The GMG SF/Fantasy/Horror Club

[DavidW]

What do you like from Gibson?

Neuromancer, it kicked off cyberpunk and is an awesome read.  I tried Pattern Recognition and didn't like it. Spook Country is on my to read pile, I'll let you know if I like that.

[Bogey]

Neuromancer, it kicked off cyberpunk and is an awesome read.  I tried Pattern Recognition and didn't like it. Spook Country is on my to read pile, I'll let you know if I like that.

We got to get you over to Good Reads, David.  Would love to follow your reading and comments for any fantasy and sci-fi reads.  I look at MNDave' once and a while, but I want to fall asleep reading, not wonder if the noise I am hearing outside is a zombie!

Speaking of which, this looks cool:

Zombie Cribbage Travel Edition

[mn dave]

Nifty.

[jochanaan]

...Wolfe is my favourite sci-fi guy ever by a wide margin, (and are/were plenty of good ones out there).  As for fantasy I too like Morris, and E.R. Eddison and Mervyn Peake.  I'll have to check out Sargent and MacDonald: haven't so far. {edit} Or I might have read MacDonald's Lilith decades ago. {/edit}

Ms. Sargent is one of those quiet writers who, without any fuss, turns out great stories whose lines and characters you wind up loving.  I remember the first time I came across one of her books, Watchstar, in a 50-cent bin in a comic store in the 1980s.  I figured it would be a throwaway read--but it blew me away!  And she has never disappointed me.  Her stories, if anything, are better than her novels.

There are many great women F/SF writers, going back to Andre Norton, the godmother of them all.  Ursula K. LeGuin, Madeleine L'Engle, Anne McCaffrey, Elizabeth Scarborough (her The Healer's War is another that blew me away), and another all-time favorite, Connie Willis.  (I may be slightly prejudiced about Ms. Willis, since she lives here in Colorado--but she has won Hugos and Nebulas. )

[mn dave]

I sure have been reading a lot of Conan comics lately. Dark Horse has a zillion of 'em.

[mn dave]

Quite interesting so far...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Compleat_Traveller_in_Black

[DavidW]

I finished Towers of Midnight.  I usually like to mix it up when I read a series, and take a break.  But I quickly tossed that new novel aside, I just couldn't wait.  I've started A Memory of Light and stayed up late.  It's so strange that (a) this Wheel of Time novel has an end, and (b) The Last Battle is finally here and everything fell into place with every plot arc, so that I knew that (c) Robert Jordan wasn't lying he really did have the end written from the very beginning.  This is not like Lost.

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[mc ukrneal]

I finished Towers of Midnight.  I usually like to mix it up when I read a series, and take a break.  But I quickly tossed that new novel aside, I just couldn't wait.  I've started A Memory of Light and stayed up late.  It's so strange that (a) this Wheel of Time novel has an end, and (b) The Last Battle is finally here and everything fell into place with every plot arc, so that I knew that (c) Robert Jordan wasn't lying he really did have the end written from the very beginning.  This is not like Lost.

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i keep thinking I need to read this from where I left off, but a) I forgot how far I got, 2) I barely remember more than the basic outline. I suppose I could just dive in somewhere, but maybe I'll just start from the beginning and skip whatever I don't like.

[DavidW]

i keep thinking I need to read this from where I left off, but a) I forgot how far I got, 2) I barely remember more than the basic outline. I suppose I could just dive in somewhere, but maybe I'll just start from the beginning and skip whatever I don't like.

When you feel like skipping, go here instead: http://www.tor.com/features/series/wot-reread, skip the commentary which has spoilers.  It will get you through with all relevant information and no braid tugging!  It really saved me when I couldn't stand to reread books 7-11.  It is so detailed that I was not at all lost or confused when I started The Gathering Storm.

[Fëanor]

Ms. Sargent is one of those quiet writers who, without any fuss, turns out great stories whose lines and characters you wind up loving.  I remember the first time I came across one of her books, Watchstar, in a 50-cent bin in a comic store in the 1980s.  I figured it would be a throwaway read--but it blew me away!  And she has never disappointed me.  Her stories, if anything, are better than her novels.

There are many great women F/SF writers, going back to Andre Norton, the godmother of them all.  Ursula K. LeGuin, Madeleine L'Engle, Anne McCaffrey, Elizabeth Scarborough (her The Healer's War is another that blew me away), and another all-time favorite, Connie Willis.  (I may be slightly prejudiced about Ms. Willis, since she lives here in Colorado--but she has won Hugos and Nebulas. )

You're certainly taking me back to a former day mentioning Andre Norton.  I'm sure I read several of her books but it was almost 40 years ago.  I read one or two Anne McCaffery but didn't get into her stuff big time, although my wife was big fan.  Never read anything by Scarborough.  I did read and enjoy Connie Willis' The Doomsday Book a good few years ago.

