OT: Read a book!
 

While we're patiently waiting for the PBW server to be recombobulated, I thought maybe we could exchange some thoughts on favorite authors/books to pass the time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Some of my Favorites, in no particular order:

Asimov/Heinlein/Tolkein, of course, plus...

David Brin; Uplift series (Sundiver, Startide Rising, Uplift War, +new trilogy), Earth, Glory Season

Orson Scott Card; Seventh Son/Red Prophet etc (Alvin Maker series), Ender's Game/Speaker for the Dead etc (Ender series), The Worthing Saga

Stephen R. Donaldson; The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever

Piers Anthony; Bio of a Space Tyrant series (halfway through this now)

Was thinking of starting Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books, anyone have opinions there?

EDIT: Subject line

[ January 02, 2003, 19:18: Message edited by: DarkHorse ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

all of Darkhorse selections plus.

George R R Martin: A Song of Ice and Fire series. Wild Card series.(actually a collaboration of many authors writing about their characters in this world)
L Ron Hubbard: Mission Earth Dekology
Anne Mcaffrey - all her series and collaborations.
Anne Rice - Vampire series. i havent read her Faerie series yet.
Terry Brooks - Shannara series.
Mercedes Lackey - Valdemar Series, SERRAted edge series
Timothy Zahn - Cobra trilogy, Conquerors trilogy adn his Star Wars series.
C J Cherryh - Chanur Novels, Foreigner universe,
Harry Turtledove - world war series
Michael Morcock - Elric Saga
David Drake
Greg Bear - Eon series
David Weber - Honor Harrington
Clive Cussler
Tom Clancy - Jack Ryan series
Richard Marcinko - Rogue Warrior series
William Gibson - The father of cyberpunk
Simon R Green - Deathstalker series
C Harry Stine - Warbot series
Terry Goodkind - Wizards Rules series
L E Modesitt Jr.
Stephen R Donaldson - the Gap series
Dan Simmons - Hyperion series
Keith Laumer (and others) - Bolo series
Orson Scott Card - Homecoming series
Laurell K Hamilton - Anita Blake series
Charles Ingrid - Sand Wars series

Star Wars (all series)
Doc Savage (all series)
Harry Potter

These are a few of my favorite things....

[ January 02, 2003, 06:22: Message edited by: desdinova ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Isaac Asimov - Foundation Series, Robot Series, etc.
David Eddings - Elenium Trilogy, Tamuli Trilogy, Belgariad Series, Malloreon Series, etc.
Douglas Adams - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Series, Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency, etc.
Terry Brooks - Shannara Series
Piers Anthony - Mode Series, Split Infinity series
Raymond E. Feist - Magician: Apprentice, Magician: Master
Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes, The Lost World
Herbert George Wells - War of the Worlds, Time Machine, etc
Hugh Lofting - Doctor Dolittle

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's quite good, I just finished book 9, (part ten should be released the 10th of january, can't wait..) The only problem is that the story is really slow sometimes, which is not so strange considering the fact that the total series will be 12 or 13 books (of 600-1000 pages each) when finished. It doesn't beat Tolkien, but it's certainly worth reading, especially the first few volumes.

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Haven't read scifi for at least... oooh... 3 or 4 books now. I'm currently in the middle of "stupid white men" by michael moore, which is an interesting view of US politics.

This week I finished "The Beiderbecke tapes" by... someone or other. It's a few years old but a good read.

Thoroughly recommended though (finished it Last week) is "Passion Fruit" by Daniel Pennac. Or indeed anything by Daniel Pennac: Hysterical stuff.

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Hmmm...

Novels I can really remember enjoying:

Damacus Gate--by some guy named Stone
Byzantium--by Stephen Lawhead
At Swim Two Birds--by...whathisname (forgot)
Bagdad Without a Map--Tony Horwitz (not a novel)
Napoleon of Notting Hill--GK Chesterton
Moon is a Harsh Mistress--Heinlein
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabad--only one I've read. Read the whole thing Last night. Not too shabby.
The Stand--Stephen King
All Dorothy Sayers mysteries featuring Lord Peter Wimsey
Infinite Jest--David Foster Wallace (his first novel was also kinda fun)
Foucault's Pendulum--Umberto Eco
Reigen--Arthur Schnitzler (a play)

Dunno...that's a good starting list for me.

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i'm reading "Hacking Exposed Linux" right now as i'm quite busy with learning linux. Maybe not as good as some of the novels listed but a masterpiece in its own genre.

