grawk Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Having read both, I can say Heinlein benefitted from an editor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
en480c4 Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Amazon.com: The Last Dickens: A Novel: Matthew Pearl: Books I really enjoyed The Dante Club & The Poe Shadow, so I gave this a shot, despite mediocre reviews. It's been very entertaining. And I'm looking forward to reading Dan Simmons' Drood next... Like movies, it's interesting two novels revolving around Dickens' last novel come out at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_maher Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voltron Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faust3d Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Amazon.com: Dhalgren: Samuel R. Delany: Books Samuel Delany is one strange dude. I read a few books by him and the worlds he creates are usually so strange yet so realistic and believable. I especily like his older books, like The Einstein Intersection. Good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Grand, Java Language Reference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Just started Pandora's Star, good so far. Having said that, I need Stephenson-like recommendations. Think large, dense books that are intelligent and large in scope, but also fun to read, and preferably of the speculative fiction genre (historical fiction, SFF, or fantasy, or horror). Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Jack, check out tim powers. Not quite so dense, but VERY interesting. He takes real history, and comes up with the most improbable answer that fits the facts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopstretch Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Jack, check out tim powers. Not quite so dense, but VERY interesting. He takes real history, and comes up with the most improbable answer that fits the facts + lots! I love Tim Powers. "The Drawing of the Dark" and "Last Call" are my own favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonShine Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Pandora's Star started great but lost me towards the end. I might give it another shot now that the sequel is out. Have you tried Saga of the Seven Suns by Kevin Anderson? Pretty hefty. I am enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Jack, check out tim powers. Not quite so dense, but VERY interesting. He takes real history, and comes up with the most improbable answer that fits the facts right on, this is a name I've heard a lot but never looked into. I'll check him out. Pandora's Star started great but lost me towards the end. I might give it another shot now that the sequel is out. Have you tried Saga of the Seven Suns by Kevin Anderson? Pretty hefty. I am enjoying it. Nope, haven't heard of Anderson, I'll look into it, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) What I usually do is look up a book on Amazon, and see what they have listed for "customers also bought". Stephenson...Stephenson...Stephenson...moar Stephenson...Gibson -- meh, nowhere near as much fun to read, Pattern Recognition is his best, though (although I'm sure you're already familiar with)...Gaiman -- now Gaiman is as much fun to read, but he's much more fantasy than sci-fi, much less hard sci-fi. Check out Neverwhere if you've never read anything by him....yeah, good old stand-by's like Ender saga by Orson Scott Card, Dune by Frank Herbert...but again, the classic Stephenson sense of humor is missing. (Do you mind silly? Discworld is fun.) But they definitely satisfy the "good" and "hefty" criteria. Christopher Moore is fun, but again -- more fantasy than sci-fi complete fantasy, no science fiction. And definitely errs on the side of sillier than Stephenson. You know what I enjoyed? Slant, by Greg Bear. I'm sure there are other books by Greg Bear that are better, but Slant was my first. ...bunch of names I'm not recognizing...my friend is trying to get me into Richard K. Morgan, but he caught me at a bad time (I don't do a lot of reading these days)...my friend is into hard sci-fi... Edited April 21, 2009 by Dusty Chalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 (edited) What I usually do is look up a book on Amazon, and see what they have listed for "customers also bought". Stephenson...Stephenson...Stephenson...moar Stephenson...Gibson -- meh, nowhere near as much fun to read, Pattern Recognition is his best, though (although I'm sure you're already familiar with)...Gaiman -- now Gaiman is as much fun to read, but he's much more fantasy than sci-fi, much less hard sci-fi. Check out Neverwhere if you've never read anything by him....yeah, good old stand-by's like Ender saga by Orson Scott Card, Dune by Frank Herbert...but again, the classic Stephenson sense of humor is missing. (Do you mind silly? Discworld is fun.) But they definitely satisfy the "good" and "hefty" criteria. Christopher Moore is fun, but again -- more fantasy than sci-fi complete fantasy, no science fiction. And definitely errs on the side of sillier than Stephenson. You know what I enjoyed? Slant, by Greg Bear. I'm sure there are other books by Greg Bear that are better, but Slant was my first. ...bunch of names I'm not recognizing...my friend is trying to get me into Richard K. Morgan, but he caught me at a bad time (I don't do a lot of reading these days)...my friend is into hard sci-fi... Ha, yeah I spent a long time at work doing just what you described with Stephenson on Amazon. Lots of Gibson, who never