Cassie - Sci Fi Reading list please

[CaptainWacky]

I FINISHED THE DIAMOND AGE. I liked it. I will say that like Snow Crash it seemed to really rush towards its conclusion though? The final chapter covered a lot of ground.


Did Harv die in real life when he died in the Primer?

Are there any other Neal Stephenson books I shold read?

I'll go back to the Expanse books now, still got two to read.

 

[headvoid]

I am still reading Vernor Vinge (A deepness in the sky) - it's ok but I am reading other things as well so it's not gripping.

Just ordered Leviathon Wakes from the Library but have got to finish "Command and Control" (a book about the nuclear weapons system) before I get to it. Occasionally I like fact like books to feed the geek.

Definitely going to read Snow Crash next. (and maybe Ben Bova)

 

[Cassie]

Harv died of consumption.

 

[Fuddlemiff]

Non-sci-fi, but I've been reading The Hunt for the Red October the last few weeks. I'm not usually into military thrillers (my dad can't get enough of them and I swear it's the same story in every one), but it's pretty good. It's been years since I saw the movie, so while I am hearing Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin saying these lines, I can't remember how it ends.

Still considering reading the latest Expanse book next, but some of the reviews are very discouraging.

 

[CaptainWacky]

Harv died of consumption.

For some reason I got confused if that was happening in the Primer or in real life.

 

[Cassie]

The book did get a little dreamlike sometimes where it was hard to figure out if they were irl or not.

 

[CaptainWacky]

I got Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy because it was the Daily Deal on Kindle. Anyone read them?

 

[Fuddlemiff]

I have a friend who raves about them and I did read the first chapter once but my god they're thick. And there are other trilogies set in the same universe. You'll never be free. I think the words "book one of three" are my biggest deal breaker when it comes to reading something new.

I'm currently reading non-sci-fi book A Tale of Two Cities. My first big Charles Dickens book. I don't know why I was so intimidated by him before. Really good. So clever and insightful. Like Moby Dick on land.

 

[CaptainWacky]

And now you'll get all those references in Star Trek 2!

I don't mind really big books. I quite like taking months to read them. The Stormlight Archive books must have been over a thousand pages each...

 

[headvoid]

I read Leviathan Wakes and enjoyed it. It was pacy and simple and direct. The use of Noir has been stolen and done better elsewhere but it was a good read.

I will enjoy other expanse books I am sure but feel there will be a shelf life. One to borrow not to own...

 

[CaptainWacky]

There's some big controversy over the Hugo Awards this year but I'll let Cassie find a link that explains the whole thing.

 

[headvoid]

Oh yes!

Hugo Award nominations spark row over diversity in sci-fi - Telegraph

Cliff notes? Bunch of nutters got upset because there was a woman and a black person nominated / won last year. They then organised some sort of vote shortlist thing (bit confusing) and there are lots of white supremacists (simplification) on the shortlist. Joe Abercrombie (who I like) has said it looks like the future of nothing.

Now others are trying to organise a "No Vote" which I don't understand.

This, along with the Jonathan Ross fiasco of a couple of years ago is really tarnishing something I actually cherish.

 

[Cassie]

Yeah, it's basically crusty conservatives pissed every time a black person, woman, or gay person wins anything. Gamergate jumped on board, because it's about ethics in game journalism or SOMETHING.

Oh lord, the comments on that Telegraph article are filled with gamergaters!

 

[CaptainWacky]

"Vox Day" sounds like a cunt name.

 

[CaptainWacky]

GRRM wrote too LONG blogs on the Hugos that I haven't read yet...

Not A Blog - Me and the Hugos

Not A Blog - Blogging for Rockets

THINK HOW MANY CHAPTERS HE COULD HAVE WRITTEN IN THAT TIME.

 

[Cassie]

I READ THEM. Seems like GRRM is super involved in lots of different awards things and HE SHOULD STOP DOING THAT SO HE CAN FINISH WRITING THE BOOKS

 

[Fuddlemiff]

He writes a lot of "THIS WAS RIVETING FROM BEGINNING TO END" stickers for the front of other people's novels, too.

 

[CaptainWacky]

And another one.

Not A Blog - Where's the Beef?

He'll be on the meninist hate list now.

 

[headvoid]

He needs to step away from the internet that man.

 

[Cassie]

The Sad Puppies were so successful this year because the gamergaters are bored with emailing advertisers and turned their energies to getting the SJWs out of the Hugos. IMO!