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Just Chamber posted:Hey guys maybe the answers somewhere in the thread but forgive me because I'm somewhat in a rush. Need to get my dad something for Father's Day and he really liked 'The Martian' by Andy Weir, I know 'Artemis' exists, but are there any books by different authors you'd recommend if someone enjoyed that novel? Thanks. what did yoru pops like about The Martian
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Jun 14, 2019 22:53
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Thranguy posted:Scalzi is probably similar enough stylistically to Weir and 'Old Man's War' is about as dadly as books get. This is a good recommendation
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Jun 15, 2019 00:27
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Just Chamber posted:Hey guys maybe the answers somewhere in the thread but forgive me because I'm somewhat in a rush. Need to get my dad something for Father's Day and he really liked 'The Martian' by Andy Weir, I know 'Artemis' exists, but are there any books by different authors you'd recommend if someone enjoyed that novel? Thanks. I'd consider something by Kim Stanley Robinson, probably Aurora or Red Mars. He generally writes hard sci-fi with the same kind of emphasis on people dealing with scientific problems, only he's a lot better at it than Weir.
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Jun 15, 2019 01:41
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Khizan posted:I'd consider something by Kim Stanley Robinson, probably Aurora or Red Mars. He generally writes hard sci-fi with the same kind of emphasis on people dealing with scientific problems, only he's a lot better at it than Weir. While they both feature solving problems the pace is very different. I wouldn't necessarily expect someone who enjoyed the fast paced engineering action of The Martian to also enjoy the slow burn of Red Mars. That said I enjoyed them both so who knows.
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Jun 15, 2019 01:58
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Hungry posted:Non Stop is one of those books that turns up in classic science fiction lists all the time and I absolutely hate it + can't even get halfway through it, but can't figure out why. Non Stop is the one single Aldiss book I can stand. Everything else he's done, like you, I can't stand or absolutely hate, and figure Aldiss's scifi grandmaster status and winning of Hugo/other scifi awards is simply through sheer career length. Like Tolkien for fantasy genre, and John Brunner for the cyberpunk genre(Shockwave Rider/Stand on Zanibar),Non Stop's setting + plot twist has been stripped mined by countless generations of newer writers, which is why Non Stop felt so retreaded and boring if you tried reading it in the past few years. Kind of like how the HBO Westworld TV series vs the original movie is very pretty but last season of nu-BSG gibberish plotwise. Just Chamber posted:Hey guys maybe the answers somewhere in the thread but forgive me because I'm somewhat in a rush. Need to get my dad something for Father's Day and he really liked 'The Martian' by Andy Weir, I know 'Artemis' exists, but are there any books by different authors you'd recommend if someone enjoyed that novel? Thanks. If your dad enjoyed the hyper-competent main character science-ing their way through problems, you absolutely cannot go wrong by getting your dad the MacGyver series. Either the complete original tv series or the CBS reboot series, think both versions are available through Amazon streaming, while the original MacGyver series has a DVD collection. There is probably novelizations/licensed MacGyver books out there too. quantumfoam fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Jun 15, 2019 |
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Jun 15, 2019 02:51
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NoNostalgia4Grover posted:Non Stop is the one single Aldiss book I can stand. Everything else he's done, like you, I can't stand or absolutely hate, and figure Aldiss's scifi grandmaster status and winning of Hugo/other scifi awards is simply through sheer career length. I’m pretty sure his grandmaster status is more because he was a predominant SFF magazine and anthology editor, as well as well-regarded critic of the genre, and not buttering his nuts meant career death for people. I think I’ve hated everything of his I’ve tried to read as well.
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Jun 15, 2019 03:01
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I just finished the audiobook of A Wizard of Earthsea today, and I went looking for the audiobook of The Tombs of Atuan. I found two things: 1. My library doesn't have it. 2. Apparently Harlan Ellison voiced the version I listened to, and I absolutely loved his narration. And he never did any of the other books!!!! Argh!!!!!
