Excelsior Entertainment Forums
Talaminiatures => General Discussions => Non-Game Related Banter => Topic started by: warzoneD on October 12, 2008, 07:11:07 PM
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Looking for a new good one--
Some of my favorites - Elric Series, Ender's Game, Snow Crash, Altered Carbon, Nehwon Series...
What have you guys read that you liked-- genre - and why?
D
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How 'deep' of a series ya want? If you're interested in some easy, quick, filler reads, please continue to, well, read.
Being a teacher, I've had the privelege of reading several 'Young Adult' ('YA' for short) fantasy and sci-fi series. On the top of my faves list are several series/authors. Here's the link to my page off my school's site regarding these books: http://hge.leesummit.k12.mo.us/tconn/books.html (http://hge.leesummit.k12.mo.us/tconn/books.html). What's truly surprised me is how little difference there is between YA and adult fantasy/sci-fi. I guess good writing can't be labeled, eh?
Take 'em or leave 'em, but there they are.
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Ok. I love the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series. But after reading these, other books become a bit boring...
'Rendezvous With Rama' Arthur C. Clarke. <-- claustrophobic, almost always in zero gravity, hard SF, but very good.
There are three more books in the Rama series, but they were written by a friend of Clarke, and Clarke himself only read over the stuff and made suggestions. They are both credited for the books, but they supposed to be more character driven. By fans of the first one, these aren't very good. I've heard.
'The Sirens Of Titan'. This one is really good if you like the first Hitchhiker's book. It's probably Douglas Adams main inspiration. Well written book. Easy to get through.
Not a series though...
Not read this one, but it's supposed to be a classic SF book.
'The Stars My Destination'. From the 50s and very innovative, I've heard. It's on my 'next to read' list. After Mutant Chronicles: Frenzy. ;)
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I'm pretty low brow when it comes to my entertainment. So consider that when i put in my two cents. Um, the last good books I read were by Dan Abnett and it was The Eisenhorn Trilogy. They are light, easy reading based on the universe of the company that shall-not-be-named. Abnett does a good job telling a fast and fun pulpish yarn. I have not read anything else written by him. I also left off at Book 3 in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Finally, I return to John Carter of Mars from time to time. I like re-reading those pulp tales by Burroughs. But that's about it. I haven't read anything new.
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Casca by Barry Sadler
A series of novels where the Centurion who stabbed Christ and thus condemned to live forever and always be on the losing side of wars has his adventures recounted by a doctor who saw him come back to life after a fatal wound in Vietnam. Each book covers one of his adventures throughout history. A nice light historical adventure series.
Gaunt's Ghosts Series by Dan Abnett
I have found the Gaunt's Ghosts to be the best stuff put out by the GW-Black Library publishing house
Anything by Moor****
Conan Series by Robert E. Howard
Single novels
The Forever War
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Any thing by Robert E. Howard; James Barclay's Chronicles and Legends of the Raven; Dave Drake's Hammer's Slammers; Glen Cook's Black Company; Anything by H.G. Wells
Jase
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Conan Series by Robert E. Howard
Single novels
The Forever War
I second Conan. I have a big tome with all the collected Conan stories Howard wrote.
Forever War is also good. Haldeman has written a freestanding followup called Forever Peace which is also nice. In fact I recommend checking out his other books as well. Old Twentieth, Camouflage and The Accidental Time Machine are all good reads.
If you want a military sci-fi series David Weber's Harrington novels are good. The first one is called On Basilisk Station. It is a long series as well with about a dozen books so plenty of reading if you like it.
For more classic sci-fi I would recommend Robert Heinlein and Philip Dick. No series here but a lot of free standing novels. There is a collection of Dick's short stories in five volumes which is a good starting point.
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William Gibson is a great writer. I've read Neuromancer and Burning Chrome, and I just bought The Difference Engine. I'm looking forward to devouring this one. He's a great sci-fi writer because he writes a lot of near future stuff that I think MC: Warzone fans would readily identify with.
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I gotta third Dan Abnett (he's already been seconded) John Ringo has some good stuff, David Webber's Honorverse stuff is great. Jordan of course (rip). Guy Gavriel Kay-best author that no one has ever heard of. Steve Perry's Matator Series is great (the first five books-after that...meh).
Rendv w/ Rama sequels all were horrible; they did not capture the theme or flavor of the original book at all.
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Rendv w/ Rama sequels all were horrible; they did not capture the theme or flavor of the original book at all.
That's what I feared.. Thanks for the heads up!
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I read mainly fantasy (series). I have to say the best series I have read ever (not including J.R.R. Tolkein) is the series by G.R.R. Martin. Song of Ice and Fire series. It is not your typical hero who doesn't know he is a hero has a childhood disaster, trains to be a hero and becomes a hero by defeating the ultimate evil with the ultimate weapon/ability. In this series, your favorite characters get messed up/die and you actually start to like some of the "evil" characters in the series. That is all I can say about that without spoiling it. He is slow on releasing new books in the series, but currently there are 4 to read now. Several forums exist discussing the books if you want a sneak peak. It is different because there is no main character, just several points of views.
