For this specific case (Pandoras Star) I urge you to push through. It took me half a year to finish it because it’s so much stuff that’s just boring in the first half of the book, but the later part of it definitely makes up for it. I’m reading Judas Unchained now even though I promised myself not to pick up a beast (800+ pages) for a good while.
Have you read it? I agree with OP that the first half is utterly hard to get through, but the second half definitely makes up for it.
I really enjoyed Dark Matter and Recusion by Blake Crouch. They are both easy reads and near-future sci-fi. I love the humor in The Martian and that may be lacking in these, but they are real page turners non the less. Especially Recursion might be one of my recent favorites.
Didn’t expect Endurance to show up as a recommendation here, but you are absolutely right. Haven’t reflected on the similarities between the two but I loved every bit of both!
Thanks! Yeah I really enjoyed Dark Matter :)
I have a Kobo ereader at my bedside table and read almost every night in order to fall asleep, so when I dread picking that up I know I either have to double down and finish the book or drop it. So far it has only happened once in recent years. That time it was Salvation by Peter F Hamilton, a hefty chunk of a book. If it’s a novella I generally try to read more often just to finish it.
Hyperion is definitely on my todo list. I’ve heard so many good things from so many sources!
Unexpectedly, it’s Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. I’ve always loved the movie and the book adds to it. A real joy to read.