Looking for a new book to read by amygdala

OTHER SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

Looking for a new book to read

POSTED BY: AMYGDALA
UPDATED: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 18:52
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VIEWED: 21983
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Monday, August 1, 2005 5:19 PM

Asking for some help here, people. It's been such a long time since I've read an SF/fantasy novel and been so enthralled that I felt bereft when it was over..

To give you an idea of my tastes, or for people looking for a book to enthral them, here's a list of what in my opinion are absolute classics:

Ursula Le Guin: Anything by this woman, but particularly the Earthsea series. Her simple, elegant style has produced the best writing I have ever read bar no one. The series just gets better with each new novel. Also deserving honorable mention: The Lathe of Heaven.

Only Forward, Michael Marshall Smith : Original, quirky plot, cool characters, just so damn funny, yet also at times sad and lyrically beautiful. This guy writes like nobody else, and I even found myself reading his mainstream series 'The Straw Men' with the godawful plot written under the name Michael Marshall just for the moments he made me laugh out loud or took my breath away.

The Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon: A portrayal of autism in the near future when behavioural interventions allow people with autism to function in society. Well-written, insightful, funny, and most importantly leaves us wondering who really has the problem.

Philip K. Dick: Prolific writer from the 1950s-80s. Hugely original plots possibly inspired by lots and lots of drugs. There are hits and misses, but some big hits include Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, A Scanner Darkly and The Man in the High Castle.

Sheri S. Tepper: Sci-fi/fantasy with a serious ecological bent. Another woman who can write beautifully, the only down side being that at the end of each novel I spend time feeling like crap after being reminded that we're killing the planet. Also interesting in her penchant for human/alien romance.

Song of Ice and Fire series, George R. R. Martin : I know, I know. I hate the guys who crank out needlessly drawn-out fantasy series, but I'm just hooked. Writes well, hasn't lost momentum with each novel (unlike some others I won't mention like jordan, whoops), and the characters are far from cardboard. His first novel 'Dying of the Light' also worth a look.

Sorry, I do go on. Have also read and enjoyed Orson Scott Card's Enders Game and Alvin series, Asimov's Robot and Foundation stuff, early Dune, early Eddings, early Feist. Given up on Jordan - sick of paragraphs and paragraphs of costume description and women sniffing.

Any recommendations?

----
"She was all naked and ... articulate."

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Monday, August 1, 2005 6:00 PM

FREMDFIRMA

David Drake

With the Lightnings.
Lt. Leary, commanding.

Drake is kinda hit or miss, but those two are straight bullseye.

Mickey Zucker Reichart
Last of the Renshai
The Western Wizard
Child of Thunder

If you liked Martin, you'd like this trilogy a lot better, I revere Colby, in fact.

-F

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Monday, August 1, 2005 11:32 PM

GROUNDED

Stephen Baxter

Time
Space
Origin

Less as something based on your likes, more as my default sci-fi recommendation ;)

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 12:27 AM

MOUSIE

Lois McMaster Bujold

Young Miles (SF)
The Curse of Chalion (Fantasy)

She's won bunches of Hugos and Nebulas. =)

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 3:53 AM

EMMA

Fevre Dream by GRRMartin is great (especially if you like his writing style). It is a vampire novel - uber!

Also, if you like childrens novels (what I mostly read to be honest - usually much more imaginiative) try out the following:

Northern Lights trilogy by Philip Pulman

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

The Abhorsen series by Garth Nix

The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper

Also, even if you don't like comics may I suggest the Sandman by Neil Gaiman? They are incredible and many non-comic fans I know love them too.

extremely dimensionally transcendental

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 5:39 AM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
Any recommendations?

My current favorite fantasy books are:

Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden Chronicles are a real hoot (Mike Hammer meets LotR set in modern day Chicago), start with Storm Front; they are funny and kind of violent.