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Jun 15, 2019 03:03
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Stuporstar posted:I’m pretty sure his grandmaster status is more because he was a predominant SFF magazine and anthology editor, as well as well-regarded critic of the genre, and not buttering his nuts meant career death for people. Ah the Damon Knight special.
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Jun 15, 2019 03:05
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NoNostalgia4Grover posted:Ah the Damon Knight special. Yuuup, he’s the other major one. Brian Aldiss was the British version Stuporstar fucked around with this message at 03:23 on Jun 15, 2019 |
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Jun 15, 2019 03:20
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One way by SJ Morden is pretty good. Had the science bits of the Martian while having a murder mystery going on. There's a sequel but I can remember the name of it. It's less sciencey though.
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Jun 15, 2019 13:28
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Thanks for the recommendations re: similar books to 'The Martian' for my dad. Went with 'We Are Legion (We Are Bob)' but plenty of suggestions I've added to my wishlist so i can buy in the future for Christmases and birthdays etc. NoNostalgia4Grover posted:
I think it was more the sci setting combined with writing of the protaganist he enjoyed but MacGyver is a funny left field recommendation I appreciate. I just got him into Deadwood so i'm not sure I could go from that to suggesting he watch Macgyver, even though It has it's charm.
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Jun 15, 2019 14:32
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Just Chamber posted:Hey guys maybe the answers somewhere in the thread but forgive me because I'm somewhat in a rush. Need to get my dad something for Father's Day and he really liked 'The Martian' by Andy Weir, I know 'Artemis' exists, but are there any books by different authors you'd recommend if someone enjoyed that novel? Thanks. It might not be a perfect fit, but there are elements of The Lady Astronaut series (especially the second book, which has a lot more of the physical isolation of the martian) that shared a lot of the same "smart people overcoming adversity (and bureaucracy) with their science smarts" with The Martian. Setting is wildly different (being set in an alternate 1950s where a catclysmic event accelerates the space program) and has a lot more character stuff than the Martian. Only two books out so far, with more coming I think. And the second book is primarily set on a pair of ships making the first ever trip to mars with a small crew, full of social tension and unexpected mechanical failures
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Jun 15, 2019 17:36
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Just finished Nightrider by David Mace a few minutes ago. I've never read anything that captures the feel of hard science without getting lost in the fantasy of it. Orbital mechanics, controlled thrust burns, etc - and that's just the tech angle. Everything else is just as good. The world-building, the characters, the creeping horror. I wish my copy hadn't spoiled the plot with its summary. Either way: thanks for reccing David Mace, thread. I'll read his other works eventually, but not yet. It's hard stuff to read.
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Jun 15, 2019 21:22
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Hey everyone, so I've recently been on the Foundation trilogy, but decided to take a break after Foundation and Empire before starting Second Foundation. I've thought of starting on The Expanse series, but after the cliffhanger of season 3, I'm really just more interested in the storyline about the aliens/beings who built the ring system and protomolecule. If I just start at Cibola's Burn, am I going to miss critical things that weren't covered in the TV series? I feel like I've read before that there are significant differences between the books and TV series.
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Jun 15, 2019 22:04
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MarksMan posted:Hey everyone, so I've recently been on the Foundation trilogy, but decided to take a break after Foundation and Empire before starting Second Foundation. I've thought of starting on The Expanse series, but after the cliffhanger of season 3, I'm really just more interested in the storyline about the aliens/beings who built the ring system and protomolecule. If I just start at Cibola's Burn, am I going to miss critical things that weren't covered in the TV series? I feel like I've read before that there are significant differences between the books and TV series. There's nothing I would consider important enough to make it worth reading the earlier books. Most of the major plot points are the same, I think.
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Jun 15, 2019 22:08
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A few years late but I finished Ancillary Justice; I did not love it but it is very good, character-driven sci-fi of a kind that is still unique in the genre (which is why it won all them awards, I reckon). A story about AIs and clones and space empires where the most important stuff happens during tea parties? Pretty neat. I assume the sequels are more of the same - if you're looking for "big answers and big ideas and big action" about Miaani and the Presger and such you will be disappointed, but if the strong characterization appeals, you'll like em?