did anything for me, and Gaiman, who I absolutely love but have read all his stuff. I have been wanting to reread American Gods though. Damn good book. Something both Gaiman and Stephenson do is instill a sense of wonder in me while I'm reading, which comes from a deep appreciation for the author's creativity and the immensity of their accomplishment. The Baroque Cycle, in this sense, is the most enjoyable series I've ever read, though I'll always have a special place in my heart for Vandermeer's Ambergris novels (time for a sequel to Shriek Jeff). I've read and enjoyed the first Discworld novel, as well as the book about the apocalypse Pratchett and Gaiman cowrote. Christopher Moore is a new name to me, looks fun. Any comments on the Culture novels by Iain M. Banks? EDIT: Dan, just read synopsis for two Tim Powers novels: "Declare" and "The Drawing of the Dark". That is what I'm talking about! Can't wait to get my hands on one of these. Edited April 22, 2009 by postjack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonShine Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 You guys like the same stuff I do. I guess I should retry Stephenson (Gave Snow Crash a try a few years back but it didn't grab me). Hmm.. where to start... Cryptonomicon maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Diamond Age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 You guys like the same stuff I do. I guess I should retry Stephenson (Gave Snow Crash a try a few years back but it didn't grab me). Hmm.. where to start... Cryptonomicon maybe? As much as I love Stephenson, I have never been able to finish Snow Crash. I have an aversion to cyberpunk. I hope to one day get over this aversion and get through the book. I even own the fancy schmancy LE slipcased edition. Diamond Age. This is where I started, then onto Cryptonomicon. I think you'd be good starting with either one. After those two, The Baroque Cycle, which seems to divide a lot of Stephenson fans. To me it is obviously his greatest achievement. I need to read Anathem though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 As much as I love Stephenson, I have never been able to finish Snow Crash. I have an aversion to cyberpunk. Okay, just disregard everything I wrote you, then, we obviously completely differ on this. I just assume anyone who loves Stephenson loves that novel. My mistake. I agree about the Baroque Cycle, though: crowning achievement, indeed. Have you seen the paperbacks? They rearranged the chapters so that the interweaving storylines are in separate books. I'm tempted to try and read it that way (I just found my copy of Quicksilver, which I had been missing -- it is now with the other two), but that won't be any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopstretch Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Any comments on the Culture novels by Iain M. Banks? Mixed bag. The first one, "Consider Phlebas" is very strong though, and a good place to see if they're going to grab you. EDIT: Dan, just read synopsis for two Tim Powers novels: "Declare" and "The Drawing of the Dark". That is what I'm talking about! Can't wait to get my hands on one of these. "Last Call" too! That one's really fabulous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingwe Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Children of Hurin are finally available in (licensed!) ebook form! I got mine from eReader.com. My currently reading status must -always- include these. Still on fourth book of Dark Tower series--haven't touched it for a few weeks though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Peter, I do hope to read Snow Crash and enjoy it someday. I just need to get over my cyberpunk/VR prejudice. I purchased Tim Powers "The Stress of Her Regard". It arrives Friday. In the meantime I've put down Pandora's Star and picked back up Gene Wolfe's "Urth of the New Sun", which I am about halfway through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Chalk Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Well, I was also saying that I love cyberpunk, so we just differ. In fact, I was this far from recommending a compilation of short stories called Mirrorshades which introduced me to a lot of my favorite authors in the genre. But the recommendation might still be apt -- have you thought about getting any of those "greatest sci-fi stories of 1999" or whatever? Or find a collection that has some of your favorite authors? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grawk Posted April 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 rudy rucker - white light, a math/infinity/psychedelcs story charles platt - garbage world carlos ruiz zafon - the shadow of the wind (and SubPress has signed/limited for $35 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonShine Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 Speaking of short stories... these are excellent... I prefer this one over the Gardner Dozois collections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postjack Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 subpress also has a few tim powers books. amazon has them for ~$55 apiece. I'm sure you already own them and/or know this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chekhonte Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I am reading ancient art and ritual by jane harrison. It's amazing if you are interested in the origins of western aesthetics in art and drama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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