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Heinlein & Asimov are probably my favorite "classic" SF authors.
I like Brin, Eddings and Weber alot as well for "guys who are alive". Some of my Favorites (some still alive --I THINK) not listed: Phillip Jose Farmer, Poul Anderson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. Beam Piper, & Frank Herbert.

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**** guys how could we forget Philip Dick?

My alllllllll-time fave scifi writer...even though I've only read 5 of the 4,000,000 novels he wrote.

Which reminds me, a friend of mine gave me a burned CD of damned near every Heinlein novel ever written...50 something in total...over 6000 pages. I suspect he found it on the newsGroups or IRC, but hell, Heinlein is dead, isn't he. I don't feel bad. That's as far as copywrite goes for me. If his kids or sig. other want more money tell them to either produce a movie or write their own damned books.

"Moochin' war widows..."
Homer Simpson

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Frank Herbert, for one, is NOT still alive - although his son is co-writing new Dune books...

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

how about Lem, for classic sci fi?

right now im reading Daniel Quinn and Douglas Hofstadter, for two non-sci-fi authors. and just got the new War of Honor, so i can read all the old David Weber / HH books on the CD that comes with it.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Unfortunately that's five more than I've read, although I liked both Blade Runner and Minority Report. I really should get around to reading his stuff soon.

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D.A.D.O.E.S. is good. Radio Free Albemuth is better. Man in the High Castle is good too. I didn't enjoy We Can Build You (or whatever the name is. I think there were several novels with the same theme and damn near the same name.)

There was a NYTimes article about Dick back when minority report came out. Said that he would jack himself up on speed and then write for three days straight. Supposedly a really paranoid dude in real life and it shows in his writing.

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Two realtively unknown books that should be mandatory sci-fi reading:

1. Armor -- John Steakley. This book is in the running for my #1 favorite sci-fi novel of all time.

2. The Dragon Never Sleeps -- Glen Cook. Out of print and really hard to find. If you do find it make sure you buy it. Ebay is a good place to look.

Lastly my fav sci-fi reference: The Internet Top 100 SF/Fantasy List

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think you mean "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale".

Military SF I've enjoyed includes Zahn's Conquerors' trilogy, David Drake's "Hammer's Slammers" stories, and Keith Laumer's Bolo stories. Laumer's Retief stories are a lot of fun.

I'm especially fond of time/dimension travel stories. Favorites in that Category are Michael McCollum's _A Greater Infinity_ , Frederick Pohl's _The Coming of the Quantum Cats_, and Poul Anderson's Time Patrol stories.

If you can find a copy, H. Beam Piper's _Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen_ is both military SF and dimension travel. Roland Green & John F. Carr did a pretty good sequel to Kalvan called _Great King's War_.

[ January 02, 2003, 21:41: Message edited by: capnq ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Definately give Jordan a try, but I would recommend George Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series over it, and that's saying a lot! Martin is a master of fantasy, and spins a heck of a good yarn. Just don't go in expecting the same old fare, and if you don't like to read about main characters failing, then avoid his books!

Also, if you have never read Eddings, I would suggest reading the Belgariad. These books were incredible.

David Weber's Honor Harrington series is very good for sci-fi.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

You know, this forum used to have "My favorite books" threads all the time. It occurs to me I haven't seen any for a while. Maybe since PBW got going good. It would really make me feel bad if PBW was taking so much or your free time that you can only read when it's not working. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

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If you like Niven and Zahn you should check out Robert J. Sawyer http://www.sfwriter.com . He's one of those guys like Niven and Zahn who IMO just can't write anything that isn't fantastic.

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gosh, reading books, that's something I haven't done in a long time. You wouldn't know it by size of my book collection (300+ books) Here are some of my all time Favorites..

The 'Myth Advanture' series by Robert Asprin,
The 'Phule's' series by Robert Asprin,
The 'Guargians of the Flame' series by Joel Rosenberg,
The 'Dragonlance' novels,.
The 'Forgotten Realms' novels,
The 'Star of the Guardians' series by Margaret Weis,
The 'Death Gate' novels by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman,
The City and the stars by Issac Isamov,
The 'Rama' series by Arther C. Clarke,
..and all things 'Star Wars',..

That covers about the top 200+- of my collection.

Cheers!

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">YES! I found that one a long time ago, and read it a couple of times. He also wrote the book "Vampires" that was used as the basis for the vampire movie with James Woods. I never watched the movie, but it's probably nowhere near as good as the book.

