can someone share an opinion on Willam Gibson's books after his Bridge trilogy? I mean everything since All Tomorrow's Parties. I tried exceprts but I didn't like them. They seem to be overburdened with style. I mean I totally agree with his decision to write about contemporary world since "Earth is the alien planet now" but I don't like how he does it.
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What are you reading? (February 2012)
- Thread starter Maklershed
- Start date
Funny, I would have guessed that fewer pages would mean higher quality! Lesser Terry is, after all, better!
I made a thread that summed a bit of it up.
http://neogaf.net/forum/showthread.php?t=440750
He is a bad writer in an engagingly emphatic way, though.
That OT is a work of art Sal, good job.
I always get Terry Goodkind mixed up with the guy who did the Sword of Shannara aka LotR lite. Probably the worst book I've ever finished.
Clever Pun
Member
Good to know, I guess I just assumed everyone preferred Ender's game.
Enders Game is a lot more widely read too no doubt. Some of the sequels are pretty dire so people are advised to stay away from all of them together, which is unfortunate.
I think a lot of people get massively put off by the fact that Speaker is an entirely different genre of sci-fi and thus dislike it. Then they go and say crazy things like the Shadow books being better.
I can't vouch for these myself, but my roommate is a great fan of Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger novels, which are loosely based on Hathcock. The first novel in the series is Point of Impact, which was adapted a few years ago as the flick Shooter with Marky Mark as Swagger. That sounds like it'll be right up your alley.
Also, while it's manga and rather over the top, I'd suggest checking out Takao Saito's Golgo 13 series. It's about Duke Togo, the world's greatest assassin for hire. He's stoic, he's a consummate professional, and he almost never misses. However, what makes the Golgo 13 comics interesting isn't Togo himself but the characters and politics surrounding each of his assignments. Golgo 13 has been published since 1969 and reading the series gives you a glimpse into the issues of the era each of his adventures were published in, all in a ripped-straight-from-the-headlines sort of way.
There are hundreds of volumes of Golgo 13 available in Japan, with a 13 volume best-of series being available in English from Viz. Each and every Golgo 13 adventure is entirely self-contained - all you need to know is that Duke Togo is a sniper for hire - so you could grab any given volume of the US release and give it a shot. You can't go wrong starting with the first volume of the Viz releases, but any given volume that you see cheap (with used copies on Amazon being available practically for the cost of shipping alone), or where the story catches your eye is just a valid a starting point as any other.
subversus said:
I've read the first two books in his Bigend trilogy, Pattern Recognition and Spook Country, and I generally liked them very much. Folks aren't as down with Spook Country, which takes it's sweet time telling a story about criminals, couriers, and redemption, but I thought it was just fine and I was very much struck by Pattern Recognition, which is about a style-hunter who is sent on a quest to track down the source of an underground art film. However, Gibson's style is just as important as his ideas here, and if you weren't sold on the excerpts you read I'm not sure how much you'll dig the full on novels. That said, it couldn't hurt to pick up Pattern Recognition and give it a whirl.
FnordChan, who really needs to get around to reading Zero History
backflip10019
Member
Also just started:
Great collection of both funny and serious short stories by a lot of great writers. Highly recommended.
Great collection of both funny and serious short stories by a lot of great writers. Highly recommended.
Just started:
Digging it so far.
Are you Dutch? If so, you should check out the podcast/tv series. If not, a couple of the tv eps have been subtitled in English: http://weblogs.vpro.nl/ineuropa/2010/01/22/6-episodes-with-english-subtitles/
Digging it so far.
Meantime, I am rereading this
Are you Dutch? If so, you should check out the podcast/tv series. If not, a couple of the tv eps have been subtitled in English: http://weblogs.vpro.nl/ineuropa/2010/01/22/6-episodes-with-english-subtitles/
bengraven
Member
We are complete opposites.
sparky2112
Member
Liking it quite a bit - duh. Me and a million other readers, right? Cromwell is cool. In Japan, he would have been a ninja.
Maklershed
Member
Being delivered to my Kindle now. Sounds awesome. Thanks for the recommendation.
BrokenFiction
Member
Just finished:
And just started:
Kage Baker
And just started:
Kage Baker
Finished The Ice Guards, one of those WH40K novels. First one I read that wasn't by Abnett. Didn't dig it much, but at least it was a quick read. The part where the human dude has a sword battle with a chaos space marine and walks away was kinda eh, though.
Started Fatal Alliance (a Star Wars novel) by Sean Williams. I think I got suckered in by the 'Old Republic' tag which promised a break from what is presumably a convoluted mess of the post-movie canon.
It's enjoyable. It's like I'm reading a game doc. In the beginning there's a young Jedi (or a wannabe-Jedi, a padawan) facing down the Jedi Council and I could see the Renegade/Paragon options hanging in the air like neon signs with wings - "I accept your wisdom, master" vs. (random jackass reply). Then he goes out and recruits a young female trooper.
Started Fatal Alliance (a Star Wars novel) by Sean Williams. I think I got suckered in by the 'Old Republic' tag which promised a break from what is presumably a convoluted mess of the post-movie canon.
It's enjoyable. It's like I'm reading a game doc. In the beginning there's a young Jedi (or a wannabe-Jedi, a padawan) facing down the Jedi Council and I could see the Renegade/Paragon options hanging in the air like neon signs with wings - "I accept your wisdom, master" vs. (random jackass reply). Then he goes out and recruits a young female trooper.
So uh, I thought Neuromancer was...okay. Am I a bad person? I realize it's a seminal work in the cyberpunk genre, but it just didn't grip me.
I guess it's time to take a break from sci-fi. But when I come back, which should I read?
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolf
I guess it's time to take a break from sci-fi. But when I come back, which should I read?
