Books

[The Dreaming Dragon]

Time to revive THIS thread!

http://www.hourwolf.com/sfbooks/index.htm

A collection of links to science fiction and fantasy stories online.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010616053153/http:/www.scifi.com/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/ellison/ellison1.html

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison

[Whirlingdervish]

Good books:

The Hunt For Red October
Red Storm Rising
Cardinal of the Kremlin

All by tom clancy.

They're nothing fancy, but they're a lot of fun to read.

He's put out some very good ones. Most are quite long and chock full of details that you
could probably have lived without knowing, but I really enjoy the way he puts the stories together.

My favorite by Clancy was "Without Remorse".

Piggy mentioned the Dune series... Loved 'em.
I thoroughly enjoy every book in the series, with God Emperor Of Dune
being my fav.

Herbert's son and another author have continued the series in recent years with 2 series
of prologues to the iconic original: Dune.
I've read these also, and find them to be quite entertaining, although the writing isn't
exactly the same quality as the first 6.

If you're into science and/or non-fiction I'd recommend
"A Brief History Of Time" by Stephen Hawking

This is the most layman-friendly book I've ever read that details the background and
the basis of physics from astronomy and naked singularities all the way to tiny quarks.
You'll come away from it with a new understanding of the way things work, even if you
happen to excel in science.

[the Crazed]

If you like fantasy the "Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan is really good.  It can be kind of slow because there is so much detail and characterization, but if you can read your way through it the story is awesome.  Of course... he still hasn't finished writing the series - I think it's on book 11.  I started reading them in 8th grade, only 12 years ago.


Other fantasy (The genre may shift between sci-fi/fantasy if you get technical):

Pern series by Anne McCaffrey
Belgariad and Mallorian series by David Eddings
Terry Brooks has a lot of cool fantasy (including the Shannara series)
Narnia by CS Lewis - yes, Narnia

Science Fiction:
Dune!! by Frank Herbert - This is a must if you like sci-fi!  It's Muad Dib, yo!
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - he also continues the series with other good books.  Ender's Game is GREAT.
Uplift series by David Brin - he writes with style and humor and the world he creates is fascinating
Tripod Trilogy by John Christopher - geared to a younger audience, which means it is fast-paced and a really quick read.  I have reread it many times.
Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars - forget who wrote these, another female author I believe - really well done if you take the time to read through it (can get a bit boring, but attentive to detail!)
Chasm City - there are other books based in the same world by this author (can't remember the name) and although I find the setting of the stories absolutely intriguing the stories he creates fail to live up to it - in my opinion.  I think most people would disagree and enjoy the books.  I'm kind of critical of story lines and what I find to be plausible or not.

Here's a list of really good sci-fi authors, maybe a bit dated because I've been out of the loop for almost a decade now:
Larry Niven - lots of good books by this guy, one of my favorites
Isaac Asimov - Robot books are entertaining, if a bit dated, Foundation series is good
Poul Andersen - Annals of the Heechee?  (think it was him... I could look it up... nah) - among many others
Jeffrey Carver (I think that's his name... I read a few books that seemed pretty interesting)

A few oldschool writers:
Robert A. Heinlein - Have Spacesuit Will Travel (I really liked his books when I was younger)
Andre Norton - a female with a male pen name so people would read her back in the day

These are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.  Kind of makes me sad I can't remember more... I used to read a lot and I feel like I should be able to.  Oh well... I'll try to think of more.  In the meantime, can anyone name some good current sci-fi?  I think I'd enjoy some far, far future stuff to see what people think is possible these days.  Hope some of you read these books!

Crazed

[Whirlingdervish]

this thread needs reviving again, and now that the crazed has been back around, it seems like a good time to reply to his previous post.


I had read this months ago, and it got me looking for a new fantasy series to read, as I've finished all of the ones I own.
Due to it's accolades, and the crazed's suggestion above, I picked up the Dragonriders of Pern series and started reading "Dragonflight".

I've been reading it for about 3-4 days now and I am very optimistic about these books.
the character developement, and that of the atmosphere as well, are very very good.

Looks like it's gonna be a favorite.

 

[jägermonsta]

your avatar is fucking weird man. 

[Whirlingdervish]

 

I rented "Pan's Labyrinth" last weekend. it's a fucking odd movie, and this nasty guy totally caught my eye.
 

[Daemia]

its to bad it was sub titles though  
And I was hoping for more 'fantasy action'  there really wasn't many scenes like that.

[Whirlingdervish]

I agree. It was definitely not the movie I expected to see when I rented it.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality though, and the really artsy use of color in every scene to support the mood.

Although I would have preffered it, I'm not sure if the movie would have had the same effect if they had dubbed english voices into it.

back on topic though:

I really enjoy some of the short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe.
I got a book of some of his collected works a few years back, and I'm still working on reading them all..

recommended reading:

stories:

The Masque of the Red Death
The Fall of the House of Usher

poems:

Spirits of the Dead
The Conqueror Worm
the Raven

[deft]

[reaper]

Hubert Selby:
requim for a dream, last exit to brooklyn, the demon
Chuck Palahnuik:
fight club, choke
michael chrichton:
jurrasic park!!

favorite authors in that order
geez, well I read every one of chricton's books, with the expception of 3 of his non fiction books.  but I don't think many people would like his work.  The other two authors are really awesome if you love dark stuff.  "Requim for a Dream" and "Fight Club" were so much better than the movies!

[EL MARIACHI]

Hi There, I would like to recommend the complete Arthur C Clarke's Space Odyssey, Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land and Clive Barker's Books of Blood

Best regards...

EL MARIACHI

[jägermonsta]

I don't read unless I'm on the shitter and normally it's just a magazine. In fact until recently I never completed a full book, not because I can't read but because I don't have the attention span to sit and think of pictures in my head. That's why I have a TV and pay for cable and rent DVDs. My girlfriend recently moved in with me and insisted that I read this 7th grade book called the Giver. So every time it was time to drop the cosby kids off at the pool I would read a couple chapters.

I finished the book, threw it back at her and said "I don't get it.". She goes "What ever happened is what ever you want to think happend."... "I don't get it." The end.

All in all I learned that books are a waste of good boob time with a Maxim magazine.

[quadz]

Ran across this quote the other day,

  "The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage
   over the man who can't read them."    -- Mark Twain

[DaHanG]

Good ol' Twain and his quotes.

 

[myamagical]

I loved The Giver when I was in middle school. It was such a great book.

I agree with the Crazed. Ender's Game was an awesome book. I just finished the sequel, Speaker of the Dead, today and I'm starting the third book of the series, Xenocide tonight. =D