Author Topic: Books  (Read 2848 times)

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Hey, if you like Heinlein, I strongly recommend 'Stranger in a Strange Land' (it's quite different from Starship Troopers however).

For historical books that are fairly 'modern' try some war novels by Alistar Maclean.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2005, 02:43:43 pm by 2820 »

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So, you actually bothered to scroll down, eh? If you're that bored, you might as well take a look at the links above.

 

Offline Mongoose

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I'm obliged to pimp Lord of the Rings, if you haven't already read it (start with The Hobbit for good measure).  If you've just seen the movies, then you really owe it to yourself to read the original.

  

Offline Flaser

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I recommend anything Philip K. Dick. - Minority Report for example.
Most of his works are novellas - though he wrote a fair share of full fledged books too.
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Offline Shrike

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I hope you realize just what you're getting yourself into with Discworld, as there are currently about 28 books in the series.

Anyhow, some authors to check out (won't bother listing all the books)

Alistair Reynolds
Richard Morgan
Vernor Vinge
Charles Stross
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Offline TrashMan

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I have to agree wiht Mongoose
 on his post.

If you allready read LOTR then I reccomend Silmarilion.
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Offline Grey Wolf

I don't recommend the Silmarillion. Christopher Tolkien is a horrible, horrible writer.
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Offline Rictor

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uhm, hate to break it to you, but The Silmarillion was written exclusively by J.R.R Tolkien. He just never got around to publishing it, so Christopher Tolkien took all of the material and polished it up into a releaseable version. At best, he did the job of an editor, which every writer has anyway.

With that said, it's not for everyone. Lengthwise it's maybe 1/10 of the LOTR books, but has ten times as much "stuff" (plot, characters, events and so on.) It's also far more epic. Some like it better, some like it worse.

 

Offline mikhael

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The Silmarillion saves the Lord of the Rings form being merely good fantasy and elevates it to the heights of literary genius. Without the Silmarillion, LotR is just another fairy tale. With the Silmarillion, LotR is a convincing, well explored, and extremely carefully built world. As for the writing in the Silmarillion... well, I suggest LISTENING to it, rather than reading it. On paper its flow is excellent, but read aloud it is lyrical and enchanting.

Oh, and anything by Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, and  David Brin,
Now, Alistair Reynolds. Read his stuff. And read Robert Reed's stuff too. And Iain Banks' stuff. Its all the same stuff told in different ways (at least in my opinion).

Also A Song of Ice and Fire as already mentioned is probably the nearest thing you'll find to the utter completeness and solidity of the Lord of the Rings. You've been warned that they're brutal, but I don't think that's warning enough. Do not become attached to anyone. Martin is a murderous bastard.

Oh and anything by the Killer Bs: David Brin, Gregory Benford and Greg Bear.
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Offline Singh

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Arthur C Clarke's and Stephen Braxton's Time's Eye is pretty good.
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Offline NGTM-1R

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Detective stuff, I would recommend anything by Dick Francis.
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Offline phreak

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Teaching kids to read makes the terrorists win.

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If your are looking for a good Fanatasy series, The Runelords by David Farland is amazing.

As for science fiction, Patriarch's Hope by David Feintuch is a good, realistic science fiction.

Joe Haldeman writes some pretty interesting stuff too.
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Offline Grey Wolf

Quote
Originally posted by Rictor
uhm, hate to break it to you, but The Silmarillion was written exclusively by J.R.R Tolkien. He just never got around to publishing it, so Christopher Tolkien took all of the material and polished it up into a releaseable version. At best, he did the job of an editor, which every writer has anyway.

With that said, it's not for everyone. Lengthwise it's maybe 1/10 of the LOTR books, but has ten times as much "stuff" (plot, characters, events and so on.) It's also far more epic. Some like it better, some like it worse.
He compiled it from his father's notes, which were not in publishable form, and he did a rather horrible job at it.
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Offline delta_7890

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Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
Also A Song of Ice and Fire as already mentioned is probably the nearest thing you'll find to the utter completeness and solidity of the Lord of the Rings. You've been warned that they're brutal, but I don't think that's warning enough. Do not become attached to anyone. Martin is a murderous bastard.