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Jun 16, 2019 02:12
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my bony fealty posted:A few years late but I finished Ancillary Justice; I did not love it but it is very good, character-driven sci-fi of a kind that is still unique in the genre (which is why it won all them awards, I reckon). A story about AIs and clones and space empires where the most important stuff happens during tea parties? Pretty neat. Pretty much. Ancillary Sword is an aggressive de-escalation of stakes from an action standpoint, but the character stuff just as strong if you're into it.
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Jun 16, 2019 02:25
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my bony fealty posted:A few years late but I finished Ancillary Justice; I did not love it but it is very good, character-driven sci-fi of a kind that is still unique in the genre (which is why it won all them awards, I reckon). A story about AIs and clones and space empires where the most important stuff happens during tea parties? Pretty neat. Once you're done with the Ancillary trilogy you probably need to check out A Memory Called Empire and like 50% of C.J. Cherryh's books, I think.
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Jun 16, 2019 02:52
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my bony fealty posted:I assume the sequels are more of the same - if you're looking for "big answers and big ideas and big action" about Miaani and the Presger and such you will be disappointed, but if the strong characterization appeals, you'll like em? The scope of the story shrinks while the importance of tea drinking ceremonies grows with each follow-up novel to Ancillary Justice. Not a single word in that previous sentence was a exaggeration. quantumfoam fucked around with this message at 06:29 on Jun 16, 2019 |
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Jun 16, 2019 06:09
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Can someone recommend me some fantasy, specifically audiobooks? I have a few audible credits that have built up. A few preferences though - Nothing super complicated, or with a ton of crazy names to keep up with. It doesn't have to be incredibly simple or anything, but something like Malazan might be tough to keep track of because I listen while I work. Also for some reason I don't particularly care for stuff that's too young adult focused/PG/meant for younger crowds. A good example of this is The Belgariad. It doesn't have to be super grimdark either though. Other than that I don't think I'm too picky right now. I think I've read most of the Forgotten Realms stuff, Farseer, Ice and Fire, First Law and Wheel of Time, although I can't recall everything off the top of my head.
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Jun 16, 2019 10:24
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Drunk Driver Dad posted:Can someone recommend me some fantasy, specifically audiobooks? I have a few audible credits that have built up. A few preferences though - Nothing super complicated, or with a ton of crazy names to keep up with. It doesn't have to be incredibly simple or anything, but something like Malazan might be tough to keep track of because I listen while I work. Also for some reason I don't particularly care for stuff that's too young adult focused/PG/meant for younger crowds. A good example of this is The Belgariad. It doesn't have to be super grimdark either though. Other than that I don't think I'm too picky right now. I think I've read most of the Forgotten Realms stuff, Farseer, Ice and Fire, First Law and Wheel of Time, although I can't recall everything off the top of my head. Bujold, Five Gods series. Start either with Curse of Chalion or the first Penric and Desdemona, but it's all good available in audio, and each book is focused on a fairly small cast.