In that same "vein", I'd recommend the "Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter" series written by Laurell K. Hamilton. Lots of violence & eroticism, plus all manner of beasties running around. She's also started another series in the same setting, but focusing on the world of faery...

Edit: I forgot to mention - one of my former co-workers claimed to have been a friend of Mr. Steakley, and said that most of Steakley's characters were based on his friends...

[ January 03, 2003, 14:42: Message edited by: DirectorTsaarx ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

anyone read Steven Erikson ???

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Hamilton, love her stuff. (sort of an adult Version of Buffy http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )

Best 'sci-fi' novel I've read in ages though would be 'Altered Carbon' by Richard Morgan (his first novel). Absolutely incredible. There is a new Deathstalker Novel out by Green but I have yet to get ahold of it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shoot, now that rang a bell. I totally forgot about that series... was a lot of fun! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

My goodness, if none of you have read The Annals of the Black Company by Glen Cook(first 3 novels in the series), run like mad and sign it out! Absolutely terrific! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

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I recently read the Night's Dawn Trilogy, by Peter F. Hamilton. Wonderful, wonderful books (though the subject matter is somewhat adult in nature at times). The books in the series are, in order:

The Reality Dysfunction
The Neutronium Alchemist
The Naked God

Each book is 1000+ pages in paperback format, and each book is progressively longer than the one before it (which is good, IMO).

Also, there is a book of short stories taking place prior to the events in Night's Dawn, collected in a book called "A Second Chance at Eden". Plus, there's a handy little reference guide to the universe he set it all in, called "The Confederation Handbook". All of the books are available in eBook format, too. So those of you with PDAs can read it anywhere. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

I personally like the eBook style now a lot. Having an entire library on a CD-ROM frees up my shelf space for other things. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

After wading through one of Hardi's more turgid novels (damn, I hate that 19th Century stuff, but I thought I ought to read it since he used to live just up the road from me) I am treating myself to another Iain M Banks book: Against a Dark Background.
Only a few chapters in so far.

Anyone read any of his non (or at least, less) sci-fi stuff published under the name Iain Banks? Walking on Glass was cool. Wierd, but cool.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

I am second to recommend Stanislaw Lem as one of the best sci.fi. writers of all time.

Weber/white - "On Death Ground" and "Shiva Option" are best SEIV game novels http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
Did't like "Crusade" and "Insurection" very much http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

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I like C.J. Cherryh (her Sci-Fi work) very much. Especially her books about the Alliance-Union are great. Her basic assumptions that a stellar empire must be based mainly on space stations because most of the planets are unhabitable (if there are any), that FTL space travel is limited to certain routes (between "warp" points) sound "right" for me. What these assumptions mean for warfare, logictics and the administration of an empire is quite well extrapolated.
Downbelow Station comes with a description how life on large carriers/troop transports could be, what kind of battles could evolve between carrier fleets. Still have these descriptions in my mind when I play SE IV. Well, I have to admit that my preference for carrier fleets is based on books I read 20 years ago. Oh my God, I'm old...

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

How our tastes vary.

My list: Heinlein, Niven, Pournelle, Asimov, Clark, Forward,... These I'll read just about anytime, but I also love time travel/alternate universe storys.

A new guy and a Canadian to boot is my current favorite. James Allen Gardner. AFAIK he has written 5 books, Expendable, Commitment Hour, Vigilant, Hunted and Ascending, all set in the same universe. His premise is that the Universe is run by super advanced being. They are benevolent but don't give away too much tech. They have but one law. No non-sentient may leave its home system. A non-sentient is defined as a being that murders a sentient. Oh, accidents and self defense are okay, but war isn't! If a non-sentient trys to warp out, it will find itself quite dead! In fact entire civilizations have been cut off from the universe because their government has been declared non-sentient. Its a cool premise and makes for some fascinating stories-- Ascending is absolutely hilarious without sacrificing the SF story.

Give him a read, you won't be disappointed.

Kim

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Asimovs Foundation series is an all time high.
But I also like Jack L Chalkers Well of souls series, quite original:
Well World
(Midnight at the Well of Souls. 1977)
(Exiles at the Well of Souls. 1978)
(Quest for the Well of Souls. 1978)
(The Return of Nathan Brazil. 1980)
(Twilight at the Well of Souls. 1980)
Watchers at the Well
(Echoes of the Well of Souls. 1993)
(Shadow of the Well of Souls. 1994)
(Gods of the Well of Souls. 1994)

Also Ursula K LeGuin wrote good SF and Fantasy.