Terry Pratchett has written more books than you can shake a stick at, not violent...but still funny and with some Sci-fi elements in it...sort of, I would recommend starting with The Color of Magic

Join my crew: Fairfield Fireflies
http://browncoats.serenitymovie.com/serenity/index.html?fuseaction=gro
ups.main&searchby=F

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 5:46 AM

CALLMESERENITY

Sorrow, Memory and Thorn, Tad Williams

Serenity, First Officer of Destiny

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 7:18 AM

RELFEXIVE

Altered Carbon, Broken Angels and Woken Furies by Richard Morgan.

Cryptonomican by Neal Stephenson. Also, Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System Of The World by same.

Anything by Iain M Banks.

Anything by Peter F Hamilton.

"My God - you're like a trained ape. Without the training."

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 7:29 AM

WILLOWY

"Journey" by Marta Randall

Fantastic, sweeping generational family saga set in the future. Extreme emotional highs and lows, and an unforgettable and well-told story. The science is kind of taken for granted here, but you don't care because the human stories are so well wrought.

It's out of print so you have to order it...Amazon has it really cheap in paperback.

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 7:59 AM

MILORADELL

I'm currently reading Shadowfall by James Clemens - aboslutely loving this! It's fantasy, with some truly unqiue sci-fi-ish bits in it.

Two series by CJ Cherryh - Faded Sun trilogy and the Foreigner series (6 books so far). I've read both so many times through I've lost count.

The Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey - about a religious prostitute who happens to be a masochist. Waaaaay better than it sounds! The last book is so brutal I don't know if I'll ever be able to re-read it. Her Sundering series is intriguing as well - think Tolkein, only from the other side. The second book comes out this month some time. Yay!!!

Mark Anthony's Last Rune books are so frigging good! I know more than one person my husband's managed to hook on this series. Actually - funny little story: he was reading the first book of this series on our honeymoon - and that's all he wanted to do! They are that good.

@@edit@@
Anything by CS Friedman.

****
“The cookies are not for you.” Beltan in Mark Anthony’s First Stone

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 8:26 AM

COLDFUSION

The Rama Series ("Rendezvous with Rama", "Rama II", "Garden of Rama", and "Rama Revealed") by Arthur C. Clarke. Best Sci-Fi Ever.

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 8:37 AM

CAPNERIC

Decisions, Decisions...

Right, I've just picked up "The Algebraist" by Iain Banks.

Otherwise, if you like P.K. Dick try any of the cyberpunk genre from William Gibson or Bruce Sterling. They all twist you around, you never know if there's a silicon character involved or not.

Also, "The Difference Engine" a collaboration by both of them about an alternate reality with 19th century steam-driven mechanical computers. A really outstanding story worth a couple of reads.

And now for something completely different -

"The Etched City" by K.J. Bishop. Very Surrealistic not-quite-fantasy that's worth SEVERAL reads.

Stay shiny !!

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 10:13 AM

CAPTAINCDC

How about The Sword Of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. The first book, Wizards First Rule, is a great read (I loved them all, and it still has two books remaining).

---------------------------------------

The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason!

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 11:30 AM

BECSTHEBEAST

i really rate ursula leguin and pk dick - so just on those grounds the two series that really grabbed me recently
- as emma said dark materials - a good bedtime book keeps you hooked but not too taxing

China Mieville's Triology - Perdido Street Station, The Scar and Iron Council - dark, brooding and full of good monsters - have to say it got me back into sci-fi after a good few years absence

smile pretty and watch your back

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 1:54 PM

REGINAROADIE

I'm glas someone gave props to Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, although I think here in Canada, it's not called the Norhtern Lights (is that an American thing) trilogy, but the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy (which still consists of THE GOLDEN COMPASS, THE SUBTLE KNIFE and THE AMBER SPYGLASS).

One sci-fi book I read two summers ago that I really dug was UP THE LINE by Robert Silverberg. It's about a guy who becomes like a time traveling tour guide, and the whole book deals a lot with time travel, paradoxes and such. And it's such a complex book that you don't have to worry about anyone trying to turn it into a movie, because it's basically unadaptable.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And wow! Hey! What's this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like ... ow ... ound ... round ... ground! That's it! That's a good name - ground! I wonder if it will be friends with me?

