B3D Book Club

[Laa-Yosh]

Not sure how much the Culture novels have to do with Halo actually. Sure there are some ringworlds, but they're just part of the scenery.
These novels are mostly interesting because they deal with problems not usually common in SF - this civilization is quite close to omniscient and omnipotent, so dealing with problems is less about their possibilities and more about the tricky stuff, morals and consequences and such. With Master Chief it's mostly about shooting his way out Or, when compared to Star Trek, Picard and Kirk would be kinda conservative in how they deal with Prime Directive issues

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Another SF author I can heartily recommend is Charles Stross if you've never ready of his work. Some hard SF/space opera type stuff, lots of very clever speculative SF and a series of books which humorously blends the Cthulhu mythos with a British government department secretly trying to keep the country safe from mind-eating horrors from beyond time!

Oh man, that's just too much - for me it's more about trying to pick the next one from all the options Still, that description is very very intriguing

Also, some of you have mentioned Neil Gaiman and American Gods, that was really really good - but I'd also highly recommend Good Omens, co-written with Terry Pratchett. I really love that book. It's got a lot more humor, and yet it's also just as compelling.

 

[iroboto]

Cool thread!

The direct sequels to Ender's Game are IMHO progressively getting a bit worse and worse, at least after Speaker for the Dead. They're focusing more on Card's theories about the universe, and I've found that the characters suffered for it.
Ender's Shadow stood out a bit as far as I recall, though - it's the first chapter told from Bean's perspective and has some interesting ideas about what was going on beyond Ender's understanding. Then the rest start to focus on super complicated plot and I've ended up not caring about that either.

Yea big EG fan here. I managed to finish the entire Ender's saga, and the crossover ones with the Ender's Shadow saga. That puts it at about 10+ books IIRC. With Ender in Exile + the Bean cross over one. Yea... the Ender saga ones were weaker overall. The Shadow ones were better. The last book I read was Shadow's in Flight.. it was mediocre.
Overall, I feel the series is done, though he's written/continue to write in that universe. There are at least 6 more books following after Shadows in Flight. 3 dealing with the Formic War, 1 about Fleet School, another bridge between the 2 sagas... etc.

I've moved on. Totally into Brandon Sanderson and Martin now. With Brandon I'm following the 'The Way of Kings' Stormlight Archive

 

[Mariner]

Yeah, Halo is nothing like the Culture at all! Orbitals/Ringworlds/Halos are all the same structure but, as far as I'm aware, all date back to Niven's original Ringworld book.

Halo is 'Space Opera' whereas the Ringworld books most certainly aren't.

 

[Mariner]

Oh man, that's just too much - for me it's more about trying to pick the next one from all the options Still, that description is very very intriguing

Also, some of you have mentioned Neil Gaiman and American Gods, that was really really good - but I'd also highly recommend Good Omens, co-written with Terry Pratchett. I really love that book. It's got a lot more humor, and yet it's also just as compelling.

I haven't read either American Gods or Good Omens for absolutely years. Don't find the time to read that I once did so no idea when I'll get around to reading them again.

If you get the chance with those authors I mentioned, you're best off starting with the earliest books in their respective series:

Stross: The Atrocity Archives. One smallish novel introducing the 'laundry' (as the British occult secret service type organisation is known) plus a couple of shorter stories continuing the theme.
Reynolds: Revelation Space
Asher: The Skinner
Morgan: Altered Carbon (good, but pretty bleak!)

Edit: Actually, I've just remembered that Asher's first Polity book was "Gridlinked". He has sub-series in the Polity books. Possibly worth starting with Gridlinked, though I reckon the Skinner is a better book!

 

[Laa-Yosh]

I'm gonna need to make some more free time somehow And also resist the temptation of just re-reading stuff I already have around as an easy solution...

 

[AlNom]

Not sure how much the Culture novels have to do with Halo actually. Sure there are some ringworlds, but they're just part of the scenery.
These novels are mostly interesting because they deal with problems not usually common in SF - this civilization is quite close to omniscient and omnipotent, so dealing with problems is less about their possibilities and more about the tricky stuff, morals and consequences and such. With Master Chief it's mostly about shooting his way out Or, when compared to Star Trek, Picard and Kirk would be kinda conservative in how they deal with Prime Directive issues

Yeah, my only recollection is that Halo had some influences from the series, which is why I've even heard of it in the first place (particularly from Frank O'Connor). Guess that says more about my exposure to such literature.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Yeah well some of the Culture novels are also quite the space opera, lots of action and huge set pieces; and then there are those super advanced civilizations with megastructures and all, so I guess Frankie's got the right to make a connection

 

[tabs]

If you're into night-time reading to get you off to sleep, I'd like to restate just how good the audiobook version of American Gods is. The narrator has a really wonderful voice and tempo.

 

[tabs]

Finished the Rho Agenda prequel trilogy. Was good stuff. At first I wasn't sold on the idea of following Jack Gregory around but warmed up to the idea quickly. Certainly the first book felt the weakest of the three.

Spoiler

Each time he appeared, I couldn't shake the idea that Anchanchu(sp? I'm on audio) is very much like the readers of books like these, at least in his desires to follow great individuals and experience intense situations, living vicariously through them.

The stories at first seem well removed from the happenings in the Rho Agenda trilogy, but by the end of the third book it's wrapped in so nicely that I wanted to revisit the original trilogy again immediately armed with the new information. Am now impatiently waiting for the new books.

In other news - I've not seen The Martian, but I have just finished the audio book. Absolutely great stuff. In fact it kept me awake late for two nights in a row and finished the ten hour reading in just a couple of days. The main character is extremely likeable and you can't help rooting for him.

