/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.5390156]

sci-fi general you fuckers

[Anonymous No.5390157]

This is the literature board though.

[Anonymous No.5390159]

>>5390156
finally I've finished remaking the scifi guide

anything you would want me to add/remove ?

[Anonymous No.5390163]

>>5390156
>pleb general you fuckers

[Anonymous No.5390166]

>>5390157
>>5390163
unbelievably funny
like really, wow, didnt expect this kind of humor here, like: wow.

no really, you did a great job of not being not funny. I guess sci-fi is for plebs rite ;) ?

[Anonymous No.5390168]

>>5390166
>having a meltdown four posts into your thread

[Anonymous No.5390170]

>>5390159
I've read 47 of these I think. Good list.

[Anonymous No.5390652]

>>5390170
>>5390159
Man, I consider myself decently well-versed in sci-fi and I've only read 17.

Is there a reason you excluded Vonnegut? And should Twain's Connecticut Yankee be in there somewhere? Or any of Vance, Rajaniemi, or Swartzwelder's novels? I'll let people better versed in SF than me answer these questions.

[Anonymous No.5390658]

>>5390652
oh, and Ted Chiang's short story collection was the other thing I was going to suggest, thanks. I'll take my question off the air.

[Anonymous No.5390790]

>>5390652
The reason why I excluded any of the mentioned authors is that I only remade >>5390159

Now that I finished remaking it, I thought maybe it's the right time to add some new books or even new categories.

So if anyone has any suggestions:
name the author, the book and which category you think it belongs to.
If you can think of a new category (e.g. "russian sci-fi") with enough books, you are free to suggest it.

[Anonymous No.5390868]

>>5390156
>No Genres like Hard SciFi, BioPunk, Science Fantasy & Cyberprep
>Not splitting up "modern"
>No Greg Egan
What is this ?

>>5390159 Also on the wiki or just as a pic ?

[Anonymous No.5390890]

>>5390868
m8
when I said
>remade
I meant: remade.

I literally remade this >>5390159
into this >>5390156

reason being, that now that I have the .psd and .ai files I can alter it very easily.

now, I need help from y'all guys. You provide me the information, I change the infopic.
You want me to split up "modern" ? Tell me into which categories and which books belong to those categories.

also: just the pic.

[Anonymous No.5390956]

>>5390890 Yea and I was asking you remade just the pic or also edited the wiki-entry ?
Also note sure if it would be a good idea to just publish the .psd files so that others can edit.
The stuff I'd change initially is in the greentext. I couldn't really edit much though as I'm not yet that well-read even in SciFi to judge on the quality of books. I just know Greg Egan definitely belongs in there and that this list doesn't serve that much of a purpose if it's not severely split into categories so people searching for new books to read can pick the one they like or would like to get into etc.
I don't know that many categories besides the ones I named so it probably needs other people to also collaborate on the pic (which is also a reason for open sourcing the .psd's)

The Invincible by Stanislav Lem (and probably Solaris - I haven't yet read it but wiki says so) and Greg Egan's stuff along with some of Arthur C. Clarke's belong into Hard Science.
The Windup Girl goes into BioPunk. But that's also the only BP book I've read so far so it really needs more people for that - I'd imagine Darwin's Radio is another good one.
Down and Out in Magic Kingdom (not like his other books), and Suarez' FreedomTM (albeit being the 2nd book of a Bilogy - the first and the 2nd both could also go into a "Techno SciFi" section) would go into Cyberprep.
Lord of Light would go into Science Fantasy (haven't yet read more novels of this genre).
Dystopian probably could do well with a few more adds.
Still not sure why the hell one would remove Egan...but for one positive thing I like how it starts with 2001.

I also just found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Science_fiction_genres which might be helpful here. As said the list would be of way higher use if it's meant to be the guide / hallway of SciFi with doors to all its different paths / ways and styles. Just piling up a bunch of rather unsorted great books isn't that useful. It's not just the assessment but also the classification and putting the books into relationship/perspective.

[Anonymous No.5390962]

What about the series Book of the New Sun, or The Black Company? I've heard about them here

Are they good? Which one is better?

[Anonymous No.5390967]

>>5390956 *oh well just saw that you didn't remove GE but just changed its cover to a shitty other one.

