I'm not offering my suggestions. I'm asking for yours. I have nothing to read except a Harry Turtledove alternate history off the 2nd World War. It isn't terribly appealing at the moment.

My preferences today are science fiction & (auto)biography, but I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Answers

Doink!! (sound of a thread landing on New Answers page)

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

An obscure sci-fi book that is excellant is "The GOdwhale" by T.J. Bass. Here's hoping that you find it.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

FS...obscure?...I would say so. But I found a site that has some very obscure reading materials...Link

Seems that T.J. Bass only wrote two books and disappeared.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

I forget the second one; it was the follow up to Godwhale. I never read it.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Thanks for the suggestion, FS. It led Peg to introduce us to what looks to be an awesome web site! Thanks, Peg. I'm going exploring.

Rich

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Review of Ender's Game

If there's anyone here who hasn't read the Ender Saga, now four books strong with a fifth on the way come January 2001, read the above linked review. The go get Ender's Game.

The author, Orson Scott Card, develops characters like no one else I've ever read in the sci-fi genre.

Rich

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Bingo1,

I haven't read the latest in the saga, which is supposedly the view of Ender's Game from Bean's point of view (remember Bean?). Has anyone else here read it?

The Ender series is not only Card's finest work, it's quite possibly some of the best sci-fi ever written.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Yes, Stephen. I read it about a month ago. It's called Ender's Shadow. It is from the perspective of Bean. Outstanding! My local library has the hardcover, so I assume most others do as well. I don't know that the paperback has been released yet. Go get it, but be prepared to not do anything else once you've cracked the cover.

Rich

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't read a book in a few months. One of the things I really miss about NYC (you're not going to believe this one) is the subways. It was a great way to fit "reading" into a busy schedule.

I had started reading Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King a few months ago (and it seemed pretty interesting), but ..........

Sigh........

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

What Pat said...haven't read a book since I finished reading 'Hearts in Atlantis'..lol...wasn't one of Kings best. Now, "The Green Mile' was fantastic, IMHO.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

Rich,

My favorite science fiction book was an anthology called "The Science Fiction Hall of Fame". There were three (?) volumes, but, I think, only one of short stories. That's the one. The stories were supposed to be the greatest science fiction short stories of all time, and were voted in by a number of authorities.

Anyway, three of my favorite sci-fi stories are from this collection:

"Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov, and "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin and "The Nine Billion Names of God" by Arthur C. Clarke

Other favorites...almost anything by Ray Bradbury (beautifully vivid prose) and Fredric Brown (wonderful twists and turns; unpredictability); and "In the Walls of Eryx" by H.P. Lovecraft.

Oh yes, "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula LeGuin, which included a wild premise where these alien beings (somewhat like us), many of whom had to go through stages where they underwent a natural change of sex...a male could have mothered a child in the past, etc. Also, I believe this book won both the Hugo and Nebula awards for that year (not sure which year).

I know there's more, but these came to mind first.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

Thanks, Eve. The Left Hand of Darkness is on my short list. I own it, but it's packed away along with all my other books.

Rich

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

Le Guinn's Earthsea Trilogy were favorites of the young Bingo.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

Do we have any Lois M. Bujold fans here? :)

Here's one. (1)

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

>> I'm open to all suggestions. <<

Can't help you with sci-fi. As for auto-biography, you mught try Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan.

However, I highly recommend the series of Aubrey-Maturin (names of the two main characters) books by Patrick O'Brian, starting with Master and Commander. The setting is in the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, but they wander the entire globe and do not rely on the wars to provide all the plot.

This series is far and away the best historical fiction I have ever read. The novels are chocked full of adventure, well-written in every sense, informed by character, humorous, and erudite without seeming so. Try one. If you like it, the series extends to about 20 books. I read 'em all.

I've also just finished reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (only a coincidence that both authors are named O'Brian and O'Brien - I also like the author Flann O'Brien, but that's another story). Excellent book.

If you have not read Treasure of the Sierra Madre', by B. Traven, by all means do so. It has scads of stuff that John Huston couldn't fit into the movie. It may be a novel, but it is also a treatise on economics (as the little guy knows the subject).

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

Hmm, lessee what I've gone through recently...The Book Of The New Sun is always a fun read. Apart from that, I've been on a Chinese Novel kick, so I can't really recommend much, although Journey To The West is kinda trippy.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2000

Brian,

I just like to read. I don't limit myself to Sci-Fi. Thanks for the tip.

Well-written historical fiction is a great way to learn history. They should use it in school instead of those dry textbooks. :)

-- Anonymous, December 03, 2000