David Webber -- and more by Niki2

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

David Webber -- and more

POSTED BY: NIKI2
UPDATED: Friday, December 3, 2010 08:07
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VIEWED: 792
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Thursday, December 2, 2010 7:25 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Okay, so it's not a real world event, but it IS about sci fi, so that's fair, yes?

Frem turned me onto "Bolo" some time ago and I fell in love. I passed it on to Jim nad now HE's in love. A good new author is worth its weight in gold, far as we're concerned.

See, for years I was unable to read books because of my bipolar meds. I'd read a paragraph, or a page, over and over and it still wouldn't stick. So I saved books that came out by my favorite authors (or gave them to Jim first 'cuz our taste is similar) in hopes someday I could read again, because I was a voracious reader (not something to crow about, 'cuz mostly just sci fi and Grisham and Connolly and stuff). I've collected just about everything written about Joss and Firefly, and loved those too (especially "searching for" and "found"--they were so impressive to me in that people from all walks of life, even "professionals", wrote for them).

Well, when I tried to read Bolo I discovered I CAN READ AGAIN! Been "eating" books like crazy ever since. Liked Webber, so hunted around for the only other Bolo book he wrote and ate THAT. When I pick up a book, it takes all the willpower I've got to put it down until finished...meaning many 4am bedtimes...

Now, we're going nuts with Webber. He has SO many books out, it's like discovering a treasure trove. And most of them are big, fat books with small print...yummy! One of my favorite authors is Tony Hillerman, but he writes such SHORT books, it's frustrating.

I'm posting because I'm curious about any other authors people might suggest...of the calibre of Webber. I tried Andre Norton many years ago and hated him; on the other hand, Jim is just re-reading the Dragonrider series from McCaffrey, who I've loved for longer than I can remember (until she went another direction, that is).

I just finished the three books in the Safehold series by Webber, and all but cried as I approached the end of the third book, I loved it so much. I like series...when they're good...and that one was especially good. In a good series, you can get to know the characters and watch them develop, etc., and I love that.

So out of curiosity, I go online, 'cuz the end of the third book of the Safeholder series just PROMISES more to come. Damned if I didn't find a fourth, but it's only out in hardcover until next March!!! What a conundrum...I NEVER buy hardcover, not worth it. But...

I hate the $7.99 (or more) price of paperbacks, so buying a HARDCOVER is just beyond my comprehension. There are some used ones on sale for $11, and I want one so bad I can taste it. But I'm SO bloody broke, it'll be a couple of months at best before I can afford it, and right now I'm sick and even tho' I can finally bear to LOOK at the printed word (largely why I wasn't here yesterday; I couldn't), I want it I want it I want it...

I've got other Webbers, and eventually I'll get everything he's written, but this one...I want it NOW! (How American of me...) Here I am, stuck unable to go out, and...well, you guys know how I feel, I have no doubt; if you're a sci fi fan, chances are high you read sci fi...and love it.

Anyway, eventually I will run out of Webber, and I can't afford anything else right now anyway, but if anyone has suggestions, I'd love 'em, will take down the names and look around when I've got some money...if that ever happens again!

And my and Jim's ETERNAL gratitude to Frem for turning us on to Bolo...that was a gif tthat just keeps on giving!

Oh, and don't bother suggesting Heinlen, Aasimov, Herbert, etc., as I've long since collected everything they ever wrote (except from the second Dune book...the rest of the series left me cold). Or Zahn, eaten all HIS too...and I'm not into the sort of fantasy Norton does, tho' obviously since we both loved the Dragonrider series, sometimes I am.

Meanwhile, back to the latest Webber I'm in...

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

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Thursday, December 2, 2010 8:14 AM

FREMDFIRMA

You are most welcome.

If you'd like a work of his that touches on the metaphysical, and the nature of revenge, try Path of the Fury - it's quite good.

Just stay away (far, far away) from any of that Honor Harrington crap, if you ever wanna keep good thoughts of the guy as an author....

And if you've ever in your life yelled "You IDIOTS" at the screen during a horror movie, you certainly wanna read Monster Hunter International.
http://www.webscription.net/p-1024-monster-hunter-international.aspx
(You can read sample chapters here)

I know Larry, and the funny thing about this book was that he just... wrote it, and then discovered the horrific mutual ego-stroke and ass-kiss he'd have to participate in for almost a decade to publish it...
And he said "eff that", and published it himself, and ker-BLOOIE, kinda like Firefly, instant rabid fanbase - then Baen, not being completely stupid when it comes to makin a buck, picked him up and did a mass-market paperback, which rapidly sold out, then a re-issue, which rapidly sold out...

And now Larry is (dum-dum-DUMmmm!) an "Author", hee hee hee....
And the original Selfie-Published is an expensive collectors item.
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Hunter-International-Larry-Correia/dp/07
41444569/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1291313267&sr=8-1

And there's a sequel Monster Hunter Vendetta which is also damn good.

You might also check out some of the non-weber Bolo books - I forget which compendium it's in, but I think you would be much gratified by the story "Little Red Hen".

-Frem

I do not serve the Blind God.

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Thursday, December 2, 2010 8:22 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

You might try Lois McMaster Bujold's "Miles Vorkosigan" series. They're relatively hard SF with pretty good stories.

If you haven't read Gordon Dickson's "Dorsai" books, they're pretty good military SF.

