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On June 18 2012 10:23 sc14s wrote:Show nested quote +On June 18 2012 10:13 sam!zdat wrote:
I read the first nine jordan books when I was a kid, looking back on it I'm not sure what possessed me to finish the series (as it was at the time)
I've never heard of those other two.
Game of Thrones, though, is a fascinating ideological text. It's the wish fulfillment of postmodern society. So interesting. Martin probably has no clue what he's doing (though he certainly knows how to construct a plot) It feels to me like you are pretty much the opposite of me when it comes to reading. My reading style gets me completely engrossed in the characters i hardly even think about the philosophy of things in the book usually while i am reading it or even after i have finished it.. i read just to enjoy the reading xD
Yeah. I recommend not majoring in English  It's sort of the books equivalent of "CANNOT UNSEE"
edit: I have to force myself to read, because it's work. How sad is that?
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On June 18 2012 10:26 sam!zdat wrote:Show nested quote +On June 18 2012 10:23 sc14s wrote:On June 18 2012 10:13 sam!zdat wrote:
I read the first nine jordan books when I was a kid, looking back on it I'm not sure what possessed me to finish the series (as it was at the time)
I've never heard of those other two.
Game of Thrones, though, is a fascinating ideological text. It's the wish fulfillment of postmodern society. So interesting. Martin probably has no clue what he's doing (though he certainly knows how to construct a plot) It feels to me like you are pretty much the opposite of me when it comes to reading. My reading style gets me completely engrossed in the characters i hardly even think about the philosophy of things in the book usually while i am reading it or even after i have finished it.. i read just to enjoy the reading xD Yeah. I recommend not majoring in English It's sort of the books equivalent of "CANNOT UNSEE" edit: I have to force myself to read, because it's work. How sad is that?
For me that would be the worst thing in the world. I had thought about an english major as thousands and thousands of hours of reading helps with being pretty good at that sort of stuff but i ended up with computer science as i didn't want to end up hating what i love xD
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Les miserables, catch22 , for whom the bell tolls,
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On June 18 2012 10:37 superbarnie wrote:
Les miserables, catch22 , for whom the bell tolls,
Did you read the title of the thread?
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On June 18 2012 10:41 sam!zdat wrote:Show nested quote +On June 18 2012 10:37 superbarnie wrote:
Les miserables, catch22 , for whom the bell tolls, Did you read the title of the thread?
People should read those regardless of the genre though.
Does anyone know if the Dune books not written by Frank Herbert are as good as the rest of the series?
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quick question: is We by Yvgeny Zamyatin considered sci fi? one of my favorite books. i would reccommend it
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On June 18 2012 10:47 NOobToss wrote:
quick question: is We by Yvgeny Zamyatin considered sci fi?
Sure, why not?
Also, it's far better than its poseur cousin
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The Left Hand of Darkness.
Good God in heaven is that book a blessing to the Earth.
Also, A Scanner Darkly.
And A Clockwork Orange, if you feel like including it in the genre for whatever reason. It does have some speculative elements, similar to 1984.
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On December 27 2008 03:12 Physician wrote:
- stealth what kind of sci fi you like?
hard
soft
military
apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
aliens
alternate history
time travel
space opera
social and psy
cyberpunk
speculative
space western
technological
steampunk
humor
hero/superman type sci fi
- u want books that entertain u immediately or alter worlds that u need time to get into? u want books that make u think or just escape reality etc?
- give me ur personal preferences and I'll give you a list of the very best I read..
could you recommend me space opera/cyberpunk/technological books which make you think?
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On June 18 2012 10:46 MajuGarzett wrote:Show nested quote +On June 18 2012 10:41 sam!zdat wrote:On June 18 2012 10:37 superbarnie wrote:
Les miserables, catch22 , for whom the bell tolls, Did you read the title of the thread? People should read those regardless of the genre though. Does anyone know if the Dune books not written by Frank Herbert are as good as the rest of the series?
It is a different style of writing, I actually prefer the style to frank herbert's.
My ratings Dune: 10/10
rest of the dune series 8/10
The "house" series by his sons 8/10
The "Butlerian Jihad" series 9.5/10
The "sandworms" series (the wrap up of Dune) 9/10
I also love fantasy.
Legend by David Gemmell & many more written by him
Robert Jordans Wheel of time series
Terry Goodkind's Sword of truth. i enjoy but i think he rants a bit too much. 
