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Also very recently, David Brin's Existence and of course from the golden age of sci-fi, Pohl's Gateway.
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Dec 16, 2012 04:14
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Dirty Frank posted:Looking for a romance book for my Grandma, obviously I can just hit amazon and the bestsellers list, but I really don't want to accidentally buy something with tons of sex or violence in it (Grandma might like that poo poo but I bet she wouldn't want it from me). I know she likes Daniele Steel enough that she probably has everything already. So any romance loving goons with a good recommendation? Valeria's Last Stand and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand would both work, although there's a chance she's read the latter (and no, they're not by the same author or related in any way).
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Dec 16, 2012 04:42
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ToxicFrog posted:I'd recommend Song of the Beast and Flesh and Spirit + Breath and Bone over Rai-Kirah, personally; they hit the same themes but, I think, do it much better. The one time I don't recommend the Lighthouse Duet first is the one time someone else mentions it for me.  I do prefer those and her Collegia Magica series by a fair margin, but Rai-kireh sounded closest to the request, and Lighthouse's protagonist can be off-putting to some (for the very same reasons that make him one of my all-time favorite characters, even). Song of the Beast is solid too.Seriously though read whatever you can find by her. Except Bridge of D'Arnath. I can't even bring myself to start the third book.
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Dec 16, 2012 05:06
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Ok, I have a request. We just finished watching season 5 of new Doctor Who, and this one - especially the season finale - had a lot of, for lack of a better phrase, time travel shenanigans. People leaving messages for their past selves, crossing their own timelines, running into each other in different orders, and so forth. Turning the "timeline" into a "time yarn ball". I love this sort of stuff but I've read very few books that do it at all, let alone do it well. To Say Nothing of the Dog is probably closest, and it's still not quite what I'm looking for. Homestuck would be it, if it were comprehensible. And finished. And a good book rather than an animated webcomic. But it has the same kind of time-tangling madness that I'm looking for. So. Can anyone recommend books (or short stories) along these lines? Echo Cian posted:The one time I don't recommend the Lighthouse Duet first is the one time someone else mentions it for me.  quote:I do prefer those and her Collegia Magica series by a fair margin, but Rai-kireh sounded closest to the request, and Lighthouse's protagonist can be off-putting to some (for the very same reasons that make him one of my all-time favorite characters, even). Song of the Beast is solid too. Collegia Magica? A new series by Carol Berg I haven't read? And it's on par with Lighthouse for quality? I know what I'm getting my wife and myself for christmas.
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Dec 16, 2012 06:33
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funkybottoms posted:Valeria's Last Stand and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand would both work, although there's a chance she's read the latter (and no, they're not by the same author or related in any way). Thanks! I've actally read a bit of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, not my cup of tea but its a good idea for Grandma and gives me faith that you know what you're talking about with the other recommendation. She's getting both of them, hopefully she hasn't read either.
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Dec 16, 2012 09:37
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ToxicFrog posted:Ok, I have a request.
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Dec 16, 2012 10:44
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Dirty Frank posted:Thanks! I've actally read a bit of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, not my cup of tea but its a good idea for Grandma and gives me faith that you know what you're talking about with the other recommendation. She's getting both of them, hopefully she hasn't read either. Not mine, either, but I work in a bookstore and have to answer these kinds of questions. Be aware that there are a few sex scenes in Valeria, should've mentioned that before.
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Dec 16, 2012 11:51
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ToxicFrog posted:Ok, I have a request. David Gerrold's The Man Who Folded Himself is a novel that certainly makes a big timeline tangle. In other respects it is good, though not great, but it is nothing if not thorough when it comes to the possibilities. Charles Yu's How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is much better written but perhaps less, uh, literal than what you had in mind. It's hard to describe but it uses time travel (and other science fiction concepts) for their emotional and metaphorical impact. Time travel in particular is an expression of regret for past actions and missed opportunities. Finally I'd mention Robert Charles Wilson's Chronoliths. Wilson's books usually have great premises and this novel had one of his best: in the near future, enormous monuments start appearing out of nowhere in major cities, commemorating the victories of a warlord named Kuin twenty years in the future. This isn't really as tangled as what you describe but it's one of the most novel time travel premises I've encountered. While I wasn't totally satisfied with the ending (it's been a long time though and I can't remember the details) it's a concept that's stuck with me.
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Dec 16, 2012 15:40
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ToxicFrog posted:We just finished watching season 5 of new Doctor Who, and this one - especially the season finale - had a lot of, for lack of a better phrase, time travel shenanigans. Bhodi fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Dec 16, 2012 |
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Dec 16, 2012 18:15
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I just finished Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon. Are there any other books that use music as a background plot device or is that it.