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Jun 16, 2019 10:29
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Drunk Driver Dad posted:Can someone recommend me some fantasy, specifically audiobooks? I have a few audible credits that have built up. A few preferences though - Nothing super complicated, or with a ton of crazy names to keep up with. It doesn't have to be incredibly simple or anything, but something like Malazan might be tough to keep track of because I listen while I work. Also for some reason I don't particularly care for stuff that's too young adult focused/PG/meant for younger crowds. A good example of this is The Belgariad. It doesn't have to be super grimdark either though. Other than that I don't think I'm too picky right now. I think I've read most of the Forgotten Realms stuff, Farseer, Ice and Fire, First Law and Wheel of Time, although I can't recall everything off the top of my head. If you want some fun meat-and-potatoes buddy Anthony Ryan's Draconis Memoria trilogy is a great deal of humanity-vs-dragons fun, but I would suggest only getting them if you plan on listening on all three in one go - for strange reason Ryan's loving great at everything writing-related except, like, writing sequels in a way that reminds a returning reader what happened previously. It's like a bizarre disability at this point. Daniel O'Malley The Rook is a very fun stand-alone contemporary fantasy thriller and the TV adaptation is coming out in a few weeks. The Library At Mount Char is hosed up and amazing. Try to avoid the spoilers and just dive in. Megazver fucked around with this message at 11:19 on Jun 16, 2019 |
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Jun 16, 2019 11:17
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Drunk Driver Dad posted:Can someone recommend me some fantasy, specifically audiobooks? I have a few audible credits that have built up. A few preferences though - Nothing super complicated, or with a ton of crazy names to keep up with. It doesn't have to be incredibly simple or anything, but something like Malazan might be tough to keep track of because I listen while I work. Also for some reason I don't particularly care for stuff that's too young adult focused/PG/meant for younger crowds. A good example of this is The Belgariad. It doesn't have to be super grimdark either though. Other than that I don't think I'm too picky right now. I think I've read most of the Forgotten Realms stuff, Farseer, Ice and Fire, First Law and Wheel of Time, although I can't recall everything off the top of my head. Lies of Locke Lamorra was a good listen
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Jun 16, 2019 13:55
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Megazver posted:The Library At Mount Char is hosed up and amazing. Try to avoid the spoilers and just dive in. It is actually great on a reread when you already know the story.
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Jun 16, 2019 14:03
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Nevvy Z posted:Lies of Locke Lamorra was a good listen 2nded. I also listened to the British version of prince of thorns trilogy (broken empire trilogy?), was also good
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Jun 16, 2019 16:22
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The new Humble Fiction Bundle is pretty decent, actually: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/science-fiction-start-books
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Jun 16, 2019 16:30
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Whoever recommended Gutter Prayer, thanks. That was a fun read with a Mieville-esque universe.
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Jun 16, 2019 18:43
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We got any uk Kindle havers in the thread? Found a book that's not available in the US, hoping to borrow an account to buy it.
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Jun 16, 2019 23:31
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Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:We got any uk Kindle havers in the thread? Found a book that's not available in the US, hoping to borrow an account to buy it. Just change your address to a UK address. I use oxford. When you set that as current it will switch you over to the UK store.
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Jun 16, 2019 23:55
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Ah, cool. I normally have a friend in the UK but he's been slammed lately. Just swap it on the main .com site or the .uk site? edit - n/m, got it 
Stupid_Sexy_Flander fucked around with this message at 00:54 on Jun 17, 2019 |
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Jun 16, 2019 23:58
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Megazver posted:The new Humble Fiction Bundle is pretty decent, actually: Agreed. Just getting the 3 Martha Wells The Martha Wells notMurderBot/Raksura books in that bundle deal are about how notMurderBot, after a lifetime of being shunned and wandering alone, joins a community of similar notMurderBots and all the stuff that ensues. Favorite series characters are notBumblebee(Chime) and notOptimus-Prime (Stone). Everything in the first 3 notMurderBot books takes place within 7 or 8 months, which is insanely compressed given what goes down in the books/also the reason why notMurderBot is never quite clued into things that aren't survival + self-defense oriented.
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Jun 17, 2019 02:47
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ulmont posted:Just change your address to a UK address. I use oxford. When you set that as current it will switch you over to the UK store. Just as a note, if you do this, it will royally gently caress any magazine subs you have.
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Jun 17, 2019 05:18
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Thranguy posted:Bujold, Five Gods series. Start either with Curse of Chalion or the first Penric and Desdemona, but it's all good available in audio, and each book is focused on a fairly small cast. I can't speak to the quality of the audio books, but Bujold's Five God/Penric stories are really well done and you should read and/or listen to them. That goes for everybody else too. They're great bits of world building, character drama and clever plot each and every one.
