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Darkrenown posted:If you strip out his political views and the rape,  ToxicFrog posted:(Zerg spoilers in case anyone cares about spoilers from a 20 year old RTS: the Zerg were created by a Vanished Precursor Race as part of their ongoing project to create the perfect lifeform. They ended up with an aggressive, parasitic hivemind that can both infect and control any chordate, and absorb the genetic code of any species it encounters to use as the basis of new creatures the hivemind creates. The first thing they did was control and absorb the precursors that created them. Unlike the Posleen, they're completely non-technological.) You just spoiled the manual for a 20 year old game
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Jan 10, 2017 01:29
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Professor Shark posted:I'm reading Pandora's Star right now and as bad as the writing can be, the editor really stands out as doing a bad job. The book drags the gently caress on until the Alamo Avenger's show up and then it pretty much hits the gas and doesn't stop.
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Jan 10, 2017 02:45
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NoNostalgia4Grover posted:The Posleen are the lizard people invaders from the 1983 tv series "V" I had a different take on that. A hymn before battle and it's immediate sequels always struck me as a rewrite of Alan Dean Fosters' The Damned series with the serial numbers filed off for originality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Damned_Trilogy I remember reading the first two books of The Damned and finding it sort of...petered out? But it had the same hallmark bits of generally Pacifist alien species using warlike Humans to defend themselves from a rising threat.
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Jan 10, 2017 04:56
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Deptfordx posted:I still can hardly believe post 2010 Weber actually managed to wrap a story up, however imperfectly, and finish a series. Given that the last page of the book says "Merlin will return!" that seems optimistic to me.
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Jan 10, 2017 05:14
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Jew it to it! posted:I had a different take on that. A hymn before battle and it's immediate sequels always struck me as a rewrite of Alan Dean Fosters' The Damned series with the serial numbers filed off for originality. It's always funny for me to remember that Alan Dean Foster actually writes his own original stuff also.
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Jan 10, 2017 05:53
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Jew it to it! posted:I had a different take on that. A hymn before battle and it's immediate sequels always struck me as a rewrite of Alan Dean Fosters' The Damned series with the serial numbers filed off for originality. This was also done by Tanya Huff in the valor series.
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Jan 10, 2017 06:08
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jng2058 posted:Given that the last page of the book says "Merlin will return!" that seems optimistic to me. Well I mean the idea is for the humans to return to the stars and defeat the Gbaba aliens who almost genocided them, so there's more to come if Weber doesn't change his mind - but the current arc is wrapped up. ToxicFrog posted:I don't remember any "omg we're hugely outnumbered" battles like in March Upcountry, but it has been quite a while since I read it. It's pretty bad: A Hymn before Battle posted:"Well?" The general gestured with his chin at the papers. "What do you think? I want to get a feel for your impressions before we meet the rest of the team." Looking this up kind of made me want to re-read them, but I don't think I can bear to go though all the loving Bun-bun references in book 4 again. Darkrenown fucked around with this message at 12:42 on Jan 10, 2017 |
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Jan 10, 2017 12:32
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Jew it to it! posted:I had a different take on that. A hymn before battle and it's immediate sequels always struck me as a rewrite of Alan Dean Fosters' The Damned series with the serial numbers filed off for originality. Well, gently caress. At first I was sceptical because I've read tons of Alan Dean Foster's books and his style seems to be to different from Ringo, but wow. Ringo even copied the mind-controlling squid aliens for his series. At least now I know where he got the inspiration for that. 
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Jan 10, 2017 13:06
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Libluini posted:Ringo even copied the mind-controlling squid aliens for his series. How so?
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Jan 10, 2017 14:54
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Darkrenown posted:How so? Uh by openly having mind-controlling squid aliens in one of the later books? Did you honestly not know? I mean I can understand, I kind of mentally checked out near the end of the Aldenata-series, too. Libluini fucked around with this message at 15:08 on Jan 10, 2017 |
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Jan 10, 2017 15:04
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Oh yeah. I honestly forgot about the new Eye of the Storm aliens. It's been like 7 years since they were briefly introduced and then there were no more books.
