OT: Read a book!

Taera · #1 July 16th, 2003, 11:16 AM

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.

kalthalior · #2 July 16th, 2003, 02:57 PM

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.

Growltigger · #3 July 16th, 2003, 03:32 PM

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

oleg · #4 July 16th, 2003, 03:42 PM

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

oleg · #5 July 16th, 2003, 03:47 PM

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

!

Erax · #6 July 16th, 2003, 06:07 PM

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.

Loser · #7 July 16th, 2003, 07:32 PM

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.