Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

There are thousands of science fiction anthologies out there. Some of the stories are only a couple of pages, some are novellas. It's an easy way to find out which authors you like best. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's just not true. It is quite easy to judge a book after reading a few of its pages. Maybe not the first few (a lot of books have slow begninnings), but just pick some in the middle and read them. Then pick a few pages at a different point and read them. You can get a good sampling of what the book is like from a few pages.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

I don't generally like anthologies. I just have a general dislike for short stories. I mean, the story is over before you even get to know the characters or everything is just compressed to make sure it fits in only a few pages. I'd rather read a 1500 page Stephen King novel, where he'll take over 100 pages just for the characterization on the main character. I just prefer novels. Unlike Cipher7071, I still read fiction. I've just expanded my interests over the years. When I was a kid, it was mostly sci-fi and historical books on WWII. In my late teens and early 20's, when I discovered D&D, I picked up on fantasy. When I got into the Air Force, I started reading Stephen King and other horror authors. Somewhere along the way, I was also reading Robert Ludlum, Alistair MacLean, and Clive Cussler. Then in the late 80's, I started reading Tom Clancy. Then interest in Star Wars picked up again, and I've read all of the SW books. I can't say that about Star Trek, though. something about the ST books and their lack of continuity bothers me.

Someone mentioned a library. Even though I work in a fairly big city which I'm sure has several libraries, there are none near me. Plus, I've always had this thing about owning the books I read. So yeah, as much as I read, I do have stacks of books at home and in storage. And everyone once in awhile I've traded some in for credit at my old comic book store. I'll probably have to do that soon again, as I got more books right now than space.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That sounds like manual foreshadowing...

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

gregebowman, with some of the Authors you mentioned, take a look at Nelson DeMille, I have read a few of his books and really liked Plum Island and Lions Game.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

I just read Timeline by Michael Crichton... thought it was pretty good. And impeccably good timing on my grandfather's part, passing it off to me just a week after I heard of a movie of the same name, based on a Crichton book. Should be interesting to see that.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">My wife's supervisor will give her a big box of books from time to time. It's a really a mixture of books I normally wouldn't read. But if I'm out of my type of books to read, then I'll grab one of these. I don't remember reading any of Demille's yet, although I've his name before. Some of these books, mostly murder mysteries, are quite good.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

I've mentioned this in another post, but no one ever responded. I'm interested in reading Harry Turtledove's alternate history books, but I'm not sure of the chronology. Does anyone know? Thanks

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That sounds like manual foreshadowing... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Just an example of how you can judge a book from a few pages...

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Google is your friend. UBB code, however, is not.

[ January 06, 2004, 22:15: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

Here I go with the ancient history again. Gregebowman mentioned that he likes books with a lot of character development. "Macroscope" by Piers Anthony is a good one for that. The story also has a unique techno-premise, which is the SDPS itself.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Google is your friend. UBB code, however, is not. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ok, got an idea now of the order, but it is confusing from all of those sites that were offered. Just a plain simple listing of all of his books would have been nice, especially those of his alternate history novels.

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VEROOM! VEROOM! *BUMP*

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

Just a word of warning. If anyone is interested in reading Tad Williams' Otherland series, you might just have to have the right state of mind to read it. Usually I don't mind reading 700+ page novels, espeically a series of 4 of them, but this has been taking me forever to read. I think I started around Halloween, and if I'm lucky, I'll finish the fourth book this Saturday while I'm at my part-time job (one of the benefits of doing security work). I remember enjoying his fantasy trilogy, and I thought this Otherland would be written in a similar style. It's not, and sometimes it just drags. So, this is just a warning. But if anyone is interested, it's about a group of people who go into, for lack of a better word, a matrix that is so lifelike, it seems real. But they can't get out, and they're in there to fight a cabal of the world's wealthiest people who are using the minds of children to use their matrix for the electronic equivalent of immortality. It is a fascinating premise, and the overall story gets you gripped, but it's still slow reading for me.

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<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I love Keven J. Anderson. Unfortunately, I've never heard of this new series of his. I'll have to check it out.

Never heard of a W. Williams, or those books of his. Sorry, can't help you there.

I've heard of Elizabeth Moon; just haven't read any of her books. I'll try to check her out one of these days, but I am SO FAR behind in reading sci-fi/fantasy books I'll probably never read a fraction of them that are out there. Heck, I've still haven't read any of Eddings books, and they've been out for about 20 years. I recently joined the sci-fi book club, and I've ordered some books I might never have read, but the postage kills you, so I don't order too many books from them. To paraphrase someone's signature line; too many books, not enough time.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">if that's the series i'm thinking of, i've read most of those books and there's more than fox hunting. there's intrigue, psychopaths, space battles, land battles and two main storylines that'll keep you confused for three books.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

Couple of books I have enjoyed reading recently were books 1 & 2 of The Seven Suns Saga by Kevin Anderson. Book 1 is called The Hidden Empire, book 2 is called A Forest of Stars.

Pretty good space-opera style Sci-Fi, nothing too radical although I do like the aliens, they live in the middle of gas giants. Groovy (my god, I am English and said that word as if I meant it!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif )

Has anyone read The Praxis by W Williams, or its sequel The Sundering? These look like they may be good Sci-fi, but would appreciate a steer befoe I lay out the cash..