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Jan 10, 2017 15:35
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Darkrenown posted:Oh yeah. I honestly forgot about the new Eye of the Storm aliens. It's been like 7 years since they were briefly introduced and then there were no more books. It's because zombies made more money. Also the Troy Rising series was fun also The Looking Glass if only to have a character anime to destroy aliens.
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Jan 10, 2017 18:15
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Thanks to whoever recommended the Retief books! I'm having a blast. (Reh-teef? Reh-tee-eff?)
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Jan 10, 2017 21:27
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Bolow posted:The book drags the gently caress on until the Alamo Avenger's show up and then it pretty much hits the gas and doesn't stop. I closed the book on page 305 or so after a chapter of dialogue that was so poorly written I couldn't take it any longer. I should have the new Expanse book in from the library soon, the writing for that series is Shakespeare compared to Pandora
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Jan 11, 2017 02:35
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Is Alastair Reynolds still planning to release The Prefect sequel this year?
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Jan 11, 2017 03:39
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Subjunctive posted:Thanks to whoever recommended the Retief books! I'm having a blast. You're welcome. Check out the Dominic Flandry series next. quantumfoam fucked around with this message at 07:49 on Jan 11, 2017 |
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Jan 11, 2017 07:32
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Professor Shark posted:I should have the new Expanse book in from the library soon, the writing for that series is Shakespeare compared to Pandora Glad to see poo poo like this. I really enjoyed the first book, despite its flaws. There's no way I'll get to book two until later this year. I hope I got something to look forward to throughout time.
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Jan 12, 2017 03:37
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apophenium posted:Glad to see poo poo like this. I really enjoyed the first book, despite its flaws. There's no way I'll get to book two until later this year. I hope I got something to look forward to throughout time. Is the Expanse book series any good and how faithful is the show to the books? I went and watched the Show because I was happy Sci-Fi was actually making a loving (Space) Sci-Fi show again and it was pretty good. Not Stargate or Battlestar level good, but better than some of their more recent productions.
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Jan 12, 2017 04:42
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Jack2142 posted:Is the Expanse book series any good and how faithful is the show to the books? I went and watched the Show because I was happy Sci-Fi was actually making a loving (Space) Sci-Fi show again and it was pretty good. Not Stargate or Battlestar level good, but better than some of their more recent productions. Pretty close but they've added in some characters that you only start seeing in book 2 (which is a good thing!). Really looking forward to Season 2 in Feb. Edit: Season 1 is basically 75% of the first book. It looks like Season 2 should wrap that up and start on the beginning of book 2. BadOptics fucked around with this message at 06:01 on Jan 12, 2017 |
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Jan 12, 2017 05:59
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Jack2142 posted:Is the Expanse book series any good and how faithful is the show to the books? I went and watched the Show because I was happy Sci-Fi was actually making a loving (Space) Sci-Fi show again and it was pretty good. Not Stargate or Battlestar level good, but better than some of their more recent productions. They've shuffled around some plot points, changed some of the characterization and motivations of some of the principles, but it's "true" to the book. The books authors (Corey is a pseudonym for two authors) are writers for the show and have come out and stated that the show is how the story should have been told in hindsight.
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Jan 12, 2017 06:03
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flosofl posted:They've shuffled around some plot points, changed some of the characterization and motivations of some of the principles, but it's "true" to the book. The books authors (Corey is a pseudonym for two authors) are writers for the show and have come out and stated that the show is how the story should have been told in hindsight. Like, that character who turned out to be super important, you give her more lines. The thing you thought was going to be the key to the entire series but got dropped partway through book two, you can downplay it a bit.
