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re: Sci-Fi/Fantasy Recommendation & Discussion Thread
Posted on 6/30/20 at 4:14 pm to Sneaky__Sally
Posted on 6/30/20 at 4:14 pm to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
The Gap Cycle by Stephen R. Donaldson has been very intriguing through two books. The story is really fricked up, if
I was looking up the ratings for the series the other day on Goodreads just because I was curious how people thought of it these days, and one of the first reviews for the first book was basically like "congrats, you've finished Rape:the novel, now you get to read one of the best sci fi series of all time".
And I'd agree, the first book and a good portion of the second are some of the most fricked up stuff I've read (along with the hobbling portions of Dust of Dreams in Malazan). The series has a really good payoff from it though in the last three books, and I think it has some intriguing things to say about how mental abuse and control can be just as bad as physical.
The last three books are where the action takes off though, and the abuse type fricked up stuff mostly goes away in those three books, though it still a very dark and gritty series all the way through.
If I were to rate the books in that series I'd probably put the first as a 6.5/10, second as a 7.5 or 8/10, and the last three are all 9/10s or better for me. The first one is a fast read and isn't really what I would call a good book, simply because it is so uncomfortable.
And yeah, most of the characters aren't very nice people. The two I really like are Warden Dios and Min Donner, though I don't know how much you've seen of them by the end of book 2, it's been a long time since I read the series,and never reread the first.
This post was edited on 6/30/20 at 6:12 pm
1
Posted on 6/30/20 at 4:23 pm to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
so having Butchers stuff in there to help me break up the intensity and information overload of Malazan seems like a good plan.
Yep, would be perfect for that.
Posted on 6/30/20 at 4:44 pm to auyushu
quote:
I was looking up the ratings for the series the other day on Goodreads just because I was curious how people thought of it these days, and one of the first reviews for the first book was basically like "congrats, you've finished Rape:the novel, now you get to read one of the best sci fi series of all time".
haha I remember seeing that one.
quote:
And I'd agree, the first book and a good portion of the second are some of the most fricked up stuff I've read (along with the hobbling portions of Dust of Dreams in Malazan)
Ya no doubt - i got through the first one, and read some reviews for the next few. Once I saw that it wasn't 5 books of just terrible rape and psychological abuse / torture I decided to move on. That section of Malazan was rough too.
Going to start Book 3 tomorrow - reading one of the "books" in garden of the moon tonight. Its crazy how great Gardens of the Moon is on the re-read after you know whats going on and catch all the subtle references.
Posted on 6/30/20 at 6:15 pm to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
Its crazy how great Gardens of the Moon is on the re-read after you know whats going on and catch all the subtle references.
Yeah, I loved the first time I read it (I kinda dig getting thrown into a world and having to figure things out through context clues as long as it's done well though), but it definitely gets even better on reread when you know who everyone is from later books and can see the contrasts and connections.
Posted on 7/2/20 at 6:52 pm to MDB
quote:
Try the Rama series. The first book Rendevouz With Rama is kind of a stand alone but then the next four books take world building to the next level. Arthur C. Clarke can really spin a yarn.
I must add that author Gentry Lee actually took over the Rama series from Clarke after Rendezvous With Rama and reworked the characters but kept the same concepts with Clarke’s input. Still an absorbing series.
Am now into the new We Are Bob series by Dennis E. Taylor and also just now starting Asimov’s Foundation series. A definite contrast of old and new.
Posted on 7/2/20 at 7:52 pm to MDB
Is this your first time reading Foundation?
Posted on 7/2/20 at 9:42 pm to Sneaky__Sally
Yes. So far finding it to be very “chatty” without much of the action actually happening but rather being conferred via conversation, exposition. The story certainly does not drag and it is shaping up to be quite an epic.
This is actually my first Asimov novel. You can see it was written in late ‘40s, early ‘50s.
This is actually my first Asimov novel. You can see it was written in late ‘40s, early ‘50s.
Posted on 7/2/20 at 9:46 pm to MDB
Ya it is definitely early period sci fi without a ton of direction action, but i still found myself drawn through it. I need to read some of his other stuff, only done the Foundation, Foundation and Empire, 2nd Foundation trilogy
Posted on 7/2/20 at 10:31 pm to Sneaky__Sally
Early on in Foundation, Asimov predicts the fall of The Empire and its inevitability. A very eerie relevance to today’s situation it was.
Posted on 7/3/20 at 2:13 am to MDB
quote:
Am now into the new We Are Bob series by Dennis E. Taylor and also just now starting Asimov’s Foundation series
The Bobverse books are great, just good fun overall. Didn't realize he has a new one coming out this fall.
I just read the first foundation book myself and finished it tonight, it's pretty entertaining. Not exactly action packed, but consistently intriguing.
