Fantastic books IMO

[yotsuya]

Yes, I enjoyed 1984 as well.  I read it the first time in, uh 1984.  Nice call.

Me too! I was in the 5th grade!

I reread it every two years or so, and I just started it again last night.

[Dervacumen]

Who hasn't read Farenheit 451, Brave New World, and 1984? Aren't these all mandatory reading in high school?

Farenheit 451 and 1984 were required, but I picked up Brave New World on my own.  Maybe that's why I like it more that the other two.  I didn't like Farenheit 451 at all actually. Maybe I'll appreciate it now.

There are some good ideas in this thread.  I've never read any Piers Anthony.  I'm now on a mission.

[Dervacumen]

Yes, I enjoyed 1984 as well.  I read it the first time in, uh 1984.  Nice call.

Me too! I was in the 5th grade!

I reread it every two years or so, and I just started it again last night.

Now I feel even older.  I was a Freshman.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Heinlein- the earlier and more juvenile stuff holds together the best, but all is worth reading.  I like later novels Friday (tight futurism) and Number of the Beast (more like Stranger).  Fave:  the admittedly milspec Troopers

William Gibson - Bridge, strand, Zero history, all of it.  read it. 

Richard K Morgan - Kovacs novels are farking fun adventure sf.  Prefect novels are ok as well.  He also did a fantasy book with a gay protagonist that showed some spark, can't remember the title, I can handle fantasy as long as it's not too much "Merlin intoned runes from the eldritch scrolls against the troll hordes in books 3, 5 and 9. 

Neal Stephenson - Cryptonomicon and System tril. are must read, the rest is ok.  liked Anathem.

Gaiman - inconsistent, liked the "Gods".  some ok shorts.

Piers, Anne McCaffery, Andre Norton, Asimov (fiction, haven't like his NF and astronomy books as well), I grew up reading their novels and Analog/Asimov's. 

Any PK Dick- come on, bladerunner, ya'll.   

Rudy rucker - robot books are worth reading and interesting

I want to check out GRR martin after watching game of thrones.  seems cool.

Glad to see there's a good amount of SF guys here. 

[Dervacumen]

And now for the non-fiction:

Build Your Own Laser, Phaser, Ion Ray Gun & Other Working, Space Age Projects
One of these days I may actually build something.

The Birth of the Mind: How a Tiny Number of Genes Creates The Complexities of Human Thought

[shmokes]

Heinlein- the earlier and more juvenile stuff holds together the best, but all is worth reading. 

If by "all" you mean "not all" since Stranger, as we've already established, is garbage.   

[Rando]

Gaiman - inconsistent, liked the "Gods".  some ok shorts.

Gaiman novels are pretty good IMO.  I haven't read "American Gods" but "Good Omens" (written with Terry Pratchett) is good/funny, "Coraline" is good (creepy & similar to movie) but is kind of a kids book.  "Neverwhere" is interesting and was made into a pretty good but low budget english mini-series.  My wife just finished "The Graveyard Book" which is also supposedly for kids but she liked it and said more creepy than Coraline.  He also writes/wrote comics but those are some of his novels that I'm familiar with.


I'm also a big fan of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the looking Glass" which are two distinct stories (and which "Coraline" above is often compared), not one as usually displayed in movies/cartoons.  Simple quick read and lots of literary oddities and puns and such.

[HaRuMaN]

Anyone read Heinlein's Have Space Suit - Will Travel? 

It's a bit juvenile, but a funny read, and a pretty good book I thought.

[shmokes]

If you hate it why do you use the term 'grok' so much?

 

Heh . . . I didn't know he coined the term.  And in the only book of his I've read, no less.  C'est la vie.  There's a lot of sex in that book too, which I also use as often as possible.     The book still sucks balls.

By the way, that middle-aged character of his is a big part of what I disliked about Stranger.  Jubal Harshaw was written in as Heinlein's personal bully pulpit.  The fact that he made him a brilliant medical doctor, brilliant lawyer, brilliant writer, brilliant philosopher, and whatever else that I can't remember because it's been so long, makes the character both unbelievable and embarrassingly self-aggrandizing.  And it's just stupid-lazy writing.  Everything Heinlein wants to personally pontificate about he makes come out of the mouth of an effective god-among-men.  Cos, you know, then it must be right.

[Vigo]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 5 part trilogy by Douglas Adams is always very entertaining. They are wholly remarkable books. 

[GibsonRiddler]

The Postman by David Brin was a good read also. Never saw the movie though.

[danny_galaga]

Neuoromancer by William Gibson. Invented the cyber punk genre. Man, I thought you nerds would be all over that

A bloody good book for sure. I just figured it went without saying 

[fallacy]

Screw books! I recommend Manga! Read Gantz  http://www.mangareader.net/97-1163-8/gantz/chapter-1.html. It reads from left to right.

