Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

I got to around book 6 or so. It is a bit formulaic and after a while I want to slap her in the head. She is NEVER wrong. If she has a disagreement about anything (military strategy, politics, etc.) with anyone, not matter how long they have been in the military or political field, she is always, always right. Her nobility and self sacrifice help to like her, but her constant.... "rightness", even if she IS right, is grating. No one is that right. But I did enjoy the first 6 books, but I didn't finish the last one I got and won't read another.

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

To participate in the original thread:

I just finished "Speaker for the Dead" - Orson Scott Card's sequel to my favorite SciFi book ever, "Ender's Game". I was told that "Speaker for the Dead" was better than "Ender's Game". Um, not imho. "Jane" was cool. The porquinhos were interesting, but it really didn't have the same draw to me.

I'm still trying to finish "Histories" by Herodotus. The story is really dragging through the Greek / Babylonian war. I'm 2/3 of the way through, I'll probably finish by the summer. The introduction even warns you that the first half of his book is the better part, but the 2nd siege of Babylon was worth reading...

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

I have to say that Card's "Speaker for the Dead" is a must read for anybody who is interested in SE... Good background, good fodder for military strategy.

I'm currently re-reading Niven's "Mote in God's Eye," and am very surprised on how it works for a SE setting (ie: ships use warp points at the edges of the system). That and the author spins a really-good yarn about a first contact scenario. I'd highly recommend this book to anybody who has found SE(series) to be an enjoyable game, this will be an enjoyable read.

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

Mote was good. Its sequel was good too. "Well look at that, the horse DID learn to sing..."

But "Speaker" as military strategy? There wasn't any military period. Did we read the same book? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

Honor is hardly "always right".

Right most of the time, sure.

But she is not "always right". SPOILERS:

Point in case: second book she tries to kill prisoners. Fourth book: She looses her temper (in a long-time bad mood rather than murderous rampage way) to kill someone else.



On another topic, I wish this forum had spoiler tags...

And I strongly recomend anything by David Weber, and most of Orson Scott Card (I haven't read his "religious" works like Sarah, but his Ender's Game and Shadow quadriligies are good, as is his homecoming / seventh son series).

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

I'm not kidding. Speaker for the dead (or was it Enders game? can't recall exactly) is on a list of books recommended for professional military reading within the USMC due to its strategic warfare conceptual discussion. (at least it was about 3 years ago last time I saw the list)

Edit: Out of curiosity I looked it up: Enders Game and Starship troopers are both still on the list. The former for training concepts, the latter for its tactical concepts. They are considered easy / light reading on the subjects.

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

The novel actually came quite a few years (18 or so, I think) before it was finally made into a movie, and was not merely written as a screenplay.

In the DVD extras, there is an interview with William Goldman where he tells the story about his efforts to get the book made into a movie. Fortunately, the movie ended up following the book fairly closely, to its (and our) benefit. The book is definitely worth reading in its own right.

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

Finished "Ilium" by D.Simmons. Not so epoch-making as his "Hyperion Songs", but still a good reading. But I'm affraid that dirty Greeks will win in a war for mankind in "Olympos". It would be a very predictible ending.

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

Ok, Ender's Game makes sense at tactical strategy.

PS: you might do others a favor and edit out the ending to Enders Game in your last post...... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: OT: Time for another thread on books? (Retori
 

Done and Done!