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John F Bennett posted:I have to thank you again for this suggestion, I found the paperback in a bookstore last week and I can't put it down. It's a fantastic story, it tickles my brain. I'm super glad you like it! The sequel also kicks rear end. I've not read any of his other books, does anyone know if they're any fun?
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Aug 15, 2021 11:36
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WHY BONER NOW posted:I just finished Aliens: Phalanx, a fun novel about a primitive world where everyone lives in fort cities because there are black demons outside. Main character was a runner who had to go between forts to trade for medicine/food/whatever. Legacy of Herot by Larry Niven and the Destination: Void series by Frank Herbert?
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Aug 15, 2021 12:31
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I need to get my elderly father reading crime/adventure/technothriller books that aren't written by garbage racists. He's in to a lot of Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy however I would prefer it if he could be exposed to something with similar themes but without featuring perfidious Asiatics or swarthy hordes of the global south. I've read the first Doc Ford book and that would be a marked improvement apart from the homophobia. Carl Hiaasen stuff would probably fit the bill too. I'm sure there's a word for the exact genre, but basically the kind of books with undemanding prose interspersed with three pages of weapon specifications or the exact method of calculating dive time in the south equator on the third Monday of the month. He's also really into planes. So what I'm basically asking is, is there a Clive Cussler without the brain spiders?
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Aug 15, 2021 19:54
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André Malraux, and I'm only half joking.
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Aug 15, 2021 21:41
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evilpicard posted:André Malraux, and I'm only half joking. For some reason my father hates French people/culture because of what they did "in the war". He was born in 1952. When pressed, he doesn't like how the French capitulated to the Germans and that Englishmen would never do so. His favourite place he's ever holidayed? The Channel Islands, of course. Boogoose fucked around with this message at 22:01 on Aug 15, 2021 |
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Aug 15, 2021 21:53
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External Organs posted:
Doors of Eden was extremely disappointing. HAs an interesting concept, and kind of wastes it. Half a dozen doctor who references, some star wars and other random stuff. Another goon said he is an average airport sci fi writer who found a great concept in Children of Time, which I absolutely adored. I have only read these two by him, but after Eden I don't feel inclined to read more.
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Aug 16, 2021 00:58
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Mr. Nemo posted:Doors of Eden was extremely disappointing. HAs an interesting concept, and kind of wastes it. Half a dozen doctor who references, some star wars and other random stuff. Well...poo. Ah well. At least those two books are solid gold.
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Aug 16, 2021 01:36
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Boogoose posted:For some reason my father hates French people/culture because of what they did "in the war". He was born in 1952. When pressed, he doesn't like how the French capitulated to the Germans and that Englishmen would never do so. His favourite place he's ever holidayed? The Channel Islands, of course. it's wild that your dad hasn't heard of the french resistance or charles de gaulle
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Aug 16, 2021 05:16
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A human heart posted:it's wild that your dad hasn't heard of the french resistance or charles de gaulle Actually, having heard of Charles de Gaulle is an extremely popular reason to hate the French.
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Aug 16, 2021 07:19
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Can I get some recs for good non-fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and/or memoirs about photographers and photojournalists? I've got Slightly Out of Focus by Robert Capra and It's What I Do by Lynsey Addario. Part of this interest was inspired by watching the Oliver Stone film Salvador, about a photojournalist during the conflict of El Salvador in the 1980s. So it could be as dark as that, or about war-time photography, but I'd also be happy with photography for artistic pursuits, too.
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Aug 16, 2021 12:54
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Boogoose posted:I need to get my elderly father reading crime/adventure/technothriller books that aren't written by garbage racists. He's in to a lot of Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy however I would prefer it if he could be exposed to something with similar themes but without featuring perfidious Asiatics or swarthy hordes of the global south. I've read the first Doc Ford book and that would be a marked improvement apart from the homophobia. Carl Hiaasen stuff would probably fit the bill too. Check out Dale Brown, specifically the Pat McLanahan series for aviation-based techno-thrillers. Maybe someone else can speak to the racism aspect, I've only read one but I can't remember anything like that in there.
