Neal Stephenson

[blackstone]

As you know, I am not a science fiction person. But I've been told I might like Neal Stephenson--maybe it was one of you that told me that, I don't remember

Comments

[pretzelcoatl]

I think you'd really like Snow Crash like I really liked Snow Crash because of the dystopia/cyberpunk elements. But I thought Cryptonomicon was overrated. That's all I've read of him so far.

[blackstone]

I will surely look into him.

[pretzelcoatl]

Also, I would recommend the Song of Ice and Fire series. Normally I can't stand high fantasy (i.e. the medieval stuff where there's a lot of pretention and the like), but while it's technically high fantasy, it doesn't have that pretense and it's essentially more of a political drama series. So, yes.

[semibold]

I am not much of a sci-fi reader myself. I have read one Neal Stephenson book, "Snow Crash." It was okay, but not anything I would really recommend. I have been told by other sci-fi-reading people that it is not his best book. "The Diamond Age" and "Cryptonomicon" were more highly recommended.

Edit: And now I see I have given a completely opposite view to the first commenter!

[blackstone]

NOW I AM CONFUSED!

[serendipity9000]

I vote the Vorkosigan Saga starting either with http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Apprentice-Vorkosigan-McMaster-Bujold/dp/0743468406/ref=ed_oe_p or http://www.amazon.com/Cordelias-Honor-Lois-McMaster-Bujold/dp/0671578286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228860181&sr=1-1

Why? Great characters - for me stories are all about the people.

[blackstone]

Definitely. For me, fiction is way more about the writing and the characters than the plot.

[serendipity9000]

For that matter I would vote in favor of anything by Bujold - she writes both Sci-fi (that Vorkosigan saga) and fantasy (the Chalion series: http://www.amazon.com/gp/series/91793/ref=rcx_ser_ed_0 ).

[twistedncynical]

Solaris by Stanislav Lem

Richard says, "And tell her it has nothing to do with that piece of shit movie with George Clooney."

I've not read it but he raves about it. And the Tarkovsky movie is fabulous.

[blackstone]

I've been hearing about that one for years.

*adds to list*

[heliophobe]

You Might like the three Bas Lag novels by China Mieville (Perdido Street Station, The Scar and Iron Couuncil), they're very dystopic and dark.

[heliophobe]

*Iron Council

[blackstone]

Okay, two recs for China Mieville, that goes on the list.