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Jun 17, 2019 08:01
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Drunk Driver Dad posted:Can someone recommend me some fantasy, specifically audiobooks? Maybe some Tad Williams doorstoppers. The Memory, Sorrow and Thorn books are bit slow, but if you've handled WOT you'll be fine. Otherland is super episodic and a lot of sections don't add much to the overall story, but that might make it fun to dip in and out of for an hour or so a day.
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Jun 17, 2019 10:47
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This link is an Audible deal on The Golem and the Jinni, apparently.
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Jun 17, 2019 11:39
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occamsnailfile posted:Just as a note, if you do this, it will royally gently caress any magazine subs you have. Theoretically, there's also a danger that Amazon might spot what you're doing and yank your account. There was a news story once where they yoinked someone's account because they kept flying back and forth from the netherlands and it looked like they were spoofing for out of area purchases. Probably not a large statistical risk but a theoretical one. Generally for foreign books I just purchase physical copies or, well, That said Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:We got any uk Kindle havers in the thread? Found a book that's not available in the US, hoping to borrow an account to buy it. It's probably best if we don't do this on the forum given the general prohibition against warez discussions etc.
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Jun 17, 2019 14:46
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Just finished Gridlinked. Huh. What a weird and unsatisfying book. Half of it was on a madman's pov that ultimately went nowhere, and the central alien mystery was left kind of unresolved. Kind of. I understand that the Dragon wanted the Maker framed for killing 10k people, and that Cormac figured this out and nuked the Dragon's orb, but I still want to know who/what the Maker is, so naturally the book ends before we really talk to it. I have not a clue if I'll read any more of Neal Asher's stuff - as a thriller it was fun, but his politics were pretty frustrating, including a random short rant on how political correctness kept society from properly disposing of criminals.
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Jun 17, 2019 15:10
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StrixNebulosa posted:Just finished Gridlinked. Huh. What a weird and unsatisfying book. Half of it was on a madman's pov that ultimately went nowhere, and the central alien mystery was left kind of unresolved. Kind of. I understand that the Dragon wanted the Maker framed for killing 10k people, and that Cormac figured this out and nuked the Dragon's orb, but I still want to know who/what the Maker is, so naturally the book ends before we really talk to it. Keep reading (or not), that's his first book and IMO the weakest. There's four more books in this particular arc, so stuff gets revealed. Yeah, the politics are "eh", but the truly strange Prador POV, the weirdness of Dragon, and the Putting-On-A-Human-Affect-But-Oh-Boy-They-Aren't Polity AIs make up for it. And even if they didn't, Mr. Crane by itself picks up all the slack. To me, the humans are some of the least interesting parts of the Polity universe.
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Jun 17, 2019 15:21
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Proteus Jones posted:Keep reading (or not), that's his first book and IMO the weakest. There's four more books in this particular arc, so stuff gets revealed. Yeah, I'm probably gonna buy the Skinner next after the steam summer sale ends. If Asher gets better after Gridlinked then I'm probably set for weird cynical sci-fi, especially since I love weird AI/aliens. Feels good to be finishing some of these books I've been sitting on for a few months! I don't know if I'll maintain this pace, but making my stack go down a bit is really satisfying. ... Unfortunately it's just as satisfying to start things, so I'm now 150~ pages into Wheel of Time 1. No clue if I'll want to commit to the rest of it it, but I'm enjoying finding out what all the fuss about this series is.
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Jun 17, 2019 16:53
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StrixNebulosa posted:Yeah, I'm probably gonna buy the Skinner next after the steam summer sale ends. If Asher gets better after Gridlinked then I'm probably set for weird cynical sci-fi, especially since I love weird AI/aliens. FYI, the questions you have are mostly answered in the sequels to Gridlinked, which The Skinner isn't -- it's in the same universe but has no characters or plotlines in common with the Agent Cormac books.
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Jun 17, 2019 17:43
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