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Dec 17, 2012 01:58
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ToxicFrog posted:Ok, I have a request. Don't read End of Eternity, unless you absolutely love Asimov. It was infuriatingly misogynistic. I only finished it because I love Asimov. I recommend anything by Connie Willis. Blackout is the first one I read, and I was hooked. Blackout is about time travelers stuck in London during WWII, and it's pretty great. To Say Nothing of the Dog is more lighthearted, it has a Doctor Who meets Downton Abbey feel to it. Doomsday Book was great, but it's a lot bleaker than the other two. Edit: you mentioned To Say Nothing of the Dog... whoops!
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Dec 17, 2012 02:04
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So I realize this may not be the best thing to admit to, but I enjoy Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series. I'm wondering if there are any comparable (and possibly better written?) series out there that people might recommend. I need new plane books!
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Dec 17, 2012 03:24
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Any books for the 1870 Franco-German War? Been reading about the first world war, it seems not knowing much about 1870 sort of hampers the understanding of German-Franco standings/relations.
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Dec 17, 2012 06:28
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CancerStick posted:I'm looking for a good book to read related to medicine. Not the science, but perhaps the human side? Perhaps something written by a physician that discusses previous cases. You may enjoy Fool or Physician by Anthony Daniels. It recounts various anecdotes from clinical practice in some of the remoter corners of the world. A really compelling read.
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Dec 17, 2012 14:59
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Hey guys, am still getting around to reading about heist stuff. But another thing I was wondering. Are there any novels or short stories featuring Gigantor-style massive mecha robots? Obviously there are tons of cartoons and stuff, but has anything interesting been written on that subject? Fiction, of course.
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Dec 17, 2012 15:25
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bollig posted:Are there any novels or short stories featuring Gigantor-style massive mecha robots? Obviously there are tons of cartoons and stuff, but has anything interesting been written on that subject? Fiction, of course. Next question? Seriously, though, big human-shaped robots are the peculiar obsession of the Japanese. I don't know of any original English fiction involving them, though if there is I'm sure someone here will know. Heinlein's Starship Troopers and John Steakley's Armor are good novels involving power armor but that's not really the same thing. Your best bet is probably to look through Haikasoru's inventory. They translate Japanese SF novels into English. I can't recommend from experience but I've heard good things about All You Need is Kill.
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Dec 17, 2012 16:07
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Lex Talionis posted:No.
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Dec 17, 2012 17:10
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Joramun posted:End of Eternity, By His Bootstraps, -All You Zombies-, Prisoner of Azkaban, The Man who Folded Himself Lex Talionis posted:How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, The Chronoliths Bhodi posted:The Light of Other Days, Timescape Thanks for the recommendations! I've already read Prisoner of Azkaban, and I've tried a few times (and failed each time) to get through The Chronoliths, but I'll definitely check out the rest. dopaMEAN posted:Blackout, To Say Nothing of the Dog, Doomsday Book I've read most of Connie Willis's books, including To Say Nothing of the Dog and Doomsday Book. I don't think I've read Blackout, though. I'll check that out too.
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Dec 17, 2012 17:52
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Can anyone recommend me a book in the genre of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" or "The Hobbit"? Just a fun read, but interesting. I also like (this is completely different from the previous books) "American Psycho" and "Less Than Zero". "The Old Man and the Sea" is also something I've enjoyed recently. drat it, I just need more books! Feel free to recommend any book that is similar to the ones I've mentioned! Thanks in advance.
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Dec 17, 2012 19:58
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bollig posted:Hey guys, am still getting around to reading about heist stuff. But another thing I was wondering. Are there any novels or short stories featuring Gigantor-style massive mecha robots? Obviously there are tons of cartoons and stuff, but has anything interesting been written on that subject? Fiction, of course.
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Dec 17, 2012 20:19
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eravulgaris posted:I also like (this is completely different from the previous books) "American Psycho" and "Less Than Zero". How about some other mid-80s Brat Pack stuff: Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City, Tama Janowitz's Slaves of New York or Sad Movies by Mark Lindquist?
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Dec 17, 2012 21:02
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Bhodi posted:Battletech, but you should probably avoid it because it is universally terrible. They do go the extra mile on sound effects, though! There's also a series of english Robotech novelizations. I have no idea if they're any good and I'm not about to read them to find out, but they exist. Drop the "humanoid" requirement and you have more scope. Mind-machine interfaces and powerful war machines with a crew of one aren't exactly super-rare themes in science fiction; it's just that most authors make the machine part more, well, vehicular - tanks, or fighters, or starships. When they're more humanoid, they tend to be either power armour or telepresence rigs rather than colossi.