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Aug 17, 2021 00:33
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evilpicard posted:Does anyone have a recommendation for a book about diplomacy and conflict? I've been reading How Wars End but the chapter on Iraq 1 is such a poor analysis it's leading me to distrust the author in general. The Sling and the Stone was an interesting read by a retired sassy (toward the pentagon) marine colonel.
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Aug 17, 2021 09:43
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This is more of an e/n question but y'all know books: do any of you know of any books that offer help or advice on dealing with trauma and/or trauma reactions? I've got the Body Keeps the Score but I could use more to read.
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Aug 20, 2021 02:48
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Franchescanado posted:Can I get some recs for good non-fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and/or memoirs about photographers and photojournalists? The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War may be of interest to you. I did enjoy it, but it is also a bit depressing.
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Aug 23, 2021 21:59
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Smithwick posted:The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War may be of interest to you. I did enjoy it, but it is also a bit depressing. This looks cool. Thank you!
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Aug 24, 2021 13:22
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What's a fun book about dwarves, with the obligatory "I've already read The Hobbit" I don't care if it's a fantasy novel or a big worldbuilding spiel or an academic survey of dwarves from folklore and pop-culture. I just wanna read something cool about dwarves.
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Aug 25, 2021 23:40
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The Dwarves by Markus Heitz is one i remember being pretty good
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Aug 25, 2021 23:47
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I'm looking for something that is like Game of Thrones, particularly the political intrigue, but with a smaller world (so fewer characters and motivations to keep in mind). Not too fussed about wars and battles, but happy for it to be totally high fantasy. Essentially what I'm looking for is a book with Tywin Lannister as the main character haha The DPRK fucked around with this message at 10:54 on Sep 1, 2021 |
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Sep 1, 2021 10:44
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Nehru the Damaja posted:What's a fun book about dwarves, with the obligatory "I've already read The Hobbit" THere's Gnomes by Rien Poortvliet and Wil Huygen, not what you asked for tho maybe https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Adv...676963570&psc=1 if you can find a copy that isn't falling apart
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Sep 1, 2021 12:16
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The DPRK posted:I'm looking for something that is like Game of Thrones, particularly the political intrigue, but with a smaller world (so fewer characters and motivations to keep in mind). Not too fussed about wars and battles, but happy for it to be totally high fantasy. Machiavelli and Plato’s republic, OP
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Sep 1, 2021 12:28
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The DPRK posted:I'm looking for something that is like Game of Thrones, particularly the political intrigue, but with a smaller world (so fewer characters and motivations to keep in mind). Not too fussed about wars and battles, but happy for it to be totally high fantasy. I, Claudius maybe The actual closest thing to a Tywin Lannister story is Shogun but there are loads of characters to keep track of (and the Tywin character is the second protagonist, not the main one)
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Sep 1, 2021 14:16
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regulargonzalez posted:I, Claudius maybe Maybe one of the Shogun sequels, Tai-Pan. Depends on how gung ho / horny you are for colonialism though. All those bo, so expect that.oks have massive "white dude writing about Asia in the 1980s" vibes
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Sep 1, 2021 14:24
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I haven't read it yet but The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey has a lot of the political intrigue. Not sure about character count. If you want Fantasy, The Assassin's Apprentice trilogy by Robin Hobb fits the bill alright for the first 2 books (the 3rd is a journey book). Not nearly as sprawling as GoT but also easier to keep track of.
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Sep 1, 2021 14:43
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The DPRK posted:I'm looking for something that is like Game of Thrones, particularly the political intrigue, but with a smaller world (so fewer characters and motivations to keep in mind). Not too fussed about wars and battles, but happy for it to be totally high fantasy. Wolf Hall might be just the thing, though Cromwell is a bit more of a Littlefinger than a Tywin, and far more sympathetic than either.