I also forgot one category (actually my favourite one as Cyberprep largely falls under it - including the two books that I named for it) is Social Science Fiction

[Anonymous No.5391030]

>>5390168

[Anonymous No.5391034]

Has any good hard stuff come out in the last few years?

[Anonymous No.5391035]

>>5390159
Dystopian seems really extraneous. Many of the books listed could be applied to that subgenre. I propose "alternative history" instead.

Your golden age list is really fucking weird. Frederick Pohl, Doc Smith, and Theodore Sturgeon should be on there somewhere. Modern should be trimmed. Consider the most influential by each of the authors and a novel or two from the last three years.

I would also add a time frame for golden age and modern eras and perhaps a small description for each.

YFW you have read all but six of these.

[Anonymous No.5392394]

>still no Disch

You fucksacks are doing it wrong

[Anonymous No.5392440]

>>5392394
Camp Concentration was one of the worst pieces of shit I read last year. I don't know why you'd want to pile more crap onto the list, there's enough on there already as it is.

[Anonymous No.5392486]

>>5392440

Camp Concentration is far from his best.

Go for 334 or On Wings of Song.

[Anonymous No.5392526]

>tfw i have the story and characters mapped out for a great science fiction mecha space opera but im a terrible writer and will never actually write out the story in full

It would have been a modern classic though mates. Too bad.

[Anonymous No.5392563]

>>5392526
post it here and I'll write it for you.

credentials: sometimes I freelance for publications you've read

[Anonymous No.5392574]

>>5390159
Blindsight?

[Anonymous No.5392591]

>>5392563
I can post the outline for the opening chapter and you can write it if you want. It's a prologue which I haven't decided the POV of.

[Anonymous No.5392609]

>>5392591
sure, post it. if it's not my thing I'll forget it, if I'm into it and write it I'll make daily toasts to the anon from 4chan's lit board who handed me a bestseller

[Anonymous No.5392722]

>>5392609
Well okay. This story isn't going to be any thing patrician but I have so much story and characters and heart and soul poured in to this so pls no bully if you don't like the outline of Chapter 1.

Anyway here we go:

A long and unpopular war between the Galactic Republic and a small chain of planets on the outskirts of the Republic has finally wound down and concluded. Perhaps on the advise of PR to extend a hand of good will towards her Generals who lived through hell during the war the increasingly psychotic Consul of the Republic, a female of prestigious background who is serving her 4th term and 13th year of office perpetually re-elected by a extremely corrupt senate, has invited some of the most decorated generals and other major senators and politicians to her paradise like private get away on a moon orbiting the capital planet. (think of one of those private party houses roman emperors had back in the day, this place is usually reserved for her and her corrupt senate but today like i said is a special occasion).

1/2

[Anonymous No.5392732]

Anyway I'm not sure if I want this chapter to take place from the point of view of one of the heads of security or of one of the lesser generals/senators but they land on this paradise get away and join the festivities. Every thing goes seemingly swimmingly at first, some tense exchanges between disgruntled generals, some shadowy talks maybe but other than that booze, waterfalls, pools, rich life. It becomes clear through out that the Prime Minister is indeed deranged though.

Anyways after setting up some character for down the road we head to the feast which ends with a group of generals and guards slaughtering the prime minister and her senators.

Obviously some of the generals will not be in on this plot and flee or get mowed down in a very brutal shoot out(note: i'd really like if laser shots made people limbs explode in this story, ie: shot in the hand, bloody fucking explosion and no hand etc).

end opening chapter. when we pick up back again in chapter 2 it will be several months later and the republic will be embroiled in civil war.

Here are some characters who i would like to be introduced and not killed in this chapter

the main culprit of the massacre, an idealistic and popular general with shoulder length blond hair. he'll become the leader of his new imperial movement.

and 3 other generals who will make up his opposition in the war. With most of the government BTFO in this chapter these 2 will lead the republic in the coming story.

general 1: man of action, big scruffy beard, eye patch, loud funny, ready for action

general 2: empire rebel general dudes main rival.he's laid back intelligent and believes in democracy to a fault even despite how corrupt the republic has become.

general 3: wild card, do whatever the fuck you want m8.


Anyway thats what i had pictured for chapter 1.

[Anonymous No.5392835]

Neuromancer is the best sci fi book even written, if you dont agree you are a pleb.

[Anonymous No.5392917]

>>5392722
>>5392732
I actually like the set up and setting. It'd probably make a decent short story.