Allen Steele has a series out about the colonization of the planet Coyote that I've enjoyed.

For something different you might try Jim Butchers "Harry Dresden" series about a working wizard in chicago, or the "Codex Alera" for some sword and sorcery on a believable level.

Baen Books is publishing the "Ring of Fire" series by David Weber, Eric Flint, and others on-line. It's about a West Virginia town that's translated to the middle of Germany in the 1630s. Baen has lots of free stuff to read online, including some Lois McMaster Bujold

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Thursday, December 2, 2010 8:27 AM

FREMDFIRMA

Oh, and if you really, REALLLLY need a fix that bad...

The Baen Free Library has some of Webers older work for you, which can be read online, or downloaded onto a laptop or portable device, without all that DRM bullshit.
http://www.baen.com/library/

Yes, I prefer paper books too, but sometimes they're out of print, unavailable, or whatnot, one takes what one can get.

-F

ETA: Yeah, 1632/1633 is good stuff, Geeze - though towards the end of 1633 I started to feel they were just sequel-milking it.

David Drakes Belisarius series is also right damn awesome for alt-history, I own the whole bloody thing.

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Thursday, December 2, 2010 8:35 AM

MALACHITE

Frem said, "And if you've ever in your life yelled "You IDIOTS" at the screen during a horror movie, you certainly wanna read Monster Hunter International.
http://www.webscription.net/p-1024-monster-hunter-international.aspx
(You can read sample chapters here)"

I read this at your recommendation a few months ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Not sure if it will appeal to your average female though...

ETA: I just read up on what Bolo is about, and obviously, Nix is not your average female...

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Thursday, December 2, 2010 8:49 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Naw, Frem, we're enjoying the Honor series, and there are several offshoots the Webber fan at Borders suggested we read before the most recent Honor book. Hee, hee, hee; you find fans of different authors everywhere... It's good fun. Not in the same category as his better ones, I freely grant, but remember we loved (and as I said, Jim is rereading) the Dragon series from McCaffrey...entertainment is half of why we read (well, more than half for me, I'm not into the really heavy, metaphysical sci fi stuff), and it's entertaining. He writes well, whatever he's doing, and draws good characters.

We're not that picky ;o)

THANX for all the good suggestions, guys; I'm writing every one down for future reference. I can afford (especially used) books, and am not into other forms. TV is crap, but it passes the time and there are a few shows I actually like, up in the cable channels (barring Castle...even Chuck is starting to lose me).

The 1632 series has more than two books now, by the way. I'll no doubt get around to that one, too. I'll read everything he wrote; he's a good writer, that's all it takes for me.

I'm not into the sword and sorcery stuff, tho' I'll try anything looking for someone who writes well!

Ahhh, just caught your ETA, Mala (good to see you, by the way, you've been missed). I was going to bristle at that "average female" thing; glad you modified it!

I'm also looking for any more GOOD authors in the vein of Connolly. Not Patterson (too gory for me...I tried the Cross series 'cuz I loved the ones they made into movies, but gave up pretty quick!). MICHAEL Connolly that is, not the other one. Grisham was cool for a while, but he got to repetitive, which is a failing of most series and many authors, unfortunately. I like Webber 'cuz he's all over the place and even his series (what I've read so far) don't get repetitive.

What did you think of Armaggedon Troll (think that's the right title)? I really enjoyed that one!

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

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Thursday, December 2, 2010 9:35 AM

MALACHITE

Quote:
Originally posted by Niki2:
Ahhh, just caught your ETA, Mala (good to see you, by the way, you've been missed). I was going to bristle at that "average female" thing; glad you modified it!

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

Well, Monster Hunter Inc is your classic male quest plot (I won't spoil it for you beyond saying that) with a lot of elements that your sterotypical male might enjoy but your stereotypical female might not... It is kind of like Buffy the Vampire slayer with a male protagonist, if the male were in an anti-establishmentish Initiative-type group. It wasn't perfect, but it was quite enjoyable.

Also, I should have used the word "stereotypical" instead of "average", in my first post, by the way.

Anyways, let us know what you think of it. Also speaking of Monsters and defying stereotypes, take a look at Monster Blood Tattoo and its even better sequel, Lamplighter. It isn't for everyone as it makes up a lot of terms and the writing style takes some getting used to(one of my good friends didn't even finish Lamplighter), but it creates a fascinating world and the plot keeps thickening and twisting. It is also more on the fantasy side and less on the high technology side.

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Friday, December 3, 2010 7:23 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Okay, that leads me to ask: Is there a "stereotypical" type of reading for males or females? I don't think so; Jo read nothing but self-help, biography and history, none of which I enjoy. Jim likes sci fi, mystery and Michener (well, he used to like the latter; got too repetitious). I like sci fi, mystery and "legal" (as in Grisham...until HE got too repetitious).

I don't like books about reality because I read mostly to escape, not to learn. Used to like reality stuff...spent an entire Summer reading the history of Britain and it's royalty (everyone kept having wars and assassinations, that's all you need to know wink:), but that was a long time ago.

So what are "stereotypical" males and females supposed to read?

Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

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Friday, December 3, 2010 8:07 AM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

"So what are "stereotypical" males and females supposed to read?"

Hello,

Words.

;-)

--Anthony

Assured by friends that the signal-to-noise ratio has improved on this forum, I have disabled web filtering.

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