Re: OT: Read a book!
 

I am really enjoying Deborah Chestor's Alien Chronicles series.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

IMHO, the best S.F. writer of all time is Stanislaw Lem. Just my humble opinion again. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

I have just finished Vahalla Rising by Clive Cussler.

Its a Dirk Pitt noval which are a cross between Indian Jones, Joc Custo (sp), and 007.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

R.A. Salvatore.
Patricia C. Wrede - undiscovered and very good, in my opinion. if you find something of her's and it isn't a children's book, read it.
same goes for Josepha Sherman.
Christopher Stasheff.
Tad William's "memory and sorrow" read it.
Rick Cook's wizardry series.
the early hardy boys. once they killed of one of the main characters, calla or iola?, it kind of ruined it for me.

and i never could understand why people read depressing books.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

speaking of turtledove the centre cannot hold was just released in pb.... cannot wait to read it.....

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That was a good one, if only I could be a Dirk Pitt......Well at least have his home and the contents http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Cool, I'll have to run down a copy. Turtledove is a real busy aurthor, he has writen a lot of books. But a lot of people never heard of him.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Im not sure i'll be reading through the whole topic... but someone share some good sci-fo/fantasy titles with me?

My reccomendations:

Personally im now reading the first book of the Spellsong cycle - the author is L. E. Modesitt, Jr. the book is great, for one who loves fantasy like i do - i always enjoyed the rare music-magic concept.

Another serie i'd recommend everyone to read is the FOunding of Commonwealth by Alan Dean Foster, and then his Flinx and Flip books. One of the best science-fictions ive ever read, plus it works around same ideas as SE does. Generally.

Hmm, what else.. my favorite, Terry Goodkind and his Sword of Truth novel, one of the best series i've ever read - looking forward for the next book.

EDIT: Amongst my favorite authors is Eve Forward, she only has two books and both are my Favorites - one is Villains by Necessity - this book had forever changed my views on "good" and "bad" when it comes to role-playing. In general a powerful book. Her latest one, came out at like May, is called Animist, an overall good reading with an unique setting. She is great for unique ideas and great characters. I'd reccommend two of her books to anyone - as long as you dont realy hate fantasy.

[ July 16, 2003, 10:10: Message edited by: Taera ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

narf: depressing books?

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

also have to say - all too often ive found GREAT writings in those collection books (like lotsa small stories in one book), all those mediocre stories are nothing when you find such a pearl in them.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

A couple of recommendations not highlighted extensively by others:

Sci-fi: Anything by H. Beam Piper. Someone earlier mentioned Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen I would also add Space Viking. I also really enjoy Brin & Weber for contemporary authors.

Fantasy: Glen Cook's Black Company series kicks serious A.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

other than David Brin's books and Dave Weber's starfire books, can anyone reccomend any Sci Fi books that have lots of fighting, alien space fleets, space battles and 'orrible aliens

you know, a bit of classic space opera with lts of nasty green aliens and lasers and fighting and all that

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Some Wing Comander novels are good in this department, "Fleet Action" is one.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

I did't read David Brin' books before. Following your tip-off, I just searched internet for some information and found this site:
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feat.../15/brin_main/

Wow ! I should say he really has an opinion about Star Wars http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif !

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Brin hates Star Wars and he hates Tolkien. He's a real-life Version of that Smurf that hates everything.

Tigga, if you want space battles, track down the Lensman / Galactic Patrol series by E.E. Smith. It's very old stuff and the characters looked two-dimensional to me when I was 11, but it's got some epic space battles in there.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Here is a better Brin site. He has some strong opinions, but he defines and defends them well. He also answers e-mail. I dig Brin.

Michael Stackpole is one of my favorite authors. As I was just getting old enough to recognize that almost all of the franchise fiction I was reading was crap that only sold because of the Large Font name emblazoned across the top, just as I was getting tired of Tom Clancy's formula, I found Stackpole's Battletech novels. Excellent stuff. Very epic, very operatic.

Armor is one of my favorite books of all time. It's kind of like two separate books, and the first one is better than the second. But it's good.

For a good time, read How Much for Just the Planet. A must-read if you dig Star Trek, used to dig Star Trek, or have put up with people who dig Star Trek. And it's funny even if you don't. The only Star Trek book I have ever reread. The only Star Trek book I can speak about without holding my tongue.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks for the link. It was a good read, and I largely agree with him, though I doubt many people care one way or another. But it's a good link to have around in case I ever meet anybody who's goes all gushy about Star Wars being a heroic tale of good vs. evil.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

I have been reading Michael McCollum novels. Don't hear very much about this guy, but good stuff. The "Antares" Trilogy is rich with warp point travel and empire networking. He also gets into actual physics of space travel and battle so their is a degree of realism. The Last of the "Antares" books is due out soon. Interesting and fun read.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Andre Norton.

by depressing books i mean ones which depress me. hero dies, hero loses etc.

Brin's making some good points. although star trek still has 'good beutifull, evil ugly'. maybe i should write a book where the main character has a big ugly scar through his right eye, a hunchback, a crippled leg, unshaven, mismatched features, and anything else i can throw in. and still gets the girl. i've never actually sold anything or written much though. honestly, i've never read 'hunchback of notre dame', but i still think she should have married the hunchback. what did the captain do but swoop in at the Last minute?

[ July 17, 2003, 07:08: Message edited by: narf poit chez BOOM ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

"Good <-> Beautiful" exists because of our natural instincts.

Beautiful person -> Good survival / reproductive characteristics -> Achieves success -> Has many children -> Benefits our tribe as a whole -> Good.

Ugly person -> Opposite of the above, plus may be sick (could infect the whole tribe / will need care, tying up someone else) -> Bad for the tribe -> Evil.

That's why the hunchback wasn't allowed to marry the girl.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

originally posted by Growltigger:
other than David Brin's books and Dave Weber's starfire books, can anyone reccomend any Sci Fi books that have lots of fighting, alien space fleets, space battles and 'orrible aliens

Read 'Execution Hour' and sequel, 'Shadow Point' by Gordon Rennie. These two books are just space opera, but I swear they're great space opera. They're from a series, the Warhammer 40,000 series, but don't let that put you off. After you read these, you'll know why the Warhammer 40000 universe is becoming so popular...

Eradan