Indeed.  Martin is the Tomino (read=creator of Mobile Suit Gundam) of fantasy.  I have a love/hate thing going on with that.  Mostly love.  While it pains me to see some of my favorite characters bite the dust, it so reinforces the simple fact that no one is garunteed to live.  There is no "plot armor" in this series, or at least, it's done in a realistic way.

But I swear to god, if he kills Tyrion Lannister there will be BLOOD in the streets!
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Offline Sandwich

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Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
Oh, and anything by Greg Bear...


Seconded. Also, anything by Timothy Zahn; although he's written the best SW books, he has far more general sci-fi books under his hat. In particular, the Conqueror series, the Cobra series, Warhorse, Manta's Gift, Angelmass, and Triplet stood out.
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Offline Kosh

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Lord of the Flies? I hated the book. I hate to read it in one of my english classes in high school.
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Offline TrashMan

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Quote
Originally posted by Grey Wolf
He compiled it from his father's notes, which were not in publishable form, and he did a rather horrible job at it.


He did a decent job. You may not like it becouse of it's more historical stlye compared to LOTR but that was how it was concived.
That said, while there can be claims that he coukd have done a better job (putting some more recent notes, or the forging of hte rings, meeting of Galadriel and Ceremnbior, etc... - there's a LOT of stuff that still isn't published), given the fact that tolkien had thousands of notes and texts scattered around on small pieces of paper, getting it all togeter is a BIG piece of work...


--------------------------
Thus spoke the prophecy of Mandos, which he declared in Valmar at the judgment of the Gods, and the rumour of it was whispered among all the Elves of the West: when the world is old and the Powers grow weary, then Morgoth shall come back through the Door out of the Timeless Night; and he shall destroy the Sun and the Moon, but Eärendel shall come upon him as a white flame and drive him from the airs. Then shall the last battle be gathered on the fields of Valinor. In that day Tulkas shall strive with Melko, and on his right shall stand Fionwë and on his left Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin, Conqueror of Fate; and it shall be the black sword of Túrin that deals unto Melko his death and final end; and so shall the Children of Húrin and all men be avenged.

 

Thereafter shall the Silmarils be recovered out of sea and earth and air; for Earendil shall descend and yield up that flame that he hath had in keeping. Then Fëanor shall bear the Three and yield their fire to rekindle the Two Trees, and a great light shall come forth; and the Mountains of Valinor shall be levelled, so that the light goes out over all the world. In that light the Gods will again grow young, and the Elves awake and all their dead arise, and the purpose of Ilúvatar be fulfilled concerning them. But of Men in that day the prophecy speaks not, save of Túrin only, and him it names among the Gods.


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Sie quete apaken Mandosto i eques Valmaresse námanen Valaron, ar navillor so lussane nar imíka ilye Eldar Númeno: íre Ambar yeryuva ar Valar lumbe nauvar, Moringotto ter' i Ando atatúluva i Lúmelóra Morniello, ar Anar Isilye askatuva, mal Earendil eryenna úrwea ninque tuluva ar niruvas i fanyarello. San Mahtale Métima hostuva i palúrissen Valinóro. Enyáre Tulkas ohtuva Melkon, ar sen foryasse euva Eonwe, ar hyaryasse Túrin Turambar, yondo Húrino, Apaityamo Umbarto, ar erye nauva morímakil Túrinwa ya tulyuva Moringotto qualmenn' ar métima mettanna, ar sie híni Húrino ar ilye atani atakarne nauvar.

Silmarilli nantaluvar airello, kemello, ar menello; an Earendil untuluva ar i náre ya tirne auantuva. San Feanáro pantuva i Nelde ar lavuva urunta entintien i Aldu, ar altakále kaluva, ar i oronti Valinóro láratuva, sie i kále pole palu ilya Ambarello. Kalmanen tana Valar envinyante nauvar, quendi koivuvar, ar ilye hessantar amortuvar, ar i selma Ilúvataro tien nauva telyaina. Mal atánion auresse tan' apaken ume quete, hequa Túrin, ar erye as Valar esta.
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Offline Ransom

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I'm going to third Alastair Reynolds.

The first one of his is Revelation Space - although IMO his first two books aren't much good (though that's probably because I don't like hard SF, not necessarily because they're bad). Diamond Dogs is a short story, and easily one of his best works - on the other hand his best full length novel in my opinion is Redemption Ark.

If you like detective stuff though, you might want to read Century Rain of his - kind of a crime noir sci fi thingy.