like to give my recommendations on some authors and stories that might appeal to anyone else who shares my desire for a written universe much like my beloved game series. this is not a definitive list, but rather a colored list & limited from what I have personally read. At the end there are a couple of books that I have yet to read, but often hear recommended when people ask about books like the mass effect series. please comment if you have any recommendations in this regard.
- uplift series by david brin: the closest thing there is, I think. this is a series written in the 80s and 90s, made up of 6 books plus a related book, an illustrated guide to alien species. I have read the first trilogy. sundiver isn’t as bad as people say, but it can probably be skipped. startide rise and the uplift war are a fantastic duology about humanity (and our dolphin and chimpanzee friends!) getting into a lot of trouble in a conservative alien universe. I can’t recommend these highly enough. As for the second trilogy, I have no idea. I’ll deal with them soon.
- a fire in the deep by vernor vinge: a pretty phenomenal sci-fi adventure through space and across an alien planet, with some ideas fantastic for aliens. a deepness in the sky is a prequel, and just as good. everyone will recommend this to you, and you should listen to them and read the damn books. however, beware of some silly (by today’s standards) ideas about the future of the internet.
- iain m banks’ culture series: literary masterpieces and a bevy of self-contained stories set in a large populated galaxy…although the aliens are all fairly humanoid (at least in the books I’ve read). start with the gamer.
- revelation space universe by alastair reynolds – these books are dark and gothic, they feel a bit like the universe of massive effect seen through a grungy filter that gives everything the atmosphere of movies like event horizon or alien. the main ship of the series is like a haunted mansion floating in space. To be honest, there aren’t many featured aliens, but every time they show up they are mysterious, terrifying, and important to the plot.
- humanity’s fire series by michael cobley – a recent series of I have only read the first book so far: seeds of the earth. It’s bright and colourful, it feels like a mix of star wars and mass effect, and I really liked it (although the aliens aren’t the most imaginative). I really need to read more of this series.
- Imperative Species Trilogy by Julie E Czerneda: Humans and aliens get down to business in scientific cooperation! these books are bright, cheerful and funny, with the occasional dark plot twist. they are true popcorn novels and I am glad to have them on my shelves. after the first book, survival, more aliens appear.
- the hunt for icarusby timothy zahn: another popcorn book. I’ve read another book by Zahn and it didn’t really grab me, but this standalone novel is a gem: a fast-paced adventure and mystery. the main character is human and his partner in crime and best friend is an iguana-like alien. they rise for hijinx and are chased around space a lot. think fireflies/serenity with wacky star wars-esque aliens. just plain fun.
- starplex by robert j sawyer – a bit more like star trek than mass effect, this is a novella that has only a handful of aliens. but it paints an optimistic and cooperative future very much the kind I look forward to reading more about.
- kin (short story)by bruce mcallister: this short story gets a special mention because despite having only a handful of pages, gives a glimpse of a huge universe full of worlds and cultures. it’s dense with that mass effect feel. it’s also about an extremely unlikely friendship between an alien and a human. the ending is something absolutely special. go out and read this story now, and hope that the author is still planning on turning it into a novel (as he said in an interview a while back).
- (edit, long after original publication) the long way to a small angry planet by becky chambers – see my review here.
I haven’t read the following yet, but they are high on my must-read list because of everything I’ve heard about them:
- general industry series by james white
- pandora’s star and peter judas unchained f hamilton
- going alien by rebecca ore
I never know how to end blog posts, so here’s a turian dancing.
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