Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Discussion/Appreciation Anyone..??

[Iffy]

I want to read that book too, before the movie opens.

the movie looks good.

makes note to check out the book

lost books

[Trek_Girl42]

Last Saturday afternoon I was reading while waiting for the bus. When the bus arrived, I picked up my things and somehow I lost my copy of "A FINE & PRIVATE PLACE" by Peter S. Beagle. Can you believe it ???

I was really enjoying it. Now I have to buy the book again to read the other half of the story...

Ouch on losing the book.....




I've got to get to reading "I Am Legend" as well. That movie looks excellent.

[SyFyFantasy]

What a great thread!! Thanks to all of you!! There are so many good recommendations in here! *madly scribbling down recommendations*

I only have one to share for the moment:

"The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke". It's a collection of his short stories from 1937 to 1999 (a drop in the bucket -- for him!)

It's a great read if you don't have a lot of time because some of the stories are just a few pages, others are longer. Keep it on your night stand and treat yourself to one story each night. My personal favorite is "The Star". I've read it over and over. He is such a great writer. I love his style.

[Arga]

I have trouble understanding the meaning of "His dark materials", the trilogy by Philip Pullman.

Whose materials is he talking about, and what does he mean by "materials" ? it's a bit vague...
It's weird for me to see a title starting by the pronoun "His"... grammatically at least.

If someone could explain to me the english subtilities of this title, I'd be happy.

I hope to get the books for Christmas! maybe I'll have the answer to my questions..

[MartianManhunter]

^Youre not alone!

I've found that "His Dark Materials" is interesting but I keep finding myself in situations where I dont know whats going on or where the characters are. Well, im on the second book know and maybe it'll get easier to understand.

[Spacemonkey_Jackson]

I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I have read all Seven books at least 4 times through.

I wasn't much of a reader until I found Harry Potter. So my list is small. But . . .

The Circle of Magic Series by Tamora Peirce is really good.

And, The Inheritance Series (it's no longer a trilogy.) by Christopher Poalini. *ducks to avoid rotton tomatos*

[Arga]

^Youre not alone!

I've found that "His Dark Materials" is interesting but I keep finding myself in situations where I dont know whats going on or where the characters are. Well, im on the second book know and maybe it'll get easier to understand.

for me it's worse... I haven't reached yet the stage of reading the story... what I wanted to say in my other post, is that I don't understand the meaning of the title! "His dark materials".... What materials?? Who is the one who has got so much dark materials that it needs 3 books to write a story about ?

[Flyboy]

Can I reccomend anything by Michael Chrichton.

His best books (imo) are:

Prey - A research company creates a swarm of nanobots that are, for all purposes of the word, alive.

Next - A terrifyingly real story about a world in which genetic engineering is common place and genes can be patented and owned by corporations, the firsts transgenic chimp has been created and there's a genetic cure for drug addiction. Not surprisingly, things go very wrong.

Timeline - Not as thought provoking or challenging as the first two on this list, but a great time travel adventure that lacks the cliche that most time travel stories suffer.

Jurassic Park & The Lost World - both very different from their movie counter parts and a good deal darker. A must read, delving into the disturbing world of genetics and corporate piracy and ruthlessness as well as the human condition.

[Caldwell's 2IC]

What a great thread!! Thanks to all of you!! There are so many good recommendations in here! *madly scribbling down recommendations*

I only have one to share for the moment:

"The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke". It's a collection of his short stories from 1937 to 1999 (a drop in the bucket -- for him!)

It's a great read if you don't have a lot of time because some of the stories are just a few pages, others are longer. Keep it on your night stand and treat yourself to one story each night. My personal favorite is "The Star". I've read it over and over. He is such a great writer. I love his style.

I've read two books by Arthur C. Clarke; "2001" and "2010". And I remember "The Star" ( pretty good ! ) from a sci-fi anthology I got several years ago because it included the original version of "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes.

Can I reccomend anything by Michael Chrichton.

