Comments | lead_sponge: Top 10 in Bordem

lead_sponge

Top 10 in Bordem

Nov 11, 2008 09:27

So I stumbled upon the Top 10 Science Fiction novels of 2008. The typical authors are there, namely Neal Stephenson and Ian M. Banks. I don't know what it is, but I find science fiction and fantasy quite a chore to get through ( Read more... )

science fiction, reading

Comments 8

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lead_sponge November 11 2008, 19:50:22 UTC

There were parts of the book that I though, "wow, that is a really great description" and then it would drop back down into stupidity. The ending even had some random character that you had never heard of show up and save the day. You got the impression that this character was China Melville's Hermione Granger if Hermione had bio-cybernetic claws and a shotgun.

His world is very rich and the way he describes it is great, then he realizes he has to tell you a story in it. Honestly, his setting is the most interesting character in the book.

cczernia November 14 2008, 05:59:59 UTC

I do not think you will like Perdido Street Station. It isn't fantasy like a young child gets sucked into a wonderland. It is fantasy like Tolkeen only not as epic and really weird.

lead_sponge November 14 2008, 06:09:15 UTC

It isn't even Tolkien-like, I would describe it as steampunk, but really, really warped. It is pornographic at times. I remember you saying you couldn't get into it, so I don't know how far you got. There is a part of the book where a character goes to a whore house that is full of the bio-modified people. The author takes great joy in telling you the different kinds of people there are, and one of them happens to be a woman that has been modified to look like a dog. Very creepy and warped.

Thread 5

Comment: Top 10 on Bordem brooklyn80 November 11 2008, 19:52:45 UTC

If an auther can't get me into the story within the first 50 plus pages I have a hard time forcing myself to read the book. Congrates to you for completing this. I'm to hyper...!
If I may suggest, my favorite author, "James Patterson"
Two of his books have been made into movies and his craft of holding you in suspense is addicting. All of his novels are mystery and science fiction.
If you've had the opportunity to read his work then you know what I'm referring to.
Why did you rate your mood as Bitchy.... Your photo looks "Goofy" :)

Later.

Re: Comment: Top 10 on Bordem lead_sponge November 11 2008, 22:07:15 UTC

I will check that author out... thanks for the suggestion.

As to my picture... I am a cheap skate and only have two photos... :P

name_redacted November 11 2008, 22:54:30 UTC

I agree with you on Stephenson, though I enjoy him. I read Snow Crash first, which was a little much, then Cryptonomicon, and what I learned was, you pick up the book to read an amusing story/aside, and then you put it down for a while, and then you come back for another amusing story. Trying to actually read it as a book would be like trying to get your daily calorie requirement by eating cotton candy... After Crypto, I went back and read Zodiac, which was pretty good, and you can definitely see the hyperbolic arc that his writing style is on. There's part of me that wants to read the System of the World books, except a) reading them in this fashion would take forever, and b) I hardly have time to read anymore anyway ( ... )

cczernia November 14 2008, 06:11:26 UTC

I highly recommend to stop reading Science Fiction/Fantasy for awhile. There are some great scifi/fantasy books out there but eventually they will dry out. Sounds like you are interested in reading good fiction so read good scifi but read other good novels.

I think you'll enjoy:
The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay
Running with Scissors

Best scifi novel I read in a while:
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

As for Song of Fire and ice. I like to think of it as the "Deadwood" of fantasy series. It goes overboard on the sex, language, and violence but has some great twists.