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I may have said this already, but I recommend Zelazny's Lords of Light. And no, it's not a book based on Thundarr the Barbarian(although that would totally rule!!)!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
It is an awesome book that uses technology to mimic the powers ascribed to miracles or divinity in the Indian tradition. The hardest thing about the book, and what makes it most enjoyable to re-read, is that the chapters can alternate between the past and the present. I found that I often mixed up events as they occured in the storyline, and how much more sense they made when put in proper perspective.

That reminds me. In addition to wanting to create a design names list based on types of cheese, I want another one based on Hindu/Eastern deities, demons, heroes/heroines, places and things. Perhaps another list with names for guns would be fun...you'd have your Colt, Magnum, Kalashnikov, etc

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Holy SnotBalls Batman!! You remember Thundar ?!? I used to watch that when I was a kid. The Last season I saw was incredible! It had this story arc about a bunch of women who were transported from our universe and mysteriously given different powers as part of some kind of apocalyptic plot. It ended with a cliffhanger and said to watch for a conclusion next season. I waited all summer in anticipation for it to continue but it just disappeared from the airwaves. Not knowing the completion of that storyline is one of the few actual regrets that I have in my life.

Granted, that is all remembered through my then childish eyes. I managed to pick up a copy of one of the episodes in a bargain bin at blockbuster a few years back. I had forgotten all about that cyborg vilain who had two faces. The animation was laughable and the storyline was an abomination, but I tell myself that it must have gotten better in later seasons.

Anywho... Back to topic...

The Dune series. Tis a masterpiece. Truly a work of art.

The Jesus Incident and its sequels. Also by Frank Herbert. Has nothing to do with Dune but is a great read.

The Necroscope Series by Brian Lumley. About the only man on earth who can speak to the dead and the vampires who killed most of them.

Starship Troopers by Heinlein. If you have seen the movie you havent seen anythin yet. Possibly one of the best books ever written and a good map for how the military should be run (if only boot camp was like that...). Also the first mention of power-armour.

Anything by Clive Barker. This man has one of the richest imaginations I have ever encountered. He has an incredible capacity to evoke disturbing imagery. Although his tendancy to portray aberrant sexuality in most of his books means that I have a hard time recomending anything of his to my grandmother.

The Hiram Key by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas. This is a non-fiction book about two freemasons who try to find the origins of their orders rituals. Their research points finds links going back to the Templars, Christ, and ancient Egypt. Think what you will, but their research is pretty good and it does tie up into a pretty damn solid theory, one that got me thinking. I highly recomend it. There is a sequel called The Second Messiah but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

Hell, I'm 40 now, and have been reading sci-fi for 30 of those years. I can't even remember half of the titles I've read. But in my teens, I used to read mostly of what I called The Masters works: Heinlein, Clarke, Bradbury and of course Asimov. But what got me started reading sci-fi exclusively was when I read War of the Worlds. That book got me so hooked that I've been a sci-fi nut since the age of 10. I was already into astronomy at that age, and I did enjoy the ole 50's sci-fi movies, but it was that book that turned me. I need to read it again some day. I've only read it twice.

When I was 16 or 17, I started reading fantasy. Probably like most people, I started out on Tolkien, but eventually graduated into just about anything, especially once I started playing Dungeons and Dragons. The original 2 Dragonlance trilogies are some of my Favorites books of all time. Also, the trilogy by Tad Williams is damn good, but I can't remember the title of the trilogy.

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A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge is a fascinating look at First Contact, life in space, near light-speed travel.

A Mote in God's Eye and its sequel, The Gripping Hand, by Niven and Pournoulle.

Destiny's Road by Larry Niven

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Gregebowman, I beleive the Tad Williams trilogy was called "The Dragonbone Chair/Throne". Good read.

I started reading early thanks to my mum who taught me to read before pre-school. I remember reading the Hobbit at 5 and then moved onto Lord of the Rings when I was about 8. Must have read that book 30-40 times!!

Read anything Sci fi or fantasy, I love Terry Pratchett and prefer space opera like Honor Harrington.

Dont like the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, like my heroes not to be manic-depressives

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Wow- lots of gret suggestions in here, many of which brings back stuff I forgot that I had read!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The movie disappointed me entirely for lacking this alone.

