Science Fiction
Discussion
Mannginger said:
Guvernator said:
Not sure if this has been mentioned already but just started the Long Earth series by Terry Pratchet and Stephen Baxter after being recommended them by a friend. I'm only about half way through the first book but enjoying it immensely so far. Real page turner that's hard to put down.
I barely finished it, found it so dull and didn't even contemplate the sequels. Was very disappointed as I thought I'd found another series to work through!DibblyDobbler said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Well - just knocked off 'Look to Windward' as part of my rerun through Banks's Culture Series. Good book - not a classic in my view but good. Was trying to decide what to go for next and it occurred to me that I hadn't ever read 'State of the Art' - it never really appealed due to being a collection of short stories but will give it a go next up ![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
Hmm - ok finished State of the Art. In all honesty I wouldn't bother unless you are a real die hard Banks fan or (like me) just want to complete the set. It wasn't awful just not at the same level as the rest imho.![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
So it's onward and upward with Surface Detail - which I have only read once iirc
![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
![thumbup](/inc/images/thumbup.gif)
'Matter' is next up
![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
Halmyre said:
Mannginger said:
Guvernator said:
Not sure if this has been mentioned already but just started the Long Earth series by Terry Pratchet and Stephen Baxter after being recommended them by a friend. I'm only about half way through the first book but enjoying it immensely so far. Real page turner that's hard to put down.
I barely finished it, found it so dull and didn't even contemplate the sequels. Was very disappointed as I thought I'd found another series to work through!I'd agree with you - the story line is a bit dull - I love the concept but the stories themselves seem to revolve around bouncing from one world to the next, repeat up to the High Megas (i.e. 1 million plus steps from our Earth) noting little differences along the way and every so often stopping for a while at a quite different earth. It seems too shallow - so much more could be made of the implications of the discovery of stepping.
The characters aren't particularly likable either - I have little interest in what happens to Joshua, Lobsang, Sally Linsay, etc.
Still, trying to be optimistic, I'll give the Long Utopia another go.
DibblyDobbler said:
DibblyDobbler said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Well - just knocked off 'Look to Windward' as part of my rerun through Banks's Culture Series. Good book - not a classic in my view but good. Was trying to decide what to go for next and it occurred to me that I hadn't ever read 'State of the Art' - it never really appealed due to being a collection of short stories but will give it a go next up ![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
Hmm - ok finished State of the Art. In all honesty I wouldn't bother unless you are a real die hard Banks fan or (like me) just want to complete the set. It wasn't awful just not at the same level as the rest imho.![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
So it's onward and upward with Surface Detail - which I have only read once iirc
![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
![thumbup](/inc/images/thumbup.gif)
'Matter' is next up
![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
![frown](/inc/images/frown.gif)
Baron Greenback said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Finished Matter (good but not an absolute favorite) and on to The Hydrogen Sonata now. The last one. Ever ![frown](/inc/images/frown.gif)
Hated finishing my last one! Tempted to start all over again! my 1st of his was Wasp Factory when my art teacher recomended it when I was about 14!![frown](/inc/images/frown.gif)
Dan Worth's Progenitor Series.
Anything (not title, literally anything) by Neal Asher.
Gary Gibson Shoal Sequence Series, plus most of his stuff.
James S A Corey's Expanse Series
......off the top of my head, these are some of my favourites.
edit... on top of Peter F Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter and TP.
Anything (not title, literally anything) by Neal Asher.
Gary Gibson Shoal Sequence Series, plus most of his stuff.
James S A Corey's Expanse Series
......off the top of my head, these are some of my favourites.
edit... on top of Peter F Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter and TP.
Edited by JonChalk on Friday 31st March 19:42
DibblyDobbler said:
Hmm - you've caught me out there to be honest... struggled with that one and have only read it once now that I think about it ![paperbag](/inc/images/paperbag.gif)
yeah - it takes a while to get used to the narrative, but very clever & must have taken immense concentration to maintain that writing style.![paperbag](/inc/images/paperbag.gif)
JonChalk said:
Dan Worth's Progenitor Series.
Anything (not title, literally anything) by Neal Asher.
Gary Gibson Shoal Sequence Series, plus most of his stuff.
James S A Corey's Expanse Series
......off the top of my head, these are some of my favourites.
edit... on top of Peter F Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter and TP.
Oh and I forgot Hugh Howey's Wool/Silo series - that is really goodAnything (not title, literally anything) by Neal Asher.
Gary Gibson Shoal Sequence Series, plus most of his stuff.
James S A Corey's Expanse Series
......off the top of my head, these are some of my favourites.
edit... on top of Peter F Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter and TP.
Edited by JonChalk on Friday 31st March 19:42
JonChalk said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Hmm - you've caught me out there to be honest... struggled with that one and have only read it once now that I think about it ![paperbag](/inc/images/paperbag.gif)
yeah - it takes a while to get used to the narrative, but very clever & must have taken immense concentration to maintain that writing style.![paperbag](/inc/images/paperbag.gif)
Also with you on Asher - he's due one out soon isn't he?
Having just re-read The Culture series and the Revelation Space series, I'm in dire need of another big space opera to keep me entertained.
Any suggestions? I'm not really a TV person and I'm waiting on the next season of The Expanse and House of Cards to arrive on Netflix so I need something to fill my evenings. Loved The Culture series, could just keep reading them. Took me a while to get into the Revelation Space books but I found I really enjoyed them.
Would prefer a series but would be happy with just some recommendations for stand alone books
Any suggestions? I'm not really a TV person and I'm waiting on the next season of The Expanse and House of Cards to arrive on Netflix so I need something to fill my evenings. Loved The Culture series, could just keep reading them. Took me a while to get into the Revelation Space books but I found I really enjoyed them.
Would prefer a series but would be happy with just some recommendations for stand alone books
D_T_W said:
Having just re-read The Culture series and the Revelation Space series, I'm in dire need of another big space opera to keep me entertained.
Any suggestions? I'm not really a TV person and I'm waiting on the next season of The Expanse and House of Cards to arrive on Netflix so I need something to fill my evenings. Loved The Culture series, could just keep reading them. Took me a while to get into the Revelation Space books but I found I really enjoyed them.
Would prefer a series but would be happy with just some recommendations for stand alone books
Peter F Hamilton...Any suggestions? I'm not really a TV person and I'm waiting on the next season of The Expanse and House of Cards to arrive on Netflix so I need something to fill my evenings. Loved The Culture series, could just keep reading them. Took me a while to get into the Revelation Space books but I found I really enjoyed them.
Would prefer a series but would be happy with just some recommendations for stand alone books
There's the Commonwealth series, set across a couple of separate trilogies and a couple of individual books, and also the Night's Dawn Trilogy which I personally absolutely love.
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