>>5392835
Ha ha, no.

[Anonymous No.5392977]

>>5390156
Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward egg is good.

[Anonymous No.5393246]

>tfw no idea if that guy liked my chapter one synopsis or not

[Anonymous No.5393970]

>>5392722
>>5392732
this is cool as hell but not something that my writing style would fit at all. good luck with it my man

[Anonymous No.5394178]

What does /lit/ think of the Strugatsky Brothers?

[Anonymous No.5394197]

>>5394178
Watched Stalker, read The inhabited Island, loved both.
fell asleep trying to watch the movie adaptation of the latter, prisoners of power, numerous times

[Anonymous No.5394337]

>>5394178
95% of the only SciFi I read is Lem or Strugatzkij. Everything else is shallow compared with this. It's actually questionable to even call this SciFi, it's so much more advanced.

[Anonymous No.5394346]

>>5394337
Lem is clearly above and beyond genre fiction.
The Strugatzkijs on the other hand, seem to put in a whole lot of sci-fi tropes just because they feel they have to. E.g. the mutant creatures and the Witchmaster in inhabited island were pretty cool, but felt somewhat gimmicky.

[Anonymous No.5394421]

>>5390156
The Difference Engine is steampunk.

[Anonymous No.5394551]

>dystopian
>the man in the high castle

sure

[Anonymous No.5394803]

>>5393970
OK, thanks. Glad to hear something positive about it.

[Anonymous No.5394890]

I adored Earth Abides and Frankenstein, but I think they're the only SF I've actually read. I've been meaning to dig deeper into the genre, though.

[Anonymous No.5395601]

>>5394421

And also crap.

>>5392835

It's not even the best Gibson

[Anonymous No.5395899]

>>5392722
>>5392732
This is exactly like Legend of The Galactic Heroes

[Anonymous No.5395910]

needs some Samuel R Delany, like Dhalgren.

[Anonymous No.5396591]

>>5390159
Pic won't open for me. Anyone else got it saved?

[Anonymous No.5397084]

>tfw this thread made me want to get The Culture with hardcovers
>tfw it's 100€ for consider phlebas alone

well, I can't handle this, this is bullshit.
and I had to buy the last of the Magician trilogy as a paperback too

>hold me /lit/

>inb4 Grossman is shit, I'm enjoying my first SF books in 5 years.

[Anonymous No.5397090]

>>5397084
I meant fantasy/heroic fantasy

[Anonymous No.5397102]

>>5392574
Good call. Blindsight must be in any chart.

[Anonymous No.5397941]

>>5390159
Asimov's The End of Eternity really belongs on the list but that's probably just me

[Anonymous No.5398078]

>>5395899
I thought the same, started watching it a few days ago so I was instantly reminded of it

[Anonymous No.5398099]

> no dreams of amputation
> no Flatland

I'm out

[Anonymous No.5398118]

>>5398099
>he thought his opinion was valued

[Anonymous No.5398133]

>>5395910
I might be lobbying to get him to come to my college next year.
>graduating this year
>won't get to see him

[Anonymous No.5399441]

My sci-fi collection, still about 10 unread

[Anonymous No.5399500]

>>5399441
Nice collection. Got a good variety there, but I notice a distinct lack of any Clarke.

[Anonymous No.5399713]

>>5395601
What is the best Gibson then? Everywhere I've went over heard neuro was his #1

[Anonymous No.5399845]

>>5390159
>1984
>Sci-fi
If only.

[Anonymous No.5399849]

>>5399845
Are you one of the "but it's GOOD, it can't be sci-fi!" lot?

[Anonymous No.5399916]

>>5399500
my Childhood's End is in my vehicle. might check out Rama some day

[Anonymous No.5400549]

>>5390156
OP here, I'm sorry for my absence, gotta get dem university things straight first.

keep the suggestions coming, I'll work on the OP as soon as possible

[Anonymous No.5400820]

>>5399849 I'd guess he's rather saying we're already in what was depicted in 1984 hence it's not science fiction but now science fact or something.
But I think that's wrong even though Orwell was right on plenty of things.

>>5400549 >>5390956 here...so are you going to publish that psd file or not ? Actually it would even be enough if you wrote the used font + font-size in a corner of the pic as that's the only thing really needed to edit it.