/lit/ - Literature

Please delete those shit recommendations, it's embarrasing low effort run of the mill stuff, better to have nothing.

>Who are the best Augmentation Authors in Fantasy?
wells

>What are the best SF/F inspired by Human Augmentation?
island of dr moreau

>Who are the best Augmented Humans in Fantasy?

>augmented
>human

>>7221377
I will do that if I make the thread next time.

I just copy and pasted what they previous guy had, and changed the edition.

Someone ought to make a new graph; first for Latro in the Mist

Is there a scifi book where code has a gender or is this new development something no writer has foreseen?

I've read Swords and Deviltry and Swords Against Death. Are any of the other Fafhrd books worth reading?

Also, are all of the Elric books worth reading?

>What Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels are you reading right now?

Gormenghast

>What are the best SF/F inspired by Human Augmentation?

Deus Ex, of course.

>>7221310
Naw dude. Fuck you. Post distinct threads about the specific work you wish to discuss. Fuck anyone else who participates in this nonsense, too.

Neuromancer

>>7221862
I've recently read the first three, the quality is consistent. Won't finish it all, 3 was enough for now.
100 pages on Long Sun left. The second half is a massive drag, if I wasn't a Wolfe fanatic I would probably drop it.

>>7222329
>The second half is a massive drag

I originally thought that as well. It sorta grows on you after awhile. Just the weird stuff that happens in the last book, how all of it fits together is a puzzle.

I want to write a character who lost his right arm and had it replaced with a cybernetic one. Let's assume that it's on-par with something from Deus Ex. Are there any particular habits or requirements that he needs to follow to make it work? Feeling phantom pains, injecting immunosuppresants, etc.? Or am I just bullshitting hard?

Starting pic related right now, any thoughts on it?
Always being curious about the whole "space marine" thing.

>>7222749
It's good. But also read the response book.

>>7222774
Pic related i assume?
Will read, thanks Anon.

Save me bros. I have no sci-fi to read! I'll stoop to pleb tier zombie novels unless I find something.

>preferably, but not mandatory, dealing with spaceships
>not necessarily a space opera
>can be darker themed, say Revelation Space
>no SJW crap authors please
>no detective stories or noir themes
>no cyberpunk

Again, I'd prefer space stuff, but recommend me anything that is good within the above parameters.

Recommend me something new-ish, I've read most of the good stuff from ye olde times.

Last three I read:

Daniel Suarez - Influx (pretty good for a new author, kept me interested)
Kim Stanley Robinson - Aurora (boring crap)
Stephen Baxter - Proxima/Ultima (excellent novels)

>>7223207
what was wrong with the Kim Stanley Robinson, he seems great from what I've read. withholding my rec until I am confident I can give you something you'd like because I love KSR

>>7222774

Fucking fantastic book.

Started reading some Philip K. Dick stories today. He feels like a mature Ray Bradbury. Read "The Minority Report" and "We Can Remember it for You Wholesale."

My library has all of his novels in pretty aesthetically-pleasing paperbacks, in my opinion. Anyway, which one should I read first?

>>7223231

Well, he science was awesome, the A.I. of the ship was the best character and some of the ideas were great.

"but"

Heavy handed social commentary and agenda pushing. Not going to spoil why.

Utterly, exhaustingly boring beginning with children as protagonists. Never have children as protagonists.

Excessive exposition for no reason than self-gratification and lengthening the word count.

Mars Trilogy was awesome, this was not, imo.

>>7223207
Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell? Don't think I've seen that recommended here in a while.

>>7223260
>Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell

You know what, that has been on my to-read list before, but never got it for some reason.

Thanks anon, I'll give it a shot. What should I expect? Is there another novel/series you can compare it to?

I'll wait for a couple more recommendations and them off to reading.

>>7223275
It's a bit like Honor Harrington with all the boring stuff and Woman's rights overtones cut out, making the books about half as long as each on average.

It deals a lot with logistics and fleet politics, it's very much a macro scale book compared to the micro scale of something like Redliners.

>>7223207
Book of the New Sun.

>>7223289
>Honor Harrington
>without the SJW stuff

SAY NO MORE! You won me over I love HH despite all its flaws.

>>7223292
Read it years ago, enjoyed it.

Reposting since nobody actually replied.

What do yo guys think about this series?

>>7223316
Book of the Long Sun.

>>7223333
Those numbers don't lie. I'll check it out and see what I think anon.

>>7223333
It's shit. Poor man's Wheel of Time.

>>7221310
>that symbol on her helmet
I refuse to believe Ukraine will ever have the budget for combat cyborgs, no matter how far in the future a story is set.

Anyone else here like paranormal detective/urban fantasy garbage as much as I do? Only one more Esther Diamond book to read, so I'm hoping someone can suggest someone to move on to.

>>7222724
Something like that is going to need a power source. Either he'll need to recharge his arm like a cell phone or switch out batteries now and then.

Could potentially be a plot point if he finds himself isolated somewhere for a prolonged period of time.

>>7223256
Well, 2312 is great, though I understand it reuses a bunch of ideas from the Mars trilogy. I would also recommend Iain Banks and Vernor Vinge.

>>7223375
DRESDEN
R
E
S
D
E
N

>>7223380
I've read eveyyrthing Banks and Vinge have written and love them both.

Now, recommend me something new, it seems we have similar taste.

>>7223386
Sorry, I assumed he went without saying, especially when I said 'garbage' since that's one of the only legitimately good and not just enjoyable paranormal detective books I've read.

>>7223394
How about The Quantum Thief? I don't THINK I would call it cyberpunk (certainly less so than Gibson or Stephenson, or even PKD), but a fair amount of it takes place in both virtual reality space and in actual space with a cool ship AI and stuff, so it's a mix of a bunch of different SF subgenres.

I have mixed feelings on Hyperion but it ticks a lot of those boxes and most sci-fi fans seem to like it more than me.

My favorite sci-fi author is Le Guin but I'm guessing you've at least explored some of the Hainish Cycle already (my favorite is The Dispossessed). I also like China Mieville, I just picked up Embassytown and have heard it is his most Le Guin-ian book, and also the one most interested in spaceships and other stuff you seem to like.

I also think Ancillary Justice looks cool but haven't read it yet. Hope some of this helps.

>>7223207
Have you read the Revelation Space short stories and novellas?

>>7223333
It is discussed in every thread. Lurk the fuck more.

Anyone read this? How is it?

>>7223498
B-but i only started coming here since last thread!

>>7223505
Terribad.

>>7223505
Memeriffic!

>>7223432
>The Quantum Thief

Sounds good, will give it a go after the Lost Fleet book 1. I'll be back with impressions!

>Hyperion

I read it as a teenager and hated it, then read it 10 years later and liked it. Go figure.

>Hainish Cycle

Oh yes, absolutely enjoyed it.

>China Mieville

Still haven't tackled him. A friend recommended me one of his novels... about a city of airships or something?