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Jan 13, 2017 09:46
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flosofl posted:Corey is a pseudonym for two authors Or The Jimmy Boys, according to the fat fucker's blog. Hopefully they don't stretch the TV show out, there is plenty of material for them to work from, almost too much for most TV shows. Book 3 will take up most of a season. Book 4, 3-4 episodes. Books 5 and 6 one season. So Book 3 to book 6 will be 2 and half seasons? That takes us to 4 and half The last trilogy would have 1.5 to 2.5 seasons to finish the show in 7. Or am I reading that wrong? Scrunch book 3 and 4 into one 13 episode season? With books 5 and 6 in one season as well, so 6 season total. If Syfy want to and the audience figures keep up.
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Jan 13, 2017 15:23
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Collateral posted:Or The Jimmy Boys, according to the fat fucker's blog. If 4 just faded away from their plans, I'd be OK with it. They also have more books planned and they are good at keeping to a release schedule of one every year or so. They also have the character background novellas to mine as well. There will be plenty of material to use for some time I'd guess.
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Jan 13, 2017 19:18
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So I'm reading the Expanse books. Can someone yes or no spoiler something for me? - I'm on Cibola Bun The planet just exploded. Do we EVER meet any actual sentient aliens?
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Jan 15, 2017 06:07
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Captain Monkey posted:So I'm reading the Expanse books. Not yet if ever.
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Jan 15, 2017 08:54
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gohmak posted:Not yet if ever. you could make the argument the proto-molecule gestalt is one
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Jan 15, 2017 08:59
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Miss-Bomarc posted:Well, when you get the second go-around on an already-written thing it's easy to "fix" it in light of how the rest of it turned out. It's not really like that but more about small details that affect the characterization. For example (this is spoilers about the first two episodes in the TV show or the first few chapters of Leviathan Wakes): In the book, Holden isn't the one who radios about finding the Scopuli. It's just company policy to report derelicts and go check on them and the captain of the Canterbury follows it to the letter. So Holden doesn't lie about it and the crew of the Rocinante just starts off trusting one another.
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Jan 15, 2017 09:18
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gohmak posted:Not yet if ever. After reading the series, arguably, we already met a lot of them, maybe one even as character (yes the proto-molecule gestalt)
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Jan 16, 2017 02:06
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Bolow posted:The book drags the gently caress on until the Alamo Avenger's show up and then it pretty much hits the gas and doesn't stop. Yeah, the early part of the book is just setup, setup, setup and some of that setup just doesn't go anywhere (see most of the characters named in the first political get together; it's not the best introduction for them because they get lost in the muddle). Other setup doesn't show up until the next book just so there's some sort of familiar ground for the POV to shift to.
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Jan 16, 2017 21:17
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Given all the talk about Ringo and friends, if you're looking for something similar that can at least avoid the worst of military sci-fi (see rape and lovely politics shoved down your throat): Poor Man's Fight by Elliot Kay (https://www.goodreads.com/series/133798-poor-man-s-fight) Omega Force by Joshua Dalzelle (https://www.goodreads.com/series/113707-omega-force) Undying Mercenaries by B.V. Larson (https://www.goodreads.com/series/119203-undying-mercenaries) Atlas series by Isaac Hooke (https://www.goodreads.com/series/159675-atlas) Probably a few more I could dig up in my purchases for the past couple years, but those are what I can think of off-hand. Probably already been mentioned before but I'm catching up in the thread and thought I'd throw this out there as alternatives if you're looking for no frills military sci-fi.