I like to refer to it as "Beverly Hills Troopers: 90210" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif

The Novel rocked!

Also, I remember how much I liked the first few Dragonlance...

Oh yes and Cheeze, don't make me get Ariel and OOkla all over your butt!!

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Even though I read sci-fi and fantasy almost exclusively, I do read other genres. I'm a big Stephen King fan, and my favorite book of all time is The Stand, which I've read 6 times (3x original Version and 3x revised Version). I generally don't re-read books, since there are so many out there I probably will never get the chance to read. But the books I have read again are Dune, War of the Worlds, The Time machine, The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. There might have a couple of more, but after so many years, it's hard to remember every book I've read.

Other authors I read are Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler and Dean Koontz. I also like Alistair MacLean novels, but he died about the same time as Heinlein (1987 or 1988).

I don't remember Starship Troopers the book too much, but I did love the movie. One movie that shouldn't have been made from a great novel was Battlefield Earth. That was one kick-*** book, no matter what you might think of the author's religion. Too bad one of his followers, Travolta, didn't have the brains to adopt the movie into the greatness it could have been on the screen. Instead, he made what has been called the book of the century into one of the worst piles of doo-doo I've ever had the misfortune to see. Hopefully, someone will do a remake in about 10 years or so and do it right.

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Re Tad williams: Yes, the dragonbone chair was the firs in the "memory sorrow and thorn" series. It was a trilogy, although the third book was split into two for some printings, so it is also a quadrilogy. It's basically a "re-imagining" of the LotR, with all (well, some) of Tolkien's attention to language, mythology and back-history, but with some cool new ideas, some deeper characters and obligatory "underground" chapters to satisfy Williams' fetish for being lost in endless dark tunnels. (Paging Dr Freud)Kinda cute in parts, but then so was the Tolkien stuff.

His newer series, Otherland, is better. That is kind of like fantasy/ quest stuff in a variety of futuristic VR settings. Very enjoyable, a largely believable and well researched vision of the future, although the ending sucks.

His other books that I know of are Tailchaser's song (Standard fantasy quest, but with cats instead of people. Not bad) and Caliban's hour which I haven't read.

Finally, check out www.shadowmarch.com - he's publishing his newest book on the web. You get the first few chapters for free, then have to sign up for the rest. It looks pretty good.

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Good books worth a try (I enjoyed them immensely), but not to everyone’s taste…
S.M Stirling/David Drake: The Forge (The General Series)
David Gerrold: A Matter for Men (The War Against the Chtorr Series)
Douglass Reeman: His Majesty’s U-Boat

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Some series or books I've enjoyed recently are:

The T2 books by S.M. Sterling (if you like the Terminator movies, you'll love these books)

1632 & 1633 by Eric Flint (a modern W. Virginian town is transported back in time to 1632 Europe)

The Lost Regiment series (I keep forgetting the author's name, but it's about a Union regiment that goes through the Bermuda triangle and has to survive on an alien planet with aliens who think humans are finger licking good)

There are others, but I can't think of them right now.

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This is interesting... Check out this rather ambitious project:

http://www.iblist.com/

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

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That Harry Potter thread prompted me to revive this thread. What are your favorite science-fiction and fantasy novels and why?

Warning: this post reflects my personal opinions and tastes only.

I've read the standard fantasy fare when I was younger, Tolkien, Zelazny (Amber), Le Guin (Earthsea), Ann McCaffrey (Pern), Moorcock (Elric of Melnibone, Dorian Hawkmoon), even some of the Weis and Hickman AD&D stuff, which I think is really awful.

These days however, I really can't stand the standard high fantasy stuff, though in moments of weakness that embarass me, I sometimes still feel compelled to buy Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" stuff.

I haven't read many science-fiction novels, though that's what I'm mostly interested in these days in fiction. I'm more of a fan of the short story format. I recommend Asimov magazine to such fans.

One author I really would like to plug is Australian Greg Egan. His stuff just blows me away through the sheer richness of his imagination. This is real hard science-fiction though and not for the faint of heart. Egan's stuff is neither plot driven nor character driven. It's purely idea driven and for me this epitomizes the best of what SF means.

http://gregegan.customer.netspace.net.au/

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Lots of good and great SF authors I like very much in that thread. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Just my 2 cents, Ian Banks and Hamilton deserve a much better place.

Ian Banks because no SE4 fan can miss any of his Culture books.
Hamilton for his Night's Dawn books which set a standard of SF human civilization. Voidhawk : did anyone said "organic manipulation" ?

