DomainK Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Not too much fantasy, but more science/technology. Please suggest some good reads.
Sooda Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Well if you DO want to try fantasy I recommend David Gemell VERY highly. Very much heroic fantasy though and I love it but its not quite what youre asking for. I have tried SF- theres a book I started by a guy called Richard Morgan called 'Altered Carbon'. Its a detective story (so I figure you might like ;-) )set in the future and it actually started quite well and had a very interesting story but never got round to finishing it. Bought it because it got pretty good reviews, its about 4 or 5 yrs old I think Cant say Ive read much other SF though.
Zap_Brannigan Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Asimov's I,robot is actually very good. Future setting but each of the decisions they make is logical. Dont think about the movie, the book is a collection of short stories in a arc. Also like Philip K Dicks collection of short stories including the story Paycheck is based on. Needless to say, the book is much better than the movie. Sphere,Invasion and Timeline by Michael Cricton are good Sci-fi books but set in present.
Guest Gunner Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Arthur C. Clarke: Space odyssey series - 2001, 2010, 2061 and 3001.
DomainK Posted January 11, 2010 Author Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks guys.:two_thumbs_up: Arthur C. Clarke: Space odyssey series - 2001' date=' 2010, 2061 and 3001.[/quote'] But are the novels still interesting in 2001? Same question about Asimov's old novels- are they still interesting?
cowboysfan Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 fondation novels by asimov Hyperion by Dan Simmons dune novels by frank herbert
Guest Gunner Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks guys.:two_thumbs_up: But are the novels still interesting in 2001? Same question about Asimov's old novels- are they still interesting? I think all the novels mentioned are quite interesting. Some stuff will sound outdated and funny but the whole concept of inter stellar travel etc will always remain attractive.
Zap_Brannigan Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks guys.:two_thumbs_up: But are the novels still interesting in 2001? Same question about Asimov's old novels- are they still interesting? Absolutely. Maybe some stories were set in the books near future or our past(paycheck is the only one i can think of set like that) but we havent really advanced like the author expected us to. So most of the technologies are not invented yet. So i guess they are still good.
CSK Fan Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Foundation series by Asimov has to be the last word in Science Fiction
DomainK Posted January 13, 2010 Author Posted January 13, 2010 Thanks guys. I am busy downloading these and I will start reading as soon as I finish Brown's The Lost Symbol.
THX_1138 Posted January 15, 2010 Posted January 15, 2010 depends on what kind of science fiction are you looking for. to begin with i would not call all science fiction. famous polish author stanislaw lem detested the title of science fiction, stating that it suggested impossibility due to scientific limitations. rather, the term he embraced was speculative fiction. well anyways, i digress. if you have never read science fiction before, i would start you with a couple of simpler ones: To vet your palate, i suggest you begin with the most famous piece of fiction (outside the bible of course): Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke: a terrific novella that was followed by three more. this book won the hugo award, and is widely regarded as the most popular piece of science fiction thus far. Close at its heels are two more Clarke jems marked by something that is particularly rare in science fiction, especially since computer generated images have ruined hollywood: This novella is marked by its attention to detail, and it is one of the most plausible works of fiction viz-a-viz scientific possibility. And while we are still in the solar system, a personal favorite that inspired me to become a physicist: Kali returns to end humanity. This book demonstrates the influence of Hindu mythology on Clarke who retired, and eventually passed away in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Moving on, now that you are warmed up, and are open to the possibility of science fiction being more than just space colonizing aliens out for human blood, for more mature tastes: the above three are a brilliant examination of civilization. they depart from the usual fiction/non fiction since they do not follow a particular individual, but instead follow a planet, that is hinted to be alive and possibly sentient. Speaking of sentient planets, this is where you enter the realm of speculative fiction, where the emphasis shifts from mere science to philosophy which is indeed the emphasis of most epic novellas. This following book is so bloody brilliant, that to gain a proper grasp of this book, you need to learn polish and read the novella in its original language: p.s. i have a very limited edition, first edition english translation of this book. if anyone has a polish first edition, i am willing to pay upto 200 bucks for it. please message me if interested. Since you are now questioning what makes a human a human, and an automaton not a human, i direct you to Philip K. Dick's Blade Runner, or its original title: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Now that you are neck deep in philosopy, a coup de grace for all your silly little religious beliefs: when immortals live too long and become, as they inevitably would, tyrants: And saving the best for the last: 2001 A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke. The less i say about it, the better since i would not wish to deprive you of the experience by stating anything that might preempt your comprehension. Notable Mention, that you may read anywhere in the above hierarchy: this book inspired the zerg race in the most popular computer game: starcraft.
Guest Gunner Posted January 15, 2010 Posted January 15, 2010 ^^ I see that I have a fellow Arthur C. Clarke fan. THX just for that I am going to try to find you Stanislaw Lem's Polish edition of Solaris and no you don't have to pay me for it. I will give it a shot since I have some polish friends.
CSK Fan Posted January 15, 2010 Posted January 15, 2010 ^^ I see that I have a fellow Arthur C. Clarke fan. THX just for that I am going to try to find you Stanislaw Lem's Polish edition of Solaris and no you don't have to pay me for it. I will give it a shot since I have some polish friends. Asimov>>>>>>>>>>>>>Clarke
THX_1138 Posted January 15, 2010 Posted January 15, 2010 Asimov>>>>>>>>>>>>>Clarke is this a genuine statement or simply a truculent bait? the two wrote entirely different fiction. for asimov, faster than light travel was never a stumbling block and his work often stretched humanity from one end of the galaxy to the other. he used social commentary to punctuate his work and the motivations of the characters. his work is that of a writer who has given his imagination free reign and then wrote about its escapades, brilliant as they were. clarke, however, limited his fiction. most of his work is limited to the solar system, in particular, the inner solar system. faster than light travel was hardly ever mentioned in his fiction, and being an engineer in training, a lot of his work delved into the examination of how humanity solved problems that might have plagued it or troubled it in its quest for the heavens. to give you an idea, the best work, critically acclaimed, not mere popularity ratings, of either authors are foundation by asimov, and a fall of moondust by clarke. the two are eons apart in their feel, run, and design. i cant even imagine what goes through the mind of a person who thinks that there is even a comparison to be made here. but as i said, it was your attempt to bait and divert the thread to a realm where you might be able to contribute since its current path evidently does not excite you. and as the idiot i am, i took the bait... so now that there is a line, and a hook, all we need is a sinker...
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