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Miss-Bomarc posted:I read this a while ago, but I seem to recall that the clouds of civilization-destroying nanomachines roaming through the galaxy were actually an alien fireworks show, put on by creatures inhabiting the Lesser Magellanic Cloud. They shot these clouds into the main galaxy, programmed them to explode any time they hit something made of rectangles, and "seeded" a number of worlds with jumbles of rectangular blocks. They had no idea that other intelligences would develop and start building rectangular things. The solution to the threat posed by the clouds, after a half-dozen books of trying to deal with this existential threat, was to just drop a bunch of inert cubic objects in front of them. That happens in book three. The last book is supposed to be the big reveal, and, allegedly, somehow it manages to be even more stupid.
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Aug 17, 2015 13:44
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mcustic posted:That happens in book three. The last book is supposed to be the big reveal, and, allegedly, somehow it manages to be even more stupid.
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Aug 17, 2015 14:34
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mcustic posted:That happens in book three. The last book is supposed to be the big reveal, and, allegedly, somehow it manages to be even more stupid. Oh, really? Crap, I thought I'd read all of them? What *really* happens?
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Aug 20, 2015 05:05
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Miss-Bomarc posted:Oh, really? Crap, I thought I'd read all of them? What *really* happens? I guess I'll take one for the team and try to read Cauldron. I will report back to the thread if I make it.
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Aug 20, 2015 18:19
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So I decided to go all in with Baxter starting from the Destiny's Children books and I just finished Coalescent. His writing style is amazing, fluent, eloquent, sort of colloquial yet very detailed in the description and analysis of the environment. In a word: natural. This helped a lot because honestly being thrown into ancient history, specifically Roman Britain's, was not exactly what I was expecting. I mean: I drat hate history and now I'm almost an expert on all Britain's troubled affairs from 5th to 7th century and this happened because I went into a 500 pages long sci-fi book  Anyway, once you swallow the pre-medieval context (some may actually like it), the story unfolds very smoothly (sort of, being in fact quite dark and nightmarish) and soon you find out where it's all leading to. The ending in fact made me remember why I like sci-fi so much. That unexpected thought, that mirrored point of view, that zooming out on humanity itself as a species and that question mark on what is all about is maybe not the answer one was expecting where all loose ends are tied up into some sort of organic and self-sustaining figure but it's quite the right perspective where to look from. So, probably at half the lenght it would have been a really remarkable "long tale", as it is instead I have to say it's a bit bloated with stories and words, but I'd totally Baxter again. In fact, I'm going onto Exultant right now, expecting moar spaceships though!! edit: hey I'm on chapter 1 page 1 of Exultant and there are carriers and Xeelee night-fighters at work. That's the sci-fi poo poo I wanted 
froody guy fucked around with this message at 23:02 on Aug 21, 2015 |
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Aug 21, 2015 15:52
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froody guy posted:So I decided to go all in with Baxter starting from the Destiny's Children books and I just finished Coalescent. DC is my favorite grouping of his works. By far. Glad you're enjoying 'em!
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Aug 23, 2015 19:52
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I saw that the Syfy channel is going to be airing a show based on The Expanse by James SA Corey this winter. I haven't read anything sci-fi for probably a solid 5-7 years, and I was thinking this might be a good series to try out. Is it generally well regarded? And since I've been burned by ongoing series many times in the past, is it expected to wrap up in the near future? I saw on Wiki that there are 6 books out but I didn't see how many were planned. I also saw the same author concluded a fantasy series recently that looked like he wrapped it up on time, so I was hoping the same would happen with Expanse. Sorry if this has been asked a million times.
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Aug 23, 2015 21:16
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I just finished Leviathan Wakes a couple of days ago. The setting reminds me of B5 and BSG in the way it's kind of lived in and grimy and noir-ish, except it's restricted to the solar system since FTL isn't a thing. So I'm not surprised they went with a TV show on it. It also kind of reminded me of the occasional near-future space episode of the newer Outer Limits show, with polities like the Mars Congress and interplanetary cold wars and stuff. I dug it. I felt like the main character was kind of flat though, and the characters are apparently based on an RPG one of the authors GM'd in the setting and I could definitely see that afterwards. There's gonna be nine books so it's not wrapping up anytime soon. It's co-authored and they seem to be keeping a pace of one book a year though.