>Ancillary Justice

I thought it sounded interesting as well, but it's one of those SJW infested echo-chamber novels/authors that get pushed, because of diversity quotas not quality. Really disappointed by it.

>>7223498
>Have you read the Revelation Space short stories and novellas?

Several times. Reynolds has to be my favourite contemporary sci-fi author by far.

All right, Lost Fleet and Quantum Thief it is, thanks guys, going to read now.

>>7223520
Sorry to hear about Ancillary Justice. The only two Mieville books I've read are Perdido Street Station (good but overstuffed) and The City and the City (fantastic but not even sci-fi, really...maybe "social sci-fi" or something). The Scar is the one with the floating city and that's the sequel to Perdido, haven't read it yet. Hope you enjoy The Quantum Thief, I haven't read the sequels to that one yet either but I'm going to eventually.

i'm 2/3 through

it's Childhood's End meets, well, Neal Stephenson. truly astounding

>>7223505
Written by autist who desperately wants to pretend the 80's never ended.

I just read Ellison's "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" and it was fantastically disturbing. I highly recommend it.

>>7221310
The only novel you need is Accelerando.

what does lit think of Egan?

>>7223520
>will give it a go after the Lost Fleet book 1
Lost Fleet was excellent. One of the purest science fiction series I've ever read.

>>7223235
>My library has all of his novels in pretty aesthetically-pleasing paperbacks, in my opinion.
It does or it doesn't, anon.

>>7223614
The second part suffers from pretty severe Stephensonitis, though. Much more than Baroque Cycle or Anathem.

And the crap about "oh, this terrible catastrophe means nobody believes in God anymore" rips out my suspension of disbelief every time. I don't think anyone who writes that has ever really gotten to know a religious person.

Great book though, not gonna lie.

>>7222706
I'm not even enjoying the mysteries be because I for the most part understand the setting and the history.

>>7224214
It was my opinion that the paperbacks were aesthetically-pleasing, not my opinion that my local library has all of his novels.

Or maybe you're commenting on libraries either having all of PKD's books or none of his books?

Either way, which of his 40+ books do you most recommend?

>>7223333
Falls flat halfway through the series. Most of the stuff it foreshadows makes you feel like its going to be great with full of happening. But in the end, everything about the story arc conclusions can be explained as "Wow, its fucking nothing".
Also, there's just way too many fucking characters that seem to know everything. That shit gets so fucking numb when you got dozen of these types running around acting mysteriously.

I dunno, I loved the first 3-4 books of the series, and I might even reread those. The Bridgeburners were just pleasant to read about. After it starts to shift its focus on other characters, is when it starts to lose steam fast.

>>7223207
Horus Heresy

>>7223333
I couldn't get through the first because the writing was trash.

>>7224308
Man in the High Castle every time.

Then Le Guin's Lathe of Heaven, Shakespeare's As You Like It, and the Tao Te Ching. Then go back to PKD and you will understand everything.

>>7224330
>read the Tao Te Ching

u wot m8

>>7224341
TOPKEK

Can someone recommend me good sci-fi about alien cultures or AI? I don't care whether humans are present or not. FWIW my favorite author is John Varley, I love reading about the futuristic and strange world more than the actual plot of his books.

2nd Question. I just started reading Stranger in a Strange Land and couldn't get past the first chapter. It was seriously retarded. Is it just me? Should I keep going?

>>7224341
That's what I said fellow-traveller.
>he can't keep the deep water still and clear, without blurring
>he thinks the Way can be gone and the Name can be named

>>7224354
SiaSL is retarded. Three Body Problem.

>>7224354
>I just started reading Stranger in a Strange Land and couldn't get past the first chapter. It was seriously retarded. Is it just me? Should I keep going?

I feel this way with all of Heinlein's books. I think it's hyped by people who've read it in their early youths and didn't bother revisiting it (or never developed from there?).

I'd recommend you Stanislaw Lem, but it's not really about alien culture, more about how we won't be able to understand alien culture. Start with Solaris.

>>7224364
>I feel this way with all of Heinlein's books.
Even the early stuff? Because SiaSL, Friday, Glory Road, and all the Number of the Beast books are barely related to Citizen of the Galaxy, Puppet Masters, Double Star, and Starship Troopers.

>finally finished SoS
I see what that one anon meant about it possibly being Bavadin. It could be possible since we know he was allied with/working with Rayse.

>>7224646
If it is Bavadin I have no idea what Sanderson is going to do for the third series. Hasn't he run out of ideas yet?

>>7224663
Modern Mistborn will be about an Allomantic SWAT team chasing down a Mistborn serial killer. I don't see that lasting for three whole books but there can be several new opportunities with the advanced setting.

I'm curious to see what Bavadin's end-goal is. If he wants to outright kill Sazed--which judging by the actions, I am doubting--or merely incapacitate him and keep him from interfering with Scadrial, promoting Autonomy.

>>7224676
I can see him going outright magitech but from what I've read Sanderson can't really do hard scifi so it'll probably be quite soft and squishy which is a shame because Mistborn and hard scifi would be GOAT, although I guess it wouldn't really be Mistborn anymore. Hoping for some kind of interdimensional Cosmere travel/space opera eventually.

Man the way Bleeder kept going on how she was going to fuck with Sazed/Harmony made me really scared that Sanderson was going to kill Sazed off which will probably come by Book 3.

>>7224691
>Hoping for some kind of interdimensional Cosmere travel/space opera eventually
Well anon, cut your dick off and call yourself Caitlyn because that is EXACTLY what the future Mistborn trilogy will be. A space opera where Allomancy is used to achieve FTL travel and Hoid is the main character, I shit you the fuck not. It's also supposed to be the finale to the Cosmere so shit will be all over the goddamn place.

Speaking of magitech, I think a good example of that would lie in the fabrials on Roshar, and I am sure there are other items around the Shardworlds that would suffice but I get what you mean.

I'm reading some threads about SoS now and some theories regard Paalm having two spikes most of the time but with the 'wonderspike' possibly/likely being from Autonomy, it would keep her autonomous from Harmony. Also, the spike is from a Shard we know so Autonomy seems to fit.

Another interesting note is that Autonomy is a direct opposite from Dominion.

>>7224691
Seems Sazed won't be killed off so fast anyhow.

http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/45901-shadows-of-self-byu-midnight-signing/?p=336901

tl;dr future quote from Harmony in Book 9.

>>7224699
Yeah that could set up for a Bavadin vs Odium showdown. I wonder if we see adonalsium prime ever.

>>7224705
Nice, I should catch up on the threads sometimes soon. I got as far as reading about the Kelsier speculation on the day of the release but not too much further.

>>7224707
Bavadin is allied with Odium. Did you mean Hoid instead? That would be more fitting.
IIRC, we'll see the Shattering during the Dragonsteel series.

I haven't actively lurked 17th Shard since March or so. I'm horribly behind on a lot of things, mainly new trivia reveals from all the signings and Q&As and such since then.

>>7224709
>Bavadin is allied with Odium
Nah, I'm the one who's horribly behind.

