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Is there a book that covers themes like trans humanism, like the lines that define what a human is, alot like in I, Robot and in the Deus Ex games. Fiction, non fiction, whatever is fine.
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Jan 24, 2013 06:27
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Ulio posted:Is there a book that covers themes like trans humanism, like the lines that define what a human is, alot like in I, Robot and in the Deus Ex games. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? Phillip K Dick might have written other books about that topic but I'm not familiar enough with his other works.
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Jan 24, 2013 13:14
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Walh Hara posted:Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? Charles Stross? Like a guy spreads his consciousness into a swarm of pigeons.
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Jan 24, 2013 19:25
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Walh Hara posted:Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Variety The awesome PKD short story that inspired Battlestar Galactica
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Jan 24, 2013 20:19
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That's a very tenuous supposition, unless it was stated by the creators of that thing you put in tags.
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Jan 24, 2013 21:26
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Blade_of_tyshalle posted:That's a very tenuous supposition, unless it was stated by the creators of that thing you put in tags. I thought I read that in Ron Moore's BSG Bible a couple of years ago. Hovewer, all I can google right now is a review blasting the show for appropriating Dick's story without attribution.
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Jan 24, 2013 23:40
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barkingclam posted:How about David Mitchell's number9dream? Seconding this. And the London chapter in Ghostwritten is one of my favourites. You'd probably have to be a bit more specific about London though - there's obviously less books about japan, but in the world of English literature, there are literally tens of thousands of novels set in London at every stage of its existence.
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Jan 25, 2013 01:16
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freebooter posted:Seconding this. And the London chapter in Ghostwritten is one of my favourites. I'm a fan of the Victorian era, modern Japan, 40s America, and modern New York.
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Jan 25, 2013 02:41
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Victorian era? Of Human Bondage - Somerset Maugham. Mostly based in London, but a little after the Victorian era. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh. Skirts around your likes. England (with some London) between the world wars, a brief jaunt into 1930s America. The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton. Victorian era New York. The Age of Innocence - Edith Wharton. Ditto.
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Jan 25, 2013 03:22
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Ulio posted:Is there a book that covers themes like trans humanism, like the lines that define what a human is, alot like in I, Robot and in the Deus Ex games. DADOES? is a good one, and, continuing in the science-fiction vein, I've really enjoyed everything David Marusek has written.
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Jan 25, 2013 03:33
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Ulio posted:Is there a book that covers themes like trans humanism, like the lines that define what a human is, alot like in I, Robot and in the Deus Ex games. The Revelation Space series has a lot of cool stuff about this in it.
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Jan 25, 2013 05:19
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I had Electric Sheep? in mind gonna have to read that, Revelation looks like a nice sci fi soap opera aswell.
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Jan 25, 2013 06:13
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noirstronaut posted:I'm a fan of the Victorian era, modern Japan, 40s America, and modern New York. If you want something set in Victorian london, I'm going to recommend . ..drumroll . . The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the greatest of the Sherlock Holmes novels. For a general "The Story of London" I'd recommend London by Edward Rutherford.
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Jan 25, 2013 06:18
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:If you want something set in Victorian london, I'm going to recommend . ..drumroll . . The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the greatest of the Sherlock Holmes novels. Awesome! I got this from Amazon a couple of weeks ago and it's still free in case anyone else wants to scoop it up. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHE20W0/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title I'm a big fan of stories. Just fiction stories, so I figured I'd throw in places that I'm interested in. To be honest, I'm fairly new to "reading" at this extent. I used to only read when I had to, but ever since I got a Kindle, I've been reading a lot more.
