Favourite Book !
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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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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:
delete this;Oops. Forgot one: Roadmarks by Roger Zelazny.
Software Zen:
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The Sherlock Holmes collection.
Regards, Nish
Nish’s thoughts on MFC, C++/CLI and .NET (my blog)
Currently working on C++/CLI in Action for Manning Publications. Also visit the Ultimate Toolbox blog (New)hmm cooool I have read almost all of them too since childhood. Get the (jeremy brett) Sherlock holmes dvd collection if you don't have it already, you will love it
Omit Needless Words - Strunk, William, Jr.
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Thats a wonderful post , loved to see all those favorites My all time favorites 1. All of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle And 2. Adventures of Tintin - By Herge All of them 3. Einstein's Dream - Alan Lightman 4. So long thanks for the fish - actually all of the Adams 5. The Alchemist - Paulo Cohelo 5. Dream Sequence - Mukul Sharma 5. The Cinnamon Peeler - Poems by Michael Ondaatje 5. Journey to the center of the Earth - Jules Verne Well i thought i could make a top 5 list Cheers
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Since people seem to be recommending series here, I would like to add: The Adventures of Conrad Stargard to the mix, by Leo Frankowski. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conrad_Stargard[^]
Any sufficiently gross incompetence is nearly indistinguishable from malice.
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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)
I liked the Code of the Lifemaker. You might also like Copernick's Rebellion by Leo Frankowski - genetic engineers bettering life for all humanity - engineered homes from trees, living machines, etc. Kind of a different read.
Any sufficiently gross incompetence is nearly indistinguishable from malice.
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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.
haha, fair enough. I just had a hard time reading through it without getting bored. And believe me, I normally love Tolkeins work.