February 23, 2009 at 11:37 am
Another favorite old sci-fi novel was Heinlein's book "Starship Troopers."
The movie(s) sucked, there wasn't even any powered armor!!
I wish the sci-fi channel would do a mini-series remake like they did for Dune. With BattleStar Galactica going going gone.
__________________________________________________
Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain. -- Friedrich Schiller
Stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down. -- Stephen Stills
February 23, 2009 at 11:38 am
GSquared (2/23/2009)
In recent fantasy, I really liked the Wheel of Time series, for about 3 books. Then it just got more and more boring as it went along. Too many characters, too many similar names, WAY too many pages of stuff that just didn't matter. And then the author died before the last book was done.
And he left so many notes that the author selected to finish it is writing a book shelf, not a book. Apparently the word count of the 'last' book exceeds the total word count of the last 3 Harry Potter books put together.
I enjoyed book 1 of that, 2 wasn't as great, 3 was good, 4 was ok, 5 was ok and it just went downhill from there.
Nothing happened in book 10, and I mean that almost literally. There was a major, world-changing event at the end of book 9 (last two chapters) and the entire of book 10 was the reaction of several hundred people (I had no idea who half of them were or why they were important) to that event.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
February 23, 2009 at 11:38 am
"Lord of Light" and "This Immortal" are great. Can't stand most of Zelazny's other material. Not sure why, but it just doesn't work for me.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
February 23, 2009 at 11:39 am
February 23, 2009 at 11:39 am
Agreed on all points, including the ridiculous softcore.
I knew I liked you, G2.
__________________________________________________
Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain. -- Friedrich Schiller
Stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down. -- Stephen Stills
February 23, 2009 at 11:41 am
GilaMonster (2/23/2009)
GSquared (2/23/2009)
In recent fantasy, I really liked the Wheel of Time series, for about 3 books. Then it just got more and more boring as it went along. Too many characters, too many similar names, WAY too many pages of stuff that just didn't matter. And then the author died before the last book was done.And he left so many notes that the author selected to finish it is writing a book shelf, not a book. Apparently the word count of the 'last' book exceeds the total word count of the last 3 Harry Potter books put together.
I enjoyed book 1 of that, 2 wasn't as great, 3 was good, 4 was ok, 5 was ok and it just went downhill from there.
Nothing happened in book 10, and I mean that almost literally. There was a major, world-changing event at the end of book 9 (last two chapters) and the entire of book 10 was the reaction of several hundred people (I had no idea who half of them were or why they were important) to that event.
Yep. And I never could get through book 10, never even tried with 11 or 12. Don't even care if there's going to be more after that.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
February 23, 2009 at 11:43 am
GilaMonster (2/23/2009)
One series I'm really enjoying at the moment (not Sci-Fi) is the "Dresden files" by Jim Butcher. It's about a modern-day wizard living in Chicago. Butcher's other series "Codex Alarea" is also very good.
I've been reading those too. I had Codex Alarea on my list but hadn't taken the leap yet. I guess now I will.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
February 23, 2009 at 11:46 am
GSquared (2/23/2009)
Yep. And I never could get through book 10, never even tried with 11 or 12. Don't even care if there's going to be more after that.
You didn't miss anything. I read through hoping for something to happen and nothing did. I have book 11, but I've never opened it. Looked at 12 in the bookshop and walked past.
Maybe when the last book is done I'll read a summary of all that went before and then read the last one. I would like to know how the major story ends. Not so concerned about the couple hundred side stories.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
February 23, 2009 at 11:47 am
Bob Hovious (2/23/2009)
John Carter!! Gentleman of Virginia!!! Sultan of Swat!!! Beloved of the incomparable Dejah Thordis and greatest swordsman on all Barsoom!!!Never heard of him.... 😉
Jeff, with a couple of reservations, I'm going to recommend an old series to any lover of epic sword-wielding adventure: John Norman's "Gor" series, also known as the Chronicles of Counter-Earth. Some of you may groan, and I understand why. Here are the caveats:
(1) Books 1-3 are only fair, worth reading only to get the background.
(2) The series went WAY too long past it's prime. I gave up on reading them all before they started coming out with titles like "Weak-side Linebackers of Gor" and "Cost-Accountants of Gor".
(3) The author evidently got into this kick about all men being natural masters and all women being natural slaves. He should have kept it to himself because he was lame at writing vague pornography. Even back in college I used to fast-forward through those pages.
