Science Fiction

Author
Discussion

Halmyre

11,147 posts

138 months

Friday 21st February 2014
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Cotty said:
Halmyre said:
Inversions just qualifies as a peripheral Culture book, there's only a very subtle clue to that effect right at the end.
That and I am assuming the doctor is from the Culture.

I think the doctor AND the DeWar character are both Culture - they're on different sides in a conflict, but whether they're working together or against each other is a moot point.

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Friday 21st February 2014
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FunkyNige said:
Towards the end of last year I read the Lost Fleet series of books by Jack Campbell. Wiki it says:
"The series is set one-hundred-plus years into an interstellar war between two different human cultures, the Alliance and the Syndics. The protagonist of the story is discovered floating in a suspended animation escape pod one hundred years after he made a "heroic last stand" against an enemy fleet. In his absence, he has been made into a renowned hero in the Alliance, but his legend and actions are used to justify poor tactics and decisions. Awakened after being discovered during a secret mission that turns out to be an enemy trap, he is suddenly dropped into the role of fleet commander and expected to live up to the legend that has grown around him."

I really like the series, they're something a bit different as they're not too sci-fi (you can imagine most of the science stuff existing), the space battles are well written and quite interesting in the way it explores how you would fight battles in space with the massive distances involved meaning long waits for anything to happen then it's all over really quickly.

Fairly easy to read (I was reading a book a day at one point) so worth checking out if you are after something a bit lighter than a lot of the sci-fi books (Dune, I'm looking at you!).
Agree with that - the way the space battles are done is jarring at first (been watching too much TrekWars!) but I really enjoyed this series

jimmyjimjim

7,329 posts

237 months

Saturday 22nd February 2014
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Another fan of The Lost Fleet here. Odd coincidence again; I saw earlier today that book ten is out in may.


jimmyjimjim

7,329 posts

237 months

Saturday 22nd February 2014
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plasticpig said:
jimmyjimjim said:
Like a mighty army was out yesterday; just acquired a copy.
So have I. An Honor Harrington movie is in the early stages of production along with video game, comic books and a TV series to follow.
Finished it. A little disappointed, to be honest. It feels like it's getting a bit too formulaic (another charge I'll lay against the HH series too). Increase in tech for the good side, allows them to surprise bad side, hurt them badly. Bad guys almost catch up, nearly catch good guys by surprise, but fail at last minute. Repeat.

Voldemort

6,086 posts

277 months

Saturday 22nd February 2014
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Salgar said:
I don't know how I haven't seen this thread before.
Me too! But having been through it I concur with most of the recommendations and have noted some future targets for myself.

The only work I don't recall seeing, and should have done, is Watchmen. Ok, it's a comic, or 'graphic novel' if you prefer, but it is arguably the best comic series ever. It is also a spectacularly brilliant sci-fi tale in its' own right. Highly commended to the thread!

plasticpig

12,932 posts

224 months

Monday 24th February 2014
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jimmyjimjim said:
Finished it. A little disappointed, to be honest. It feels like it's getting a bit too formulaic (another charge I'll lay against the HH series too). Increase in tech for the good side, allows them to surprise bad side, hurt them badly. Bad guys almost catch up, nearly catch good guys by surprise, but fail at last minute. Repeat.
He does seem have a habit of belabouring the point that a side with more advanced technology can beat a vastly numerically superior foe. Safehold is a good idea for a story but Weber seems to be covering only one year per book. Assuming it's all going to kick of in the year 1000; he has another 12 books to go to get to the end.

ATV

556 posts

194 months

Friday 7th March 2014
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If anyone enjoys short stories then there are 2 SF collections worth reading:

"Stories of Your Life" by Ted Chiang
"Axiomatic" by Greg Egan

Not tough reads at all, but some real beauties in there. The title story of the Chiang and also one called Undestand. From the Egan collection I'd recommend "The Infinite Assassin" and "Learning to be Me" but really, they are all great.

oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Saturday 15th March 2014
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I'm having a bit of a clear out prior to building work and have 20 Harry Harrison novels, plus more than 30 Niven and/or Pournelle paperbacks to move. The rest is going to jumble, but if anyone would like these I can deliver in the eastern side of the West Mids.

The Heinlein collection is staying put smile

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Saturday 15th March 2014
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bummer frown too far for me. Hope someone gets to enjoy them again

oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Just bumping for Sunday. Iroc if there are no other takers and you're not too far we could sort something?

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 16th March 09:21

oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Just bumping for Sunday. Iroc if there are no other takers and you're not too far we could sort something?

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 16th March 09:21

rich1231

17,331 posts

259 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Salgar said:
I don't know how I haven't seen this thread before.

I love all the Peter F Hamilton stuff, especially Commonwealth and the Void trilogy, I found the nights dawn trilogy slightly darker but still great reading.

I've just read The Atlantis gene and Atlantis plague by A.G. Riddle who is apparently relatively new to science fiction. The first book is a thriller and almost non-sci-fi but the second book in the trilogy is more dystopian scifi. They were good(interesting?) although not the best I've read.

I also recently read all of the Agent Cormac series by Neal Asher and am now reading the Spatterjay books.

Look forward to all the suggestions in this thread.
There is a new Hamilton Trilogy coming btw smile

Reading Neal Asher Owner Trilogy at the moment, ok bit not as good as the Cormac books.

Baron Greenback

6,961 posts

149 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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rich1231 said:
There is a new Hamilton Trilogy coming btw smile

Reading Neal Asher Owner Trilogy at the moment, ok bit not as good as the Cormac books.
I ooh cool just finished Reality dysfunction trilogy audio book listening at work for the 5th time! Read the books loved them, about the start again Dreaming void Trilogy again, can't wait for the next Trilogy. Like Neal Asher n Cormac books also, tried Richard Morgan?

rich1231

17,331 posts

259 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Baron Greenback said:
I ooh cool just finished Reality dysfunction trilogy audio book listening at work for the 5th time! Read the books loved them, about the start again Dreaming void Trilogy again, can't wait for the next Trilogy. Like Neal Asher n Cormac books also, tried Richard Morgan?
Yep Morgan is great but looks like he has moved into Fantasy now away from Scifi.

Baron Greenback

6,961 posts

149 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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Had to Google new Hamilton books coming up!

"Karl, sorry I managed to delete your post (using an iPhone not a laptop -arrgh). You asked about getting hold of a copy of The Abyss Beyond Dreams in the USA this fall. The good news is that this time around my US publishers Del Rey are aiming for a simultaneous release date with the UK. Bad news, its not a trilogy, just two books"

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Sunday 16th March 2014
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oldbanger said:
Just bumping for Sunday. Iroc if there are no other takers and you're not too far we could sort something?

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 16th March 09:21
hmmm had a word with my stepdaughter today - how close are you to Worcester?

oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Tuesday 18th March 2014
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Hi iroc, I did try to pm you - not sure if it you got it smile

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Wednesday 19th March 2014
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oldbanger said:
Hi iroc, I did try to pm you - not sure if it you got it smile
apologies - mail got caught in my spam box frown I'll shoot you a message back shortly wink

oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
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Have replied smile

oldbanger

4,316 posts

237 months

Thursday 20th March 2014
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Have replied smile