Hopefully Sanderson releases Dragonsteel soonish. I'm so damn impatient.

>>7224711
Odium might be dealt with whenever Kaladin breaks orbit and (presumably) goes to Braize (presumably) as Honor's Champion.

Dragonsteel won't occur until after the entirety of Stormlight Archive. So see ya in fifteen years on whatever chan we inhabit at the time for some discussion on Adonalsium.

I wish he'd stop writing side stories and focus on Cosmere-only books.

>>7224715
Me too. But I want to find out what happens with Calamity. Although I know they're second best books I feel sorry for Prof and want to know what will happen to him. Hopefully he won't get Brandon'd.

Dragonsteel won't occur until after the entirety of Stormlight Archive Ouch. Well at least I've a lifelong series to look forward too.

Yeah I can definitely imagine Kaladin as a recurring character.

>>7224721
Haven't read any of the Reckoners books but glad they're good for you. I assume.

It's gonna be a looong fucking time, easily 30+ years until this is complete, which is why I wish he'd strictly focus on these now. Also wish he'd write the fucking sequel to Warbreaker, and finish the Elantris trilogy already.

If he doesn't die.

>>7224725
>If he doesn't die.
Don't do this to me anon ;___;

I'm assuming that Vasher in Stormlight means that Warbreaker is on indefinite hiatus, though. And Elantris, we definitely need more of that too, but I guess most of the main plotline is taking place in Stormlight and Mistborn right now.

>>7224730
He's been placing emphasis on characters who can/may be dead during their specific books, which makes me believe he's willing to kill off prominent characters. Although Kaladin is easily one of the best characters in SA and I'd be fucking furious if he was killed off.

Well, the main point of Warbreaker was to set up Vasher as a character, and Nightblood is a direct sequel but Warbreaker/Nightblood are chronologically before SA and current Mistborn. Elantris stories also occur around the same time as Warbreaker. He has a rough outline/schedule of his upcoming books but Elantris/Warbreaker stuff is still a ways away.

>>7224742
With Vasher filling the mentor role I'm surprised he's survived thus far honestly. Man, Sanderson's willing to kill everyone I think at this point.

>>7224752
We'll have to see how he acts and behaves in the next few SA books; or at least, the first half of the series.

I wonder if we'll see Shardholders killed off once we learn more about the opposing enemy to Adonalsium.

>These books will never be translated into English
>I'll never be able to discuss this perfect mix of SF and Fantasy with someone else

Man oh man the wonderspike could be from Endowment too.

>>7224785

What books? What language are they in?

>>7224785
>>7224813

searched 'omale'. Yes, they're in french, i can read that. but I won't find them anyware.

>>7224809
I think the only thing supporting that is Sanderson saying that it's a shard we've seen before...

>>7222011
Why, so you can complain when there are a dozen threads about SF books in the catalog?

>>7222774
I think you meant this.

>>7223207
Check out Stephen Baxter's Xeelee novels if you haven't already read them. There are several collections. If you like Proxima/Ultima, you'll probably like pretty much all of them. I'd go for publication order, but it doesn't really matter.

>>7223235
His best novels, IMO, are "The Man in the High Castle" and "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch". I'd go as far as to say that you shouldn't read these right away because PKD's other novels won't quite live up to them. I also think that "Faith of Our Fathers", a short story he wrote for the Dangerous Visions anthology, is one of his best works, and foreshadows VALIS somewhat.

I'd start with "Ubik", "Do Androids...", "Flow My Tears..." and "A Scanner Darkly". They're all solid, if a bit overrated imo.

I've found that PKD's "rare" works tend to be out of print for good reasons. "Lies, Inc" was absolute garbage, for instance.

VALIS & The Divine Invasion are pretty good, but a lot more conceptually challenging. I'd read them last.

>>7224817
Try Amazon.fr
There are a lot of books, though. Some of them are compilations of short and long stories. If you want to start reading you should get the "Tome 1" which contains two stories and cover the basics of the world building.
Fair warning: the author uses a lot of made up words which can be a bit annoying. Also the 2nd Tome has a lot more exposition, which you may or may not like depending on how many questions you asked yourself while reading the first. There's also a lot of things that are still not fully explained yet.

>>7221310
>What Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels are you reading right now?
The last Dark Tower book.
>What are the best SF/F inspired by Human Augmentation?
Haven't read a great deal, this is a bit of a slim category I think. Probably China Mieville's stuff and Richard Morgan's stuff are the only things I can think of.
>>Who are the best Augmented Humans in Fantasy?
>>Who are the best Augmentation Authors in Fantasy?

>>7222724
Seconding >>7223376.

If it's substantially more powerful than the arm he was born with, he might need to be careful about breaking his face when he goes to scratch his eye or whatever, especially when e.g. intoxicated.

It would be trivial to shield the arm from the effects of EMP since there is no reason for it to have any sort of antenna or other external conductor. However, some models might have them anyway for convenience of various sorts.

Infection at the flesh/machine boundary has dogged attempts to do this sort of stuff in the real world--this might be a problem depending on your story's tech level.

>>7223333
It was being discussed literally a handful of posts before you posted it in the last thread you fucking sperglord. Fuck off.

>>7224354
>Stranger in a Strange Land
No, you're right. The only Heinlein books that anyone "needs" to read are probably Starship Troopers and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

Lots of people read Heinlein when they were young and have fond memories.

Also, when he was alive Heinlein was really good at being a suave, well-spoken statesman figure back when SF fans, especially the guys at cons, were desperate losers who were totally socially marginalized. He basically always came across as a class act who never looked down on the fans, which probably contributed to his popularity as much as his actual writing.

>>7222724
Phantom limb might be the result of tumours of nerve tissue (neuromas).
Your protagonist might need to take pain killers (analgesics maybe read up on conotoxin therapies which are a growing field) or have additional microsurgery to deal with the changes to the nervous system that result from amputation.

Also might need to deal with nerve system rewiring because the surgery would have severed nerves too.

One thing to keep in mind with current prosthetics is that often something like a hip replacement replaces not only the head of the joint but also the socket itself to provide a friction free surface for movement. Furthermore, your ability to rotate limbs can also be altered following that kind of surgery depending on what's used and what's being replaced.

Some doctors will also prescribe things such as blood thinners like Heparin because clotting is a major issue and health problem for people who've undergone surgery/bioimplants (especially of the heart).

You might also ask about the benefits of a prosthesis vs a transplant and things like that.

Immune suppressants are usually needed if you're dealing with biological tissue or are using scaffolds or things to grow tissue inside people which didn't come from you, anon.

>>7224911
*these blood thinners may result in complications like uncontrollable bleeding if a person is injured, for example, but on the other hand clot formation can be potentially life threatening especially if the clot lodges in the heart causing a heart attack, for example, because blood can't reach the heart and consequently the tissue irreversibly dies

>>7223759
Charles Stross is a faggot sjw, gtfo

>>7223765
Egan is awesome in every sense of the word

I wish the fantasy shills itt would die off... we need separate threads. Fantasy a shit.

