Recommended Reading

Post by **FatherJack** » October 30th, 2006, 0:32

I have read a lot since childhood, does it show? I cleaned out the Doctor Who section in the kids library and moved on to the sci-fi section in the grown-up's.

Notable memories were the works of Isaac Asimov, particularly the Robot and Foundation books, Arthur C Clarke, and perhaps most memorably, Julian May's Saga of Pliocene Exile about 22nd-century misfits who travel through a one-way time gate to the Pliocene epoch, only to find proto-humanity enslaved by aliens. Metapsychic powers become evident in some of the travellers.

I stumbled for a while on some complicated and dull works both in sci-fi and fantasy and didn't read much for a while.

At the time Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Voyager were airing I bought and read a lot of Star Trek books, but almost as soon as Enterprise started I lost my interest in the franchise.

After a brief reintroduction of people buying me the Harry Potter and Philip Pullman books as gifts, I received Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy from my Mum for my birthday a few years back.

It's a fantasy-type setting, and I've read everything she's written so far - currently awaiting the third part of a trilogy, as well as searching out similar authors and reading everything of theirs, such as George R R Martin (who has a few forthcoming additions to his Song of Ice and Fire series), Jude Fisher, and I'm currently reading Sarah Zettel's Camelot series after being very impressed by her Isavalta trilogy (wiki is wrong, part 3 is out)

In between I've found time for the first two of Max Barry's books (the Nation States dude) which deal with corporate machinations in the near-future, and also from the intarnet a couple of recommendations from Chris Livingston, who does the Concerned HL comic, of intelligent time-travel stories: Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveller's Wife and Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates. Back in fanstasy territory Patricia A McKillip's The Forgotten Beasts of Eld was an entertaining read and I need to check out what else she's done.

Sheriff Fatman · Post by **Sheriff Fatman** » October 30th, 2006, 2:44

Asimov fans might also enjoy Greg Bear. His Eon series is great reading, not as well realised as Asimov, but very good hard sci-fi nonetheless. Blood Music is a standout for me though, I read this cover to cover in a matter of days, a truly unputdownable book.

Sheriff Fatman · Post by **Sheriff Fatman** » October 30th, 2006, 2:53

spoodie wrote:The Player of Games.

I love that book.

*points at xfire user name*

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 30th, 2006, 13:30

Adoran Wa'alle wrote:I tried getting into Iain M Banks by reading Consider Phlebas...didn't go too well. I also have "Use Of Weapons" as amazon reviewers said that this was one of the best books. Think it's a good starting book, or should I order The Player Of Games?

It's hard to say as I don't remember that much about either but Player is usually cited as the more accessible Bank's novel. There was talk of making a film about Player so it can't be that complicated.

Post by **Joose** » October 30th, 2006, 15:41

spoodie wrote:Why is Iain (M.) Banks regarded as Hard Sci-Fi?

Wikipedia wrote:There is a great deal of disagreement among readers and writers over what exactly constitutes an interest in scientific detail.

However, a more usefull answer would be this: Hard Sci Fi is generally stuff that is more believable, based around stuff that *could* be true. So Ian M Banks is Hard Sci Fi because stuff like hueg space ships, AI's and forcefields are all believable for a considerably higher tech people than us. Star Wars, for example, would not be considered Hard Sci Fi, as the horse is a bit far fetched.

Also, aliens in Hard Sci fi tend to be more than just people with funny ears/noses.

Its not very well defined though, so its all hugely open to debate.

Back to the topic though:

Time Travellers Wife is a fucking excellent read. Brilliantly written, original and gripping. Fair to high chance of making you weep like a little girl by the end though.

Cloud Atlas is quite interesting too. Odd concept, works quite well. Thoughroughly enjoyed it, but, oddly, couldnt tell you why.

Anything by Neil Gaiman is good, but I particuarly enjoyed American Gods. Damn long book, excellently written. He claims in the foreword to have wanted to write a book that kind of ambles about for ages not really going anywhere specific. He has succeded, but wierdly, thats a good thing.

Nickface · Post by **Nickface** » October 30th, 2006, 16:08

Okay, here's where people rag on Nickface for his reading list. I've read and enjoyed the following books:

Harry Potter Series
Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy series
Various Sherlock Holmes Stories
"Angels and Demons" and "The DaVinci Code" both by Dan Brown
"Welcome to the Monkey House" by Kurt Vonnegut

EDIT:
Since I went back and see that everyone is including a lot of the "classics", I'm going to add a few more:
1984 and Animal Farm by Orwell
All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque
The Train Was on Time by Boll
The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger
The Analects by Confucius

and a book that made me hate humanity for about a good month:
Night by Wiesel

and the most important book of them all:
<img width="266" src="http://www.infinitas.com.au/ProductImages/9781400049622.jpg">

I'm currently reading: Starship Troopers by Heinlein

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 30th, 2006, 16:18

Nickface wrote:and the most important book of them all:
<img width="266" src="http://www.infinitas.com.au/ProductImages/9781400049622.jpg">

Yes! May save your life one day. But I dropped my copy in the toilet. :shakefist:

Joose wrote:Its not very well defined though, so its all hugely open to debate.

I see what you're saying but from what I've read I think the categorisation is pointless and unworkable. I'll leave it at that and wont let it both me further.