BUT, books 4-10 were great adventure stories, with some marvelous and hilarious characters and many a moment that made a man want to beat his sword upon his shield in thunderous applause, whether a "three against three thousand" melee scene, or even a chess game.
I had good time reading the Gor books in high school too. And yes, I skipped the porn. You know the porn is bad when 15 year old boys are skipping over it. He really did write exciting chess matches, and that's saying something.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
February 23, 2009 at 11:47 am
I really liked Dune (the novel) (thought the movie was horrible, but I did like Sting) and Dune Messiah and Children of Dune were good to okay. Took me three or four tries to get through God Emperor of Dune and I only slogged through it because I wanted to know the ending, which I remember was disappointing. Never picked up another Dune novel.
My favorites tend more to the fantasy side of things, Mercedes Lackey and Anne McCaffrey being some of my favorite authors. I also really like the Dracula series by Fred Saberhagen (and a bunch of his other stuff is good as well). Roger Zelazny is great as well though some of his stuff does get a bit on the weird side.
Science fiction-wise, I like Heinlein (his early stuff up to Friday). I was very disappointed with The Cat Who Walks through Walls and The Number of the Beast was great until I hit the half-way point. Asimov is good, although I didn't really like his attempt to tied together his robot series with the Foundation series. Niven and Pournell are good together (I'll exclude sequel to Mote in God's in that list as neither of them wanted to write it but were contracted to do so). Hang-gliding baby elephants wearing elevator shoes anyone?
I haven't been reading new authors very much recently. I've become unwilling to spend 8 bucks on a book I may or may not like. But I want to get a Kindle. Perhaps with the free previews of books I'll start to find authors I'm more willing to risk my money on and increase my reading.
[Edited to fix typo]
-- Kit
February 23, 2009 at 11:48 am
Heh... I'm still trying to read what may be the greatest fantasy novel of all time... every time I get close to finishing a major part of it, they rewrite sections, change many of the characters, the plot changes, and I have to start all over...
.
.
.
.
.
.
... any of you ever read that fantasy novel from end to end? I believe it's called "BOL". 😛
--Jeff Moden
February 23, 2009 at 11:49 am
mazzz (2/23/2009)
anyone else a fan of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's joint effort, Good Omens?Great for some light relief
Yes. Everything I've read by Gaiman, and I started reading him in comic books, is fanstastic. Good Omens was very funny.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
February 23, 2009 at 11:49 am
Grant Fritchey (2/23/2009)
GilaMonster (2/23/2009)
One series I'm really enjoying at the moment (not Sci-Fi) is the "Dresden files" by Jim Butcher. It's about a modern-day wizard living in Chicago. Butcher's other series "Codex Alarea" is also very good.I've been reading those too. I had Codex Alarea on my list but hadn't taken the leap yet. I guess now I will.
Do so. If you like Butcher's writing you won't regret it. Book 1's a little slow. It picks up nicely in 2 and 3. I need to find book 4.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
February 23, 2009 at 11:51 am
GilaMonster (2/23/2009)
GSquared (2/23/2009)
Yep. And I never could get through book 10, never even tried with 11 or 12. Don't even care if there's going to be more after that.You didn't miss anything. I read through hoping for something to happen and nothing did. I have book 11, but I've never opened it. Looked at 12 in the bookshop and walked past.
Maybe when the last book is done I'll read a summary of all that went before and then read the last one. I would like to know how the major story ends. Not so concerned about the couple hundred side stories.
If you do, go ahead and let me know. Kind of like asking someone to summarize the Cliff's Notes, but that's about the amount of enthusiasm I can work up for it.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
February 23, 2009 at 11:52 am
GilaMonster (2/23/2009)
Grant Fritchey (2/23/2009)
GilaMonster (2/23/2009)
One series I'm really enjoying at the moment (not Sci-Fi) is the "Dresden files" by Jim Butcher. It's about a modern-day wizard living in Chicago. Butcher's other series "Codex Alarea" is also very good.I've been reading those too. I had Codex Alarea on my list but hadn't taken the leap yet. I guess now I will.
Do so. If you like Butcher's writing you won't regret it. Book 1's a little slow. It picks up nicely in 2 and 3. I need to find book 4.
His wife has just published. I'm getting a review copy for free, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. I'm never comfortable with that "My spouse is a great writer, so I am too." My wife is a great artist. My stick figures are barely recognizable.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
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