Looking for a Book
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many say Snowcrash is his best. but i've never read it. i've read Cryptonomicon and Anathem. i'll get to Snowcrash someday. Cryptonomicon is a multi-part thing that takes place in multiple times and places (going back to WWII in the Pacific through modern times), with generations of different characters all working on different parts of a giant treasure hide/hunt. it's fun. Anathem is about an earth-like planet where smart people go into secular quasi-monasteries and spend their lives thinking pure thoughts ... then aliens show up. they're not exactly hard sci-fi,and they're not really fantasy either. i guess it's called "speculative" fiction. very thought-provoking, very geeky at times (ex. Bruce Schneier[^] developed a playing-card-based crypto scheme for Cryptonomicon which characters use to communicate). compared to a lot of fiction, he expects readers to be able to keep up with some complex stuff (math, philosophy, logic, puzzles, etc.). he's a smart guy and likes to talk about smart things. but there's no preaching, or condescension and he's not pedantic. if there's any politics at all, it's kind of an optimistic secular-techno-libertarianism.
Chris Losinger wrote:
i'll get to Snowcrash someday.
It's ok; more of a fun story. But, I think Cryptonomicon, Anathem and, Diamond Age completely out class it.
Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece. --Ralph Charell
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
Stay away from Trudi Canavan. Garbage at its best(or worst depending which view you hold). I'm personally going through the "my classics" phase. When I'm done with Asimov, I'll be re-reading Piers Anthony's Xanth series and his Apprentice Adept series. That should keep me busy for a few weeks, after that, I'm going out to buy some new books.
If the post was helpful, please vote! Current activities: Book: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov Project: Hospital Automation, final stage Learning: Image analysis, LINQ Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]?
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
A bit like you I have read quite sci-fi and I also enjoy more 'classic' novels: Two books I read recently I would recommend giving a try are: The Kite Runner The Remains of the Day
Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.(Winston Churchill)
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
If you're interested in science fiction that is entertaining just good old-fashioned(*) fun, try some of these: John Scalzi[^]: Old Man's War, Ghost Brigades, and The Last Colony are like Heinlein at his best. Red Thunder[^] by John Varley. Another homage to Heinlein, this time to his juveniles. Still good fun. I'm currently reading Regenesis[^] by C. J. Cherryh. It's a sequel to Cyteen[^], which you should read first (otherwise, Regenesis will be a little hard to follow). Anything at all written by Allen Steele[^]. I've enjoyed everything he's written. (*) Warning: Deliberate irony intended.
Software Zen:
delete this;
Fold With Us![ -
... oh, in addition to me backing up Chris's suggestion, have you tried Umberto Eco ? 'g'
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... oh, in addition to me backing up Chris's suggestion, have you tried Umberto Eco ? 'g'
Yup. I read the Name of the Rose about 25 years ago and loved it. But I haven't seen another book from him on the shelf since. I should look into ordering something newer. :)
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
I just finished KJ Parker's Scavenger Trilogy[^] It's quite good, though you can definitely see his writing style improve dramatically after the first book. Also highly recommended (by me) is R. Scott Bakker, The Prince of Nothing series. Marc
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
Try Paul Garrison - sea adventure, at least the sea plays a big part in it: Red Sky At Morning Fire And Ice Buried At Sea Sea Hunter The Ripple Effect To be truthful, I have read only Red Sky At Morning and Buried At Sea, but have rounded up the rest and plan to read them this summer. Dave.
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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I'm bored. I have several hundred books - whenever I reach a thousand I go on a donation binge and give the ones I no longer read to someone - and I can't find a single one I care to re-read again. There are some that I'll never tire of - Atlas Shrugged, the Martian Chronicles, Foundation et al, - but most of my collection I've read so many times that I can quote the protagonist's lines word for word. I have to admit that I haven't purchased a new book in a few years, and so I've lost touch with the writing community - who's hot and who's not. I enjoy philosophy, history, SciFi, and the ocassional fantasy. I hate the crap the SciFi channel passes off as science fiction, but which is really just horror crap. I enjoy authors like Ayn Rand, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, James Michener, Tom Clancy, Ursula LeGuinn, Anne McAffry... Can someone recommend a new book or author in line with my weird preferences?
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
A late reply (just catching up with The Lounge after a long weekend), but nobody has mentioned Charles Stross yet. His books, Accelerando and Singularity Sky are excellent sci-fi. Also try Alan Campbells Scar Night and Iron Angel if you like alternate reality / fantasy type stuff. I am waiting for the third book in the trilogy to be published later this year. Also anything by Vernor Vinge, Ken MacLeod, Ian MacDonald, China Mieville.
Words fade as the meanings change, but somehow, it don't bother me.