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Jan 25, 2013 06:54
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noirstronaut posted:Awesome! I got this from Amazon a couple of weeks ago and it's still free in case anyone else wants to scoop it up. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AHE20W0/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title Aha! If you want a list of free kindle ebook recommendations and don't mind reading stuff published before 1930 you've come to the right place. Sticking to at least somewhat "literary" recommendations, "realistic" fiction rather than fantasy, and stuff that's available free in the Kindle store, here are a few to get you started: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins Plain Tales from the Hills by Rudyard Kipling. The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne (yes that Milne). My Man Jeeves or any other Jeeves book by P.G. Wodehouse. If you're willing to venture into sci-fi and fantasy, a couple fun ones: The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells She and King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard
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Jan 25, 2013 17:45
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:Aha! Thanks! I wanted to check out some more current stuff, however. I'm truly grateful for the recommendations, though. Most of the stuff I've read from previous centuries has a style of writing that doesn't flow as easily to me and make the process seem more forced as opposed to enjoyment. Any recommendations for realistic fiction novels made 1960+? e: For "reference" I'm currently ready Coraline, just finished Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore, and I think Ready Player One will be next. noirstronaut fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Jan 25, 2013 |
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Jan 25, 2013 19:21
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noirstronaut posted:Thanks! I wanted to check out some more current stuff, however. I'm truly grateful for the recommendations, though. Most of the stuff I've read from previous centuries has a style of writing that doesn't flow as easily to me and make the process seem more forced as opposed to enjoyment. Any recommendations for realistic fiction novels made 1960+? If you want more modern authors, and you like reading histories of specific regions, I'd suggest you check out Edward Rutherford, James Clavell, and James Michener. They all write Fictionalized Big Sweeping Histories of Places, usually taking a specific person or a few people in one era, then their kids, then their kids, etc. They do tend to kinda be doorstopper-length authors. James Clavell's Shogun might be a good place to start since you mentioned Japan. Based on a true story! Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 19:43 on Jan 25, 2013 |
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Jan 25, 2013 19:36
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:If you want more modern authors, and you like reading histories of specific regions, I'd suggest you check out Edward Rutherford, James Clavell, and James Michener. Definitely picking up Shogun next. What do you think of John Dies at The End (if you've read it)? A lot of reviews are simply saying "it's funny and scary" but I'm hugely not a fan of anything scary since I read in silence and my mind wanders any time it can.
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Jan 25, 2013 19:47
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noirstronaut posted:Definitely picking up Shogun next. What do you think of John Dies at The End (if you've read it)? A lot of reviews are simply saying "it's funny and scary" but I'm hugely not a fan of anything scary since I read in silence and my mind wanders any time it can. Haven't read it, can't say. I tend to stay away from most modern horror. On the other hand, you can generally find the complete works of Lovecraft free online!
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Jan 25, 2013 19:49
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:Haven't read it, can't say. I tend to stay away from most modern horror. Definitely gonna look into it. Do you have any other recommendations that are outside of the locations I listed earlier? Just fiction books in general?
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Jan 25, 2013 19:54
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noirstronaut posted:Definitely gonna look into it. Do you have any other recommendations that are outside of the locations I listed earlier? Just fiction books in general? I can keep doing this all day! The Rivers of London/ Midnight Riot fantasy series by Ben Aaronovitch is *very* strongly set in modern London, as is Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. The Mark of Zorro is a great pulpy read if you can find a copy. You Can't Win by Jack Black (not the modern Jack Black) is a neat period true crime autobiography and a big influence on William S. Burroughs. The Anabasis by Xenophon is a great story and an immensely interesting microcosm of Ancient Greece. Most of the other subthreads on this forum also are about good books. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 20:04 on Jan 25, 2013 |
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Jan 25, 2013 19:57
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:I can keep doing this all day! Bought The Mark of Zorro and gonna look into the others ASAP! Thanks for the recommendations. Neil Gaiman is also one of my favorite writers, so I might get Neverwhere right now, too.
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Jan 25, 2013 20:09
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:The Anabasis by Xenophon is a great story and an immensely interesting microcosm of Ancient Greece. Can you recommend a translation of this? I've been leaning towards Oxford's (by Robin Waterfield), but Penguin's (Rex Warner) seems interesting, too. barkingclam fucked around with this message at 20:40 on Jan 25, 2013 |
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Jan 25, 2013 20:38
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barkingclam posted:Can you recommend a translation of this? I've been leaning towards Oxford's (by Robin Waterfield), but Penguin's (Rex Warner) seems interesting, too. I'm pretty sure Rex Warner is my copy and I enjoyed it. I'm quietly hoping that the Landmark Series guy will do an edition but he hasn't yet.
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Jan 25, 2013 20:45
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They already did another one of Xenophon, but I don't know much about it. I'd love it if they did one for Tacitus, personally.
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Jan 25, 2013 20:47
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noirstronaut posted:Anyone know of any great fiction books based in London or Japan? That's really all I'm requesting... great fiction books in those places. I've read the first book of 1Q84 and some of Kafka, but I want something more...real? Maybe a story about a young person in Japan and living a life there. Maybe runs into some trouble, meets new people, a typical story like that. Adding my vote to the other people who suggested Number9dream and Norwegian Wood. Norwegian Wood is different than Murakami's other stuff in that it doesn't have any bizarre or supernatural elements in it. And although neither is about young people, Kazuo Ishiguro's novels An Artist of the Floating World and A Pale View of Hills are both set in Japan and were really good reads.
