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Topic: Books (Read 4653 times)
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Cronos
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Shofixti Scoutmaster
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Re: Books
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2004, 07:39:34 am » |
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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! 
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Shiver
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Re: Books
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2004, 08:08:14 am » |
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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.
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« Last Edit: May 20, 2004, 09:12:52 am by Shiver »
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Death 999
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We did. You did. Yes we can. No.
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Re: Books
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2004, 09:01:48 pm » |
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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...
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« Last Edit: May 19, 2004, 09:03:01 pm by Death_999 »
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Vassago_Umara
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Spathis rule!
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Re: Books
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2004, 05:45:57 am » |
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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.
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« Last Edit: May 20, 2004, 05:46:47 am by Vassago_Umara »
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Time is never wasted, if you are wasted all the time.
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Culture20
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Re: Books
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2004, 06:56:36 am » |
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Long to write a book?  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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Death 999
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We did. You did. Yes we can. No.
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Re: Books
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2004, 09:46:55 pm » |
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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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Captain_Falkenhayn
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dark horse disney
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Re: Books
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2004, 11:00:19 am » |
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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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