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Aug 23, 2015 21:20
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The Expanse is on book 5 of 9, and is generally well regarded. I think it's fantastic, but some people don't care much for the main POV character since he's kind of a goody-two-shoes. I think he plays a necessary role in a story like this, but I also think that the rest of the cast proves to be extremely interesting and diverse, so it more than compensates for any shortcomings on that part. The two authors do a really good job of keeping to a book a year, as mentioned previously. One of them was actually an assistant to George R. R. Martin, so if you enjoy the structure of his books but want plots that actually go somewhere, you should definitely check them out.
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Aug 23, 2015 21:54
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Yeah, I don't think Holden is going to be a problem per se as long as the rest of the cast is diverse and engaging. Holden is the kind of character that you can use to propel the plot ahead at a fast pace since he has a straightforward motivation and he's very quick to act. Sort of like an action movie protagonist.
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Aug 23, 2015 21:59
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Antti posted:Yeah, I don't think Holden is going to be a problem per se as long as the rest of the cast is diverse and engaging. Holden is the kind of character that you can use to propel the plot ahead at a fast pace since he has a straightforward motivation and he's very quick to act. Sort of like an action movie protagonist.  Every other character pretty much just rides around on the tails of the decisions he makes, no matter how naive or ill-conceived.
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Aug 24, 2015 07:28
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I'm in book 3 of The Expanse series, and honestly, I don't think I'm going to read the rest. The first two grabbed me pretty quickly and had me interested, but so far, book three feels like a slog. At over 500 pages each, they're just too long for what they are. This may be controversial, but I think the show has a possibility to be better than the books.
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Aug 24, 2015 16:21
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thetechnoloser posted:DC is my favorite grouping of his works. By far. Glad you're enjoying 'em! As I'm learning right now, the question is a bit awkward for a true HardSF saga because with space-time dilation and overlapping of different time-slices in the same space-frame it's not possible to define a "now" (wtf am I saying?  ) but..... reading Exultant it looks like a lot already happened in the war between Humans and Xeelee and I'm wondering if it's maybe what has been written in the original Xeelee series, so should I read that first?
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Aug 24, 2015 16:54
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tonytheshoes posted:I'm in book 3 of The Expanse series, and honestly, I don't think I'm going to read the rest. The first two grabbed me pretty quickly and had me interested, but so far, book three feels like a slog. At over 500 pages each, they're just too long for what they are. I think most people consider book three a low point in the series so far. I'm not going to try to talk you into continuing (if you don't like it now, you won't like it later), but for all their weaknesses, the next two books pick up the action dramatically.
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Aug 24, 2015 19:08
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syphon posted:I think most people consider book three a low point in the series so far. I'm not going to try to talk you into continuing (if you don't like it now, you won't like it later), but for all their weaknesses, the next two books pick up the action dramatically. Good to know, actually! I might sally forth, then. It's not that I don't like them, but I'm glad to know it gets better.
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Aug 24, 2015 19:14
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tonytheshoes posted:
I don't consider that controversial at all and think the show's gotten off on a better foot already just for the fact that it's starting out with one of the better characters that didn't appear until the second book of the series.
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Aug 24, 2015 19:32
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froody guy posted:As I'm learning right now, the question is a bit awkward for a true HardSF saga because with space-time dilation and overlapping of different time-slices in the same space-frame it's not possible to define a "now" (wtf am I saying? No, you're fine. Finish DC and then go on to the Xeelee Saga. Book 3 of DC is back in 'near-present' time. I don't even remember the XS really having a lot of that in the end. Basically each XS book focuses on a 'hey wouldn't it be cool if humans learned to live in X wacky environment' and then basically tells a self-enclosed story that links back into the XS universe as a whole at the beginning or the end, from what I remember (it's been a minute).