Then I'll spit against one author : Hubbard. Not for what he believes, which is really not my problem, but for his books which were nowhere near my standards for suspens and surprising story. I mean, How can you like his books after reading Banks and Hamilton ?
Question of taste maybe.

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Banks is an absolute joy to read, and rates as my number one all time sci-fi author (in fact, any genre) so far. I have "Use of Weapons" sitting on my bookshelf at the moment, unread, taunting me. I'm resisting the urge to read it next though, I'm saving it for when I really need it. Does anyone else do this? Save up good books like this? I call them my "emergency books". For example I recently read Hardy's "A Pair of Blue Eyes" and hated it (awful beginning & middle, quite a good ending.) By the time I had drudged through to the finish I was in serious need of some decent reading and had to indulge myself with an emergency book. ("Consider Phlebas", Banks again)

I recently acquired a small sci-fi collection from my Dad, most of it written in the 50s and 60s, and had a few books of my own unread as well. I've also just done a bookswap with a friend of mine, so my "unread" shelf is currently at 30 or more titles which will keep my busy for months.

Anyway, I've just finished 20,000 leagues under the sea which is over a hundred years old but holds it's own against much modern scifi, imho. That's my recommendation of the week.

Right now I'm ploughing through "The Illustrated Man", a collection of Ray Bradbury's short stories. It's OK, but I keep finding myself thinking "Asimov is better."

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I have never read much fantasy other than some Conan books back in my school days. But I read lots of scifi and techno thrillers. Clancy and Cussler are great although I do miss Dirk Pitt in Cusslers later work. The Foundation trilogy is the only book I ever read twice, back to back. I did not enjoy the later Foundation books as much. There is a guy named Turtledove who does scifi/fantasy and alternate history. When he mixes alternate history with scifi, he is great. His invasion of earth by the Race (lizards) was a great series. I would highly recommend him as an undiscovered writer.

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Here's a link to his web site

http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/turtledove.html

The guy looks like he'd fit right in around here http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

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I started reading SF pretty much in the order it was written. I began with Jules Verne as a kid, then moved on to H.G. Wells. From there I was ready to tackle my dad's SF collection, which had quite a bit of Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein and Bradbury, along with other authors. I'd go through a 'Niven phase', then a 'Philip K. Dick phase', and so on. I don't read as much SF these days, but I read a LOT of it as a teenager.
Clarke is my all-time favorite SF author.

My fantasy collection began with Tolkien, which I read at 11. I'd say it spoiled me - for years I couldn't find anything to compare with his work, but finally I found the Dying Earth series by Jack Vance and 'Magician' by Raymon E. Feist.

I also went through a 'Lovecraft phase' a few years back and I recommend anything by him or by Robert Bloch.

I started reading Terry Pratchett (he's in a Category all by himself) in 1988 and haven't stopped since.

My wife is a big Stephen King fan and I've read some of his books. Not one of my favorite authors but he's got great characters and gives me a good window into American culture. His 'On Writing' (nonfiction) is good reading if you intend to become a writer.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

IMHO Hubbard was just too caught up in the whole series thing. A good sci-fi series is one that develops over time, like Foundation which was originally never intended to be more then one book if I remember corectly. The invasion Earth series might have even made a really good trilogy, but forcing ten books out of it from the begining was a huge mistake. There just wasn't that much idea in the idea.

I like Turtledove as well. Guns of the South was a really good story if you are into the alternate history stuff like I am.

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

I have been re-reading CJ Cherryh’s Alliance-Union and Foreigner books this summer - always a joy.

A selection of non-fiction books:
(I am a history of technology enthusiast)

The Japanese Merchant Marine in World War II
Mark P. Parillo

Aircraft of the Second World War: Development of the Warplane, 1939-45
E. R. Hooton, Philip Jarrett (Editor)

Shipping Revolution: The Modern Merchant Ship
ALastair Couper

[ July 15, 2003, 17:49: Message edited by: geckomlis ]

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

How could I have forgotten... I also read the seminal cyberpunk novels : Islands in the Net and Neuromancer. Snow Crash is also quite good (wild, butgood).

Re: OT: Read a book!
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I loved that book. Went so far as to load up 60 rounds of 7.62x39 with black powder to see if an AK would fire them. Couldn't hit much with them, but it fired all 60 without a stoppage. Man what a mess it was to clean when I was done.