Stoat · Post by **Stoat** » October 30th, 2006, 16:21

Joose wrote:Anything by Neil Gaiman is good

I've been wondering about trying his stuff after reading his effort with Terry Pratchett in Good Omens.

Post by **Joose** » October 30th, 2006, 16:23

spoodie wrote:I see what you're saying but from what I've read I think the categorisation is pointless and unworkable. I'll leave it at that and wont let it both me further.

this, basically. I prefer the (almost equally argued and almost equally as pointless) term Space Opera for his stuff, anyway

Post by **Dog Pants** » October 30th, 2006, 17:32

Nickface wrote:and the most important book of them all:
<img width="266" src="http://www.infinitas.com.au/ProductImages/9781400049622.jpg">

This is brilliant. If I had a coffee table I'd leave it on top for guests to peruse*.

Okay, I actually have a coffee table. It's guests I don't have.

Duke of Ted · Post by **Duke of Ted** » November 2nd, 2006, 1:11

cashy wrote:Domain- James Herbert.

i never really liked his 'rats' books, but he is the only author who's books i have read more than one of.
The Dark is my personal favorite. Which is also very reminisant of 28 days later (its got fast moving zombie type people) It's one book that i would love to see made into a film.

Woo Elephant Yeah · Post by **Woo Elephant Yeah** » November 2nd, 2006, 11:41

Domain by James Herbert is one of the best books I have ever read.

You don't need to have read the first 2 rat books to understand it either. It's a great "post-apocolypse/zombie/mutant rats" book

If that doesn't sell it to you, nothing will

Mr. Johnson · Post by **Mr. Johnson** » December 19th, 2006, 13:40

Nickface wrote:and the most important book of them all:
<img width="266" src="http://www.infinitas.com.au/ProductImages/9781400049622.jpg">

That is truly a brilliant book. You should definitely read the follow-up "World War Z" which i am reading at the moment, it's an eyewitness report from the zombiewar. Smashing. But then again, the guy who wrote it is the son of Mel Brooks.

Gunslinger42 · Post by **Gunslinger42** » December 19th, 2006, 16:20

James Herbert FTW, though I haven't read Domain.

Woo Elephant Yeah · Post by **Woo Elephant Yeah** » December 19th, 2006, 20:22

Gunslinger42 wrote:James Herbert FTW, though I haven't read Domain.

Do it now! Trust me, this is by far better than the Fog, Rats, and Lair combined.

Post by **FatherJack** » February 12th, 2007, 11:04

Joose wrote:Time Travellers Wife is a fucking excellent read. Brilliantly written, original and gripping. Fair to high chance of making you weep like a little girl by the end though.

Since a couple of us mentioned it, thought it was worth saying that a film has been announced.

Post by **HereComesPete** » March 6th, 2007, 14:02

I scanned these posts and believe i noticed Terry Pratchett mentioned a few times, but nothing in earnest, i love his books, i own and have re-read every single one multiple times, personal favourites are the guards books, i love the way he has evolved the characters from what seemed simplistic people into complex characters, but he doesnt just change them and expect no-one to notice, he does it in the books, supplying circumstances and plots that push them forward, just like real life in fact! close second is death, and then the witches. standouts- guards, guards, jingo, men at arms, reaper man, thief of time, pyramids, lords and ladies and anything with the nac mac feegle in, because minature men in blue paint, constantly pissed and swearing and perpetrating random acts of violence are always good.

Other than that, recently KillaVodka lent me' Conan:the hyborean adventures', or summat like that, all the short stories and the novel, all written by Robert E Howard, all together you tend to spot similies that get used rather too much, but the main reason i read it is my vague interest in the conan mmo, singly each story is good at evoking images of conan, and i find to my surprise i dont automatically use arnie as my mental image of barbarian with 'mighty thews and panther-like grace', which is nice, because its a bit faaabulous...

Also, having a degree in philosophy does push me toward some rather heavy reading, but a simple place to start would be 'sophies world' by Jostein Gaarder if your interested, or if you fancy something thst you can pick up and think, i can see the flaws in that, try a bit of 'meditations on first philosophy' by Rene Descartes, it feels good to start with the father of modern philosophy and then say hang on, theres a flaw! makes me feel big an clever, but metaphysics stretches all the way back to Aristotle, and the questions still cant be answered fully, most people say why bother if thats the case, but i like the fact that not eveything is quick and easy! You want something massively convoluted and flled with long words? (longer than some of the ones in here that is), try immanuel kant's critiques, regarded as some of the most essential reading in modern philosophy.

warning- they make your brain melt, just a little.

/ramble

Post by **Roman Totale** » March 6th, 2007, 15:21

Philosophers

Post by **Dog Pants** » March 6th, 2007, 17:26

Mr. Johnson wrote:
That is truly a brilliant book. You should definitely read the follow-up "World War Z" which i am reading at the moment, it's an eyewitness report from the zombiewar. Smashing. But then again, the guy who wrote it is the son of Mel Brooks.

Just started reading this myself. I'm finding myself looking for excuses to go to the toilet so I can sit and read it.

Post by **Roman Totale** » March 9th, 2007, 12:24

Talking of zombies, I today found out about Marvel Zombies - a short comic in which all of the super heroes from the Marvel Universe are turned into zambahs (I particularly like the picture of Cyclops firing laser beams from his eyes, but with his head tucked under his arm).

Has anyone else ever read these? They rather groovy.