I just finished the Three Body Problem trilogy and I realized that I really enjoy hard sci fi that world builds from a single idea. In the case of Three Body Problem the idea is an alien invasion several hundred years in the future along with the more general dark forest concept. Other sci fi books I’d put into this category and which I’ve enjoyed include Seveneves, Hail Mary Project, the Martian, Dark Matter. These books start in the present and world build logically atop the single idea. Eventually these stories might develop into very futuristic settings, but not initially. I contrast this with books such as Blindsight, Diaspora, and the Foundation series. These books drop the reader into a super futuristic world right from the start. What are some hard sci fi books that evolve their story out of a single idea?
by RosmarysBabyBjorn