Favourite Book !
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^John wrote:
Which is the best book you have read (non-programming)... fiction... non-fiction... any?
This is difficult because, at least in my case, "best" is subjective to time/mood. My favorites, all "slightly" different: Realtime Interrupt by James P. Hogan (programmer trapped in a 3D world of his own making) Thrice Upon a Time by James P. Hogan (love, random actions, programming messages across time) Wiz-Biz (Wizard's Bane & Wizardry Compiled dual print) by Rick Cook (a programmer programming magic) There is a theme there but I can't quite fathom it.... ;) ;P Lord of the Rings is great, but I really have to be in an odd mood to reach for the big volumes like that -- even though I will read twice the volume in other books. Dianna Tregard series (Burning Water; Children of the Night; Jinx High) by Mercedes Lackey is great, but violent, definately not a "casual" read. Sacred Ground is similar to Dianna Tregard, not quite as violent, but so deep in the Native American Shamanism that I think you have to have a preference before you pick it up or you would never like it: I love it. The Two Moons (First two books in Giants series) by James P. Hogan. My all time favorite example of hard science fiction, I keep returning to it no matter how dated it has become. Prepare for deep fictional explanations of machines that don't exist. Still, a great read, but skip the rest of the series. :) Code of the Lifemaker by James P. Hogan (machines that breed? hmmmm)
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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MikeBeard wrote:
Chronicles of Amber -- Roger Zelazny
I forgot to add those.... Actually I need to replace those too. I lost my Zelazny collection in the divorce (complete including short stories).
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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La citadelle des ombres. "The Farseer Trilogy" in english ;P http://www.amazon.ca/citadelle-ombres-1-Robin-Hobb/dp/2857046278/sr=8-4/qid=1158071727/ref=sr_1_4/702-2974336-0078404?ie=UTF8&s=gateway[^]
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Judd wrote:
The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
Very much enjoying her new trilogy so far, too - Soldier's Son.
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That stinks. I have almost all of Zelazny's books except for his poems, which for some reason, I never bought. It's hard to find these days, so I may not ever get a copy unless they rerelease them. Good luck with replacing them!
MikeBeard wrote:
It's hard to find these days, so I may not ever get a copy unless they rerelease them.
It became much harder to find his after his death. One of the Amber books was signed, I got to meet Roger Zelazny since he lived in New Mexico. That one can't be replaced. My ex disliked most of his books, but she hated me more, so the outcome was not unexpected. I will have to go to Coas Books this weekend and start them searching. I miss the short-stories most of all.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Gets my 5. I'd include the Silmarillion - the breadth of background and depth of internal history that pervades all of Tolkien's writings gives it a feeling of consistency you just don't get in most other fantasy.
"He's got a lot on his mind, and it's not a load-bearing structure." - John Weak
The Silmarillion????? have you actually read that book? It's like eating dry dirt in a desert. I can't remember exactly how many 'and soandso begat soandso' there are, but let's just say there are too many. That book is the worst book Tolkein wrote.
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The Silmarillion????? have you actually read that book? It's like eating dry dirt in a desert. I can't remember exactly how many 'and soandso begat soandso' there are, but let's just say there are too many. That book is the worst book Tolkein wrote.
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Sci Fi: Time Enough for Love ~ Robert Heinlein Stranger in a Strange Land ~ Robert Heinlein Number of the Beast ~ Robert Heinlein All of William Gibson's books (havent' read Difference Engine collaborative work yet) Flip and Pip series ~ Alan Dean Foster Fantasy Wheel of Time Series ~ Robert Jordan Belgariad etc ~ David Eddings Lord of the Rings (including Simirillion) ~ Tolkein Shannara Series ~ Terry Brooks (and most of his other works) Offbeat Shrodinger's Cat, Illuminatus trilogy, and Cosmic Trigger ~ Robert Anton Wilson Any thing written by Terrance McKenna
This statement is false.
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The Silmarillion????? have you actually read that book? It's like eating dry dirt in a desert. I can't remember exactly how many 'and soandso begat soandso' there are, but let's just say there are too many. That book is the worst book Tolkein wrote.