 

[Davros]

Since audio books seem to be allowed
keith richards autobiography

 

[pjbliverpool]

I almost exclusively read Star Trek continuation books these days. I'm a huge fan and since they release books at roughly the same pace that I read, I never get chance to read anything else. That said, I'm planning a road trip around Ireland in a couple of weeks and expect to spend a large amount of time cozied up in pubs with a good book. I don't really think reading Star Trek continuation novels on my phone fits with the setting so I'd like to find a pretty heavy going novel / classic novel (physical format of course) that'll keep me going for a week and look cool at the same time. Sci-Fi / Fantasy are my favorite genre's but I'm open to the general classics as well. Moby Dick was something I was considering to give you an idea of the direction I'm thinking in....

Any suggestions?

 

[homerdog]

Try The Expanse series. The first one is Leviathan Wakes.

It's also going to be a series on SyFy.

 

[Babel-17]

I almost exclusively read Star Trek continuation books these days. I'm a huge fan and since they release books at roughly the same pace that I read, I never get chance to read anything else. That said, I'm planning a road trip around Ireland in a couple of weeks and expect to spend a large amount of time cozied up in pubs with a good book. I don't really think reading Star Trek continuation novels on my phone fits with the setting so I'd like to find a pretty heavy going novel / classic novel (physical format of course) that'll keep me going for a week and look cool at the same time. Sci-Fi / Fantasy are my favorite genre's but I'm open to the general classics as well. Moby Dick was something I was considering to give you an idea of the direction I'm thinking in....

Any suggestions?

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks. Out of all his novels that one has the most Trek friendly vibe imo. Though it's also just flat out awesome in so many ways. If you want something really meaty try Anathem by Neal Stephenson. I'm currently re-reading the entire Amber series of Roger Zelazny. It's been collected in one huge (enormous!) tome. I'd forgotten what a joy it is. Reminds me of the author who in his old age was reading his earliest stuff. He was witnessed to be weeping while whispering "Brilliant!". lol, like that, except I didn't write it. lol

P.S. "Iain (no M.) Banks" wrote regular fiction that might suit the vibe of visiting Ireland. I haven't read it yet, and it's set in Scotland, but Stonemouth: A Novel might suit you.
Lol, I just now googled it and found this: "The Irish Times picked the book as one of their "Books to Read in 2012".[1]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemouth
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/mar/28/stonemouth-iain-banks-review

Edit: Btw, http://www.startrekcontinues.com/episodes.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Continues

 

[eastmen]

anyone want to read the wheel of time books with me ? I'm on book 3 of like 14 right now. Lots of hair pulling

 

[Simon F]

anyone want to read the wheel of time books with me ? I'm on book 3 of like 14 right now. Lots of hair pulling

I think I gave up around book 8 as I came to the conclusion he was just "extracting the urine" trying to see how long he could spin it out with nothing really ever happening.

 

[pjbliverpool]

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks. Out of all his novels that one has the most Trek friendly vibe imo. Though it's also just flat out awesome in so many ways. If you want something really meaty try Anathem by Neal Stephenson. I'm currently re-reading the entire Amber series of Roger Zelazny. It's been collected in one huge (enormous!) tome. I'd forgotten what a joy it is. Reminds me of the author who in his old age was reading his earliest stuff. He was witnessed to be weeping while whispering "Brilliant!". lol, like that, except I didn't write it. lol

P.S. "Iain (no M.) Banks" wrote regular fiction that might suit the vibe of visiting Ireland. I haven't read it yet, and it's set in Scotland, but Stonemouth: A Novel might suit you.
Lol, I just now googled it and found this: "The Irish Times picked the book as one of their "Books to Read in 2012".[1]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemouth
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/mar/28/stonemouth-iain-banks-review

Edit: Btw, http://www.startrekcontinues.com/episodes.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Continues

Thanks I'll check that out. Also, I had no idea about those Star Trek episodes, I'll give them a go but I'm pretty sceptical....

 

[Lefungus]

I'm currently re-reading the entire Amber series of Roger Zelazny. It's been collected in one huge (enormous!) tome. I'd forgotten what a joy it is. Reminds me of the author who in his old age was reading his earliest stuff. He was witnessed to be weeping while whispering "Brilliant!". lol, like that, except I didn't write it. lol

I have fond memories of the Chronicles of Amber series, especially the first cycle. It is such a nice blend of modern & fantasy. I happen to have the amber tarot deck which apparently is a collector's item now ^^

anyone want to read the wheel of time books with me ? I'm on book 3 of like 14 right now. Lots of hair pulling

I had time to spare last year and read it all. There are gold nuggets along the way but it's really too long. I also disliked the new tone from Brandon Sanderson. In my opinion, he didn't understood the characters especially Matrim Cauthon. I wouldn't recommend it but to avid readers who doesn't flinch at 14 volumes. Note that there is also a prequel book named New Spring ^^

Now I must ask the collective hive mind, do you have any recommendation on books which happen underwater, or with a strong sea/ocean theme ?
I've read Starfish from Peter Watts & the Sphere from Michael Crichton, and will soon read The Scar from China Mieville.

 

[London Geezer]

I've only just started The Universe Versus Alex Woods. Not sure who suggested it but it's one of those wonderful books you read with a constant big smile on your face. Just brilliantly funny and so far very intriguing.

 

[tabs]

On a sci-fi classics vibe at the moment. There are so many I've not read yet.

Recently finished A Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M Miller and now half way through listening to Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. The first has excellent characters while those in the second seem more cartoony, but they seem to fit with that universe. The imagery and ideas in Snow Crash book are very compelling though. Wasn't expecting all the religious history sleuthing but it was made very interesting; reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code in that aspect.

Both very engrossing and very different stories. Would recommend.