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 2:56 PM

SOUPCATCHER

I'm more of a sci-fi rather than fantasy reader so these recs reflect that.

I'd second (along with Fremdfirma) the David Drake, With the Lightnings, rec. Another Drake series (along with Eric Flint) is the Belisarius series. Manipulation from the future pits a Byzantine/Ethiopian alliance against Malwa India. The first book is An Oblique Approach.

My favorie Elizabeth Moon book so far is Trading in Danger.

The Rama series (as ColdFusion noted) is excellent as well. The latter books didn't do as much for me but the first book, Rendezvous with Rama, is classic.

If you like parallel universe/time travel type stuff (along the lines of whole towns getting transported like in S. M. Stirling's Islands in the Sea of Time series) then I'd recommend Eric Flint's 1632. Small West Virginia mining town transported to 30 Years War Germany. Union miners beating some sense into European nobles and trying to recreate American Democracy in the middle of hellacious religious conflict.

For more humerous light sci-fi I've enjoyed the Phule's Company series of books by Robert Asprin.

Not sure if your tastes run to epic universe wide interspecies fight for survival type fare but, if so, you might enjoy two books by David Weber, In Death Ground and The Shiva Option. They're the second and third volumes of a larger four part series but can be read on their own.

If you find you like Weber's style there's always Honor Harrington. Plenty of books in that series to keep you occupied (In Enemy Hands and Echoes of Honor are pretty high on my yearly re-reading list). It's one of my favorite series and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment later this year.

Baen's also been re-releasing a number of short story collections from classic sci-fi authors. The James Schmitz series is pretty good. Probably my favorite so far has been Murray Leinster's Med Ship which is funny because I absolutely hated Planets of Adventure. The book collects all of Leinster's stories concerning the adventures of the galaxy wide Med Service as they travel from planet to planet combatting disease and those criminals who would profit from an epidemic.

* editted to add: I totally forgot to mention that Baen books has a really cool free library section where you can download some of the older books gratis. I'll just throw in links to free books for some of the authors I've mentioned. (The free library index of authors is here: http://www.baen.com/library/ ). And they also have the first handful of chapters of all their books available to browse online (usually months before release).

David Drake books (including With the Lightnings and An Oblique Approach): http://www.baen.com/library/ddrake.htm

Eric Flint books (including 1632): http://www.baen.com/library/eflint.htm

David Weber books (including On Basilisk Station, the first Honor Harrington book): http://www.baen.com/library/dweber.htm

Murray Leinster books (including Med Ship): http://www.baen.com/library/mleinster.htm

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 3:03 PM

SHAKESPEARE

Alfred Bester's Demolished Man

Richard Matheson's I am Legend

You can't go wrong with either of these books!

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 11:47 PM

AMYGDALA

Wow. Good response. Thanks, I love you guys.

Off to start reading. See you in a few months

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

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Wednesday, August 3, 2005 12:00 AM

POG

If you're really looking for something to read, try the wrapper of a creme egg like this one, very interesting if you ask me! This comes to you courtesy of serenity squared initiation challenges.

Pog

We may experience some slight turbulence and then explode...

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Wednesday, August 3, 2005 12:15 AM

FIREFLYWILDCARD1

If you like George R. R. Martin, you might like:

The Book of Words trilogy by J. V. Jones.

Many people on Amazon seem to like both Jones and Martin. Jones has a newer trilogy out (except for the last book which might come out this December) called The Sword of Shadows. However, it goes into the minute details of things (almost like The Lord of the Rings, except shorter).

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Wednesday, August 3, 2005 12:19 AM

CALHOUN

Quote:
SoupCatcher wrote:
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 14:56

If you find you like Weber's style there's always Honor Harrington. Plenty of books in that series to keep you occupied (In Enemy Hands and Echoes of Honor are pretty high on my yearly re-reading list). It's one of my favorite series and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment later this year.