Hi scifags, I'm trying to remember the name of a book. The story takes place in an overgrown colony/generation ship, or at least a large portion of it is a swampy jungle. There's been sightings of mysterious hulking swamp men in the jungle, who kidnap some of the characters. There's also large psychic moths at one point, and now for spoilers: The swamp men are in fact the original crew of the ship, an experiment gone wrong has lead to the life cycles of wildlife speeding up and increasing massively, hence the jungle and giant moths — as well as the life cycles of humans being increased. The characters we've been following since the beginning are in fact the results of this experiment and what has seemed like years to them has been barely any time at all for the original crew.

If anyone has the title, that would be great, I'm pulling a thousand blanks here.

>>7225090
"The Green Book" by Jill Paton Walsh?

>>7225090
"Orphans of the Sky" by Robert A. Heinlein?

>>7225090
Sounds like Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss at least in its overall description. Some details don't add up in my memory, so maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

>>7225130
Aaaaand that's the ticket. Good old Aldiss, thanks anon.

>>7224866
Rude.

Also, i don't remember it being discussed last thread, hence why i posted it. Unless it was lore discussion, which doesn't really help to know if it's good or not.

Either way, from the replies, i gather that it's not very good, guess i'll leave it for some time when i don't have anything else to read.

>>7225157
No problem mate, it's one of my favourite books.

someone find me this shit please https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_into_Space_%28book%29

nothing on torrents, irc and forums

>>7225181
It is said that it is trash almost every sffg thread.

>>7224821
There are some other mild bits to go along with it.
For instance, remember Miles talking about the "men of red and gold"? Red and Gold as colors worn has only ever been seen on Nalthis so far.

I just woke up or I'd hunt around for other examples.

>>7225181
It is brought up in every single one of these threads at one point and you would know this if you would simply lurk the fuck more.

>you will never understand why lurking is anathema to newfags

And before I forget:

>Feruchemical iron storing momentum
Shit's neat.

AND AND
Dem dere Southern Scadrians seem to have access to unknown metals which could be the God Metals but there's been no indication that they have access to either atium or lerasium.

I want muh Southern Scadrians already.

>>7225319
>>7225333
Like i said before, i only started coming here since last thread.

Either way, i asked because /v/ keeps saying it's great, but i guess i'll never learn to not trust them.

>>7225440
/v/ is for literature basically r/books

>>7223380
No its not.

It is as a oh look at the scientific possibilities kind of way but as a story its not. Its oh lets talk about how this chaerecter got genectixally modifies to be both a man and a women and also got the part of a cat which allows her to purr.


Very sjw book.

Its a load of bs in truth.

>>7225483
>can't spell
>can't form a sentence
>unironically uses sjw

Why am I not surprised?

>>7224227
Presumably by Stephensonitis you mean his tendency to make you sit through long lectures in which he explains orbital mechanics or the layout of a given spacecraft, in which case I tend to agree with you. But there are reasonable arguments for their inclusion, even if they could be integrated with a better sensitivity towards pacing.

But insofar as it is a "how-to" for surviving he apocalypse, insofar as he "invents" (in the Vernian or Wellsian sense) mechanisms and systems to do it, it makes a certain pragmatic sense.

>oh, this terrible catastrophe means nobody believes in God anymore
I'm not sure that you are correct about this happening in the book

>>7223505
I read it. It was nice but is kind of lame the conclusion. Mot strings attach it just end.

>>7221310
>I'm reading Jacek Dukaj's Perfect Imperfection.
>The above is the best SF inspired by Human Augmentation

>>7225495
Yea try refuting the piont that the plot is neglected in favour of talking about hermafodytes,

Instead of playing the man.

>>7224848
I ended up getting Do Androids..., Vulcan's Hammer, and The Simulacra. I'll get Ubik and The Man in the High Castle next time.

It's really difficult choosing. Crazy how prolific this guy was and how many good ideas he had.

>>7223520

I second the Quantum Thief recommendation - amazing book.

It was Reddit-tier and it was on /lit/.

Scram, neckbeards.

>>7223333
Finished Deadhouse Gates last night. FuckPormqual, the utterly useless retard.

>>7223520

Perdido Street Station and The Scar are worth reading from the popular things by Mieville. The former, more for its effect on the genre and its failed ambitions. The second because it's a pretty strong book. Avoid reading The Iron Council.

Embassytown and The City and the City are both really good and shorter. His short fiction is also well regarded.

>>7226387
>Perdido Street Station

Not that guy, but that book is preteetious hipster garbage/

>modern fantasy/science fiction hates young protagonists and instead goes for grizzly edgy men in edgy situations

Just give me something with a kid/teen running out to save the world or go on a quest or get the alien/elf girl. I just want to have fun.

>>7226689
>>>/a/

>>7226689
Fortunately there are any number of Divergent/Maze Runner/Hunger Games franchises written with you in mind

>>7226748
>>7226699
>being this fedoracore

You don't have to get that mad, fam. We still think you're so deep and unique.

>>7226689
BotNS

>>7221684
/g/entooman here; how new/old is this 'brotli' controversy?

>>7226689
Science-fiction is best when it does social commentary or raises philosophical questions through a fantastical framework.

>>7225644
>long lectures in which he explains orbital mechanics or the layout of a given spacecraft
Oh, I loved those. I just didn't want to spoil that the ending just sort of wobbled around, set up a bunch of plot hooks, and stopped.

>I'm not sure that you are correct about this happening in the book
Part 2.

got some free time on my hands

anything you want me to add/delete/edit ?

I didn't even know about the new stuff in the Elantris 10th Anniversary edition.

>>7227101
New color maps.
New Ars Arcanum.
New scene with Hoid talking to a Skaze.

>>7227108
And the name of a new Shardworld: Vax.

>>7227073
You labeled Footfall Moving Mars. Needs Night Land in Early Sci Fi. Split half of Modern into New Wave.

>>7227117
Also is Bester even Golden Age? His style and themes are much closer to New Wave.

I want fantasy recommendations about humans putting filthy elf/dwarf/other scum to the sword.

>>7227170
How about mice putting filthy rats/stoats/ferrets to the sword?

>>7223333
I read like 200 pages of the first book, or wherever one of the main characters dies and then comes back and just stopped reading, because I realized I didn't care at all about any of the characters at all. Because of all the needless hopping from character to character without any meaningful development, interesting traits or reasons for sympathy ever coming about I relegated the book to paperweight status. It kind of shows that the writer was DND nerd, because the only thing that managed to maintain my interest amidst the dull prose was the lore of the world.

>>7227202
You know, I agree with this. I think Malazan books are great, but the POV changes are my biggest gripe.

The books should have been split between the Bridgeburners and Crokus and Apsalar. Crokus would have been a good main character overall, actually.