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I enjoy his work but you really have no idea where he is going with it-I suspect he has Jordan syndrom where he creates so many secondary characters that he's not sure what to do with them all.
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I like anything by Dan Simmons - Especially his Hyperion trilogy, and my favorite Sci-Fi author of all time is Mike Resnick. Best novel of his is Ivory, but there are so many others that take place in the far future of "his" Galaxy. Good reading.
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I read mainly fantasy (series). I have to say the best series I have read ever (not including J.R.R. Tolkein) is the series by G.R.R. Martin. Song of Ice and Fire series. It is not your typical hero who doesn't know he is a hero has a childhood disaster, trains to be a hero and becomes a hero by defeating the ultimate evil with the ultimate weapon/ability. In this series, your favorite characters get messed up/die and you actually start to like some of the "evil" characters in the series. That is all I can say about that without spoiling it. He is slow on releasing new books in the series, but currently there are 4 to read now. Several forums exist discussing the books if you want a sneak peak. It is different because there is no main character, just several points of views.
Sounds like Stephen Donaldson. His Covenant series had quite possibly the biggest asshole as the hero.
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Some great suggestions there. Thnx!!! ;D
I've read a bit of Abnett but not the Eisenhorn stuff...will check it out.
I agree with you guys about the classics - Dune, Conan (devoured these), John Carter, PK Dick, Covneant, Foundation, Jack Vance's series, Moor****'s The Eternal Champ stuff, Earthsea Trilogy, Neuromancer and co. (in fact if you haven't already checked it out I recommend George Alec Effinger's first book "When Gravity Fails"), but few books have captured my interest the way these oldies but goodies had.
I liked Cook's Black Company at first but lost interest as the series went on.
I tried Hyperion but had a tough time getting into it, maybe I'll pluck it off the shelf and give it another go, sometimes you just have to be in the right headspace.
Has anyone read Gene Wolf's Shadowclaw? Reactions?
Also if you haven't read Altered Carbon or Snowcrash, and you're into Blade Runner-esque Sci-fi, I highly recommend both. Anyone like other books in this genre?
D
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Moving the thread and stickifying it.
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I Googled "Cyberpunk novels" and lo and behold, Amazon has a list! http://www.amazon.com/Best-Cyberpunk-Novels/lm/RPXXO382NJZSH (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Cyberpunk-Novels/lm/RPXXO382NJZSH). Of course, the rankings are purely opinion, but both of your books (Altered Carbon and Snowcrash) are on the list, so it appears to be legit.
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I'd also like to recommend John Scalzi's Old Man's War it is reminiscent of both Heinlein and Haldeman (Starship Troopers and Forever War). The sequels are also good.
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Hmmm....
Fantasy:
CJ Cherryh's "The Paladin". A book on redemption and vengeance... She does alto of stuff like that but this one I enjoyed.
Mercedes Lackey's tomes set in Valdemar and environs. I especially loved the Vows and Honor Duology
R.A. Salvatore... yeah he writes alot of D&D based fantasy but I'd say 75% of his stuff is Top Notch.
Modern/SF
Harold Coyle's military thrillers. Good stuff on the whole; I enjoyed The Ten Thousand was very good.
Jerry Pournelle's Falkenburg's Legion
Mike Stackpole. The first books of his I ever read were the Warrior trilogy. They helped draw me into Battletech.
Timothy Zahn. I like his Star Wars stuff alot; his other novels are pretty good and are worth a read.
So many books... not enough time.
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Check out Forever War by Haldeman. Halfway through and lovin it.
Has anyone read Shadowclaw?
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David Sherman & Dan Cragg's "Starfist" Si-Fi series is a very good read. I consumed the first two and just had to get the rest. I think it is up to book 13 in the series and it seems to be going strong. They also have a spin-off series called "Starfist: Recon". The "Starfist" series is very battle-graphic in detail which kinda reminds me of Dan Abnett's "Dark Blade" series. Just my two cents.
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I don't read a lot of fantasy novels, but I second the vote for anything R.A. Salvatore... excellent novels all of them especially the Artemis/Jarlaxle series (3 books).
But I most often read espionage/spy/secret agent type books by the following authors in no particular order:
David Baldacci. He mostly writes stand alone novels, but have a few double, triple and quadruple series'. The series about the Camel Club is excellent.
Robert Ludlum is excellent as well. The Jason Bourne series is way better than the movies... and much different as well.
Nelson DeMille is a great writer. I love his characters (very detailed).
Robert Crais' Elvis Cole stories are extremely funny. I don't think I have laughed out loud at books as much as I have reading his novels.
Joseph Finder is a master at weaving intricate plots without losing the reader. You see it unfold slowly just as the characters do. Great stuff.
And then the classics that I would recommend highly:
George Orwell's - Animal Farm, 1984, and Of Mice and Men
JD Salinger - Catcher in the Rye
JRR Tolkein (of course) - Hobbit and LOTR
James Bradley - Flags of our Fathers
There are tons more but my old brain can't think right now.
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If we are expanding to non SciFi/Fantasy then I heartily recommend Tony Hillerman. His books about Joe Leaphorn and the Navajo Tribal Police are masterpieces of mystery.
