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Author Topic: Books  (Read 4948 times)
Vassago_Umara
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Books
« on: May 19, 2004, 02:54:52 am »

I was just wondering what books you guys would recomend to anyone who loves to read.  I mostly like the fantasy genre but also read authors like Chuck Palahniuk and Hunter S. Thompson.  Robert Jordan is my favorite though.
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Re: Books
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2004, 07:10:08 am »

"Caves Of Mars" a sci-fi book written in the 70's a good Hardcover however it has been out of print for a long time, it was Book one in a trilogy as the book predates me I was never able to read the latter installments I'll search for it later, perhaps I will type it up if I am bored. Anyway here is some info on it, http://www.bookfinder.com/dir/i/The_Caves_of_Mars/0208021906/
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Re: Books
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2004, 07:39:34 am »

If your in the library or bookstore, look for anything by Assimov (or Asimov, depending on spelling D:) Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Verne and HG Wells (or was it Welles?).

Anyway, specifically, get these:

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Verne)
The War Of The Worlds (Wells/Welles)
The Rama Series (Rendevous with Rama, Garden of Rama, etc etc) (Clarke)
The Foundation Series (Asimov/Assimov)
The Robot Series (Asimov/Assimov)
The Pulse of Eternity (David Daud ---> Thats actually a pseudonym)
Nightfall (Asimov/Assimov) (EXCELLENT READ!)
2001 A Space Odyssey (Clarke)
2010 Odyssey Two (Clarke)
3001 The Final Odyssey (Clarke)
The Invisible Man (Welles/Wells)
Around The World In 80 Days (Verne)
Frankenstein (Shelley)
1984 (Orwell)

And of course many many many many others that I dont have time to list.

Frankenstein the book is INFINITELY better then those 50's movies that came out, much more emotion and much much more feeling. Also one of the earliest books to be recognised as a science fiction book, the one that kickstarted the genre.

I have read and loved all of these books, they will serve you well on the Path Of Now And Forever! Wink
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Re: Books
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2004, 08:08:14 am »

I have a few suggestions, but they're pretty mainstream:

Ender's Game. Amazingly good sci-fi book and an easy read. I've heard some of the sequels try to convert you to mormonism or something, though, so watch out for that.

Clan of the Cave Bear. Just the first one though, the rest are stupid romance novels. If I want porn I'll get it in video form, thank you very much.

Dune. I don't know about the sequels but I've heard some of the spoilers for them and it sounds like they get a little stupid as well so just stick to book one.

Shogun, but only if you have some odd fancy for Japan like me.

Anything by Kurt Vonnegut is worth reading if you like batshit insane (yet somehow intelligent) satire.

Most of the movies that win "Best Picture" usually have a good book attached to them, such as Silence of the Lambs, The Godfather, or Lord of the Rings.

Edited: Formatting. Nothing to see here.
« Last Edit: May 20, 2004, 09:12:52 am by Shiver » Logged
Death 999
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Re: Books
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2004, 09:01:48 pm »

My recommendations:

I definitely second Ender's game. The sequels go downhill, but book 2 (Speaker for the Dead) is worth reading.

Dune is excellent. The first two sequels (Dune: messiah and Children of Dune) are good. After that... well, see my writeup on Dune at everything2.com (I am oneiromancer)

I second Shogun.

My new recommendations:

Snow Crash (Stephenson)

Empire Star (Delaney)

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Heinlein)

The Mote in God's Eye (Niven/Pournelle)

and, outside of sci-fi:

Tai-Pan (Clavell?)



In case some girl tries to get you to read Rhapsody, do not do so. It is horrible. Then again, if you like RJ, maybe you'll like it. Certainly some people adore it, but I can't figure out why. On the other hand, maybe if you read the above stuff, you'll raise your standards...
« Last Edit: May 19, 2004, 09:03:01 pm by Death_999 » Logged
Vassago_Umara
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Re: Books
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2004, 05:45:57 am »

Speaking of Dune I read the entire first series, but have recently been reading the books by Frank Herbert's son Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, they are prequels to the first book Dune and their second series is about the Butlerian Jihad (which is the overthrow of machine overlords by humans on Earth in the VERY distant future) and these books are incredibly well written, sticking true to Frank Herbert's style.

