Science Fiction
Discussion
xeny said:
The initial premise of Seveneves is so broken from a Physics PoV I can't read beyond that point (same problem with Red Mars).
Some of it broken, and some of it just too much excruciating detail. I have a degree in Applied Physics (although I freely admit that it was a long time ago and I have probably forgotten so much of it that I could barely pass Physics O-level now) and even I found it too much detail. And, worse, it was simply unnecessary detail. To the detriment of the rest of the book. I have posted my review of it a couple of times on the thread so I won't bore everyone with yet another full repost, but this snippet rather sums up Seveneves for me:
"[it is] like writing The Great Escape concentrating most of the effort on describing the tunnel digging, load calculations of the tunnel props, how the lighting was devised, construction of the digging implements, and then having half a page of dialogue where one guard mentions to another in passing that there was a breakout but that many prisoners have been recaptured or shot, and a chap on a motorbike had a pretty cool chase but was ultimately caught. And then a German Structural Engineer arrives and the next few chapters describe his admiration of the tunnel."
I shall try to give it a rest now. Sorry.
havoc said:
Anathem is worthwhile.
I agree above that he has a problem with endings, but the level of detail and immersion in the topic in his novels (for me at least), is wonderful stuff. Cryptonomicon is also good.
I'm currently reading this...successor to Wool...which I read about 3 years ago so have forgotten a few details which may be being cross-referenced here or useful to know.
Dystopian post-apocalypse stuff (without the zombies...well, not visible anthropomorphic ones anyway), but all the more human because of it.
I'm currently half-way through "Dust" - the third one. Just as bleak ...I agree above that he has a problem with endings, but the level of detail and immersion in the topic in his novels (for me at least), is wonderful stuff. Cryptonomicon is also good.
I'm currently reading this...successor to Wool...which I read about 3 years ago so have forgotten a few details which may be being cross-referenced here or useful to know.
Dystopian post-apocalypse stuff (without the zombies...well, not visible anthropomorphic ones anyway), but all the more human because of it.
Clockwork Cupcake said:
One author whose fantasy offerings I have not explored is Adrian Tchaikovsky. I love his sci-fi but I am wary of trying his fantasy, not least due to being stung by Neal Stephenson's aforementioned Baroque Cycle.
I was the same, not least because I'm not a big reader of Fantasy in general. After I'd read all of his Sci-Fi I ended up reading and enjoying the whole of his Shadows of the Apt series though.hairykrishna said:
I was the same, not least because I'm not a big reader of Fantasy in general. After I'd read all of his Sci-Fi I ended up reading and enjoying the whole of his Shadows of the Apt series though.
Maybe I will give it a go. He is very good at world-building and character development, and that transcends genres. Although, like you, I'm not really into fantasy. I'm re-reading Simmons' Ilium/Olympos duology - it's an absolute romp IMHO, completely bonkers but great fun. *Mostly* understanding it second time round although still find it hard to visualise the Gods on Mount Olympus being on Mars and the Trojans being on some kind of alternate Earth (albeit linked by wormholes) !
It has some great action, a bit of humour and a whole lot of crazy ancient Greek/sc-fi mash-up bits which are, if nothing else, unlike anything else I have read and an easy way in to Homer's Iliad
It has some great action, a bit of humour and a whole lot of crazy ancient Greek/sc-fi mash-up bits which are, if nothing else, unlike anything else I have read and an easy way in to Homer's Iliad
hairykrishna said:
Clockwork Cupcake said:
One author whose fantasy offerings I have not explored is Adrian Tchaikovsky. I love his sci-fi but I am wary of trying his fantasy, not least due to being stung by Neal Stephenson's aforementioned Baroque Cycle.
I was the same, not least because I'm not a big reader of Fantasy in general. After I'd read all of his Sci-Fi I ended up reading and enjoying the whole of his Shadows of the Apt series though.DibblyDobbler said:
I'm re-reading Simmons' Ilium/Olympos duology - it's an absolute romp IMHO, completely bonkers but great fun. *Mostly* understanding it second time round although still find it hard to visualise the Gods on Mount Olympus being on Mars and the Trojans being on some kind of alternate Earth (albeit linked by wormholes) !
It has some great action, a bit of humour and a whole lot of crazy ancient Greek/sc-fi mash-up bits which are, if nothing else, unlike anything else I have read and an easy way in to Homer's Iliad
Loved them. A nice, oddball follow-up to the darkness in Hyperion/Endymion.It has some great action, a bit of humour and a whole lot of crazy ancient Greek/sc-fi mash-up bits which are, if nothing else, unlike anything else I have read and an easy way in to Homer's Iliad
...may have to dig them out once I've got through a chunk of the Christmas haul...
hairykrishna said:
Clockwork Cupcake said:
One author whose fantasy offerings I have not explored is Adrian Tchaikovsky. I love his sci-fi but I am wary of trying his fantasy, not least due to being stung by Neal Stephenson's aforementioned Baroque Cycle.
I was the same, not least because I'm not a big reader of Fantasy in general. After I'd read all of his Sci-Fi I ended up reading and enjoying the whole of his Shadows of the Apt series though.
RizzoTheRat said:
I loved Children of Time, Dogs of War and Bear Head, so gave some of is fantasy a go. I got about half way through the first Tiger and the Wolf book and gave up. Just didn't grip me the way his SF had.
I've not got to Tiger and the Wolf yet. I'd recommend The Doors of Eden if you enjoyed his other sci fi.
p1doc said:
JonChalk said:
Neal Asher is consistently good, if you like his style / universe - there's him, Reynolds and Hamilton that I will pre-order stuff from.
like Hamilton but could not get into Reynolds-any other recommendationsthanks
Baron Greenback said:
p1doc said:
JonChalk said:
Neal Asher is consistently good, if you like his style / universe - there's him, Reynolds and Hamilton that I will pre-order stuff from.
like Hamilton but could not get into Reynolds-any other recommendationsthanks
A two-for-one post:
1. A recommendation for the oft-forgotten, but really very good "Embers of War" trilogy from Gareth L. Powell - the tribulations of AI warship Trouble Dog and Captain Sal Konstanz, reminded by seeing this tweet from Powell; https://twitter.com/garethlpowell/status/148742468... because,
2. It's being adapted for TV, with one of The Expanse's directors lined up; https://www.tor.com/2021/01/22/expanse-director-se...
1. A recommendation for the oft-forgotten, but really very good "Embers of War" trilogy from Gareth L. Powell - the tribulations of AI warship Trouble Dog and Captain Sal Konstanz, reminded by seeing this tweet from Powell; https://twitter.com/garethlpowell/status/148742468... because,
2. It's being adapted for TV, with one of The Expanse's directors lined up; https://www.tor.com/2021/01/22/expanse-director-se...
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