Science Fiction

[Sway]

I can understand that, although I am obliged to mention that fairly soon there's a scientific basis for what's happening...

His other work have nothing to do with the supernatural, the Commonwealth Saga is a great read.

I rate Hamilton as highly as I do Banks.

[Schmeeky]

StuH said:

Just finished Diaspora and Permutation City by Greg Egan. Even by hard SF standards like Baxter this is HARD. The starts are tough going but it's proper awe inspiring, mind bending stuff - well worth a look:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diaspora-Greg-Egan-ebook/d...

Just about to crack open my kindle and start on Diaspora on your recommendation stu! Haven't read any hard sci-fi in a while, I'm looking forward to getting stuck in!

[DibblyDobbler]

Sway said:

Have you read Hamilton's other work?

They're brilliant. The links between the Commonwealth Saga and and the Void trilogy really add to the characters.

Yes - I slogged through the Reality Disfunction (found it heavy going tbh) and enjoyed the Commonwealth Saga (good but not great for me). The Void books are looking the best so far imho

[DibblyDobbler]

Halmyre said:

After ploughing through "The Reality Disfunction", I've bailed out on Hamilton, sorry to say.

Suggest you try the Commonwealth Saga and then the Void trilogy - a lot more readable and more fun!

Just as an aside a mate of mine read the first book in the Reality Disfunction series (which is a monster) - he struggled through it and declared 'thank fk for that' at the end, only to then discover it was book 1 of 3!

[Mannginger]

I struggled with Hamilton as well but have recently started again with audiobooks and am loving them - seems to work much better.

Reality Dysfunction was tough and I gave up on it (Al Capone - WTF!!) but will try it again on Audible and see what I think after that.

[plasticpig]

I think the Greg Mandel books are Hammiltons best work. Fast paced; nice and short with a good story.

[jmorgan]

DibblyDobbler said:

Sway said:

Have you read Hamilton's other work?

They're brilliant. The links between the Commonwealth Saga and and the Void trilogy really add to the characters.

Yes - I slogged through the Reality Disfunction (found it heavy going tbh) and enjoyed the Commonwealth Saga (good but not great for me). The Void books are looking the best so far imho

Ditto, though I tried the others before Reality Dysfunction.


Now on to Alistair Reynolds. Started at Revelation Space, now onto Redemption Ark, keeping Chasm City apart as it seems to be a diversion away from the plot.

Edit. Did enjoy the Greg Mandel books as well, just finished The Abyss Beyond Dreams in-between others and found the ending odd. Hope the next one is not as abrupt.

Edited by jmorgan on Thursday 15th January 15:20

[curlyks2]

Just finished the the Nights Dawn trilogy (Reality Dysfunction / Neutronium Alchemist / Naked God). Recommendations please for next read... preferably not Peter F. Hamilton (not because I don't like his work, just time for something/someone different).

[StuH]

curlyks2 said:

Just finished the the Nights Dawn trilogy (Reality Dysfunction / Neutronium Alchemist / Naked God). Recommendations please for next read... preferably not Peter F. Hamilton (not because I don't like his work, just time for something/someone different).

You could try, Hyperion, in my opinion the best sci-fi book ever written - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77566.Hyperion

[StuH]

Schmeeky said:

Just about to crack open my kindle and start on Diaspora on your recommendation stu! Haven't read any hard sci-fi in a while, I'm looking forward to getting stuck in!

Cool! Be interested to hear how you find it. I have a mate who likes Baxter but found Egan too hard going! Once you get past the initial chapter it really kicks on......

[DibblyDobbler]

StuH said:

You could try, Hyperion, in my opinion the best sci-fi book ever written - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77566.Hyperion

+1 Brilliant books

[Sway]

Chaps, help me out.

Trying to remember the name of a book - similar universe to the Night's Dawn Trilogy. Complete hatred for AI (I think). Main guy is a maverick spaceship owner, and the ship's computer (Beast?) ends up being the captain's Dad - on the run for something or other.

That's all I can remember, but I remember enjoying it!

[aww999]

I have that book at home and I can't remmber the name of it! THought it was Pete F Hmilton, but now I'm thinking it might be Iain M Banks; a non-Culture story with the gas-giant Dwellers who have a secret wormhole network.

[Halmyre]

aww999 said:

I have that book at home and I can't remmber the name of it! THought it was Pete F Hmilton, but now I'm thinking it might be Iain M Banks; a non-Culture story with the gas-giant Dwellers who have a secret wormhole network.

The Algebraist.

[aww999]

That's the one, bloody great read as well. The would-be assassin being tortured to death by his own teeth growing through his brain sticks in my mind!

[DibblyDobbler]

Hmm - doesn't sound like the Algebraist to me!

[StuH]

aww999 said:

That's the one, bloody great read as well. The would-be assassin being tortured to death by his own teeth growing through his brain sticks in my mind!

Yes Lucerferous had the attempted assassins teeth modified to grow up and round back into his skull!

[Sway]

I've gone round that thought loop!

Definite parallels with Joshua Calvert from Night's Dawn, and I can see where you're coming from with Algebraist. It's not either though!

Just remembered - the ship crews all drink in a bar that was trashed by an 'ambitious' maneuver by the main character's dad, and is now named after him...

The Ship's computer was definitely named Beast, and it was only when it didn't do what it was asked to do that questions started to be asked...

Racking my brain but it's just not working!

[Mannginger]

Not sure if it's any cop but I got a heads up that the "Post-Human" 4 book bundle by David Simpson is free on Amazon (Kindle) currently so may be worth a look:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Post-Human-Series-Books-Da...

Seems to get decent reviews and for that price I'm in!

[benjj]

benjj said:

Just started The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F Hamilton.

It's rather spectacular if not a little daunting with so many characters, locations etc when compared to Iain Banks Culture stuff and so on.

None the less feels very good to read something new and exciting

I wrote the above on September 21st and I'm just approaching 80% of the 3rd in the trilogy. I've read nothing else since then! I'm a voracious reader but this is one big mother. Have really enjoyed it so far, looking forward to finding out how it all ends over the next week or 2. I only get about 40 minutes a night before I doze off.