You don’t need to constantly read about how people are feeling or long drawn out explanation on there facial expiration or the insignificant action they performed. You have pictures telling you all that. You can just read about the story and still use your imagination etc... to fill in the rest.

[shmokes]

Wow, that sounds way better.

[yotsuya]

The Postman by David Brin was a good read also. Never saw the movie though.

+1.

[danny_galaga]

Screw books! I recommend Manga! Read Gantz  http://www.mangareader.net/97-1163-8/gantz/chapter-1.html. It reads from left to right.

You don’t need to constantly read about how people are feeling or long drawn out explanation on there facial expiration or the insignificant action they performed. You have pictures telling you all that. You can just read about the story and still use your imagination etc... to fill in the rest.

Screw Manga! Just watch TV instead...

[shmokes]

Screw books! I recommend Manga! Read Gantz  http://www.mangareader.net/97-1163-8/gantz/chapter-1.html. It reads from left to right.

You don’t need to constantly read about how people are feeling or long drawn out explanation on there facial expiration or the insignificant action they performed. You have pictures telling you all that. You can just read about the story and still use your imagination etc... to fill in the rest.

Screw Manga! Just watch TV instead...

Screw TV!  Just close your eyes and daydream.

[TopJimmyCooks]

Screw TV!  Just close your eyes and daydream.

I'd like to but every time I try, I can't see anything but PinballJim's Konkey Dong sideart.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Screw TV!  Just close your eyes and daydream.

I'd like to but every time I try, I can't see anything but PinballJim's Konkey Dong sideart.

+1

[Samstag]

on there facial expiration

Could you illustrate your point with a picture?  I can't understand your big words.

[GibsonRiddler]

Screw TV!  Just close your eyes and daydream.

I'd like to but every time I try, I can't see anything but PinballJim's Konkey Dong sideart.

+1

Sleep did not come easy after seeing that 

[shmokes]

on there facial expiration

Could you illustrate your point with a picture?  I can't understand your big words.

 

[Cakemeister]

I read Battlefield Earth every couple of years. Great book. Don't see the movie.

[CCM]

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Just read about this book in Time magazine, sounds like it is definitely worth a read.


http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One-Ernest-Cline/dp/030788743X

[yotsuya]

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Just read about this book in Time magazine, sounds like it is definitely worth a read.


http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One-Ernest-Cline/dp/030788743X

Sounds right up my alley. I just picked it up. Thanks!

[CCM]

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Just read about this book in Time magazine, sounds like it is definitely worth a read.


http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One-Ernest-Cline/dp/030788743X

Sounds right up my alley. I just picked it up. Thanks!

Let me know what you think of it.   I am planning on throwing on my Kindle to read it when I am done with my current book.

[yotsuya]

Ok, I started 'Ready Player One' last night at about 9PM and just finished all 350+ pages right now. It's a fun, easy read with a lot of detail and a lot of reference to a bunch of 80s pop culture. It's a good read, especially if you're in your late 30s and grew up with 80s games, movies, cartoons, and science fiction (I fit that demographic). Teens who are gamers would probably enjoy it as well, especially if their parents fit that demographic and have, over the years, introduced their kids to that stuff.

I'd say it's worth reading.

[Dermbrian]

Two series that I've read and reread over the years are the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov and the Colossus trilogy by DF Jones.  The book Colossus is what was made into the movie Colossus: The Forbin Project in 1969.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Feltham_Jones
I have every DF Jones book except "Bond in Time".  Pages are loose in every book I have, but they're all long out of print, I think.

I like it when the two gigantic computers in Colossus, Colossus in the USA and Guardian in the USSR, begin exchanging information in hundreds of words per minute and their teletypes can't keep up.  I wonder what DF Jones would think of my HTC EVO phone vs his mountain-sized computers.

In the Foundation Trilogy books, Isaac Azimov has personal nuclear generators worn as jewelry but still has space pilots calculating routes using slide rules, and really missed the concept of computers entirely but still manages to have human-looking, human-acting robots in his vision of the future.

Brian

[opt2not]

I want to check out GRR martin after watching game of thrones.  seems cool.

Yeah i just finished watching the first season of Game of Thrones, and I'm now really interested in reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The show is fantastic, and I hear the books are better!

I few of my favourite books that I tend to re-read now and again:

• The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
• The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick  
• Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist - Chuck Jones

[Blanka]

[piecesof8]

Yeah i just finished watching the first season of Game of Thrones, and I'm now really interested in reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The show is fantastic, and I hear the books are better!

These books are great - definitely one of the best fantasy series ever written, IMO. I'm a little worried that he'll never finish the story at the rate he's going, though. Be prepared to do some re-reading when the next book comes out in five or six years. 

[wp34]

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Just read about this book in Time magazine, sounds like it is definitely worth a read.


http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One-Ernest-Cline/dp/030788743X

I just started it.  I'm only a few pages in and there has already been references to the Atari 800xl, Defender, Asteroids, Robotron and Adventure from the Atari 2600.  Things that are near and dear to me.  Pretty good so far.