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Aug 25, 2015 03:14
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It's been a real long time since I read any of the Xeelee books, but from what I remember the Vacuum Diagrams collection basically is what tells the over-arching story of the series (the rise of humans, the course of the war with the Xeelee/Photino Birds, and the final outcome) and the actual novels are just set at various points within that established timeline.
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Aug 25, 2015 04:05
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mcustic posted:That happens in book three. The last book is supposed to be the big reveal, and, allegedly, somehow it manages to be even more stupid. The creator of the omega clouds turns out to be some kind of entity in the galactic core. This thing can live in a vacuum, is practically immortal and has super advanced nano-tech that it uses to fart out the clouds. Any potential at it being interesting is immediately thrown away as McDevitt goes from having it communicate via blinking lights, to it speaking English in just moments. Despite it having really advanced tech, it's somehow trapped by gravity in the galactic core. Its masterplan is to fart out the clouds in the hope that someone will come to investigate who or what is creating them, so that it can steal their spaceship and escape. Honestly, just go watch Star Trek V instead of reading Cauldron. It's basically the same big reveal and at least Shatner's Kirk-fanfiction is entertaining in a train wreck sort of way. In between the stupid bits, Cauldron was just boring and even depressing in parts. Raygereio fucked around with this message at 13:19 on Aug 25, 2015 |
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Aug 25, 2015 11:06
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tonytheshoes posted:I'm in book 3 of The Expanse series, and honestly, I don't think I'm going to read the rest. The first two grabbed me pretty quickly and had me interested, but so far, book three feels like a slog. At over 500 pages each, they're just too long for what they are. Book 3 sucks, book 4 is a little better then book 5 returns to book 1 and 2 glory.
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Aug 25, 2015 13:14
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gohmak posted:Book 3 sucks, book 4 is a little better then book 5 returns to book 1 and 2 glory. Holy poo poo I had no idea that book 5 was out already.
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Aug 25, 2015 13:34
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froody guy posted:I don't know if this is the right place to ask for a reccomendation but since I'd need it about my next space opera saga I guess I may try my luck here. Read Veror Vinge then Revelation Space. orange sky posted:Holy poo poo I had no idea that book 5 was out already.
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Aug 25, 2015 14:18
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gohmak posted:Book 3 sucks, book 4 is a little better then book 5 returns to book 1 and 2 glory. Book 3 is my next one to read. 
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Aug 25, 2015 15:02
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Chairman Capone posted:It's been a real long time since I read any of the Xeelee books, but from what I remember the Vacuum Diagrams collection basically is what tells the over-arching story of the series (the rise of humans, the course of the war with the Xeelee/Photino Birds, and the final outcome) and the actual novels are just set at various points within that established timeline. This is correct. I really like Baxter for his holy crap, big ideas writing. One thing to know going into it is that he's a big fan of info dumps on fairly complicated scientific concepts. And I do mean info dumps. A typical exchange will go Person A references quantum mechanics/chemistry/physics topic X Person B: Tell me about X Person A: Five paragraphs about X. Which is great if that's fascinating to you (it is for me!) but it can take you out of the story if you don't care for it. E: note that that is almost an exact quote of some passages
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Aug 25, 2015 15:11
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savinhill posted:I don't consider that controversial at all and think the show's gotten off on a better foot already just for the fact that it's starting out with one of the better characters that didn't appear until the second book of the series.
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Aug 25, 2015 16:33
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BadOptics posted:Book 3 is my next one to read. Stop that. Book 3 is fine. It has cool battles and weird alien poo poo and Miller is back, sorta and I really like it. Pastor Anna is one of my favorite characters in the whole series.
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Aug 25, 2015 17:54
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Raygereio posted:Cauldron spoilers: Thanks. I am something like 80% into the book at the moment. Gotta love the sweet details such as Hutch's mother being really stupid but a good housewife.  And the dude that wants to bang the AI but dies, typical McDevitt fashion, minutes after landing on a new planet. The non-event that is the visit to the black hole. The horrible current events bulletins... The big reveal seems just like icing on the cake. E: forgot about the planet of immortals with electric cars but no TV or flight. Take the plunge! Okay! fucked around with this message at 18:48 on Aug 25, 2015 |
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Aug 25, 2015 18:44
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tonytheshoes posted:This may be controversial, but I think the show has a possibility to be better than the books.