Posted on 7/4/20 at 4:18 pm to auyushu
quote:
quote:
Am now into the new We Are Bob series by Dennis E. Taylor and also just now starting Asimov’s Foundation series
The Bobverse books are great, just good fun overall. Didn't realize he has a new one coming out this fall.
I just read the first foundation book myself and finished it tonight, it's pretty entertaining. Not exactly action packed, but consistently intriguing.
I think its the next one that has one of my all time favorite scenes / storylines.
Posted on 7/6/20 at 9:51 am to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
think its the next one that has one of my all time favorite scenes / storylines.
I liked the first book more than the second myself. I think that's because I figured out the twist immediately as they traveled to kalgan, and figured out how it was being done as soon as she was talking to the co-workers/females working in the factories later. So half the book was pretty boring.
Hopefully I'll enjoy the third book a bit more, which I imagine I will since the character of the mule does seem like it will be interesting.
Posted on 7/6/20 at 10:16 am to auyushu
Reading Greatcoats right now.
Sped through the first book at warp speed. Having a slightly harder time with the 2nd book
Sped through the first book at warp speed. Having a slightly harder time with the 2nd book
Posted on 7/6/20 at 10:42 am to auyushu
quote:
Hopefully I'll enjoy the third book a bit more, which I imagine I will since the character of the mule does seem like it will be interesting.
Oh that is what I was talking about, its been forever since I read them. May have gotten the timeline mixed up.
Posted on 7/6/20 at 11:06 am to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
May have gotten the timeline mixed up.
He's in the second book, it's just not directly if you know what I mean.
Posted on 7/6/20 at 11:45 am to auyushu
Oh i'm with you now
Posted on 7/6/20 at 9:16 pm to Sneaky__Sally
Just now finishing up the first Foundation novel. I have heard talk of the Mule from other reviewers and look forward to second book.
It’s a good thing I like dialogue as much as action.
It’s a good thing I like dialogue as much as action.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 6:30 am to MDB
I've never really thought of it before, but I guess I place a premium on intrigue and worldbuilding for lack of a better word moreso than action/battles/fight scenes when reading - or at least that is a common thread in all of the books i really love.
Had the Foundation books been longer, then i definitely wold have noticed the lack of action. But as pretty short books coming in I think under 300 pages mass market paperback covering huge spans of time, I think they have enough going on to keep me in the story the whole time.
I've been listening to Brandon Sanderson and some of his other writing friends' podcast - Writing Excuses - and its really fascinating to get an inside look at the nuts and bolts of how sci fi and fantasy books are put together. They talk about a ton of stuff - for example, how longer fantasy books need to have ebbs and flows in the action, good stopping points for the reader to put it down but keep feeling forward momentum.
Each one is only 15 minutes long so it is very digestible and you will start to notice certain things certain writers are doing, and put a name to a technique you recognize subconsciously. Plus they recommend an audible book in each podcast so I've picked up some solid recommendations for my work drives from them, I've also found some lists of their audible recommendations online if you are looking for that kind of thing.
Had the Foundation books been longer, then i definitely wold have noticed the lack of action. But as pretty short books coming in I think under 300 pages mass market paperback covering huge spans of time, I think they have enough going on to keep me in the story the whole time.
I've been listening to Brandon Sanderson and some of his other writing friends' podcast - Writing Excuses - and its really fascinating to get an inside look at the nuts and bolts of how sci fi and fantasy books are put together. They talk about a ton of stuff - for example, how longer fantasy books need to have ebbs and flows in the action, good stopping points for the reader to put it down but keep feeling forward momentum.
Each one is only 15 minutes long so it is very digestible and you will start to notice certain things certain writers are doing, and put a name to a technique you recognize subconsciously. Plus they recommend an audible book in each podcast so I've picked up some solid recommendations for my work drives from them, I've also found some lists of their audible recommendations online if you are looking for that kind of thing.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 6:35 am to Sneaky__Sally
Also finished the Starsight audiobook - the 2nd book installment in Brandon Sanderson's YA sci fi series about about like human space fighter pilots.
This one didn't do it for me like the last one did, it was solid but i really enjoyed the last one. Had kind of a disappointing ending for me and didn't enjoy the secondary characters as much.
This one didn't do it for me like the last one did, it was solid but i really enjoyed the last one. Had kind of a disappointing ending for me and didn't enjoy the secondary characters as much.
Posted on 7/7/20 at 7:24 am to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
I've never really thought of it before, but I guess I place a premium on intrigue and worldbuilding for lack of a better word moreso than action/battles/fight scenes when reading - or at least that is a
Same for me really, I'm bigger on plot, and worldbuilding is definitely way up there. I'm really big on interesting characters too though, and that is where foundation has fallen short for me a bit (although I enjoyed the first one a good bit). The constant time and character shifts combined with the short books make them a little lower for me due to the lack of characters to connect with.
This post was edited on 7/7/20 at 7:25 am
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