[Mikezilla]

Ok, I started 'Ready Player One' last night at about 9PM and just finished all 350+ pages right now. It's a fun, easy read with a lot of detail and a lot of reference to a bunch of 80s pop culture. It's a good read, especially if you're in your late 30s and grew up with 80s games, movies, cartoons, and science fiction (I fit that demographic). Teens who are gamers would probably enjoy it as well, especially if their parents fit that demographic and have, over the years, introduced their kids to that stuff.

I'd say it's worth reading.

I was born in 1982 and a friend gave me this and I cant put it down. Its a super fun book that I get giddy over. I cant even remember the last time a book got me excited, to where I actually care what happens to the character. Yotsuya isnt giving it enough credit (sorry man) this is a GREAT book. Its stupid good. Buy it now. DO IT.

[yotsuya]

Ok, I started 'Ready Player One' last night at about 9PM and just finished all 350+ pages right now. It's a fun, easy read with a lot of detail and a lot of reference to a bunch of 80s pop culture. It's a good read, especially if you're in your late 30s and grew up with 80s games, movies, cartoons, and science fiction (I fit that demographic). Teens who are gamers would probably enjoy it as well, especially if their parents fit that demographic and have, over the years, introduced their kids to that stuff.

I'd say it's worth reading.

I was born in 1982 and a friend gave me this and I cant put it down. Its a super fun book that I get giddy over. I cant even remember the last time a book got me excited, to where I actually care what happens to the character. Yotsuya isnt giving it enough credit (sorry man) this is a GREAT book. Its stupid good. Buy it now. DO IT.

It's a fun book, for sure, and I read it all in two sittings, but it's no Centipede. It's more like a Mortal Kombat.

[Mikezilla]

Ok, I started 'Ready Player One' last night at about 9PM and just finished all 350+ pages right now. It's a fun, easy read with a lot of detail and a lot of reference to a bunch of 80s pop culture. It's a good read, especially if you're in your late 30s and grew up with 80s games, movies, cartoons, and science fiction (I fit that demographic). Teens who are gamers would probably enjoy it as well, especially if their parents fit that demographic and have, over the years, introduced their kids to that stuff.

I'd say it's worth reading.

I was born in 1982 and a friend gave me this and I cant put it down. Its a super fun book that I get giddy over. I cant even remember the last time a book got me excited, to where I actually care what happens to the character. Yotsuya isnt giving it enough credit (sorry man) this is a GREAT book. Its stupid good. Buy it now. DO IT.

It's a fun book, for sure, and I read it all in two sittings, but it's no Centipede. It's more like a Mortal Kombat.

Blasphemer!  Ok what would constitute a Centipede huh? HUH?!?! Mortal Kombat. Pffft. No way. Its at LEAST a Marvel vs Capcom. 

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

And neither one of you is going to call it a Joust?

Son I am disappoint

[CCM]

Ok, I started 'Ready Player One' last night at about 9PM and just finished all 350+ pages right now. It's a fun, easy read with a lot of detail and a lot of reference to a bunch of 80s pop culture. It's a good read, especially if you're in your late 30s and grew up with 80s games, movies, cartoons, and science fiction (I fit that demographic). Teens who are gamers would probably enjoy it as well, especially if their parents fit that demographic and have, over the years, introduced their kids to that stuff.

I'd say it's worth reading.

I was born in 1982 and a friend gave me this and I cant put it down. Its a super fun book that I get giddy over. I cant even remember the last time a book got me excited, to where I actually care what happens to the character. Yotsuya isnt giving it enough credit (sorry man) this is a GREAT book. Its stupid good. Buy it now. DO IT.

I feel the same way, I look forward to getting home and reading it everyday.  I was born in 1971, so I was age 9 thru 18 in the 80's and fondly remember all the movies, music, video games, and bad fashion!

I'm about 30% thru the book and loving it!   When I read the Ghostbusters reference on the first page, I was hooked!

[Mikezilla]

And neither one of you is going to call it a Joust?

Son I am disappoint

I know, I was going to edit my post to say that but I had to go back to reading.   

@CCM hell yeah dude the Ghostbuster reference right off the bat was great. The Conan references Im at now are giving me a nerd boner.

[Rando]

@CCM hell yeah dude the Ghostbuster reference right off the bat was great. The Conan references Im at now are giving me a nerd boner.

I'm somewhat disturbed and mildly excited, just added to my Amazon wishlist!

[Mikezilla]

@CCM hell yeah dude the Ghostbuster reference right off the bat was great. The Conan references Im at now are giving me a nerd boner.

I'm somewhat disturbed and mildly excited, just added to my Amazon wishlist!

Rando. You dont even understand how awesome this book is. If I wasnt reading it at work, I would be squealing with glee. Seriously.