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 
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.So it's onward and upward with Surface Detail - which I have only read once iirc
'Matter' is next up
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
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.So it's onward and upward with Surface Detail - which I have only read once iirc
'Matter' is next up
Baron Greenback said:
DibblyDobbler said:
Finished Matter (good but not an absolute favorite) and on to The Hydrogen Sonata now. The last one. Ever
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!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 
yeah - it takes a while to get used to the narrative, but very clever & must have taken immense concentration to maintain that writing style.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
yeah - it takes a while to get used to the narrative, but very clever & must have taken immense concentration to maintain that writing style.Also with you on Asher - he's due one out soon isn't he?
quick off the mark! I'll be on to it once I have finished Hydrogen Sonata - cracking series 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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