Science Fiction
Discussion
goldblum said:
Halmyre said:
I got irritated by all the 'twists' in Sphere. I enjoyed Jurassic Park though, The Andromeda Strain (also a very good film) and Timeline (haven't seen the critically panned film but it must be worth at least a look).
No, it's not, honestly.ShredderXLE said:
Managed to pick up a complete set of the Asimov Foundation novels - should they be read in the chronological order they were released (ie; foundation, foundation and empire and second foundation first) or start with Prelude to Foundation (released 40 years later)
Difficult one as I have not read the prelude I would read the release date. But one thing should be a great read, loved the series and would recommend Irobot not like the film at all. Didn't mind the film either as long as you didn't try to relate it to the book too much. Mmm got me tempted to reread them again! I struggled to get into Foundation i must admit, i only got 1/4 of the way in. With out giving anything away, I found it to be quite political and less sci-fi. Would this be a correct assumption to make? or does the story shift somewhat into other directions? Its a series of books that I want to love, so maybe just need to try again.
Gateway by Frederick Pohl is another book I got about half way through and then lost interest but I think i'll finish it at some point, just because I feel I ought to. Has anyone read The Moon is a harsh mistress? it sounds like a cross between 1984 and Arthur C Clarkes A fall of moondust and Earthlight (I may be way off there)
ps good to see some crichton love
Sorry to add another question but whats the opinion on Iain M Banks' Culture novel series? I have Consider Phlebas but havent prioritised it in my reading list.
Gateway by Frederick Pohl is another book I got about half way through and then lost interest but I think i'll finish it at some point, just because I feel I ought to. Has anyone read The Moon is a harsh mistress? it sounds like a cross between 1984 and Arthur C Clarkes A fall of moondust and Earthlight (I may be way off there)
ps good to see some crichton love
Sorry to add another question but whats the opinion on Iain M Banks' Culture novel series? I have Consider Phlebas but havent prioritised it in my reading list.
Edited by PineBarren on Thursday 2nd May 23:33
PineBarren said:
Gateway by Frederick Pohl is another book I got about half way through and then lost interest but I think i'll finish it at some point, just because I feel I ought to. Has anyone read The Moon is a harsh mistress? it sounds like a cross between 1984 and Arthur C Clarkes A fall of moondust and Earthlight (I may be way off there)
ps good to see some crichton love
Sorry to add another question but whats the opinion on Iain M Banks' Culture novel series? I have Consider Phlebas but havent prioritised it in my reading list.
I've not read 'The Moon... ." but have read 'Starburst', which was good, and 'Manplus' which was very good. Pohl's put out a huge volume of work.ps good to see some crichton love
Sorry to add another question but whats the opinion on Iain M Banks' Culture novel series? I have Consider Phlebas but havent prioritised it in my reading list.
Edited by PineBarren on Thursday 2nd May 23:33
I've never enjoyed the Sci-Fi of Banks, I find it too wordy and convoluted and generally prefer a more hard style like some of Reynolds' stuff.
I'm currently halfway through the P.K.D. volumes of shorts having read most of his novels. The shorts are almost like a mature Stephen King (remember when he was good?) with a philosophical Sci-Fi twist. You know when you're reading a book on the beach and you're so absorbed that when you next look up the sun's going down and yours is the only sunlounger still out?
ShredderXLE said:
Managed to pick up a complete set of the Asimov Foundation novels - should they be read in the chronological order they were released (ie; foundation, foundation and empire and second foundation first) or start with Prelude to Foundation (released 40 years later)
I'd actually start with the Caves of Steel trilogy (Naked Sun and Robots of Dawn). Whilst not strictly related, they lay groundwork/history for the Foundation series, which are set '000s of years later. And they're a little more readable - Foundation can take a while to get into (and I've read them three times - pre-teens, 20s and early 30s).Ref. Prelude to Foundation - I'll let someone else comment, but from memory I'd probably park until the end - IMHO it doesn't add much to the earlier books by reading in advance.
Oh - don't forget Books-4 and -5 - Foundation's Edge and Foundation & Earth, both written later on (different tone to 1-3...I recall preferring them to the earlier books). F&E does wrap things up quite nicely...
havoc said:
I'd actually start with the Caves of Steel trilogy (Naked Sun and Robots of Dawn).
Oh - don't forget Books-4 and -5 - Foundation's Edge and Foundation & Earth, both written later on (different tone to 1-3...I recall preferring them to the earlier books). F&E does wrap things up quite nicely...
Ooh ooh! I had no idea that he had gone on to write books 4 and 5. I read the Elijah Bailey/Daneel Olivaw books as a teenager and really enjoyed them. Oh - don't forget Books-4 and -5 - Foundation's Edge and Foundation & Earth, both written later on (different tone to 1-3...I recall preferring them to the earlier books). F&E does wrap things up quite nicely...
I shall have to look them out, and finally get around to the Foundation series too.....
Edited by Lurking Lawyer on Wednesday 8th May 13:39
Halmyre said:
PineBarren said:
I just finished Sphere my Michael Crichton, a very enjoyable sci-fi. The film however is abysmal! Im now reading Jurassic Park, also by Michael. Im only 80 or so pages in, great so far and a lot more technical details than the film has
I got irritated by all the 'twists' in Sphere. I enjoyed Jurassic Park though, The Andromeda Strain (also a very good film) and Timeline (haven't seen the critically panned film but it must be worth at least a look).Eric Mc said:
The book "Jurassic Park" is streets ahead of the film - and a lot more subtle in its message.
I'm really enjoying it so far, I do enjoy Crichtons writing style. I imagine I would have been as equally (well almost) as I was with Sphere,If i had read the book first and seen the film afterwards. I haven't really had time to properly burn a few chapters away yet but 4 hours on the train tomorrow should remedy that. As to that I read next i am undecided. I have a couple of books from the reissued "SF Classics" that I have started but not finished that I really should complete. Gateway being one of them. Or i might give Consider Phlebas another go.
Lurking Lawyer said:
Ooh ooh! I had no idea that he had gone on to right books 4 and 5. I read the Elijah Bailey/Daneel Olivaw books as a teenager and really enjoyed them.
I shall have to look them out, and finally get around to the Foundation series too.....
Ooh back - I forgot, Asimov did a sequel to the Caves of Steel trilogy - "Robots and Empire" which bridges these novels forwards 2 centuries and describes the genesis of the Empire.I shall have to look them out, and finally get around to the Foundation series too.....
So in chronological order:-
- Caves of Steel
- Naked Sun
- Robots of Dawn
- Robots and Empire
...thousands of years later...
- (Prelude to Foundation) - if you want to read it here, but not essential
- Foundation
- Foundation and Empire
- Second Foundation
- Foundations Edge
- Foundation and Earth
...and then, if you're not bored silly
, there was the "second trilogy" written as a tribute by Gregory Benford, David Brin and one other writer...
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