Allen Anderson wrote:
have you actually read that book?
Yes, many times. I tend to skip the first part about the creation of the world (too much like religion), but once the Elves have arrived it's fine. I don't recall a single occurrence of the phrase 'and soandso begat soandso' :-) And I actually like the archaic writing style, it gives it a feel (as was intended) that it's a very ancient tale as seen from the time of LOTR.
Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
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"War of the Worlds" by H G Wells - I must of read this book a dozen times at least. I still find it astonishing that it was penned in the late 19th century. 1984 by George Orwell is another that I return to again and again, and which makes more sense with each successive read. As a lover of apocalyptic stories, I am also a big fan of "The Stand" by Stephen King (the complete and unabridged version) - a novel that, IMHO, he has never bettered (I read "Cell" recently and was very disappointed - basically he re-hashed his classic for C21 - cell phones turning people into zombies - and I just kept on asking "Why is he bothering?").
Robert Edward Caldecott wrote:
I am also a big fan of "The Stand" by Stephen King (the complete and unabridged version)
I've only read 4-5 Stephen King books, but that is the only one I've liked, maybe it was because I was stuck in bed with the flu when I read it. Though I should read some of his earlier stuff which is probably better.
Using the GridView is like trying to explain to someone else how to move a third person's hands in order to tie your shoelaces for you. -Chris Maunder
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Too hard to pick one. But my faves: Hitchhiker's trilogy - Douglass Adams Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett The Colour of Magic / The Light Fantastic - Terry Pratchett Mirror of Her Dreams - Stephen Donaldson I'm sure there's about 50 more if I spent another 5 mins thinking...
cheers, Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
Chris Maunder wrote:
Mirror of Her Dreams - Stephen Donaldson
I liked that one too, though my favorite by him is the first of the Gap series, even though it is a disgusting read. The others in the series just didn't live up to that first one.
Using the GridView is like trying to explain to someone else how to move a third person's hands in order to tie your shoelaces for you. -Chris Maunder
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Without a doubt my favorite Author is Ursala LeGuinn especially her Hainish books. I also really liked Snow Crash by Neil Stephenson. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.
Using the GridView is like trying to explain to someone else how to move a third person's hands in order to tie your shoelaces for you. -Chris Maunder
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Can I add a little twist to this question by including a couple of my favourite graphic novels? I recommend these two for the amazing story told, (ohh and the artwork is good too!). Lex Luthor, Man of Steel[^]. Kingdom Come[^]
I Dream of Absolute Zero
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Dune - Frank Herbert Blood and Chocolate - Anette Curtis Klause There are no Spies - Bill Granger Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke
Joe Woodbury wrote:
Dune - Frank Herbert
Yep, also one of my favorite. I read it like 7 times ;P. And read also the other books (the complete cycle) and also the books of his son (about the era before Dune).
Cédric Moonen Software developer
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Robert Edward Caldecott wrote:
I am also a big fan of "The Stand" by Stephen King (the complete and unabridged version)
I've only read 4-5 Stephen King books, but that is the only one I've liked, maybe it was because I was stuck in bed with the flu when I read it. Though I should read some of his earlier stuff which is probably better.
Using the GridView is like trying to explain to someone else how to move a third person's hands in order to tie your shoelaces for you. -Chris Maunder
Andy Brummer wrote:
I've only read 4-5 Stephen King books, but that is the only one I've liked
try the Talisman. King collaborated with Peter Straub. 2 writers of the same genre but with vastly different approaches. a good read.
Mike Dear NYT - the fact is, the founding fathers hung traitors. Vincent Reynolds: My opposition is as enlightened as your support, jackass. dennisd45: My view of the world is slightly more nuanced dennisd45 (the NAMBLA supporter) wrote: I know exactly what it means. So shut up you mother killing baby raper.
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The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein Oath of Fealty by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle The Honor Harrington novels by David Weber The Bolo stories and novels by Keith Laumer, William Keith, David Weber, et. al. ... the list goes on ...
Software Zen:
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