Come to that, I haven't read much sci-fi or fantasy in recent years.  Gene Wolfe is the main exception.  I tried Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game on my son's recommendation, but basically hated the writing style and equally I found the whole idea of the prepubescent hero distinctly puerile.  (I'm an old guy and prefer a bit more subtlety in my declining years.)

[jochanaan]

Any of you cats read any books by  R.A. Salvatore (outside of Star Wars)?

I checked out one of his, but he was trying to imitate Tolkien (the main character was named Luthien! ) and not succeeding.  That turned me off of him.

[jochanaan]

You're certainly taking me back to a former day mentioning Andre Norton.  I'm sure I read several of her books but it was almost 40 years ago.

Witch World?  The Beast Master?  One of the Star Trader or Forerunner series?  I liked them all.  She did get into a "formula," but it was a good formula and the main characters were always very likeable.

I read one or two Anne McCaffery but didn't get into her stuff big time, although my wife was big fan.  Never read anything by Scarborough.  I did read and enjoy Connie Willis' The Doomsday Book a good few years ago.

Since you liked Doomsday Book, you'll love Passage.  I figured it would take me a week to read, but I wound up staying up all night: I literally could not stop!

Come to that, I haven't read much sci-fi or fantasy in recent years.  Gene Wolfe is the main exception.  I tried Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game on my son's recommendation, but basically hated the writing style and equally I found the whole idea of the prepubescent hero distinctly puerile.  (I'm an old guy and prefer a bit more subtlety in my declining years.)

Well, Gene Wolfe is always great, especially in his stories.  He's the only author I know who can do a completely realized SF story in four pages! ("Cues", from The Island of Doctor Death And Other Stories And Other Stories.)  I wonder if he ever tried to beat Hemingway's record of six words...?)

[Fëanor]

I checked out one of his {Salvatore's}, but he was trying to imitate Tolkien (the main character was named Luthien! ) and not succeeding.  That turned me off of him.

As for your comment about imitating Tolkien, it brings to mind Terry Brooks' The Sword of Shannara.  If ever there was a cheap Tolkien rip-off, it's that.  I read about 50 pages and gave up in disgust.

From Wikipedia ...

"The novel has received derision from critics who believe that Brooks derived too much of the novel from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Some have accused him of lifting the entire plot and many of his characters directly from Lord of the Rings ..."

... indeed.

[DavidW]

I think I managed 80 pages before giving up on Sword of Shannara, but yes it's terrible.  I've read other Lord of the Rings ripoffs that didn't make me want to fling the book across the room.  But this one takes the cake because it has some of the worst writing that I've ever encountered.  Terry Brooks fans say that the series overall is much better than the first entry, so someday I will try a later entry in the series.

[Karl Henning]

I checked out one of his, but he was trying to imitate Tolkien (the main character was named Luthien! ) and not succeeding.  That turned me off of him.

Ugh.

[Karl Henning]

I think I managed 80 pages before giving up on Sword of Shannara, but yes it's terrible.  I've read other Lord of the Rings ripoffs that didn't make me want to fling the book across the room.  But this one takes the cake because it has some of the worst writing that I've ever encountered.  Terry Brooks fans say that the series overall is much better than the first entry, so someday I will try a later entry in the series.

Death before reading any more of that "Shannara" drivel! (I read the first book while waiting five days in the jury pool in Passaic County, New Jersey.  A context in which waiting to be empaneled [or not] was aesthetically superior to the book being read to while the time . . . .)

[kishnevi]

Never read Shannara, but I did read Donaldson's first trilogy (Lord Foul's Bane, etc.),  which has enough borrowings from LOTR to justify charges of Grand Theft.  And the original element, the semi-emo semi-anti-hero did not thrill me either.  Though you will note I had enough interest in the books to read the entire trilogy.

[mn dave]

I read those first Shannara books when they came out, and the Donaldsons as well. Back then, I didn't seem to mind any faults you mention because I couldn't get enough of the stuff. In fact, I probably didn't perceive any faults at the time.

[mc ukrneal]

I think I managed 80 pages before giving up on Sword of Shannara, but yes it's terrible.  I've read other Lord of the Rings ripoffs that didn't make me want to fling the book across the room.  But this one takes the cake because it has some of the worst writing that I've ever encountered.  Terry Brooks fans say that the series overall is much better than the first entry, so someday I will try a later entry in the series.

I hated that one. But the next one, Elfstones of Shannara, is excellent. It was one of my favorite books for many years. It's probably the only book in that whole series that I actually like, and I love it. It's the only one I recommend from that author.

One of my favorite non-trilogy (and not too long) fantasy books is the Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. It has a female protagonist, which was interesting when it came out as there were very few of those. I still re-read this one every so often. I think it came out with sequals and stuff, but it is the first and it is stand alone.

[DavidW]

Thanks I put both on my to read list.