Davib Webber's Honor Harrington series is one of the best series of books i've ever read!
Tell me those books wouldnt translate into an awesome TV series or movies!

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Wednesday, August 3, 2005 3:15 AM

CALLMESERENITY

Pog, I agree wholeheartly! There's nothing better than reading the label of a new, fresh, Cadbury Creme Egg! Except, maybe, eating the egg afterwards. Nummers!

Serenity, First Officer of Destiny

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Wednesday, August 3, 2005 3:22 AM

EMMA

I come here to read about books and I get Creme Eggs instead. I obviously need to go back home (to S2 that is).

PS Apologies for calling His Dark MAterials the Nothern Lights trilogy, I always forget to call it by its proper name. The first book in the UK is called Northern Lights you see. Also, Becs, many people I know found them incredibly taxing indeed, the number of times I had to explain the concept of original sin and such like *sigh*

extremely dimensionally transcendental

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Thursday, August 4, 2005 1:22 PM

PERFESSERGEE

No one has mentioned Dan Simmons yet. His Hyperion Cantos series (4 books: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion) is amazing. Great characters, long historical sweep, conspiracies, subplots. It has it all.

Stephen Stirling's Drakas series is also great.

(and so are all the suggestions on this thread that I'm familiar with!)

perfessergee

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Friday, August 5, 2005 5:36 AM

LETOV

I will strongly second (or is it third or fourth at this point) Arthur C Clark's Rama books.
( http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Arthur_C_Clarke.htm)

I would also strongly recommend Greg Bear's EON, Eternity, and Legacy. ( http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Greg_Bear.htm)

But in recent years my absolute favorite series of books has been David Brin's Uplift stories. They develop a really interesting and complicated story of the development of intelligent star-faring life in the galaxy. Really neat stuff.
( http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/David_Brin.htm)

Also, whenever looking up Sci-Fi stories and authors I recommend http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk. Its a great site that has fantastic bibliographies of authors as well as listing their books grouped together into series etc.

Edited: to add links to the authors I mentioned and to mention that I'm now realizing this is starting to look like an ad for fantasticfiction... Its not, just love perusing that site...

- Leto_V

"Well, my days of not taking you
seriously are certainly coming to
a middle." - Mal

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Friday, August 5, 2005 7:09 AM

RIVERNOT

Wow. I'd no idea that Firefly was just one of the things we had in common in this group. Reading through the list of books had me nodding my head and thinking, "yeah, that's a good one," over and over. I could go through my book case and find half of those listed.

A few not listed:

Sci-fi:
Vernor Vinge, "A Fire Upon the Deep."

Mary Doria Russell, "The Sparrow." NOT a light read, and not for everyone.

I'm a big Larry Nivin fan and "Protector" was the second sci-fi book I ever read (at age 13). Can't remember if it was good literature, but it sure got me headed in the right direction, reader wise.

Fantasy:
Dennis L. McKiernan, "Dragondoom."

Glen Cook, "The Black Company" series and "Garrett, P.I." series.

Melanie Rawn, anything.

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Friday, August 5, 2005 8:22 AM

PERFESSERGEE

Quote:
Originally posted by RiverNot:

Sci-fi:
Vernor Vinge, "A Fire Upon the Deep."

Ah, I'd forgotten Vernor Vinge. His output hasn't been large, but it's great. The companion to this is "A Deepness in the Sky", and it's also very good. I wish he'd write more!

(and a strong second for David Brin's Uplift series)

perfessergee

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Friday, August 5, 2005 9:44 AM

RIVERNOT

Quote:
Originally posted by perfessergee:
Quote:
Originally posted by RiverNot:

Sci-fi:
Vernor Vinge, "A Fire Upon the Deep."

Ah, I'd forgotten Vernor Vinge. His output hasn't been large, but it's great. The companion to this is "A Deepness in the Sky", and it's also very good. I wish he'd write more!