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Fine. You want to play it that way: I see your Tony Hillerman and raise you Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plumb stories! ;D
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Ah yes... Ms Plumb stories. Janet really knows the 'Burg well. My Ex loves those books, as does my ma.
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Ah yes... Ms Plumb stories. Janet really knows the 'Burg well. My Ex loves those books, as does my ma.
As does my wife and just about all the female teachers in my school.
Okay, if you want clever mysteries, try the Fletch series. The movies were very poor incarnations of the books...much like MC the movie pales in comparison to WZ the game. I like sarcastic leads that use wit and verve to get themselves out of trouble.
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Anyone read any good NEW cyberpunk stuff. Most recently I liked Altered Carbon....
Or any good sci-fi? IF you what, and what's the style/idea of the book?
D
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I think Cyberpunk is on the wane as elements of it have proved to either a) be completely ungrounded or b) actually have come true.
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Armor
one man
his power armor suit
endless alien horde.
the great thing is its told from those who found his helemet and view the adventure though the recorder. the whole time going "this is impossible, no one can live though, oh wait.......dear god he did"
John Ringo's Posleen Series
I read the adventures of Bun Bun forever.
Last battleship of Antries ( I fear I'm spelling this wrong)
I weep that I cant find my copy.
POW story told aboard an alien prison ship.
The human prisoners led by a blind man to their freedom if they like it or not.
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The last one sounds cool - who is the author?
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The best books I every read are (as far as I remember, far too many books in my shelf ;) ):
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn triologie by Tad Williams. A little bit slow in the beginning, but the story has unique depth and speeds up.
Foucault's Pendulum written by Umberto Eco. Nice story about people who takes all the mystic stuff too serious. Not really Fantasie but great!
All books about Midkemia written by Raymond E. Feist. Especially the Riftwar saga.
The Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman is great, too. I think even better then the good Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends.
The Black Magician Trilogy was not the best books ever I read but very nice ones, too. Written by Trudi Canavan.
If want some funny stuff. Terry Prattchet has some good ones. I would say read as first: Mort
All other books are already mentioned before or I don't remember them.
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The last one sounds cool - who is the author?
God for the life of me I cant remember.
the book was lost a few years back (reason I'm not sure on the spelling)
its a thin paper back and to be honest most likely hard to find.
I suck with names but I remember the plot and events of book like I just read it.
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I found it - it's called The Last DeathShip Off Antares.
D
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I found it - it's called The Last DeathShip Off Antares.
D
YOU ROCK!!!!!
now to get myself a new copy
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It's a great book! Great recommend!
D
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Some of the series that others have mentioned I have had the pleasure of reading. R.A. Salvatore's Darkelf sagas and The Deathgate Cycle by Weis and Hickman are two that stand out. Its interesting to note that with both I was forced to switch between paper books and audio books due to my library selection. The audio books were generally well done with an engaging speaker and appropriate sound effects to aid in the action. Its been almost 10 years since I've gone through them but it wasn't hard to switch between the two mediums.
What are other people's thoughts on audio books?
I have a few recommendations and comments. If your after more info thats what google is for, watch out for those spoilers.
Sci-fi - Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clark - Apparently a classic? although I just got around to reading it. Fairly thought provoking for how fast a read it was.
Fantasy Series - Clan War / Legend of the Five Rings, 7 book anthology - Some of the books are better then others but on a whole its a very good series blending feudal Japanese samurai with the myths and lore of various eastern cultures.
I know its not sci-fi or fantasy but I just read this one and can't recommend it enough.
Humor? - Lamb; The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore - An often comedic interpretation of Christ's untold childhood. Quite entertaining even for a heathen such as myself, I often found my self laughing out loud although it does have some serious moments and discussions, we all know how its going to end for Jesus. Another thought provoker but with much laughing.
All this book talk has made me want to get a library card in my new city.
--David
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Reading still holds up after all these years. :)
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Alfred Besterīs "The Demolished Man", which is an interesting "what-if" about telepathy and its consequences in society.
John Scalziīs "Old Menīs War", a nice twist on the Starship Troopers theme with a smile and a wink. I particularly enjoyed it for the writing style.
Hmmm... Robert E. Howardīs Conan stories! I would love to see someone on the silver screen really measure up to the literary Cimmerian.
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Thnx for the recommend. Been reading Game of Thrones and rereading Asimov's Foundation books - still good after all these years.
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Reviving thread here.
I've finished reading Germline by T.C. McCarthy, the first part of a series called The Subterrene War. It's a hard SF story set in the underground mines of Kazakhstan about a strung out frontline correspondent and his experiences in a war for resources against Russia. The title comes about because the US also employs genetically modified female soldiers as part of a secret project. There's a second book but I haven't tracked it down yet.
Also have been reading the Horus Heresy books. Some of them have been hit and miss but there has been good writing in fleshing out one of the big episodes in 40K history. I personally recommend the first two books Horus Rising and Galaxy in Flames, as well as Fulgrim, Legion, The First Heretic, Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns.
Jase