I'm moderately new to the genre and have been reading both modern and classic novels. I really enjoy a competent protagonist who doesn't just stumble cluelessly and terrified through danger. But most of the time I find them, as a person, insufferable.
I'd love a middle way between the overly anxious "oh my god, I'm going to die, what is this, what am I doing" and the cocky "you all bore me, this is child's play, I'm so far above all of my allies and enemies".
Or at least a protagonist who is a likable kind of cocky, or undergoes some humbling and emotional character development.
I'm open to most tropes, but I don't enjoy books that spend a great deal of time on scientific explanations and abstract concepts (I didn't enjoy The Three-Body Problem). That being said, I'm not opposed to philosophical topics (I've liked Ursula K. Le Guin so far).
And yes, I enjoy the pew-pew laser gun kind of sci-fi and I'm not ashamed;)
Thank you!!
by bnny_ears