(and a strong second for David Brin's Uplift series)

perfessergee

Oooh, I didn't know about "A Deepness in the Sky" (haven't done much reading for ME since I had kids). That bumps up to the top of the "must read" list for me. Thanks.

I think David Brin's Uplift series is in my "reread" stack on my bookcase, but I'd forgotten about it. Oh, my. Which to read, which to read.

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Friday, August 5, 2005 10:59 AM

RAYSTON

Id just like to add another vote for George R.R Martin. Easily the best fantasy series I have ever read, that includes tolkien (and I love tolkien).

Thanx

Rayston

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Friday, August 5, 2005 2:15 PM

RIVERNOT

Quote:
Originally posted by SoupCatcher:

* editted to add: I totally forgot to mention that Baen books has a really cool free library section where you can download some of the older books gratis. I'll just throw in links to free books for some of the authors I've mentioned. (The free library index of authors is here: http://www.baen.com/library/ ). And they also have the first handful of chapters of all their books available to browse online (usually months before release).

Thanks for posting this. My biggest problem on trying a new author is...trying a new author. Being able to read a bit of a novel before buying it is nice.

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "Fallen Angel" is in the Baen free library, another good book.

And, thanks to the individual that "voted" for the Hyperion series. Another good one I'd forgotten. I'm going to be a busy reader when the kids head back to school.

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Friday, August 5, 2005 5:40 PM

GILES

Hi Folks

My first post here. I just came back from the bookstore having that exact problem, looking at miles and miles of fantasy and sf but not daring to buy any for fear it would be crap. To intensify the problem I must admit I am growing pickier every year. So I had to respond to this thread

I will take a chance on some of your recommendations, and although I know Amygdala is probably overloaded with recommendations by now here is my five cents worth:

My personal sci fi favourites are firstly William Gibson, especially the Neuromancer trilogy: Neuromancer, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive. Very engaging characters and totally convincing world, plus a girl in Neuromancer gets killed over 2 MBs of stolen RAM (ahh, the 80s)

Second Kim Stanley Robinson: Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars. Believable science and again interesting characters. Focuses a lot on politics, though; so if thats not your thing, stay away from these.

As for fantasy I am a very big fan of the Earthsea books as well. I also liked Song of Ice and Fire.

If you like Elizabeth Moon you should definately pick up "The Deed of Paksenarrion". Very nice and very low fantasy for much of it (low fantasy is a buzzword of mine)

Also Mary Stewart's Merlin books: "The Crystal Cave", "The Hollow Hills" and "The Last Enchantment"; this is my favourite interpretation of the Arthurian legends and are also very low fantasy. They are almost historical novels with just a hint of magic (and usually get placed among the "real" books in bookstores, away from the fantasy section, but don't hold it against them).

For anyone who likes Neil Gaimans "Sandman" graphic novels please, please, read also his novels: "Stardust" and "Neverwhere"

Stephen Kings "Dark Tower" books sort of vary in quality but are very good when they are good, so worth reading in my opinion (although I haven't read the three last volumes yet).

And I also liked Robin Hobbs Assassin Trilogy, Liveship trilogy and Fool trilogy, although certain of these books have a little too much teleportation for my personal taste.

Ooh, and by the way the first couple of Dune books are also absolutely brilliant, just a pity the way the series loses in quality along the way

Aegidius Agricola de Hammo

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Saturday, August 6, 2005 10:16 AM

RIVERNOT

Quote:
Originally posted by Giles:

Ooh, and by the way the first couple of Dune books are also absolutely brilliant, just a pity the way the series loses in quality along the way

That happens to authors who get to big for an editor. I don't know if this is what happend to Herbert and the Dune series, but it is what happened to Heinlein.

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Saturday, August 6, 2005 5:20 PM

THIEFJEHAT

I saw the title to the thread and right away I was going to plug The Song of Ice and Fire series....that is until I saw you mentioned it already.

Not to worry, George R. R. Martin has stated that the latest installment is now complete and will release on October 17 2005.