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Sep 1, 2021 15:44
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The DPRK posted:I'm looking for something that is like Game of Thrones, particularly the political intrigue, but with a smaller world (so fewer characters and motivations to keep in mind). Not too fussed about wars and battles, but happy for it to be totally high fantasy. as always the answer is the first law trilogy
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Sep 1, 2021 15:47
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The DPRK posted:I'm looking for something that is like Game of Thrones, particularly the political intrigue, but with a smaller world (so fewer characters and motivations to keep in mind). Not too fussed about wars and battles, but happy for it to be totally high fantasy. quote:American author George R. R. Martin called The Accursed Kings "the original game of thrones", citing Druon's novels as an inspiration for his own series A Song of Ice and Fire.[1][2][3][4]
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Sep 1, 2021 15:55
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A book series I love is getting ready to release its third and final installment this month and the author is doing a give-away of the first book for the next few days. Contellis Voss is a dystopian sci-fi mystery of a man from the 1990s waking up to find himself in a robot body inside of a moon-sized starship. It's written and self-published by a queer transman and is definitely worth checking out, especially when it's free for the next few days.
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Sep 1, 2021 22:10
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Is there any history of American conservation movements and the park system?
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Sep 7, 2021 17:37
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evilpicard posted:Is there any history of American conservation movements and the park system? I'm sure there are lots. Looks like John Muir himself wrote one on the National Parks
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Sep 8, 2021 03:39
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I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read.
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Sep 9, 2021 10:44
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coolusername posted:I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read. Bridge of Birds is the go-to rec for this. Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin. If you want some comedy like Pratchett, The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin is nice.
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Sep 9, 2021 12:34
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coolusername posted:I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read. You might like the Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor, and Andy Weir’s latest, Project Hail Mary
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Sep 9, 2021 15:06
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coolusername posted:I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read. The Belgariad is basically e-z YA LotR / Hero's Journey. Just don't read up on the author's private life. And Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy of course, but I'd be surprised if you haven't read it already. The Stainless Steel Rat books are fun and breezy reads.
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Sep 9, 2021 15:09
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Franchescanado posted:Bridge of Birds is the go-to rec for this. Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin. If you want some comedy like Pratchett, The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin is nice. Also The Misenchanted Sword by Lawrence Watt Evans.
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Sep 9, 2021 15:14
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coolusername posted:I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read. Last years Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is a fabulous fantasy novel that's both funny, uplifting, and a quick read. I liked it very much. For a longer time investment, you may enjoy the Lioness books by Tamora Pierce or the So You Want To Be A Wizard books by Diane Duane. Both YA but fun. Duane has a more "adult" book on that series featuring CAT WIZARDS which absolutely kicks rear end, called The Book of The Night With Moon. It can also be read as a standalone. External Organs fucked around with this message at 15:21 on Sep 9, 2021 |
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Sep 9, 2021 15:17
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coolusername posted:I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read.
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Sep 9, 2021 17:00
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Looking to learn more about chinese mythology, but I'd like to stick to fiction, ie telling a story in that world vs a dry breakdown of it if that makes sense.
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Sep 9, 2021 17:53
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External Organs posted:Last years Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is a fabulous fantasy novel that's both funny, uplifting, and a quick read. I liked it very much. I just started this and maybe it's because I've only read it exhausted before bed, but I would not call it an easy read in the manner of that poster's request. It throws you right in.
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Sep 9, 2021 20:23
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Retro Futurist posted:Looking to learn more about chinese mythology, but I'd like to stick to fiction, ie telling a story in that world vs a dry breakdown of it if that makes sense. Journey to the West perhaps?
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Sep 10, 2021 03:38
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coolusername posted:I'm looking for non-depressing light sci-fi or fantasy reads that are well written but aren't going to take a lot of brainpower to process, and with at least nominally happy endings - YA or adult both fine. Anything that fits the template of "team of conflicting strangers pulls together and in the end forms a new family" or "two enemies are forced to team up and fall in like/love" will probably land well, or anything similar to Martha Well's Murderbot novella, Becky Chamber's wayfarers trilogy, Catherynne Valente's Space Opera, Terry Pratchett in general, etc. But heavy priority on the 'easy to read/low brain power' requirements: while it doesn't have to be dumb, it can't be a China-Mieville-making-sweet-love-to-an-art-gallery-brochure type of read. Some of Jack Vance's books would probably fit. Showboat World would be a good one.
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Sep 10, 2021 04:31
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