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Aug 25, 2015 20:34
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BadOptics posted:Book 3 is my next one to read. I would say read a synopsis of 3 and 4 then just skip to 5.
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Aug 25, 2015 22:17
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gohmak posted:I would say read a synopsis of 3 and 4 then just skip to 5. I don't get this - sure, the 3rd isn't as good as the rest, but even the bad books in the Expanse are better than much of what's discussed in this thread (and better than a lot of what I read!)
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Aug 26, 2015 02:40
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Just finished Dark Forest and I'm pretty sure Alastair Reynolds must be jealous a little over the concept of Cosmic Sociology. I can't wait for book 3 but I'm curious where they can take it from here.
gohmak fucked around with this message at 03:30 on Aug 26, 2015 |
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Aug 26, 2015 03:27
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gohmak posted:I would say read a synopsis of 3 and 4 then just skip to 5. Nah; just being a little dramatic. Sure, it might be the weakest of the series so far, but I've probably read worse books. pork never goes bad posted:I don't get this - sure, the 3rd isn't as good as the rest, but even the bad books in the Expanse are better than much of what's discussed in this thread (and better than a lot of what I read!) Edit: ^^^This.
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Aug 26, 2015 03:43
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pork never goes bad posted:I don't get this - sure, the 3rd isn't as good as the rest, but even the bad books in the Expanse are better than much of what's discussed in this thread (and better than a lot of what I read!) I will say, the book has gotten a lot better around the half-way mark. Getting there was pretty rough, though.
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Aug 26, 2015 15:58
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I hope we see Pastor Anna again some time. Marco and Clarissa are cool but she's my favorite POV in that book.
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Aug 26, 2015 16:25
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savinhill posted:One of my favorites like this is in Absolution Gap when they put the dude in that life support coffin thingy in the ice on the outside of the ship and have drugs constantly being pumped into him that never allow him to sleep I think you are confusing stories. Absolution Gap has Lady Morwenna pulped instide her crimshaw suite as the ship high G burns to rescue Quaiche. The Prefect has the Ultra captain welded alive to the outside of his ship. My favorite will forever be Chasm City using a psychotic dolphin to torment the saboteur.
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Aug 28, 2015 08:36
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The Prefect also has the spine-parasite in the Senior Prefect's body, which will blow up if any other person comes within 20 feet of her, and they without her being aware (since the parasite can sense her stress. oh and it also blows up if she falls asleep so she's been on stimulants for a whole decade) rig her entire office into a massive guillotine that will separate her head from the rest of her body in a nanosecond with an explosion-proof blade so they can then rush in and put the decapitated head on life support.
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Aug 28, 2015 09:55
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I'm trying to read Revelation Space for the fourth time. I've only ever managed about 100 pages. The universe is drab and boring, there are too many characters, none of which are likable. Derelict space ships and desert planets? So original. Words words words, jump-cut to some other character every 4 pages. Why should I care about any of this?
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Aug 28, 2015 13:06
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start with chasm city
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Aug 28, 2015 13:10
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Biomute posted:I'm trying to read Revelation Space for the fourth time. I've only ever managed about 100 pages. The universe is drab and boring, there are too many characters, none of which are likable. Derelict space ships and desert planets? So original. Words words words, jump-cut to some other character every 4 pages. Why should I care about any of this? Sorry you don't like incredibly compelling universes, mang
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Aug 28, 2015 13:43
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gohmak posted:Book 3 sucks, book 4 is a little better then book 5 returns to book 1 and 2 glory. Just when I found a way out, they pulled me back in... I'm in the final few chapters of Abbadon's Gate and the book has picked up considerably. I might have to continue the series after all. Dammit.
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Aug 28, 2015 15:05
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