Regarding your Robert Jordan comment: When I first layed eyes on his 1st novel I was an 8th grader. I am now almost 30. And as I understand it, he is no closer to a stopping point than he was at book 1. I read up to the 7th then finally tired of his writing style.

To anyone reading this post who has no idea what the song of ice and fire is: Go to your nearest bookstore and purchase a copy of "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R.Martin. You'll be glad you did.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Saturday, August 6, 2005 6:10 PM

WICKEDLESTER

American Gods By Niel Gaimen(If i spelled that right)
crazy book! It revolves around gods. LIke since we all watch the t.v and give it attention and sometimes dominance over our lives, there is a god for televison.(who is, for some reason, lucielle ball from i love lucy.) that's only part of the story, check it out !

---------------------------------------
Got a smoke?

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Saturday, August 6, 2005 9:38 PM

AUROTER

Quote:

Cryptonomican by Neal Stephenson. Also, Quicksilver, The Confusion and The System Of The World by same.

don't leave out Snow Crash by Stephenson as well. It is both hilarious and informative in a way that cannot be adequately described in less than thousands of words. He is brilliant. I highly recommend.

______________________________
you can't take the sky from me

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Sunday, August 7, 2005 12:49 AM

THEDUKE

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

is amazing if you like your science fantasy twisted and a little pointless, it's also about the end of the world and balances upon a child, who is geniusly funny, and two angels, one of which is fallen, and the four bikers of the apocolypse, in fact writing about it, i may reread it, its been a couple of years now. Read this anyhow, it's fantastic!

Falling Sideways by Tom Holt is cloning confusion at its best, really amusing.

Snow White and the Seven Samuri by Tom Holt again, this is a little geeky, it's a nursery rhyme parody type book that relies on knowledge of computers, it's pretty good tho, again, complexish story lines, for fantasy anyway.

Currently reading The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston, which is real Sci-fi. It's about a war between a race with wings and an insect race, and there are immortals and there's sex and drugs and all sorts of other things. So far, it's pretty good, and it's got amazing reviews from sources whose opinions i usually trust.

However, this is not my area of expertese. So, take my suggestions with a pinch of salt!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We achieved the impossible, and that makes us mighty
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Monday, August 8, 2005 1:08 AM

AMYGDALA

How very absolutely completely cool

. I won't have to buy a random luckydip-type scifi/fantasy for years and years and years.

Now, just to go completely against thread topic (sorry, have to share - you know how it is). For those who might find the lines of their current novel beginning to blur, just saw a fantastic dvd this weekend:

Independent Canadian film called 'My life without me'. About a 23 year old who learns she's dying. This movie completely defies self-pity, stereotype, and the Hollywood tendency to moralise and/or tie up the bits all neatly with string. Despite (or perhaps because of) this it still manages to be the most affecting movie I've seen for a very long time.

(But for any guys reading this, have to admit it could be a little bit girlie)

Forgive the deviation. Thank you all so much for your suggestions

.

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

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Monday, August 8, 2005 6:20 AM

BAYBREEZE1

Had to chime in. Stephen R. Donaldson's series, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, was one of the first I ever read, and one of the best IMO. And imagine how happy I was to see that it has started up again, whith a new book this year - wow, after all this time.

Also, I love the Terry Brooks Word & Void books, as well as the Landover series.

Terry Goodkind and early David Eddings as mentioned before are GREAT!!

And of course, for me, the Dark Tower Series by Stephen King is the best of best.

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Monday, August 8, 2005 6:31 AM

KNIBBLET

I'm reiterating those who recommend the Honor Harrington series. I love those books and read them about once a year.

Can't go wrong with the Admiral.

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/MN-Firefly/

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Monday, August 8, 2005 7:09 AM

KNIBBLET

Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series.

I'm sure that most of the women here (speak up Channain) would recommend these. I've convinced my husband to read them when he gets back into town later this month.

Okay, this could be considered a historic romance, but there is a science fiction aspect as the female lead, Clair, is a WWII Royal Army nurse who falls through a circle of standing stones into Scotland of the 1700s.