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolf
Maklershed
Member
Damnit Sien.
I haven't read either but I'm looking forward to starting Shadow & Claw. I'll probably start it once I finally finish the Heechee Saga.
Maklershed
Member
Question for you fine, reading folks - how do you find out about new books? And I'm talking new new .. like released in the past month or two .. or even coming up within the next month.
Adam Blade
WWKC
As I mainly read SFF, I use Fantasy Hot List and Fantasy Book Critic.
Clever Pun
Member
The last brand new book I purchased was Deathly Hallows - I rarely ever buy a brand new book. In fact, I rarely ever read anything by a living author. I generally wait for a book to be recommended, which is probably the reason I'm not reading brand new books.
I have started trying to get ARCs for review, so maybe that will get me to read some newer stuff.
kruis
Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
http://www.locusmag.com/ lists all new books in the SF, fantasy & horror genre. Locus magazine (also available digitally now) has an "upcoming books' section every three months that's *HUGE*. It lists every single release from every single publisher in the field, both large and small, new or reprint. US and UK.
I've been reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
I'm about 100 pages in and I'm really enjoying. Pi is a fascinating character and the writing style gets in your head straight away. Pi feels very real and I'm looking forward to finishing it.
Also, I just signed for an Audible account and I have one book credit per month. Anybody have any audiobook recommendations?
I'm about 100 pages in and I'm really enjoying. Pi is a fascinating character and the writing style gets in your head straight away. Pi feels very real and I'm looking forward to finishing it.
Also, I just signed for an Audible account and I have one book credit per month. Anybody have any audiobook recommendations?
I've been reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
I'm about 100 pages in and I'm really enjoying. Pi is a fascinating character and the writing style gets in your head straight away. Pi feels very real and I'm looking forward to finishing it.
Also, I just signed for an Audible account and I have one book credit per month. Anybody have any audiobook recommendations?
I've only had time to read this during my work breaks so I'm at page 210 or something despite starting it over a week ago, but I'm enjoying the book quite a bit.
Maklershed
Member
Nice! This is just what I was looking for. Thanks.
Just commenting on the Bigend Trilogy from Gibson:
Pattern Recognition (Read three times)- One of my favorite books...nice balance between story and style.
Spook Country (Read twice)- I dug it, but I did find some of the storylines a bit dull, until they all converged.
Zero History (read once)- Didn't really like this one, until the reveal...and then I thought it was genius.
I have read the Sprawl trilogy, but I skipped the Bridge trilogy. I figure I will get to it when I have the time.
Pattern Recognition (Read three times)- One of my favorite books...nice balance between story and style.
Spook Country (Read twice)- I dug it, but I did find some of the storylines a bit dull, until they all converged.
Zero History (read once)- Didn't really like this one, until the reveal...and then I thought it was genius.
I have read the Sprawl trilogy, but I skipped the Bridge trilogy. I figure I will get to it when I have the time.
I finished Blankets and The Ancestor's Tale. The Ancestor's Tale was a bit less interesting in the last quarter, I think. A friend said it was one of his least favorite of Dawkins' books, and that his favorite was The Blind Watchmaker, so I'll probably try that the next time I go back to Dawkins.
Of course!
Of course!
nakedsushi
Member
I coded up a New Release email for Goodreads. If you're subscribed you get a monthly email toward the first two weeks of the month with reminders of new books by authors you've read as well as popular new books in each genre.
Mostly, I find out about new books through here and by looking at what's on my co-worker's desk because she gets a ton of newly released books from the publishers.
Just read it for the second time and enjoyed it as much as the first. Wasn't a huge fan of the Valentine and Peter stuff in the middle but it was short and important to the overall story.
I think I may read Anathem by Neal Stephenson next or go back to The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell.
Edit: I just realized Enders Game was discussed so I need to read up on the thread a little more.
Just read it for the second time and enjoyed it as much as the first. Wasn't a huge fan of the Valentine and Peter stuff in the middle but it was short and important to the overall story.
I think I may read Anathem by Neal Stephenson next or go back to The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell.
Edit: I just realized Enders Game was discussed so I need to read up on the thread a little more.
Just finished it for the first time and absolutely loved it. Amazingly entertaining book, and I really enjoyed the Locke/Demosthenes storyline.
Maklershed
Member
Finished up Heechee Rendezvous and on to the final book - The Annals of the Heechee
The Annals of the Heechee by Frederik Pohl
(still working on It as well)
The Annals of the Heechee by Frederik Pohl
(still working on It as well)
Quote
Member
I just finished Ender's Game for the first time, and The Hunger Games before that. I think I want to read some more spacey-wacey stuff for my next book. It annoys me that 2001: A Space Odyssey is not in a real ebook and the ebook version of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a re-write.
Can anyone give me some recommendations? Kindle format preferable.
On Ender's Game
Can anyone give me some recommendations? Kindle format preferable.
On Ender's Game
It surprised me how the Peter stuff ended up. I understand it was necessary, but it was very anticlimactic. Clearly he was only there for the contrast or lack of contrast to Ender.
I don't think this version is a re-write, but I could be wrong. The reviews say so, but they are talking of the paperback version. amazon puts reviews for all versions together.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SEGTI0/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Hyperion (a MUST read series. Endymion is better than Hyperion..yes, I said it)
Foundation. (all 3 books)
Forever War
Vorkosigan Saga is good space opera fun.
Quote
Member
Wow, this stuff looks good! There's only a few books in Kindle format though and it seems the order of the books is a bit weird.
Thanks for the recommendations, I added them to my wish list.
The Vorkosigan series is top notch and I enthusiastically second the recommendation. Here's a quick guide to the reading order, with the short version being to start with the omnibus Cordelia's Honor. And, as mentioned, free legal coppies of the entire series are available. Enjoy!
FnordChan