SF/F Books: Chapter Two - What Are You Reading?

[Jack Bauer]

I'm trying to get through the first book in the Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi series. It's a total chore so far just like every Aaron Allston book I've read. I just have a hard time getting through them. If he wrote a standalone Star Wars novel I'd skip it.

 

[FluffyUnbound]

If anyone reading the last page of this thread is thinking of picking up some Leguin, you could do worse than reading The Word For World Is Forest.

And when reading it, try to remember that James Cameron ripped off Leguin, and not the other way around.

I also think that Leguin's short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" is probably in the top 5 SFF short stories of all time. So any collection of her short work that includes that is worth reading. If it wasn't for the fact that Ellison's "Jeffty Is Five" is the undisputed all time short story champion by a wide margin, I might even put this story up there as #1.

 

[Greg Cox]

I stayed up to one-thirty last night (yawn) to finish I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells. It's a really creepy, compelling novel about a teenage boy who is trying very hard NOT to become a serial killer, despite definite proclivities in that direction. I read the whole book in two days, despite all sorts of holiday distractions . . . .

 

[RandyS]

After years of reading/hearing positive things about it, I finally picked up and am reading "It's Superman!" by Tom De Haven. It's a "novel" take on Superman set in the late 1930s.

Yeah. I read that over Christmas 2007. One of the best Superman novels I've ever read.

I just finished Star Wars: Millineum Falcon, and am now reading Star Trek Online: The needs of the Many.

 

[Technobuilder]

The Dresden Files (again)
The Honor Harrington Series (again)
The Ender Saga (again)
Trek Lit (When it's new)
The Harry Denton P.I. series by Steven Womack. (again)

 

[PointyHairedJedi]

(again)
The Honor Harrington Series (again)

I've read a few of the ones available on the Baen Free Books site - for ages I just couldn't be bothered, but having finally been so I found them surprisingly readable.

 

[sojourner]

^Yea, they start off good. Weber introduces the Mary Sue-ness slowly so you don't notice until you step back after reading several of the books.

 

[Greg Cox]

About halfway through THE MUMMY: DARK RESURRECTION by Michael Paine, which is a sequel to the old Karloff film. Beware Ardath Bey!

 

[Technobuilder]

^Yea, they start off good. Weber introduces the Mary Sue-ness slowly so you don't notice until you step back after reading several of the books.

I've said my bit on the "Mary-Sue" issue and while I personally don't think of her as "Practically-Perfect-In-Every-Way" the rest of the universe (notably Manticore) tends to.

It's not so much of an issue though as the latest novels have branched out and taken other well developed characters into situations that are starting to coalesce in the endgame phase, that Honor isn't always the main focus anymore.

Zilwicki & Cachat are fantastic together for example.

 

[Mistral]

If anyone reading the last page of this thread is thinking of picking up some Leguin, you could do worse than reading The Word For World Is Forest.

And when reading it, try to remember that James Cameron ripped off Leguin, and not the other way around.

I also think that Leguin's short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" is probably in the top 5 SFF short stories of all time. So any collection of her short work that includes that is worth reading. If it wasn't for the fact that Ellison's "Jeffty Is Five" is the undisputed all time short story champion by a wide margin, I might even put this story up there as #1.

Ah, Fluffy, the delightfully draconian statement that any one thing in Science Fiction is better than all the rest. While Ellison's story is good I would suggest everything from The Winterberry to The Guy With The Eyes to The Men Who Killed Mohammed as equal competition. And The Ballad Of Lost C'Mell is certainly up there as well. Or The Weapon Shop. My point is that even though Ellison did well its hard to point a finger and say "Best!" because it's both subjective and a very wealthy repository of material.

 

[Starbreaker]

You guys each owe Harlan Ellison 20 cents.

 

[Scout101]

Don't think he won't sue you, either

 

[FluffyUnbound]

I just made a fan film of 'Repent, Harlequin,' Said The Ticktockman set to a Metallica soundtrack. In my version there is a lightsaber fight.

 

[Mistral]

I just made a fan film of 'Repent, Harlequin,' Said The Ticktockman set to a Metallica soundtrack. In my version there is a lightsaber fight.

Now you owe him a buck!

 

[Ensign_Redshirt]

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

 

[Brian]

Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins

 

[Mistral]

Alternate Generals III ed. by Harry Turtledove

I apparently bought this and never read it-very unusual for me. Some good, some bad. Overall, a good read.

 

[Starbreaker]

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

I love this book. There are a couple of scenes I wish had been in the movie.

 

[JWD75]

I just finished House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds. Excellent novel. Reynolds is without doubt my favorite scifi author. His ideas are fascinating and grounded in science. I am now starting ST Titan:Sword of Damocles.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Finished reading Transformers: Exodus by Alex Irvine of which I enjoyed the story and the mythology and references to previous incarnations of TF but didn't like the structure or writing. Currently half way through Greg Cox's Final Crisis and as usual, Greg has hit the mark!