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Dec 17, 2012 22:49
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bollig posted:Hey guys, am still getting around to reading about heist stuff. But another thing I was wondering. Are there any novels or short stories featuring Gigantor-style massive mecha robots? Obviously there are tons of cartoons and stuff, but has anything interesting been written on that subject? Fiction, of course. Depending on definitions, I'd say John Scalzi's Old Man's War kinda fits. It's more Avatar-style than actual mecha robots though...
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Dec 17, 2012 23:41
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ToxicFrog posted:There's also a series of english Robotech novelizations. I have no idea if they're any good and I'm not about to read them to find out, but they exist. Read and loved these in middle school and, while I doubt my older self would find the writing terribly appealing, I remember more plot points and characters from them than many things I've read since.
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Dec 17, 2012 23:53
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eravulgaris posted:Can anyone recommend me a book in the genre of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" or "The Hobbit"? Just a fun read, but interesting. Have you read Rules of Attraction or Ellis follow up to Less Than Zero Imperial Bedrooms? Edit: you need to check out The Secret History which is an awesome take on Camden by another author. nate fisher fucked around with this message at 01:29 on Dec 18, 2012 |
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Dec 18, 2012 01:26
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Ulio posted:Any books for the 1870 Franco-German War? Been reading about the first world war, it seems not knowing much about 1870 sort of hampers the understanding of German-Franco standings/relations. I don't know a definitive history of the period, but Zola wrote a series of realist novels on the second empire and the third republic, one of which features Sedan. Google tells me it was La Debacle. I haven't read them yet, but this might prompt me to finally start.
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Dec 18, 2012 04:09
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Hmm definitely interesting, I don't mind a fictitious story as long it states the truth. Zola's novels are written during the sametime as the events thats interesting since most non fiction about major events are written years later. Also guessing there will be some bias since Zola is french.
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Dec 18, 2012 05:09
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BlazinLow305 posted:I'm looking for any book with a really interesting plot dealing with supernatural mysteries and such. I'm not too sure how to describe what I want, but the television show LOST is a good example. Something rich with "what the gently caress is going on, this is crazy this kind of poo poo isn't supposed to happen" type of feeling to it if that makes sense. It doesn't have to be exactly like LOST with wrecked survivors, basically just be a somewhat easy read with a really grabbing plot because I've been slogging through a slow moving book lately and I'm finding myself a bit ADD to read on it every night. Reposting this just one more time since it only got one reply. Basically, anything that's an interesting fun read. Preferably something fairly recent(within the last 20 years or so, but this isn't a big deal). Also, like I said it doesn't have to be supernatural specifically, just anything that wouldn't actually happen like aliens, end of the world, etc. I'm basically looking for material for my light reading. I usually read a lot of King for that, but I've gotten pretty tired of him lately. Sorry for the repost, just going crazy trying to figure out what to read for my before bedtime trashy stuff.
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Dec 19, 2012 05:11
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BlazinLow305 posted:Reposting this just one more time since it only got one reply. Basically, anything that's an interesting fun read. Preferably something fairly recent(within the last 20 years or so, but this isn't a big deal). Also, like I said it doesn't have to be supernatural specifically, just anything that wouldn't actually happen like aliens, end of the world, etc. I'm basically looking for material for my light reading. I usually read a lot of King for that, but I've gotten pretty tired of him lately. Sorry for the repost, just going crazy trying to figure out what to read for my before bedtime trashy stuff. Maaaybe The Raw Shark Texts, but that's not totally "light" in the way I think you mean (but it's not "heavy" either). Neil Gaiman might also be appropriate, but I'm not sure which. There are a whole bunch of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and similar cheap thrills short story anthologies that I've enjoyed as before-bed crazy-twists-and-easy-reading filler. But that might not give you the sense of crazy expanding plot that just keeps building upon itself.
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Dec 19, 2012 05:27
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For what it's worth, by light I just mean fairly easy to get into. I don't mind a book being long or even fairly in depth at all. Anything that won't leave me lost trying to understand what's going on basically, seeing as I like to read for a hour or five before bed every night. edit: I looked at Wool on wikipedia. It seems interesting from what I could tell of it. However I'm looking for something where the book begins with things being "normal" I guess, and then whatever crazy thing happens with the characters reacting to it and dealing with it. As an example, The Sign by Raymond Khoury which was alright but I really enjoyed the premise although the phenomenon in the book wound up being a man made hoax. Sorry, I just realized how picky I sound. 