>>7223333
>>7227202
>all the needless hopping from character to character without any meaningful development, interesting traits or reasons for sympathy

Spot on. I don't have a short attention span or memory issues, but I could not recall ANYTHING after I read the first book. I could describe the plot vaguely at best and had no character names memorized except the main one.

What a total, overhyped, piece of trash.

Someone explain to me why it gets so many fans and such great review?

>>7227242
Because modern fantasy isn't about stories or characters anymore, it's about setting. People think that the books with the most "expansive" world are the best.

Characters and story should always be #1 in a fantasy book.

>>7223376
>>7224863
>>7224911
>>7224917
Was really good to come back into this thread and see all the advice. Thanks, anons.

what fantasy series have a main character who fights with spells, as opposed to swords? Most often, even when he knows magic, most of his battles are always swordfights.

>>7227265
No worries

>>7227268
The Magicians.

I have begun climbing Everest.

>>7224826
No I meant Bill the Galactic Hero.

beeps boop bop I'mma robutt.

>>7228202
Bill the Galactic Hero doesn't only address Starship Troopers though. It's a parody of a bunch of old sf. It's like saying Steam Driven Boy is a response to I, Robot.

>>7227270
This book is shit.

What do you fellas think about this list of top 10 best sci-fi and fantasy books? Shall I buy all 10? Also, I've never read a sci-fi or fantasy book ever. Just thinking about starting with the latest releases, not past 90s/80s/70s/ 60s/ 50s… Also, you're welcome to rec. the latest finest quality work, thanks! http://flavorwire.com/532509/the-10-best-sci-fi-and-fantasy-novels-of-2015-so-far/10

>>7228724
Read up on the books listed, and if you find them interesting, go for it.

Personally, I wouldn't buy into one site's list of something as current as "best sff books of 2015", but I read mostly older SFF anyway, so I'm not the best person to respond.

>>7228724
Read the blurb, read the cover, look up the author and if they have any samples

You may find that many books suck from the first couple of pages.

>>7221862
Read the two Lankhmar omnibuses

I didn't like Elric its just >dude lamo Conan satire 60s drugs flower child flower power tyrant satire

>>7228180
Moiraine a best.

>>7226689
Daniel X

>>7225766
you ok?

>>7227268
Elric melnibone

>>7229066
aviendha best girl

Anyone here read Worm? The online serial on that parahumans wordpress.

I thought it was bretty gud

>>7226822
>>7226822
several days but mozilla has long been pushing cultural marxism

though finding meaning in random abbreviations is closer to schizoid territory, pontypool style

What's the worst word you can encounter in modern sci-fi?

It's quantum, right?

>>7222011
Fuck off, retard.

I enjoy sci-fi short stories a lot.
can you give me any good ones?
consider that my favourite so far has been Black Destroyer by A. E. van Vogt.
has anyone here read it? what did you think of it?
i found the way historical paradigms were used to defeat the threat very interesting and unique.

>>7230104
Born of Man and Woman

>>7229895
privilege

>>7230104
>Black Destroyer by A. E. van Vogt.
Read it when I was a kid, I liked it a lot. Did you know van Vogt wrote three or four more stories with the same ship? Voyage of the Space Beagle or something like that.

But yeah, Golden Age short stories are excellent in general.

>>7227270
I want to read fantasy, not teenage angst with magic.

>>7230794
good point

tfw that ending of Shadows Of Self

why sanderson why you do this

>>7231473
fuck, i'm not even half way in through the novel, i should really get out of of this thread.
Even tho i already read all the Sanderson post thread

>>7231494
you gon love that ending

Tfw made the mistake of reading 'bowl of heaven'

Can anyone recommend something less shit? If it helps my favourite scifi ever is The Mote in God's Eye.

>>7231526
Fire Upon the Deep

Whats everyone view on Robin Hobb? I'm reading the last book of the Liveship Traders trillogy, but i'm getting seriously bored of it. I liked the assasin's trilogy, but i'm not sure if i should read the next one, or start reading Malazan instead.

>>7231473
>kind of saw it coming
>wasn't really shocked by it
I've consumed too much media to be really surprised at anything anymore ;_;

Bands of Mourning mite b cool, hoping we get to see more foreign Cosmere interference

Is it ever coming out?

>>7231473
I stopped on the second book when the romance drama shit started to annoy me because it was so stupid and based on le miscommunications.

Worth pullin thru?

>>7223432

Question about the Le Guin cycle: Do you need to read them in order? I've heard invariably good things about The Dispossessed, but I dunno if I wanna invest the time into reading through 4 books to get to it

>>7224355

But it's the I-Ching not the Dao you should be reading

>>7231843
Dispossessed is chronologically first.

>>7231853
Everything in the I Ching can be derived from the Dao, meditation, and observation of nature.

>>7231843
Dispossessed is the first I read, and as the other anon points out, comes chronologically first. But they are pretty much all independent, just occasionally mention stuff like the Ekumen and the Hainish civilization that's common to all of them. Dispossessed is a great place to start, and one of my favorite books, SF or not.

>>7231773
Ending to Well of Ascension can be somewhat spooky and Hero of Ages pulls that whole "subversion of generic trope" stuff while shit goes down. Bretty gud.

>>7231864
>>7231888

>Dispossessed is first
Oh neat, I saw that Rocannon's World was book 1, but it's good to hear they're more or less stand alone. Thanks!

>>7231864
>I Ching can be derived from the Dao
I agree, but in a conceptual way, since the Dao isn't a divination text. Like, you can link the main ideas to one another but as far as PKD goes (if you really wanna read an ancient text for a modern-ish sci fi book) the I Ching is more relevant, imo.
Not saying I don't recommend reading the Dao, but you know.

>>7231900
Rocannon was the first she wrote, but the events of The Dispossessed come chronologically first (you can tell because an invention is made in it that shows up in most of the rest of the books).

>>7231900
The Dao is shorter and gets to the sort of mindset needed for High Castle, in my opinion. Of course, it's much more helpful for Le Guin books, especially Lathe but not The Telling, because nothing can help The Telling. Combustion maybe. What I'm saying is The Telling sucks.

>>7231901
She also didn't like the first three Hainish books very much, especially City of Illusions, which actually has villains. They are very good villains, nothing to be ashamed of, but Le Guin doesn't want to have villains, so there you go.

>>7231917

That's true about Lathe, actually...I read it before the Dao, but now that you bring it up I see how they're related. The things you learn

Just finished "flowers for algernon". That was a really sad book, mainly the last sentence :(

Almost through Claw, The Play is too long -_-

A Shadow question:
While in the Botanic Gardens it is clear that Dorcas is Cas, the wife of the old man Severian meets only a few pages earlier and who has been looking for her since forever. Yet Severian never seems to make that connection or even think upon it. That strikes me as very odd, with his perfect memory and all. Even if he didn't make the connection during the events, he surely would notice while writing/reading his account, just as the reader does. Why else would he include the old man's story?

Later, in Claw, Dorcas tells Severian about a dream she had about being in a boat with an old man, which I think is her husband. Again Severian doesn't get it.