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Oh man Goodkind is a disgusting little Ayn Rand groupie
edit: sorry if that offends anyone
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How come no one has mentioned Old Man's War by John Scalzi?? John Scalzi is the man. Read the whole trilogy, old mans war, ghost brigades (nothing to do with ghosts btw), and the last colony. Do it.
![[image loading]](http://sffbookreview.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/old-mans-war.jpg)
Im also going to recommend "A fire upon the deep", seriously fucking amazing book. His other book is "A deepness in the sky" which is also very good. Don't miss out on these.
also, thanks for the recommendations! im gonna try out genesis and startide rising ;]
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On June 18 2012 12:04 Kh0rne wrote:Show nested quote +On June 18 2012 10:46 MajuGarzett wrote:On June 18 2012 10:41 sam!zdat wrote:On June 18 2012 10:37 superbarnie wrote:
Les miserables, catch22 , for whom the bell tolls, Did you read the title of the thread? People should read those regardless of the genre though. Does anyone know if the Dune books not written by Frank Herbert are as good as the rest of the series? It is a different style of writing, I actually prefer the style to frank herbert's. My ratings Dune: 10/10 rest of the dune series 8/10 The "house" series by his sons 8/10 The "Butlerian Jihad" series 9.5/10 The "sandworms" series (the wrap up of Dune) 9/10 I also love fantasy. Legend by David Gemmell & many more written by him Robert Jordans Wheel of time series Terry Goodkind's Sword of truth. i enjoy but i think he rants a bit too much.
Thanks
I found almost all of the dune series at a book sale and was hoping it was a good purchase.I also found all of the Foundation series and most of the Hyperion series which are also very good if anyone is looking for something.
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On June 18 2012 12:09 sam!zdat wrote:
Oh man Goodkind is a disgusting little Ayn Rand groupie
edit: sorry if that offends anyone
haha, i hate him as an author, his series started okay then fell into a cesspool of shitty after like the 3rd or 4th book and then the end was more awful than i thought a serious author could ever do. (talking about sword of truth series)
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Just wanted to comment on the Bible as a science fiction book. You just need to view it with the idea of Jesus as an astronaut, God can be the captain of a spaceship in orbit observing, they decide to help/influence human society. The things that are said to happen are not even all that powerful if you start thinking about other sci-fi stories.
In that vein there is a book called
Chariot of the Gods by Erich Von Daniken
It is written in a factual way involving archaeology and is basically a more fleshed out basis for the film Prometheus.
Also I would recommend anything by Iain M Banks. Here is a good overview of the culture, the main society in many of his books.
http://www.vavatch.co.uk/books/banks/cultnote.htm
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Physician
United States4146 Posts
A few suggestions for now, maybe later I will add more, but leaving a few now since someone prodded me out of the woodwork..
Hothouse - Brian Aldiss (a favorite, read it without reading anything else about it).
The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (space opera, you won't forget the aliens, ever).
Half a Life & other stories - Kirill Bulychev (nostalgic stuff, collection of short stories and a short novella, one of them you will never forget).
City of the Chasch, Servants of the Wankh, The Dirdir, The Pnume - Jack Vance (space opera, 4 books, from 1st page till last book fun).
Orphans of the Sky - Robert Heinlein (I never give a list without mentioning Henlein, why this book? It is short, it will stick in your mind; I suspect the script writer of the movie pandorum had this book in his mind).
Slan - A. E. van Vogt (his first novel, ubermensch/mutant theme, written in 1946, but you wouldn't be able to tell by reading the story).
Midworld - Alan Dean Foster (jungle world sci fi, avatar ripped off a few concepts from this book, among many others).
Most books by the above authors are worth reading, just mentioned a few memorable examples.
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John Scalzi - anything really. (Redshirts is hilarious AND thought provoking.)
Heinlein - well, you have to define better what you like. Stranger in a Strange Land is interesting, Starship Troopers is a classic, but my absolute favorite (if perhaps dated) is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
The great dystopias (1984, We, Brave New World) obviously.
Forever War is good, and can be found as an eBook.
Space Operas that make you think - I like anything by Weber for that. Honor Harrington series to include all of the Torch series.
The Aldenata books by Ringo (starting with A Hymn Before Battle)
Poke around the Baen Free Library. Good place to look.
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It's been mentioned n times and it's extremely popular (probably overly so), but in terms of pure entertainment value, I really enjoyed the enderverse. It's really interesting how you have the branching off of the series and the author also explores drastically different ideas/themes among books.
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Hyperion is all you need.
Seriously
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EPT