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Jan 16, 2017 21:51
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Worlds Aflame by Weltenbrand, a goon author was recommended in here recently and has been decent mil sci-fi. I liked it, reminded me a lot of Red Storm Rising (in good ways )
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Jan 16, 2017 22:25
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Some of the worst scifi micfic has been way to entertaining for me for all the wrong reasons and had me laughing way to hard. Example Tom Krattman's A State of Disobedience It's Time to Remember the Alamo All Over Again! In the long war against terrorism, the US Government had taken on extraordinary powers. And now that the war was won, powerful forces in the government had no intention of relinquishing those powers. As in 1860, the country was on the verge of civil war. And as in 1860, a leader arose to save the country—but it was not the President this time. Instead, the Governor of Texas was the woman of destiny. And, though the Federal Government had more guns and troops, David was about to give Goliath a run for his money. . . . Read the book then the Amazon comments and laugh way to hard. Book is loving bullshit insane. I think the problem is me I am the reason ringo and other awful peoples books sell because it is my guilty popcorn fiction to make my brain melt and laugh at the insanity. Fallorn fucked around with this message at 22:45 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Jan 16, 2017 22:43
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I like the "About the Author" paragraph on the Amazon page:quote:In 1974, at age seventeen, Tom Kratman became a political refugee and defector from the PRM (People's Republic of Massachusetts) by virtue of joining the Regular Army. He stayed a Regular Army infantryman most of his adult life, returning to Massachusetts as an unofficial dissident while attending Boston College after his first hitch. Back in the Army, he managed to do just about everything there was to do, at one time or another. After the Gulf War, and with the bottom dropping completely out of the anti-communism market, Tom decided to become a lawyer. (Big mistake, way big. Chilluns don't do it.) Every now and again, when the frustrations of legal life and having to deal with other lawyers got to be too much, Tom would rejoin the Army (or a somewhat similar group, say) for fun and frolic in other climes. His family, muttering darkly, still puts up with this. Tom is currently an attorney practicing in southwest Virginia. A State of Disobedience is his first novel.
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Jan 17, 2017 02:42
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It is crazy all the way down. Specially when in one of his books you can see how the main character is how he envisions himself and he kills space islam because they space 9/11 towers with his space latino wife and children inside then get a new space latino bride.
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Jan 17, 2017 05:08
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Reminder that Tom Kratman believes that the right answer to an alien invasion of people-eating monsters is to revive literal SS-war criminals because they are "motivated to fight" unlike those pinko liberals these days who would just roll over.That Works posted:Worlds Aflame by Weltenbrand, a goon author was recommended in here recently and has been decent mil sci-fi. I liked it, reminded me a lot of Red Storm Rising (in good ways ) not to be too nitpicky, but Weltenbrand is not the author, its the title (worlds aflame is the subtitle and is the literal translation of the Cool German Name). And yes, Red Storm Rising was what I was going for. Glad you liked it.
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Jan 17, 2017 18:29
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ArchangeI posted:Reminder that Tom Kratman believes that the right answer to an alien invasion of people-eating monsters is to revive literal SS-war criminals because they are "motivated to fight" unlike those pinko liberals these days who would just roll over. No one understands tank warfare anymore but the Nazies! let's find them all and give them super rejuvenation treatments so they can take over the war and win it for us!
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Jan 17, 2017 19:02
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ArchangeI posted:Reminder that Tom Kratman believes that the right answer to an alien invasion of people-eating monsters is to revive literal SS-war criminals because they are "motivated to fight" unlike those pinko liberals these days who would just roll over. Argh yeah, I didn't have it in front of me at the time and confused the Title and author name there. Sorry about that! I just started on the follow up book. I quite liked it and thanks for the recommendation here. I hope you keep writing!
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Jan 17, 2017 19:11
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ArchangeI posted:Reminder that Tom Kratman believes that the right answer to an alien invasion of people-eating monsters is to revive literal SS-war criminals because they are "motivated to fight" unlike those pinko liberals these days who would just roll over. That is the only book I can remember that I recycled rather than donating to the library. It's not that I knew I was never going to read it again, it's that after one reading, I knew that nobody should ever read it.
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Jan 17, 2017 20:19
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Washout posted:No one understands tank warfare anymore but the Nazies! let's find them all and give them super rejuvenation treatments so they can take over the war and win it for us!
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Jan 17, 2017 20:24
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Apraxin posted:Am I mis-remembering, or is that also the one where Israel/Jewish people as a whole's response to this is like 'Wow, thanks for fighting the good fight, Nazis! You're not so bad after all! Three cheers for the good ol' Waffen SS!'? It is... Worse. By the end of the novel there are whole international units because the SS are just such great fighters. Including a Jewish brigade. But don't worry, all these units are separated. We would not want them in the same unit. That ist verboten.
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Jan 17, 2017 23:32
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