His best books (imo) are:

Prey - A research company creates a swarm of nanobots that are, for all purposes of the word, alive.

Next - A terrifyingly real story about a world in which genetic engineering is common place and genes can be patented and owned by corporations, the firsts transgenic chimp has been created and there's a genetic cure for drug addiction. Not surprisingly, things go very wrong.

Timeline - Not as thought provoking or challenging as the first two on this list, but a great time travel adventure that lacks the cliche that most time travel stories suffer.

Jurassic Park & The Lost World - both very different from their movie counter parts and a good deal darker. A must read, delving into the disturbing world of genetics and corporate piracy and ruthlessness as well as the human condition.

Michael Crichton is really good. I read his non-fiction book "Five Patients" and it's just like "ER" but in real life.

I have the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "The Silmarillion" in my waiting list; which one comes first ? I've already finished "The Hobbit".

[Trek_Girl42]

I've read two books by Arthur C. Clarke; "2001" and "2010". And I remember "The Star" ( pretty good ! ) from a sci-fi anthology I got several years ago because it included the original version of "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes.

"2001" was excellent- I liked it better than the movie. I've got to keep that collected stories collection in mind.

[Caldwell's 2IC]

I've just remembered a book by George R. R. Martin: "Windhaven"; I don't know if they still print it, though.

[Flyboy]

for me it's worse... I haven't reached yet the stage of reading the story... what I wanted to say in my other post, is that I don't understand the meaning of the title! "His dark materials".... What materials?? Who is the one who has got so much dark materials that it needs 3 books to write a story about ?

The verse from Paradise Lost in which the phrase "his dark materials" is used follows:

…Into this wilde Abyss,
The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave,
Of neither Sea, nor Shore, nor Air, nor Fire,
But all these in thir pregnant causes mix't
Confus'dly, and which thus must ever fight,
Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain
His dark materials to create more Worlds,
Into this wilde Abyss the warie fiend
Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while,
Pondering his Voyage...

It's not directly referenced in the books...

[Iffy]

Can I reccomend anything by Michael Chrichton.

His best books (imo) are:

Prey - A research company creates a swarm of nanobots that are, for all purposes of the word, alive.

Next - A terrifyingly real story about a world in which genetic engineering is common place and genes can be patented and owned by corporations, the firsts transgenic chimp has been created and there's a genetic cure for drug addiction. Not surprisingly, things go very wrong.

Timeline - Not as thought provoking or challenging as the first two on this list, but a great time travel adventure that lacks the cliche that most time travel stories suffer.

Jurassic Park & The Lost World - both very different from their movie counter parts and a good deal darker. A must read, delving into the disturbing world of genetics and corporate piracy and ruthlessness as well as the human condition.

I really liked Prey

[Exiled Master]

I have the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "The Silmarillion" in my waiting list; which one comes first ? I've already finished "The Hobbit".

Spoiler:

Read ASoIaF, it will change your life!

The Silmarillion is great, but it took me a while to get through. Though shorter than GRRM's stuff, it seems longer because of how much time passes throughout the volume. A Song of Ice and Fire looks at two generations. Silmarillion goes from the creation of the world to several thousand years later.
I'm still dying for A Dance with Dragons to come out.

[Bullwinkle]

I'm not what you would call a big reader of sci-fi or fantasy, but I'm finding that I do read a little bit more of it these days - especially since I made the decision to read more once again .... As a kid I would read all the time and my reading consisted mostly of fantasy classics (J.R.R. Tolkein, Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Orson Scott Card, etc.), but as I grew up the reading got less and less.

I actually got back into reading through following the Harry Potter series, and now I find myself following various other books and characters. Most are TV or film spin-offs (like Dr Who, Stargate, The Prisoner, etc.), but I'm also opening myself up to stuff that's new which I haven't seen on TV somewhere. If I enjoy stuff like Andromeda, Stargate, Dr Who and Smallville, then are there any books anyone out there would recommend to me?! I'm certainly open to try new stuff outside my comfort zone ....

- Chris