Thanks for some of the suggestions though I have read many of them (lots of Isaac Asimov, a little Clark, 1984, Animal Farm, Brave New World, had to read Frankenstein in high school wasn't a fan) but I have never read Ender's game.  Should check that one out.

Also Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is some of the most intense descriptive writing out there...if only it didn't take him so long to write a book.
« Last Edit: May 20, 2004, 05:46:47 am by Vassago_Umara » Logged

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Re: Books
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2004, 06:56:36 am »

Long to write a book?   Shocked  He cranks a 1000 page novel out at almost  two every three years!

Try the Deathgate Cycle by Weiss & Hickman (the first four are good, the last three merely okay).

Also the Riftwar Saga, which starts with Magician: Apprentice (Keliwan side is better; Daughter of the Empire, Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire).

I've always got to mention Flying Dutch, which is british humor similar to Douglas Adams, but involves the Captain of the Flying Dutchman.

Oh yes, don't forget Star Control: Interbellum (just kidding. check it out from the library, don't buy it; the person who wrote this book shouldn't ever get royalties from sales).
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Re: Books
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2004, 09:30:37 am »

The Streets of Rage novel should go right next to it to DON'T read it, if interested it's at http://www.classicgaming.com/soronline/files/sornovel.zip. Don't say I didn't warn you let me know if blood shoots from your eyes. If this thing was made into a movie it probably would become a porno(there are no pictures relax). It's a total outRAGE, and again DON't READ IT.

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Re: Books
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2004, 02:04:59 pm »

Quote

Ender's Game. Amazingly good sci-fi book and an easy read. I've heard some of the sequels try to convert you to mormonism or something, though, so watch out for that.
I believe the author mentions in the afterward for one of the sequels that he is Mormon, but I don't recall seeing anything trying to convert you or anything.
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Re: Books
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2004, 09:46:55 pm »

Well, the later books do involve religion, but not Mormonism.

As for the Deathgate books, I found them iffy.

RJ may have a lot of descriptions, but he has no conception of how to manage characters. His stable of characters is HUGE, I can't keep track of them all. This from a guy who finds the stable of characters in War and Peace acceptable.
The battle at the event in which they cleansed the taint, that was just stupid. Really, it was. If any of the forsaken had been competent enough to do half of what they had done so far, they should have wiped the floor with them. Why are there no dreadlords for backup, as a counter to the Asha'man and Aes Sedai? If the Asha'man really are being prepared for darklord-dom, then why weren't they pulled out and used now?

etc. etc.

Basically, he's spinning things out just to keep them spinning out. I can't take it anymore. If there is a last book, I might read a quick synopsis of what goes in between, and see how it ends. But it's low on my priorities list, assuming it ever happens.
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Re: Books
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2004, 11:00:19 am »


Read books by Gene Wolfe, and you will never read shitty Jordan or Clarke again. Assuming you're smart enough.

I recommend the Ender's nonsense to your kids. Even if you don't have any. They're fine reading for a sixth grader.
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Re: Books
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2004, 11:02:48 am »

I've heard the Alternate History Series by Harry Turtledove are quite good. Basicly it explores scenarios like what if the Nazis won the war and what effects that it might have on today.
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Ivan Ivanov
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Re: Books
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2004, 02:03:40 pm »

Quote

Read books by Gene Wolfe, and you will never read shitty Jordan or Clarke again. Assuming you're smart enough.


Agreed. I've read The Shadow Of The Torturer, but sadly I cant find any of the sequels...
I don't know about Jordan nor Clarke, but I can surely recomend Wolfe.
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