Books and good reads [Merged]

[IanG]

Hey Azza,

Just got Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks from the library - will give it a go & let you know.

Is this the first culture novel?

Cheers,

TIA

Banks is my favourite Sci fi author, read Consider Phlebas then Use of Weapons, after that it doesn't really matter.

Another Sci fi authors to try is Charles Stross.

 

[Azza]

ok, now I have

Charles Stross
Neal Stephenson
Kim Stanley Robinson

to add to my list.

Anyone read Neuromancer? Another good future of the internet Sci Fi, written in 1984.

Dune was at the back of my mind when I asked the question TIA. Certainly up there for me. Did you ever have a go at any of the 'follow-on books written by Herbert's son? I found them very disappointing.

 

[Azza]

After finishing the complete works of Jane Austen.

Did you ever get into Patrick O'Brian mld? They seem to me to be quite a good natural progression from Austen.

 

[This Is Anfield]

Dune was at the back of my mind when I asked the question TIA. Certainly up there for me. Did you ever have a go at any of the 'follow-on books written by Herbert's son? I found them very disappointing.

Have a couple on the shelf half read & abandoned Azza

Started Consider Phlebas & enjoying it so far, must have been someone else I was thinking of when I said he was too technical!

Good news is he's got a big back catalogue for me to enjoy. ;D
So thanks for the tip Azza & the endorsement Ian.

 

[mld]

Did you ever get into Patrick O'Brian mld? They seem to me to be quite a good natural progression from Austen.

No I haven't, I'll add to the list.

 

[Baloo]

Anyone read Neuromancer? Another good future of the internet Sci Fi, written in 1984.

William Gibson. Read it years ago and was my favorite "not so distant sci-fi" novel until I read Snow Crash.

I need to pick up both of them again I think.

 

[This Is Anfield]

If you want some real space opera schlock try Simon R Greens Deathstalker Series - Good Fun.

 

[Azza]

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Loving Snow Crash Baloo. I don't know where it's going, but it's a great trip so far.

 

[Baloo]

Loving Snow Crash Baloo. I don't know where it's going, but it's a great trip so far.

Glad to hear it. No self respecting geek can live without reading it a couple of times.

 

[Michael]

Cheers Michael,

Actually read a Disher book years ago & remember enjoying it (buggered if I can recall what it was about though). Think it was set in WA with corrupt pollies.

Love Peter Temple's Jack Irish books & Shane Maloney's Murray Whelan books as well.
J.R.Carroll is another Aussie crime writer who goes ok.

Getting back into reading big time these days - beats crap TV any day.

Agree with you on Temple, great stuff and yes I was impressed with the TV adaptation.

J.R. Carroll is also really good. Love the way he can get very unpleasant

Shane Maloney. Yep Murray Whelan was good to begin with, got a bit dull later in the series. I got the impression Maloney was bored with Whelan

 

[This Is Anfield]

Agree with you on Temple, great stuff and yes I was impressed with the TV adaptation.

J.R. Carroll is also really good. Love the way he can get very unpleasant

Shane Maloney. Yep Murray Whelan was good to begin with, got a bit dull later in the series. I got the impression Maloney was bored with Whelan

The Clan is a Carroll book I remember - yes he can get nasty

I recall the Disher book being set on the Mornington Peninsula & involving a bit of wife/husband swapping! Good read.

On the sci fi front - Banks suspended for a bit as my Gavin Smith book came in - Veteran & a bloody good book it is, non stop from page I. ;D

 

[mld]

About to launch into Edgar Allan Poe's work.

 

[This Is Anfield]

About to launch into Edgar Allan Poe's work.

I tried but.........Nevermore!

 

[Azza]

Just finished Pandaemonium TIA. Great fun. Clever writing really sucked me in.

 

[This Is Anfield]

Just finished Pandaemonium TIA. Great fun. Clever writing really sucked me in.

He really does the kids brilliantly! Glad you liked it - plenty more Brookmyres out there, not all as WTF just happened there as that one but all entertaining.

I've put Banks on the shelf for a bit as I received, & finished, the new Rebus which was excellent as usual & Veteran by Gavin Smith (entertaining Sci Fi).
Reading Android Dreams by John Scalzi - check out his book Red Shirts it's very clever also.

Cheers.

 

[Azza]

He really does the kids brilliantly!

Doesn't he just.

Glad you liked it - plenty more Brookmyres out there, not all as WTF just happened there as that one but all entertaining.

It's always good when you enjoy a book, and know there are plenty more to read by the same author.

I've put Banks on the shelf for a bit as I received, & finished, the new Rebus which was excellent as usual & Veteran by Gavin Smith (entertaining Sci Fi).
Reading Android Dreams by John Scalzi - check out his book Red Shirts it's very clever also.

I don't know where you find the time. Not sure where I'll go next. I've got a few ready thanks to suggestions by various people on this thread. Perhaps the Mars trilogy.

 

[This Is Anfield]

I don't know where you find the time.

Lucky to have a job with a bit of down time & when I'm up to date I can read in peace. ;D Also why I spend so much time on PRE!
Also don't watch that much TV anymore, prefer to read and listen to music.

 

[Azza]

It is - I've read it twice, it's a later one & probably not as easy a read as some others but the War Drone Amistad is a great creation.
It's a Polity novel which stands alone but has ties to others in the series.

If it's really any good is for the individual reader to determine - I also hope you enjoy it. ;D

Ok, done! I think I have a new 'favourite' sci fi writer. For the time being anyway.

The whole polity thing seems to have come from Bank's Culture, but with it's own spin. Time to try to dig up some more polity books.

 

[This Is Anfield]

Ok, done! I think I have a new 'favourite' sci fi writer. For the time being anyway.

The whole polity thing seems to have come from Bank's Culture, but with it's own spin. Time to try to dig up some more polity books.

Haha! Cool, glad you liked them, I've just re-read Gridlinked which is a Polity/Ian Cormac book.
The library is still a great place to find books.

If you can find the novella Prador Moon it's a good read & informative about the Polity.

(Reckon the world needs a quiet war & for a benevolent AI to take over)

 

[Azza]

Yeah, sometimes you think we'd be better off with a benevolent AI dictatorship, along the lines of the Culture or Polity.

I'm just downloading 18 Asher books and stories. Libraries are great places to find books, but sometimes (not always by any means) the net is better!