>>7233193
Finish the entire thing
Severian does pick up, but talks about it later, near the end. Also I never got that on my own.

>>7225310
Getting a Bibliotik account is highly recommended for multiple reasons, mate.
http://ge
.tt/1b8YX0Q2/v/0

>>7225310
Getting a Bibliotik account is highly recommended for multiple reasons, mate.
http://ge
.tt/5iIKZ0Q2/v/0

>>7221310
>What Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels are you reading right now?
>What are the best SF/F inspired by Human Augmentation?
Iain M Banks' Culture. Not specifically by augmentation, but long lifespans etc are a big part of their society
>Who are the best Augmented Humans in Fantasy?
I dunno. I remember reading te Last Legionary books about a guy who was operated on by aliens and given an indestructible skeleton, Wolverine-style, and he went around foiling evil and having adventures. That was pretty cool.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Legionary
>Who are the best Augmentation Authors in Fantasy?
See first answer

>What Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels are you reading right now?
Just stopped reading pic related. Found it a total slog and ran out of desire to finish it, especially knowing there are three more to get through. Am I a pleb for not liking it?

>>7233366
Yeah, but that's okay, in fact it's probably a good thing for you since most fantasy is written for plebs.

>>7233366
Yeah, you are a pleb. It isn't your standard fantasy as it is closer to Borges and Proust than Leiber or Asimov (regardless of taking tropes from Leiber)

>>7231726
Nope, you will have to watch the show.

>>7233396
>>7233380
>schizophrenic samefag
>trying to shit-post but also trying to wolfe-post

>>7233193
wasn't it hot that he fucked his granny?

>>7233242
Do the have audiobooks there? I have a mouse account, don't know if I should get both..

>>7233457
Just wolfeposting here

>>7233468
Yes but you likely won't be dl'ing audiobooks at all because ratio is exceedingly difficult to retain if and only if you can't upload 100 things to the site. (if you upload 100 things the entire site is freeleech, however keep in mind that if the books aren't retail they can be trumped and torrents can be deleted for inactivity if the only seeder disappears for 8 weeks from memory).

However if you do have loads of ebooks then you definitely could. Bibliotik I feel has much more content than MAM for the userbase because of the 100 thing rule (everyone tries to get 100 things uploaded to get ratio free). Requests are also filled at lightning speed.

Bib is much more worthwhile than MAM and has rarer stuff in my opinion, but MAM has a larger userbase and has more files (although I feel they are more commonly found elsewhere).

But Bib + MAM + Audiobookbay + Mobilism + IRC + Kat.cr, I feel, are a must.

>get voucher for local bookstore from grandma
>have always loved fantasy books so maybe I should get one with it
>realize I havent read a fantasy book in ages because I keep checking a few pages now and again in RPG lore & rule books
>remember I still need to read the assigned books for this semester
maybe one day I'll go back to enjoying fantasy books like I used to

>>7230104
What have you read already that you liked? There's a hell of a lot of stuff out there.

>>7230766
thanks i'll read it.

>>7231060
i believed he made many corrections and improvements to the text published to a sci fi mag. I wasn't aware of stories centered around the same ship. I'll make sure to check them, since the one i've read was truly thrilling.

other short stories i would recomend are:
the pi man, rescue party by clarke, nightfall by asimov.
i'm looking for a good pkd short story, because his novels are my favourites in science fiction.

>>7233566
see my post here>>7233584
flowers for algernon too, if you can call it a sci fi.

There's a used book store near my place. They have star trek and star wars literature. are they worth reading?.

>>7233622
Take a wild fucking guess.

>>7233193
He doesn't have a perfect memory.
Also the Play is awesome when you understand the full context.

>>7233584
The stories in Danger: Human were pretty good, I thought.

>>7233457
Paranoid.

>>7233592
The ones who walk away from Omelas is a personal favourite

>>7233624
Severian does have perfect memory.

I finished Paprika recently and I'm interested in reading more Japanese science fiction.

Any recommendations? I have always liked short stories more than full length novels and plots that are more about small problems rather than world ending consequences are my cup of tea.

>>7231645
Yea Liveships first trilogy suffered from not sticking to a single protagonist like the assassins books did, the second trilogy is a bit better.

Malazan ain't worth the hassle it is to read.

>>7234104
Read one a while ago called "tales of ibis" or something like it, a collection of short stories about how robot waifus will inherit the earth.

>>7223614
Even when you're done reading it you'll only be at 2/3rds since he's just the worst in writing endings. it always feels like he found something new to think about and just stops.
it's not his greatest book but still ok, not as much hard sci-fi as in other books.

>>7224725 I'm reading Warbreaker right now and it's great so far. Sanderson is an amazing writer.

Is the Expanse actually good or is it le reddit hype?

>"Will you worship me?"
>then her cooch swallowed him whole

>>7234731
Warbreaker has some of the poorest pacing I've seen in the Cosmere books. Great ending but man oh man was it a drag.

>>7234803
What are you quoting.

>>7234834
american gods

>>7231522
>>7231473
>>7231707
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

>>7227170
Scum, i bet you worship Talos too...

>>7234803
Bast?

That was some weird boners
made you think you into furries

>>7235033
Haha, she was Sanderson'd so hard.

>>7235416
>>7235033
Can you fug a monster girl who enjoys eating corpses?

>>7234078
He thinks he does.

>>7235518
He wrote the Book twice. He knows there are inconsistencies...

>>7233223
i will, thanks

>>7233463
fu

>>7235488
I hope we get Wayne and MeLaan worldhopping adventures.

read glasshouse recently. it was ok, detective novel type of sf dealing in a world with tech allowing to do backups of yourslef in case you die and lot of shenanigans around that: multiple copies, hacking/tampering with memories, values, sense of self.

>>7236755

also Zendegi by greg egan. it was not as generous with ideas as his other books like diaspora or permutation city but in a way since its a near future novel it's like a "foundation" for the technologies and concepts he uses in other of his novels, specifically mind uploading tech . where it could come from, who would be interested in this ,its possibilities and limits.

>>7236785
thought i would go through player of games again but i think i should try one i havent read by egan: distress. especially interested by this bit "A major theme running through Egan's presentation of a futuristic anarchism is something called 'Technolibération', which is to do with the liberation of technology and information from corporate control as well as the idea of using advanced technology to enable liberatory social movements."

>>7234360
>Malazan ain't worth the hassle it is to read.
>muh autism can't handle all these shifts in perspectives

>>7236749
How long you think Wayne can live?

With storing health, he will only be using his own lifeforce to sustain him.

He doesn't have an outside source like a burner does, I bet his speed bubbles ain't helping matters.

Not sure if its sci-fi, but are there any modern-setting story about neural net ai program that learns how to manipulate today's world?

Neural net like deepmind and others can already do great things, I'm just seeing if it can be done with a story.

Would this story be scifi or just normal fiction?