Drunk Driver Dad fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Dec 19, 2012 |
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Dec 19, 2012 05:37
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DirtyRobot posted:
I agree, both Neverwhere and American Gods are great.
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Dec 19, 2012 05:40
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AARP LARPer fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Jan 22, 2016 |
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Dec 19, 2012 05:49
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I believe I'll give American Gods a try. For some reason reading the summary kind of reminded me of the show Supernatural, what with many myths and urban legends being real. This isn't a bad thing in my opinion, I quite enjoyed the show. I was browsing on goodread.com and The Genesis Secret,http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6361796-the-genesis-secret?a=5&origin=related_works seems like it might be worth a try too, although it only has a 3/5 rating. For what it's worth, I enjoy Dan Brown books for what they are.
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Dec 19, 2012 05:55
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BlazinLow305 posted:Reposting this just one more time since it only got one reply. Basically, anything that's an interesting fun read. Preferably something fairly recent(within the last 20 years or so, but this isn't a big deal). Also, like I said it doesn't have to be supernatural specifically, just anything that wouldn't actually happen like aliens, end of the world, etc. I'm basically looking for material for my light reading. I usually read a lot of King for that, but I've gotten pretty tired of him lately. Sorry for the repost, just going crazy trying to figure out what to read for my before bedtime trashy stuff.
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Dec 19, 2012 07:08
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Thanks for the help guys, quite a few of these seem very interesting so I put them in my queue. I think so far I'll give Spin and American Gods a shot first. Also remembered I liked Andromeda Strain, and Sphere by Crichton seems interesting as well. If anyone thinks it's kind of lovely, please let me know.
Drunk Driver Dad fucked around with this message at 07:26 on Dec 19, 2012 |
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Dec 19, 2012 07:14
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I just reread Haunting of Hill House and am in the mood for more creepy books. Not so much "Boo a ghost" type stuff (though ghost stories are definitely OK), but creepy and unsettling. Other examples would be House of Leaves (the Navidson record parts). I guess more a more subtle, psychological creepy. What will make me sleep with the lights on?
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Dec 19, 2012 17:52
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funkybottoms posted:Not mine, either, but I work in a bookstore and have to answer these kinds of questions. Be aware that there are a few sex scenes in Valeria, should've mentioned that before.
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Dec 19, 2012 18:14
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Micomicona posted:I just reread Haunting of Hill House and am in the mood for more creepy books. Not so much "Boo a ghost" type stuff (though ghost stories are definitely OK), but creepy and unsettling. Other examples would be House of Leaves (the Navidson record parts). I guess more a more subtle, psychological creepy. What will make me sleep with the lights on? Hell House by Richard Matheson. This book and Haunting of Hill House are my top 2 for awesome haunted house stories. Also good but not as great is House of Lost Souls by FG Cottam. It's got a bit of the House of Leaves 'diary of someone dead who was involved in some crazy poo poo' sort of deal but not quite as PoMo as House of Leaves. Also, Aleister Crowley is a character in this book, how can you go wrong? Also creepy but very weird creepy is the Cipher by Kathe Koja. It's about this dude and his gf who live in an apartment and find this hole to another dimension in the basement. Whenever they throw poo poo in the hole it comes back all hosed up. It's pretty weird and well written.
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Dec 20, 2012 01:33
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Micomicona posted:I just reread Haunting of Hill House and am in the mood for more creepy books. Not so much "Boo a ghost" type stuff (though ghost stories are definitely OK), but creepy and unsettling. Other examples would be House of Leaves (the Navidson record parts). I guess more a more subtle, psychological creepy. What will make me sleep with the lights on? Have you read King's Salem's Lot? Yes it is about vampires, but the house in book is his version of Hill House. Salem's Lot is the reason I read Haunting of Hill House. Also King's Shining might be right up your alley too.
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Dec 20, 2012 01:40
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Micomicona posted:I just reread Haunting of Hill House and am in the mood for more creepy books. Not so much "Boo a ghost" type stuff (though ghost stories are definitely OK), but creepy and unsettling. Other examples would be House of Leaves (the Navidson record parts). I guess more a more subtle, psychological creepy. What will make me sleep with the lights on? I love the recommendations that have been given so far, and I'd add Charles MacLean's The Watcher.
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Dec 20, 2012 02:58
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