These are fabulous stories that make you ask:
"Can we change history"
"If we do change something, what is the result"
"Did we make what we hoped to prevent actually happen because of our meddling"

Wonderful books and a wonderful story full of politics, war, wilderness, love and sex.

http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/MN-Firefly/

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Monday, August 8, 2005 10:20 AM

the movie is not the Series. Only the facts have been changed, to irritate the innocent; the names of the actors and characters remain the same

Quote:
Originally posted by Giles:
Mary Stewart's Merlin books: "The Crystal Cave", "The Hollow Hills" and "The Last Enchantment"; this is my favourite interpretation of the Arthurian legends

This is the third thread to mention Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. Thing that amazes me is that all the folks who mention it rank it highly, yet none seem to know she had (twenty years ago) written a fourth book, "the Wicked Day", about Arthur & Mordred. Giles, go get the fourth book, and use it as an excuse to read the first three again. The rest of you, this is fabulous stuff.

Keep the Shiny Side Up . . . (wutzon) James Brown, "Try Me", 45

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Tuesday, August 9, 2005 11:11 AM

FNORDCHAN

Mousie wrote:

Quote:
Lois McMaster Bujold
Young Miles (SF)

I'd like to second the plug for Lois Bujold, particularly her series writing starring Miles Naismith Vorkosigan: secret agent, nobleman, space pirate, Imperial Auditor, and perhaps more than a little bit crazy. Start with The Warrior's Apprentice if your library has it or the omnibus Young Miles if you decide to look at your local bookstore; the latter has truly god-awful cover art but, trust me, it's one helluva ride. For a sample of Bujold's writing, read "The Mountains of Mourning", a short story set early in Miles's storied career:

http://www.baen.com/library/1011250002/1011250002.htm

It's low key compared to his later adventures, but is still a fine read and offers insight into what makes Miles such a great character.

The Vorkosigan books have a lot to appeal to Firefly fans: a future setting without aliens, with low tech brushing shoulders with the fancy new stuff the rich planets get, quirky crews raising hell in battered old starships, and wonderful, wonderful characterization. I should also mention that they're addictive as all hell, and once you get hooked you can look forward to tearing the rest of the series in short order. I realize that there are enough books listed in this thread to choke a horse, but give Young Miles a go.

FnordChan, who also adores Vernor Vinge

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

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Tuesday, August 9, 2005 11:21 AM

BECSTHEBEAST

just wanna say thanks to amygdala for starting this thread- its gonna keepme going a long time

smile pretty and watch your back

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Thursday, August 25, 2005 2:05 AM

AMYGDALA

HUGE thanks to the two people who suggested Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series.

Two books down, heaps to go, and absolutely loving it

.

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

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Thursday, August 25, 2005 11:52 AM

FNORDCHAN

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
HUGE thanks to the two people who suggested Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series.

I'm happy to do my part to spread the Bujold love and glad to hear you're digging on 'em!

A quick note on what order to read the books in - it really doesn't matter all that much. Normally I'm a huge advocate of reading in publication order rather than internal chronology, but in this case I don't think it makes much difference either way. That said, you'll want to read some of the later books in chronological sequence - Mirror Dance, Memory, Komarr, and A Civil Campaign - and then after you've gone through the rest of the series to date. Which ain't to say someone couldn't just grab one of those books and dig on 'em, but you'll get more out of it if you've been digging on the characters for a while.

For anyone who is already a Bujold fan and wanting more in a similar vein, check out Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden books, which combine space opera with plenty of mannered romance. They're vastly fluffier than Bujold (and, frankly, not as good) but are tremendous fun and have all sorts of great characters. I'm quite sure Firefly fans would dig on 'em, especially as our heroes spend a lot of time later in the series on the lam from a sinister government conspiracy. And, if you're going to have aliens in yer SF, you may as well have completely awesome turtle-based aliens. Start with Conflict of Honors or Agent of Change and go wild from there. The series was recently reprinted in paperback by Ace and should be readily available. You can find all the details at Lee and Miller's Liaden website: http://www.korval.com/liad.htm