Final comment, read some Sci-fi by Elizabeth Moon. Seemed to be about fox hunting. Weird.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

I finally finished reading that Tad Williams' Otherland books. It just seemed to take forever. I just now finished reading the Last two Star Wars books on the Yuzhoon Vong invasion. I'm glad they finally wrapped that up. It was a 20+ book series, that probably should have been done in half that time. Even though it was good reading most of the time, I was tired of reading about those guys. Now back to some regular Star Wars adventures. Now I'm finally starting that new Stephen King book I got for Christmas. Just two more of his books to read before he officially "retires". I'll be in a funk until he comes out of retirement, which I hope won't take too long. I'm looking forward to that new TV show that's coming out in March. Looks interesting.

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what tv show is that?

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<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I forgot the name of it, but it's set in a hospital. Looks like it could be a combination of ER and any number of his books.

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Kingdom Hospital

[ February 13, 2004, 00:15: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

it looks like everybody in there is a stereotype.

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I don't think Stephen King invented it, in fact I know he didn't. "The Kingdom" was a Danish Drama years ago. I may be wrong about the Title, but it was something like that.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

it's possible they just have the same title.

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Speaking of Stephen King, I just finished reading his Dark Tower 5 book. It's good to get my fix; unfortunately, he's going to finish this series at book 7 and then "retire". I hope it's not a long retirement. I need my fix.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

I just finished "The Gifts of the Jews", Thomas Cahill's second non-fiction book. It follows his Hinges of History series which started with "How the Irish Saved Civilization". I would recommend "Irish" over "Gifts", however. His third book centers on Christ, the fourth on the Greeks, the fifth will be about the Romans. Cahill is not always evenhanded, but these are hardly books aimed at scholars. He's "dumbed down" and streamlined a lot to make it accessible. All his books are less than three hundred pages so far.

Wildcard

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I don't if everybody saw this, but Kingdom Hospital starts tomorrow night at 9:00 pm. Looks interesting. I just hope I can get my son to bed in time to watch it.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

Avoid The Fifth Sorceress by Robert Newcomb at all costs.

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I was browsing www.drunkduck.com and i want to ask something: does the 'warrior who's family/village/little dog was killed and is now out for revenge, finds out important stuff about his world blah blah blah' make you think 'must kill cliche', too?

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sounds like the basic plot for the movie Beastmaster.

I'm starting S.M. Stirling's Island In The Sea of Time, in which the island of Nantuckett gets transported back to 1350 B.C. I was wondering how many more books like this exist. There's Eric Flint's Ring of Fire books, there's the Lost Regiment series (I keep forgetting the author's name), and Stirling's trilogy. I like these type of books. How many more books are out there that I haven't heard of? Does anyone know?

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sounds like the basic plot for the movie Beastmaster.

I'm starting S.M. Stirling's Island In The Sea of Time, in which the island of Nantuckett gets transported back to 1350 B.C. I was wondering how many more books like this exist. There's Eric Flint's Ring of Fire books, there's the Lost Regiment series (I keep forgetting the author's name), and Stirling's trilogy. I like these type of books. How many more books are out there that I haven't heard of? Does anyone know? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">There is a book called 1786 (I believe) where a town in Virginia is transported back to that year. I also read a book years ago called Remember the Alamo! where a group of soldiers goes back to the Alamo to try and win the battle for Texas...

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sounds like the basic plot for the movie Beastmaster.

I'm starting S.M. Stirling's Island In The Sea of Time, in which the island of Nantuckett gets transported back to 1350 B.C. I was wondering how many more books like this exist. There's Eric Flint's Ring of Fire books, there's the Lost Regiment series (I keep forgetting the author's name), and Stirling's trilogy. I like these type of books. How many more books are out there that I haven't heard of? Does anyone know? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">There is a book called 1786 (I believe) where a town in Virginia is transported back to that year. I also read a book years ago called Remember the Alamo! where a group of soldiers goes back to the Alamo to try and win the battle for Texas... </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Don't know about 1786, but there's the book 1632 and 1633, written by Eric Flint. Also, I asked the question about the Alamo book a few months ago, and am currently looking for that trilogy (Remember the Alamo, Remember Gettysburg and Remember Little Big Horn). I was talking more about people displaced through time and/or space, like the earlier examples I listed.

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I think 1786 is the first book in a paralel series.

and 'out for revenge' has been used so many times as a plot line it just gets annoying.

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<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Do you remember who the author of this 1786 was? If you let me know that, I can see if this bookstore I go to has it.

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Eric Flints homepage, works in progress. loads slow for me.

[ March 04, 2004, 22:12: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Definitly. I own 1632 in paperback and 1633 on webscription.

[ March 05, 2004, 21:20: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

Re: OT: Books, Books, Books.
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Eric Flints homepage, works in progress. loads slow for me. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Eric Flint is the author of the 1632 and 1633 books. Apparently 1786 is going to be another book in that series, but hasn't been written yet, according to that website. If you get the chance, check out his first 2 books. They're pretty good. About a West Virginia town full of coal miners and good ole boys take on Europe during the 30 Year War. I can't wait for the rest of the series to be written.