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Jan 26, 2013 17:38
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Anyone have any great reads focusing around insane asylums or anything similar to Shutter Island?
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Jan 27, 2013 02:05
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Can anyone recommend some fantasy or science fiction with a large variety of interesting and diverse settings and lifeforms? Some examples being Well World and Death Gate. Preferably non-franchise works although they may make up the majority. For any who play video games, I'm really looking for fantastic literary settings equivalent to Final Fantasy, Myst, The Dig, etc; if such works exist.
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Jan 27, 2013 03:28
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Jive One posted:Can anyone recommend some fantasy or science fiction with a large variety of interesting and diverse settings and lifeforms? Some examples being Well World and Death Gate. Preferably non-franchise works although they may make up the majority. Iain M. Bank's Culture novels. edit: Oh, and Schismatrix Plus by Bruce Sterling. a kitten fucked around with this message at 17:06 on Jan 27, 2013 |
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Jan 27, 2013 07:25
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Can anyone recommend good fantasy military fiction, something along the lines of the Black Company (don't recommend Malazan)?
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Jan 27, 2013 07:29
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TheWorldIsSquare posted:Can anyone recommend good fantasy military fiction, something along the lines of the Black Company (don't recommend Malazan)? The first law trilogy (note that the war only starts in book 2 and is mostly described in book 3) and The Heroes by Joe Abercrmbie are pretty great. Less good (it's honestly pretty mediocre and bland) is the codex alera series, but except for the second book it's one war after another so it may interest you.
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Jan 27, 2013 13:51
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Adib posted:Thinking about reading a collection of Anne Sexton's poems. Have any of you read them? What do you think? Yea or nay? Sexton is criminally underrated. Begin with Love Poems. That contains one of my faves by her: "The Ballad of the Lonely Masturbator." I guess it's impossible to seriously discuss Plath without lots of stupid  - just read her. She's amazing. Ignore the bullshit.
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Jan 27, 2013 19:23
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I've never read any of the Discworld books, should I start at the beginning? They are a lot and I heard the first few ones are not that good.TheWorldIsSquare posted:Can anyone recommend good fantasy military fiction, something along the lines of the Black Company (don't recommend Malazan)?
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Jan 29, 2013 06:23
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Talas posted:I've never read any of the Discworld books, should I start at the beginning? They are a lot and I heard the first few ones are not that good. I would recommend just reading them more or less in the order they were written. Some later ones are good, but some early ones are also very good. Generally there will be characters you like and want to read more of (Death) and some characters you don't like and can avoid (Granny Weatherwax).
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Jan 29, 2013 06:32
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V for Vegas posted:I would recommend just reading them more or less in the order they were written. Some later ones are good, but some early ones are also very good. Generally there will be characters you like and want to read more of (Death) and some characters you don't like and can avoid (Granny Weatherwax). You're just mad because Death lost with all ones at poker. I would really consider skipping the starting books (see here) for all the series except for the Watch and Death books. Also, skip the first two Ricewind books. However, I may be murdered with a banana for saying to skip books.
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Jan 29, 2013 07:15
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SystemLogoff posted:I would really consider skipping the starting books (see here) for all the series except for the Watch and Death books. Also, skip the first two Ricewind books. No, it's a legit thing to say. First two Rincewind books are fun, quirky parodies of S&S fantasy, but they're not really Discworld yet. The first books I read were the ones in the Death Omnibus I got (Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music) and they're a great entrance into the series.
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Jan 29, 2013 12:01
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Just read Small Gods as it has been scientifically and thaumaturgically proven to be The Best Discworld Book.
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Jan 29, 2013 12:05
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I'd also say skip the very first books- "not really Discworld yet" is a great way to describe them. Everyone I know says to start with Guards, Guards, since it's late enough to be "really Discworld" and is also the introduction to the best set of characters in the whole series. That being said, I started with Small Gods and that was also fine. Small Gods is mostly standalone, so I guess it's up to you which type you'd want to start with.
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Jan 29, 2013 13:27
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Can someone recommend me where to start with Peter Straub? I read Ghost Story and loved it, and am looking for a new horror author to spend some time with. I also read Black House and Talisman. Actually, I'll take any Horror Author recommendations. I've read most of King and Barker, tried Koontz and hated what I tried, but he's written 8million books so maybe there is some good stuff in there.
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Jan 29, 2013 23:30
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noirstronaut posted:What do you think of John Dies at The End (if you've read it)? A lot of reviews are simply saying "it's funny and scary" It's neither of those things.
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Jan 30, 2013 06:05
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