>>7237008
I don't know, there are Neal Asher books, where the AIs run the world(and any worlds inhabited by humans)

>>7234736
It's good if you don't mind some joss Whedonish crew bonding, but the setting isnt always as lighthearted as you think. I've enjoyed it so far.

>>7234736
I felt the first book was the best and it slowly went downhill.

>all these Sandersonfags itt
What the fuck? Get out.

>>7236975
If normal humans can be turned into kandra, then he can become immortal.

Regardless, worldhopping has some time dilation aspects as well so Wayne could still travel around quite a bit in his natural lifespan. I don't think he would go through with becoming a kandra--given the opportunity--since he stated in SoS that he wants to die someday.

Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton, basically anything by him, he is an incredible writer who completely brings his sci-fi worlds to life, definitely read a book or so by him.

>>7223207
Alan Dean Foster his Pip and Flynx series is pretty cool imo

>>7223505
pleasant enough book but its shallow, more of an ez teen read

>>7237195
He has a book out at the moment. Itll probably stop in a few weeks. I have a feeling these arent regulars besides the avatarfag.

>>7237501
there's only two sandersons on this board
me and the avatarfag

Don't mind me, just reaffirming the death of sf.

>>7237546
And me.

Which makes 3.

>>7237548
are u sure?

>>7237546
I'm here too I just post about other stuff mostly.
I do talk to the avatarfag when I see him on /tg/

>>7237364
Great 90% whole way through, but his endings always feel rushed. Every single one. I've read all his novels and short stories except the newest two.

Finished Raymond E Feist's Magician.

I feel like I'm missing what other people see in this one.

>>7237547
why are you so bitter? i thought there was some ok stuff in; made me think of bank's the culture a bit and the idea for the antagonist is pretty fun and clever.

>>7233584
PKD short story: I haven't read that many, but my favorite is "Faith of Our Fathers" from Dangerous Visions. I also remember liking "Upon the Dull Earth", and "Second Variety" was OK. "Minority Report" and "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" were both OK, but frankly the film versions of both stories (Total Recall in the latter case) were better.

>>7233622
Only if you're thirteen years old.

>>7237546
I think there are a handful of others. There's at least one or two other people who are Cosmere-aware. Maybe you're one of them.

>>7237569
I don't frequent /tg/. I think I've posted in two threads there all year and both were Cosmere-related (since Mistborn has its own PnP game.) I'd be happy to post more there if recurring Mistborn threads were a thing. I'd even like to play the pnp itself.

I don't even avatarfag.

>>7238070
i have read second variety and found it mediocre especially compared to the other stuff he has written.
thanks for the rest of the suggestions i will consider them.

>>7223375
Check out Garrett, P.I.

>>7223614
Read that earlier this year, loved it.

>>7237858>>7237858
Stick with it through the first four (or three, depending on editions) books. It's nothing drastically new, but it's entertaining. The best three books of the entire 30-something book Riftwar series are the "_____ of the Empire" trilogy. (Mistress, Servant, and something else.) I've read 'em all, and he had some really terrible moments here and there. Sometimes being a completist sucks.

>>7231473

God fucking dammit Harmony

You lost a waifu yourself, how could do do that to someone else

I've been waiting all week for this to come in the library. I may actually read a book tonight.

>>7239323
I wish we got the Chinese cover

>>7238043
You probably shouldn't have to describe a Hugo winner as "some ok stuff in" or "a bit and pretty" tbh.

Going to the book store on Saturday. R8 my purchase list

>Fall of Hyperion
>Dune Messiah
>Foundation

I am currently reading Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe. What is /lit/'s opinion of it? I only ever hear you lot chat about BotNS.

I've read BotNS and it was great, so I picked up this and it's fantastic too. I think I prefer it actually.

Where should I go after Latro? Was considering the Wizard Knight, and I'm sure it'll be good too, but I don't know, but something about modern day boy in an arthurian world really puts me off for some reason.

Also, I think my favourite fantasy authors are Tolkien, Le Guin and Gene Wolfe. Robert Jordan, GRR Martin and Erikson really don't do it for me. Any recommendations?

>>7237546
I'm a Sanderson fag too List fag here

>>7237360
Do you think those Kandra remember their life before they were turned?

Nothing in SoS points to that.

He might be turned to a Kandra but wouldn't be the same Wayne using the same logic.

>>7239585
First Gen do

Everyone else was born Mistwraiths. Since Wayne is a human if he ever got Kandra'ized he'd be more akin to the Firsts than the other younger ones and thus probably remember who he was

>>7239468
>hugo

>>7239626
>probably
Still leaves doubt.

Even if he gets it, he would have to ask Harmony to take out the backdoor that is built into all Kandra.

If his spikes get removed or a strong Allomancer "works on him" he is over.

>>7239476
>Fall of Hyperion
Enjoy your disappointment.

>>7239585
They can sapience through becoming a kandra so highly doubtful, no. Much like any common animal remembering its life; a mistwraith wouldn't remember its.

>>7239672
No Allomancer by Wax and Wayne times is anywhere near enough to control a Kandra. Vin needed to Duralumin flare to do it, and she was the strongest Mistborn of her era (except Elend post Larasium obviously) and AoL/SoS consider her and Lord "Spook" Mistborn to be semi divine beings.

>>7239758
Somebody is going to get Lerasium.(Harmony might have to do it to combat the new EEEVVVVVVVIIIIILLL)

OR that new metal will be used to give one person multiple abilities.

>>7239782
We get a Mistborn in the Era 3 trilogy so something may happen for Mistborn to become existing entities again.

>>7239585
>>7239626
>>7239672
>>7239697
>>7239758
>>7239782
>>7239784
This is worse than listening to nerds discuss about anime or capeshit.

>>7240027
You should probably go to those boards then.

>>7240027
It'll pass once the book has been out for a month. In the meantime try discussing other shit.

>>7240027
Stay in your pinecone and meme-f-w thdeads, maybe you can discuss philosophy.

>>7240086
>power levels
>metals
>reading for plot
>reading genre fiction with minimum artistic or literary value
Seeing the childlike appreciation of Sanderson readers to his works in general, and the utter banalities discussed, you should actually move such discussions to /vg/ or /tg/.

Just finished the Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by PKD and good lordy Jesus it was a beautiful read. I think it is my favorite PKD book to date and I certainly have read a lot of him (the Valis trilogy is all I have left of significance, but I want to digest this book a little more before diving into that).

Just started on my first Heinlein book (Starship Troopers) and I don't know what to expect. 10 pages in and it seems like it has potential.

>>7240393
I have an idea. You ask Hiroyuki to divide the boards, rather than by subject matter, by class - let the anime, comic books, ponies, Sanderson and racism go to /pleb/, put the Pynchon, Malick, existentialism, and Marxism in /patrician/. Wouldn't that be nice? Or you could start a book thread on /vg/, that might be productive.

>>7240393
Fantasy like that always appeals to teenagers, teenagers are excitable and tend to drone on about stuff. Mix that with the high levels of autism on 4chan and you'll get quite a few discussions about details/speculation that you won't find interesting. However, that doesn't make it a bad book/series.