FnordChan

"I do have a cause, though. It's obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

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Wednesday, September 14, 2005 6:30 AM

SFFAZ

IMHO, Stephen R Donaldson's Gap series, five books complete story, is the closest thing in written science fiction to Firefly TV series. It has depraved and underbelly worse or as horrible as the Reavers and doesn't shy from showing it and yet it has heroes and moral icons like Simon or mal willing to sacrifice evrything they value for the the sake of the good of all. Not for everybody's taste if they know Donaldson's Covenant series (fantasy set in the Land) as it has scenes of harrowing disconfort just as in Covenant series. but no other series i've read or even heard rumors of has anything remotely like the reavers or the so far unseen underground of civilisation, and i dont mean theouback worlds. i mean earth cities or the countryside, im sure ther are criminal gangs on earth in the cities and countryside, plus the planet or Medical centre that the crew visited when Simon ran tests on River, right. Anyway the story is good, too. But be warned: the depravity may be rated X for extreme sexual content. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant is good, too. Two previous series in the 70s and 80s and a third series called the Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, 1st book just out. read it, still waiting to decide if it's worth the wait or just a selling-out. Altho just based on the 1st book, i dont think so.

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Wednesday, September 14, 2005 7:23 AM

JESIAHBLACK

Well, since Martin and the phenomenal A Song of Ice and Fire series is already mentioned, i have a few others up my sleeve.

I'm currently reading Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, which i've become quite taken with. From what i understand, it's the first person account of the apprentice torturer Severian, who is both "blessed and cursed with photographic memory".

As far as straight-up sci-fi goes, i like to recommend the Exordium series by Sherwood Smith and Dave Trowbridge. I've heard it described as "A Song of Ice and Fire in space", but i'll leave it to you to decide whether it's true or not.

"Oh, I was born 6-gun in my hand, behind a gun I'll make my final stand."

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Wednesday, September 14, 2005 5:26 PM

TERRYO

As much as I love Miles Vorkosigan and his alter egos, I hope you also read Shards of Honor/Barrayar or the combined reprint Cordelia's Honor. I fell head over heels for Miles' dad first. The books make more sense if you know who Miles is trying to live up to.

Also second Honor Harrington series and the whole Liaden universe - although I wasn't really crazy about the first one which is very fantasy. The second and third featuring Val Con and Miri were great fun.

Terry

Quote:
Originally posted by amygdala:
HUGE thanks to the two people who suggested Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series.

Two books down, heaps to go, and absolutely loving it .

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

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Wednesday, September 14, 2005 5:58 PM

JUKO

Roger Zelazny and Neil Stephenson are a couple that bear checking out. Also, if you have a *lot* of time and patience, anything by Umberto Eco is well worth the trouble to read (you'll need to spend a lot of time reading his books, since they are a bit of a difficult read, but they're some of the most fascinating and compelling books I've come across). That's just off the top of my head, I guess I'll actually have to raid my bookcases.

Does Blue Sun sponser the Blue Man Group?

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Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:12 PM

AMYGDALA

A few things:

- Did read Cordelia's Honour (combination of Shards of Honour and Barrayar) first in the Vorkosigan series. Highly recommend doing things this way - have noticed there are a few people who aren't fans of the pre-Miles books, but I loved them. Wonder if they become a bit dull only in comparison to the frenetic pace of the Miles books if these have been read first? And as mentioned before: Aral Vorkosigan, totally crushable. Still making my way through this series, still loving it, but cursing Amazon for a month's delay which may mean I lose self control and read some of them out of order.

- Note that Harrington series is mentioned a lot in this thread. Read the first one and (she cringes in anticipation of horrified replies) not totally convinced. Anyone else feel this way then get converted later on? I'm really not a pure adventure and space-battley reader - need a large proportion of human interest. Maybe I should just give up?

- Would love feedback from anyone else who's read books on recommendations from this thread. So get reading, people

.

----
"She was naked, and all ... articulate."

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