And shut the fuck up about "genre fiction" or shit like that. Everyone is allowed to appreciate literature for whatever they see in it. Fuck terminology like "literary value". Sure, there's actual pulp out there, but it has its place. And there's boring pretentious drivel that a lot of /lit/ people masturbate over, that's fine too.

>>7221396
Don't listen to that faggot, the recs are fine (at least the sf ones, don't know much about fantasy).

>>7240393
What books do you sanction the discussion of then anonymous?

finished the wheel of time last night, overall I'm happy with how it turned out, but a little sad out how Jordan didn't get to expand on Shara and Seanchan before he kicked the bucket.

Today I started Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie because all those fancy awards it won drew my eye and I am really liking it, which for me is hard to do in the shadow of such an impressive series that I just finished. Any similar series that /lit/ recommends for it? I know there is plenty of space opera out there, but that is my problem, as I don't know where to start.

Also I noticed in the OP that there are no recommendations for Brandon Sanderson novels, does /lit/ dislike him for some reason? I've yet to find something shit that he wrote

>>7241280
If you want some large scale space opera, try Night's Dawn Trilogy by Hamilton, or Revelation Space/Chasm City/Redemption Ark/Absolution Gap by Reynolds.

what does /lit/ think of this book?
what about the girl with all the gifts?

>>7241319
"Welcome to MI5... for wizards" sounds bad.... but possibly entertaining. Going to read some reviews ;)

As to The Girl With All The Gifts: I thought it was a fun read, but it was pretty much what I expected, while I'd understood there'd be a huge reveal at some point. I guess for people that aren't used to that type of novel, it could be surprising.

that particular cover gives a really fucking horrible idea of what the book is about.

it's an urban fantasy, but without the shitty werewolf/vampire romance, no magic girl power, in fact, there is no magic at all iirc. Basically dresden-tier but without the slow start and "reluctant troublemaker hero who is pulled into a massive fight way above his paygrade" stereotype

>>7241280
Rec charts are made by a few people, sometimes just one. You can't expect a single set of recs to be indicative of a whole lot.

From this thread alone you can see people who like Sanderson discussing his new book and people who don't like him shitting on those posters.

So where do I start with Peter F. Hamilton? Is Great North Road as mentioned earlier in the thread a good place or is there another book that's better to try first?

>>7238737
Wow there's that many books? I did not realise what I was getting into. Thanks for the tip.

>>7224354
I'm reading SiaSL now. Do you have the abridged 160,000 word version? or the 220,000 word version? I wonder how much of the opinion on the book is based on the differences between the two versions.

>>7224358
>>7224364
>>7224416
>>7224883

I'm looking for books that could be subsumed under the "coming of age" category in the recommendation sheet, I've read all of the four books/series listed and then some. Any recommendations? Of the four books listed, I liked Hobb best.

>>7229767
I read that one, it started out good, but was far too long for its content in my opinion. Might have been a good trilogy or even a single book, but it felt like the author lost his overview and just "wrote on" before deciding to finish the story about 20 installments too late.

>>7240406
Three Stigmata is PKD's best novel, IMO.

Starship Troopers and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress are the essential Heinlein novels. There's no reason to read more of him unless you find him particularly appealing.

>>7241451
I enjoyed Great North Road a lot, but it starts out slooooooooooooowwwwww. I kept reading because I assumed it would pick up, because I hadn't read anything from Hamilton I disliked. It did pick up, but I wouldn't start with it.

Night's Dawn Trilogy is a good start, but they are long books (~1000 pgs/book). I also really liked his Greg Mandel books, also a trilogy of sorts. Starts with Mindstar Rising. A lot shorter and very entertaining, but these books are not on the grand scale Night's Dawn Trilogy is on.

Is the Bas-Lag series any good? Also, were all the three novels for US edition ever published in hardcover?

>>7242002
I've only read the first one. The good parts are amazing but it's overstuffed and underedited. I prefer his shorter, tighter work (The City & the City, Embassytown) but you've got to at least check out what he does when he's showing less restraint. I'm still planning to read the rest, have heard The Scar is the best of the three.

>>7242002
I've only read Perdido Street Station, but it was good!

>>7241297
Don't forget the novellas and short stories in the Revelation Space universe; many of which can be important for world-building and learning how certain things function (like Conjoiner drives.)

>>7242002
There are the Del Rey hardcovers, but at least Perdido is a book club edition. I think the Scar might be as well, but there's also a signed edition by Easton Press.

>>7242100
The Scar is definitely excellent.

Most patrish science fiction authors? I'd say:
>Philip K. Dick
>Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
>Robert Anton Wilson
>Gene Wolfe
Help me out here fam.

>>7242182
>>7242002
I've also read PSS and I found it to be extremely juvenile because China is a manchild marxist with the opinion that rape is like the worst thing ever. Also his characters are shit considering it is an 800 page novel. That said the atmosphere is good and I liked the setting and partially his style of writing.

>>7242203
Vonnegut is one of the most pleb authors out there and is pleb even in SFF.
True patrician autors
>Wolfe
>Dick
>Le Guin
>Tolkien
>Lieber

>>7242203
Lem

>>7242100
>>7242182
I just read read the plot of Perdido Street Station and I think I should add the book to my shopping cart. Also, I was thinking about purchasing Iain Banks's Cultural series. Is it any good? Thanks

>>7242100
>There are the Del Rey hardcovers
I checked. Del Ray has paperback for first 2 novels in the Bas-Lang series. Pretty sure they were never published in harcover for US edition.

>>7242215
Rape is indeed the worst thing ever.

>>7242253
The Scar was published by Del Rey as a book club edition. I don't know the ISBN, but there's one on eBay right now.

Perdido was published as an SFBC hardcover (0-7394-1684-7), but it had Del Rey on the copyright page. I don't know how SFBC works, so I'm not sure what's the significance.

Since I'm not sure how these book club editions work, it might've been wrong to say "the Del Ray hardcovers", but they were, at least, published in hardcover in the US.

Just curious, why specifically US hardcovers by the way?

>>7242300
>"the Del Ray hardcovers", but they were, at least, published in hardcover in the US.
That's library binding or may be not from the official pulisher like those published for UK editions.

>why specifically US hardcovers by the way?
US? Because US English.

Harcover? I like to collect hardcovers.

>>7242439
I'm not really sure what you mean by the official publisher thing, but yes, they're not the same as the UK editions. I did say they were book club editions. But book clubs are still hardcovers, even if they're generally not very collectible.

Also, more power to you mate. I collect hardcovers as well.

>>7239697
>Enjoy your disappointment.
I liked it. The narration was not as good as in Hyperion but the story was nice and had an good end.

>start reading devices and desires
>the words 'thing' 'stuff' 'bunch' and so on are thrown around constantly, even in what are supposed to be formal conversations by an ariostocracy

>>7241506
The abridged version is bad. The full version is terrible.